Ski Coaching by NUBA redefines skiing, in an experience designed for those looking for much more than just a vacation in the snow.
With an innovative approach, NUBA redefines what it means to ski, offering personalized support that adapts to the skills and expectations of each rider.
NUBA’s Ski Coaching is much more than a lesson; this experience becomes a journey of self-discovery, guided by real experts and conducted in some of the world’s most exclusive ski destinations, selected for their quality and exceptional conditions.
In this interview, Piter Padilla –NUBA’s ski expert– shares his perspective on Ski Coaching and how this approach goes beyond technique, as well as the importance of overcoming one’s limits with an experienced guide; opening the door to a unique way of connecting with the mountain and with oneself.
NUBA: Piter, tell us how your relationship with the mountains and skiing began. What was it
that inspired you to make it your profession?
Piter Padilla: I was lucky enough to have my parents take me skiing when I was only 5 years old, and from the time I was a little boy, I was deeply touched by it. Whenever I went skiing I couldn’t sleep the night before because of the excitement. As a teenager I loved showing people the ski areas I knew and I realized that I could make it my profession.
NUBA: You’ve skied in stunning destinations around the world, from the
Alps to Japan. What makes each place unique for you?
Piter Padilla: It is difficult to compare different destinations because each one is different and unique in its own way. But since you mention the Alps or Japan, the former offers immense skiable domains with first class facilities and Japan represents nascent skiing for powder seekers, hence its colloquial name of Japow because of its intense precipitation. Now, I have to admit that Canada and Norway are my favorite destinations.
Ski Coaching and Trends
NUBA: Ski Coaching is becoming a trend for skiers who
are looking for more than just a lesson. How does Ski Coaching differ from a traditional ski lesson? How would you describe the experience?
Piter Padilla: Ski Coaching is a more dynamic and personalized service, based on practice and motivation. After many years, we have come to the conclusion that it is preferable to ski and reinforce the things that are done well, as well as correcting defects, rather than burdening skiers with too much information that is sometimes difficult to process.
On the other hand, based again on our experience, we have realized that sometimes the biggest limitations are in our head, and it is these limitations that prevent us from moving forward, either out of fear or respect. Ski Coaching tries to go beyond the traditional lesson and seeks personalization based on the study of the limitations of each skier and how to try to work on them.
NUBA: What are the current trends in luxury ski travel? What
are customers asking for and expecting? What destinations are gaining popularity among
more experienced skiers and those looking for new adventures?
Piter Padilla: There are currently two very clear trends: on the one hand, ski-in ski-out hotels, which are given great value in the more traditional resort-based skiing, as it represents a great comfort to be able to leave and arrive skiing to the accommodation. On the other hand, requests for great adventures in remote but comfortable destinations are gaining strength, with heliskiing, ski and sail or ski mountaineering programs.
In the last decade, skiing has undergone a revolution in every sense, from the equipment to the approach. Mainly, freeride or backcountry are the focus of interest for more experienced skiers and are, without a doubt, the target of intermediate skiers. Skiing on untreated snow is possibly one of the most incredible experiences you can have, I always say that there is no way to traverse a mountain slope in a more natural, fast and intense way than skiing.
As for destinations, I would say that Japan has boomed in recent years, due to its intense rainfall, as I mentioned before, coupled with how exotic we find that country. Norway and its ski mountaineering are incredible. In addition, other surprising destinations are emerging, such as Georgia, Turkey or Kazakhstan.
Customization and Experience
NUBA: One of the pillars of Ski Coaching is personalization. How do you manage
to adapt each experience to the level and expectations of each client?
Piter Padilla: Prior advice and knowledge of the client is fundamental for this personalization. We take care to know and analyze every detail of the client, from their level and technique to their previous skiing experiences. It is important to know with whom the client is going to travel -family or friends- and what they want to focus on: unique experiences, improving their technique, getting to know secret places? Everything is possible with the right support, which is why Sky Coaching makes all the difference when it comes to designing a luxury ski trip.
NUBA: Tell us about the more exclusive experiences NUBA offers at
destinations such as Norway, Iceland or Canada. What kind of adventures can
skiers expect with NUBA Ski Coaching?
Piter Padilla: You mentioned three incredible destinations.
Canada for me is skiing without limits, its dimensions are infinite and its snow is incredible. It also has the best industry in the world for skiers looking for freeride or backcountry, supported by its heliski or catski companies.
Iceland is the youngest land on the planet, forged by ice and fire. A land overturned to the sea, northern lights in March and midnight sun in June. In addition, it offers first descents in a very wild and unique terrain. What more could you ask for?
Norway would rank as the best destination for ski mountaineering. Climbing its peaks surrounded by fjords and descending to the seashore is a brutal experience. All this together with its accommodation in rorbu cabins, the northern lights or the experience of going out to fish cod and then taste it, make it a destination like no other. Besides, it is not a long flight from Spain.
The Philosophy behind Ski Coaching
NUBA: For you, what does it really mean to challenge limits on the mountain? How
do you encourage skiers to explore new frontiers, both physically and
mentally, through your sessions?
Piter Padilla: Challenging the limits of the mountain depends on one’s limits, even the most experienced mountaineers in the world find limitations in the mountains. It is a complicated environment and has a capricious meteorology that changes suddenly.
We all have our comfort zone and getting out of it, even if it costs us, brings us great satisfaction in the face of the challenge we have achieved. And it is here where the personal limits reside before the scenario we face.
For this reason, the aim is not to set a goal that is difficult to reach; the task is to expand that comfort zone step by step, where the concept of taking a step is not the same for all skiers, hence the importance of customization.
There is a concept that we have clear when we ski with a group, the leader is always the weakest and not the one who skis the best. On the other hand, for us, the one who skis best is the one who enjoys the most.
NUBA: In addition to improving technique, Ski Coaching also seems to have a
component of connecting with nature. How do you integrate respect for the
environment and adventure into a transformative experience for the client?
Piter Padilla: That part is inherent in the activity itself, that is, it is the environment itself that demands respect for it. The mountains are incredible and the snow is one of the most beautiful elements of this world that awakens admiration in everyone.
Exclusive Services and Security
NUBA: Safety is key in sports such as freeride or heli-skiing. How
do you prepare your clients to face such demanding environments?
Piter Padilla: When you freeride or heliski, you assume a series of risks, and the main one is the risk of avalanches. That’s why it’s important to provide basic training to be able to respond to an event like this and that the guides provide their knowledge and safety to the skiers. Also, at the beginning of the trip, rescue practices are done and every morning, before starting the day on the mountain, a briefing is given based on the weather conditions and the avalanche forecast.
NUBA: One of the services you offer is the teaching of avalanche prevention techniques and
avalanche rescue. Could you explain how this training works and
its importance for off-piste skiers?
Piter Padilla: The training is mainly based on the use of the trilogy shovel, arva and probe. The shovel is mainly used to dig for victims, the probe is used to probe for people under the snowpack and the arva is a radio device that emits or receives waves that mark your position or the position of the victim, depending on how you have it programmed. It has the option of broadcasting your location when skiing and goes into receiver mode when searching for a person under the snow.
In addition, it is important to transmit some basic notions of the terrain, to avoid trap terrain, such as convex areas, or to finish a descent in areas of difficult exit. It is also important to know what procedure to follow when skiing in a group.
For this purpose, we provide a quick-to-read and illustrative digital manual explaining all aspects to be taken into account.
Unforgettable Ski Experiences
NUBA: Is there any particular experience, any destination or anecdote that has particularly marked you
as a ski guide?
Piter Padilla: I remember one day in Canada, skiing with a group on WhiteQueen Peak, coinciding with my birthday. We had had heavy precipitation for days, the snow was super dry with a thickness of more than a meter of fresh snow. We started the descent and with every turn you could clearly feel yourself literally plunging deep into its thickness, as if you were disappearing under it (that’s when we say you need a snorkel). When I finished the descent I was literally in tears with emotion, I had felt what it was like to be, really, in the clouds.
NUBA: Of all the destinations you’ve skied, which do you consider to be the most
surprising or challenging for more experienced skiers?
Piter Padilla: Without a doubt, Canada. I’m sorry to be a repeat offender with this destination, but it is my right eye. I lived there for 7 winters and it’s where I did all my training. Canada has everything a skier could want.
With NUBA’s Ski Coaching, every day on snow becomes an opportunity to push limits, hone skills and connect with the natural environment.
Thanks to the experience of experts like Piter Padilla, NUBA transforms the ski trip ski trip into a unique experience, where learning, emotion and respect for the mountain are combined in an unparalleled proposal.
Thus, skiing ceases to be just a sport and becomes a transformative experience, designed for those who seek to explore not only new peaks, but also new perspectives.
