Do you ski?

In My Humble Opinion
41

I was practically born skiing. Both my mother and father were advanced skill-level skiers, and before my fourth birthday, I snapped on my first pair of skis. My brother, who is four years older than I am, began skiing when he was very young as well. I’ve always loved it as a pastime, and although I like to watch ski races in the Olympics and such, I’ve never been interested in participating in the competitive sport aspect of it

I remember taking full-day lessons two days in a row then moving on to half-day lessons after that. The rest of the time, my parents taught me. By the time I was six or seven years old, I was allowed to go off by myself for most of the day. I would meet up with my family for lunch and to leave the ski area once the lifts closed for the day. I remember being so short, I’d have to jump up when the lift chair came around to scoop up the other skiers; if I remained where I was, the chair would whack me in the middle of my back sending me flying face first into the snow, at which point one of the friendly Native Americans running the lifts would come pick me up, dust me off, and plop me into the next chair.

Before I broke my arm skiing when I was sixteen*, I was quite a hot-dogger, as they say. My brother and I both loved doing the little jumps created by earlier skiers. There was no such thing as too fast for us. I lived for the trails meant for advanced skiers. Now I’m a older (31), and I’m content to ski the intermediate trails for fun instead of the expert trails for work. I never want to break another bone, so I’m cautious.

I love skiing. It’s the only thing that makes cold weather bearable for me. I live less than 100 miles from the ski area where I learned to ski. Although I’ve skied in Colorado and Northern New Mexico, I still prefer my little local area. I’m familiar with it. I know the lift numbers and the trail names like the back of my hand.

I haven’t skied in a few years for a couple reasons: a) the tickets are expensive (I own my own equipment) and b) while my husband appreciates skiing, he doesn’t relish it like I do.

*I broke my arm when a guy lost control in front of me. All of his equipment scattered in every direction as he crashed. Unable to stop my descent of the steep trail, I tripped over his stuff and landed face first, bracing myself against impact with a solid sheet of ice with my elbows. My right humerus snapped apart about four inches south of my shoulder. The ski patrol guys put me in one of those sleds and pulled me down the mountain. Let me tell you, it’s not as fun as you think when you feel every miniscule vibration in a freshly broken bone. Good times.

42

This thread is of practical interest to me. Thanks to Dung Beetle for starting it, and for everyone’s stories.

See, I used to be a pretty good skier. Spent lots of time on the slopes as a kid, plus occasional X-country. My last time up was when I was around 20, after which I moved to the big city to attend college and never found time to pick up the poles.

Fast forward to today, mumblemumbleteen years later.

Now, the woman I’ve seeing for the last few months is an avid snow bunny. She’s interested in boarding more than skiing, but is comfortable either way. I’d love to get back up on the slopes, but with X years of age on my body, and all that down time after my last outing, I’m uncertain how much I’ll remember, and how comfortable I’ll be.

Is it really, as lieu says, like hopping back on a bicycle? Will I have an hour of flailing and falling down, and then be swooping gaily across the powdered hills? Or am I setting myself up for taking a big bite out of a tree?

43

Well, before I went up after twentymumblemumble years I went (with some work mates) to the local indoor snow dome for a I don’t want to make a fool of myself session. I was pretty nervous when I got on the snow, so I took a deep breath, pushed off, and was fine. Two runs to get past snowploughs, and I was turning and swaying and hitting the jumps and in control. I fell over on my last run down because I hit a massive ice patch at the bottom.

It made it so much easier when we got to France. It was an bit of an issue for the lessons - I was put in Intermediate 2, and was OK. The next day someone else joined, and she wasn’t quite as good - two of the group were really good, I was in the middle, and she was lower than me. The instructor wanted to split the group, but I was stuck in the middle - too good for a lower group, but only just keeping up. In the end I stayed and was challenged, and it was great.

So go for it - do a bit of fitness work first if you need to, see if you can sneak in a refresher day on your own first, or book some lessons. Your lady won’t mind, and if you take it easy, neither will your body. Then have a ball.

[crass commercial slogan]Just do it.[/crass commercial slogan]

Si

44

I used to ski, but several years ago I caught the snowboard bug and never looked back.

My wife had never been on a set of planks, but on her first outing I got her off the bunny slopes by following this formula:

  1. Outfitting. Specifically, if your hands and feet are properly protected, you will have an almost impossibly better time. Glove liners, good outer gloves and layered socks are the key.

  2. Falling. Have a good, controlled spill early on in the game. Try to knock the wind out of yourself if possible.

  3. Bring a burly companion who snowboards. When his boots are unbound from the board, he can run to you in a jiffy and support you a whole lot easier than if he were in ski boots.

45

I believe it’s very much like “hopping back on a bicycle” in that once you master the balance necessary to stay upright while heading down a slope with your feet strapped to a pair of wax-lubricated planks, you’ll probably always be able to find that balance again no matter how much time goes by.

If it’s been a while since you skied, I’d suggest some basic stretch exercises before you start out; they will probably keep you from being so sore the next day. Then try a few practice runs on a beginner slope. You’ll get reacquainted with how to get on and off a chair lift, and you can ski on gently sloping terrain until you rediscover that balance.

46

The oldest person I taught to telemark was 79, and had never been on skis before. He took to it like a bear to honey.

Shaped/parabolic skis turn very easily when compared to older skis. For a given type (slalom, GS etc.), they tend to be shorter and lighter than earier skis, and they also tend to hold an edge better and vibrate less. Their shape (hour glass) makes them turn when the edge is pressed into side of the hill – essentially bending the ski to make an arc. All in all, when combined with risers for leverage, it makes for much easier skiing, for the skis are much easier to control. Folks who occasionally haul out their old staight skis are often surprised at how much more difficult it is to ski on the old straight skis.

Bindings have not changed too much in the last couple of decades. The main advances have been in ability to release under downward pressure, to haul you back into the binding if you start to release but regain control, and most importantly, to let you go if you are having a slow turning release (thus saving you from a tibia fracture). These days, injuries due to bindings not releasing or inappropriately releasing are rare.

Boots are high enough to give you a rock solid platform that you can press against with your lower shin, but do not have excessively high cuffs (some in the 70s did, causing fractures).

With good skis, bindings and boots, it is unlikely that you will break a leg. Head inuries, however, are still possible if you take a nasty fall, if you run into a tree, or if a WhoaFuck! skis into you. Wear a ski helmet, stop at the sides of runs rather than in the middle, always look before you enter traffic, always ski in control, and once you get your legs under you, try to avoid green and blue runs where poor skiers might run into you.

Instruction very much depends on the individual instructor – some are wonderful, while some are just there to get a free ski pass. If your instructor does not appear to be the best thing since sliced bread, aks for another one. There is a general trend to focus core concepts, such as basic body position, and progress out from there – it makes for an easy learning curve for folks new to the sport. Beyond individual insruction, some areas offer group instruction and day long instructor guided group excursions. Generally, you will get more bang for your buck with group instruction, for you will be better able to understand what good things and bad things you are doing if you are to watch others facing the same challenges. Consider instruction that includes being your being videoed for later critique, and if money is no object, consider a program with in-helmet radio reception through which your instructor is your voice of god while you are skiing. On an ongoing basis, a race training program can help you progress, even if you are not into racing, for you will be surrounded by folks who are intent on improving their skiing.

47

I first tried skiing at age 37 (two seasons ago). I can’t imagine why I waited so long, except for the living in Texas thing and not having snow :smiley:

I took a few lessons with the groups. I also took my time getting off the greens (I just started with easy blues). This year, I’ve hired a private instructor (which has been a GREAT help).

I’ve certainly done my share of falling, but the worst injury was getting trapped under a ski lift (my knee still barks about it). Otherwise, I’ve been lucky, I suppose - and have gotten pretty good at knowing when to stop (which seems to be the best way to avoid injury).

Skiing is an AMAZING way to spend the weekend :slight_smile:

48

My first time on skis could’ve resulted in a serious injury. Not to me, but to the little kid who was in front of me on the tow rope. He fell down. I swear, I tried to miss him. And, at least one ski missed him. The other ski only speared him a little before the bindings snapped loose. Then I fell on him.

Thank God the little dude was all right.

I got better after that. I skied Colorado a few times and even Innsbruck, Austria once.

I haven’t skied in nearly twenty years, though. I guess I feel the cold more and want to put my limbs at risk less these days.