After School Ski & Ride Program - Winter

After School Ski & Ride Program at Whaleback Mountain: January 15th - February 26th, 2025

Registration for the 2025 program is closed. Please read ALL information before registering to ensure you are choosing the right program for your child.

Whaleback Mountain is  thrilled to partner with Grantham Recreation for another exciting winter season! Take a moment to review the following information from Whaleback before registering your student, as there are some important program changes for the 2025 season. Registration Link will be found at the bottom of this page as soon as Whaleback opens their registration portal.

Grantham Recreation Mountain Days: Wednesdays 1/15, 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 2/12, 2/26

(NOTE: There is no prgramming on 2/19 due to February Vacation))

Registration Options

You can sign up your student for one or more of the following options:

 

• Lessons

• Free-Ride (no lessons)

• Snack

• Rental Gear

Lessons

Our lessons run for 90 minutes, starting at 4:30 PM and ending at 6:00 PM. We create lesson groups based on ability levels to ensure success on the mountain. We understand that some young snowsport enthusiasts may find it challenging to work on fundamentals on shorter trails, especially when there's a lot of mountain to explore. However, this step-by-step approach is crucial for building confident and skilled skiers or snowboarders.

The number one cause of injuries and disinterest in snowsports is when skiers and riders progress too quickly without the skills to navigate safely. So, we ask both you and your child to be patient with our program's gradual progression. Our goal is to create lifelong snowsport enthusiasts rather than overnight Olympians.

Freeride

If your student is in third grade or older, can confidently handle intermediate (blue) trails, stop when needed, and safely use chairlifts, they can participate in the free-ride option. Please note that free-ride doesn't include formal lessons, and students won't be supervised by Whaleback staff on the slopes. The freeride block begins and ends in congruence with the lesson block.

Snack

We offer a snack option for purchase. Please be aware that it's not a full meal but a mix of items that vary from week to week.

Rentals

Gear rentals are available for all students in the program, including skis/snowboard, boots, and poles (if needed). Helmets are also available at no extra charge, though we can't guarantee every student will receive one due to limited stock. While we understand snowsports can be costly, we highly recommend purchasing a mountain-sports helmet, the most important safety gear.

Rental equipment won't go home with students. They'll pick up their gear at the beginning of the mountain visit and return it by the end. This helps us maintain our rental fleet and saves you from hauling gear around.

If you want rental gear you can use on non-program days, visit our friends over at Golf and Ski who can provide a full kit for the entire winter season.

Equipment Fit Days

If you plan to rent gear from Whaleback, please attend one of our equipment fit days in January. Visit the rental shop anytime in January during Whaleback's hours of operation. The rental equipment technicians will properly fit your child for skis/snowboard and boots. This ensures a smooth transition during program days and maximizes your student's time on the slopes.

Chaperones

Whaleback Mountain supervises students during lessons. At 6:00, parents/guardians must check-out their student. If your student chooses to stay at the mountain after 6:00, they will be under parent/guardian supervision.                       We believe students benefit from adult supervision. If you're a skier or snowboarder, you can volunteer your time and receive a day pass to chaperone free-ride students or provide behavioral support in our lesson groups, allowing our instructors to focus on teaching. If you don’t ski or snowboard, we would still welcome you as a chaperone to help out with transitions and lodge logistics! Please reach out to Grantham Recreation, if you are interested in becoming a chaperone.

Financial Aid

Our mission is to keep snowsports affordable and accessible for everyone. We understand it can be expensive, which is why we offer a financial aid program to help ease the financial burden. Please use the provided link to access our financial aid application.

Link: https://www.whaleback.com/financial-aid

Transportation to and from Whaleback Mountain

Whaleback Mountain does not provide transportation to and from the mountain. You are responsible for coordinating transportation for your child/student.  If you choose to drop off or pick up your student, please sign them in and out with the Grantham Recreation representative. This ensures everyone's safety and accountability. Last year, we had an incident where a student was picked up without checking out, causing unnecessary concern. We appreciate your cooperation with our check-in/check-out procedures.

Contact info

Whaleback Mountain

Phone: (603) 448-5500

Email: [email protected]

Address: 160 Whaleback Mountain Rd., Enfield, NH 03748

Director of Learning Programs: Ian Hammer

Disclaimers

• No make-ups for missed program days due to weather or illness.

• Program fees are non-refundable.

• We reserve the right to revoke any pass due to reckless behavior, foul language, participating without a pass, skiing with someone else's pass, or any form of substance abuse.

REGISTER FOR THE 2025 AFTER SCHOOL SKI & RIDE PROGRAM IS CLOSED.

Interested in learning more about Whaleback? Visit www.whaleback.com