Junior ski Frequently Asked Questions

Sky Tavern has been teaching kids snowsports for over 75 years. In fact, Sky Tavern, staffed by volunteers, beat every ski area in the country and won the National Ski Areas Association Conversion Cup for being the best at getting people into the sport in 2021. You are joining the best team in snowsports.

The below information is helpful for parents and youth to navigate Sky Tavern’s Junior Ski Program.

NSAA Responsibility Codes are strictly enforced!

Everyone should receive a NSAA Responsibility Code Card with your pass, if you did not, ask the front desk.

Points to Your Responsibility Code:

Always stay in control. You must be able to stop or avoid people or objects.

People ahead or downhill of you have the right-of-way. You must avoid them.

Stop only where you are visible from above and do not restrict traffic.

Look uphill and avoid others before starting downhill or entering a trail.

You must prevent runaway equipment.

Read and obey all signs, warnings, and hazard markings.

Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.

You must know how and be able to load, ride and unload lifts safely. If you need assistance, ask the lift attendant.

Do not use lifts or terrain when impaired by alcohol or drugs.

If you are involved in a collision or incident, share your contact information with each other and a ski area employee.

Lift policies:

• All NSAA safety rules apply. See http://www.kidsonlifts.org/  

• Lifts may only be used by those with a current Sky Tavern pass/ticket.

• Surface lifts may be used by any level member.

• Any level child may ride any lift during free skiing times with an instructor or member adult. That adult is responsible for the safety of the child not only up but down the mountain as well. It is encouraged that Level 3P is attained before going to the top even with an adult.

• Always “Back to Back, Bottom to Bottom”

• Height restrictions apply at each chairlift for kids that must ride with an adult.

• Special Team members may be asked to ride only two to a chair.

• Follow all staff instructions and signage.

• Any “horsing around” may result in loss of lift privileges.

• Bar down 

Do I have to Volunteer? YES, all parents have positions.

Sky Tavern, particularly the Junior Ski Program, has been rooted in the practice of volunteering. Sky Tavern is a Northern Nevada tradition and the current members are focused on it being around for their kids and all the kids that come after.

The obligation of all adult members of STJSP is to help make the program work for the kids by pitching in for a planned two hours each day they participate. Some adults are support members that make the ski area operate, while others are instructing the kids or other adults. The term “If you don’t do it, it might not get done” was never truer than at Sky Tavern. We are all in this together. Sky Tavern is not purchased, it is created by its members. Involvement is essential.

Keep in mind we NEED volunteers ALL day not just from 7am-12 pm. If you don't know what to do, ask the Ambassadors with the ? on their back or the front desk.

Membership Categories

·        SkyKid. A 4 or 5 year old child skiing.

·        SkyBridge. 6 and 7 year olds skiing that are SkyKid graduates.

·        Grommet. The same as a SkyKid but up to 7 years old and a snowboarder.

·        Child of a Member. 6 or older kid that has an adult joining as well.

·        Bus kid. 9 or older on the bus program.

·        Jr Instructor. Kid that rocks by being an instructor.

·        Race Program kids. Additional fees apply.

·        Freestyle Program Kids. Additional fees apply.

Membership Categories for Adults.

• SkyKid Parent. Every SkyKid must have at least one SkyKid parent help in the program. A SkyKid parent can have more than one SkyKid. Being a SkyKid parent is your volunteer job.

• Certified Instructor (CSI). Instructors that have passed a minimum of Level 1 in PSIA or AASI. (Professional Ski Instructors of America, American Association or Snowboard Instructors.)

• Instructor. Adult member instructor. You start by teaching the very basics or snowsports. Try it!

• Support member. You run the operations of a ski area from the parking lot to the kitchen.  This membership allows lift access to ski or snowboard when not working.

• Member Only. The same responsibility to run the area, but no lift access. This comes with lots of new friends!

• Ski Patrol. A National Ski Patrol Member

• Bus Supervisor. Manages the bus rides to and from Sky Tavern

• Race Coach.

Ambassadors are the adults with ? on their back. They can fix almost all problems.

The Sky Tavern Junior Ski Program is a Saturday and Sunday program. The mountain is also open to ski during certain holidays. Watch the emails and the website. That goes for the weather GO or NO/GO message as well.

GO or ON HOLD/NO GO means simply either the program is happening that day (GO!) or not happening (ON HOLD/NO GO!) due to bad weather, bad road conditions, or some other reason. To find the message, check emails, the website, and the Sky Tavern Facebook page. The message on the office phone is also updated: 775-323-5125. The call for On Hold is made by 6:30 a.m. each day.

Arriving at Sky Tavern early, 7-8 a.m., makes the start easier. Enter the second driveway by the rental shop. Follow the directions for parking, and park closely.

WHAT DAY(S) CAN I GO? When you sign up as an adult member, you and your family have the option to go on Saturday, Sunday, or both days! The first two weeks we may limit this but try not to. The other requirement is that your children must take their lessons each day and you as the adult, volunteer your time each day.

Bus student’s parents must purchase a bus ticket, for the day(s) by Wednesday at noon to get the kids on the bus that weekend.

What if I don't know how to Ski or Snowboard? That’s okay! We have a ton of volunteer positions all over the mountain. Members Only is the registration category. We do have adult lessons so you can try to keep up with those kids.

WHAT GEAR DO WE NEED TO SKI OR BOARD?

Helmets! Everyone skis or rides with a helmet. Everyone! This is a rule! You need to buy your own. We may have some for scholarships.

Skiers need skis, boots, and poles unless they are little guys in SkyKids then no poles.
Snowboarders need boots and a snowboard with a leash. A stomp pad helps too.
Sky Tavern has an equipment season rental program.

Clothes. Waterproof! Dress in layers. Long underwear, ski pants, long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt, waterproof jacket, and glove liners, are all good gear to wear because you never know how the weather will be. Skiing and Snowboarding socks are slippery and make getting boots on easier. One pair is all you need. Wearing two pairs at once tends to make blisters and the only things in your boots are feet and socks. No pant legs (roll them up).

Sky Tavern has a tune room in the lodge. The volunteers there can adjust gear, fix gear, test gear, rent gear, and wax gear. Sometimes it costs a few dollars, but good gear changes skiing and riding for the better. Go see them.

GENERAL SKY TAVERN RULES FOR ALL

Don't be late! Classes start the lineup at 8:30-8:45. It is all about you, but class will not wait! 

We are all volunteers, no one on the sidelines. We all help. 

No sleds except when we give the go-ahead on certain days. 

No snowballs 

If you use the lunch trays for sleds, prepare to wash dishes. (fair warning!) 

Kids go to classes every day. 

Equipment stays out of the lodge except to get to the tune room. 

No alcohol during program hours. 

Smoking is allowed in lower parking lot and behind the lodge only, and not next to the fuel tanks.  

No Parking in the upper lot without a parking pass. 

No showing up at noon to just free ski. This is a training facility. Take lessons, then free ski.

EVERYONE HAS A BADGE AT SKY TAVERN. Wear your badge when at Sky Tavern, Please! It is how we know who belongs. If you bring a visitor, please go to the front desk and get a visitor pass. If you forget your badge, go to the front desk and get a temporary one. Everyone on the hill MUST be registered. If you see someone that you don’t think belongs ask them or ask a ? person to ask them. It is all about kid safety.

There are no drop-offs! All kids require a parent or guardian on the mountain the entire time the child is here. Special teams and bus kids are the exception.  

Sky Tavern opens in January between the 2 and 4th weekend, weather dependent and finalized as conditions are determined.   

Gear Bag Is a Must For Bus Students to protect the bus from damage. Does not need to be anything super trick. 

Please no loading and unloading at the upper lot. Don't ask, and don't try to blow the system. There isn't one parking space more than a three-minute walk in ski boots from the snow. The exception is getting someone out of Ski Patrol.  

How to stay Up-To-Date 

Visit the website regularly for updates. See the announcements page. It has all the emails from ST to members archived. 

HOW DOES THE DAY RUN?

When the program is a GO we recommend you be at the lodge by 8:00 a.m. PLEASE enter through the second entrance and park in the lower parking lot and follow the attendants' directions. Remember he is your neighbor. The upper lot is for CSIs, ski patrol, disabled persons, and ops staff. There is no unloading or loading in the upper parking lot. You will have to carry your gear. The parking lot boss will send you around to the lower lot if you park in the wrong spot. Set up a meeting place for you and your child to meet after classes are over. It's no fun for a child trying to find a lost parent!

BUS STUDENTS.

When the program is a GO we recommend you go to your school pick-up site by 7:00 am the first day with your gear stowed in a bag. Don't forget your lunch, meal pass or money. The pick-up times may change after the first day, but the bus supervisors will let you know. The goal is to have the buses leave at 2:30 but we do not let them leave until EVERYONE that rode the bus up is checked off on the way home. Students can stow their gear in our lockers (limited number and you can bring a lock to use on them for the day if you have one). There are lockers for bus kids. You can bring a lock if you want but take it home with you every day. If Mom, Dad, or Grandparents want to come see the new budding Olympian, please sign in at the front desk as a visitor. If you take them home early please sign them out of the buses, at the front desk. If we don't know where they are, we will hold the buses until they are found. This can make them very unpopular at school the next week.

Bus Parent(s) Need to know: 

• Parents must purchase a bus ticket, for the day(s) by Wednesday at noon to get on the bus that weekend. (if you miss the deadline please call and we will see if we have room)

• If you pick up your child early sign them out at the desk, so the parent volunteers are not looking for them at 2:45.

• Please pick up your child at the bus stop. Forgetting means another mom or dad has to stay there until you remember that you have a child. Eventually, the authorities will be called. Forgetting makes for interesting dinnertime conversations at a few houses; yours, theirs, and ours.

• Bus parents need to be available by phone all day long, just in case.

• All snowboards and Skis MUST be in a bag. The edges will cut the seats.

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HOW DOES THE DAY RUN for EVERYONE?

 Kids and instructors be dressed and have all your gear on by 8:30 am when classes are forming. On your child's badge there is a level number for which class they should be in. Level 1's go to a Level 1 class and so on. Classes will form right outside the lodge on the snow by the first chairlift (Sky Ridge). Signs are posted by each class so just look for your level number. Lessons start at 9:00 am and end between 11:00 am-11:30am-noon. All children are required to take their classes each day they're there. After classes are over, children are free to have lunch or free skiing until the end of the day. Children are only allowed to use the chairlifts when they have passed to Level 3P and above or with an adult. The lifts close at 4 p.m. Don't run in the lodge. Don’t duck under the ropes.

LUNCH

Sky Tavern has a full-service kitchen, offering breakfast and lunch. For breakfast, we offer items like doughnuts (from Doughboys), burritos, sandwiches, etc. Lunch offerings include burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, french fries, drinks, candy, chips, etc. There are also lunch specials that might come right from a Master Chef's kitchen. You are more than welcome to pack a lunch, but you would be missing out on the effects of some really good members in the kitchen and at the BBQ. Parents try to outdo each other with lunch specials. Food is also inexpensive compared to every other ski hill.

How classes and passing works

Sky Tavern teaches Snowsports. The idea is to get better at skiing and riding and enjoy it for life. Sometimes it is hard, and kids don't pass to the next level. Sometimes it takes a couple of tries, but if a kid is having problems, seek out a Certified Snowsports Instructor (CSI).  It is ok to ask after classes or lunch for one of them to help a kid. It is what they do. Most of the time it only takes a run or two to find the issue and a tool to correct it. The child may still have some work to do, but at least help is there.

Classes are organized by levels and kids. We try to keep like-sized kids together for a class. It's easier on the instructors and the kids. A class gets set up with an instructor and they all get scanned. Starting this season, we are going to attempt to track all the kid's progression through the levels with software that tracks instructors and kids.

Off to class for a few hours and then back to the bottom of the hill to get punched if they pass to the next level. Getting punched at Sky Tavern is a good thing. All the kids have level cards and instructors hole punches. If the level card got punched, up a level you go! It also means you will get scanned again. You are what you are punched. A child is the level that the punched hole is on, not the one above it. If the 3 is punched out, Bobby is a level 3.

How does the day end? BUS STUDENTS

Bus students are able to ski until 2:30 pm at which time they will not be allowed on any ski lifts. At 2:30 pm bus students are asked to get their gear together and get to their buses for the ride home. Buses normally return to the school sites by 3:30 p.m. If a bus kid goes home with a parent, they must be signed out at the front desk. Buses will not leave until all kids are accounted for.

MEMBERS

Adult members and their families are able to ski until the lifts are shut down at 4:00pm. Adult lessons and instructor clinics happen in the afternoon. Please help and put stuff away before you leave. Things like the ski racks and garbage need to be dealt with every night. Remember you are the staff of this place. Cinderella's flock of helpful birds do not show up and clean the lodge every night.

Instructor Clinics.

Throughout the season Sky Tavern needs instructors to take clinics on how to teach higher level classes. That way our kids have instructors to help them succeed as they get better. These are short, fun classes that help make a kid’s experience better and might just improve your skiing and riding too.