Hi, my name is Donny Trương. As a Ski & Ride Instructor at Whitetail Resort, I strive to create the Experience of a Lifetime for our guests.

My Journey

On January 20, 2020, my wife signed me up for a ski lesson at Whitetail Resort without telling me in advance. I took my first skiing lesson with Mr. David Mendelowitz and he changed my life. At the age of 42, I fell in love with skiing. For the 2021-2022 season, my wife bought Epic Passes for our entire family—all 6 of us. With the Epic Pass, I spent more time on the snow and leveled up my skiing skills.

On December 20, 2021, I took a snowboard lesson. I didn’t fare too well. After I sprained my right thumb, I gave up and focused on skiing. Even though I enjoyed skiing for the entire season, I felt the urge to challenge myself. I determined to give snowboarding one more shot in the next season.

On December 21, 2022, I took another lesson. I caught the edges and almost twisted my ankle. I kept on falling until I got a hang of it. I learned snowboarding at the age of 44. Once I got past the learning curve, I progressed quickly. After I graduated from the bunny, I moved on to the greens, blues, blacks, then double blacks. Once I was comfortable skiing and riding various terrains, I worked on carvings.

On February 21, 2024, I took a ski carving lesson with Ms. Mary Poscover—once again at Whitetail. She complimented my skiing and encouraged me to become an instructor. I didn’t think I had much to offer. Furthermore, I didn’t have the confidence to coach. Then again, I wanted to challenge myself.

On September 18, 2024, I applied for an instructor position and wrote an honest cover letter on “Why I Want to Teach Skiing and Snowboarding.” Whitetail accepted my application and hired me. I was thrilled. It was another life-changing moment for me. I decided to teach snowboarding because the learning process was still fresh on my mind. Drawing from my own experience, I could help guests minimize falling and enjoy riding.

On January 11, 2025, I taught my first snowboarding lesson after training rigorously, shadowing experienced instructors, and passing the jacket test. The session was nerve-racking, but went well. Since then, I looked forward to introducing first-time learner to snowboarding.

On December 25, 2025, I passed the the jacket test to teach skiing. Even though they share the same trails and terrains, skiing and snowboarding are two completely different sports. Each requires a different mindset and set of skills. I can switch between skiing and snowboarding and I enjoy teaching both.

Contact Me

Take Lessons

If you would like to take snowboard or ski lessons, you can book in advance online at Whitetail’s Ski & Ride School. For private lessons, you can request me. For group lessons, just show up and look for me. I teach most Saturdays and Sundays throughout the season. I am looking forward to skiing or riding with you at Whitetail Learning Center.

Snowboard Progression

  1. Connect: introduction & check equipments (5 minutes)
  2. Start on flat ground: demo “homebase” (athletic stance) position (5 minutes)
  3. Strap in both feet: revisit “homebase” position (5 minutes)
  4. Skate: skating both directions (10-15 minutes).
  5. Ride the magic carpet: explain loading/unloading carpet safety. Instructor’s last (30 minutes into lesson).
  6. Sideslip: demo toe edge and heel edge sideslip (10-15 minutes).
  7. Demo falling leaf: slide toe edge to heel edge and vice versa (15-20 minutes).
  8. Take the chair lift: explain safety, safety bar, and how to load and unload (1 hour into lesson).
  9. Make J-turns: toe and heel edges (15-20 minutes).
  10. Make C-turns: toe and heel edges (15-20 minutes).
  11. Make S-turns: by linking C-turns together (25-30 minutes).
  12. Wrap up: Thank guests for coming (5 minutes).

Ski Progression

  1. Introduce and learn guests’ names
  2. Check boots, helmet, and mittens
  3. Explain parts of the ski
  4. Talk about the poles
  5. Demo athlete stand (goalie position)
  6. Skate with one foot or both feet
  7. Side step uphill
  8. Glide straight down bunny hill
  9. Glide wedge (emergency brake)
  10. Make a left turn (put both hands on right knee)
  11. Make a right turn (put both hands on left knee)
  12. Ride the chair lift (2 people per chair)
  13. Explain how to get off the chair lift (lean forward and go straight down)
  14. Traverse across the hill with braking wedge
  15. Make J-turns in both directions
  16. Make C-turns in both directions
  17. Make S-turns by linking C-turns together

Tuning

I tune equipment too. Check out my Ski & Snowboard Services.