Just Learning?  Skiing that is..

Growing up, I had friends who would return from annual ski trips with rosy cheeks, ready to regale me with tales of their adventures on double black diamond slopes. But mine wasn’t a skiing family, partly because there were five kids and it’s an expensive vacation. Plus, I didn’t really care. We went other places.

Quite a few years ago , I decided I wanted to learn how to ski. The idea of waddling around in heavy boots, lugging skis, and trying to scratch that itch on my back through puffy gloves was intimidating enough, let alone the skiing part. When I made it to the top of my first run, I watched everyone around me hop off the lift and zoom down. Not so with me.

My skis weren’t properly fitted and my goggles kept fogging up. And when I’d inevitably fall down, one ski would fly to the left and the other to the right.
Then something clicked. Call it a combination of patient practice and newfound confidence, but I felt like I could fly. I don’t consider myself a great skier now, but with the right gear, a little help, and some advanced planning, it’s possible to learn as an adult.

Here are some tips to make your transition from non-skier to skier as smooth as possible:

Pick your mountain carefully. While almost every ski resort has bunny hills, some mountains are better for beginners, like Breckenridge. Breckenridge Ski Resort is an alpine ski resort in the western United States, in Breckenridge, Colorado. Just west of the Continental Divide in Summit County, it is perennially one of the most visited ski resorts in the western hemisphere. I learned to ski at Killington VT and found it very accommodating, too.


To rent or not to rent? If you are renting, it is important to be honest when filling out paperwork (i.e. don’t lie about your weight!). “As long as the information is accurate, the boot will fit extremely well,” Perkins said. “You’re only supposed to come out of the ski if you take a fall.” Tim Perkins is the owner of Elevation Ski and Bike a company designed to assist in your experience of ski rentals and equipment. They will deliver and pick up anything you rent in Breckenridge, which is extremely helpful for everyone.

See past the sticker shock. The costs associated with skiing can seem prohibitive, but much of it comes at the beginning. Choosing high-quality gear now means you won’t be buying it again for a long time. “Ideally you’ll need a basic pair of snow goggles, socks, lip balm, hand and toe warmers, ski pants, a good jacket, a good pair of gloves, and a helmet. Helmets are really the standard now, even on the covers of ski magazines. A lot of ski schools require them,” Perkins said.

Embrace new technology. Ask your rental shop or concierge service about rocker ski technology. “We’ve seen a lot of success with beginners and rocker skis,” said Perkins. The tips and tails of the skis are a little bit bent upward, which prevents the ski from catching, and you going to the ground.

Request a certified instructor. It may be helpful to hire a private instructor for at least one day. If you’re skiing in the U.S., make sure to look into whether the staff is certified by the Professional Ski Instructors of America organization. In an ideal world, you would have a fully certified instructor (there are three levels of certification) — i.e. what is considered to be a top pro — but Level One instructors are fully capable of helping beginners learn how to learn the slopes.

Get in shape before you go. It’s a good idea to do some core conditioning and lower body exercises before you hit the slopes. “Skiing is a very active sport and the people that have the easiest time picking it up are athletic already."  If you are a 22-year-old biker, the movements are obviously going to be very natural. It will take a little longer for those who don’t do athletics.”

Commit to three days. For group lessons, it’s best to commit to three full days — the time it usually takes for a new skier to gain confidence and ability to handle the easy runs. “On day one, you are learning about your equipment, how to take skis on and off, how to stand, and how to control your speed. Day two is spent refining [your] turning because that’s what controls your speed, and on day three, you really start to experience what skiing is all about.”

Don’t be afraid to ask. There are millions of skiers out there, and each has nuggets of information that can save you time and frustration (plus, every mountain is different!). For one, don’t ever wipe the inside of your goggle lens. I wish I had known this when I was learning to ski. You want a goggle with anti-fogging coating but try never to wipe the inside of your goggle lens with your glove or jacket or you’ll risk scratching the lenses and making them foggier. Anti-fog cloths can work but the best way is to air-dry them or use the hand dryer in the restroom. When in doubt, ask.