Please see below answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I find out more about your lessons and packages?
If you have a query then the website should have answers to most of your questions. It also provides an opportunity for online booking for most products and dates.
If you need further information then the easiest option is to use our online enquiry form and we will get back to you at a time convenient to you.
How do I speak to someone to find out more?
You can phone us in our office on 08455 191 191 (or 01479 861319 if you want a geographic number!) or on our mobile on 07881 988480.
Please note that we are not based at the ski area between May and November (as we have other jobs) and so email or the mobile works best between May and November. If you phone the mobile during this time and it is not answered then please leave a message and we will get back to you.
How do I make a booking?
The easiest way to make a booking is to use our online booking. At times this is not appropriate (due to having too many options to do online, or needing further advice) and if this is the case, please phone us and we will be happy to take your booking.You can phone us in our office on 08455 191 191 (or 01479 861319 if you want a geographic number!) or on our mobile on 07881 988480.
What do we need to bring when we come for our lesson or package?
Warm clothes (lots of layers is usually best), Waterproof outer layers - Jacket and Trousers, Warm Hat, Waterproof Gloves, Goggles/Sunglasses and some Suncream. We have waterproof jackets and trousers available for hire if you need them. We also have a limited supply of gloves and goggles for hire (arrive early to ensure you get them).
Where is the ski and snowboard school located?
Cairngorm Mountain is 9 miles from Aviemore and its postcode is PH22 1RB. Click here to see a map and to get directions.
Our office is located opposite Ski Hire on Level 3 of the Day Lodge on Cairngorm Mountain. On arrival in the main car park, walk to the head of the car park and up between the two buildings. Follow signs to ski hire and ski school to find our office.
What's the difference between a "Full Set" & "The Works" when hiring equipment?
Adult Full Set includes - Skis, Boots and Poles or Snowboard and Boots
Junior Full Set includes - Skis, Boots, Poles and Helmet or Snowboard, Boots and Helmet
The Works includes - The same as above but also Waterproof Jacket and Trousers
What happens if the weather is poor or there is no snow?
We will only operate lessons if we feel it is safe to do so. Weather forecasts can sometimes be inaccurate for the Cairngorms, which occasionally means we have to stop lessons at short notice if the wind increases. We try to predict this in advance, however sometimes we have to make this decision at the last minute. If we feel it is not possible to run a lesson we will either offer you an alternative date or a full refund. If a lesson is more than half completed when it becomes necessary to stop then no refund will be payable.
What is included in the cost of a Private Lesson?
The cost of our Private Lessons are for instruction only. You will also need to include the cost of a lift pass and any equipment hire you may need.
How do I know what ability level I am?
See our ability chart here for further details.
What time should we arrive before our lesson starts?
The Christmas and New Year period are usually pretty busy and it is best to arrive around 8.30am.
During Half Term (12th - 21st Feb 2010) it is essential to arrive as early as possible and we recommend being at our office by 8am each morning.
At all other times we recommend you arrive by 9am to ensure you have time to get kitted up before your lesson starts.
What if I am unsure and need advice?
Give us a phone on 07881 988480 or fill in the online enquiry form and we will be happy to give you advice.
Can I watch my kids during their lesson?
Our main beginner area is just outside the top station of the funicular railway. Therefore you can purchase a return trip on the train and watch your kids at the top, as long as you have appropriate clothing and footwear. There is also a restaurant, shop and exhibition centre should you get a little chilly!
I have already bought a train ticket, why do I need a lift pass if I am a beginner?
Cairngorm Mountain do not allow you to use a train ticket if you are skiing or snowboarding. Everyone with snowsports equipment must have a ski ticket, as this not only includes the cost of operating the other lifts on the mountain but also the cost of all the grooming and ski patrol services needed to run a safe skiing/snowboarding area.
Who or what is Cairngorm Snowsports?
Cairngorm Snowsports is the name of our company (a company limited by guarantee) and we trade as The Ski School and The Snowboard School. We are registered in Scotland with company registration number 305117. We are the only Ski and Snowboard School with an office on CairnGorm Mountain (in the Day Lodge by equipment hire) and because of this we believe that we are ideally located to provide you with the best possible service on the mountain.
We were originally established in 2003 after Cairngorm Mountain decided to stop running a ski and snowboard school and instead put it out to tender. Since then we have turned it into a not-for-profit organisation in 2006, with stated aims to benefit our instructors (through investing in training and developing our staff) and local kids (through the subsidy of our kids courses and the local schools programme).
Who are your instructors?
Our ski and snowboard instructors are highly trained and have many years experience teaching skiing and snowboarding in Scotland and around the world. They are employed for their passion for skiing and snowboarding and their ability to relate to learners, as well as their qualifications and experience. Many have worked on Cairngorm for years, and hold instructional qualifications from national bodies throughout the world.
Dependent on the snow conditions and weather we usually employ around 25 full-time and 45 part-time instructors during the season.
What qualifications do you recognise to work as a ski or snowboard instructor?
Most of our instructors are qualified through the British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI), who are the only nationally recognised training and grading agency for ski and snowboard instructors in the UK (for further information see www.basi.org.uk). However some of our instructors hold qualifications from New Zealand (NZSIA), America (PSIA) and Canada (CSIA).
Although we recognise the ski leader qualification (delivered by Snowsport Scotland, England and Wales) as an appropriate qualification for a school teacher leading a group of kids (what it is designed for), we do not accept that it gives sufficient competence or experience to work as an instructor. Please see here for further information on this.
Do you deliver instructor training?
Yes, all of our instructors are committed to developing their skills and qualification and so we have a comprehensive training programme supported by the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA). We also run an instructor training programme in January leading to the BASI Level 1 Instructor qualification.
We work closely with BASI to ensure courses are run each season so that we can continually update and improve our skills.
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