Open Practice
Open practice is recreational use of the slopes, without tuition, available to experienced skiers and boarders. Available in 1 or 2 hour sessions to suit you!
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 Level 4 or Level C+ Standard to use our to use our Main Slope.
If you’re a little short of this standard, have a look at our available lessons. We’ll get you up to scratch in no time.
Last tickets are sold 2 hours before closing time.
Ski Levels
The minimum requirement for open practice is Level 4A
Linking Turns
- Location: Main Slope
- Linked snowplough turns: Be able to do linked S-shaped turns down the slope using the turn and Snowplough to control speed.
- Linked plough turns – varied radius & control of speed: Be able to control plough turns and change them based on the terrain steepness, whilst maintaining their speed.
Basic & Plough Swings
- Location: 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.
Improving your Technique
- Location: Main Slope
- Parallel turns – short radius: Be able to perform parallel turns down a narrow run whilst still maintaining control.
- Carving: Be able to hold a carving motion down the slope by using the edge of the skis.
Snowboard Levels
The minimum requirement for open practice is Level D
Learning to control direction and use of lift
- Location: Main Slope
- Falling leaf – toe and heel: Be able to turn your board from a side slip to a steep angle and back again.
- Garlands – toe and heel: Same as falling leaf except a garland is in one direction multiple times.
- Use of lift: Be able to use drag lift comfortably and unaided.
Entering the Fall Line
- Location: 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 4A
Level 4
Linking Turns
- Location: Main slope
- Linked snowplough turns: Be able to do linked S-shaped turns down the slope using the turn and Snowplough to control speed.
- Linked plough turns – varied radius & control of speed: Be able to control plough turns and change them based on the terrain steepness, whilst maintaining their speed.
Level 5
Basic & Plough Swings
- Location: 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.
Level 7
Improving your Technique
- Location: Main Slope
- Parallel turns – short radius: Be able to perform parallel turns down a narrow run whilst still maintaining control.
- Carving: Be able to hold a carving motion down the slope by using the edge of the skis.
Snowboard Levels
The minimum requirement for open practice is Level D
Level C
Learning to control direction and use of lift
- Location: Main Slope
- Falling leaf – toe and heel: Be able to turn your board from a side slip to a steep angle and back again.
- Garlands – toe and heel: Same as falling leaf except a garland is in one direction multiple times.
- Use of lift: Be able to use drag lift comfortably and unaided.
Level D
Entering the Fall Line
- Location: 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
Private lessons run all week. Give us a call on 01752 600 220 to discuss times.