Skiing alone - thoughts?

[marzNC]

I have never skied alone but will start doing so next week. Hubby got a temp job and cant ski with me anymore :( We have midweek passes to Big Sky so I am going to overcome my timidness and venture out alone! We usually park on the Moonlight side since its close to the lifts. I am kind of shy so skiing single intimidates me a bit. But I need to do it!

Big Sky . . . will you be around in late February? I'll be at Big Sky for about a week with friends, including a few Divas.

Even as a local, you could do the free mountain host tour for some company. Midweek I'm sure they would be happy to ski with someone. I did a tour with a Diva who was a mountain host at Snowbird for the first hour. Even though I'd skied Snowbird enough to know the basics, I learned something and had a good time chatting on the lift rides.

Note that once you have more posts, you'll be able to see the Meet On The Hill (MOTH) threads. That's where it's easier to find out where Divas are looking for ski buddies for a trip or just a few runs locally. Did you start a Getting To Know You thread? If you put "Big Sky" in the thread title, it will be easier for others who are going to ski Big Sky to notice.

 

[skibumwannabe]

I have never skied alone but will start doing so next week. Hubby got a temp job and cant ski with me anymore :( We have midweek passes to Big Sky so I am going to overcome my timidness and venture out alone! We usually park on the Moonlight side since its close to the lifts. I am kind of shy so skiing single intimidates me a bit. But I need to do it!

Just do it! You ll do great. Say hi on each ride up
Love Big Sky

 

[canannie]

Great discussion ! I took group lessons locally for a few years and met some great ski buddies who I still ski with sometimes.I needed those buddies at that time where I wasn't feeling as confident. But now most of the time I go solo and if I run into people we do some runs together, which is great. But this year has been skiing solo mainly just because of peoples schedules. I think if I was not at my own resort I'd probably take a lesson to feel comfortable on the mountain. I enjoy both at times !

 

[Abbi]

I ski alone a lot but have been very lucky to have been adopted here and there. My Friday ski group collected me from the singles line at Okemo a few years ago. A few other times I have skied with someone I met on the lift. @Mary Tee, I DO understand the hesitation but if you have a nice chat with someone be brave and suggest trying a run and offer the caveat of 'don't wait, take off if I'm holding you back'. I've had some wait and others not! I tend to be the anchor of any group!

I had an amazing day at Deer Valley when a group from Seattle asked if I wanted to ski with them. We were compatible and skied and lunched together all day. Much fun!

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

I love skiing alone. I am the only skier in my pack of friends (the rest snowboard), so it is nice to go by myself every here and there. No waiting around for the endless strapping/unstrapping before and after the lifts. Plus, I can go on terrain that they tend to avoid (steeps with bumps, dips into the trees, etc). I tend to challenge myself more when I'm by myself because I don't have to worry about staying with the group. I don't have to worry about waiting for others, or them waiting on me if I eat it. It's really relaxing and centering to me to have nobody else I need to take into consideration; just me, my skis, and my music. Doesn't happen often though - DH is always along, so unless he takes a break, it is usually the two of us.

I am, however, a level five chatterbox and will talk to anybody on the lift, in the lodge, in lines, etc. that makes the mistake of making eye contact with me lol. I've met some very interesting people that way and learned some good tips!

I once got hit on by a high schooler on a lift who thought I was his age though (I'm small in stature and was all wrapped up in a gaiter and stuff, so probably hard to tell). That was awkward. Had to slip something into the conversation about "way back after I graduated from college in '03" for him to realize I was waaaaay older than he thought. The look on his face was quite comical. The rest of the lift ride was really quiet.

 

[backpackingmom]

I love skiing alone. I am the only skier in my pack of friends (the rest snowboard), so it is nice to go by myself every here and there. No waiting around for the endless strapping/unstrapping before and after the lifts. Plus, I can go on terrain that they tend to avoid (steeps with bumps, dips into the trees, etc). I tend to challenge myself more when I'm by myself because I don't have to worry about staying with the group. I don't have to worry about waiting for others, or them waiting on me if I eat it. It's really relaxing and centering to me to have nobody else I need to take into consideration; just me, my skis, and my music. Doesn't happen often though - DH is always along, so unless he takes a break, it is usually the two of us.

I am, however, a level five chatterbox and will talk to anybody on the lift, in the lodge, in lines, etc. that makes the mistake of making eye contact with me lol. I've met some very interesting people that way and learned some good tips!

I once got hit on by a high schooler on a lift who thought I was his age though (I'm small in stature and was all wrapped up in a gaiter and stuff, so probably hard to tell). That was awkward. Had to slip something into the conversation about "way back after I graduated from college in '03" for him to realize I was waaaaay older than he thought. The look on his face was quite comical. The rest of the lift ride was really quiet.

My hubby us worried I will get "hit" on lol - when your all geared up with helmet, goggles, and a buff over your nose - I can pretend to be 20 again lol !

Great advice on this thread! I am going to def ski next week all by lonesome!

 

[marzNC]

Just do it! You ll do great. Say hi on each ride up
Love Big Sky

The hard part midweek can be even finding someone to ride the lift with. I've had to be pretty deliberate about pushing forward to join someone who looked somewhat friendly when 90% of the chairs are empty during my solo ski safaris in the northeast.

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

Asking about conditions usually gets the convo going. "Hey, have you hit the east side yet? How is it today?"

 

[DeeSki]

I used to love skiing on my own until I injured myself a few years ago. I wasn’t alone when it happened but for some reason, I’ve been a bit nervous on my own ever since. I’ve always preferred company skiing someplace I don’t know well and any kind of mountain guide service is great.

I’m another one who is always chatting to people on the lift. While I have also been hit on by students, I’ve never found a ski buddy this way. That said, I’m not sure I ever really tried. I’m probably a bit too concerned about not bothering people. I did once stalk two guys down from the lift though. It wasn’t intentional. They took off the direction I was planning to go and something prompted me to keep pace with them. I was well able to keep up and probably should have suggested hanging out for a few runs. On the other hand, they were a bit crazy. One of them skied most of the way on one leg.

 

[sibhusky]

When I first moved to Whitefish, I would take the mountain tours once or twice a season until like the third guy said, "But you live here" to me. I usually learned something. I toyed with the idea of doing it myself for maybe the first five years I was here. But I always came up against the issue of what would I say if some irritating newb was bitching about the weather to me and decided I'd better not. (I've heard stories of comments from visitors who didn't do their homework before coming and who encountered fog, cold, slow chair lifts, trees without grooming, fresh snow on groomed runs, etc. and I know the snark would be over the top.)

Any way, it's still early season for me and I'm resisting all partners until the 2nd or third week of January. That's about when I expect to become civilized enough to ski with someone else. In the meantime, I'm getting my legs back and hopefully my aerobic fitness. I stop repeatedly on runs to rest my legs right now, so I'm sure any partner would be irritated a lot with me. Plus I mutter at myself for being in the backseat, skidding turns, and all the other flaws that are a sign of being out of shape. Until that settles down, I can assure everyone they don't want to meet me. (This may include my buddy, @grlacey since she's arriving sooner this year.)

 

[marzNC]

Asking about conditions usually gets the convo going. "Hey, have you hit the east side yet? How is it today?"

Sometimes I'll ask about the skis someone is using. Most recently was when I was riding up with a woman skiing solo at Sunday River. I'd followed her over to a lift I hadn't ridden before. Turned out she was a mom getting in a few runs before having to pick up her tween son from the seasonal program. She knew SR really well. I skied a few runs with her and had good conversations on the lift.

Must say that it's been easier to decide to ask about taking a run with a stranger met on a lift now that I'm confident about skiing any groomed black in assorted conditions. Especially midweek at a relatively empty ski area. The people skiing at that time tend to be locals.

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

For some reason, I end up on chair lifts with either doctors or people who have moved to the area from WAAAAYYY better ski destinations. Like, they moved to the Harrisburg/York/Lancaster area from Vermont, New Hampshire, even Colorado and places in Cali like Lake Tahoe. I don't know how they can even tolerate Roundtop after growing up skiing in places like that!

 

[SallyCat]

For some reason, I end up on chair lifts with either doctors or people who have moved to the area from WAAAAYYY better ski destinations. Like, they moved to the Harrisburg/York/Lancaster area from Vermont, New Hampshire, even Colorado and places in Cali like Lake Tahoe. I don't know how they can even tolerate Roundtop after growing up skiing in places like that!

Northern New England is nice if you have time to ski. If you work up here, there is very little night skiing, so it can be hard to get time on snow. Night-time skinning is an option, but I'm not sure I want to do that alone. Resort skiing? I do that solo most of the time I ski.

 

[Gidget415]

I skied alone when I was dating guys who weren’t skiers and didn’t want a girl to tell them what to do. It’s not a pretty dynamic and I enjoyed the alone time. The best bonus was the singles line on the quad chair. I always got through faster.

 

[dloveski]

Hi Divas. I'm snowed in here in Idaho---and avoiding my work---so instead I'm enjoying catching up on Diva world and various threads.

Some of my favorite ski memories are from skiing alone. I was free to explore new terrain (Honeycomb in the early 2000s before it became so popular) without pressure to 'keep up' or go with the pack. I DID start skiing with a whistle----just in case---as ski patrol sweeps do not cover every tree run. I also go alone occasionally uphill (in bounds) with b/c gear in am or pm for exercise and can pace myself.

That said, I also love the social and competitive aspects of skiing with others---and DH keeps me from falling into my lazy habits.

All that said---skiing x/c in the forest alone in Idaho does give me pause due to the remote possibility of a mountain lion. when 2 or more of us are skiing, no worries, but one person alone in the trees on a remote trail without other skiers---who knows?

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I pretty much had to ski alone when I moved here - first winter was 2001-2002. DH was an instructor and always busy. I'd ski weekday mornings for 3 hours when I knew my mom had people coming in (I did parent-care for 2 years). New to the region, I didn't know too many people yet.

Now, at "this age," I'd just as soon have company, lest something transpire...

 

[marzNC]

Now, at "this age," I'd just as soon have company, lest something transpire...

That reminds me of a story told at Naomi's memorial at Alta Lodge . . . Naomi skied Alta for 2 weeks of every month for several decades. She passed at age 92 during the summer. I was surprised that one of the Alta instructors I'd worked with was present at the gathering. When people were telling stories honoring her, it became clear why he was there. He'd had fun skiing with her for a few years. The first time he was sent as her instructor for a private lesson, she made it very clear she didn't need a lesson. All she wanted was to have someone around in case she needed help getting up in the event of a fall. My guess is that was when she was still skiing off-piste in good conditions. She liked him so would request him for time to time after that.

By the time I met Naomi, she was in her early 90s and sticking to groomers for 2-3 hours every weekday morning. Often skied solo because then she could go wherever she wanted at whatever pace felt right that day. She would eat a quick breakfast and be waiting at the Collins base at 9:00. The lift opens at 9:15. But sometimes she would get to ride up with ski patrol just before they opened up for the public. So she would get fresh corduroy the first run for sure.

I remember the advice from a video about a senior ski patroller (over 80). He said that seniors should find younger ski buddies. Too often a senior ends up feeling that continuing skiing isn't as much fun or as safe because their ski buddies are gone or can't ski any more for physical reasons.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Well, I'm not 80 (yet). But I know plenty who ski at Sugarloaf who are. I ski with a group of about 8 of us who range in age from 62-70. 2 are flat-out experts. 2 are very advanced>expert. 2 are advanced, and 2 are more cautious. It's a good mix. No one is holding anyone back. I wouldn't have a prayer to keep up with the 2 flat-out experts, although from time to time I truly do try. It's great to just stay right behind either of them, turn where they turn, etc.

 

[UrsamajorCA]

I go with DH and friends but mostly ski by myself. I would consider myself a beginner/intermediate and don’t want to hold anyone up. I also find it way more relaxing when I can just focus on what I’m doing. ( I started when I turned 31 and now we live in a ski town) I think I push myself more when I ski with friends- so a mix is good for
Me.

 

[marzNC]

I go with DH and friends but mostly ski by myself. I would consider myself a beginner/intermediate and don’t want to hold anyone up. I also find it way more relaxing when I can just focus on what I’m doing. ( I started when I turned 31 and now we live in a ski town) I think I push myself more when I ski with friends- so a mix is good for
Me.

Welcome! What region do you usually ski in? There are Divas all over.