If you’ve ever considered attending a PMTS camp at Welch Village, Minnesota, but haven’t, then do yourself a big favor and follow through on that thought. Having attended the Green/Blue camp at Granby Ranch, Colorado previously and now the Blue/Dark Blue camp at Welch Village, I found the quality of instruction comparable in both locations. You might even get as lucky as we were to have a student/teacher ratio of 2/1.
The instruction in each location is non-threatening and is specifically tailored to the individual’s level of development/expertise with the purpose of helping the student learn and improve in all of the five essentials. In both locations, video is use to provide movement analysis to students.
During the Blue/Dark Blue camp at Welch, accredited instructors had us working on Tipping drills for initiating turns, Flexing and/or releasing drills to do away with the dreaded up and down movement, foot pull back in developing Fore/Aft Balance skills and staying over those boot buckles as well as the upper body skills of Counter Balancing and Counter Acting to add to the ease of the aforementioned.
Don helped us to focus on lifting the arches of the free foot to begin tipping, drag our poles to stay low, bend and touch our boots to help with releases and do the single boot touch to develop counter balancing skills and work the “Angry Mother” to develop counter acting skills.
Peter reinforced the above and had us ski across the ridge and between brushes while holding our counter (“zipper down the line”) to develop retraction/releases and emphasized the application of the same movements beyond the ridge in our regular skiing.
Skills were introduced and practiced on gentle slopes and, as our instructors felt we were ready, we moved to steeper slopes to test out newly learned skills. Finally, those tough two footed releases were demonstrated and practiced as well. Staying low was emphasized as we made short turns down steeper slopes while attempting to avoid the dreaded up movement. I particularly enjoyed Peter’s comment relative to staying low. “You worked hard to get there, why get back up again.”
All in all, it was a totally pleasant and great learning experience which served to create a hunger for more. So, we have every intention to return for more.
Thanks to all the staff at Welch Village
Bob Lupien