Bluebird riders need to break free on slopes
There are two types of skiers and snowboarders: the hard core and the bluebird rider.
The former loves skiing, will brace the elements and do whatever it takes to go skiing.
The latter will go if it’s nice out or because the family or friends are going. They usually spend half the day in the lodge.
What’s the gap between the two? Frustration and lack of confidence are two major factors that keep many beginning and intermediate skiers/snowboarders off the hill. After all, who wants to be out on the slopes when the day will only be filled with disappointment?
The key to breaking out of that rut is to get better. But the stigma associated with a lesson conjures an image of a line-up of skiers standing still in the cold, listening to their instructor show them a specific technique and making each do a drill, one person at a time. It certainly takes the fun out of one of two precious weekend days that you were hoping to spend on the slopes.
In Europe it is common to take a “lesson.” The ski instructor is more like a tour guide, showing you the mountain and giving a few pointers here and there. It’s these pointers that can help an intermediate skier make that breakthrough and get them excited about the sport.
These European-style clinics are readily available for residents of the Inland Northwest. Each local mountain offers a variety of “specialty clinics” for telemarkers, freestyle riders and, more frequently, for women only. Day of the Diva and Mountain Divas at Schweitzer; Downhill Divas at Lookout Pass, and Ladies Only Days at Mt. Spokane are a few examples.
Skiing with a group of like-minded women can be an empowering feeling and is certainly a real treat. See the husband off to work, the kids off to school, take a day off from the job or away from the house, and get out and do something for you, and meet others who are doing the same thing.
“These clinics are a great way for women to get out in a non-competitive atmosphere and improve their skills while they are exploring the mountain,” said Jodi Taggart, Schweitzer’s Snowsports School manager and former women’s clinics coach. “They meet other women and a real camaraderie develops that lasts beyond the clinic. Now they have ski buddies and are more likely to come back with better skills and people to ride with.”
A typical day will begin with an assessment of each individual who will then be placed with an appropriate coach so that abilities within the smaller groups are compatible. The groups are set up as informal lessons. Coaches take the groups out to explore the mountain and provide pointers along the way.
“The day-long sessions are especially beneficial because it gives the women enough time to really work on their new skills,” said Taggart.
The Downhill Divas program at Lookout Pass started this week and is offered every Thursday through March 2. The cost is $25 per session or $70 for three sessions. Lunch is included, but lift tickets are not.
Mt. Spokane has redefined the “spa day” with a four-hour clinic, which includes breakfast, skiing for two hours, lunch, video analysis, skiing two more hours, followed by a wine and cheese reception with minimassages. Sessions are Feb. 8 and March 8, cost $99 each and have discounted daycare available.
Schweitzer offers two female-only clinics. The Day of the Diva is Sunday and includes lunch, a full day of skiing and coaching with video analysis. The cost is $75 in advance and $85 the day of the event. The Mountain Divas is a four-week program that starts Tuesday. Sessions are three hours. The cost is $129 for four weeks or $45 per day. Discount lift tickets are available with both programs.
High avalanche danger
High avalanche danger is reported in much of the region off the groomed slopes. Updates for the Panhandle are on the Web at www.fs.fed.us/ipnf/visit/conditions /backcountry/ or call (866) 489-8664. For Washington and Oregon, www.nwac.us and for Canada, www.avalanche.ca.