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Question: Ski Clinics - Any recommendations?

A

AnneC

Certified Ski Diva
Over many years I have participated in a few ski instruction weeks. Each was great and improved my skiing. I participated in a Women's only event at Okemo. Their Ski Sprees are great! :thumbsup:
I also did a week out at Snowmass/Aspen called Breakthrough on Skis:https://www.breakthroughonskis.com/Pages/skicourses.html It was an outstanding experience. :clap:
Does anyone have any other experiences that they would recommend?
 
clinics

Anne, I have the Lito tapes. I've watched them several times and enjoy the information and awesome scenery. They are beautifully filmed---even if they're a little retro! My question to you is, after having attended one of his clinics how do you feel about the whole lifting the foot off the ground thing? I understand that this can be a subtle movement, however in every lesson I have taken they remind students NOT to do this. Probably due to so many having learned that way when the parabolics first came out. I really don't know...just get confused whenI watch his tapes. Very Harald Harb. (he's on the tapes). I can't knock great skiing, no matter what method people use. As for me, I need a week of solid instruction. I'll see what the ladies have to say about clinics. I'd have to fly somewhere to participate, but if I can come back with solid skills, it would be well worth it!
 
I love love love ESA!
EpicSki Academy!

I was a self taught skier who was having a great time on the slopes when some friends on EpicSki convinced me to do an ESA Dec 2006. It was my first time skiing out of Michigan and my first instruction. I had so many breakthroughs, I can't begin to tell you. I'm definitely not the same skier today that I was before my first ESA.
I've since attended two more at ESA Stowe, and will be doing the ESA Aspen Snowmass next week.
The coaching is the best you could imagine, from the likes of the Late Great Stu Campbell, to the ever amazing Robin Barnes.
The coaching, social climate and locations are tremendous!!!

If you're interested in learning more, let me know, or click on the link in my signature!


BTW, I have not attended Okemo's WAA WAA, but I hear amazing things about that.
 
Sometimes a great ski-instruction experience creeps up on you unexpectedly. I'm a CSIA level 2 so have taken many sessions through the Alliance, pre-season courses through my ski school, etc. But before Christmas this year, I was at Sugarloaf with a ski club from Nova Scotia. Lessons were part of the deal (and, being pre-Christmas, it was an amazing deal) and I must confess my expectations weren't that high.

Anyhow, I ended up with a guy who gave us four days of some of the best instruction I've had in a while. I didn't say I was an instructor, just listened and took part. He pointed out that I wasn't over my feet enough (even though I was sure I was) and, as a result, I've I had a total breakthrough regarding my hips.

Interestingly, last Sunday I took a cross-country lesson - first time ever and I've been x-c skiing for at least 30 years. Here, too, I learned I gotta focus way more on my hips. So now I'm totally hip-fixated!
 
Any ESA would be GREAT. I, too, attended 2 Breakthrough on Skis clinics a few years back. It was fun, the coaching excellent, etc. BUT.....I did NOT make the jump I have made with the last few Epic Academies I have attended (Stowe and Aspen). The caliber of coaching and the colleagiality (no jockeying for top dog) makes this atmosphere particularly excellent for fun and advancement. Re: the phantom edging: I have done both and find the edging lends itself, FOR ME, to a propensity to slipping back to stemming. Prefer GREATLY the patient slip pivoting taught at ESA.
 
Last year I took an amazing 2-day clinic at Sunday River. It was women only and it vastly improved both my confidence and my skill. Interestingly, my instructor was our very own skiwishes!

I would definitely do it again!
 
https://straightlineadventures.com/

Gordy is a great coach with a racing background and brings in a lot of other amazing coaches. Some of them are very technical skiers with backgrounds in instruction and racing as well as competitive freeskiing and ski movies, with a few who are guides/patrollers/freeskiers. I actually like that format a lot - you can spend the morning with a coach who is very technical, giving you a lot of drills and feedback on what you're doing, and then spend the afternoon with someone who, while they often have good technical advice as well, can really help with other things - such as finding good lines, good snow, the mental aspects of skiing, avalanche safety, dealing with exposed rocky terrain, etc. And then it gives you a chance to practice what you worked on in the morning, while dealing with some of the more practical aspects of skiing. Plus, they all take some time to video each student, and you'll spend hours reviewing the videotape together in the evenings.

They usually divide up in to three groups for various ability levels, but I would say at a minimum, you need to be comfortable skiing expert terrain, and be able to ski all day long for three days straight. (And you'll go right from skiing all day to doing avalanche training and beacon drills one evening and then video analysis at night, so it makes for very long days.).

But I've done a couple of them (so has my husband) and I would say that these camps have done more for my skiing than anything else. And Gordy is a great coach and instructor - he does a really good job putting these camps together, and will keep even the best skiers challenged.

Check out my big smile: (I'm in the green with pink goggles)
photos1.jpg
 
I am doing rippin chix with Alison Gannett. Everyone I have talked to that has done it had an awesome time! I have skied with her before but not as a student and she and her girls are really good so I am excited to finally be IN the class. Her camp is in crested butte and it focuses on steeps and powder, basically big mountain skiing.
 
Re: the phantom edging: I have done both and find the edging lends itself said:
I'm curious as to what phantom edging and patient slip pivoting are. These are terms I've never encountered through CSIA.

(I'm always interested in new stuff!)
Click to expand...
 
What about a good learn to do bumps clinic? Is this covered in ESA?

Phantom edging = putting your inside ski on edge (even if there is no wieght on the ski).. not sure about the other term
 
Lindsay, This year when I filled out my ESA Student survey prior to the event I said I wanted to concentrate on bumps. Turns out that there were others who requested the same, so I was put in a group with Charlie MacArthur as the coach, which was bump specific. I am amazed at the progress in my bump skills in these four days.

If you want to go to a mogul specific clinic, you may consider Mogulogic. BumpFreaq, a friend of mine, goes to that one and he is an amazing bumper!!
 
LindsaySkiGal said:
What about a good learn to do bumps clinic? Is this covered in ESA?
Click to expand...
From my one single ESA experience, bumps are the most popular topic requested by students so... YES, you may get even more bumps than you're bargained for! I've got bumps coming out of my ears by the end of it!!!

No, I didn't become an instant bumper over 4 days. But I learn so many tricks I can pratice all season (and more)! :smile:
 
I really loved my NASTC experience in Chile. All three of the instructors were current or former PSIA national team members. LunaChix of NASTC does some great women's clinics, all over North America.
 
I haven't been to a NASTC clinic but I've heard lots of great things about them..same with LunaChix. Have not been to an ESA.

I'm not the best group learner so privates have worked A LOT BETTER. But women's clinics are the next best alternative as far as I can tell.

I did attend Mermer Blakelee's clinic last year and am returning next week (Catskills....3 days, many people come year after year). Mermer is an excellent teacher and has the same sort of expectations of the teachers she works with in her clinics. This is the best clinic I've attended.

Have also attended Kim Reichelm's clinic...very expensive, more plushy than a lot of clinics, good instruction, lots of fun, great comaraderie.......if you're looking for a great vacation and you want to live it up, this one is a lot of fun!

I hear Squaw Valley has great womens clinics but don't have personal experience.

Have also attended a clinics at Heavenly and found the women instructors there to be very good.
 
One thing to consider about a clinic is the level of skiers it attracts. You can have the best coaches in the world, but if you're in a group of 6 and everyone else is a few levels below you... you won't get the best out of the course. I've been to and observed a many of the camps mentioned here, and skied with many participants before and after.

Like AltaGirl, I recommend Straightline Adventures. They had the most motivated groups covering many levels and the participants made the biggest strides in their skiing after the camp.
 
bklyn said:
One thing to consider about a clinic is the level of skiers it attracts. You can have the best coaches in the world, but if you're in a group of 6 and everyone else is a few levels below you... you won't get the best out of the course. I've been to and observed a many of the camps mentioned here, and skied with many participants before and after.
Click to expand...
I agree completely on this ^^^^
One other thing to consider, no matter the camp you choose, is to fill your survey/application out thoroughly. Even the smallest comment on the application/survey will impact the type of group you are put in, and will weigh in on the focus of that group. Group dynamics, skill, and chemistry play a huge roll in the learning experience.

Whatever you do, do your best to get the best out of it!!!
 
Patient, as in being patient, slip pivoting = allowing the upper body (specifically the uphill shoulder and navel) to pass over the feet/bindings while releasing the mountain/releasing the edge, to allow the turn to occur. Keeping your pelvis facing openly down the hill, and the feet under you, the turn happens magically and smoothly. Important to be patient and allow the turn to begin as opposed to pushing it to happen.
 
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