Good Question... Obviously we are totally reliant on mother nature and it depends on snow cover. However we usually start offering group classes from a week before christmas, and if there is plenty of snow before this date we will offer private lessons by arrangement. Our season usually goes on till mid to late April, and we generally offer group classes until Easter monday, and private lessons only after this (although exact dates will depend on school holidays and conditions)

You can phone our office on 08455 191 191. If you reach our voicemail, its likely that we are on another call, so please leave a message and we'll get back to you. Alternatively you can fill in our online enquiry form.

The easiest way to make a booking is to use our online booking system. However if you need further information then please phone us on 08455 191 191 and we will be happy to take your booking. If you just get voicemail then please leave a message and we'll get back to you. When using the online system or phoning to make a booking then please ensure you have all details of ability level, weight, height and shoe size of participants.

There is a maximum of 10 people in a group for ski lessons and a maximum of 8 for snowboard lessons. If there are less than 4 in the lesson then the class will only run for 2 hours in the morning, but you will still have the pass and equipment for the whole day.

We run group classes for adults and children over 8 years old every day throughout the season, and group classes (SKI only) for 5-8 year olds during school holidays (11 - 19 Feb, and selected dates during other holidays).

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 (Adult 1 day £14.25, Junior 1 day £10.75). Jeans are unsuitable to wear under a waterproof layer. We also have a limited supply of gloves and goggles for hire (arrive early to ensure you get them).

Cairngorm Mountain is 9 miles from Aviemore and its postcode is PH22 1RB. 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 up the right hand side of the Day Lodge building following signs to The Ski and Snowboard School.

Full Set includes - Skis or snowboard, boots, poles and helmet. The Works includes - Skis or snowboard, boots, poles and helmet AND waterproof jacket and trousers.

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 or cancel lessons at short notice. 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.

In the first instance we would try to reschedule your lesson for another day if there is space.  If we are fully booked or you cannot attend lessons on another date a refund would be given. If a refund is due it will be based on the difference between what was ordered and what has been received (i.e. If only 1 day of a 2 day package is received then refund is difference between 1 day package and 2 day package).

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. We can arrange equipment hire and passes from the Ski School office if you are having lessons with us.

See our ability chart for further details.

Of course! They can be found on the bottom of our website.

The Christmas and New Year period (24th December 2011 - 7th January 2012) is usually pretty busy and it is best to arrive by 8.30am. During Half Term (11th - 19th Feb 2012) it is essential to arrive as early as possible and we recommend being at our office at 8am each morning. At weekends, please aim to be at our office by 8.30am. The car park can fill up very quickly, especially when the forecast is good! At all other times we recommend you arrive by 9am (unless advised otherwise) to ensure you have time to get kitted up before your lesson starts. Afternoon private lessons: Please be at our office by 11.45am if your lesson is in holiday periods, or 12.15pm at other times.

Our main beginner area is just outside the top station of the funicular railway. Therefore you can purchase a return trip on the train (£9.95) 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!

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 the grooming and ski patrol services needed to operate a safe skiing/snowboarding area.

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).

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 20 full-time and 45 part-time instructors during the season.

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.

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 work closely with BASI to ensure courses are run each season so that we can continually update and improve our skills.