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Great Glen Trails
Great Glen Trails
 
  • Activities
    • Tubing
    • Cross Country Skiing
    • Ski School
      • Learn to Ski Lesson Package
        • Why Take a Beginner Lesson?
        • What to Wear
      • Private & Semi-Private Lessons
      • What is Skate Skiing?
      • Junior Lessons and Seasonal Programs
      • Ski with an Olympian
    • Snowshoeing
      • Guided Snowshoe Tours
      • Evening Snowshoe Tours
      • Snowshoe Meisters
    • Fatbiking
      • Fatbike Meisters
    • Events
      • Nordic Demo Day
      • Nordic Warm-Up
      • Ski, Shoe & Fatbike to the Clouds
    • Kids Ski Club
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2020/21 Winter Season Pass
2020/21 Winter Season Pass

Streamline your visit ~ get a Season Pass! Purchase before December 1st for incredible savings! First time passholders get 50% off! 

Mt. Washington SnowCoach Tours
Mt. Washington SnowCoach Tours

Enjoy a guided tour on the famous SnowCoach to an extreme world at treeline on Mount Washington!

Take a Nordic Ski Lesson
Take a Nordic Ski Lesson

Never skied before? Let our experts teach you everything you need to know for a successful day on skis. 

Reviews
Reviews

See what other adventurers have to say about their visit to Great Glen Trails! 

Why Take a Beginner Lesson? 

Everything you need to know for a successful day on skis. 

It’s certainly been said many times that learning to cross country ski is easy. In fact, it is. The old adage “if you can walk, you can ski” has some truth to it. However, it would be more accurate to say, "if you can walk, you can walk on skis." But that really isn’t cross country skiing at its best. Learning to glide on skis—this brings the feeling that has so many hooked on the sport

In a lesson, we will speed you along the learning curve. You will be enjoying the delight of gliding and controlling your skis and poles far more quickly than if you tried to figure it out on your own. A lesson will teach you the rhythm of applying power for propulsion, followed by a relaxed state during which you ride your glide. In other words, our lessons will teach you good ski technique, and good technique is what makes skiing fun.

 

Taking a lesson from a professional also eliminates the “complications” that learning from a family member or a significant other can create.

While it is great to have your first day on skis happen on a beautiful, packed powder snow day, taking a lesson on a day with more challenging conditions is definitely a wise choice. Your instructor can anticipate the challenges of the conditions, and better prepare you to ski safely.

 

Part of a successful first day on snow is knowing what to expect. You won’t be ready for the Olympics, but you will be gliding and having fun. By the end of your lesson, you will be able to explore the easiest trails at Great Glen Trails.

 

Here’s how our lessons work:

 

• First, we match you with skis, boots and poles from our rental fleet. But we won’t just hand you the set and send you on your way. You will meet your instructor, and inside the lodge you’ll learn a little about the equipment and how to put on your skis and use your poles. Then it’s out on the snow.

• The most important part of learning to ski is often overlooked—being comfortable just standing on your skis. We’ll help you get familiar with moving around on your skis on a flat surface.

• Now that you’re comfortable on skis, you need to learn how to get up. Sooner or later, all skiers take a tumble on the snow. That’s OK, even the most seasoned skiers take a fall from time to time. It’s part of the learning process, and not something to fear. The key is knowing how to get up. Even before we head out onto the trails, we’ll show you how to get up . . . and get up gracefully.

• Next, we head out to the teaching area where you’ll really learn how to ski. You will learn the athletic body position for stability on downhills. You’ll learn to control your speed by angling your skis while gliding down a small incline. You will learn the correct body position for efficient skiing on flats and uphills. You will learn the timing of using your skis and poles and learn how to use the poles to add to your glide. You will learn and practice the kick and glide that makes cross-country skiing so much fun. You will try the herringbone technique for conquering steeper hills.

• Sound like a lot? Don’t worry, your instructor will work with you every step of the way. And your instructor will make sure you’re having fun.

 

What Should I Expect from a Beginner Lesson? > 

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© 2021  Great Glen Trails

1 Mount Washington Auto Road

Gorham, New Hampshire  03581

603-466-3988


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