Do you like to ski alone?

[Tvan]

I like skiing alone. I love the silence of the woods in the snow, for one thing. But often there are plenty of people around, and one runs into them repeatedly in the lift line and on the trail. It's a friendly solo sport, in many ways.

I also like that I don't have to worry about being far behind, or waiting for someone who is far behind. But, of course, I also like skiing with others!

^This is me, too^
I’m not speedy and I have no patience for the “I dunno, where do *you* want to ski?” discussion on the lift (which DH seems to love.sigh.) I hate feeling like I’m slowing other people down, and I like to go at my own pace and I tend to make last minute decisions about which run to ski based on crowds and how I’m feeling at the moment.

 

[Tvan]

We sound pretty anti-social for a social group, lol!

We sure do like to socialize over food, as evidenced by a great many diva meals!

 

[dloveski]

Both alone (I can explore without worrying about another) and with my DH (who keeps me on my ski toes (is that even a thing?). And with my BFFs where we can gossip and catch up (on the mountain instead of a bar).

 

[Skidreamer]

Wow, I've never really consciously realised this. I'm perfectly happy skiing alone. My husband is an advanced skiier and I'm just stuck at intermediate so I don't like to hold him and all our friends up, they're all beyond my level. I am constantly working on improving myself and the hours just fly by, having random chats with strangers you meet on lifts or just grinning stupidly at the scenery and thanking my lucky stars I am at the snow. We just have an arrangement to catch up at mid morning and mid afternoon breaks, I catch up with the whole crew for a proper lunch wherever we've decided to go. These days I'll be with my little girl while my husband goes off. He really likes to ski with us and doesn't mind but I hate holding him back. I think I'm a bit too oversensitive about it really.

 

[marzNC]

These days I'll be with my little girl while my husband goes off. He really likes to ski with us and doesn't mind but I hate holding him back. I think I'm a bit too oversensitive about it really.

I hope you will give him the chance to ski with you and your daughter for a run or two every day she is on the slopes.

My husband is a total non-skier for assorted reasons. During my first spring break trip to Alta Lodge that was an alumni gathering for a small boarding school in the NY Adirondacks, I met an older schoolmate who is an old bachelor. I learned to ski at North Country School. My daughter attended NCS too.

Bill loves skiing with kids. There are always kids around Alta Lodge in April. He was an advanced/expert skier in Colorado in high school, so he could ski plenty of advanced terrain. But he's also a social skier who enjoys skiing with others at times, regardless of their skiing ability. I was an adventurous intermediate when my daughter was a tween. With the help of ski school at our home mountain and at Alta, she was a better skier than I was by age 11, if not age 10. Being able to ski a few runs a day with the two of them was great fun for all of us. It gave me a better idea of what she was capable of and more incentive to improve my own skiing.

Have you been investing in lessons for yourself? If I'd known what I learned in the past decade about lessons for intermediate/advanced adults, I would've started investing time and money in lessons sooner. I even got Bill started on lessons from very experienced instructors. It made a difference for him that means he also skis harder terrain, with less effort, than compared to 5-6 years ago. We are both over 65 now and both skiing longer days at destination resorts than ten years ago.

 

[Knitjenious]

I like skiing alone, though it feels like a treat because so often I am skiing with my kid. And while I enjoy sharing skiing with her and she is a strong skiier, it is hard to let go of always splitting my focus between my own skiing amd keeping an eye on her. When I ski with just my husband, I feel like I ski worse because he's, like, right behind me babysitting me and it makes me anxious! So I find skiing alone to be a real treat and something that helps me get better because that's when I feel free to push myself and explore my own limits.

I keep trying to rally my mom friends to take up skiing (or start again) to join me though! I would enjoy that, I think.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

My first season in Maine (21 years ago) was largely solo, hardly knew anyone. DH was ski school, always working when skiing. Weekdays, I would race out to do a.m. skiing (was caring for my mom that year), grab 3 hours, head home. It actually was okay, learned my way around several resorts. Now I prefer company.

 

[newbieM]

Wow, I've never really consciously realised this. I'm perfectly happy skiing alone. My husband is an advanced skiier and I'm just stuck at intermediate so I don't like to hold him and all our friends up, they're all beyond my level. I am constantly working on improving myself and the hours just fly by, having random chats with strangers you meet on lifts or just grinning stupidly at the scenery and thanking my lucky stars I am at the snow. We just have an arrangement to catch up at mid morning and mid afternoon breaks, I catch up with the whole crew for a proper lunch wherever we've decided to go. These days I'll be with my little girl while my husband goes off. He really likes to ski with us and doesn't mind but I hate holding him back. I think I'm a bit too oversensitive about it really.

this is exactly me. I very frequently stop off to the side and just absorb the majestic beauty and so thankful I found this sport in my 40s.

 

[Divegirl]

Yes - I like to ski alone. I have had wonderful days skiing with the Divas - some of my best days. I have been skiing almost 35 yrs - the 1st 25 yrs I skied alone, rarely with anyone else. Took some time to adjust to skiing with people these last 10 yrs. So why - I can challenge myself on particular trail over and over if I want, wander where ever, stop whenever. The main reason - skiing is an escape for me - my winter escape in the summer I have biking and the beach. It is the one place neither DH, my family or DH's family can or will follow. I'm the only skier in both families. I get to take my stress, anger and frustrations out on the mountain. Given the family issues I have dealt with past 10 yrs - I need "me time" to relax and recharge.

 

[MagicForest]

Do I like skiing alone? No, I'd rather have company, but I have to ski alone because I have no one else to ski with. My parents feel like they are too old to ski, and my brother is too cool to ski with me. My kids are learning to ski but are beginners. Hopefully it won't be too long until we have fun skiing together.

 

[newboots]

Do I like skiing alone? No, I'd rather have company, but I have to ski alone because I have no one else to ski with. My parents feel like they are too old to ski, and my brother is too cool to ski with me. My kids are learning to ski but are beginners. Hopefully it won't be too long until we have fun skiing together.

Where do you usually ski? There might be some Divas who ski there and would welcome your company!

After you make 25 posts, you’ll find additional conversations available to you, including one for arranging meetups.

 

[MagicForest]

Where do you usually ski? There might be some Divas who ski there and would welcome your company!

After you make 25 posts, you’ll find additional conversations available to you, including one for arranging meetups.

Thanks for the tip! This year I will be skiing places on the epic pass (NH, Mount Snow).

 

[newboots]

Thanks for the tip! This year I will be skiing places on the epic pass (NH, Mount Snow).

I might hit Mt. Snow this season! I’ll announce it here if it makes it into the rotation!

 

[jthree]

Do I like skiing alone? No, I'd rather have company, but I have to ski alone because I have no one else to ski with. My parents feel like they are too old to ski, and my brother is too cool to ski with me. My kids are learning to ski but are beginners. Hopefully it won't be too long until we have fun skiing together.

I prefer company too! But maybe that's because for too many years it was just me... my parents don't ski anymore, my husband doesn't really like to downhill ski, my sister was always too busy, the local friends I made just weren't skiers. So I like meeting up with friends when I can.

Also to me, skiing with someone doesn't mean you have to be together all the time on the trail... sometimes you can go your separate ways and meet up at the lodge.

 

[AdkLynn]

That's why they're called divorce boats.

 

[AdkLynn]

I like both, but I ski a lot on my own. Being a younger retiree, many of my friends are still working, so can't take off mid-week and I don't do weekends because my home resorts are way too crowded then.

I too, am a former boarder. I rode solo for years, cause as a senior girl, I was too slow for the kids! When I met a group of women skiers that I like, I joined them and switched to two boards, I love our social life, but still totally love to ski alone, it’s a soul experience!

 

[SallyCat]

I'm practically an evangelist for skiing alone. I don't think I even started doing it consciously, it's just that being single with friends with more restrictive schedules, I ended up doing it a lot because I just wanted to get out and ski.

I like going at my own pace and listening to audiobooks/podcasts on the lift.

I enjoy skiing with friends, too, but going solo means far fewer logistical decisions and a freer feeling to the day. My favorite thing is to have solo days where I meet up with friends for a few runs or lunch and maybe apres, but spend the bulk of my ski time alone.

 

[Whaly]

Bumping up this topic, I hope that's ok (first time poster here)!

I am very tempted about going skiing alone but I realized I actually never did it!

I am a good skier and I moved to Vancouver Island a couple years ago. Unfortunately, none of my friends here can ski, or have much availabilities to go with me.
I grew up on the Southern French Alps and use to go skiing all the time as a kid/teen. However, I haven't been going consistently over the past 10 years. I went to Jasper two years ago and found myself super confortable on my skies even after not skiing for three years. And I took a intro cours to touring last month, an be on the skies felt just so natural (and I really loved discovering backcountry skiing). So I am not worried about my ability to ski at all. But I still feel weird about the idea of going alone. Wich is funny because I do a lot of hiking/camping by myself and I love it!

I feel like skiing is perceived as a very social activities, the thing you do with all your family or a big group of friends. For some reason I keep overthinking it as something that might work for other people, better skiers, who go more often, etc, but not for me.

Any advice for a girl who never went to the resort alone, but is dying to get back on her skies ?
(Also if anyone seeing this live on Vancouver Island, feel free to reach out)

 

[TNtoTaos]

Bumping up this topic, I hope that's ok (first time poster here)!

Any advice for a girl who never went to the resort alone, but is dying to get back on her skies ?
(Also if anyone seeing this live on Vancouver Island, feel free to reach out)

Always fine to bump up a post -- it's fun to revisit them, or maybe we missed it first time around.

I ski alone often, as well as with friends. What I enjoy about skiing alone:
- Being able to ski as slow or fast as I want, and practice stuff I've learned;
- Meeting interesting people on the lifts;
- Skiing as much or little as I like; not having to match schedules with anyone.
I'm sure others will have other comments, as well.

One point, though -- when I am skiing alone, I don't ski trees or runs that are very deserted (like 3 PM on the "back side", etc); and I try to avoid any runs that are above my skill level, that I might try with friends or instructors. I also keep aware of my physical stamina, so when I'm feeling tired, I quit.

 

[Amie H]

Bumping up this topic, I hope that's ok (first time poster here)!

I am very tempted about going skiing alone but I realized I actually never did it!

I am a good skier and I moved to Vancouver Island a couple years ago. Unfortunately, none of my friends here can ski, or have much availabilities to go with me.
I grew up on the Southern French Alps and use to go skiing all the time as a kid/teen. However, I haven't been going consistently over the past 10 years. I went to Jasper two years ago and found myself super confortable on my skies even after not skiing for three years. And I took a intro cours to touring last month, an be on the skies felt just so natural (and I really loved discovering backcountry skiing). So I am not worried about my ability to ski at all. But I still feel weird about the idea of going alone. Wich is funny because I do a lot of hiking/camping by myself and I love it!

I feel like skiing is perceived as a very social activities, the thing you do with all your family or a big group of friends. For some reason I keep overthinking it as something that might work for other people, better skiers, who go more often, etc, but not for me.

Any advice for a girl who never went to the resort alone, but is dying to get back on her skies ?
(Also if anyone seeing this live on Vancouver Island, feel free to reach out)

I almost always ski alone and through trial and error, I've come up with a "routine." Never carry a boot bag, just am dressed & boot up in the car. Carry a lift-safe backpack w hydration pack, lip balm, sunscreen, and lunch/snacks. And I try to ski more "leisurely" runs for safety reasons.
But it depends where you go - you might meet people on the mountain!
I was in Tahoe for The 1st time a few years ago, started chatting w a lady my age on the long tram ride up. She invited me to ski w her so I did. I ended up doing slightly more challenging skiing than I planned to (was within my abilities) bc I was with a buddy.Even met her & some other folks for apres. You just never know.

Considering where you live, could you join a ski club? A local sports shop might be able to get you connected with one?