I did 1 east coast trip, 2 west coast trips this season. The following is the list of lessons I learned for each trip:
1) East coast trip (VT: Sugarbush / Stowe/ MRG/Kton) - Condition was very icy and hard packed snow. I fell on the 1st day, 1st run, with my head downhill and legs pointing uphill. As I was sliding down, I almost lost my pants. Lesson learned from this fall: make sure your pants are not loose! When skiing in VT, you must put the bar down. Otherwise, ski patrol will come after you!
2) West Coast Canada Whistler/Blackcomb and Sunshine/LL - experienced first powder day (67 cm the night I arrived) at WB. Lessons learned:
i) I fell again on the 1st day at WB, but that was like falling to the bed of white clouds/cotton, so soft and it did not hurt at all.
ii) How to put my skis back on in a steep trail.
iii) Sunshine / LL: if you are skiing with a group or in a group lesson, whenever you stop, you must stop downhill from the person next to you. That way, if you fell, you would not put others at risk of falling too.
iv) it is actually easier to get up if you fall on a steep terrain.
3) West Coast Alta/Snowbird - experienced what spring skiing was like. Lesson learned:
i) difference b/w traverse and cat track
ii) how to use rope tow and disc tow
iii) never stand at the choke point
iv) real reason why I tend to sit back and not leaning forward enough when I ski on a steeper trail
v) it was more fun to ski with others. (Ski with someone lower level than you: you have time to practice different drills. Ski with someone about the same level as you: you get to enjoy the terrains and scenery. Ski with someone above your level: you get to push yourself and advance further.)
vi) how to keep both skis at the same level (i.e. not one ahead of another) when going downhill.
vii) Depends on the time of the day and temperature of the day, it is crucial to know which part of the mountain to avoid, and where to go first.
viii) how to hold my poles, so they won't be in the way as I ski down a steeper trail.
ix) wear sun screen so you won't end up a raccoon face at the end of your ski trip.
x) your lips can get sun burned too! This one took me a while to figure out. Stupid me. My lips were swollen starting the 3rd day in Alta but I did not realize it was sun burn until I returned home 1 week later! How do you prevent it? Is applying lip balm with SPF 15 enough to prevent sun burn? I did not wear ski mask because it was so warm there.
All in all, after the 2 west coast trips this season, I consider myself no longer a country pumpkin and I've seen the big world! Before this season, I could only venture to do the easy blues in the mornings. Now, no more "morning blues"! I can do blues any time of the day, even some black diamonds!