Explorers Program at Tussey Mountain

Join the fun in this 5-week program intended to improve the skiing skills of kids, four years old through 5th grade. This is a non-competitive program for all levels, from first-timers to skiers ripping comfortably all over the mountain. Our goal is to improve each child’s skills and confidence while having fun, building friendships, and developing a life-long love of the sport.

Age: 4 Years through 5th Grade (note: must be age 4 by Jan 1)

Skill levels:

Please reference this table to determine your child’s ability level, and register them appropriately. It is vital to their success that they are placed into a group that is at their ability level, no matter what color, so they can progress at an appropriate pace. If you participated in the program last year, please reference your child’s report card from the end of last season!

There will be NO switching of groups due to registration errors or intentional registration in the wrong group. What you register for is where your child will be placed. We understand you want your child to participate and the appropriate session may be full, but incorrectly grouping them will only hurt their experience and love of the sport. If your child is incorrectly registered and needs to be moved, they will be placed on the waitlist for the appropriate group and there will be a fee of $20 if a space opens. If the appropriate group is full, a refund will be given

If the session you were hoping for is not available, please put yourself on the waitlist. We will be referencing it frequently as spots are available.

PROGRAM DURATION:

Start Date: Sat. Jan. 16 or Sun. Jan 17

End: Sat. Feb 13 or Sun. Feb 14

If you KNOW you will be missing 2 or more weeks, especially the first and/or second week, please consider using other lesson options such as private lesson packages.

If your 1 time skier misses the first 2 weeks, they will not be possible to participate in the program. Absences for other reasons will be handled on a case by case basis. Make-up lessons will not be provided. 

PROGRAM TIMES:

In order to use our space and staff most efficiently to provide the best quality lessons, we will be splitting our groups based on ability, and offering the program at the following times:

Saturday: 

Sunday: 

Please note, the beginner level lessons will now be 1.5 hours, acknowledging the hard work and energy it takes to learn something new.

Each participant's lift ticket will be good for 5 hours on the day of their lesson, so they can get some extra practice in. On Saturdays, tickets will be valid from 10:30am - 3:30pm, and from 9:00am - 2:00pm on Sundays. 

HOW TO REGISTER

Registration will open for this program on Monday, September 14 at noon. 

CLICK HERE FOR A STEP-BY-STEP WALK THROUGH FOR HOW TO REGISTER

Frequently asked questions:

• Can I switch groups (for whatever reason)?
  • Unfortunately, no. Each session has a set number of students that is determined by many factors including staffing, lift capacity, snow availability, and safety of our participants. We pride ourselves in offering quality lessons, and going over our max capacity would impact everyone’s experience.

• Is snowboarding available ?
  • Unfortunately, our snowboarding program did not have enough participation to make it feasible to continue running as part of Explorers. We still have great snowboard lessons available though! Please reach out to the office to schedule group or private snowboard lessons.

• Will lessons be canceled for weather-related reasons like temperature, or snowfall?
  • This is an outdoor, winter program and we all know the weather in central PA can be unpredictable. This program will not cancel unless there is an extreme event. In that situation, a determination will be made by management and Ski Patrol, which will then be communicated to you through email. We will hold off as long as we can on that decision in an attempt to not have to cancel programming, so please check your email before leaving home!
  • If the roads are questionable, please use your best judgment to make a decision for your family as to whether or not to attend. Unless you hear differently, we will be here with bells and whistles, and giant powder day smiles! If you do make the choice to not attend, and lessons are happening, you will not be compensated.
• What kind of clothing is best for my kid to keep warm?
  • Snowfall and cold temps will happen. Please invest in a non-cotton base layer for your young person, a good mid-layer or 2 (fleece is great for staying warm when wet), and a windproof/waterproof outer layer. Good quality waterproof mittens are also a game changer. Googles are suggested to not only keep faces warm but just in case a snow machine may be on. Non-cotton socks that go above their boots are also important for warm feet. Only one pair is necessary if they are a good pair! We will take breaks as needed on our colder days to keep everyone safe!

• What do I do if I am late?
  • It happens! If you are late and your child’s group has left their meeting spot, please go to the yellow flag and find the supervisor on duty who will assist in finding your instructor. 
• I don’t know my child’s ability level. What should I do?
  • Please read through the descriptions and make the best decision you can based on what you know about your child. Feel free to reach out to the Tussey Programs email address for advice or assistance.
• I want my child to be in a group with their friends. Can you make that happen?
  • Our groups are created based on skill and age to set everyone up for success. While we will take requests into consideration, no guarantees can be made. 

Rates

Cost: $230 (if you have a Season Pass*) / $370 (if you do not have a Season Pass)
*Children 5 and under do not require a Season Pass for our Programs.

Equipment Rental: + $130