Yelp, it came a more than a month early this year...

[climbingbetty]

Ski fever.

Normally I don't get this psyched about ski season until the beginning of November. Here we are at the end of September.

Perhaps its just because I'm not climbing right now due to hubby's injury.

Maybe its because as a returning instructor, all the pro days and early season meetings are being organized.

Maybe its my boot fitting appointment this weekend.

Or maybe its just the plummeting nightly temps.

Either way, I am SOOOO ready for the snow to start falling and to get my ski on! There's only so many ski films that are going to old me over until then!!!!!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

@climbingbetty I understand completely and am ready too. I love fall almost as much as winter but this year I am just ready for it to be ski time. I think its the combination of everything. Falling temps and boot fitting in 10 days. Its also football time which adds to it. Plus I have 2 pairs of skis in my living room winking at me.

Where do you teach Hunter?

 

[shnu]

@climbingbetty Plus I have 2 pairs of skis in my living room winking at me.

I am not alone though it's only one pair in my living room waiting for their binginds.

And I watched Pretty Faces on Monday ... again

 

[marzNC]

My new skis for Mid-Atlantic skiing are at the shop having bindings installed. If the weather cooperates, maybe I'll check them out at Hunter in early Dec.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I have never skied Hunter. Its says its a 2 and a half hour drive for me to get there and in that time I can be at Mount Snow, Verrmont so perhaps that's why I've not been there yet. DH skied there years ago and I think was there on the weekend and apparently that was boisterous new yorker day because the vibe wasn't very chill. I have heard during the week is the time to hit hunter. I have 5 vacation days I need to use by the end of the year so perhaps I'll use one of them and check it out.

 

[Mary Tee]

I have never skied Hunter. Its says its a 2 and a half hour drive for me to get there and in that time I can be at Mount Snow, Verrmont so perhaps that's why I've not been there yet. DH skied there years ago and I think was there on the weekend and apparently that was boisterous new yorker day because the vibe wasn't very chill. I have heard during the week is the time to hit hunter. I have 5 vacation days I need to use by the end of the year so perhaps I'll use one of them and check it out.

I would NEVER ski Hunter on the weekend. That was the go to place for New Yorkers when I was young, and I haven't been there on a weekend in many years, but I can't imagine that it has gotten anything but worse...lots of inexperienced skiers fueled by alcohol and testosterone on runs they have no business being on. that said, it was great mid week.

But as I said, my experiences were many years ago, so my opinion probably doesn't count for much!

 

[tinymoose]

My new skis for Mid-Atlantic skiing are at the shop having bindings installed. If the weather cooperates, maybe I'll check them out at Hunter in early Dec.

What did you get?

 

[climbingbetty]

I think my husband is going to leave me if I watch Pretty Faces again.

Yes, I teach at Hunter. Spend the weekend on the bunny slope, away from the crowds, with my students, then get to ski during the week.

I know some people complain about it, particularly on the weekends. I don't think its any worst than most other resorts though. Anywhere you go you're going to have your yahoos that want to bomb the blue runs and come within inches of newbies trying to take on their first blue. That's never a good combo. So the secret is- stay off the long blue run from the top of the mountain, particularly after noon on a weekend.

After a little bit of a bumpy start last season, once I actually learned how to teach people to ski, I found I really enjoyed it and I can't wait to go back this season. I really liked my fellow instructors and learned a lot that transformed my personal skiing last winter. I'm eagerly awaiting a finalized course schedule from PSIA-E; at minimum, I would like to take my CS1 this season. I don't know that I will be ready for PSIA Level 2 exam this season, but I am going to work on/train for it! I am a terrible bump skier. I took Intro to Bumps last year and that's where my boots-are-to-big issue was diagnosed. So hopefully with some properly fit boots and more practice, I'll improve at the bumps.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I think my DH is going to leave me if ski season doesn't get here soon because I am driving him crazy with ski talk.

I would love to check out Hunter during the week.

Would like to get another season or two under my belt and then slowly get into teaching.

 

[climbingbetty]

I think my DH is going to leave me if ski season doesn't get here soon because I am driving him crazy with ski talk.

I would love to check out Hunter during the week.

Would like to get another season or two under my belt and then slowly get into teaching.

Let me know if/when you're coming up. If you want a ski buddy, I can probably get the day off with ~1-2 weeks notice.

I don't know how long you've been skiing, but last year was my 4th season skiing, first year teaching. You don't have to be a ski pro to instruct, you just need to be confident/competent on blue terrain and have a good personality for getting along with people and guests. Your first season you'll probably be teaching children, beginners/never-evers, so there's no need to be a double-black diamond skier to start teaching. And like I mentioned, I learned A TON that improved my personal skiing last winter. So it was like I got lessons all season long, skied all season long AND got paid to do it. Not much granted, but still.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

@climbingbetty I'd love a ski buddy so I'll definitely give you some lead time if I am able to make it up there.

I am going on my 4th season skiing. I am confident on blue terrain and get along with everyone so I guess I'm qualified lol. I guess will apply to my home mountain since I am there the most. I am pretty excited about doing this and would love to see that look in others eyes when they are learning how to ski and realizing they can do it.

 

[climbingbetty]

@surfsnowgirl Then now's the time! Get in touch with someone at your local mountain and find out when their instructor interview day/instructor training course is- since you don't have a PSIA cert yet (I'm assuming), you'll need to go through your mountain's little interview process. This stuff starts early in the season, so now is about the time to start figuring out what you need to do to get hired on this season.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

@climbingbetty I will give them a call tomorrow. My home mountain's website says they are always looking for good people so if you are interested in instructing, they show you everything, no experience needed. I will give him a jingle tomorrow to find out how to get started.

I do plan to do a bit of mountain hopping this season, have a couple trips planned plus am taking an 8 week saturday lesson series starting this January so not sure if this season is right for me but no reason not to make that phone call and find out how it all works. I personally would love it. Teach in a couple block times during the day and ski when I am not teaching. This way DH can bomb the mountain while I am teaching, then we can ski together when I am not. Plus I'll get additional discounts at my mountain and make a tiny bit of money too, win win right.

 

[marzNC]

What did you get?

Got Head Absolut Joy at 148cm. I demo'd the Absolut Joy 153 and Total Joy 158 at Mnut last Jan. Liked both. But since I was looking for a ski for the Mid-A and small ski areas that don't have engrossed terrain, I went for the shorter Absolut when I found a deal during the summer. Going to enjoy having skis that are very light to carry from the parking lot. Especially compared to the relatively old carvers with heavy bindings that I was using the last couple seasons.

 

[marzNC]

I would NEVER ski Hunter on the weekend. That was the go to place for New Yorkers when I was young, and I haven't been there on a weekend in many years, but I can't imagine that it has gotten anything but worse...lots of inexperienced skiers fueled by alcohol and testosterone on runs they have no business being on. that said, it was great mid week.

But as I said, my experiences were many years ago, so my opinion probably doesn't count for much!

On weekends, it makes a difference what terrain you can ski at any mountain near a population center. Hunter West stays pretty reasonable from what I've read because it's essentially all black trails. My one day at Hunter was on a weekend in late Feb Did an early run with climbingbetty before she headed off to work, then explored on my own. Wasn't really that hard to find places that weren't too crowded all morning.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Definitely agree that weekdays make a difference over a weekend at any resort. My home mountain is a little nuts on the weekend also but we tend to hang by the triple chair which is off to the side and quite a bit steeper than other trails so that keeps some of the crowds away.

@climbingbetty I did it, left a message for Jay at my home resort to inquire about becoming an instructor. Hopefully he'll call me back . At least I made the first step so proud of myself for that lol.

 

[climbingbetty]

@climbingbetty I did it, left a message for Jay at my home resort to inquire about becoming an instructor. Hopefully he'll call me back . At least I made the first step so proud of myself for that lol.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I had to do it, had to peak inside my ski bag. This chilly weather we are having makes me want to ski.......

 

[Jilly]

I had to dig into the "off season" closet for some warmer clothes....came up with my Ski Diva fleece vest!! I'm at the cottage and its +5C right now!

So I'm sitting around in a pair of yoga pants, A-Basin sweatshirt with the fireplace going!

 

[climbingbetty]

I had to turn on my pellet stove today! It's only October 2!