Instruction and Coaching

Beginners

Each of us learns differently. We will find out together what works best for you and focus on getting you skiing in the shortest possible time. But don't worry; if patience is needed, I have it by the boatload! One of the things I love about my work is watching people who thought they could never ski realize that, actually, they can!

Plan on 3 or 4 hours of coaching per day, depending on fitness and ambitions.

Green Run Skiers

You'll be skiing the green runs by now, maybe a few blues.  Don't underestimate your abilities. With some coaching sessions you will soon find yourself heading places you would never have thought of, and will love the rewards that improved skills and confidence bring.

Plan on 2 or 3 hours coaching per day, and an hour or so skiing in your own time.

Blue Run Skiers

We will refine existing skills to allow you to do more with your skis. Once you're comfortable we will start to make changes, learn skills and techniques which will help you explore more of the hill.

Within a few runs you will feel more confident on your skis than you ever thought possible, and be ready to let the learning begin. You will be thinking about black runs and we will move in that direction when we decide between us that you're ready.

Plan on 2 to 3 hours coaching per day, and an hour or so skiing on your own

Getting onto Black Runs

You're a good skier and you want to get better and we'll make that happen with commitment and effort. The focus is on developing technical skill, balance, and adaptability to terrain and conditions. We'll boost confidence on steeper terrain and develop a whole new set of skills that will make steeper runs seem easy.

At this level I would recommend 2.5 hours coaching per day, plus a commitment from yourself to at least one and a half hours consolidation time per day in your own time.

Nigel Harrison skiing in Europe

Double Black Diamond

You are skiing black diamond runs regularly and are mentally ready to venture onto some steeper terrain. Prepare to blown away at what you can do. Here we are getting into high performance skiing and you will love skiing more than you ever have before. This is highly personalized, focused coaching. Most likely we will be working on increased athleticism and increasing energy levels in your all round skiing performance.

Expect to finish each session tired. Most people will max out after 2 hours of this level of coaching.

Preparation for Backcountry Skiing

Coaching at this level explores the technical aspects of skiing in ungroomed, variable conditions, learning the skiing skills you will need to allow you to move with increased safety and greater pleasure in the wild snow.

You should be skiing black diamonds before taking these coaching sessions. Be prepared for hard, physical work, some falls, some frustration, and great reward. A whole new world is about to open up to you.

Nigel Harrison (second from left) having a bagel while class enjoys an apres

Preparation for CSIA courses

Arriving on course prepared mentally and physically gives you a huge head start and these sessions are aimed at doing just that. We will look at whatever aspect of your course most concerns you and develop your confidence in that area. If you have a CSIA manual bring it with you, if you haven't, I'll find you one.

 

Plan on 2.5 hours as being a minimum for really effective learning and consolidation, possibly with half an hour or so off snow as review time.

One Hour Wonders

Does coaching work for you? Find out in this quick, low cost intro to what I offer

Mt Washington offers a great variety of terrain, all aspects and angles, treed runs, open bowls, and soft snow, if you know where to look for it, several days after the last fall. It's a great place to teach and a great place to learn.

Kids!!

The chance to give a person, especially a young one, an interest they may retain throughout their life is a wonderful privilege, and the trust shown by a parent placing their child in the care of a teacher is something to be greatly respected.

 

When working with the little ones, my priorities are: safety, enjoyment, learning. In that order, and no other.

 

Learning on a one to one basis all kids can become great skiers, some just take a bit longer than others! With a couple of hours teaching per day for 3 or 4 days your little ones will blow you away with what they can do. And I'm afraid the truth of it is that they will soon be better than, you, me, all of us!