Yellowstone Ski Festival - Clinic Descriptions

The 2009 Yellowstone Ski Festival Fall Camp Nordic ski clinics will be conducted during Thanksgiving week from November 24^th through 28^th. The Fall Camp Nordic ski clinics are open to skiers of all levels. With the exception of the Junior Racer's clinic, participants must be 16 years of age or older to register.

The 3 and 5 day clinics teach both classic and skate skiing techniques. Our most frequently asked clinic questionis: I just want to learn to skate ski - why do I need to know how to classic ski? The answer to that question is that the fundamentals of skate skiing (high hips, weight transfer, balance, etc…) lie in classic skiing technique. With years and years of coaching under our belts, we feel that to be a good skate skier you must also learn to be a good classic skier. Clinic participants should be sure to bring both classic (waxable) and skate skis to West Yellowstone.

On the morning of the first day of your clinic, our staff of elite instructors will assess each skier's level of ability and divide clinic participants into small groups based on ability. You will ski with that group for the duration of your clinic. Each day is broken up into two on-snow training sessions - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Additional evening classroom sessions will focus on technique, waxing, and training.

Women Only Clinics are available as either the 3 day or 5 day sessions. The Women Only Clinics are coincidently for women only and are taught by female instructors. All levels of ability are invited. These clinics include all the exercises to improve technique and all of the on snow exercises. In addition, there is a wine, women, and wax segment. Participants will enjoy a wine and cheese party while getting hands on waxing advice and techniques. The wax clinic is taught by Jack Hart, Swix technical advisor from Bend, Oregon and the Womens Only Clinics are headed up by Emily Lovett of Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

There are several different clinics to choose from:

1. The traditional three day clinic will take place from November 26th – 28^th. The fee is $250.00

2. The three day women's clinic will take place from November 26th – 28^th. The curriculum for the women’s clinic is the same as that of the traditional three day clinic. The only difference between the two is that the women’s clinic is coached by women and, of course, enrollment is limited to women. The fee is $250.00

3. The five day clinic will take place from November 24^th – 28^th. The fee is $350.00

4. The one day skate clinics will take place on November 26th, 27th, or 28^th. The fee is $75.00. This clinic is limited to 8 people per clinic per day - sign up now!

A one day classic clinic will take place on November 27th. The fee is $75.00. This clinic is limited to 16 per clinic-sign up now!

5. The two day Junior Racer's clinic for ages 11 to 15 will take place on November 27th and 28^th. The fee is $140. We need a minimum of 8 participants to conduct this clinic. Payments will be refunded in full if minimum participation is not met. The clinic is full when we reach 16 participants.

6. NEW CLINIC. The one day Instructor's clinic is designed for aspiring and current Nordic Ski Instructors. Topics covered will include Progression, Presentation, Movement Analysis (how to pick out what a skier is doing well and what they need to work on), and Exercises to develop the skiers skill set. This NEW clinic is open to anyone, no teaching experience necessary, and it is not a PSIA certification event.

Deposit Information for the Three and Five Day Clinics:A 50% deposit is due when you register for the three and five day clinics. Generally speaking, deposits are non-refundable though clinic organizers reserve the right to make exceptions to that rule.

Deposit Information for the One Day and Two Day Clinics: Full payment is due when you register for the one day and two day clinics. We collect full payment for the short term clinics to minimize administrative time on the day the clinic is scheduled to take place.