Private ski instructor for 3 ~5 y.o. young ladies
 

Hi,

I am coordinating a couple ski trips this winter for 3 families including my own. We are in the tricky position of having a) 3 young ladies with ski experience that can’t quite keep up with their older siblings, and b) limited adult coverage due to some limitations (e.g., ACL surgery).

One of the Nh mountains we love going to doesn’t yet have lessons restored for younger kids, except 1 hour 1:1 options, and they seem to be rigid about that.

We are wondering if there is a college or even high school skier who likes young kids who would like to do a ~4-6 hour lesson for our budding young skiers?

Thank you!
Jason
(Moultonborough, Nh)

What mountain are you looking to ski?

MW Bretton Woods

I can't help, but I'd want to know dates.

Thank you; for the first trip we are planning Sat/Sun Jan 21/22.

Would it be 4 to 6 hours each day, Saturday and Sunday? It’s a long ride from the Lakes region up there. Do you expect the instructor to go up each day and then come back? What would the pay be?

Would it be easier to find someone local up there?

Great questions! Yes, we are open to a duration of around 4-6 hours; 1 day or both. Would love to discuss travel / rate / etc. based on experience, location, etc.
(And sorry for delay; figured a bit easier to look for help closer to the date)
Best,
Jason

Ski lessons
 

I am not a ski instructor, so I am not your person, but what comes to mind is the ugly question of insurance. If you actively engage someone to teach these children to ski, no matter how elementary, and you pay them, I am sure that the question of insurance should be checked into. Oh, by the way, I am also NOT an insurance person, nor a lawyer, just a older parent who has seen seemingly innocent activities turn into ugly situations when something doesn't go as planned. I can't help you with any answers, all I can do is raise the question.
Stay safe, and well, and be careful.

reminds me of a story...
 

...so I don't have a recommendation on an instructor, but this reminds me of when my daughter was about 13. My wife and I were pre-occupied with our son, who was hospitalized for about 3 months. Our neighbor asked if they could take our daughter skiing with them, so she could have something fun to do. I told the neighbor that she had never been skiing before, so she would need to take a lesson when they got to the mountain. The neighbor said, "don't worry, I'll teach her". I told the neighbor that I didn't mean to be insulting, but I'd like her to take a lesson from someone who knows what they're doing.

The neighbor said, "you remember that I grew up in Colorado, right? I used to teach skiing to the blind...I think I can handle teaching your daughter"

OOOFFF...!!! :eek::eek:

I don't think 5-year-olds can pay attention to or enjoy a 6-hour ski lesson. I recall that at Gunstock they had a lesson and then spent the rest of the day at an activity center. I recommend calling the ski area and asking if they have a program than combines a ski lesson and indoor activities.

The insurance concerns brought are inconsequential. Ski areas in NH are protected against liability because it is an inherently dangerous activity.

If you employ an instructor who is not associated with a ski area, you children will not enjoy the privilege of cutting the lift line.

Private ski instructor
 

baygo - if you re-read the initial post in this thread you will see that the poster is not looking for a ski instructor from "the mountain", but rather a private instructor (not necessarily with credentials) and this person would probably not enjoy the same protections as a certified instructor.
Please don't be so quick to dismiss the importance of looking in the matter, "inconsequential" is a fairly sharp rebuke.

I have to agree with Camp Guy. There are legal liabilities here for the parents, the instructor, and the ski area.

I'm thinking that a ski instructor, in this specific case, is like a babysitter: you leave the children in someone else's care and you go off. For legal issues with babysitters see https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/p...a%20babysitter. Quote: "In a babysitting situation there is no doubt that a duty of care is owed. Your babysitter must behave like a reasonable person would behave in the same or similar circumstances. So whether a babysitter is liable will depend on their age, the circumstances, and the details of what happened."

If the private ski instructor is paid, then the instructor is conducting business at the ski area and using its facilities. Apparently ski areas consider that illegal. See https://www.skimag.com/performance/g...i-instructors/ Quote: "The instructor likely has no insurance in case of injury, no background checks, and no guarantee of instructor certification . . . Without insurance, their personal assets are at risk if there’s a lawsuit." The article points out that ski areas depend on the fees earned by the ski school to support their operations.

I feel like this is all moot because, from a developmental point of view, young children are not going to put up with a 6-hour lesson. I definitely wouldn't put three young children in the care of a high school kid on a ski slope all day. The chances that things are going to go smoothly don't seem that great. You would be putting the children at risk, but also the high school kid and his or her parents for legal liability if the instructor has bad judgment or makes a mistake.

It's said isn't it, we can't do anything anymore without fear of being sued. But it's true.......

Taylor 'the Nahamsha Hiker' ...... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajjk33ypBuA&t=84s ...... is a part-time ski and snowboard instructor for children, ages 3-7, at Loon Mountain besides owning a gift store, Nahamsha Gifts on Main St, Meredith, close to the post office.

My son runs the children's ski lessons at Loon Mtn. in the age group you are looking for. He is a PSIA level 3 instructor with years of experience in Colorado. Also certified in children instruction. He runs an excellent ski school. I suggest Loon Mtn. for the best children's program in NH.