Open practice is recreational use of the slope, without tuition. It’s available to experienced skiers and boarders from ages 4+. Usually available at anytime during our opening hours, however sometimes the slope may be closed to recreational users in the event that it is privately booked or there is a race event on.

For the enjoyment and safety of all of our customers, anyone wishing to enjoy the slope without tuition must be an experienced slope user who meets our minimum skill levels. Therefore, you must be at Level 4 standard for skiing or Level C standard for snowboarding to use the slopes without supervision.

We have a misting system on the Main Slope so there’s no reason not to Ski or Board over the summer months!

SKI/BOARD and BOOT HIRE IS INCLUDED IN THE SESSION PRICE

 

Ski Levels

The minimum requirement for open practice is Level 4

Linking Turns

  • Location: Nursery Slope
  • Linked snowplough turns: Cover the basics of turning using a snowplough
  • Linked plough turns – varied radius & control of speed: Be able to control plough turns and change them based on the terrain steepness, whilst maintaining there speed.

Basic & Plough Swings

  • Location: Nursery and Main Slope
  • Basic plough parallel: Ploughing around the corner and matching skis after the fall-line.
  • Plough parallel: Progressively matching skis earlier in the fall-line.

Learning to Parallel Turn

  • Location: Main Slope
  • Basic parallel turn: Be able to perform controlled S-shaped turns down the slope with lots of skid keeping the skis parallel throughout the turn.
  • Parallel turns – long radius: Be able to do wide controlled parallel turns using the entire slope, whilst still maintaining control of speed.

Snowboard Levels

The minimum requirement for open practice is Level D

Entering the Fall Line

  • Location: Nursery and Main Slope
  • Falling leaf – toe and heel – into fall line: Be able to move the snowboard from a level side slip, both toe or heel, into the fall line (straight down the hill) while maintaining good posture and balance, then return back to controlled side slip using a controlled skid.
  • Garlands – toe and heel – into fall line: Same as falling leaf, just in same consecutive direction.

Developing turns

  • Location: Main Slope
  • Basic turn: Be able to get you board from level side slip to straight and back out on opposite edge making a C-shaped turn, e.g. heel edge-straight-toe edge. You will learn to be able to do this starting on either edge.
  • Linked turns: Be able to link 2 basic turns together to make controlled S-shaped turns, e.g. hell edge-straight-toe edge-straight-heel edge.
  • Intermediate turns: Be able to do linked turns at higher speed without slowing down as much between turns.

Refining Turns

  • Location: Main Slope
  • Advanced turns / Carving: High speed turns down the slope using more edge and less skid to make the turns.

Ski Levels

The minimum requirement for open practice is Level 4

Level 4

Linking Turns

  • Location: Nursery Slope
  • Linked snowplough turns: Cover the basics of turning using a snowplough
  • Linked plough turns – varied radius & control of speed: To pass this level the skier has to be able to independently make 6 or more snowplough turns from the top of this slope in control.
Level 5

Basic & Plough Swings

  • Location: Nursery and Main Slope
  • Basic plough parallel: Ploughing around the corner and matching skis after the fall-line.
  • Plough parallel: Progressively matching skis earlier in the fall-line.
Level 6

Learning to Parallel Turn

  • Location: Main Slope
  • Basic parallel turn: Be able to perform controlled S-shaped turns down the slope with lots of skid keeping the skis parallel throughout the turn.
  • Parallel turns – long radius: Be able to do wide controlled parallel turns using the entire slope, whilst still maintaining control of speed.

Snowboard Levels

The minimum requirement for open practice is Level D

Level D

Entering the Fall Line

  • Location: Nursery and Main Slope
  • Falling leaf – toe and heel – into fall line: Be able to move the snowboard from a level side slip, both toe or heel, into the fall line (straight down the hill) while maintaining good posture and balance, then return back to controlled side slip using a controlled skid.
  • Garlands – toe and heel – into fall line: Same as falling leaf, just in same consecutive direction.
Level E

Developing turns

  • Location: Main Slope
  • Basic turn: Be able to get you board from level side slip to straight and back out on opposite edge making a C-shaped turn, e.g. heel edge-straight-toe edge. You will learn to be able to do this starting on either edge.
  • Linked turns: Be able to link 2 basic turns together to make controlled S-shaped turns, e.g. hell edge-straight-toe edge-straight-heel edge.
  • Intermediate turns: Be able to do linked turns at higher speed without slowing down as much between turns.
Level F

Refining Turns

  • Location: Main Slope
  • Advanced turns / Carving: High speed turns down the slope using more edge and less skid to make the turns.

Open Practice Prices