Kids Klub Mountain Adventure program

[Denison]

Folks, I'm thinking about enrolling my son (he'll be 8, intermediate skier) in half day full season program. Would you please share any experience you had with these programs?

[highpeaksdrifter]

Denis, PM Face4Me. His kids have been in that program for years at WF. I don't know if he reads the Gore side of the forum so he might not see your post.

[Denison]

HPD, I remember there was a discussion at WF forum few years back and he was saying that his kids go there, so that fact is speaking for itself. I want to know more about Gore program, where do kids ski, how good insructors are and so on.

[highpeaksdrifter]

MattChuck2 probably doesn't teach it, but he probably knows the answers to your questions.

[adkskier]

Friends put their kids in the program last year. Both the kids and the parents absolutely loved it and endorsed it without reservation. Mom and dad got some time to ski by themselves and the kids skied in a crowd following an instructor like a bunch of little lemmings!

[mattchuck2]

Yeah, the instructors are all pretty good.

Mountain Adventure is one of the programs where kids get the same instructor for the whole season, so they get used to him (or her) and they are able to progress pretty well over the course of the season. It's probably impossible for me to talk up the program without sounding like a complete shill, so I'll just say that they've had really good success with these programs, very satisfied kids and parents, and lots of people coming back for season after season.

And since there are so many kids who do the program, there is a wide variety of skill levels and ages (which they try to match up as best we can), and the skill level determines the terrain.

[SIAWOL]

I had my daughter (4 yo) in the 10 week all day program last season and I'm absolutely doing it again.

Can drop kids off starting around 8:30a, so you're on the lifts pretty early.

Drop off process is very smooth--the first day is confusing, but once you have the routine figured out, it's a cinch. Other advantage to dropping off close to 8:30a is you beat the rush--by a mile. I get my daugther dressed (boots on) and organized in that little foyer outisde the kids center. I talk about everything she has in the bag so she knows what she has.

My daughter had skied about 5 times prior to Gore program so she was familiar with the equipment, how to put it on, limitation of movement, etc. All 5 of those times was with one of those leashes that the adult holds and helps guide the child. Sure, we looked goofy, but I believe it was instrumental in getting her comfortable on skis.

Her first day was all on the walk up carpet area. Second day she was riding the snow train conveyor and going around cones. Third day she was riding the Poma. Fourth day she was on J-Bar and double lift. Fifth day she hit the Gondola. Sixth day I saw her on SB quad! Progression was totally amazing. My eyes almost popped out of my head when I saw her on SB--and she was skiing confidently on Chatty and Hawkeye by the end of the season.

The instructor was great--and only about 4-5 kids in the group. Though one of those kids was "held back" with a less skilled group after about the 3rd week. All of the kids in her group were in the AM session only, so she basically had a private lesson in the afternoon. Usually stopped at Saddle Lodge for cocoa and snack in the afternoon.

You need to feel very comfortable with the instructor. I made it a point to chat for a minute or two every morning at dropoff, as well as about a 5 minute wrap up at end of day. Every afternoon I made it a point to track my daughter and instructor down on the hill and see how they were doing--just skiing behind them for a bit, then ski past them, watch them come down the hill, maybe even ride the lift up with them, etc. 1-2 runs, tops--you don't want to cramp their style or routine.

I've seen some instructors take kids where they don't belong at all, which is why it's important to feel comfortable with your child's instructor. And speak up if you like or don't like what you see--they'll appreciate it. I even asked if we could get the same instructor this year because they got along so well--the instructor said it was the best compliment she could have gotten.

Pick up is smooth, too. If you plan ahead a bit and get a routine down, you can pick your child up on the slope in the learning area--great idea if you want to catch a couple runs together at end of day. It was something we looked forward to every time.

And she was asleep before we even got down the access road every week.

:D :D :D

[Harvey44]

I had my daughter (4 yo) in the 10 week all day program last season and ........ :D :D :D
Awesome awesome post. I'm sending a link to my wife now.

[I:)skiing]

I teach these this program (not at Gore, though I wish I did). I have not seen a 8 yo that did not enjoy the crap out of his day. If your child is 35% responsive, he will have a ball. If he is less than that crazy number I came up with....it will depend on the instructor.

You can coach your instructor too, via your child...he's eight. Team name. Goals of the day. Fun time runs in Am/Pm. Be there well before on-snow. Ask what the plan of the day is....if there is not one, they will have to come up with one. Be there--at the end of the day--early. Ask 3 questions, let one of the questions not be related to how well your son is skiing. "Is he listening to you" is always a good one. Show you care and the instructor will too.


My group has requested me----and their parents too, for the last three years. I know when these kids are happy, sad, tired, embarassed, injured, faking it, have to pee, want to quit for the day or decide to rip. Plan a pizza party, wings or whatever to get the parent and kids together to visit each other outside the class, the first week....then they can plan, use tactics etc to have more fun doing some of the stuff they want to do with their instructor.

PS...a hot girl in the class does not hurt things either, especially if she rips. I have 3 boys chasing one girl and two others chasing the other. I play this and their emotions like a fiddle.

HINT: Don't be rude or agressive...but definitely get to know the manager/supervisor who makes the assignments. Speak up. DO NOT DARE OVER CALIBRATE YOUR KID. I would suggest he be in the middle of the pack with regard to skill/atheletism...this way he will be comfortable his first year, but still be challenged. If you plan to move your kid...do it early in the season. They build friendships. Try to get your boy in a class that is mixed between girls and boys...I have seen exclusive groups and feel at this age...they are better mixed.

Extra gloves---handwarmers, lots of food in the coat..make him eat breakfast. 2 pr of goggles or one really good retention strap for the goggles, helmet, VOICE--to speak up when he needs/wants something. Signal..that he wants to ride the chair with the instructor to discuss something personal---in case he is shy. Plan--in case he gets separated, some instructors don't plan for this. I have seen lots, while you can;t prepare for everything, you might get some things right. Glove in the toilet. 9yo peeing himself, bad injuries., fake injuries, crying 9yr olds.


If you plan to watch....don't approach if he is having a bad moment. Wait for a good one...let him tell/show you something fun. Negative kids and parents don't mix...what I have seen is the kids either get more negative or want to quit right there and then and go off with the folks.


Lastly---TIP. These course are not very expensive, but your kid should learn tons.

[Denison]

Thanks for great tips I: )

[Denison]

I had my daughter (4 yo) in the 10 week all day program last season and I'm absolutely doing it again.

SIAWOL, I had 10 weeks in mind originally, but it being one day only - it's not such a good deal, so I signed up my son for a full program. At $999 (with $275 pass included) it beats morning-only ($779) price wise.

Were you able to join your kid for lunch?

[SIAWOL]

I had my daughter (4 yo) in the 10 week all day program last season and I'm absolutely doing it again.

SIAWOL, I had 10 weeks in mind originally, but it being one day only - it's not such a good deal, so I signed up my son for a full program. At $999 (with $275 pass included) it beats morning-only ($779) price wise.

Were you able to join your kid for lunch?

I suppose you COULD try and join your son for lunch, but logisitically it gets challenging. When you check him in to the program in the AM, you'll get identical numbered tags--so only you can check him out. If you meet up for lunch, you'd probably need to check him out then check him back in again for the afternoon. I'm thinking there'd be a reluctance from the staff to allow you to actually eat in the program room with your soon--so you may want to call and check.

I intentionally avoided the topic last season because I didn't want my daughter to latch onto me at lunch and then not want to go back out after lunch with her instructor, etc. I also found that she loved eating with her friends...

Towards the end of the day--say, 3pm--I'd track them down on the hill (after 2-3 weeks you'll figure out where you're most likely to find them) and ski a few runs with her and instructor. Then I'd check her out of the program and catch a run or two sans instructor. Worked for us.

And keep a kid-friendly snack in your pocket at all times. If you happen to run across him on the hill throughout the day--you can toss him the snack and he'll think you're an even cooler Dad than you already are... 8) and it lets you ski off solo with no tears and less guilt....

[Denison]

Well, the Season Long program looks to be a very good deal. My son skies in a small group, few times along with instructor. He respects his instructor and enjoys skiing more then while skiing with his dad or mom.

Question: do you tip the instructor, when and how much?

[SIAWOL]

Well, the Season Long program looks to be a very good deal. My son skies in a small group, few times along with instructor. He respects his instructor and enjoys skiing more then while skiing with his dad or mom.

Question: do you tip the instructor, when and how much?

Glad to hear its going well, Den. I thought the same thing---my daughter skis a lot more with the instructor than she does with me. It's all about the environment.

I usually tip every other week when I pick her up outisde on the snow near the base of the double. Inside is really weird because everyone else is standing around. $20, so---$10/week.

One week last year was really awkward. It was about the 3rd week of the season and they reshuffled the kids slightly based on progress, AND two small groups kind of combined into one for the day. She ended up having about 3 instructors that day so I elected to defer tipping that week....