Hi,
I have done some skiing before, too bad it was ten years ago...
I now really want to pick it up, seeing that winter season is starting and I will be in Austria in a ski resort for christmas.
Does anyone know where there is a good skiing school, zurich area...
Or can you just learn it by doing it fast learner so maybe if I practise a few times...
I mean I don't know if you are allowed to go on the slopes if you cannot ski.
Thanks in advance!
Jana

Try starting with a search for 'ski lessons'...

Nothing to stop you going on the slopes if you can't ski. Look lout for green slopes which are for beginners.

However, as a returning skier lessons would be advisable and you will have a much more enjoyable time.

Plenty of diverse info on lessons in the forums - just search.

neither Austria nor Switzerland use green as a slope grading.

Some places in Switzerland do:

And the instructors will take absolute beginners down these - they are also for toboggans and hikers. Fast skiers not allowed.

and they're not the only one, however most, nearly all in fact, do not.

Hello Jana,

I can see you feel strong enough to try to ski by yourself (no teacher) but you are just not sure. Don't be affraid - me and many my friends - we tried without teacher. There are some easy blue pists in Zürich area where you can practise, specially when weather conditions are good and there is not many peoples.
I am taking my friends - beginners - to Flumserberg on first Sunday of December (www.flumserberg.ch). Let me know if you would like to join us(still 2 places in the car).

Tschüss!

Green pistes? Are they so flat they are actually uphill?

Hello, how was Flumserberg last weekend. I am a complete beginner and last weekend was my first time (ever). I was without the teacher - friends showed me how to do plough and off I went. I was fun. Will you be going again next weekend? Any other suggestions on easily accessable easy slopes?

Hey everyone!
I went to Flumsberg yesterday (sunday).
It was so much fun!
I did the blue piste, with my skis down and down and then the lift up ofcourse.
I fell about four times, but not too bad, I really enjoyed it and was lucky to be able to borrow ski shoes and skis from someone so that I only had to pay for the ski pass.
Otherwise it is really expensive.
But anyway the weather was good, no rain and no real sunshine either but okay!
Still do not know if I am going to take a teacher when in Austria for christmas...I think I will have a look at the slopes first and then decide.
xxx Jana

I went to Flumersberg yest for my first ski lesson (one on one). It was good but CHF 160 for less than 2 hours. On top of that I had to hire everything and get a day pass. Expensive. Still I enjoyed it and couildn't imagine skiing without any type of lesson. I'd be clueless. Put off a bit by instructor saying I done above arrange for first lesson but still needed another 8-10 lessons. Imagine the money. I long to get up those slopes and so some proper skiing. Should I just say balls to the lessons lark and get up there ?

expensive? 51CHf is expensive?
what do you suggest should be the limit for Flumserberg?
what were you willing to pay, if you were free to chose?

No, saying balls to skiing lessons when you are a beginner is never a good plan.

Was your lesson private? Perhaps try a group lesson?

or ask Woodsie......

was a private lesson. Was told that was the best way but CHF 160 for an hour and 40 mins is too steep. May try group lesson next time.

I didnt see the 51chf mentioned. I presume this is the lift pass.

When you have the Snow and Rail, Your gear hire, your lesson, your grub. It is an expensive day out, even for one.

dave

I can highly recommend Markus Biner at Zermatt Ski School, I had a full day private lesson on Sat and got 4 and half hours on the slopes plus half hour break at lunch for the costly sum of 350chf however as a beginner I can say it was well worth it, I had a great day and he was a fantastic instructor and also a Zermatt local so got the chance to learn some local geography too. I think it is worth the expense of paying an expert to teach you if you get a good instructor. I also had a lesson in Flims the weekend before and shared a 2 hour lesson with a friend which worked out a 100chf each You can usually share private lessons and most ski schools don’t charge extra for the 2nd person.

Or if being in a group lesson with people you don’t know is a little daunting then you can book a private instructor and then pay the dailly/hourly rate plus a small surcharge for the 3rd person onwards. If you can get enough people at a similar level together say 5 of you then would work out quite cheap. Zermatt charges 350chf for full day plus 30 chf per person from the 3rd person onwards so between 5 would work out at 88chf for the day. The only downside to this is that you won’t get the 1 on 1 attention that you get in a private lesson but you and your mates at least get some say in what you are learning and the pace of the lesson.

ok, thats true, but jana mentioned only the liftpass for one day which i find is a reasonable price.

That is expensive. I've always had excellent service from the school at Braunwald where it's currently 120 CHF for 2 hours - and you usually get more than the two hours, never less.

Group lessons are ok but if you are progressing well you can get held up by the slowest in the group. Having said that, I've booked group lessons for my kids and turned up to find no-one else in the group - now that is good value .