Hey, gang. Our critically-acclaimed webisode, “The Bird Chronicles,” is back with another fun look at our two local Lake Tahoe skiers vying for the sacred first chair on Gunbarrel. In this episode, Ty and Brandon struggle with their camp set up and The Bird finds it in his old, withered heart to impart some wisdom.

If you missed the first episode, view it here.

And if you want more info on the Heavenly Passholder Club, it’s right here.

A week ago we posted that even advanced skiers could have a lot to gain by taking a ski lesson. Well our friend Mike from Reno came up and gave it a shot.

If you haven’t noticed, Tahoe has been getting a bit of snow lately. And by “bit” I mean 52 inches in the last 7 days!!! With all that snow there are a few important things to remember. You need to get out and ski it, you need to take pictures of it to show your buddies who were stuck at work and you need to make sure you’re on top of your game so you look good in those pictures.

And there’s no better way to get that killer style than to grab a lesson with a pro skier to help you hone your technique, which is exactly what I did. I met Heavenly Ski Instructor Bryan Schilling and told him I needed to tune up my skills for skiing the cool off-piste terrain at Heavenly. To really rock those runs you need to be ready to dodge trees, hop rocks and keep up your speed on traverses, and I’d been feeling a bit timid lately.

First he took me for a warm-up on the way over to Killebrew Canyon. Along the way, Bryan had me do some Whitepass Turns, an awkward and unintuitive drill to get me to begin turning on both skis and initiating turns early. It worked!

It’s a good thing I went to Heavenly for an advanced lesson. Bryan took me on the steepest, tightest and most challenging terrain I’ve ever skied in-bounds! The chute we hit in Killebrew Canyon was awesome! As a side note, grabbing a lesson like that is good way to get a guided tour of the mountain…

That first drop down the chute doesn’t look as crappy as it felt (see video). I was way in the back-seat and not rocking the greatest form. Bryan pointed out that my pole plant was a problem. He told me to reach DOWN the hill, perpendicular to the ski. That gets you moving down hill and keeps you on top of your skis.

All in all it was a great experience, and a humbling one, to get back in the classroom and learn a thing or two about my favorite sport. Next time I hit the chutes of Mott Canyon and Killebrew Canyon I’ll be charging, buzzing trees and maybe even dropping some cliffs. I’ve been out a few times since the lesson and feel a lot more confidence ripping in the steeps and through the trees in all the powder we’ve been getting.

Thanks Bryan!!!

-Mike

How many of you out there think that ski and snowboard lessons are just for beginners? It is a common belief.  But the fact is ski and snowboard lessons prove beneficial for a wide range of abilities. Not only that, taking a lesson is a great way to see different parts of the mountain, and everyone knows that riding is much more fun when you have good company to enjoy it with.

Intermediate Ski and Snowboard Lessons
For instance, if you are an intermediate skier or snowboarder who feels comfortable carving the groomers, but when it comes to going off-piste or into the bumps you get a little squirrely and nervous, sign up for a class and improve your abilities. You’ll quickly find yourself developing much more confidence and taking control of your turns.

Advanced Ski and Snowboard Lessons 
The same goes for advanced riders. Heavenly’s Adult Ski and Snowboard School offers a variety of different programs and private clinics to suit your preference. You will learn how to ride stronger and with more fluidity in difficult conditions. We all have the tendency to develop bad habits, and there is nothing like a fresh perspective to uncover those subtle little hangups that keep us from being the best we can be.

Schools and Clinics
The School and Clinics section of our website provides a wealth of information to help decide what type of ski or snowboard lesson is best for you. Find your ability level, view instructor profiles, and browse specific clinics and programs are just some of the options to be sure you get the most out of your lesson.

If you have any good stories, photos, or videos to share of your ski or snowboard lesson experience please drop us a comment or link up with us on Flickr and YouTube. We also have some more ski and snowboard school videos here.

See you on the mountain!

tags: beginner, intermediate, advanced, ski, skiing, snowboarding, lessons, school, lake tahoe, heavenly, resort