Help Needed: I am afraid of the bunny hill.

[HikenSki]

You might look into getting the basic rentals next time you go out. I'm probably doing that next week as a narrower and shorter option to my Head Kores. Would save you money vs buying a whole new setup.

I second the comment above about the NEW you versus the pre-injury you. I have to accept this is where I am at NOW. I am 30lbs heavier, older, more things ache, and I ski more conservative in general. I also have a 3.5yr old and more responsibilities. I have to assess what my NEW goals are. Those goals are different than the goals I had pre-injury. It helps put things into perspective.

 

[floatingyardsale]

I am so proud of my 7yo. Parental pride is a great drug. The 10yo I fob off on a friend who took him out two gates and through the trees! And now the bugger critiques my turns.

Smaller resort is not yet back to doing lessons after the fire. Grrr. Maybe next week.

 

[Pequenita]

I've been lucky to not have a ski injury but just 2 days ago, someone ran into me from behind just right in front of the chair lift line (!) when I was stopping. I wasn't hurt but am a bit in shock still. I could have avoided him if I had eyes at the back of my head.

I'm a cautious skier but am now a little traumatized about being hit from behind. I'm not sure how to get out of my head and would love to hear how others have overcome this mental block.

My tips are:
* let as many people go in front of you as reasonable
* be as predictable as possible with your turn shapes and how much space you take up, side to side
* be situationally aware, and keep your ears open - if you hear someone screaming/yelling/making some other sound that seems like they are losing or out of control, try to spot them, move out of the way, or stop until they pass
* if possible, ski on less crowded days at less crowded ski areas

Putting some of this together, it means skiing on terrain where you can be both predictable and situationally aware, which might not always be the most fun terrain.

Sometimes none of this works; I saw one guy go into a long slide a few years ago and take out someone waaaaaay below him because the skier below didn't hear him. On the other hand, the woman who hit me from behind in an uncontrolled slide *did* yell out as she was sliding, and I could have avoided the whole thing if I had just stopped and waited for her to slide by - I really did think she'd stop sliding.

For me, the mental way out of it was to frame it as a freak accident. Separately, I noticed that a couple of my friends ski way too close behind me, and I encourage them to go first on runs, or I just avoid skiing with them all together (yes, it's anti-social...).

 

[contesstant]

Wow, ladies, you're amazing! Thank you.

In no particular order:
@contesstant , maybe a midweek ski date in March? I will PM. Didn't want to commit until I'd had a chance to see how the knee held up.
@skibum4ever : I did have a good friend lead me down from the gondola. She is an elegant and easy skier, so I just stayed in her tracks badly.
@Iwannaski : look I just had to make sure the tips of the skis were still there, OK?

A more forgiving ski might be in order. I've been skiing on my Elan Wildcats (86) which I love but they like to go fast or at least quick turns. But they also force me to stay on top of them, so I'll see how the lesson goes. I have Atomic Vantages in a 97 width but the width tended to leave me with sore knees pre-injury.

The tough part is that the kids were going to pass me skillwise soon anyway, and then 7yo got out of lessons, declared they were boring, and demanded a black diamond bump run from the top. I took the intersecting blue groomers but both kids are pushing it.

I'm available whenever And you skied from the gondola yesterday in that crap light with that crap snow at the bottom and are harshing on yourself for being scared?! The furthest up you should have gone is Wildcat and down Ease A Long (except the snow down low really was crap!) If I had been with you, I would have told you "Little Cat Only, ma'am!" Conditions were tough yesterday, and it was busy to boot. We stayed off piste as much as possible to avoid the masses and also get into the trees so we could see. You need a 25 degree bluebird day after fresh snow Are you taking the lesson at Snowbasin? If so, is it a private? If so, did you choose your instructor? If not, I can give you some recommendations of some of the old farts who have been teaching for decades and will be extremely patient AND won't over-terrain you. Same guys I bike with all the time. Superb skiers, fantastic instructors. (I know lots of not-old-farts, too who will take good care of you.) I know a few instructors at PM, too.

FWIW, my crash was almost exactly 9 years ago, and I STILL get pretty freaked out when I get going too fast. I crashed because I was going too fast/pushing the envelope and it taught me that a horrible injury can happen in milliseconds, so it made me way more mindful of staying totally in control at all times. So, I am not a fast skier and I don't care. Anyway, you'll probably have a bit more fear than before now that this has happened. And there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Peaheartsmama]

Hugs to you! I tore my ACL got it fixed and promptly tore the other one the next season. 2 years of PT. That was about 5-6 years ago now though. It’s been mostly ok ever since! As you might imagine I’m all kinds of anxious about getting hurt again. Still am. I really try hard not to fall. I still ski with a brace for moral support. ;) I’ve taken lots of lessons and even taught beginner lessons for a season to get access to instructor training. I’m going to attend WAA in a couple weeks. I find it always gives me a confidence boost. And most of all I am happy to take it slow and easy. Lots of turns on wide runs are my jam. And I don’t feel the need to get on harder blues and blacks. Im just happy to be out there still skiing.

 

[Peaheartsmama]

And yes - hate being hit from behind. Actually nursing a small meniscus tear at the moment bec my nephew ran into me. But I’m trying not to have to get another surgery so I’ve been making do with some PT and KT tape. Bugs me on and off though.

 

[Peaheartsmama]

Oh and I try not to ski tired. That means I generally stop one run before I think I should be done. I know when I’m tired my turns get sloppy.

 

[floatingyardsale]

I was going to try for a lesson at Nordic but they're not currently offering any this week. Basin is great but $$$$$ and I'm passless so without a discount.


And yeah down from the gondola in a near whiteout, having to ski Sweet Revenge instead of any of my crowd-avoiding runs!

 

[newbieM]

I was going to try for a lesson at Nordic but they're not currently offering any this week. Basin is great but $$$$$ and I'm passless so without a discount.


And yeah down from the gondola in a near whiteout, having to ski Sweet Revenge instead of any of my crowd-avoiding runs!

Oye that must have been brutal! Is Nordic open yet? So sad what happened there. I was at powder mountain. The snow was lovely but there was zero visibility. I ended up spending a good chunk in beginner terrain just practicing pole planting because it was impossible to see.

if you can do that an easy day on greens will be a cake walk good luck in your recovery!

 

[contesstant]

I was going to try for a lesson at Nordic but they're not currently offering any this week. Basin is great but $$$$$ and I'm passless so without a discount.


And yeah down from the gondola in a near whiteout, having to ski Sweet Revenge instead of any of my crowd-avoiding runs!

Well, I can get you a day pass for cheap (like, close to free,) and you could do a group lesson?? They're $250 IIRC and I could find out who's teaching that morning to give you some folks to request. Ugh, you never know, though. Get a few more folks and you could hire someone for a group private (up to five.) I've done that on powder days to get first tracks and cut lines. (Yes, we hired my husband, and yes, it was a blast!)

Definitely go fart around at Nordic even without a lesson. It's supposed to be sunny this weekend. I think the conditions were not ideal for your first outing, so your confidence is shaken. Time for a mulligan!

 

[floatingyardsale]

I'll be at Nordic as my 10yo is in the group program there, which turned into a five hour private lesson for him last time. (Yes, the other kid is at Basin lessons. Yes, this is weird, but too young for Nordic and best friend in lessons and a guilty mom....)

 

[geargrrl]

What happened at the Nordic that was so sad?

 

[BReeves215]

I’ve had some falls but thankfully no serious injuries (knocking wood), but my sister did have a significant fall with complicated surgery, comminuted tib/fib fracture, screws/rods inserted, 6 months non-weight bearing on injured leg, 12 months PT, etc. She did not try skiing the next season even though her orthopedist cleared her to ski, and sadly hasn’t returned to the hill since then. So I would say get back on the hill with small and manageable goals; try to make some baby steps now towards the mindset of skiing again.

 

[contesstant]

What happened at the Nordic that was so sad?

Their main building caught fire and destroyed their ability to issue tickets, passes, serve food, etc.

 

[echo_VT]

do you know what you can do without fear?
- maybe it’s Pushing across the flats?
- One straight glide?
- Magic carpet?

There is no shame dialing down the terrain and the task to regain focus. One turn and rest also sounds great.

Best of luck I hope you keep us updated on your progress. And remember progress is not linear…! Regression is a staple of progress. Hugs to you!

…and also what great inspiring stories the divas have shared…!

 

[Verve]

Hopping in to say your experience really resonated with me! My ACL tear was on a firm corduroy green run and flat corduroy runs still give me the heeby-jeebies & takes me back to that regressed place. I turned the skis I was wearing that day into my backcountry setup so I never see corduroy under them again . And while I didn’t have kids outpacing me, I felt a lot of loss both around the 1/2 a season I missed and the time I needed to ski more cautiously getting back in the game - watching my friends launch confidently into glades and taking the long groomer around to meet them at the bottom ;) Looking back, my first year back on skis was a great time for readdressing my fundamentals and I’m maaaybe a better skier for it? Hard to say. But it will get easier!!

 

[floatingyardsale]

I tore mine on a flat green and the main issue I had was that all skiing felt too fast, and short, quick turns are what I was doing when the injury happened. So I didn't feel like I could do my short poppy turns to slow down and I clearly wasn't going to let it rip, so I just wound up traversing and hockey stopping a lot and skidding a lot. I had one gentle run where my rhythm came back and that was fun.

Things that were good -- the boots. The knee was fine and I even took a spill with no harm.

 

[Verve]

@floatingyardsale what, no pizza??

In all seriousness, it’s all mileage and it’s all good. There’s a stage you probably remember from your kids learning where the primary goal was just getting them out sliding and making sure they had enough fun to do it again the next day. That’s sort of where I found myself back at the beginning of recovery. And all the coping techniques you mention are legitimate ski techniques that we need in some circumstances. I think of all those drills where you’re just linking hockey stops to learn jump turns or side skidding on the flats of your skis to learn edges. I totally get that you have a higher standard for your technique but it’s all worthwhile

 

[TheGreenOne]

A little late replying, but this is my 3rd season back since my ACL/MCL reconstruction. My MCL appeared to have healed but my surgeon found in the OR, that wasn't the case. So ACL, MCL and teeny tiny meniscus tear that only needed a trim.

Ended up taking 2 seasons off, mainly because of the pandemic lockdown.

Very cautious the first few times back in the first season. My luck was that about half the days I went out were after snow or active snowfall, so slower surface and easier turns, which helped with confidence.

Last season (2nd season back), I'd sometimes forget I ever had the repair. I actually work-cated at Bolton Valley, because of their night skiing hours. Got me more time on snow compared to sticking with day-time only resorts.

I also took some group lessons at mtns that have group lessons for non-beginners and often ended up with my own instructor. Was very forward telling the school managers what I wanted to work on, and why I'm currently cautious. Having an instructor also helped reorient my mind, because there's a set of eyes that is watching over you.

...and honestly, if the internal screaming got too loud, I went into the lodge, hit up the bar for a pint to calm my brain a bit. Eating lunch early or late to ski during peak-lunch time also worked out with less people on slope.

 

[floatingyardsale]

OK, so I had a great day yesterday. Bluebird day, very fast snow, and no kids, so I dove through the singles' line like the local I am and managed ten runs by 2pm, including a break for coffee and fries. The big breakthrough was realizing that I hate Bear Hollow (the green run/choke point) more than I was afraid of steeper blues, so I didn't have to dodge crowds as much.

When I get out of my head, I'm fine. At one point I pushed off from the top of the gondola without really thinking, and realized about halfway down the hill that I was skiing just fine.

Problem: still a little afraid of speed and so my turns are rubbish. I'm falling inside a lot and way in the backseat as soon as it gets at all steep. Washing out my tails all the time. I have a lot of bad habits from spending a few years tailing little kids and they were all back.

But I now just feel like I'm bad at skiing, as opposed to working past an injury.