by SkiEnthusiast » Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:54 pm
My wife and I attended the Combo camp in January at Arapahoe Basin. It worked well from the standpoint that I did not have to take two weeks of vacation in order for both my wife and I to attend a camp suitable for our respective levels. The instructors used were the usual cast of characters (Harold, Diana, Bob, Jay, Rich, Maria). Instead of six groups of All Mountain, or six groups of Dark Blue, there were three groups of 6 students in All Mountain and three groups of 6 students in Dark Blue. A-Basin in the afternoon, mid-week, is not crowded, so there was ample opportunity for afternoon practice. A-Basin is not particularly known for green runs, so the variety of terrain available for working on fundamental skills in non-challenging terrain is rather limited compared to Solvista. The Combo camp is a really good deal for couples if differing capability. An individual, or a couple with equivalent skills, would, in my opinion, be better served by attending one of the dedicated camps. Solvista and Copper Mountain are great places to learn at the Green and Dark Blue levels.
There is no lodging at Arapahoe Basin proper, so attendees stay in venues throughout the Snake River valley. That makes it tough to get together for social events.