The 10 Highest Ski/Snowboard Lesson Prices In North America: 2023-24
If you’ve been following our posts, you probably already know about how insane lift ticket costs have become over the past few years. But there’s an even more tragic story when it comes to ski industry pricing—and that’s in the cost of getting a lesson.
Learning to ski or ride has never been cheap, and private instruction at the highest-end resorts have always cost hundreds of dollars, even for a single lesson. But in today’s world, these single-day rates have skyrocketed to truly impractical levels.
In this piece, we’ll go through the ten highest 1-day ski lesson prices at today’s North American ski resorts, and we’ll also give you our tips on how to avoid paying these top-dollar rates.
#10 (tie): Stowe / Sun Valley
Top 1-Day Lesson Price: $1,299
With Lift Ticket: $1,518 (Stowe) / $1,544 (Sun Valley)
First up on this list, we have a tie between two mountains that are on opposite sides of the coast, but appeal to similar clientele.
Idaho’s Sun Valley and Vermont’s Stowe both stand out with well-rounded slopes, family-friendly atmospheres, and high-end experiences, including luxury on-mountain lodges—especially in the case of Sun Valley—and modern lift fleets. Perhaps it won’t come as a surprise to many of you that lessons at these upscale mountains are pricey, but what might be surprising is just how expensive these 1-day rates can be, topping out at a staggering $1,299 for a private lesson at both mountains.
If you want to go on an off-peak weekday, you’ll get a discount—but it won’t be much. It’s also worth noting that the Sun Valley rates apply to both its main Bald Mountain and beginner-oriented Dollar Mountain areas, so you don’t get a lesson discount for this much smaller footprint. And finally, neither lesson includes lift access or equipment rentals, so if you buy your access the day of, you could be spending as much as $1,518 for one day at Stowe and $1,544 at Sun Valley.
If you don’t want to splurge for a full-day lesson, you can go for a half-day offering at both Stowe and Sun Valley—which, unlike the full-day lessons, are available both in group and private formats. Private half-day lessons are somewhat cheaper, but they’re still outrageously priced if you book one-on-one instruction, going for between $800-$900 at both mountains ($795-$919 at Stowe and $750-$899 at Sun Valley). If you want a remotely palatable lesson price, the best bet is probably to go for a group lesson, which starts at around $175 for off-peak weekdays at both mountains.
Private lesson sharing:
Sun Valley allows up to 5 people per private lesson, while Stowe allows up to 6 people, so you may be able to split the costs if you have others in your group.
Stowe lesson options:
Private full-day lesson (Age 3+): $1,119-$1,299
Private half-day lesson (Age 3+): $795-$919
Group half-day lesson (Age 15+): $159*-$291
*Epic Pass product needed for lowest rate.
Sun Valley lesson options:
Private full-day lesson (Age 3+): $1,049-$1,299
Private half-day lesson (Age 3+): $750-$899
Group half-day lesson (Age 18+): $175-$199
#9: Winter Park
Top 1-Day Lesson Price: $1,372
With Lift Ticket: $1,631
Up next on this list we have Colorado’s Winter Park, which boasts one of the most family-friendly footprints in the state, but lessons that don’t necessarily go for family-friendly prices.
You might get a well-rounded range of beginner-to-expert terrain, including groomers, glades, and bumps, but a full-day one-one-one lesson is not even close to cheap, topping out at a whopping $1,372 if you buy the day of. Like with Stowe and Sun Valley, a lesson does not come with lift access, so with all things considered, you could be looking at an entry cost of up to $1,631—all for a single day.
If you don’t want to find yourself throwing down this much money, private half-day lessons go for $800-$900, while group half-day lessons go for around $200—although calling either of these options affordable would be a fantastical stretch.
However, Winter Park does actually offer a few ways to get fairly reasonable lesson access if you book early enough, with 5-packs that go for $699 on sale through mid-December, and $99 early-access lessons for intermediate to advanced visitors that let you up the lifts at 8am with an hour of private instruction.
Private lesson sharing:
Winter Park allows up to 4 people per private lesson, so you may be able to split the costs if you have others in your group.
Winter Park lesson options:
Private full-day lesson (Age 5+): $989-$1,372
Private half-day lesson (Age 5+): $749-$949
Group half-day lesson (Age 15+): $169-$234
Group half-day lesson 5-pack (Age 15+): $699
Private 8-9am “Pro-Tips” Lesson (Age 4+): $99
#8: Big Sky
Top 1-Day Lesson Price: $1,375
With Lift Ticket: $1,624
When you think of Montana, a particularly expensive vacation probably doesn’t come to mind. But booking a private lesson at Big Sky completely throws that logic out the window.
Montana’s biggest and most famous ski resort can be a very compelling destination, offering an expansive skiable footprint of 5,850 acres, highly-technical terrain, and a distinctive aesthetic crowned by one of the most iconic resort peaks we’ve ever seen. But when it comes to one-on-one private instruction, the rate is far less compelling, with a regular full-day lesson going for as high as $1,350. A regular lift ticket is not included with this package, so you could find yourself spending around $1,600 for a full day of access.
However, for those who want to take it up a notch, advanced and expert skiers and riders can go for a specialized Tram Guides lesson, which tops out at Big Sky’s highest rate of $1,375. This is an eye-watering amount of money, but it’s pretty much a lesson in name only. This offering comes with a full day of unlimited tram laps—yes, that’s right, tram access is actually included—along with your own personal guide to show you around the lines off Lone Peak. If you’re looking for a truly unique experience and have a substantial amount of money saved up, this might be the only lesson on this list that’s, dare we say…worth it.
Unlike every other resort we’ve covered, Big Sky does not offer half-day adult lessons, and the cheapest group rates start at $295—which is the highest entry-level group lesson price in North America.
Private lesson sharing:
As with the other resorts we’ve covered so far, Big Sky allows you to split the cost of your private lesson with up to 5 people. In the case of Tram Guides, you can only split with up to 3 people.
Big Sky lesson options:
Private full-day lesson (All Ages): $1,175-$1,350
Private full-day “Tram Guides” lesson (All Ages): $1,375
Private half-day lesson (All Ages): $900-$1,035*
Group full-day lesson (Age 15+): $295-$359
*Not currently available online.
#7: Northstar
Top 1-Day Lesson Price: $1,421
With Lift Ticket: $1,690
Next up on this list we have Northstar, a resort that’s known for delivering a generally satisfying, albeit ordinary, overall experience for Tahoe. Given Northstar’s commercialized feel (a Ritz-Carlton hotel is located at mid-mountain), it is not particularly surprising that the going rate for private lessons is steep here.
But the cost will still catch some of the most spendfoolish visitors off guard, with full-day private lessons topping out at a staggering $1,421 during peak times. If you didn’t pick up your lift ticket ahead of time, you could find yourself paying an absurd rate of $1,690 for a single day of instruction.
Like many Vail-owned resorts, Northstar prices its lessons variably by date, with lower prices on off-peak dates and higher rates for more popular dates. Still, Northstar’s private lessons are expensive relative even to its Lake Tahoe competitors—and while none of the following are cheap by any sense of the word, better values can be had at Kirkwood ($785-$960), Diamond Peak ($850), and even Homewood ($1,029-$1,089).
Northstar does offer group lessons, but they’re only available for beginners and intermediates. As a result, advanced/expert skiers and riders will have to splurge for private instruction—or, as we’d recommend, look elsewhere.
Private lesson sharing:
Northstar allows up to 5 people per private lesson, so you may be able to split the costs if you have others in your group.
Northstar lesson options:
Private full-day lesson (Age 3+): $1,124-$1,421
Private half-day lesson (Age 3+): $808-$1,047
Group full-day lesson (Age 15+): $232*-$346
Group half-day lesson (Age 15+): $156*-$252
*Epic Pass product needed for lowest rate.
#6: Breckenridge
Top 1-Day Lesson Price: $1,450
With Lift Ticket: $1,729
Next up we have Breckenridge, a popular Colorado I-70 Corridor resort that offers a lot to like. Breckenridge is popular for its large footprint, striking (and easily-accessible) high-alpine bowl terrain, and large, walkable town.
But you might want to think twice before getting a private instructor to explore this high-alpine-heavy resort. Single-day private lessons top out at a lofty $1,450 per day here, a figure almost as dizzying as the elevation at the top of the resort itself. Since lift tickets aren’t included with the lesson cost, you might find yourself paying as much as $1,729 for a single day at the window.
As an alternative, consider group lessons, which are actually priced fairly competitively at Breckenridge. If you’re set on taking a private lesson in Colorado, you can find better one-on-one values at Eldora ($609) and Loveland ($698), which are located a bit closer to Denver, or by venturing out to Monarch ($549) or Wolf Creek ($750), which are located southwest of the Front Range.
Private lesson sharing:
Breckenridge allows up to 6 people per private lesson, so you may be able to split the costs if you have others in your group.
Breckenridge lesson options:
Private full-day lesson (Age 3+): $1,135-$1,450
Private half-day lesson (Age 3+): $855-$1,085
Group full-day lesson (Age 15+): $164*-$270
Group half-day lesson (Age 15+): $132*-$205
*Epic Pass product needed for lowest rate.
#5: Deer Valley
Top 1-Day Lesson Price: $1,470
With Lift Ticket: $1,759
Long Utah’s go-to “guest-oriented” ski resort, Deer Valley is best known for its exceptional hospitality, upscale lodging, and its ban on snowboarding. If all this sounds expensive, that’s because it is—and private lessons are no exception.
If you want full-day one-on-one instruction, expect to pay a whopping price of up to $1,470. Paired with a lift ticket, which isn’t included, you could end up paying up to $1,759—all for a single day! Half-day private lessons aren’t cheap either, going for between $780 and $950 depending on the date and lesson time.
There is one somewhat reasonably-priced private lesson offered by Deer Valley: its “Intro to Skiing” lesson, which is designed for true first-timers and goes for between $220 and $240. However, this lesson is only one hour long, which makes the price a bit harder to swallow.
Deer Valley also offers half-day group lessons between $260 and $310, but this is still a whole lot of money to spend on this type of instruction.
Private lesson sharing:
Deer Valley allows up to five skiers in most of their offerings, with only the first-timer lesson having a cap of two people.
Deer Valley lesson options:
Private full-day lesson (All Ages): $1,250-$1,470
Private half-day lesson (All Ages): $780-$950
Private one-hour “Intro to Skiing” Lesson (All Ages): $220-$240
Group half-day lesson (Age 18+): $260-$310
#4: Park City
Top 1-Day Lesson Price: $1,479
With Lift Ticket: $1,778
Next on the list is Park City, one of Utah’s most popular destinations and America’s largest resort by skiable footprint, with 7,300 acres of terrain. This massive resort stands out for its widespread footprint, incredible terrain parks, and lively, conveniently-located ski town.
Unfortunately, the resort also distinguishes itself with its high prices. Park City is already on track to charge one of the highest-priced lift tickets for the 2023-24 season, and its private lessons are similarly lofty in price, topping out at an astounding $1,479 on peak dates. Combined, if you buy your one-on-one instruction and lift access the day of your lesson, you could end up paying a devastating $1,778.
No full-day private lesson in Utah will go for a truly bargain basement rate, but if you want one-on-one private instruction, we recommend skipping the Park City area entirely and hitting some more reasonable destination competitors (Brighton, at $680, Sundance, at $750, and Powder Mountain, at $799, all top out at much more reasonable prices).
If you’re set on Park City for your lesson, you can go for a group option for between $167 and $259 during the core season, with the final price depending on your date and whether you bought an Epic product for lift access.
Private lesson sharing:
Park City allows up to 6 people per private lesson, so you may be able to split the costs if you have others in your group.
Park City lesson options:
Private full-day lesson (Age 3+): $1,169-$1,479
Private half-day lesson (Age 3+): $859-$1,099
Group half-day lesson (Age 15+): $167*-$259
*Epic Pass product needed for lowest rate.
#3: Steamboat
Top 1-Day Lesson Price: $1,499
With Lift Ticket: $1,774
Coming up next on this list we have Steamboat, which is the northernmost destination ski resort in the state of Colorado. This resort is generally competitive, especially standing out for its glades and nearby town, and while it’s historically suffered from crowd flow issues and limited expert terrain, considerable investments for this season aim to address both issues.
But one issue the resort probably won’t be addressing any time soon is its absolutely monumental lesson prices, which top out at $1,499 for private instruction during peak times. You can get cheaper one-on-one rates for half-day and off-peak times, but if you book any private lesson during the core season, you’ll be paying a minimum of $850.
Group lessons are quite a bit cheaper, but there aren’t any half-day options—and while the starting price of $259 during the core season isn’t bad for the instruction time you get, this base rate is a lot higher than the entry-level offerings at other destination competitors.
Private lesson sharing:
Steamboat allows up to 5 people per private lesson, so you may be able to split the costs if you have others in your group.
Steamboat lesson options:
Private full-day lesson (Age 3+): $1,149-$1,499
Private half-day lesson (Age 3+): $849-$1,099
Group full-day lesson (Age 18+): $259-$409
#2: Mammoth
Top 1-Day Lesson Price: $1,600
With Lift Ticket: $1,859
Just 300 miles from LA, California’s Mammoth Mountain is one of the most convenient mountains to reach for those located in Southern California. And despite its convenient location, the mountain is no slouch, with diverse, extensive terrain, a distinctive mountain aesthetic, and a long spring skiing season.
But while Mammoth’s location may make it a compelling proposition for Californians looking to sharpen their snowsports skills, guests will want to think twice before booking a private lesson. At $1,600 for a full-day lesson, learning to ski here with a dedicated instructor will cost an obscene fortune—and if you want a full-access lift ticket, buying the day of could cost you a mind-boggling $1,859.
At least Mammoth’s group lessons, while still very expensive, are much more reasonable. These offerings go for between $175-$305 per day depending on your date, length, and skill level.
Private lesson sharing:
Mammoth allows up to 5 people per private lesson, so you may be able to split the costs if you have others in your group.
Mammoth lesson options:
Private full-day lesson (All Ages): $1,280-$1,600
Private half-day lesson (All Ages): $800-$1,000
Group half-day lesson (Age 13+): $175-$305
#1 (tie): Vail / Beaver Creek
Top 1-Day Lesson Price: $1,654
With Lift Ticket: $1,953
Finally, at the top of the list, we find two Colorado resorts—Vail and Beaver Creek. Both mountains are owned by Vail Resorts and offer the same pricing structure for their private lessons, topping out at an abominable $1,654 for peak dates (when purchased day-of). If you need a lift ticket the day of your lesson and you’re visiting in March or over a holiday period, you could find yourself paying, for one singular day of instruction, $1,953—a nearly-eye-gouge-worthy total.
Vail and Beaver Creek, located a short drive from each other on the Interstate 70 corridor of Colorado, are some of the most competitive destination ski resorts in North America. But both resorts are not known for being affordable, whether it comes to lift tickets, lodging, or other aspects of the skiing experience—and while anyone who has visited them may not be surprised to learn that private lessons here are steep, the degree to just how much will probably still raise eyebrows.
Vail and Beaver Creek are class-leading resorts, but unfortunately that also extends to the price of private lessons.
Private lesson sharing:
Vail and Beaver Creek both allows up to 6 people per private lesson, so you may be able to split the costs if you have others in your group.
Vail and Beaver Creek lesson options:
Private full-day lesson (Age 3+): $1,251-$1,654
Private half-day lesson (Age 3+): $859-$1,251
Group full-day lesson (Age 15+): $222*-$373
Group half-day lesson (Age 15+): $165*-$280
*Epic Pass product needed for lowest rate.
Final Thoughts
So that’s the list of the highest-priced ski and snowboard lessons in North America—and it’s hard to say that any of them are even remotely reasonable purchases.
Okay—we will admit that most regular people won’t be paying for the truly white-glove full-day, one-on-one private lessons that top the North American pricing scale. However, the rates even for half-day and group lessons—especially when paired with the fact that lift tickets aren’t included in the bottom line—make it really tough to financially justify using a destination ski trip as an opportunity to get into winter sports. And remember, these rates are for a single day—which means that most guests will be paying anywhere between twice to five times the amounts quoted in this article for a practical ski vacation.
But does that mean that ski resort instruction is completely unaffordable to anyone who has to even think about their finances? Absolutely not! While not cheap, many local hills offer half and full-day instruction for much more affordable rates, ranging from around $40 for a few hours of group instruction to a couple hundred bucks for 1-day privates—and if you’re still learning to ski or ride, you certainly don’t need a big destination mountain to build up your fundamental skills.
If there’s one final message you should take away from this post, it’s this: if you plan on doing a big destination ski trip, you’re not super confident on the slopes, and you have any ski resorts within driving distance—try to get a few local lessons in rather than emptying your savings account on big mountain instruction.
For more information on over 90 North American ski resort destinations, check out our tips for learning how to ski and how to book a lesson, as well as our overall 2023-24 North American ski resort rankings.
