# Thunder Ridge 12/6/14 (Instructor Training Day)



## ss20 (Dec 6, 2014)

You know how after spring skiing your legs are tired?  Imagine that, plus doing taxes, plus taking a few college finals, while being watched by "Big Brother", while swimming.  That was today in a nutshell.  If you'd like a good read, keep going...

AM Session:

     I pulled in at 9:40 not wanting do be late for the first day of on-snow training for the Snowsports School applicants (which I was one).  It was nice.  No rain, relatively warm.  I booted up in the lodge as more people showed up.  About 60 applicants today, 80ish applied.  Not everyone came because you only need to come to 3 out of the 5 training sessions.  The "Great March" of instructors began at 10:15 as we trekked across the base area to the bunny hill.  Its a nice bunny hill that's steeper than most with a 50 vertical drop and an ANCIENT Bovrig double.  They had piled up more snow than I thought they could've.  Coverage was decent till the afternoon.  We were divided into groups of 6.  Each group given an experienced instructor.  Of course, this being my first day out on snow, I was super eager to take a "free" run.  But alas, our instructor wouldn't let us do that.  He turned out to be literally the slowest instructor out of the dozen or so that taught the applicants (but he knew his stuff and was incredibly nice).  Most groups had gotten on the lift by 11am, at the latest.  Not us.  Still learning the gliding wedge.  We didn't ride the lift till 12, and by that time we were being called into lunch.  I thought "oh, maybe he'll say forget it and let us ski down."  NOPE!  15 minutes later we got down, after learning how to wedge down the hill.  We hustled to the lodge where we had 1/2 an hour to eat lunch, which everyone else had already started.  It was while we were eating that the first drops of non-frozen precipitation began to fall...

PM Session:

     Poncho on.  Jacket zipped.  Hood up.  Another muddy walk with a different instructor.  This time we took turns teaching the rest of the group.  Still hadn't gotten to take a run, and it was 2 o'clock.  At 2:30 we switched instructors.  He asked if we wanted to take a run.  HOLY SH!T!!!! YESSSSSS!!!!  I've never been so excited to ski a bunny hill.  It could've been Zermatt or Snowbird for all I cared.  Things had gotten pretty rough by then.  Bare spots, dirt.  The rain picked up.  But none of that mattered- I was skiing.  Back down to reality.  More teaching and instructing.  I organized my "students" so that we could ride the lift.  Fun.  At 3:30 we were disbanded and I got 2 more runs to myself.  Things were rough by then.  More dirt.  Lot's of grass.  I was the last one off the chair before they shut it down.  By then everything was soaked.  Calling BS on my waterproof pancho and jacket.  Gloves were dripping when I took them off at 4.  

I'll be back tomorrow for the second session.  Too warm to make snow tonight.  Too little snow to do any serious repairs.  Tomorrow will be fast and fun.  Don't know if I'll need ice skates or skis.  I'll get to "wear in" my new XL facemask that is a certain material that I like.  I don't do fleece.  I've been looking for years to find one in XL (big head problems).  


Day Grade: A+++++
Run of the Day: Anywhere there was snow

Sneaked in a quick pick of the trail.  


From the base lodge during lunch.


The Face isn't quite ready yet.


They gave us lift tickets.  I had to lol when they gave us them.  We're the only ones here!  The rest of the mountain was closed!


----------



## MadMadWorld (Dec 7, 2014)

Ahh yes ITS.....one of the most boring courses I have ever done! The actual instructing is not nearly as boring though


----------



## ss20 (Dec 7, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> Ahh yes ITS.....one of the most boring courses I have ever done! The actual instructing is not nearly as boring though



That's what I've heard.  Did more of the same today.  F-A-S-T snow today.  Quite nice.  Only 2 more classes!


----------



## gmcunni (Dec 7, 2014)

ss20 said:


> Only 2 more classes!



and?  you are instructor @ Thunder Ridge ?  or is this general cert  training and you will be instructor anywhere?


----------



## MadMadWorld (Dec 7, 2014)

They have to everyone ready for Christmas vacation! I'm sure it's the same as every other mountain....sr. instructors (II & III) score your performance in a few areas teaching, demo, movement analysis, etc. Your not certified until you go through a PSIA exam


----------



## ss20 (Dec 7, 2014)

gmcunni said:


> and?  you are instructor @ Thunder Ridge ?  or is this general cert  training and you will be instructor anywhere?





MadMadWorld said:


> They have to everyone ready for Christmas vacation! I'm sure it's the same as every other mountain....sr. instructors (II & III) score your performance in a few areas teaching, demo, movement analysis, etc. Your not certified until you go through a PSIA exam



I am training for Thunder Ridge specifically.  I don't think I could do another mountain without training at that mountain.  In fact, I met a young man (early 20s) that teaches a half day program at Mount Snow on the weekends.  He was with all of us newbies yesterday, training.  

PSIA certification is not required to be employed.  Its recommended though, and I will probably do it next year.  It'll give me a pay increase and TR reimburses the class fee.    

The mountain probably won't be open till Christman break.  After next weekend's training I'll still have to shadow three lessons before I'm on my own.


----------



## gmcunni (Dec 7, 2014)

ss20 said:


> I am training for Thunder Ridge specifically.  I don't think I could do another mountain without training at that mountain.  In fact, I met a young man (early 20s) that teaches a half day program at Mount Snow on the weekends.  He was with all of us newbies yesterday, training.
> 
> PSIA certification is not required to be employed.  Its recommended though, and I will probably do it next year.  It'll give me a pay increase and TR reimburses the class fee.
> 
> The mountain probably won't be open till Christman break.  After next weekend's training I'll still have to shadow three lessons before I'm on my own.



so i'm curious.. and if too personal and you don't want to answer i understand... what drew you to becoming an instructor?


----------



## Quietman (Dec 8, 2014)

So nice to see a post from someone who wants to actually wants to work at an area!  Way too much other stuff(crap) being posted lately.  I have worked lifts(part time for extra $) at a local area and have had great interactions with the instructors. Some come and go but others have been there for years and really love what they do. Good luck!


----------



## ss20 (Dec 8, 2014)

gmcunni said:


> so i'm curious.. and if too personal and you don't want to answer i understand... what drew you to becoming an instructor?



Lol, I'll share anything.

  I don't really know why.  There's not one main reason.  Sure the free skiing is nice, but it's on a 400 foot sled hill.  I don't particularly like working with children, but I hope (need) that to change.  It's awesome to share my passion with others.  The biggest reason-if I had to pick-is that I'll be part of the mountain community.  See the inner workings of a ski area.  Meet all the people who make it happen.  Be part of a group that, like me, loves skiing so much that they drive to a tiny bump in the flatlands because they love what they do and don't care that is isn't a big VT mountain.  

Another big reason is that it's something constant.  I've never had a house in ski country.  Never had a season pass.  Didn't really know where I was going until the week before.  By this time in any other ski season, I'd have ten days planned.  The rest just happen whenever I could pick up a voucher.  Now I have a secure place where I'll be every weekend.  

Thanks for the kind words Quietman.


----------



## gmcunni (Dec 8, 2014)

ss20 said:


> Now I have a secure place where I'll be every weekend.



i too have thought about the instructor route.. my kids are growing up and doing their own thing, wife doesn't ski.  getting in as an instructor at a local hill is an interesting idea.  couple more seasons while my daughter is still in high school and then i'll think more seriously abut pursuing it.

biggest downside i see at this point is any hill i'd want to connect with is an hour away at a minimum.


----------



## JimG. (Dec 8, 2014)

ss20 said:


> Lol, I'll share anything.
> 
> I don't really know why.  There's not one main reason.  Sure the free skiing is nice, but it's on a 400 foot sled hill.  I don't particularly like working with children, but I hope (need) that to change.



Kids are much easier to teach than adults; make sure they have fun and before you know it they're skiing.

Adults have all kinds of ego/beginner issues and ask too many questions.


----------



## MadMadWorld (Dec 8, 2014)

JimG. said:


> Kids are much easier to teach than adults; make sure they have fun and before you know it they're skiing.
> 
> Adults have all kinds of ego/beginner issues and ask too many questions.



Correct. I like the age between 7-10 the most. They still listen to you and they can really absorb and apply what you teach them.


----------



## Domeskier (Dec 11, 2014)

If you convince them to seed some bumps I will be forever I your debt.


----------



## abc (Dec 12, 2014)

JimG. said:


> Kids are much easier to teach than adults; make sure they have fun and before you know it they're skiing.
> 
> Adults have all kinds of ego/beginner issues and ask too many questions.


But adults don't just run away without telling you! (and if they do, it's not your problem)

You only need to lose track of one kid in the crowded slope to be petrified. You have 10 minutes before the parents start to wonder why their precious little angel is not waiting for them at the end of the class. Fortunately, Thunder Ridge is small enough they can't actually "get lost". But that doesn't mean finding them will be easy.


----------



## JimG. (Dec 12, 2014)

abc said:


> But adults don't just run away without telling you! (and if they do, it's not your problem)
> 
> You only need to lose track of one kid in the crowded slope to be petrified. You have 10 minutes before the parents start to wonder why their precious little angel is not waiting for them at the end of the class. Fortunately, Thunder Ridge is small enough they can't actually "get lost". But that doesn't mean finding them will be easy.



In 15 years of teaching kids I never lost one.


----------



## MadMadWorld (Dec 12, 2014)

JimG. said:


> In 15 years of teaching kids I never lost one.



I did! It was the worst experience of my young teenage life. It was only about 60% my fault.


----------



## JimG. (Dec 12, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> I did! It was the worst experience of my young teenage life. It was only about 60% my fault.



I had one get hit on Belt Parkway at Hunter; my kids were good at avoiding trouble but this guy took an 8 year old girl right out of her bindings. She was OK but I felt terrible.


----------



## ss20 (Dec 12, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> I did! It was the worst experience of my young teenage life. It was only about 60% my fault.





JimG. said:


> I had one get hit on Belt Parkway at Hunter; my kids were good at avoiding trouble but this guy took an 8 year old girl right out of her bindings. She was OK but I felt terrible.



Thanks guys.  This is really what I want to hear, lol


----------



## abc (Dec 13, 2014)

ss20 said:


> Thanks guys.  This is really what I want to hear, lol


But you get the ear to ear smile from most of the kids at the end of the class (and the occasional tip from the parents)

Were you there at Thunder Ridge today?


----------



## MadMadWorld (Dec 13, 2014)

abc said:


> But you get the ear to ear smile from most of the kids at the end of the class (and the occasional tip from the parents)
> 
> Were you there at Thunder Ridge today?



Here's a teaching tip....when you tell the parents what the kids learned today, draw in the snow a dollar sign and say "we practiced turning left and right across the fall line"


----------

