• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Because the Family that Skis Together, Enjoys Life Together.
  • Home
  • About
    • Awards
    • Featured Author
    • Brand Ambassador
  • Brave Ski Mom Stickers
  • Contact Me

The Brave Ski Mom

Building a new generation of skiers and snowboarders.

  • Skiing
    • Skiing With Kids
    • Ski Racing
    • Learn to Ski
    • Cross Country Skiing
    • Telemark Skiing
    • Snowboarding
  • Ski Resort Reviews
    • United States
      • Alaska
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Connecticut
      • Idaho
      • Maine
      • Massachusetts
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Montana
      • Nevada
      • New Hampshire
      • New Mexico
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • Oregon
      • Pennsylvania
      • Utah
      • Vermont
      • Washington
      • West Virginia
      • Wisconsin
      • Wyoming
    • Argentina
    • Australia
    • Austria
    • Bulgaria
    • Canada
    • Chile
    • France
    • Finland
    • Greece
    • Italy
    • Japan
    • New Zealand
  • Ski Gear Checklist and Recommendations
    • Equipment and Gear
    • Product Reviews
    • Brave Ski Mom Stickers
  • Hiking
    • Camping
  • Biking
    • Downhill Biking
    • Mountain Biking
    • Road Biking
  • Good Stuff
    • Parenting
    • Health
      • Getting in Shape
    • Reflections

Adult Ski Camp: Because Kids Shouldn’t Have All The Fun

November 4, 2013 by braveskimom

seiberts aspen mountain colorado
Seibert’s, Aspen Mountain: On perfect snow, the lessons all came together., right here.

It’s not very often that I have such big news to share the day after posting an article.

But via email today, I learned that John Clendenin, founder and head coach of the Clendenin Ski Method will be inducted to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame!

John is recognized for his Freestyle skiing world titles and his contributions to coaching, among other accomplishments.

Well deserved! Congratulations, John!

brave ski mom logo“The snow gods must really like you, “ my husband laughed early one morning last December. We’d been waiting for snow and we’d awakened to snow.

Almost before he was out of bed, he was checking the Colorado Ski Country USA snow report on his phone. “Fifteen inches at Aspen,” he announced. I pumped my sleepy arms in the air.

Truth be told, I wasn’t skiing, but only driving to Aspen that day to start a three-day Clendenin Ski Method Camp. As I pulled into Aspen on Sunday afternoon, snow was piled everywhere.

I put on my boots and went for a stomp in whatever untracked snow I could find. It was bitterly cold, but who cares? After a rather long, extended Indian summer, it had snowed and really snowed. Winter came just in time.

Why Should Kids Take All The Lessons?

Now you may be wondering: Ski camp? Yes, ski camp. If you’re a parent, you’ve most likely given your children many opportunities. Perhaps you searched out the best preschool and enrolled your darlings in lessons for music, art and sports. Maybe you even stressed (just a little!) about where they should go to school and what they are learning. We care about our kids and we want to them to grow and thrive. Lessons are part of this.

When it comes to skiing, many of our children have benefited from basic learn to ski programs, Devo programs, junior racing programs and more. Rarely do I meet a parent who says, “Oh, my child learned to ski just by skiing.”

But, adults? That’s what we do. We took lessons in the past (hopefully) and now we cross our fingers and strive to improve simply by making more turns. We’re having fun, our kids are in ski school, and we’re skiing with friends. It’s a good time.

And then our kids get better than us.

Clendenin ski method camp
John instructing his group.

Make it Easy

This happened to me two years ago at Snowmass. Our family was skiing laps together in Hanging Valley when my 14 year-old looked at me and said, “You’re kind of slow. You should go first.” Fine, I thought. Skiing through trees, I pointed my skis downhill and got more aggressive. I ended up face first in the snow with a jammed shoulder. I needed a new strategy.

It took me two years, but last winter, I finally took the step from sporadic two-hour lessons to a comprehensive three-day clinic. Three days: think about it. That’s time to unlearn bad habits, relearn good ones and begin internalizing a new method of skiing. That’s time to improve, regress, progress and, truth be told, have an awful lot of fun.

ajax express aspen colorado

The Clendenin Ski Method

I went to a John Clendenin Ski Method Camp at Aspen. There are other camps and clinics out there, but this one worked for me for a couple of reasons. First, John is a two-time world champion freestyle skier and he knows moguls.

I’d like to know moguls better and have a less turbulent relationship with them. John aims to teach his clients how to ski more effortlessly in bumps, how to more effectively use all four edges of the skis and how to turn more efficiently with stability and grace. Sounds good to me.

Secondly, Aspen is close to home and convenient. It turns out that convenience wasn’t a big draw for my fellow students, two of whom came from Canada, one from New Orléans, one from Atlanta, one from L.A., and one from Cleveland. We ranged in age from about 29 to 60, with four men and two women.

Clendenin ski method camp aspen

Did It Work?

In a word, yes. The Clendenin Method Ski Camp did work. During orientation the night before camp started, I told everyone that my goal was to fill my mental toolbox with the tools and techniques I need to analyze my skiing and make it better on the fly. I got those, in spades.

After a two-day break, my family was skiing again, and while I consciously had to practice, lest I revert to bad habits, I felt solid, steady and strong in all conditions. Hooray! I still can’t keep up with two teenage boys who rip nonstop, but I’m having more fun.

light on aspen mountain

When You Go….

If you’re interested in learning more about the Clendenin Ski Method and John’s camps for the upcoming season, please visit skidoctors.com. Ski Camp is a great way to kick off your ski season and really get yourself motivated to improve.

Enjoy!

Want More?

  • Ski Camp, Day Three: The Keys to the Kingdom, December 14, 2012.
  • Ski Camp, Day Two: The Sun Came Out and the Lights Came On, December 12, 2012. 
  • Conscious Incompetence: Ski Camp, Day One, December 11, 2012.
  • Aspen Ski Camp: The Preliminaries, December 10, 2012.
  • Small Motions, Big Changes: How an Indoor Ski Lesson Improved My Turns, March 26, 2012.
  • Tight Turns: Improve Skills with Ski Camp, Books and Better Skis, October, 2012.

Portions of this post originally published at Club Colorado, the Colorado Ski Country USA blog. 

© 2013 – 2017, braveskimom. All rights reserved. Any use or publication of content, including photos, requires express permission.

Spread the Love (thanks!)

  • Email
  • Print
  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr

Related

Filed Under: Learn to Ski, Skiing Tagged With: Aspen, Colorado, ski, ski school, skiing

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alli says

    November 4, 2013 at 10:08 am

    Timely post. I just registered for this winter’s Gravity Goddess camp at WP. I usually take a private or semi-private lesson once a year but this year I decided I wanted to learn with a group of women.

    • braveskimom says

      November 4, 2013 at 10:11 am

      I hope you have a great time at the Gravity Goddess camp! I really enjoyed camp and there are a lot of options for women only! Check this out: https://braveskimom.com/do-women-learn-to-ski-best-from-other-women

  2. Helen says

    November 4, 2013 at 1:52 pm

    I think I qualify as a ‘Brave Ski Mom’ or at least I did: I went to ski race camp when I was three months pregnant and the clasp on my ski pants wouldn’t quite close. Of course that was 22 years ago. Might be time for a refresher. Although I no longer desire to race!

    • braveskimom says

      November 4, 2013 at 1:53 pm

      You are SUCH a brave ski mom! I love your story. And, I think you’d love a refresher — racing or not! Enjoy the season. Cheers.

  3. Joni Dykstra says

    November 5, 2013 at 3:28 pm

    Great piece Kristen! We have a myriad of ski camp options for adults at Alta & Alta Lodge Ski Adventures. You can check them out at this web address:
    http://altalodge.com/clinics/index.php?parent=13

    Joni

    • braveskimom says

      November 5, 2013 at 4:53 pm

      Thanks Joni! And what a great location for camp: Alta, with room and board at the Alta Lodge! That’s pretty incredible!

Primary Sidebar

2023-2024 Partners

FERA
World Snow Day
FERA

Welcome

I'm Kristen, a western Colorado mom, wife and trail boss in a busy outdoor family. Our family has a passion for skiing and my goal is to provide information to help other families enjoy their skiing adventures. Whether you have tiny toddlers just learning to slide or grown children with whom you're planning a reunion, you're in the right place. Cheers!

Never Miss a Post

Enter your email address to subscribe. You'll receive notifications of new posts by email.

Follow Me

FacebookInstagram Pinterest Twitter

Today’s Most Popular Posts

  • No Snow? No Problem: Summer Skiing in North America
    No Snow? No Problem: Summer Skiing in North America
  • Bravery 101: Chairlift Safety for Parents and Kids
    Bravery 101: Chairlift Safety for Parents and Kids
  • Pick Ups Made Easy: The Kinderlift Ski Vest for Kids
    Pick Ups Made Easy: The Kinderlift Ski Vest for Kids
  • Catching Up with US Ski Team Legend Ted Ligety
    Catching Up with US Ski Team Legend Ted Ligety
  • Ski Fashion Preview: Women's Ski Jackets, Sorel Boots and More (Obermeyer Giveaway)
    Ski Fashion Preview: Women's Ski Jackets, Sorel Boots and More (Obermeyer Giveaway)
  • Ski Vacation 101: Feeding the Family
    Ski Vacation 101: Feeding the Family

Categories

Footer

Recent Tweets

My Tweets

Featured In

snowlink world snow day snowkidz
liftopia mtn town learn to ski and snowboard mom trends
Copyright © 2025 · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · Affiliate Disclosure · Product Review & Giveaway Policy · Guest Post Policy · Privacy Policy · Login
 

Loading Comments...