Lessons for teens?

[marzNC]

Turns out that Alta has lessons for teens ages 13-17 for specific dates during winter break and around Pres. Day. Can go for one day or more. Apparently it's possible to make a reservation. Probably also possible to just show up during the check-in time without a reservation, which is how it works for younger kids.

The Teen Camp is designed to bring teen skiers together to explore the expert terrain of Alta and its awesome snow conditions. This camp will run continuously during the holidays. Skiers are not required to commit to a specific number of days. Each day of the camp will include coaching that helps skiers challenge Alta's most adventurous terrain. Skiers will be with the coaches from 9:30 am to 3:45 pm.

Dates
December 26, 2015 - January 1, 2016
February 12 - 18, 2016
Check-in is 8:30 - 9:15 am, pick-up is 3:45 (late pick-up available upon request)

Price
$135/day
Lunch is included
Lift tickets sold separately

Includes
1:8 group ratios
Guided skiing and coaching on all of Alta's appropriate terrain
All-Mountain skiing tactics and techniques

 

[marzNC]

A friend is an instructor at Deer Valley this season. He's a Level 3 who taught at Whitetail in PA for a long time. Retired from his day job a couple years ago and decided to spend this winter out west. So I took a look at the DV ski school info.

DV has Teen Escape during holiday periods and most of March. Also have options for teens ages 13-17 during other periods that are a bit different than for adults ages 18+.

Deer Valley Ski School 2015-16
Teen Escape Ages 13 - 17 (All Ability Zones)

• Offered during holiday and peek periods: December 19, 2015 - January 2, 2016; January 15 - 18, 2016; February 11 - 19, 2016; March 6 - April 1, 2016
• 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
• Teens should bring about $20 and hang out with their Ski Instructor and new friends for lunch
• Average class size: Six to 8 students
• Price includes lesson and lift ticket; does not include equipment
• Please note: During non-holiday, non-peak periods, students ages 13 through 15 may participate in the Adventure Club and students ages 16 through 17 may participate in Max 4 group lessons, where they will be grouped by ability zone

 

[marzNC]

Park City has special lessons for teens ages 15-17 for any ability level. Full day lesson (9-3) only for $215 for lift ticket and lesson. Dates available are based on holiday periods, but includes days in March when schools have spring breaks. I assume Feb. 16-19 is because there are schools that have the week after Pres. Day as a winter break. I know schools in NYC do that.

Available Dates:

• Dec. 18 – Jan. 3
• Jan. 15 – Jan. 18
• Feb. 12 – Feb. 21
• Mar. 6 – Mar. 9 (Sun – Wed)
• Mar. 13 – Mar. 16 (Sun – Wed)
• Mar. 20 – Mar. 23 (Sun – Wed)
• Mar. 27 – Mar. 30 (Sun – Wed)

Guaranteed 5:1 ratio:

• Full day lesson (half day is not available for this program)
• Lift and Lesson included
• Equipment rental and Lunch are not included
• Lessons are from 9:00 to 3:00

 

[marzNC]

I realize that most parents (or grandparents, aunts/uncles, etc.) aren't thinking about ski trips for next season yet. But for those who have kids in middle school or high school and are limited to holiday periods for a ski vacation, there are clearly some destination resorts that have lesson programs with those families in mind.

The info in this thread is from 2015. So best to check in the fall to see if the programs mentioned still exist.

 

[marzNC]

Didn't realize that Big Sky has lessons for teens (ages 13-17) every afternoon during the season, not just during holiday periods.

 

[marzNC]

Alta still has a Teen Camp for advanced skiers during late December and Pres. Day week. Don't have to make a reservation and don't have to go every day. Sounds like a variation of the Adult Mountain Workshop except it's all day and lunch is included. Not bad for $155, especially if parents or grandparents are more inclined to cruise the groomers.

Teen Camp
Christmas Holiday & President's Week
For teens age 13-17

Bringing teen skiers together to explore the expert terrain of Alta.

The Teen Camp is designed to bring teen skiers together to explore the expert terrain of Alta and its awesome snow conditions. This camp will run continuously during the holidays. Skiers are not required to commit to a specific number of days. Each day of the camp will include coaching that helps skiers challenge Alta's most adventurous terrain. Skiers will be with the coaches from 9:30 am to 3:45 pm.

Dates
December 26, 2018 - January 1, 2019
February 16 - 22, 2019
Check-in is 8:30 - 9:15 am, pick-up is 3:45 (late pick-up available upon request)

Price
$155/day
Lunch is included
Lift tickets sold separately

Includes
1:8 group ratios
Guided skiing and coaching on all of Alta's appropriate terrain
All-Mountain skiing tactics and techniques

Goals
Read the terrain and conditions for ideal line selection
Ski an entire line without interruptions
Learn how to use your skis in different snow types
Learn how to use turn shape to attack the hill, yet maintain speed control

Registration
Sign-up between 8:30 - 9:15 am in the Ski Adventure Center

 

[marzNC]

Back in 2015, the Killington lessons for older kids went up to age 17. For 2018-19, the group lesson age range stops at 15 for Youth Max 5. Full-day or half-day available for $145/110. They try to group by ability and age.

 

[marzNC]

Alta still has the lessons for teens during holiday periods. Clearly designed for advanced/expert skiers. No reservation required. Can do one or more days during the weeks the program is available.

The Teen Camp is designed to bring teen skiers together to explore the expert terrain of Alta and its awesome snow conditions. This camp will run continuously during the holidays. Skiers are not required to commit to a specific number of days. Each day of the camp will include coaching that helps skiers challenge Alta's most adventurous terrain. Skiers will be with the coaches from 9:30 am to 3:45 pm.

Dates
December 26, 2019 - January 1, 2020
February 15 - 21, 2020
Check-in is 8:30 - 9:15 am, pick-up is 3:45 (late pick-up available upon request)

Price
$155/day
Lunch is included. Lift tickets sold separately

Includes
1:8 group ratios
Guided skiing and coaching on all of Alta's appropriate terrain
All-Mountain skiing tactics and techniques

Goals
Read the terrain and conditions for ideal line selection
Ski an entire line without interruptions
Learn how to use your skis in different snow types
Learn how to use turn shape to attack the hill, yet maintain speed control

 

[marzNC]

Sun Peaks doesn't get mentioned by Americans that often, but is very popular with Australians. I'm beginning to understand why. Sun Peaks has teen programs for ages 13-15 during holiday periods that are priced very reasonably. The lessons are 2 hours, which leaves plenty of time for families to ski together. I think the prices below are in Canadian dollars.

Note that most of January is included. Probably because that's summer vacation for Australian families with kids in school.

 

[marzNC]

Wading through the Steamboat website to figure out what lessons are available in general is cumbersome. What caught my eye eventually that is a bit different was the Ski Week for kids, including teens ages 13-17. The idea is lessons for 5 consecutive days with the same instructor for the same group of teens, M-F, 9:00am to 2:45pm, and lunch is included. The price is $1095 ($220 per day) and hopefully parents also tip at the end of the week. The 5-day program is offered Dec. 23 - 27, 2019; Dec. 30, 2019 - Jan. 3, 2020; Feb. 17 - 21; Feb. 24 - 28; Mar. 2 - 6; Mar. 9 - 13; Mar. 16 - 20; Mar. 23 - 27, 2020.

Teens taking regular group lessons (full day), ages 13-17, are supposed to be matched by age and ability. The higher price option is called Max 5. Presumably that means regular group lessons may have more than 5 students. There are separate items for teens for the regular group lessons but not Max 5.

 

[marzNC]

Aspen/Snowmass has teen (13-17) group lessons all season long at Snowmass for 2019-20.

 

[marzNC]

Smuggs has a lot of programs for kids from ages 3-17. Looks like there are separate afternoon group lessons for ages 16-17. Older tweens and younger teens ages 11-15 are grouped together.

At some point since 2015, Smuggs shifted the age range for their "teen" program. Still have group lessons for ages 11-15, but for 2019-20 there are lessons for ages 16-20 called Snow Sport University.