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For background on Bill, go to BILL JONES, Ski Instructor. Also, Read what others have said about ski lessons with Bill. Bill teaches alpine skiing (no terrain park, cross-country, telemark, or snowboard) to adults and children age 8 and up (a parent[s] may be present if you prefer). "Let's ski!"...Bill Jones To book your private lesson at Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail, or Beaver Creek or other areas--call the Keystone Ski School at 800/255-3715. You may contact Bill with inquiries but do not ask to make arrangements for lessons other than through the ski school. Why? Also note that Bill or any instructor cannot be reserved for group lessons. Read Bill's 2016-2017 annual ski letter: updates on skiing, equipment tips, and technique brush-ups. For lessons at Northstar, Heavenly Valley, or Kirkwood in California: inquire to determine availability. Information/pricing for private lessons.
Prices shown are
based on Vail Resorts websites for advance online reservations; walk-up prices are more. Include up to 6 persons for these
prices; extra for more.
You are not at a Vail Resorts website. If
renting equipment (not included with lesson), consider renting it at the resort. That way, if an
equipment adjustment
is needed it can be done with less interruption to your lesson. The company
rentskis.com: exits has
locations near lift bases at most of the Vail Resorts ski areas and you can
reserve your gear online--useful as at busy times equipment may be limited in
some sizes or types and wait-times for fitting your gear can be less. If you will rent equipment at a resort, arrive at the rental shop for fitting
at least one hour before your lesson, more on busy days such as holidays, school
vacations. Or rent it the afternoon or evening before your lesson--check for
shop hours. Private lessons can accommodate up to 6 people at the base cost. With
Bill, parents may accompany children (8 and older) taking lessons. Bill teaches only alpine
skiing, so mixing skiers and snowboarders is not an option. Lift tickets are required for all lessons. When booking, check for lift
ticket prices for the resort where you will take your lesson; they may cost less if purchased with a lesson.
Some lower-priced lift tickets bought with lessons are valid
only when skiing with the instructor. Lunch may (should) be taken during a private lesson but the cost is not
included. Bring cash or credit. Priority lift access is provided for private-lesson takers on most
upper-level lifts at Vail Resorts ski areas. If you cancel a reserved lesson, fees may apply; inquire when booking. Special arrangements can also be made for teaching at non-Vail Resorts ski
area;
surcharges apply. At Keystone, free parking is included in your advance-purchase private
lesson. If your private lesson is at the River Run base area, park for free in
the Hunki Dori or Gold Bug lots. If your private lesson is at the Mountain House
base area, park for free in the Marmot lot. To receive your free parking, tell
the parking lot attendant the name on your private lesson booking. Confirm
arrangements when booking. Have available when you book your private lesson (through Keystone Ski
School--at 800/255-3715) for any Vail-operated resort Lesson-taking cost-saving strategies to get more value: (Confirm prices when booking.) The comparisons below show generally that full-day lessons are a better
value per hour (about $125) versus half-day lessons (about $200/hour). But a
more important reason is that it usually takes longer than a half-day lesson
to impart a new skill. Often the first half-day is spent learning a skill,
and the next half-day anchors the skill with practice guided by a coach.
First-time and beginner skiers in group lessons, for instance, are
encouraged to take a full 3 days of lessons for this same reason. While a
private lesson has advantages, it does not necessarily reduce the time
needed to be spent on learning and practice.
Book Bill through the Keystone Ski School at 800/255-3715 and take your
lesson there or at Breckenridge or Arapahoe Basin (probably):
This is expected to cost less than for him to teach at Beaver Creek or Vail.
Book Bill through the Keystone Ski School at $759/day and have him come to
you at Keystone, Breckenridge, or Arapahoe Basin (probably) instead of booking a Breckenridge instructor at
$830/day. Or have him come to you at Vail or Beaver Creek for $859
instead of booking an instructor there at $965. This idiosyncrasy is due to
the different resorts having different prices at their ski schools and a
travel surcharge to go to the distant resorts. Book full-day lessons instead of half-day lessons:
For instance, at Keystone, total cost
($759) of a full-day lesson is less than two half-day lessons (2 x $599=$1158),
saving $399. Bill can only teach half-day lessons at Keystone, but
comparing the cost of two half-day lessons from a Breckenridge
instructor at Breckenridge (2 x $635=$1270) versus Bill teaching a full
day there at ($759) , the savings would be $511. For Vail and Beaver
Creek, the same math gives a savings of $551. Extend a morning Keystone session: If you start in the morning with a regular-season half-day lesson of 3 hours
(at $599) you may extend to a
full-day lesson (at $759) for just $160 more (a bit over $50/hour for private
ski instruction or guiding). This add-on option can be useful if
you are uncertain of your available time or are unsure you
will have the stamina for a full-day lesson. The risk is that if an a.m. lesson Bill may get booked by another party in the
afternoon before you decide to extend. And if not extended, the lesson must end
on time so Bill can report for his afternoon assignment.
Book up to 6 persons:
For
multi-person "private" lessons (up to 6 persons for the same
price) you may organize your session so that some of
your party is being coached while others are skiing or resting and then
switch roles. (This can be especially useful in private-lesson groups with mixed skill,
age, interest, or stamina levels so that each person is in a comfortable and
effective learning environment). Full-day lessons cost less than two half-day lessons. Too, the cost of 6 full-day group lessons
is about the same as the cost of a full-day private lesson for 6 people. Start early, Stay late: Because the ski slopes sometimes open at 8:30 a.m.
we might be able to start
then. If we
catch our last ride at 4:00 p.m., a full-day
lesson can be stretched out, allowing for lunch and rest
breaks. (At Keystone when there is night skiing there is even more flexibility
on start time if arranged in advance.)
Run gates and/or race free:
Running gates with or without timed results is free at the Vail Resort ski
areas for lesson students of skill level 6 and up, when the course is open
(usually). There may be a separate registration fee if vying for medals. It’s a great way to tune up skiing skills. If private lessons still seem costly, consider The Business Model: The cost of a private lesson has some correlation with the revenue the resort
could earn from using the same instructor for a group lesson. Rates have proved compatible with ski school business model
requirements within supply and demand parameters and compare with rates charged
for many other individualized services available from some other sports
professionals such as golf and tennis, as well as accountants, lawyers,
plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, and computer technicians. Like these
specialists, a ski instructor is a trained
professional, too, and like them is supported by an office, marketing, training, and
managerial staff. Demand for instruction is such that the local ski resorts have from 200
to 1200 instructors each. For more considerations on private lessons, and for comparing pros and cons
of private lessons versus group lessons, go to Why Take a
Lesson from a Professional Ski Instructor and scroll down to "Private vs.
Group Lesson". What you may expect in a Level 1 private ski lesson at River Run,
Keystone Location maps of some private lesson meeting areas at
Breckenridge and Keystone Share your personal skiing information with Bill
so he can plan the best experience to meet your needs and wishes. Get on a contact list for
Bill's annual pre-season letter. Contact Bill Jones: This "How To Reserve a Private Ski Lesson with Bill Jones"
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