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Please Help

newboots

Angel Diva
@sibhusky - I probably shouldn't have used your quote in trying to make a point, since I realize you were talking about irrational fears. Your advice is always valuable.

Kudos to your friend for taking up skiing! He must have overcome a lot of extra fear.
 

Abbi

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Well, I was thinking more of fear of heights . A skiing friend of mine from Minnesota cannot ski certain runs here due to his fear of heights. It's not on all trails and is not due to steepness per se but the visuals on certain trails make him physically queasy. If the trail feels more "closed-in" it's okay. No vistas allowed.

I will say some of my least pleasant moments have been at the top of mountains on a cat track where one side was a steep drop and the other side, which was probably a steep drop but I couldn’t see it, I saw nothing but air. I feel completely exposed with a sense of nothing to save me if I slip or get bumped. That said this is a western reaction where the mountains are big and have open space above the tree line. I am mostly OK in the north east. I am also not good riding up over a lip to the chair dismount at the top next to said cat track! And I find this is getting worse with age. Very annoying as I honestly, I know some of you won’t believe this who ski with me, used to be a braver skier!
 

gingerjess

Angel Diva
Well, I was thinking more of fear of heights . A skiing friend of mine from Minnesota cannot ski certain runs here due to his fear of heights. It's not on all trails and is not due to steepness per se but the visuals on certain trails make him physically queasy. If the trail feels more "closed-in" it's okay. No vistas allowed.

I absolutely understand this! I just started out this season and one particular run that starts out over a concave slope was particularly terrifying—it constantly felt like I was going to fall off the side of the world!
 

fgor

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I will say some of my least pleasant moments have been at the top of mountains on a cat track where one side was a steep drop and the other side, which was probably a steep drop but I couldn’t see it, I saw nothing but air. I feel completely exposed with a sense of nothing to save me if I slip or get bumped. That said this is a western reaction where the mountains are big and have open space above the tree line. I am mostly OK in the north east. I am also not good riding up over a lip to the chair dismount at the top next to said cat track! And I find this is getting worse with age. Very annoying as I honestly, I know some of you won’t believe this who ski with me, used to be a braver skier!
Also not a fan of those sort of very exposed cat tracks with a drop on both sides! It doesn't help that I actually fell off one once :eek: so my dislike of them is only growing with time!
 

Maggis

Certified Ski Diva
I feel like you are putting so much pressure on yourself to move to the next level, like it's something you MUST do. I think what you need to do is learn to enjoy where you are. Because unless you find joy at your current level, you'll never be at the point of taking on more challenge.

It's hard to know what is available where you are skiing, is it always the same ski area? Do you go down the hill you are on and ever feel like you're bored? I really feel like if you could do the same slope until you are bored to tears, yet happy with your performance on that slope, the next thing would be to try another slope that is considered to be the same difficulty and see how you do there. Are there other slopes of the same pitch available? If so and if you've been on them, how do you do on those? Is it the sheer change of venue that's the issue? Or is it only an increase in pitch?

Do you have similar fears in non-skiing activities? I had a friend who was absolutely terrified of escalators. She was a hard-headed business woman decades ago when every meeting you had to prove your abilities again, but escalators undid her. She climbed stairs for 3-4 stories making us all wait rather than get on them. She was fine with elevators and climbing mountains. Sometimes fears are just totally inexplicable.

Thank you for your reply. There is much food for thought here. It is definitely an increase in pitch that gets me every time!
 

Maggis

Certified Ski Diva
You WILL get there. I know that most of us have had the same feeling that the Bunny Hill was our only skiing destiny. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you!! You will evolve as a skier when you ski without concern for your Bunny Hill residence. It honestly takes time on the mountain, and I don't mean 20 days, or 50. Every day out will present a hurdle when you're starting. And then one day you noticed that you skied terrain that used to "freeze you legs". Then another new hurdle presents itself. Skiing where you are most comfortable is where you will likely gain the most confidence. Your new confidence will take you to bluer real estate and you'll be surprised at your progress... it just happens.

The advice shared with you above is priceless. Try to just ski for a bit without thinking of that very well-stated instruction and just look ahead at where you want to go downslope. You may find that after several runs that your technique is coming together! Then take that confidence to another run doing the same skiing without thinking, but simply feeling the snow and the joy of moving down the hill. Then after feeling what you have accomplished, concentrate on one of the instructions the wise divas have shared. Work on one thing at a time.

I had a pickleball coach that told me this: Don't try to win a point with every shot, just keep the ball in play. It takes the pressure off, and allows a more relaxed progression mentally and physically.

Thank you great advice.
 

Maggis

Certified Ski Diva
I agree with everything @sibhusky said, except the reference to fears [sometimes] being inexplicable. That's true enough, but I don't apply that to skiing. We are used to walking and running, but suddenly we are sliding? We are used to being cautious about the ice and snow, but now we are hurtling down a hill on it! Skiing is scary to a beginner.

For me, a big step was making consistent turns. After enough time (a couple of years. Well, three years) I somehow realized that I could get down almost anything as long as I could ski across the trail. "Use the whole trail" rang in my head, and once I got it (and once my body believed it), I was suddenly less frightened, even on steeper terrain.

Take heart! Stop beating yourself up! Many of us have been through this, yes, with the tears, some tantrums even, frustration, and terror. Practice making nice wide turns, and keep adding more time on snow. And we are here! We believe in you!

Aw thank you so much. Great advice which gives me courage to keep going.
 

newboots

Angel Diva
Aw thank you so much. Great advice which gives me courage to keep going.

Our brains are hard-wired to fear going fast down a slippery hill. It should
be scary!

Happy to help. I've been there. . . . and I'll be there again!
 

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