Skiing alone

[Sarah_82]

I ski alone maybe half the time, or a bit more. If I have people to go with, great, it's nice having people to talk to on the lift, and share experiences with. But skiing alone can be nice, I can do whatever runs I feel like, and don't have to worry about holding anyone back, or wait for people on the rare occasion I'm skiing with slower people.

As of now I don't generally go too far off the beaten path, since my favorite runs tend to be blue/black groomers. If the snow had been better this year I would have been a bit more adventurous, but I don't like having to worry about rocks, logs, icy bumps, etc. I'm sometimes actually more likely to get in over my head if I'm skiing with a group, but not with people I know well and who'll wait for me if I get behind, and because I'm trying to keep up I don't have time to check the map and make sure I know what sort of terrain I'm getting into.

Usually there are enough people around that if something went wrong, help wouldn't be too far away. Though occasionally I've had a run to myself at the end of the day, which is both really nice, and slightly unnerving.

I also often hike alone. It's usually a spur of the moment thing that will take up a few hours of the afternoon, rather than an all day thing where I'll be going to one of several possible places that everyone else is also going to, when it makes sense to carpool. It's probably not the safest thing, but I try to stay in somewhat well traveled areas, and don't usually go too far. When I wanted to climb a 14er last summer I waited till some friends were going.

My take on things like skiing and hiking, as well as things like movies and concerts, is that it's nice to go with friends, but if I really want to do something, I don't want to feel like I can only do it if I can find others who want to go where and when I do. Skiing and hiking are actually really nice alone, and things like concerts and movies are boring while waiting in line alone, but it's fine for the actual event. I only let not having people to do something with hold me back if it's something I'm kind of iffy about and wouldn't be too upset if I missed it. Or something like camping. I did it alone once, and aside from any safety issues, during the several hours between it getting dark and my being ready to go to bed, I got bored, and ended up playing games on my iPhone once the novelty of watching the campfire had started wearing off, which sort of defeats the purpose. Sitting around a campfire with friends would have been a lot more fun. Or if there had been less time between sunset and bedtime.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

First year (of 11) in this region, DH was still teaching, so I was essentially solo, like it or not -- didn't know many people that first season. Second year required pre-arranging for respite care for my mom in order to go anywhere. (Easier said than done.) I would get 4-5 hour weekday "windows" in which to race out and ski hard, race home.

We know a lot more people now (and mom passed on, sadly), so I'm rarely solo. But on the one day this season when I did grab a day (which turned out to be "the last cold day of the season"), it was -- wonderful. Enjoyed myself To The Max. There's something"zen"-like about it, and I can push myself in an entirely different way, at a higher level. Had a blast.

 

[litterbug]

... during the several hours between it getting dark and my being ready to go to bed, I got bored, and ended up playing games on my iPhone once the novelty of watching the campfire had started wearing off, which sort of defeats the purpose. Sitting around a campfire with friends would have been a lot more fun. Or if there had been less time between sunset and bedtime.

I love car camping in cold weather, but I've just about given up my solo mid-winter camping unless I have a really good book to read. I once did what was supposed to be a week long hike in Salt Creek in Canyonlands' Needles District the week after Thanksgiving. It was easily one of the most awesomely beautiful trips I've done, but I was using a really tiny one-person tent, I couldn't make a fire in the park, and I just wasn't prepared for the long hours in the dark. On Day 4 I got really punchy and hiked miles out of the way to get on BLM land so I could make a fire, dry my boots and stay up for a few more hours. The next day I did an epic hike back to my car because I just couldn't take it anymore!

 

[mahgnillig]

I almost always downhill ski alone... I usually go on Mondays, which is nice for the lack of crowds, but hubby works on Mondays so he doesn't get to ski with me. Having said that, I generally prefer skiing alone than skiing with my hubby because he's slow and stops after every run! We do xc ski together though. I like to ski trees, but only the relatively un-scary sections... I wouldn't do really steep trees alone, though I may venture in in powder if the trees are wide enough apart that I can easily avoid potential tree wells.

Same thing with hiking & snowshoeing... but I usually have my dogs for company when I do that. I do venture out into the wilderness a lot on my own, but I always carry a phone, a 2-way radio and enough gear to get me through a night in the woods if I need to.

 

[cleopatra]

You girls are pretty hardcore!! I cannot imagine hiking or biking or camping alone here, but then I am huge scaredy cat when it comes to bears, especially the grizzly variety, which we have lots of.

I think I would also need to work on enjoying my own company a little more LOL!

 

[skibum4ever]

Well I survived! It was a beautiful day, and if only my legs could have kept up to what my brain wanted to do. But as I suspected, I got kind of bored, even with the amazing snow! I am not a fan of skiing in groups, but definitely like it when I have one other with me.

Cleopatra, I suspect there are many Divas on this forum who would not have gotten "kind of bored" skiing amazing powder. I personally have been out about 30 days, and not a single day has had more than about 6" of not-very-amazing powder.

Glad you are having a good season in Fernie.

 

[cleopatra]

I know, we are so fortunate here. I have become a complete total powder snob. I feel guilty for some of the days that I have not skied, or only skied a couple hours. This is only my second season here, and have been spoiled. I am realistic in knowing that one of these years we will have next to no powder days and I will need to adjust my attitude. Now that it looks like things are warming up this week, I am not really able to wrap my head around spring skiing.

 

[AltaEgo]

Jeez, sounds like some of you should be wearing "life alert" bracelets!

I ski alone at times too. (Especially if I'm pissed off about something... I put the headphones in my helmets and off I go. A couple of runs with tunes, and I forget what I was mad about!)

 

[litterbug]

OK, having posted about the joys of being out there alone, I was glad to have a friend with me yesterday when I'd forgotten to use my inhaler before we started skiing at Deer Valley. I have exercise-induced asthma which usually only kicks in during cold weather, and it was over 45 degrees when we started, so I really didn't think about it and left the thing in the gear check at the base. We were a few lifts from there when my lungs started to implode and I had as bad an attack as I ever have, probably made worse by the increasing pollen count.

It was baaaad. Amy had gone ahead a ways when I really pooped out because I hadn't said anything, but when I caught up she was very sweet, sat inside one of the lodges on the mountain until I could gather myself together, and when I insisted that she keep skiing she ushered me to the short lift that would take me down to the base so I could suck on the inhaler and rest. If she hadn't been there I'd have probably wandered around a lot longer, falling even more and getting worse.

OK, sometimes I'm stupid; I learned two years ago, when I started skiing, that my gasping and thrashing was almost entirely based on asthma, not altitude or fitness, but yesterday I was out of my solo mindset so I simply forgot. I'm a lot more cautious and risk-averse when I'm going solo; I would have spent a lot more time checking to make sure I hadn't forgotten to do something if I hadn't let myself be distracted. My test is the risk that I'd need a rescue if something went wrong because requiring someone else to go out on an S&R for me would be both embarrassing and against my personal ethics.

So it goes both ways: sometimes you really do want a friend nearby, but the way to avoid needing to be taken care of is to look at any unusual situation as, well, unusual, and to evaluate the risks very carefully. That's why it takes me so long to get from my car to the lift.

 

[frenchgirl]

I tend to ski alone during the week. But this year I made more friends so I bet that next year I will rarely ski alone

 

[shima]

OK, having posted about the joys of being out there alone, I was glad to have a friend with me yesterday when I'd forgotten to use my inhaler before we started skiing at Deer Valley. I have exercise-induced asthma which usually only kicks in during cold weather, and it was over 45 degrees when we started, so I really didn't think about it and left the thing in the gear check at the base. We were a few lifts from there when my lungs started to implode and I had as bad an attack as I ever have, probably made worse by the increasing pollen count.

I also have exercise induced asthma, agree the colder days are the worst, I generally only have problems where it kicks in on moguls and in trees, and I have a severe fear of having an attack along tree skiing and there being no one to come help me so tree skiing is the one thing I won't do alone. I always have my inhaler in my left pocket when I go skiing and only take it if needed.

This being said I had a huge revelation in my tree skiing last weekend. Daria and SnowHot were a huge help...and with my new powder skis my legs no longer burned going through the trees, but I was still huffing and puffing... So SnowHot turns to me at one point when I mentioned my asthma was the only big remaining problem and asks "are you breathing?" and you know what? She hit the nail on the head... I was holding my breath in the trees concentrating on my legs and poles and forgetting to breathe normal. After that I practiced getting in a rhythm and just thinking "in...out...in...out" forcing myself to breathe and low and behold I could keep going in the trees without needing my regular huff and puff breaks, it was amazing how such a simple question made a huge difference.

 

[beckylh84]

I also have exercise induced asthma, agree the colder days are the worst, I generally only have problems where it kicks in on moguls and in trees, and I have a severe fear of having an attack along tree skiing and there being no one to come help me so tree skiing is the one thing I won't do alone. I always have my inhaler in my left pocket when I go skiing and only take it if needed.

This being said I had a huge revelation in my tree skiing last weekend. Daria and SnowHot were a huge help...and with my new powder skis my legs no longer burned going through the trees, but I was still huffing and puffing... So SnowHot turns to me at one point when I mentioned my asthma was the only big remaining problem and asks "are you breathing?" and you know what? She hit the nail on the head... I was holding my breath in the trees concentrating on my legs and poles and forgetting to breathe normal. After that I practiced getting in a rhythm and just thinking "in...out...in...out" forcing myself to breathe and low and behold I could keep going in the trees without needing my regular huff and puff breaks, it was amazing how such a simple question made a huge difference.

+1 on the breathing revelation! I think I am also holding my breath, scary! I am going to work on that next year.

 

[litterbug]

Breathing when you're able to is always a good thing. Taking a deep belly breath is always the last thing I do before taking off to ski (or whatever) something difficult. I've heard that belly breathing actually reduces stress hormones or something.

I too usually keep my inhaler in the inside breast pocket of my shell. I'm not sure what I was thinking on Friday...but it was sure a wake-up call; I'm not likely to forget it anytime soon, especially because ozone season is right around the corner.

 

[badger]

Next Sunday--not an April Fool's joke--I am headed to Utah on an 8-hour drive for 4 days of skiing. I will be by myself!
For the most part I ski alone 90% of the season. My husband will ride the lifts with me if we are in the same general vicinity once in awhile, but usually I am solo. (he's a lot better than I, so I would never ask him to hang around with me just for the company.) My home mountain is 2 hours away and I really enjoy the drive up there, skiing the entire day by myself, and unwinding on the drive home listening to Mozart or an audio book...whatever: it is truly okay with me!
Earlier in the year, I did have the opportunity to meet up with Litterbug at Snowbasin. Skiing with another person, especially one of our own Ski Divas, was honestly a terrific way to spend the day. What a difference to have a companion on the slopes. For me, the experience was enhanced because there is an almost intrinsic camaraderie when you are meeting and skiing with a friend from this forum. Whether or
not you've ever met prior to that day. The snow conditions were pretty crummy but we managed the challenges and had a good time. ( And I didn't have to listen to my ipod .)

So...either alone or not; I just try to have fun, aim for new terrain to get my adrenaline going, and do my best to improve without taking myself seriously. It's all good.

 

[SkiNurse]

I do ski alone a lot, but less than I used to. I actually ski lots of powder days alone, because if I can get there but no one else can, I'm not missing it. I just try to stay visible, basically: don't stray too far off somewhere, wear your brightest clothing, that sort of thing.

I ski a fair amount alone...like Pinto, not going to miss a great day just cuz I have no one to ski with. I "try" to stay out of the trees when I'm by myself, but not always successful. Even though I get great coverage in most areas of the resorts, I still find my phone not always reliable. I carry a plastic whistle attached to the ouside of my jacket when I ski alone.

 

[whitewater girl]

I ski almost always alone (downhill & lite-backcountry)...also walk, hike, bike, camp, skate, swim, open-water kayak, sail alone...pretty much everything but river-kayak/canoe. I've connected with other (compatable) river paddlers on my schedule - the rest, if I want to do stuff I need to be willing to go solo...

[btw, I also live alone & commute 90 miles a day alone (work keeps laying off my carpools ) - hiking/biking/camping are probably not the most hazardous parts of my life...]