Going skiing for the first time.
 

Any Advice? I might be snowboarding too :cool:

Have you ever been snowtubing? It's SO much fun! It's the best!

1. ALWAYS try to land on your butt when you fall! If it's a choice between the ground and running into a tree, chose the ground. Your butt will save you. :)

2. If you fall forward, throwing your hands out to catch you can break your wrists. Cross your arms over your chest instead.

3. Wear a helmet and goggles. Your head will thank you. :D

4. Have a TON of fun. This is a chance to laugh at yourself all day long.

5. At the end of the day, grab some cocoa. It's the perfect finisher!

Fun!

Make sure to wear sunscreen on your face and lips because they will burn on a sunny day.
And if you've never skied, take a lesson or two. It brings a lot of confidence!

I'm so glad you started this thread! There's a good chance I'll be skiing/snowboarding for the first time very soon, and I don't know what to do either! :)

Buy yourself some snow goggles. Make sure they're tinted.

Wear a helmet!!

Take a lesson, stay in control, remember that downhill skiiers have the right of way, let people know if you're passing them, and if you have to stop on a slope, move over to the side.

how long will you be there? if you just have one day, i'd stick to skiing OR snowboarding. After you take the lesson and build your confidence up, you'll want to spend the day practicing what you've learned.

i've skiied since i was little, but last year was my first snowboarding trip. boarding is a TOTALLY DIFFERENT ADVENTURE; and I needed the entire day to get acclimated.

have fun and take pictures!!!

I hate all of you who have snow ;)

My mom has been skiing and she loved it...when she wasn't falling down. She has horrible balance problems. The more clothing the more padding she says lol.

I'd much rather try snowboarding though and snow tubing just sounds like a blast :)

I recommend sticking to the bunny hill as long as YOU feel necessary, not as long as the people trying to teach you feel necessary.

I went for the first time last winter break and my boyfriend & his dad convinced me towards the end of the night to go on a bigger hill. Didn't tell me until I was up on the lift that it was a mile long and ICY because of all of the packed snow from the day and the freezing temperatures. I sat because I got scared I would fall and I slid on my butt for a good 15 feet.
I was literally THE last person off the entire mountain with ski patrol, my boyfriend and his dad all standing at the bottom waiting for me. It was the most embarrassing thing ever.
So. Take YOUR time on working up to bigger hills. And don't wait until the end of the day to try the big one. lol

Take a lesson. And ditto on sticking to one or the other. They are not even remotely similar.

Take one of those lessons. It's like a half hour or an hour and teaches you how to fall, among a few other vital skills. It's worth the time and the money. The other skiers will thank you!!

I won't share my incident here because I don't want to scare you, but don't let anyone talk you into going down a hill you're not ready for, especially if there are icy conditions.

This!

Depending on where you're going, the resort should offer a "Learn to Ski/Learn to Ride" package that includes a day of lessons, a limited lift ticket, and ski/board and boot rentals. That's my biggest recommendation--and in the case of some of these East Coast resorts, the deal is much less expensive than renting the equipment and buying a lift ticket separately.

Good luck! Hopefully I'll be able to get on the slopes this winter.

Thanks you guys! I'll let you know how the trip turns out.

Have fun and I agree about taking a lesson.

Well, as you can tell my user name, this is my area.

TAKE A LESSON.
Most of the resorts have a learn to ski program. Use it.
Take a lesson for at least 3 days.
Ask the instructor for pointers.
IT IS OKAY TO FALL. If you are not falling, you are not trying hard enough.
Do not get discouraged. I have been skiing all of my life and still learn new things.

Neckgator/warmer. For $10, that will be the best thing to have. You can pull it over your chin, nose and cheeks for when it is cold or windy. Don't leave home without it. This is a must have.

LAUGH.
HAVE FUN.
Dress in layers.

Get some of those hand warmers at the base or at Walmart. They are good if you get cold. You can use them in your boots.

Have a good breakfast but not overkill. Don't fill up on pancakes and carbs that will weigh you down. A nice non-sugary whole grain muffin and yogurt will do. Same for lunch. Heaving chili will kill you for lunch. Grab a light veggie piece of pizza. Keep granola bars in your jacket for a quick snack.

SPF Lip balm. Your lips will burn. Trust me. Traditional lip gloss can make this worse, especially with spring time and the rays bouncing off of the snow.

MITTENS.
I like mittens over gloves because your hands stay warmer. Yes, adults wear mittens too. You will not be the only one looking like a six year old on the slopes. You can also buy mittens and gloves for that matter with loops that you put around your arms. This is great so when you are on the chair lift and have to pull something out, you won't lose your mittens/gloves or worry having to hold them.

Okay, I am not sure why you would not ski under or near a chair lift. If you fall, people will see you. I have called ski patrol from the chair on someone falling.

If you are going to Colorado, ski rentals will be cheaper in Denver than at the resorts. AAA might have some deals on lodging.

PM me if you have more questions or concerns.

THANK YOU ALL so much for the tips and advice. I really do appreciate it. I'm going to PRINT this out and take it with me.

Here is my reason for asking:

My father, whom I've never met in person but we've kept in touch over a period of 15 years, is a skier and snowboarder. He, his wife and my half brothers take an annual snow trip to Colorado. Over the years, I've tried to visit him but something would always come up or time was an issue. Now it's just a $$ issue for me and he is paying for my trip out there :). (BTW, he is from Chicago and I'm in San Francisco.) It will be a small sort of, overdue, family reunion. I'm so happy to finally meet him in person. I'm beyond excited!

NinjaPoodle,
I learned to ski at age 5 and have been skiing for 35 years. Double black diamonds are no biggie for me.
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Be sure to know the "Skier's Responsibility Code" (VERY IMPORTANT!)

1. Always stay in control.

2. People ahead of you have the right of way.

3. Stop in a safe place for you and others.

4. Whenever starting downhill or merging, look uphill and yield.

5. Use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.

6. Observe signs and warnings, and keep off closed trails.

7. Know how to use the lifts safely.

KNOW THE CODE. IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
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Also, never stop on a hill where people above you cannot see you, when they crest the top --- it's a collision waiting to happen.

You may find learning to snowboard easier as there is less "going on" (no poles, etc.). However, good for you for giving skiing a try.

Other tips: mittens will keep your hands warmer than gloves and you will need sunglasses for sun conditions and goggles for snow conditions (have BOTH at the ready, conditions can change very rapidly).

Do take a "Learn to Ski" lesson. It will be more fun for you and less frustrating for the more experienced skiiers (otherwise, they will waiting for you at the bottom of each run -- I'm not the most patient person myself :D ). Or take a lesson yourself in the morning and meet up with them for lunch and then ski together in the afternoon.

Lastly - don't go digging in your pockets for stuff on the chair lift -- many a skier have dropped a pole, cell phone, wallet or mitt off the chairlift and have had to ski back down the same run looking for it Just sit tight and wait until the end of the chair lift ride to check your cell phone or whatever you needed to do.

DITTO. :o


Ooooooh NP I'm so excited for you! This is huge! I hope everything goes well and it's everything you hoped for!