My lesson here was absolutely wonderful and necessary! I had tried to learn snowboarding during one season and did not have much success. This year I decided to do an intro lesson before heading back on the mountain and it really helped me to get the basics of snowboarding. Mieu was my incredibly patient and kind instructor that helped me throughout my entire lesson. She gave me great tips and would correct my form, stance, balance, etc right away. She explained so much of what I was struggling with and was clear and concise. I felt way more confident going back to the mountain for my next season. I look forward to more lessons in the future! read more

I have been snowboarding since I was 7 years old and have never been able to master the toe side turn. One lesson with Mark, and after 16 years of being a heel side warrior, I was finally able to do it! I took a lesson 2 days before my Mammoth trip and videos are attached of me getting it. I really didn't know how well the simulator was going to translate to the mountain but best believe that I will be telling all my friends about this awesome place! read more

Amazing! I went snowboarding and it was a horrible experience, my kid learned so fast and loved it. then I decided to give ski a try so I schedule my class, it was so informative and everyone is so welcoming and amazing. yesterday I went to big bear to ski for the first time and I had such a great time, I was able to catch up with my kid and have fun all day. the carpet felt more challenging and I think that was a good thing because when I got to the snow it felt almost natural. It was so worth it and I would recommend people to try it even when they have never done it. I felt more confident knowing how to stop, turn, fall more gracefully and get op safely. read more

Adventure Ski & Snowboard School - Ski Schools Near Me - Encinitas, California

Huge shoutout to the entire staff. Highly recommend getting lessons here. Mark is super knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. The whole staff is very good with kids and awesome to work with. We've come here 2 seasons in a row and will likely be back for the third. Thank you guys so much! read more

This is a great place to get lessons before heading out to slopes! The only thing I would advise is wearing thick pants or having knee protection. Falling on the treadmill can be painful. read more

The owner, Mark, is so friendly and hospitable. When I called inquiring about ski lessons he answered all of my questions. After speaking with him I purchased a package and came in for my ski lesson. Jay was my instructor and he was great! I honestly couldn't have had a better experience and I look forward to my next ski lesson. I highly recommend checking this place out if you're looking for ski/snowboard lessons. read more

Highly recommend it before going to any snowboard or ski resort! I never snowboard before taking the lessons, I did the 3 lesson package to help learn the basics and get me comfortable enough to hit big bear for the first time! Mark helped me get the scheduling set up. Mieu taught me all 3 lessons prior to heading up. I had so much fun and felt safe and in control, I was able to do all the beginner slope of snow summit, bear mountain and snow valley! Mieu set me up for success! Not only was I able to be comfortable on heel edge for hours, I got to progress and was able to try toe edge! I fell less than expected while snowboarding, but you know what they say, "if you ain't falling, you ain't trying" So glad with the lesson! Definitely worth the value and made snowboarding fun and addicting! read more

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My adult son with autism very much wanted to try the "ski carpet" - so we made it a special birthday present for him. His 12 year old sister participated as well, and it couldn't have gone better. Yes, it's expensive if you just want a single lesson, but there were multiple staff members required to make the lesson happen - and only two students on the carpet at once - so the pricing made sense. Looking at the price list, it does look like the price gets better if you want to come back later for the "conditioning sessions" (since they can have more than two students on the carpet)... but in our case, we just wanted to give our son a short and memorable "experience" (similar to "iFly" - something short but memorable). The staff was sooo friendly and encouraging! The lady who helped my son with his boots took the time to explain how the boots work... and at one point there were TWO staff members working directly with our son (one giving him instructions, and a second one moving his feet for him). Plus another staff member cheering him on from the desk. At the end of the lesson they let them "ride" the carpet to the top, which was a highlight. Both my son and his sister left with smiles on their faces. Huge thanks to the staff of Adventure Ski for making my son's special day a memory we'll treasure. read more

Adventure Ski & Snowboard School - Ski Schools Near Me - Encinitas, California

We cannot say enough wonderful things about this company! My husband stumbled across the company and thank goodness he did! Our kiddos had an absolute blast and felt so comfortable and at home for their first lesson. We are planning to take our kids skiing and this class gave our kids the confidence they needed right before we hit the slopes. Our kids cannot wait to go back for snowboarding lessons. Thank you all so much! read more

AMAZING!! Mark and his team are awesome. The carpet is such a good way to learn as it doesn't allow you to form bad habits and shows you what you need to work on. I wish I had come here before going out to the snow. The lessons are great for kids to save time and money. Would highly recommend! read more

This place is perfect for beginners to learn the ropes without spending a fortune in the mountains. All the coaches were nice to our kids.

I am a beginner skier and I wanted to take lessons before my upcoming trip. Everyone here was very friendly and helpful. They made me feel very comfortable and they have an effective teaching method. I was able to quickly learn and get a feel for what I need to improve. I have been to two lessons and plan on going back for at least one more before my trip so I can further improve and gain more confidence. They provide many helpful tips and tricks and not just about skiing but also about aspects related to it. I would definitely recommend that anyone who wants to improve their skiing/snowboarding go here. read more

What a waste of time. I can understand people are busy, and I can understand being understaffed, but, I showed up today, with my son, because the Phone recording said to show up for availability. So we did. Now, I didn't expect to get a spot, but I didn't expect that the only way to see if you can get a spot was through the Internet. It said to show Up... I asked the "wife" or Lady if we could get on this week or next weekend. (Lost in translation) "no" or "go to the Internet. ". My response was I'll wait as both instructors were busy. As my son and I watched them instructing on the outside of the structure, The old guy, snapped at me "I'm right in the middle of a lesson, you would want me interrupting your lesson". I responded, I didn't ask you for anything and my son and I were just watching. Embarrassing me and my Son for just watching and waiting. Never again... Hansen, I was prepared for buying the kid the works I wanted to give my dollars to local businesses, possibly would of bought new equipment for the boy and myself, but now....I'll give it to the Corporate Ski Resort read more

This review is overdue. I took my lessons last year just at the beginning of COVID. At the time they were very responsible with hand sanitizer & distancing. Everyone was nice, accommodating & scheduling for me was easy. I've been snowboarding twice since I took my 4 lessons, so I feel like I can adequately compare the carpet simulator to the actual snow. Unfortunately, it's really no comparison. The snow is more forgiving when it comes to falling - I fell hard (twice) on the simulator. I did take with me the tips about lifting & applying pressure with with my toes to help control, but other than that, nothing else translated. The speed at which the simulator goes does not match the speed that I, as a beginner, had on the mountain. I feel like these lessons are *great* for fearless children (they're already low to the ground!), and experienced snowboarders who want to refine particular techniques. I would not recommend them for adult beginners. In retrospect, I should've put the money toward lessons on the mountain. read more

My girlfriend and I wanted to go snowboarding but have never done so before. We signed up for the 3 lesson package. The instructors were great! We went to Snow Summit in Big Bear for the day and put our new skills to the test. We both had a great time and are glad we took some lessons beforehand. read more

For the amount of money I gave this company, I could have gone to the snow valley mountain resort 3 times (including lessons/rentals/lift tickets for TWO people just a day trip away) I bought 6 lessons- 3 for a family member, 3 for me- we were only able to use 4. If you ask the owner, it was my own fault. I stayed up till midnight on 6 separate occasions and would fail to get anything scheduled. Each time I would call the owner, he'd blame me or others. I gave up after a while because my family member had to leave- something the owner was aware of and claimed he could get us our lessons in a reasonable time frame (we had a month and a half to do it) It wouldn't have been that big of a deal if I hadn't paid for the lessons up front. If I had known that it would have been such a battle to get anything scheduled I would not have bought the packages. We only had to visit 3 times and just couldn't make it happen. Based on the reviews I see, the company seems to bend over backward for people who's money they don't have yet, but will conveniently forget you exist if they already have yours. Best of luck. read more

We enrolled my 5 year old daughter & 6 year son in 2 of the beginning 25 minute sessions before taking them to skii at Mammoth for their first time. Those 2 sessions were all that they needed! I really think it made a difference for their 1st skii sessions to be indoors and in normal clothes; not stifled in freezing cold air and stuffy snow clothes. This really helped them to get excited and feel confident about being on the mountain. Our kids now love skiing and get excited about our future trips! read more

Adventure Ski & Snowboard School - Ski Schools Near Me - Encinitas, California

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My daughter and I both took lessons here, her for snowboarding and me for skiing. The instructors were all excellent: patient, easygoing and knowledgeable. Taking classes here is good for both beginners and those who have experience but want to improve their skills. Just a few sessions will help a lot. Learning on the flowing carpet make the process safe and efficient: there's no need to travel all the way to the snow to work on new skills that may result in falls up there. This was a real confidence builder for my daughter when she started snowboarding. read more

AMAZING experience! Mark is an outstanding teacher. He helped my kids that are decent skiers try snowboarding for the first time. The controlled environment they provide and the patient, professional, and supportive instruction helped them gain trust and confidence. My 10 year old son commented "this is 100% better than a day long ski school!" read more

My kids (6 and 8) took three lessons here before we took a ski trip to Colorado and we are so glad we did it! Mark and all of the other ski instructors were awesome, fun, and extremely helpful. Our kids both did so well skiing the past couple of days, we are so impressed! The lessons gave the kids such a good base to build on and it was worth 100% worth the money! I also took a lesson myself, I haven't skied since I was a child, and I am so grateful I did! Mark gave me so many great tips to remember while I was out there and I had a fun time. We had a successful trip, and we have adventure ski school to thank for that!! read more

I absolutely loved these local classes! Fantastic teachers. I could only recommend for beginners, but I learned a lot before heading to the snow. read more

Within 15 minutes of starting my lesson, I ended up with a severely torn rotator cuff and a fractured arm. I fully understand the risk of injury when skiing, but the moving ramp and 7 other people (students and instructors) on the ramp during the lesson contributed to the severity of the injury. I went visited the ER after, and 6 months later I still don't have full use of my arm and I am still being treated by my third Ortho while taking time away from work for physical therapy, facing surgery. I have never experienced so much pain in my life, including childbirth and several surgeries. The real reason for my 1 star review is the way I was treated after the injury. I was chided for not getting right back on the ramp, and again the next day by the owner for not attending the second lesson. (My partner was taking his second lesson) At no time did I even request a refund, as I fully understood the policy, but they made me feel bad for not skiing both days, even when I told them I had gone to the ER. As you've read in other reviews, the owner needs charm lessons. The other instructors are very good. But I would recommend lessons on a real ski slope instead, and if you insist on ski lessons here, do a private lesson where you don't share the carpet with too many people. I'm sticking to paddleboarding, or at least when I am finally healed. read more

Called last minute to get some basic lessons before I went to Montana. Kent was very responsive and got me in! I read the other reviews and didn't have any issues. I think some people take the whole "customer is always right" stuff a little too overboard. He just a hard working no nonsense kind of guy which I loved. He remembered our conversation and where I was going to ski when I walked up which impressed me. Meiu was my instructor. She was so patient with my complete lack of athletic abilities lol. Kent brought me a cute mammoth beenie for my trip which I thought was so sweet. I would highly recommend anyone doing this before they hit the slopes! Cant wait for my trip!! Thank you! read more

Fantastic instruction, no time wasted and my 6yo daughter is making turns on the revolving "snow" (its a low friction revolving carpet at an angle) on her first day. Just seeing how excited she was about skiing was worth it alone. We did a 5 lesson plan. She did the first two back to back and I would definitely recommend that. It kept her on a roll with what she had just learned and helped her advance a lot on the first day. They also give you a flyer for a mountain high deal. The Mtn. High deal is a mid week lift ticket, (2) 2 hour lessons, lunch and snack and rentals for $79.00. We are going to head up right after her 5 are finished here. With that she will have had a lot of instruction at a great price. 5 lessons are $275 which seems pretty expensive but the quality of the instruction is awesome. They are one on one lessons and keep them going the whole time. Highly recommended read more

Adventure Ski & Snowboard School - First lesson, great instruction here! - Ski Schools Near Me - Encinitas, California

Brent is such a nice owner. Ask for Fernando, he's the best at snowboarding. My first turns I learned with this guys! If you have what it takes, that's an outstanding practices to learn and keep up with your SB skills. Be ready to fry your legs! read more

Boooooooo. I had emergency toe surgery the morning of my second lesson and had a doctors note prepared because I was well aware of Hansen's strict cancellation policy. To my shock and dismay, Kent was firm in backing up his policy even in my situation. He stated, "unfortunately, you did not contact us less than 24 hours". I was willing to come to Hansen's just out of surgery to deliver the doctors note. Kent said he'd still charge me a 50$ cancellation fee (single lessons are $70). I explained to him that I work in a dental office and we are lenient in an emergency. Could he not do the same? Nope. In the end, he came down to $35. Disgusted by such poor service, I still delivered the doctors note with his $35. He said he would charge me the full amount on my credit card if I didn't deliver cash or check. Out of principle, I won't return. It's too bad because I was planning on buying a lesson package. read more

If you are an absolute beginner or need to get some refreshers, I would highly recommend coming here for ski and snowboarding lessons! The staff are extremely knowledgeable and take their time teaching and assessing your skill level. They don't just tell you how to do something, they will get on their hands and knees to direct your equipment and can slow down or speed up the lesson to match your level. I am completely new to snow sports and love that you have one on one lessons. I feel that you can't learn much in a large group so I think you get way more bang for your buck here. Also, you can come here at any point during the year for a refresher course, unlike any lesson on the mountains that are limiting you to specific seasons. read more

I purchased 2 of the LivingSocial vouchers for a 30 minute ski lesson for me (first timer!) and a snowboarding lesson for my fiancé (he is great at skiing but had never tried snowboarding.) I was excited to get the basic mechanics down before heading up to the snow. Making reservations was a pain. No one ever answers the phone - you are supposed to leave a message and they will call you back at their convenience, not yours. We were driving down from Ventura (about 3 hours) and making a quick overnight trip out of it. When I first called to schedule about 2 months in advance I was told it was much too early and they were not accepting reservations that far out. Um, okay, I'll try you back in a month... A few weeks later I tried again and played phone tag for three days before I could actually schedule our lessons. That's ridiculous. I agree with the previous posters about the super hard up-sell for a second lesson. I puposely booked the last appointment of the day to make it clear there was no way we would be spending an ADDITIONAL $140 for another 30 minutes. I was REALLY annoyed at this point and truthfully didn't even want to go anymore. The day came quickly and we arrived a little early so we got to watch a more experienced class on the slope machine. We were fitted with boots and when it was our turn I was happy that the "hill" wasn't moving. It took me the full 30 minutes to get the hang of starting, stopping, and positioning my skis. My honey caught on to snowboarding in about 5 minutes, so I guess it depends on the person. I'm still giving Adventure Ski & Snowboard school 4 stars based on the heavily discounted price I paid and the fact that the actual lessons were great. Would I do it for full price? No way. read more

I didn't realize that this place is completely outdoors. In my mind, I thought that it would be set up in a warehouse so I was very surprised. I recently got a Living Social deal in order to prepare for my upcoming ski trip since I have never skied before. I had Derek as much instructor, and he was fantastic! He gave me a lot of helpful tips and really good information about slopes that are near San Diego. He was really patient with me, and we started working on turns since I progressed quickly. During my first lesson, I learned how to start, stop, and start turning on the still carpet. I think overall the lesson was really helpful and was reassuring that I would do fine on the slopes. I do have a couple of gripes. I wish we could have gone a little faster and done some work on moving carpet. I wish there was a way to book the lessons online instead of playing phone tag to book a lesson. Also the message that you get when you call is really long - press * to skip. read more

I got a 3-lesson pack as a gift and really didn't know what to expect as I'm already a snowboarder and didn't really have anything to learn. The instructors were very friendly and helpful but truthfully my lesson was pointless. I spent the whole time just trying to get a feel for the moving carpet and I rode like I was a beginner again from years ago. Rather than waste the following lessons, I decided to swtich to ski lessons since I've never tried it before. They provide the gear as part of the lesson cost, which is nice. I had no idea what skiing 'should' feel like on snow or carpet, so the lesson was great. The instructor focused on mechanics and could point out even minor corrections. After the back-to-back lessons in skiing I feel confident in heading up to the mountains and giving it a shot. Anyways, in short, If you're brand new to snowboarding or skiing and want to learn the mechanics and feel without falling on your face and butt up on the mountain, give this a shot. I don't know if they have deals for families, but I can see this being particularly helpful for everyone, adult or child, to each get individualized lessons. If you're already experienced then skip this and just spend another day on the mountain. read more

I took two snowboarding lessons with them to improve the linking of my turns and to get more comfortable on my toe side. This is the third season i have been snowboarding and i have never felt as comfortable on my board as i did after the lessons. We went to the snow the weekend after the lessons and i was doing blacks toe side and linking my turns with ease. I even tried some jumps i was so comfortable on my board. Thank you so much and i look forward to taking more lessons to improve my skills. My instructor was great as well and very patient with me while i was trying to learn it the right way. read more

I read some of the bad reviews and it is clear that most of the experiences were the result of a failure to read and follow instructions and/or unrealistic expectations- like the parent upset about their 3 year old not learning to ski! Well our experience was amazing. Last year I took my girlfriend to Mammoth. It was her first time skiing and she is in her early 40's. She is a world class athlete and one of the top ballerinas in the world, but skiing was her nemesis. Our experience in the snow was horrible. Worthless instruction in a small group on the snow. She was lost and not having any fun. Take 2 this year: i had seen the magic carpet for years when surfing and I thought let's give it a try. Best decision and best investment ever. She took a two session day 1 and then we came back 3 times after that. She was skiing on the moving carpet on day 1 and progressing well each time after. This was in October. After the early storm we headed up to Mammoth in November. She had a blast and couldn't get enough. Albeit she was still on the greens taking her time, but she was skiing and enjoying it unlike last year. We took a second trip in late November and she continued to progress but with a few technical issues so I took some video of her. We decided to go back to the carpet this week for a follow up lesson. I showed the video to Mark the instructor and he was able to formulate a lesson strategy to correct something she was doing. In that lesson she was starting to smoothly make parallel turns. She can't wait to get back on the mountain and begs daily to go even saying she will drive by herself! Thank you Mark and Kent for you lessons and insight. Veronika is having so much fun but best of all is I don't have to wait 15 minutes for her at the bottom of the mountain. For those comments that they should have spent money for "real lessons" in the snow understand that in a real lesson most of your time is st the bottom or in the lift. What i liked about the carpet is the instructor is right there with you every second and your lesson (motion) is constant. Also, I was able to watch the entire lesson which allowed me to also understand her skill level and accomplishments. Best money ever spent. read more

I signed up for lesson's 1 and 2 for an hour of skiing about a week before I went on my first ski trip of the year. I had only skied a couple of times before about 5 years ago but never took formal lessons (on or off the mountain). Fir (hopefully I spelled their name right) was amazing! I got an hour of 1:1 instruction in a tiny group lessons. By the 30 minute mark, my legs were sore and shaking. Fir allowed me to take breaks as needed and was so encouraging, patient, and kind. The owner of the school was also there as was the former owner and they were both really kind and encouraging especially when my legs wanted to give out on me. My wife and I were able to spend three days in mammoth skiing together in Mammoth. By the third day I tried my first blue run and didn't crash once! I would highly recommend this school to beginners and intermediates as well. My wife found the comments and the tips very helpful for not only herself but for keeping me on the mountain and encouraging me during our trip. Adventure Ski School was pivotal in having a positive experience in Mammoth and in keeping me safe from injuries caused by incorrect technique. read more

Our 7yo was awesome on the actual mountain after the carpet lesson. Zoomed to level 3 on first day. Very valuable $70 compared to $240 on the mtn read more

Honestly the staff was really kind but thats if you're even able to get a lesson. My group got a 3 lesson package and instead of being able to book dates when we bought the package we had to stay up until midnight fri-sun in order to ATTEMPT to book a lesson WHEN WE HAD ALREADY PAID FOR 3???? Makes honestly no sense to me, and the site barely ever even worked so thats if we could even get on it. Not worth the time and effort for how expensive and unresponsive they are. read more

Good times and worth the trip. We were able to get my 2 year old his first day on skis without any issues. Mieu had him so excited to keep trying it again and again, we were able to work through the basics in his first lesson. Kent replied to my voicemail, promptly about 4-5pm the day we called and we were able to arrange a time the following morning around our schedule. Everything was provided and fit our little one without any issues. We arrived 15 minutes early as prescribed and were geared up and working the hill 10 minutes later. They open full time for the season at the end of the month and we plan on booking a package to get ready before we head to the snow. Highly recommend read more

The best way to get the basics done in snowboarding or skiing. Ken and his crew are awesome. Even if you are good at it. Great to practice your skills. When in San Diego, I would hit it here before Big Bear. read more

I just went to Colorado to snowboard for the first time. I had never skied or snowboarded before. I found these guys online and took two lessons on just the heel-edge a couple days before my trip. The instruction was absolutely fantastic! And Kent was very professional and informative setting up the appointment. In one hour, they taught me the basics of riding the heel-edge on a snowboard. The instructor was super friendly and knowledgeable. I went to Keystone this passed weekend and I was able to ride down the entire mountain on the beginners course (from the very top to the very bottom)!! Of course I fell a whole lot too, but I was able to incorporate what they taught me so at least I knew what I should be trying to do when I was on the mountain. The cost is a bit on the high side, but for me the lessons proved to be invaluable and worth every penny. I had a great time during the lesson, and I had a blast on the mountain using the fundamentals they taught me. I highly recommend these guys. I'm planning to go back for the additional lessons to learn the toe-edge. read more

Great place to learn to snowboard. Have been a skier for many years but by no means a regular at the slopes. Always wanted to try snowboarding but worried about the learning curve and injuries. Took series of five 30 minute lessons here and boy did it payoff. They had me ready to go right out of the gates. I was making it down green runs day 1 making beautiful turns with minimal effort and no injuries and minimal falls. Unbelievable preparation! Owner was great and made sure me and my family were ready and made the trip enjoyable day one!!!HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!! read more

I normally don't write negative reviews but in this case I feel like the picture given by other reviews on yelp is incomplete. Prior to taking my 3 year old son, I read all the reviews and realized that the owner has a reputation for being a jerk, but that the instructors are good. I figured I could deal with a little rudeness from the owner as most of our interaction would be with the instructors. If I could go back and do it over again, I would have waited and sent him to lessons at the ski slope. When we first signed him up we were told that he would start on the stationary carpet but could expect to move to the moving carpet after a few lessons. We signed up for 5 lessons. During our first lesson the owner was rude to me three separate times. I wrote the check out for the wrong amount and got a "What part of my explanation was unclear?". I sat on the wrong bench to watch my son and was rudely told that parents aren't supposed to sit there. Finally, I missed a signature on one of the forms and again was rudely asked to "finish". In case I thought I was the exception, he managed to get in a yelling match with the parents of the only other kid coming to the lesson as they were late - they ended up leaving and not coming back. The rudeness I could have handled, but it got worse. After two lessons on the stationary, we are told that he is doing really well and could go on the moving carpet but the instructor sees better results at this stage with staying on the stationary. So we agree to stay on the stationary carpet, even though you only get a fraction of the skiing time. After the third lesson we were told the same thing. Finally after the fourth lesson we were told he was definitely ready for the moving carpet as he hadn't got that much out of his fourth lesson. We show up to his final lesson and it is stationary carpet again. We try to correct it but as is par for the course, were told too bad, we could pay for an additional lesson at the same rate we had been paying. Supposedly both me and my husband had misunderstood them and had been incorrect in telling our son right in front of them and all the following week that "next time you get to go on the moving carpet!" Then he stated that in his 38 years in business he practically never has a 3 year old go on the moving carpet, which is quite a change from what we were told initially. We were told that we were wrong and when we feel like "acting like adults we can call him back on a day that he is not busy". To top it all off he actually asked me to leave because I was giving my 10 month old some water from a cup and she was spilled a little bit on his OUTDOOR floor. I don't think he cancels instruction if there is water on the ground but that is how me made it sound. Overall, if you have young kids (less than 7) I would wait until you get to the mountain. I could have gotten just as much instruction in a couple hours on the slopes for less money. For older kids, buyer beware. I honestly feel the only reason this man is still in business is because there is no competition. His business model feels more like a bait and switch. He keeps you on the stationary carpet and encourages you to buy more lessons. He is also unclear about the length of his lessons. Each lesson is only 25 minutes. You must be there, booted up and ready to go at the start time as ever lesson stops at 25 minutes whether or not you started on time. read more