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Tag: ski instruction
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NASTC News
Portillo, Montana, Niseko, Kicking Horse, St Anton, Squaw…where will you ski this year? -
JUMPSTARTS KICK OFF SEASON AT BIG SKY AND SQUAW
Thank you to our Jumpstart Group this week! Our 23rd annual early season camp! (YES we’ve been around a LONG time!) Coaches Richie Jameson and Tom Murphy led 8 students to better early season skiing on GREAT conditions at Squaw Valley Dec 9-10, 2018. Thank you to alum student and welcome new ones to the NASTC Family!
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Portillo: A Day In Your Life
Here’s how your morning goes when you ski Portillo, Chile with us: wake up (to powder), go downstairs for stretching and huge breakfast with the best dang coffee ever and warmed milk, walk back upstairs to get your ski clothes on, downstairs to boot up (friendly boot room attendant has brilliant memory for faces so he can match 400 guests to their boots by day 2 usually), walk 10 paces outside, click into your bindings (did I mention your skis were right next to your boots at the ski check), slide over to one of the detachable quads, stand in NO LINE, just hang out talking with other adventurous skiers or national ski team members, and whoosh! — you’re lifted into the crisp air and high above the Andean cliffs and peaks.
You shred. You laugh. You learn. You make new friends. You try new things. And that’s all before lunch…which is 4-courses long. And you get to take your boots off. It just doesn’t get any better.
Here’s how your afternoon goes: after your 4-course/choose anything you want lunch (slippers on feet), you grab a coffee and boot back up for a full afternoon of epic lines, great snow, exploring new terrain, and skiing with fun people while you chase your expert instructor around the mountain. Lifts close at 4:30 due to the late sunlight. At 5pm you have a glorified afternoon snack called “Las Onces.” This is a Chilean tradition and includes breads, cheeses, crackers, fruit, cookies, cakes, and tea or coffee. So yummy! Next up you hit the hot tub, sauna, massage, gym, or nap zone perhaps. NASTC offers tech talks on a variety of topics including ski technique, fitness, and of course your video from the day! Then you might head to the living room to play a game of chess, down to the basketball court or indoor climbing wall, or lounge in the bar before dinner. We eat “early”…at 8:30pm! (The second seating is at 10pm)! Dinner is….divine! Another 4 courses, fine wines, unlimited deserts…you won’t want to leave – ever. After that its coffee and bed, or there’s always the bar and disco for those with endless amounts of energy!
You in? Book now, our annual week sells out. We’ve been taking skiers to Portillo for nearly a quarter-century (since 1995), grab your spot now!
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SILVERTON, CO 2028
SILVERTONSilverton, CO is big mountain skiing at its best. This course is for serious powder skiers, no groomed terrain is available. You ski helicopter skiing type of terrain here in the Colorado backcountry without the expense and take your off-piste/side-country skiing skills to the next level as the terrain demands. Silverton is not your typical resort: you leave all the glitz and hustle of resort-skiing behind. What you get is fresh, untracked powder in a quiet and beautiful setting. While Silverton is a lift-accessed mountain (count it: one lift), there is some hiking involved, especially to get to the really good stashes.
Do not be intimidated. Silverton Mountain is for advanced AND expert skiers. You must be comfortable on black diamond slopes, in variable snow conditions and hiking 5-20 minutes along ridgelines. All guests need an avalanche beacon, shovel, and probe. No avalanche training is required. If you’ve skied some powder before, are in fairly good shape, and are excited to learn, you will enjoy Silverton. Its an amazing experience.
We stay in downtown Silverton, a 15 minute drive from the mountain (did we mention the “resort” is at the end of a dirt road, after a curvy mt drive up to it?) You will enjoy lovely accommodations and gourmet meals after a full day of shredding around the huge expanse that is Silverton Mountain. We may rent a house and bring/hire a private chef (which do you prefer?)
You’ll be in a skill/fitness-appropriate group, no more than 5 in your group with your personal trainer and guide. You will get top-notch guiding and personal instruction. On this NASTC course – perhaps more than any other – the terrain AND the staff both teach you. You will improve, its an amazing experience.Details:-Ski 4 days in private groups with Silverton guide and NASTC instructor-Fly into Durango-Option to stay in hotel or private home-Lunch included on the mountain, dinner ala carte together at local restaurants(chance we will have a chef along preparing breakfast and dinner TBA ) -
Lake Tahoe Early Season Jumpstart
Early Season Jumpstart, Lake Tahoe
December 9-10, 2019
Location: SQUAW VALLEY
Price: $695 (does not include lift tix)Getting as much mileage and coaching as you can early in the season will set you up for a great winter. Ski with more confidence and fluidity before the season peak. This course focuses on refining fundamentals and building up your technique to ski with more efficiency all over the mountain. NASTC’s handpicked coaches will take your through a step by step progression that will help you move off your skiing plateau. You will get lots of ski time and personalized coaching. NASTC’s full immersion approach to ski improvement will have you on the fast track to becoming a better skier.
Schedule (change make occur due to weather, etc – updated schedule will be sent)
December 9
8:30am – Meet at Squaw. Introductions, brief paperwork, go over day’s schedule and goals.
9:00am-12:00pm – Skill development with your coach in small groups of 6:1 ratio or better
12:00pm-1:00pm – Lunch with group on hill
1:00pm-3:30pm – On the snow: video, free-skiing varying conditions and terrain, personal feedback
5:00pm-6:00pm – Indoor clinic: video viewing / technical session (tech talk is optional)
6:30pm – Dinner with group (not included, but come, its going to be delicious and fun!)December 10
8:15am – Stretching and movement prep. Suit up, head out to ski.
9:00am-12:00pm – Continue skill development with your same coach and group
12:00pm-1:00pm – Lunch with group on hill
1:00pm-3:30pm – On the snow: video, free-skiing varying conditions and terrain, personal feedback
4pm – Optional apres ski together, farewells.I
To register for the course click on the button below. We require a 50% deposit to hold your spot in this course.
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Part II – What To Do On Your First Day Back On Skis
Your primary and probably only focus on your first day back on skis should be on establishing DYNAMIC balance. Being able to stay upright while you zig zag down the hill is not fall under the hashtag “#winning.” It would probably be more appropriate under the “#surviving.” Your goal should be able to establish balance on your skis without relying on your equipment. Most of the time we balance on surfaces that are stable and not moving. We’ve been doing it since we were toddlers and have become really good at it. Since skiing involves a surface that isn’t always smooth and stable, it requires more that the habitual contraction of muscles that we use to stay upright while walking or running. The added movement will take our body out of balance in multiple planes and therefore we are constantly in need of making adjustments and corrections to not fall over but also exert control over our skis. The better we get at it, the smaller our movements become, we transition from gross motor control movements to finer ones. As we move to greater dominance with our fine motor control, our body also adopts a more athletic posture, this allows the core to remain engaged and serve as anchor so that joints can be flexed and limbs moved to varying degrees without disrupting the rest the body.
A great indoor simulator is to try and balance on a physioball, start on your knees before progressing to balance on your feet. When you are first starting to do this, keep a chair close by or position the ball near a wall or something you can use to help catch your balance and not fall off the ball. It might seem hopeless at first, but with practice you can balance on the physioball on your knees or feet without holding on to something. Once you can balance for 10 seconds without falling, the game becomes about how long can you go before you lose it (your balance that is, not your marbles).
The last post discussed achieving balance in the sagittal plane or along the length of the skis (in case you missed it click here). In this post we are going to talk about establishing balance in the frontal plane or over the outside or inside ski. In skiing your outside ski takes center stage in a turn. Our goal is to establish balance over the outside ski, where this becomes challenging for a lot of skiers is switching from one outside ski to the other when you go from right to left, left to right and so on. Here are a couple of exercises that are ideal for helping you balance over the outside ski on your first back on snow.
Stepping or step turns, is where you pick up one foot then the other repeatedly throughout the turn. You want to achieve stepping movements that are quick, soft, deliberate, this will signify that you have control over your movements. If you find that you thump down on your inside ski during the whole turn or even just part of a turn or you tend to stay on the inside ski a little longer before stepping onto the outside ski or you are unable to step throughout the duration of the turn, then you’ve still got some work to do coordinating your movements to keep you balanced over the outside ski.
Stork turns are another exercise that is great for helping to achieve balance over the outside ski, in this exercise you will lift the tail of the inside ski up off the snow from the start to finish of turn and then switch to the other ski when you change direction. You want to be able to do this maneuver without setting the tail down until you change directions. When you accomplish this, you can try and lift the tail of the ski higher. The next phase of difficulty is to lift the entire ski off the ground. You are successful in this exercise when you can execute control over your speed, that is you have the ability to slow your turn down or speed it up at will. Riding the edge of the ski around a turn doesn’t exemplify an ability to balance over the outside ski because you are relying on the skis edge-grip with snow to help keep you upright and achieve a direction change.
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PLENTY OF SNOW IN CHILE!
We are taking TWO group this year to Chile: Portillo August 15-22, and Corralco August 22-29. The snow gods have smiled and our folks (over 35 of them!) will have a blast shredding summer pow with Chris, Kurt, Kim, and Ben. With lots of alumni on board as usual for these special trips, the new folks are sure to see their way quickly to a super good time. Thank you to our gracious hosts at each resort ahead of time! We wish you all a safe, fun adventure next month. May the snow gods keep smiling.
NASTC’s summer climbing school has been going strong with wonderful groups and privates on the world-famous granite of Donner Summit. Our guides lead groups and individuals of every ability, level, and age through the fall – until it snows. Come join us! As one recent teenage girl said “of all the things I did during my week in Tahoe, climbing was the most satisfying and memorable. I can’t believe I did it! I’m normally afraid of heights! I went all the way, I found things to hold onto. My friends encouraged me and I DID IT!! The view at the top was so, so good. I will remember this forever.”
Attention all 2015-2016 skiers: watch for a list of awesome destinations this year: St Anton, Niseko, Big Sky, Aspen, and Squaw Valley. Keep your ears open for early season discounts as we line up our best year yet!
And to get ready, click this link for photos and video of the best DRYLAND TRAINING DRILLS! http://www.onthesnow.com/news/a/107241/u-s–ski-team-s-5-essential-ski-training-exercises
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NASTC NEWS: Chile’s Hidden Gem, Summer Reading List, Mountain Bike Demos & Stunt Show
Rock Climbing Season Has Begun!
Learning how to rock climb is easy and rewarding with NASTC’s certified guides. NASTC offers private rock climbing lessons and guiding on Donner Summit in Truckee. Donner Summit has world class granite that is ideal for climbing and you will get big views of the Tahoe Basin with each climb. Rock climbing is a great way to get away from the crowds on busy weekends and find some relaxation in the outdoors with friends and family. Call NASTC, 530-582-4772 to book a guide, two-hour, half-day (4hrs) and full-day (7hrs) time slots are available.
Rock Climbing Guiding & Lesson Rates
Corralco – Chile’s Hidden Gem
Just before the Chilean landscape starts to break apart and about a 90 min drive from the main city of Temuco is the Malcahuello Natural Reserve. Within the reserve is the statuesque Lonquimay volcano, on it’s flanks is one of Chile’s best kept skiing secrets – Corralco.
The ski area is just over 1200 acres and does not include the backcountry skiing options. The runs in Corralco are steep with technical pitches coming off the top of the volcano. It has some of the best snow quality in South America and it’s newly renovated hotel is a bastion of tranquility full of natural light and wood. Explore a new side of Chile this summer August 22-29.
Books to Read this Summer
If you can’t chase the snow to the southern hemisphere, there are ways to satisfy the need to slide on snow. Here are some good reads to fuel your skiing daydreams. For those that are really snow/ski starved the only solution is to come to Chile with us.
Right on the Edge of Crazy – on tour with the U.S Downhill Ski Team by Mike Wilson
Ski the 14ers by Chris Davenport
Free Skiing – how to adapt to the mountain by Jimmy Oden
Total Skiing by Chris Fellows
Portillo – the spirit of the Andes by Henry Purcell
Start Haus Bike Demo Day
The Start Haus in Truckee is also a full service bike shop. It carries new and used bikes as well as a service and repair shop. June 6th is a Bike Demo day that includes a stunt show, free demo rides and discounts on bike sales. Come check it out! Don’t forget to join in on the FREE community bike rides every Thursday at 5:00pm. Meeting place is the Center for Health and Sports Performance parking lot.
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Private Ski Guiding
Private Ski Guiding (from $95-$495 full or half/private or group/customized/all levels):
Design your own day! Our private ski guiding day allows you to design exactly the day you want or your group wants! Want to ski new lines all day? Or gain lots more education about backcountry skiing safety. The backcountry skiing is great this year! Your day can be based at the resort, and we’ll tour into the sidecountry, returning to the chairlifts after skiing long, untracked lines. Or your day can be 100% in the backcountry and we’ll tour up peaks like Castle, Donner, Anderson, or Judah Peaks on Donner Summit. This is a great way to get powder turns in well after the mountain is “skied out,” and to find new terrain if you feel you’ve skied everything at your home resort.
During a side country or backcountry adventure with NASTC you can improve your turns also while out there. Your NASTC guide is not only a certified guide, but a ski instructor/coach who can give you pointers on your skiing technique as well if you like!
Rent your AT skis/skins/boots at Granite Chief, Tahoe Mountain Sports, The Backcountry, or Sports Hub in Truckee. We recommend you call ahead & make a reso.
Beacon, shovel and probe rental from us for $25/full or half day/person
(or each item for $10/full or half day/person)You’ll meet your guide either at the NASTC office (10710 Donner Pass Rd), or at the designated trailhead.
Prices range based on group size. Five person maximum per guide.
FULL DAY (9am-3pm) HALF DAY (9am-1pm)
1 person-$495 $295
2 pp- $295 per person $195 pp
3 pp- $235 pp $155 pp
4 pp- $199 pp $135 pp
5pp- $175 pp $115 ppEmail for details and bookings: [email protected] or 530-386-2102
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Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at NASTC!
Happy Thanksgiving! We are grateful to live in such a beautiful and inspiring place as Lake Tahoe. Grateful to have a wonderful community of skiers that choose to share and fuel their passion for skiing, learning and the mountains with us.
A few resorts are open already here in Tahoe and the snow guns are cranking. We are excited to have the season get underway as we have so many fun destinations and courses planned for this season.Montana Skiing https://skinastc.com/category/courses/rockies/
Just about everyone knows that Montana has an abundance of natural beauty and Big Sky doesn’t disappoint. It also doesn’t disappoint where great skiing is concerned. Big Sky’s terrain is thrilling and immense. It is such a treat to make turns at this resort where everything comes together, the snow quality, the scenery and terrain. We will be staying in the village so we can maximize our time on snow and keep the focus on having on fun.
Dates: January 9-13, 2015Aspen – Snowmass https://skinastc.com/category/courses/rockies/
Aspen is North America’s quintessential skiing experience. The town of Aspen and the resort blend seamlessly into each other. There is this feeling that every day is special and celebration. And it is, it’s a celebration of life, nature, the mountains, friendship and skiing.
To top it all off, Aspen-Snowmass offers some incredible skiing. There are four mountains that make up Aspen-Snowmass, each one has a different terrain profile and personality. You will get everything from thrilling steeps, perfectly groomed cruisers, tree glades, powder, bumps and everything in between. This is the ideal destination to bring versatility into your skiing and learn how to master the mountain and everything it throws at you. Despite Aspen’s glamorous reputation it also has an authentic and down to earth side that reflects its passion for the mountains and mountain sports.
Dates: February 27-March 3Powder and Sushi: Skiing in the Land of the Rising Sun
Japan has been one of best kept secrets in the ski world. Largely because of it’s remote location it hasn’t made it onto the radar of the general skiing population. Niseko is for adventure seekers, for those that want an experience totally unlike anything you would find in North America or Europe. Niseko has one of the highest snowfall averages. It snows almost every day. This is a truly unique skiing experience and a great way to see and visit Japan. You will collect some unforgettable memories on this trip and make big strides in your skiing.
Fall in Love with Austria
Embark on a week long adventure in skiing’s heartland. Skiing in Austria is a must and truly a special experience. The scenery alone will capture your heart but the skiing and people will hold it forever. Skiing in Austria is nothing shy of inspiring and seriously fun. We know the Arlberg area well and will take you off the beaten path to descents that typically only locals know about. See the true side of Lech and Zurs and why it’s a favorite amongst Austrians, ski the exhilarating terrain of Stuben, St. Christoph and St. Anton and come back from the trip invigorated and a stronger skier.
Contact us now with any questions about these amazing ski training vacation opportunities! NASTC Headquarters in Truckee: 530-582-4772 / 530-386-2102
