Question: Advice for never-ever skiers planning a holiday ski trip?

[marzNC]

Snow Operating has worked with PSIA to come up with a series of three videos for first time skiers. Take a look at Part 1. I like it! Covers how to deal with putting on boots, how to actually get onto skis (clicking into bindings), and carrying skis.

Learn About Ski Gear

 

[marzNC]

Here are Parts 2 and 3 of the How to Ski: A Beginner's Guide.

Basic Movements on Snow

Getting Around on Skis

 

[MilkyWookiee]

Snow Operating has worked with PSIA to come up with a series of three videos for first time skiers. Take a look at Part 1. I like it! Covers how to deal with putting on boots, how to actually get onto skis (clicking into bindings), and carrying skis.

Learn About Ski Gear

Another good source for videos:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC502BC8CCA9BB32D

This instructor starts with how to put on boots and goes all the way up through advanced techniques and saftey for back country skiing. He does get very into technique but I think theres something nice about watching technique videos after taking a lesson

 

[alison wong]

Thanks @marzNC for starting this post. I forward the link to my friend, she will take her family (2 girls) to 7 Spring during x'mas week for their first ever ski trip.
I already sorted out several things to loan / give to her. e.g. old gloves, goggles. I consider myself a minimalist yet I am surprised to find out so many things I've accumulated in the short # of years i started skiing, now those stuff are no longer in use and I need to get rid of.

 

[marzNC]

I already sorted out several things to loan / give to her. e.g. old gloves, goggles.

I loaned my friend assorted stuff the first couple of seasons. Especially warmer midlayers and jackets when the temps happened to be quite cold (teens in VA). She lucked out even more because I had old boots and skis that she could borrow. Wasn't a perfect fit on the boots, but far better than rental boots. I had put new liners in.

I kept all of my daughter's old gloves, mittens, and goggles to loan to my friends' kids.

 

[marzNC]

Today I was at Wachusett (medium size local mountain near Boston). Did a few runs on the long green. Noticed something that a few beginners were doing that reminded me of what my friend did with her poles. She would hold her hands up high, about shoulder height. Her poles were mostly vertical. It looked like she was trying to hold the poles high enough to keep them off the snow. When I finally asked why she held them that way, the answer was a surprise. She said she was keeping them ready in case she needed to stab them into the snow to bring her to a stop if necessary. Needless to say, I told her using poles as a means to stop was NOT a good idea.

Saw one man today who was actively stabbing his poles into the snow in order to push off at every turn. That's not right either.

Obviously never-evers do not need to learn how to use pole plants. But they should ask about what to do with poles if the instructor doesn't say anything.

 

[liquidfeet]

I saw a guy pushing himself forward with every pole plant on Sunday. I don't see that one very often, but sometimes.

Holding hands high with poles vertical is much more prevalent among novices. I bet this results from short (1.5 hour) group beginner lessons where the instructor takes the poles away for the lesson (a good tactic which promotes better balance), then runs out of time to address skiing with poles in any depth (they need at least one run with poles in their hands to embed the simple how-to-carry-poles-while-skiing instruction into muscle memory).

 

[marzNC]

for new members who have trips planned for late December or early January.

For those who live close enough to a ski area to consider a day trip before Dec. 21, early season rates and smaller groups for lessons can be a good way to experience a first day on skis even if can only go during a weekend. Midweek, a group lesson can end up as a solo lesson for someone who has been on skis a few times.

 

[freckles]

-Ski socks are the best investment! They have cushion, compression and warmth.
-Consider bringing along a boot dryer. It's great for warming up boots, drying them and also drying mitts and gloves. I travel with ours.
-On super cold days, I've been know to use one of the ThermaCare lower back heat wraps -- keeps me toasty warm

 

[alison wong]

Questions from my "never-ever" friend:

1) Helmet - how much does it cost to rent? Is it better to buy one from Costco?

2) Kids lesson - Is helmet included in the lesson package?

3) Is goggle necessary? Can you wear sun glasses instead?

 

[diymom]

Helmets are often $10 a day. If you are skiing more than a handful of days, I would say look into buying one, either Costco or Level 9. At the very least, you know it hasn't had any hits if it is new. Best to look at the particular resort to find out what is included with rentals.
Personally, I prefer goggles since they keep my face warmer. Also, I have yellow lenses, which are better for low light. I think most sun glasses are meant for sun.

 

[marzNC]

Questions from my "never-ever" friend:

1) Helmet - how much does it cost to rent? Is it better to buy one from Costco?

2) Kids lesson - Is helmet included in the lesson package?

3) Is goggle necessary? Can you wear sun glasses instead?

These days, if a kid is in full-day ski school then a helmet is included with rental gear because it's required for kids in lessons. Still some places where if only renting then there is a separate charge for renting a helmet.

Do not need goggles. Sun glasses as fine. For that matter, my ski buddy Bill always wears sun glasses.

I think renting a helmet is $8-10 per day. Fair to say that there are plenty of never-evers in the southeast and mid-Atlantic who don't use a helmet on the first day.

 

[Marta_P]

I learned to ski at 42, without poles. I still find it so much easier to ski w/o them - but they do help pop my ski off when I fall . If the instructor offers an option, I'd recommend avoiding them - it'll let you focus on "one" thing at a time.

My daughter and I learned on the same day, in different lessons. In both cases, having an open mind and not being too hard on ourselves were the keys to wanting to come back for more. Oh, and celebratory hot chocolate for her and beer for me!

In terms of things to prioritize, as others have said: be warm, be dry, and protect your head!

Have fun!!

 

[HikenSki]

-Ski socks are the best investment! They have cushion, compression and warmth.
-Consider bringing along a boot dryer. It's great for warming up boots, drying them and also drying mitts and gloves. I travel with ours.
-On super cold days, I've been know to use one of the ThermaCare lower back heat wraps -- keeps me toasty warm

Hmmm...I suffer from cold hips when I ski, regardless of the number of layers I have on and insulated pants. I wonder if I would have success keeping warmer using one of those sticky ThermaCare heat packs on each hip....

 

[marzNC]

I learned to ski at 42, without poles. I still find it so much easier to ski w/o them - but they do help pop my ski off when I fall . If the instructor offers an option, I'd recommend avoiding them - it'll let you focus on "one" thing at a time.

Young kids just starting out don't get poles. My daughter wanted them so badly when she was 5. I put her off for a year by taking her to the rental area to show her that the shortest poles were still too long for her. She was skiing blues in the southeast by age 6, so I let her use them free skiing. But the instructors didn't want her to have them in lessons for another season or two.

For adults just starting out, good to have poles for the flats. Also useful to get advice from instructor about how to hold them when skiing so that they don't get in the way. Worth asking even at the end of the very first asking if the topic is not covered.

 

[liquidfeet]

Hmmm...I suffer from cold hips when I ski, regardless of the number of layers I have on and insulated pants. I wonder if I would have success keeping warmer using one of those sticky ThermaCare heat packs on each hip....

I wear two or three liners beneath my ski pants. If the outdoor air temp is predicted to be 20-38, I wear two. If below 20, I wear three. If below zero, I wear insulated ski pants on top of those three liners, and the thickness of each of those liners is very very thick. I look like a blimp.

But I am always warm. In the deep dark past I duct-taped hand warmers to my thighs; layers liners work much better. I live on a relentless budget, so I get my liners at the thrift shop. $3.00-4.00 each. I now, after years of combing the thrift shops, have more than I can use in all kinds of thicknesses.

 

[marzNC]

@alison wong : any word on how your friend's ski vacation is going?

For others who are going this weekend, check out the good advice in the recent blog entry by @ski diva :

HOW TO SURVIVE SKIING DURING THE HOLIDAYS

 

[alison wong]

@alison wong : any word on how your friend's ski vacation is going?

According to my friend:
"It was a great ski experience at 7 springs. The snow is good and well covered on the hill." She and her 2 girls took a 1.5-hour lesson on the first day. Both girls learned it very quickly, but she said she felt down thousands of times. On the second day, the older daughter was able to ski the green trail. She even said skiing is her favorite sport now.