Getting Schooled on Skiing
January is Learn to Ski and Ride Month
Say, you’re a longtime skier who’s had a secret yen to try snowboarding. Or vice versa.
Or you have a friend who’s been contemplating picking skiing or snowboarding (or both).
Well, these itches can be scratched — and at a very reasonable price, too — during January, which has been dubbed Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month by the National Ski Areas Association.
Learning on the Cheap
Resorts across America — from Maine to Washington, from Alta to Whiteface — are participating in this promotion, which annually connects never-evers to the thrill of sliding down a snow-covered hill with a board or two attached to their feet in a safe, friendly and well-supervised environment.
For the basic rate of about $35-$50, skiing and snowboarding neophytes get rental gear, a half-day lift ticket and an introductory lesson from a certified instructor. And many resorts will let you use the gear and lifts for the rest of the day for a very reasonable price.
Eyes on the Prizes
If an inexpensive gear-lesson-lift offer isn’t enough to get you out on the hill, Learn to Ski/Snowboard Month has other inducements to pique your interest.
One such is a social media campaign called #firstdayfaces. Those who post pictures on their social platform of choice of their first attempts at snowboarding or skiing at an official Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month resort using said hashtag could win a $250 gift certificate from such entities as getskitickets.com and skis.com.
Another enticement is the Bring a Friend Challenge, which rewards those who help newcomers sign up for beginner lessons from professional instructors. The payback are product prizes from a selection of manufacturers and resorts, including Head, Seirus, Dynastar/Look, Rossignol, Elan, Polarmax, Zeal Optics, Burton and Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows.
Where to Look
Details on these contests and all things Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month-related can be found at skiandsnowboardmonth.org.
Could be worth your while to check it out.
Featured Resorts

Salt Lake Ski Super Pass

Mammoth Mountain

Palisades Tahoe

Arapahoe Basin

Aspen Snowmass

Killington Resort

Grand Targhee Resort

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
