Lessons in Jackson Hole

[allright]

My husband, my 7 year old and I are going to Jackson Hole for the first time for 9 days Dec 26-Jan 4 and staying at the Hostel. I took a few 2 or 3 hour private lessons in Alta last year and the year before and it was so unbelievable to have that instruction and see amazing places on the mountain I would have never gone. It changed skiing for me. I also really enjoyed the off-piste clinic at Alta.

So I was hoping to do something similar at Jackson Hole and was given a rec of an instructor but then when I go on the website it is 625 dollars for a half day. Are there any cheaper options or off-piste group clinics? Or even just a guide and not an instructor? We are all about level 8 skiers but don't have a ton of experience in powder. Thanks for any advice!!

 

[marzNC]

So I was hoping to do something similar at Jackson Hole and was given a rec of an instructor but then when I go on the website it is 625 dollars for a half day. Are there any cheaper options or off-piste group clinics? Or even just a guide and not an instructor? We are all about level 8 skiers but don't have a ton of experience in powder. Thanks for any advice!!

Did you notice that the private lesson price is for 1-5 adult skiers? I set up a lesson for me and my two ski buddies that worked out well. The price per person came out reasonable on a per hour basis.

From what I've heard the PM Max 3 lessons are quite good. JH has a lot of very experienced instructors. Out of the 400+ instructors, my guess is that more than half are Level 3. Similar to Alta. So the group lessons for advanced/expert skiers will be taught by Level 3 instructors or Level 2 with 15+ years of teaching experience. You just have to decide if Advanced or Expert is the right level on a given day but I'm sure the JH ski school would help in making a good decision. The full day adv/expert group lessons look like a great deal but need to have plenty of stamina to ski off-piste at JH 10am-4pm.

In addition to the semi-private lesson with @snoWYmonkey, my ski buddies and I also had a chance to free ski with another instructor I'd "met" from a different ski forum. We got lucky. Happened to be a day that he didn't have to teach. Probably because the snow conditions weren't that great that week.

Do plan on doing the free mountain tour for JH. Getting between the sections is relatively easy once you know how to do it. But can be a bit confusing at some cat track intersections.

 

[allright]

Thank you. The PM Max 3 looks great and so does the all day group. I did notice that the private lessons are 1-5 skiers but I would be with my husband and 7 year old so it is still over 1k after tip out of my budget.

Good to know they have the free mountain tour also. I was going to ask about that. My son and I did that at Snowbird and Tremblant and it was a fun little intro to the mountain.

 

[marzNC]

Thank you. The PM Max 3 looks great and so does the all day group. I did notice that the private lessons are 1-5 skiers but I would be with my husband and 7 year old so it is still over 1k after tip out of my budget.

Hope you'll report on the new ski school building. A bit different to have the check-in mid-mountain after a gondola ride.

Are you going to have your son do any group lessons? JH has a great reputation for their children's program. Especially for kids who are advanced at a young age. Might need to make reservations.

 

[allright]

I will report. It won't be different for me since it will be my first time at JH. Maybe I will check out the kids ski school but he is already about out-skiing us so I think the money is better spent on my husband and me.

 

[marzNC]

I will report. It won't be different for me since it will be my first time at JH. Maybe I will check out the kids ski school but he is already about out-skiing us so I think the money is better spent on my husband and me.

What I meant was that the idea of parents riding in a gondola in street shoes to check in a kid going to ski school isn't that common. Obviously most traveling parents taking kids to JH also ski themselves. But I see plenty of non-skiing parents at my home mountain and read about non-skiing spouses who go along on ski trips.

Makes sense to with your son as much as possible while he's still happier with skiing with you than his friends or other kids his own age. He'll be a tween sooner than you think. My daughter was better than I was by age 10. Took 2-3 years of lessons to get to the point that she wasn't bored skiing with me.

 

[allright]

Yes, we are so enjoying skiing with our son we are taking advantage of this time before he is bored with us. We never saw the point of lessons and just let him learn naturally by being on skiis tons of hours since we like skiing together so much and he will outgrow us in no time. We took one private last year at Alta just to break up the trip and get tips on places to go and the instructor said my son was great but I was the one that needed some work! haha!

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Hello, sorry, late to the thread. The lesson would be just for you I assume, as husband would accompany your son during your lesson. I agree with @marzNC that during the busy holiday rush, the max 3 pm would be a good bet. A backcountry guide is the same cost as a private instructor. After all they are keeping you alive in avalanche and non marked terrain and most have special certifications, just as the instructors tend to do.

The mountain tour is perfect for a lay of the land, but does not go off piste if that is what you are looking for.

If you are planning on a lesson for all three of you, I say go for the all day private and split the cost and I bet it is less than three separate group lessons, with the two of you adults in one and your son in another lesson. If you do book a private request a level 2 or 3 or 4 instructor.

Please let me know if I can help in any way. I am unfortunately pre booked over the holidays with the same family for 16 years now! I could certainly help you find an instructor, though it sounded like you already had a name.

Cancellation policies are very forgiving. Make sure that we have enough snow for off piste if that is what you are after. Most years it is game on by mid december, but not all years.

 

[allright]

Hello, sorry, late to the thread. The lesson would be just for you I assume, as husband would accompany your son during your lesson. I agree with @marzNC that during the busy holiday rush, the max 3 pm would be a good bet. A backcountry guide is the same cost as a private instructor. After all they are keeping you alive in avalanche and non marked terrain and most have special certifications, just as the instructors tend to do.

The mountain tour is perfect for a lay of the land, but does not go off piste if that is what you are looking for.

If you are planning on a lesson for all three of you, I say go for the all day private and split the cost and I bet it is less than three separate group lessons, with the two of you adults in one and your son in another lesson. If you do book a private request a level 2 or 3 or 4 instructor.

Please let me know if I can help in any way. I am unfortunately pre booked over the holidays with the same family for 16 years now! I could certainly help you find an instructor, though it sounded like you already had a name.

Cancellation policies are very forgiving. Make sure that we have enough snow for off piste if that is what you are after. Most years it is game on by mid december, but not all years.

Thank you so much for the information. I think the Max 3 sounds really good for me then. Maybe I will do a few of those and then the 3 of us could do a lesson for a whole day together. Maybe we will run into you! Thanks again!