Travel to area facilities, 1 1/2 hour lesson followed by open practice, students grouped according to skill level: beginner, intermediate, advanced. Special fee covers bus transportation, lessons, and lifts.

Additional fee for rentals.

PAC Snowsports Program FAQ

Skiing -- Snowboarding – Telemarking

Winter 2017

What’s OSU’s PAC Snowsports Program?

The Physical Activity Course (PAC) Program offers 3 classes—alpine skiing, snowboarding, and telemark skiing to OSU students. Six 2-hour lessons are taught at Mt. Bachelor by their professional instructors. The rest of the time on the mountain (5 hours each day) is yours to practice on your own (all-mountain lift ticket is included for the lesson days).

Why do you go to Mt. Bachelor? Aren’t there less expensive options?

Quite simply, Mt. Bachelor has the most resources and the best ability to serve our group. Their Snowsports School staff is top-notch, the terrain is diverse and massive, and their snow is some of the best in the West (while we were on the snow each day for the past 3 years, local smaller resorts didn’t have enough snow to open…).

So I can ski or board for credit?

This is a 1-credit course.

Graded or Ungraded?

That’s up to you. The course is offered on a graded basis and it’s possible to register for the course with an S/U grading option. Taking the course S/U removes much of the pressure associated with grading. The course syllabus goes into more detail.

Where and when are the lessons?

Mt. Bachelor Ski/Snowsports School, 12:30-2:30pm on each of our scheduled mountain days.

Do I have to take lessons?

Yes. Lessons are required for all students. The course is designed to improve your ability—no matter what that ability is. Even if you’re an expert rider, you’ll find that the lessons help unlock some of Bachelor’s hidden routes and runs. Lessons have consistently been rated -- by 95% of our students -- as the best part of the course! What ability levels can the lessons accommodate? All ability levels can be accommodated, from first-timers to expert riders!

Do we get an all-mountain lift ticket?

Yes. You’re free to ride the entire mountain (in-bounds) when not in your group lesson.

When do we leave?

Busses board at several locations at OSU (to be determined) at 5:30am in order to be at Mt. Bachelor by 9:00am-ish.

When do we get back?

Busses leave Mt. Bachelor at 4:00pm—closing time. We should be back in Corvallis by 7:30pm, depending on road conditions or emergencies.

Do I have to block-out every Thursday?

Yes. We know of no OSU courses that will allow students to miss 6 class meetings on Thursdays in order to take a snowsports class. We will not provide students with an excuse to miss other classes. Additionally, if we have to cancel a trip to the mountain due to weather, students are asked to block out successive Thursdays as potential make-up days. There are some science classes that schedule midterms on occasional Thursdays. We won’t give you an “override” as an excuse to miss a midterm, but we do try to help you work around a conflict by adjusting the grading or seeing about leaving the mountain early.

How do we get to the mountain?

Charter bus. These are considered “luxury” charters, which means they have airline-style seats and gear storage underneath. They’re fairly comfortable and lend well to sleeping on the way to Mt. Bachelor.

Do I have to ride the bus?

Yes, generally. Exceptions can be made by consent of the instructor and in advance. Attendance, announcements, etc. are determined and made from the bus. If you cannot return to Corvallis on the bus, arrangements must be made in advance with the instructor.

Do I need to have my own equipment? No, but you’ll need to rent if you don’t own your own stuff. That comes at an extra cost. Mt. Bachelor has special group pricing at about $32 per day (instead of $42 per day) and it’s pretty conventient. You can also rent at a local sporting goods store if you think that’ll be better for you.

What is the class meeting?

There is one classroom meeting on the evening of the first Thursday of the term from 5:00–6:30pm. That’s for an orientation, review of class procedures, trip logistics, and completion of important course documents to prepare for the on-mountain sessions. Will we have midterms and finals? You’ll have evaluations/assessments that fall during the middle and the end of the course in keeping with this being a graded, for-credit class. They will be online via Canvas.

What’s the cost?

$396 plus the standard PAC fee. This covers lift tickets, instruction, and transportation. Equipment rental (if necessary) and food is your responsibility.

How do I pay?

Fees are billed with your tuition. Equipment rental and food costs are your responsibility and paid on the mountain. How does the price compare with just going on my own? Adult lift tickets at Mt. Bachelor are $92 per day this season ($552 for 6 days). Adult lessons went for $79 per session last year ($474 for 6 days). Add to that the transportation costs ($35 on select days from Peak Sports — $210 for 6 days) and, well, you do the math (hint: the total retail is $1236)… Any way you figure it, this class is a deal.

Are helmets required? Helmets are RECOMMENDED for all participants and REQUIRED for those in advanced levels in the terrain parks (whenever pipe work and aerials are attempted). Helmets can be rented from the Mt. Bachelor rental shop for about $11 per day.

I already have a season pass. Can I get a refund? No, sorry. I know it doesn’t sound logical, but we negotiate a lessons deal with the resort and they throw-in complimentary lift tickets. The fee is basically a reduced lessons fee. And because they comp us the lift ticket, they won’t refund something that they give to us for free.

Staying Informed

We use the course CANVAS site for weekly communication, class updates, and as a repository for skiing/snowboarding resources. Here are a couple other sites you might want to stay plugged-in to:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OSU-Snowsports-PAC-Classes-93208320486/

Mt. Bachelor: https://www.mtbachelor.com

Weather: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=43.98886243884903&lon=-121…