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Location: Amphitheater in Discovery Square (weather permitting).

PRIVATE DOWNHILL MOUNTAIN BIKE LESSON

This is a 2-hour or full-day, lift-served private lesson with a PMBIA certified instructor focused on beginner-intermediate MTB skill progressions including:

• Position & balance
• Shifting & braking operations
• Terrain awareness and flow
• Direction contro
• Pressure control
• Cornering techniques

Learn to flow on your favorite Tam trails and develop the confidence and skill to ride your favorite trails.

** Lift pass sold separately

EARLY BIRD PRIVATE MOUNTAIN BIKE LESSON

Looking for a quick morning ride before the lift opens?

This is a one-hour, private morning lesson with a PMBIA certified instructor focused on beginner-intermediate skill progressions using drills and Tamarack XC trails.

** No lift service

NIGHT OWL PRIVATE MOUNTAIN BIKE LESSON

Looking to recap after a shred sesh?

This is a one-hour, private evening lesson with a PMBIA certified instructor focused on beginner-intermediate skill progressions using drills and Tamarack XC trails.

** No lift service

PRIVATE XC MOUNTAIN BIKE LESSON

This is a two-hour, private lesson with a PMBIA certified instructor focused on beginner-intermediate XC skill progressions (Green-Blue trails).

*No lift service

PMBIA Reference Guide for Tamarack MTB Program

“The purpose of the PMBIA is to inspire excellence in mountain bike instruction guiding and coaching. Through industry-proven content and instruction, PMBIA assists mountain bike instructors, guides, and coaches to deliver consistent, professional, training standards, worldwide.”

SAFETY

Inherently, mountain biking is always a potentially dangerous activity so eliminating all risks is impossible. However, a good instructor should be able to continuously assess and manage any risks appropriately. A safe client is impossible unless of course, they stay at home on the couch. A safer client, where the risks have been managed, minimized, or limited, to actively reduce the likelihood and severity of an incident, is very possible.

FUN

The essential ingredient for creating return clients and life-time mountain bikers! Learning to mountain bike above all else should be fun. It’s the sheer enjoyment, positive lifestyle, health benefits, outdoor experience, and social aspects that make us all ride our bikes in the woods. Getting those kids to stick with it or the adults to come back for more, largely depends on if the pro’s outweighed the con’s… and having a lot of fun goes a long way to tipping the scales in the right direction.

LEARNING

Learning something new is incredibly fun. Improving a current skill makes us excited, proud of our achievements, and thirsty for more. Good instructors can help students learn more safely and efficiently. This ultimately means students should learn more easily and quickly when compared to not taking a lesson. How much of a difference an instructor makes to student’s learning, depends on their experience and competency with the information in
this reference guide.

RIDING THEORY: The 6 Fundamental Skills of Mountain Biking

To be able to teach a sport, we must first have a clear understanding of how we do it; the physics, biomechanics and different skills involved, and how and why they work independently and together, to produce the desired outcomes. Only then are we in a position to safely and effectively teach the sport to another person.

The analysis of a sport must therefore come first, before we can teach it. By dividing the sport of mountain biking and organizing it into six main skills, we can break down the wealth of information and perceived subjectivity of riding techniques into clear, distinct, sequential segments of information. These six skills are further divided into their own skill components, and three different skill types:

• BIO-MECHANICAL: The physics of body movements
  - Position and Balance
  - Direction Control
  - Pressure Control
• MECHANICAL: Bike operation
  - Operations of Control
• VISUAL & TACTICAL: Observational skills and choosing tactics
  - Terrain awareness
  - Timing and Coordination

WAKEBOARD, WAKESURF & WATERSKI LESSONS

Whether you have never done any water sports before, or you are looking to advance your skills, we got you covered. From wakesurfing to waterskiing and everything in between, our USA Waterski and Watersports instructors will teach you how to shred.

** Boat and Equipment rental not included.

Private Packages

2 Hour Private Package (13+) - This lesson is intended for all participants 13+.  This package includes lift ticket, rentals, and a two hour private lesson. This is a great choice for beginners and experienced skiers and riders that don't have their own equipment or ticket. The lesson will adapt to the individual's needs in a progressive, well-paced learning environment. Available every hour of every day. 5 Hour Kids Adventure Package (2-12) - This lesson package is intended for children ages 2-12 years.  This lesson includes lift ticket, rentals and lunch. Starting at 10:00 am sharp, the participant can expect a day full of adventure and learning. Moving at the pace of the student, the instructor will goal set with the student on a number of achievable outcomes. After a few hours of skiing or riding, both instructor and student break for lunch (included) and have the opportunity to review the morning. After a warm meal and a chance to re-fuel it is time to head back out on the hill to continue the fun and learning. Lessons ends at 3:00pm, however we encourage our team to give a few minutes to debrief all that the day entailed, including what things to keep working on in between lesson experiences.

A La Carte Private Lessons

The lessons are available to any any ability level.  Prices above are for the lesson only.  Ticket and rentals not included.

Early Bird Refresher – This lesson is intended for someone that is truly just looking for a refresher lesson. Created for ages 6+ this lesson is a great way to jog the memory of where a student skill set was when they ended last season. The instructors intent is to make sure the participant is warmed up, gets to work on one or two things given the time, and sets them up for a day of fun skiing or snowboarding on the mountain. This lesson does not include lift ticket or rental.

Itty Bitty Private – Our Itty Bitty private is intended for children 6 and under. This experience is a great choice for kids who may not want a two hour lesson, and are timid to just dive right in. We intend this lesson to be a safe, fun, and exciting way to engage into Snow Sports. It is also a great resource for parents to offer their children a refresher lesson to work out the kinks of just getting back on the hill. This product includes a ticket, but does not include rental.

2 Hour Private – Our 2 hour a la carte privates are geared towards skiers and riders with their own equipment.  These lessons do not include tickets or rentals. Participants will receive private instruction by one of our certified instructors. This lesson is a great choice for the first timer, working a specific skill set, or a thorough exploration of effective movements and tactics to be able to overcome challenging terrain on the mountain. This lesson is intended for all participants regardless of ability level. First Timers welcome! Available every hour of every day.

3 Hour Private – Created for the person that wants to be able to thoroughly grasp the skiing experience. At times there are skills or fundamentals that take a little more time to become fluid, and the three hour a la carte ski lesson caters to these situations. While the two hour experience offers great opportunity to learn and practice new skills, the three hour lesson will give the participant a little extra time to hone in their newly acquired movement patterns. It is a great choice for those looking for a little more practice time or the ability to explore more of the mountain. This lesson does not include lift ticket, or rentals. Available at 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm.

6 Hour Private – This lesson type is for all ages.  Geared towards the participant that wants to go out and ski with an instructor all day. This lesson is offered at 9:00am & 10:00 to make sure the participant can get all 6 hours intended. This is a wonderful opportunity for skiers and riders interested in having instructors with them the entire time they are on the mountain. Working on a variety of turns, tactics, and skills that will increase the participants knowledge and understanding of skiing effectively. This lesson type does not include rentals or ticket.  Lunch is the responsibility of the participant.

Adult Private Group Lessons

This is a great option for a group of skiers or riders who want to learn together as a family or set of friends.  You'll have your own private instructor and learn as a group.  Your instructor will teach what the group wants to learn and take you to appropriate terrain.  This type of lesson structure works best when the participants are similar ability levels, but of course, our instructor will coach the group regardless of ability levels. This lesson type is also great for a group of friends who need a mountain expert to help them explore the mountain.   Our instructor will take you from boundary to boundary showing you the best groomers and lesser known stashes.

Full day (6 hour) build your own adult (13+) group lesson. Must have a min. of 2 skiers/snowboarders with a max of 5 skiers/snowboarders. Fixed rate of $700 no matter group size (between 2-5). Rentals and lift ticket not included.

Private Add On

Price is per person, per hour added to an existing private lesson.  Additional participants must be at same ability level.  All prices include tax and fees.

• For special requests or to book lessons within 48 hours, please contact the Sports School directly.
• Changes to lesson start time/date must be confirmed 24 hours in advance of the designated start time. For changes via email please allow 48 hours. (All changes subject to availability.)
• Lessons will not be extended, rescheduled or refunded due to the late arrival of guests, for any reason.
• Lesson Cancellation must be confirmed 48 hours in advance of the designated start time.
• If a lesson is cancelled within 48 hours or no-shows, the full lesson price will be charged without refund.
• Full payment is required in advance to secure booking.
• For all bookings, a 5% processing fee will be charged for any cancellations of purchased lessons. The fee is collected during the initial payment. The fee is non-refundable.
• Lessons are limited to same ability level and discipline for more than 2 participants.
• Lesson may be changed or cancelled if the ski area is closed due to operational or weather conditions.
• It is the owner or borrower’s responsibility and obligation for any lost, stolen and damaged equipment during a lesson. This includes lost lesson time or any replacement costs.
• For lessons with lunch included, instructors will supervise lunch breaks. Lunch breaks are closed to parents and guardians to minimize lesson interruption.
• Ski school reception phone line may be busy prior to lesson start.

WINTER TRAILBLAZERS

A fun and engaging group lesson geared for kids who want to take their skiing up a new level; a great challenge in a fun learning environment. Each week will have a coaching element mixed with some excitement and adventure. Our goal is for coaches to be with the same children the entire 7-week session. Groups will be created based on ability level and age.

• Only available for skiers.
• All participants will be responsible for providing a lift ticket or season pass and equipment.
• Daily equipment rentals are available at a 15% discount to participants.
• Rental equipment must be secured before the lesson begins.

Ages

4 – 12 years

Duration

7 weeks. Each day includes 4+ hours of snow sports progression and coaching.

Dates

Saturdays: 1/9, 1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/20, 2/27 and 3/6

Sundays: 1/10, 1/24, 1/31, 2/7, 2/21, 2/28 and 3/7

Class does not meet the weekends of Martin Luther King Jr. Day or President’s Day.

Schedule

• 10:00am - Check-in
• 10:00 - 10:20 - Warmup session on Discovery Chair
• 10:20 - 12:00 - Skills coaching
• 12:00 - 12:55 - Break for lunch with parents
• 1:00 - 3:15 - Practice & apply the skills from the morning session
• 3:15 - 3:30 - Class dismissal

Includes

A full day of lessons and experiences. Season pass and rentals extra.

2021 Schedule

Trailblazer Tryouts
January 9 & 10

To make sure that we set up all the participants for the most success possible, the first day will consist of; separating the groups by an on-snow evaluation. The students will be asked to perform some basic skiing maneuvers to showcase their skills. Regardless of previous ability expect to spend a majority of the morning on the bottom half of the Resort (Discovery and Tamarack Express). We will keep this fun and engaging by setting up obstacles, freestyle maneuvers, and drills.

Balance & Terrain Park
January 23 & 24

Focus will be on balance (Control the relationship of the Center of Mass to the base of support to direct pressure along the length of the skis). Giving students the ability to understand dynamic balance, and how it plays as an integral platform for most skiing to occur. This day we will also explore Tamarack’s Freestyle parks; Smart style, how to navigate the features safely, and get the chance to get your jib on while focusing on stance and balance.

Pressure & Snow Cat
January 30 & 31

Regardless of if we are adding, managing, or removing pressure on our skis, it is always present. This day we really dissect what we use Pressure (Control pressure from ski to ski and direct pressure toward the outside ski) for. We also get to have a up close interaction with a snow cat that Tamarack Resort uses day to day to keep our runs corduroy. Check out the cool snow cats and see how they work.

Rotation & Avalanche Dogs
February 6 & 7

Rotation is one of the keys to successful skiing (Control the skis rotation (turning, pivoting, steering) with leg rotation, separate from the upper body). Our instructors will give us some new skills and drills to help us focus our attention on when and where we use rotation effectively. We will also use those skills to go explore the mountain. We will check out some hidden stashes on the mountain and learn some snow safety from Patrol. This is one of our favorite days as well, we get to go visit the avalanche dogs!

Control & Race Day
February 20 & 21

We create angles constantly when skiing. Today’s focus will be on what angles help us do while on our skis (Control edge angles through a combination of inclination and angulation). We also will set-up a variety of race scenarios this day and encourage all our participants to spend some time experiencing what it feels like to ski through a racecourse. We also will get the chance to ski a bit with our Tamarack Ski Team and meet the coaches of that program, which is a great place to continue honing a passion for skiing.

Body Equipment Connection
February 27 & 28

How do we navigate the connection between our bodies and skis? It is the relationship of the body to the equipment (Regulate the magnitude of pressure created through ski/snow interaction). This day focuses on trying to combine all previous week’s skills together.

“That rug really tied the room together.” -The Dude.

End of Program Celebration & Costume Day
March 6 & 7

End of season exhibition and pizza party for participants and family. We’ll have classes all around the mountain showcasing what they’ve worked on during the program. We’ll have a racecourse set-up, freestyle park sessions, and be riding all around Tamarack Resort. This is also our costume Day- Dress to impress. Disney characters, super-hero’s, favorite character in movie, get creative!

We invite family to come and see all the hard work that their Trailblazers put into their skiing. We host a party for everyone to get to sit and visit, socially distanced of course, with all of the instructors.

WAKEBOARD, WAKESURF & WATERSKI LESSONS

Whether you have never done any water sports before, or you are looking to advance your skills, we got you covered. From wakesurfing to waterskiing and everything in between, our USA Waterski and Watersports instructors will teach you how to shred.

** Boat and Equipment rental not included.

PRIVATE DOWNHILL MOUNTAIN BIKE LESSON

This is a 2-hour or full-day, lift-served private lesson with a PMBIA certified instructor focused on beginner-intermediate MTB skill progressions including:

• Position & balance
• Shifting & braking operations
• Terrain awareness and flow
• Direction contro
• Pressure control
• Cornering techniques

Learn to flow on your favorite Tam trails and develop the confidence and skill to ride your favorite trails.

** Lift pass sold separately

EARLY BIRD PRIVATE MOUNTAIN BIKE LESSON

Looking for a quick morning ride before the lift opens?

This is a one-hour, private morning lesson with a PMBIA certified instructor focused on beginner-intermediate skill progressions using drills and Tamarack XC trails.

** No lift service

NIGHT OWL PRIVATE MOUNTAIN BIKE LESSON

Looking to recap after a shred sesh?

This is a one-hour, private evening lesson with a PMBIA certified instructor focused on beginner-intermediate skill progressions using drills and Tamarack XC trails.

** No lift service

PRIVATE XC MOUNTAIN BIKE LESSON

This is a two-hour, private lesson with a PMBIA certified instructor focused on beginner-intermediate XC skill progressions (Green-Blue trails).

*No lift service

PMBIA Reference Guide for Tamarack MTB Program

“The purpose of the PMBIA is to inspire excellence in mountain bike instruction guiding and coaching. Through industry-proven content and instruction, PMBIA assists mountain bike instructors, guides, and coaches to deliver consistent, professional, training standards, worldwide.”

SAFETY

Inherently, mountain biking is always a potentially dangerous activity so eliminating all risks is impossible. However, a good instructor should be able to continuously assess and manage any risks appropriately. A safe client is impossible unless of course, they stay at home on the couch. A safer client, where the risks have been managed, minimized, or limited, to actively reduce the likelihood and severity of an incident, is very possible.

FUN

The essential ingredient for creating return clients and life-time mountain bikers! Learning to mountain bike above all else should be fun. It’s the sheer enjoyment, positive lifestyle, health benefits, outdoor experience, and social aspects that make us all ride our bikes in the woods. Getting those kids to stick with it or the adults to come back for more, largely depends on if the pro’s outweighed the con’s… and having a lot of fun goes a long way to tipping the scales in the right direction.

LEARNING

Learning something new is incredibly fun. Improving a current skill makes us excited, proud of our achievements, and thirsty for more. Good instructors can help students learn more safely and efficiently. This ultimately means students should learn more easily and quickly when compared to not taking a lesson. How much of a difference an instructor makes to student’s learning, depends on their experience and competency with the information in
this reference guide.

RIDING THEORY: The 6 Fundamental Skills of Mountain Biking

To be able to teach a sport, we must first have a clear understanding of how we do it; the physics, biomechanics and different skills involved, and how and why they work independently and together, to produce the desired outcomes. Only then are we in a position to safely and effectively teach the sport to another person.

The analysis of a sport must therefore come first, before we can teach it. By dividing the sport of mountain biking and organizing it into six main skills, we can break down the wealth of information and perceived subjectivity of riding techniques into clear, distinct, sequential segments of information. These six skills are further divided into their own skill components, and three different skill types:

• BIO-MECHANICAL: The physics of body movements
  - Position and Balance
  - Direction Control
  - Pressure Control
• MECHANICAL: Bike operation
  - Operations of Control
• VISUAL & TACTICAL: Observational skills and choosing tactics
  - Terrain awareness
  - Timing and Coordination

(Fridays 1PM - 5PM through August 30, Saturdays & Sundays 10AM - 4PM through September 15)