Summary
We checked out Stowe’s newest ladies’ clinic, Women + Wine.
Happy National Women’s History Month! We all know women are social creatures that often crave the support and comfort of other women. So why not find it on the slopes and improve our turns while we’re at it? If you’re looking to improve your ski and ride skills and connect with other female skiers, women’s ski clinics are a great option.
I checked out Stowe’s newest ladies’ clinic, Women + Wine, to see how it ranked compared to others in Vermont. Women + Wine is a series of half-day afternoon lessons followed by an après group hang. The lessons are designed and taught by women to create a supportive setting to develop skills and community.
The Ski Clinic
My friend and I signed up for a clinic in late January. We enjoyed a leisurely morning and lunch at the new Pico Taco at Spruce Peak before meeting with our instructors and other clinic goers at 1pm. The group met in the Spruce Peak base area and immediately got on the lift for a nice trial run to get to know each other. Students shared goals for the day and long term goals we wanted to work towards. We all agreed we wanted to increase confidence on the slopes and fine-tune our skills on more difficult terrain.
After intros, our instructors took the group to the Mansfield side of Stowe to ride the Sunrise Quad and find some intermediate glades to explore. Confidence in the glades varied, but the instructors were great at giving one-on-one tips and tricks to each member. Luckily it was snowing all day, so conditions were perfect for exploring new terrain and practicing new skills.
After a few runs everyone had become very comfortable with each other, cheering one another on and sharing stories and struggles on the chairlift. While only two hours, we packed in quite a fews run together and formed some nice bonds. This feeling of camaraderie is something I’ve experienced at all the women’s clinics I’ve attended, and it pairs nicely with female instructors that understand your body and ways of learning.
In the words of Women + Wine founder, Shelby Culbreth, (also Director of Skier Services at Stowe): “It’s really important that women be taught by instructors who understand how they move, where their center of mass is located, where they are stronger, weaker, and so on. If you can see it, you can be it. Most of us learn by watching, and because women move differently, having a strong, inspirational female image to follow is really important.”
Après
After catching fresh powder on our last run, our crew headed back to Spruce Peak for a wind-down. In the lodge we were presented with a lovely spread of cheese, meats, and other tasty treats, plus two tickets for drinks at the bar. We shared stories and photos from the day, plus plenty of laughter and friendship, and even a few emails. When I asked my friend what she thought about the program she said, “It did exactly what I wanted. It helped boost my confidence on skis, and it was a lot of fun.” Win. Win.
Looking to up your game and spend some time with female friends, old and new, this March? There are two sessions left in March – 3/12 and 3/26. Sign up today at stowe.com or call the Reservations Team at 802-253-3000.
Sarah Wojcik is the founder of All Mountains Mamas, starting it in 2012. Becoming a mother in 2017, she grasped the opportunity to share her passion of skiing and snowboarding with families across the U.S. and came on as a contributor and manager. Formerly the Director or Marketing and Communications for Ski Vermont, and currently the creative editor and digital partnership director at Ski Area Management magazine, she writes with great knowledge of the ski industry in Vermont and beyond, and from the point of view of a new mother working to get back out on the slopes with two kids in tow. She is also the proud owner of Vermont’s #1 family fun resource, FindandGoSeek.net.