Snoeshoe vs Timberline for instruction
January 26, 2006
15 posts
10 users
7k+ views
Novice snow boarders here and need a great instructor for learning to board. Would either place be more optimal for this? Thanks
joanna danna
I can't comment on snowboard instructon but Timberline does have better terrain for learning. Snowshoe does not have a green slope as long as Salamander (2.5 miles). Lack of crowds at Timberline also make it good from a learning perspective.
Not sure how Timberline is but I brought a group to Snowshoe a year or two ago and wasn't blown away by the cost or quality of instruction. Snowshoe doesn't offer package deals for lift tickets, lessons and rentals. As a result you could end up spending $120 each for an hour long group lesson lift ticket and rental. I'm not sure what Timberline offers so you should give them a call and find out. Personally I think Whitetail, Liberty and Roundtop offer the best deals for newcomers.
Just as an insight to my experience. We had a group take beginner ski lessons and a group take beginner snowboard lessons. In each case from what I was told the groups were too big so there was little to any individual attention. In the snowboard case the instructor ignored one of my friends and then left the lesson early. I took an advanced lesson that day and was lucky enough to have a group of four so we had a pretty solid balance.
Either way see what the others say on here for Timberline before you make a decision.
When are you going, midweek, weekend, holiday? Our experience with Tline's "ski" school has been Private for the price of a group. Maybe a little more crowded with level 1, 2 ,3, 4 sliders.
Jimmy:
Since you are also familiar with Wisp. Can you comment on Wisp as well?
My wife took some private ski lessons at 7 Springs and learned a lot.
All the best,
John
John, Never taken a lesson there; maybe Tommo has some insight. Took my first lesson three years ago at 7 Springs, focused on skiing crud, oops i meant groomed granular, better.
Quote:
I can't comment on snowboard instructon but Timberline does have better terrain for learning. Snowshoe does not have a green slope as long as Salamander (2.5 miles). Lack of crowds at Timberline also make it good from a learning perspective.
I think Snowshoe has excellent beginner terrain. The northern tract is great and Silver creeks has some good terrain as well. And, from what I've heard, Salamander would be miserable for a beginner boarder (too much walking). They also have a good progression from greens to blues allowing you to get better with confidence.
Quote:
My wife took some private ski lessons at 7 Springs and learned a lot.
I would echo this comment. Bag SS and T-Line take a private at 7 Springs.
I wouldn't bother with Snowshoe. Their learning area gets lots of skier traffic, plus it's kind off camber which makes learning even harder. I'd head to Silver Creek. They have lots of uncrowded beginner terrain and the instructors seemed interested in teaching.
For kids ski school, I'd head to 7 Springs.
Silver creek is where we took the lessons. Sorry still skeptical. My advice is to look at somewhere that bundles the lessons, rentals and lift tickets together for a good discount. Paying more for Snowshoe doesn't mean better instruction it just means paying more.
Hey Joanna,
Instruction is always beneficial at any level of riding, and is especially useful for beginners. We have lots of qualified instructors at timberline and several options for lessons. One thing that seperates us from other resorts is the fact that we limit our group sizes to ensure quality and experience. We try to keep all our snowboard group lessons sizes to around three people per instructor. If you would like more information please feel free to call the ski school desk here at Timberline (304) 866 - 6333 or you can check out our rates and lesson times on our web site. But whereever you decide to take your snowboard or ski lesson remember to tip your ski/snowboard instructor if you have a good time.
Thanks and Good Luck,
Tucker Garten
Director of Snowboarding
Timberline Four Seasons Resort
Good comments Tucker! I do know that t-line prides itself in the intructor/student ratio. As a former PSIA at the shoe, I found the terrain on skidder to be a terrible place to not only learn but to teach. It's the double fall line where beginners are lost to the gravitational pull. It's also too crowded on weekends to get a good lesson on the basin side. If you do the shoe, go to silvercreek. Fewer crowds, better learning terrain. T-line has an excellent ski school and quality instructors. Besides, their snow has been great!
Thank ye all. We have a chance to go to WinterPark Co next week and I've been nudging the hubby to go this route. Almost the same price. Cheap military airfare and such. We took a private lesson at Park City UT over the Christmas holiday and although the weather was superb with the fluff and stuff snow - I learned squat Too much chat about sky diving and too little to keep me up right off the butt. The instructors interest out weighed our own. So, despite my interest in boarding I suspect I may be slow going and will need a few more lessons no matter where we head off to. My plan at this point is to go to WP next week take 3 day half day lessons and in early March head to Timberline < you guys have talked me into throwing out SS> and take a few more to refine and practice. Curious will March be too late in the season for boarding at TL? Thanks again for the hospitality.
joanna danna
March is PRIME season at Timberline for all snowsports.
Yeah, go where you can go when you can go. Tline is good til 1st weekend in april...yup "showing some leg" Timberline's for you
.
