It wasn’t my fault. I grew up in the Arizona desert where skiing was something one did behind a boat. Sliding down a slope on a pair of planks was referred to as “snow skiing,” and that was something none of my friends, family or relatives ever dreamed of doing.
A few decades later, I found myself all grown up, residing in Colorado and married to an avid downhiller.
“Why should I spend thousands of dollars on equipment and lift tickets,” I argued, “for the privilege of yo-yoing up and down a hillside with a bunch of Texans?”
That changed two decades ago when my downhill darling learned that Aspen/Snowmass was offering inexpensive three-day learn-to-ski lessons for adults. For less than the cost of a regular three-day lift ticket, novices like me would receive a trio of full-day lessons, equipment rental and lifts. A bargain at Aspen, my wife insisted with “Godfather”-worthy assertiveness, was something I couldn’t refuse.
The three-day package proved to be an ideal way for this never-ever to learn to ski. With the same group locked together for the duration, our instructor learned everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, and since we all screwed up at some point, I quickly got over the fear of embarrassing myself in front of classmates. What I forgot overnight I relearned the next day. By graduation, I was bravely descending easy intermediate trails. My life has gone downhill ever since.
- For grown-up first-timers looking to learn now, Aspen’s Beginner’s Magic Adult Group Lessons at Buttermilk or Snowmass offer three full-day ski or snowboard lessons, rental equipment including helmets and beginner lift tickets for $569-609. One- and two-day options are also available.
- Vail and Beaver Creek offer three-day Adult First-Time Ski or Snowboard packages for novices 15 years or older. An online price of $499-529 includes lessons, equipment rental and lift tickets. Helmets are extra. A similar program at Breckenridge goes for $398-424 with online booking discounts available.
- Keystone offers a Buy 2, Get 1 Free adult novice ski lesson program. Never-evers can buy two full-day lessons with lifts for $335-341 and get a third day tossed in for free. Equipment rental is extra.
- Steamboat offers a Complete 3 Learn to Ski or Snowboard package for adult first-timers 16 years or older that includes three full days of instruction, equipment rental and lift tickets. $499, but guests who book at least seven days in advance get 10 percent off.
- One of the best deals is Copper Mountain’s Ski & Ride University. For $249 never-evers get three full-day lessons, lift tickets, equipment rental and free parking in the Union Creek lot. They even spring for lunch on the second and third days. Graduates earn a free lift pass for the rest of the season and half-off next year’s pass. Unfortunately, the program is sold out for this season, but should be available again starting next November.
“Give us three days and you’ll be hooked for life,” Aspen’s ski-school web site insists, and I was. Suddenly, spending thousands of dollars buying equipment and lift tickets for the privilege of yo-yoing up and down a hillside made sense, and over the years I’ve met some pretty nice Texans.
