Where You Can Ski With an Olympian This Season

As Olympic fever begins to heat up ahead of the PyeongChang 2018 games next February, skiers and riders may be feeling more inspired and ambitious this season. To up your game and get into the Olympic spirit, here are a few resorts where you can bask in Olympic greatness and ski or ride with an elite athlete.

Whistler-Blackcomb, British Columbia, Canada

Skiers at Whistler-Blackcomb can relive the 2010 Winter Olympics when the hills of British Columbia hosted the world's most elite athletes, with the resort's "Ski with an Olympian" program. Budding skiers and snowboarders can meet a Canadian champion and fine-tune their techniques by training for a full day with an Olympic athlete or gold medalist. Olympic ski champs include Ashleigh McIvor, Julia Murray, Kristi Richards, Anastasia Skryabina, Britt Janyk, Kelly Ringstad, Mike Janyk, Rob Boyd and Ryan Johnson. Olympian snowboarders include Mercedes Nicoll, Crispin Lipscomb, Tara Teigen and Darren Chalmers. A full day with an Olympian costs CAD$995, while access to an Olympic medalist costs $2,500.

Crested Butte, Colorado, USA

You know you're not going to compete in the Olympics anytime soon. For intermediate skiers, extreme skier and Olympian Wendy Fisher will help you overcome stumbling blocks, reach the next level and build confidence in two-hour to full-day sessions. Fisher competed at the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France, won the 1991 US Nationals, and boasts two Extreme Freeskiing world titles. Rates start at US $150 for two and a half-hour sessions, to $875 for a full-day private lesson.

Deer Valley Resort, Park City, Utah, USA

At Deer Valley Resort, guests can choose between a total of seven Olympic athletes, including a Paralympic skier. Between them, the ambassadors offer expertise in mogul, ski racing, freestyle, aerials, and big-mountain skiing. The athletes include Heidi Voelker, Jillian Vogtli, Kaylin Richardson, Kris "Fuzz" Feddersen, Shannon Bahrke and Trace Worthington. Deer Valley emphasizes, however, that the experience is not a ski lesson, but more a day spent carving the slopes with a champion athlete. Prices are $1,200 for a half-day and $2,000 for a full day.