Mar 21, 2007

Cobles Ski School (3 of 5)

Look on the top right, doesn't that look like a hand?

Explanation: The following 5-part look at various ski schools is put together with knowledge gleaned from actually skiing at, being at, coaching at or talking to people who have done one of those, additional info simply gleaned from the website. Thanks to CRB2 for putting all of this together. Smart-ass comments, as usual, by the CRB staff. Enjoy. Comment.

Up front:
ski school has the most lakes of any school in the country. With 9 ski able lakes but never more than 7 boats in action at once, Cobles ski school is run by professional skier April Coble-Eller, her husband Chris Eller (driver for current world slalom record), and Aprils parents.

The school is located about half way between Raleigh, NC and Fayetteville, AR in central North Carolina, specifically Lillington NC. Located on a old gravel mine, cobles can handle the largest load of students as well.

Coaching: 3.75 stars
While not the highest overall level of instructors that can be found, Cobles has perhaps the most dedicated instructors you can find. April pays close attention to each students situation and progress.

There are only a few top level instructors available, but rarly are there more than just a few top level students that come, so it works out fine. Very good slalom instructors, usually there are very good wakeboard instructors, and if there are no good trick or jump instructors available Chris or April will jump in the boat. Sometimes they have good barefoot instructors available.

...Ladies?
Amenities: 3 stars
Multiple options available on site. Girls stay in a trailer and something called a hooch, which just seems oddly named for a girls room. Guys stay in a big dorm and some small dorm style rooms, and families stay in suites (Certainly the best rooms available).

Sleeping quarters are nothing special, but your at ski school so get your lazy ass out of the room and go ski.

Yo, I got the shakes, help a brotha out.

Nightlife: 2 stars
C & G Country Bar and Iguanas Bar are the only two bars in the town of Lillington. The county was dry until about 2 years ago. Also the No Drinking on Site rule puts a damper in on site festivities. But if your dead set on partying, head into the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Great towns with great bars, just about an hour away.

UNC is located at Chapel Hill. Thats a big time college. Draw your own conclusions!!

Cost: 4 stars
$695 a week covers 4 days of skiing, meals everyday, rooms and instruction.
Single day, single lesson or Saturday lessons are also available.

Ski Conditions: 3.75 stars
When this school first opened the lakes had groomed shorelines that killed waves and kept the lakes glassy calm, but the shores have eroded badly and need some work. The strict slalom lake requires the boat to wait at least 2 mins at the end of each pass or you get bad rollers, but the shore lines don't affect the wakeboard lake or the jump course.

Lake six hidden in the woods is an amazing lake, with very tall trees on both sides of the lake, and narrow banks lined with lily pads that kill the waves, just watch for the snakes. With so many lakes and some protected by trees, there is always a good lake to ski on, even when its quite windy.

Weather: 4.5 stars
Always warm, sometimes a little too warm. Rains often, but at about the same time every day (sometime around noon). But the Hurricanes that often cause issues for Florida and Louisiana ski schools have mostly died out before they hit cobles area.

Scenery: 3 stars
The ski school is great, but the surrounding towns and countryside is run down and poverty stricken. Rahligh, Durham, and Chapel Hill are great and well worth the trip, but they are about an hour away.

And in regards to girls, they are great if your a 13 year old boy, but any older, and you should limit your gaze to the instructors.

I'm Sick of these MOTHERFUCKING tail winds on this MOTHERFUCKING jump course!!

Possibility for arrest/stds/alligator bites (shenanigans): 3 stars
Snakes are a common site, but less so than further south, but no real issues arise from local wildlife.

Chance for arrest might be good as there is a maximum security prison just down the road from the school.

GULP!! Better know how to wield your slalom ski as weapon young Jedi.

Links:
Coble Ski School (cobleskischool.com)

1 comment:

  1. warning for all those who venture into the tarheel state Don't let anyone convince you that fatback is tasty

    ReplyDelete

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