Tina Belay always dreamed of skiing in the terrain park. “For years my friends and I would pass around pictures or video clips of people jumping or taking on park features,” she recalls, “and when I’d ski by the park I’d always wonder when I could, or even if I could go in there.”
But once the Calgary resident signed up for Lake Louise’s terrain park progression private ski lesson, her world on snow changed immediately.

“It was cool to see how with just a few tips, I was able to hit the jumps and over the course of the lesson, I scored that real feeling of progression. I always thought jumps were so hard to do and wondered coming into the lesson how much that would change.”

Here are Tina Belay’s top tips from her park progression Lake Louise ski lesson:

1. When landing, don't look at your feet.
   • “It was natural for me to look at my feet (it’s like a safety) – it’s better if you look forward.” 
2. Engage your core.
   • “Bending down helps with stability, stay low and use your core – ensure your shins are on the front of your boots. I found it provides that stability both in the air and as you come in for your landing.”
3. Keep your skis close together.
   • “On the features with that engaged core - skis close together - provides the foundation you need to make it across the entire feature.”

Getting air while skiing can be intimidating and instantly comes with a lot of questions: “Am I going to land OK?” “How fast do I take this jump?” How are my skis placed?”

Tina Belay had all of these questions. She's an intermediate skier with almost four years’ experience on the snow, but her big question was: “How do I even start to build my skill set for the park?”

Read more on SnowSeekers.ca to learn how you can up your ski game at Lake Louise.

Lake Louise Ski Resort not only offers beginner lessons but also advanced lessons for those looking to up their game, and score a few “air miles.”

“It's awesome to see how stoked my students get when it clicks,” says Belay’s 21-year ski instructor, Kyle Armstrong. “It doesn’t matter if it's a new trick or a manoeuvre that helps them access new terrain; it's like it unlocks a new adventure for them.”

Belay remembers her early days of skiing. “When I started skiing, I was really miserable. We went on a blue run instead of a green and I was terrified, but for some reason I wanted to stick with it.”

Belay’s parents immigrated to Calgary from Ethiopia in the late ‘90s so you can appreciate that snow and skiing weren’t exactly experiences that were “in the family.”

But in the few years she’s been skiing she’s come a long way on the slopes and her Lake Louise terrain park experience left her inspired.

“I look forward to continuing to step up my game through this season, and now I have my sights set on doing my first black diamond.” 

If you share Belay’s goal in mastering some park progression or tackling your first black diamond, the instructor team at Lake Louise’s snow school are ready to help you unlock the doors to the slopes you might not know exist.

See the complete story at SnowSeekers.ca and get skiing this winter!

Ready to take a ski lesson?

Immigrant Services Calgary (ISC), HEAD Skis and SnowSeekers are proud sponsors of #NewSKiAB, welcoming newcomers to Alberta’s slopes in the Canadian Rockies. 

Sign up today for Lake Louise's private ski or snowboard lessons to up those skills and your love of winter.

Getting to the resort is straightforward for those who might not want to brave the two-hour winter drive from Calgary, just hop the Lake Louise Ski Bus.

Get skiing with #NewSkiAB

If you're new to Canada or just new to skiing and snowboarding, check out #NewSkiAB for more tips and stories to help fuel your winter adventures.