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Your first time (skiing) as an adult

xxs_skier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thanks to @EdithP for this suggestion!

You can see her story here and @TiffAlt story here

I started skiing in Feb 2022 because my daughter's (9 years old now) best friends were skiing and I didn't want her to feel left out. My husband realized that we needed to ski as well since someone would need to go with her.

We did a private lesson and it was SO hard for me! We don't have the gradual bunny slopes that I often see on Youtube and it's pretty steep for first timers. So our lesson was at a very small hill with a more gradual slope that we had to side step up and snow plow down over and over again. While I could link turns, I couldn't make it to the actual bunny hill with the magic carpet because I couldn't stop on a dime in snowplow at speed. To be honest, I still don't think I can do this. By the end of the lesson I felt like I wanted to die lying down in the snow -- I was so exhausted!

Our next private lesson was so much better as the instructor thought as long as I was linking turns, I should be able to avoid people. I found my left turns were great, but my right turns were so hard to do. We got to do the bunny slope and our first chair lift. I was especially freaked out by the chair lift since many years ago when I was learning how to snowboard as I was getting off the lift, I ended up falling and partially tearing my rotator cuff. It turns out chair lifts on skis is sooo much easier.

It really took about 14 days of skiing for me to actually love it. I was very close to giving up. I think what made me enjoy it was actually having boots that fit because I could actually control my skis so much better.

Edited to add: I started at 40 years old
 

leia1979

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
That sounds like a tough first lesson, @xxs_skier!

My mom and grandpa skied, so I went once at age 6 and again at age 12 (and the ski patrol had to take me down that time because I thought I was ready for the big green after ruling the rope tow hill all day, but I was not). That really turned me off skiing, so I tried snowboarding at age 20 and found I could get down the hill super duper slowly. I think it was the same big green hill as the ski patrol incident (Snoqualmie Central, WA).

At around 31 or 32, I was not a good snowboarder but went to Tahoe a few times a year. I always hated all the falling in snowboarding, and the chairlift tended to hurt my knee a lot. I thought I'd give skiing another chance, but as I was so petrified of crossing my skis, I rented mini skis and took a beginner lesson at Sugar Bowl. I did okay on the mini skis, and the instructor recommended I try some regular skis but on the shorter side. I grabbed some from the rental counter to use the rest of the day, and it was definitely my most successful day skiing I'd had since I was 6--though the bar was pretty low. Any day that doesn't require ski patrol getting involved is a good day!

I thought I would do both skiing and snowboarding, but skiing doesn't hurt my knee and I rarely fall, so I've only skied for the past ten years or so. At an average of like 1.5 days a year, my progress is pretty slow!
 

racetiger

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I started at almost 35 because skiing didn't exist where I grew up and my family wasn't a skiing family despite Mom and my older sisters having gone probably before I was born.
That first day was a rough one. I spent more time on my butt than upright. My boyfriend at the time taught me how. He said I learned quickly. It was the opening day of the season so the bunny hill was open but no green runs. After I got the hang of the bunny hill we had to go to a blue run. I fell so many times, I was so sweaty and exhausted. But I loved it. A challenging new thing. I loved the rush because it reminded me of sledding as a kid.
 

sorcamc

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I started when I was 36 and taught myself just by watching others. The next season I signed up for a parents clinic that met in the mornings when the kids were with their groups. That helped me tremendously!
I'd say I progressed pretty quickly because the friends I Made were all lifelong skiers, but it was at a small mountain. I wish it had been at a big West coast mountain because I think id have much more confidence off piste, in trees, bumps, etc.
 

TheGreenOne

Angel Diva
I'm adding too, especially because I took a very unusual route to get to where I am and first few bad experiences doesn't mean it'll be bad later.

First never-ever lesson, late 20s:
at Whiteface in NY 2012, they were using really short tiny skis for never-evers. I don't think they were even 90 CMs. No poles---combined with short skis, feet felt like walking around in dress-shoes on ice. Felt very unstable, icy, it was Whiteface after-all, even on the carpet slope. Instructor was... not ok on many levels. Didn't go back that season, at least my memory says so.

Retry 2013 at Blue Mountain in the Poconos, 1 out of 3 pack group lesson:
Got stuck in a mis-matched group. Instructor leaves me in one area of learning slope in favor of helping the others in my group with a promise to return. After waiting too long, and being absolutely frustrated, I marched straight to customer service trying to get a full refund back for my 3-pack of lessons. Get convinced to try snowboarding too, they'll put the lesson I used back on, and if it doesn't work out after the first never-ever lesson on board, I can come back for an actual refund. I begrudgingly agreed, for which I am glad, because if I had stuck to my NO, I'd not be doing alpine snow sport, the only form of organized sporting activity I enjoy.
Those lessons work out, and I'm SB'ing 2013 to 2015, including a free all-inclusive (travel/lodging/lift tix) to Jackson Hole which left a permanent 'snow sport good' imprint in my brain.... followed by bunch of surgeries that made me take time off doing higher-risk stuff, and eventually arrived at the decision to switch to skiing in 2017.


Return to sport round 1, switching to skiing 2017:
3-pack of group lessons at Mountain Creek, and skiing sticks this time, though still not 100% set about sticking to skiing.

2018:
a full day lesson at Beaver Creek, which cemented my desire to switch to skiing. Jay trip in 2019, a half-day group lesson, ended short because I blew my ACL, but had a blast until that moment. I curse myself for joking about protecting my spine by breaking my knees instead...

Took off 19/20 - 20/21


Return to sport round 2 for the 21/22 season.

Skiing overall has been far better after I returned to sport. Especially for the 21/22 season, about half the days I went out there was some snowfall before open or during the ski day. Amazing buttery smoothness underfoot when it was actively snowing during the day. When I think of my Jay trip from last season... ugh dreamy. Didn't get to go out as much this year but when I went out I'd focus on technique on green slopes, and think made some technical improvements.

Definitely taking lessons next season and a trip or two out West. Have a season pass for Belleyre so it's my home mountain for next season to work on technical improvements. I just hope they start offering advanced beginner/intermediate group lessons next season! They do have adult camps but I also don't want to block out so much time, since with the multi-passes we will probably play by ear and switch mtns on weekends based on weather.
 

sorcamc

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm adding too, especially because I took a very unusual route to get to where I am and first few bad experiences doesn't mean it'll be bad later.

First never-ever lesson, late 20s:
at Whiteface in NY 2012, they were using really short tiny skis for never-evers. I don't think they were even 90 CMs. No poles---combined with short skis, feet felt like walking around in dress-shoes on ice. Felt very unstable, icy, it was Whiteface after-all, even on the carpet slope. Instructor was... not ok on many levels. Didn't go back that season, at least my memory says so.

Retry 2013 at Blue Mountain in the Poconos, 1 out of 3 pack group lesson:
Got stuck in a mis-matched group. Instructor leaves me in one area of learning slope in favor of helping the others in my group with a promise to return. After waiting too long, and being absolutely frustrated, I marched straight to customer service trying to get a full refund back for my 3-pack of lessons. Get convinced to try snowboarding too, they'll put the lesson I used back on, and if it doesn't work out after the first never-ever lesson on board, I can come back for an actual refund. I begrudgingly agreed, for which I am glad, because if I had stuck to my NO, I'd not be doing alpine snow sport, the only form of organized sporting activity I enjoy.
Those lessons work out, and I'm SB'ing 2013 to 2015, including a free all-inclusive (travel/lodging/lift tix) to Jackson Hole which left a permanent 'snow sport good' imprint in my brain.... followed by bunch of surgeries that made me take time off doing higher-risk stuff, and eventually arrived at the decision to switch to skiing in 2017.


Return to sport round 1, switching to skiing 2017:
3-pack of group lessons at Mountain Creek, and skiing sticks this time, though still not 100% set about sticking to skiing.

2018:
a full day lesson at Beaver Creek, which cemented my desire to switch to skiing. Jay trip in 2019, a half-day group lesson, ended short because I blew my ACL, but had a blast until that moment. I curse myself for joking about protecting my spine by breaking my knees instead...

Took off 19/20 - 20/21


Return to sport round 2 for the 21/22 season.

Skiing overall has been far better after I returned to sport. Especially for the 21/22 season, about half the days I went out there was some snowfall before open or during the ski day. Amazing buttery smoothness underfoot when it was actively snowing during the day. When I think of my Jay trip from last season... ugh dreamy. Didn't get to go out as much this year but when I went out I'd focus on technique on green slopes, and think made some technical improvements.

Definitely taking lessons next season and a trip or two out West. Have a season pass for Belleyre so it's my home mountain for next season to work on technical improvements. I just hope they start offering advanced beginner/intermediate group lessons next season! They do have adult camps but I also don't want to block out so much time, since with the multi-passes we will probably play by ear and switch mtns on weekends based on weather.
I totally admire your stick-to-it-iveness! Awesome!
 

Cantabrigienne

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
First never-ever lesson, late 20s:
at Whiteface in NY 2012, they were using really short tiny skis for never-evers. I don't think they were even 90 CMs. No poles---combined with short skis, feet felt like walking around in dress-shoes on ice. Felt very unstable, icy, it was Whiteface after-all, even on the carpet slope. Instructor was... not ok on many levels. Didn't go back that season, at least my memory says so.
OMG - I did "parallel from the start" at Whiteface too!!!

It wasn't quite the start for me - I did a couple of days at Tahoe with family friends for the spring break of my freshman year in 1990. I guess I learned to snowplough decently on that trip, but all I really remember is a) it was so quiet that they were able to run the groomers on the bunny slopes while my class was in progress & still give us a wide berth and b) my legs hurt so much that I used my arms to pull my legs up the stairs at the end of the first day.

Fast forward to Dec 1999 and my whole family met up at Tahoe for the millenium new year. My middle sister & I tried learning to snowboard and I must've been in boots 2 sizes too big because I couldn't get my board to do anything. Frustrated, we switched (back) to learning to ski & shared a private lesson. I guess I became a more comptent novice at this point because I remember tackling the easiest blue, Ridge Run, on the morning of Jan 1st - my oldest sister & BIL were first-time skiers on that trip too & we all went to bed immediately after midnight to get up early to ski, figuring that would be the quietest time if everyone else was sleeping off a hangover!

A year later at age 28, I headed up to Whiteface for a 4 day trip with friends. (I lived in NYC at the time.) I wasted the first day learning to snowboard again, tho' I actually made progress & managed to link turns. But I wanted see if I could finish learning to ski. As a not total beginner, I put myself into the group classes but was the only one so I basically had a private. Could not get rid of my wedge despite the focused attention - I remember my instructor telling me to bring my ankles together like I was Dorothy clicking my heels. By the end of the 2-3hrs together he said "I know you're not a beginner anymore but you're permanently stuck in a wedge, you'd make much faster progress if you'd give the parallel from the start program a try." I actually liked it a lot & was able to ski parallel on snowblades from the mid-station. In my head, this is when I really learned to ski because what they taught actually stuck with me, although in recounting my story I guess I must have had 4-5 days on skis before this point.
 

TiffAlt

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Have to tell you all, I'm really loving your stories. You'll never truly fail unless you quit and what I see in these stories is our perseverance. Truly a beautiful thing we have in common and something I'm so glad we are sharing.

Thanks @EdithP for suggesting this idea - it is heartwarming to hear and @xxs_skier for making a thread where we can share our stories. This thread is like a group hug! :grouphug:
 

Laroken

Certified Ski Diva
I “skied” probably a handful of times as a young kid — I’m talking a few runs on a green trail at an itty bitty local ridge that would be a catwalk at any real mountain. My mom was petrified of chairlifts and ski accidents, and so it never progressed beyond that. About a decade later, I met my boyfriend (now husband), and he was all about skiing. He was doing a ski trip with some friends, and I didn’t want to be left out. So I said, “yes of course I ski!” (I mean, *technically* not a lie), rented some terrible equipment, and proceeded to try to keep up. I was slow as #### and 100% left in the dust, but hormones are a surprisingly good motivator I guess, because I was much better than I had any right being (like, in retrospect, I can’t believe I managed to get myself on and off chair lifts and generally stayed on my feet through the ordeal). I kept the lie up for a while until my BF finally couldn’t understand why I was struggling so much to skate on a flat part, and I had to fess up that I had no effing clue what I was doing and could not begin to imagine how to move my body to generate forward motion on the flat. ‍♀️ Truth be told, I didn’t truly enjoy skiing for a few years after that — I finally let the ego go and took lessons as an adult. Best. Decision. Ever.
 

JayZeeSquared

Certified Ski Diva
My first lesson was actually year ago today (27 years old) at Buttermilk. Nervous was an understatement. I was so scared about getting hurt. My long time snowboarder husband and I took private lessons which I'm glad we did. I was able to wedge turn my way down the bunny hill and graduated to a green run before lunch time. I only was able to get out to the mountain 1 time that season but I was ready to rock and roll for the next.
Prior to this season, I was gifted a pack of lessons to Snobahn which is an indoor ski/snowboarding facility that helped get me to barely skiing parallel. About a few weeks later at the beginning of November, I had a group ski lesson at Keystone. When we skiing in a line so the instructors could divvy us up by skill, I felt like everything I learned at the indoor facility was forgotten once I got on the bunny hill. Again, I was nervous about getting hurt. Once I got more comfortable on the bunny hill mostly skiing parallel, we were taken on Schoolmarm, a long green run, and again I got in my head. I was also very nervous over the other riders zipping by so fast and close to us since there weren't a lot of runs open at that time. It was a successful day but the things the instructor was teaching us weren't clicking in my head, such as putting pressure on the front of the boot to turn.
From there starts my obsession with skiing - My husband and I were going out almost every weekend. I was constantly watching ski videos so I could level up my skills. Each time I went out, a new thing started to click in my head and I was improving at a fast rate. It took me a long time to figure out how to adjust my boots so I could ski better. First I was skiing with my boots too loose so my shin was not engaging well with the front of my boot. I was back seat skiing so bad. Now I've tightened them up, I've exceled even further. I can control my skis better, I'm carving, and feel like I have good body separation and form. Just within the 2-4 most recent days on the mountain, I've felt like such a better skier now that I have a flow, cruising fast on the groomers. I'm always thinking about the next time I'll be on the slopes.
My original goal for the season was to get down a black run and hit 40 mountain days. Now I feel pretty comfortable on black runs and have been on plenty within the past month. I've been out 21 days. My new goal is to get better on moguls and check out tree runs. I'm hoping that I will be able to hit my 40 days now that Breck closes in late May. Definitely thankful that I live 6 minutes away from a resort. I think I want to take an advanced group ski lesson before the season ends.
One of the biggest things that has helped me get over my fear of getting hurt is being more confident in my abilities. At the beginning of the season, I would be so nervous before going out, but every time afterwards I would be happy how the day went and I didn't get hurt. I've adopted a "send it" mindset (of course within reason) and pushed myself to get comfortable on harder runs. Not too long ago, my husband accidentally took us down a black mogul at Keystone and it was probably the steepest run I've gone down. I was SO scared that I cried, I had to side step down the run, but I managed to get down. At first, I hated the experience of being taken down that mogul run, something out of my abilities. But then I realized, it was a character building experience and something to learn from. That I want to challenge myself more to get better. I am a little more open just going down whatever run now that I am way more confident in my abilities. But for now, I still hate mogul runs. :smile:
 
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TheGreenOne

Angel Diva
I was especially freaked out by the chair lift since many years ago when I was learning how to snowboard as I was getting off the lift, I ended up falling and partially tearing my rotator cuff. It turns out chair lifts on skis is sooo much easier.

Oh yeah, now that I ski, I don't have the same feelings about unloading correctly on a board, everything about the logic/technique seems ridiculous. Back in SB days once I unloaded and my board somehow had spun 180 degrees with my forward foot still in—made the liftie rush out of the hut. I didn't have any injury but was done for the day after that because the physics of my body position freaked me out and I didn't trust myself.

I did have a surprise conveyor load in Maine, which I did fine, but all I heard in the back of my mind was "Don't fall in the well of shame".... after reading someone's hilarious take on a new bubble 8-pack (forgot which mtn) with conveyor load, that do not spit riders out onto a loading platform but will keep moving wether you made it on to the chair or not.

I was actually really surprised Belleayre has a Doppelmayr conveyor quad in their beginner zone, wasn't working when I went though, so loaded like any other standard chair lift.
 

Divegirl

Angel Diva
I never skied as a kid or teen. I used beg my parents to try. No go - they both tried skiing in the 50s and hated it - the cold, the rope tow and so on. I finally learned to ski when I was 25. A friend from work took me to the local "hill" (Blue Hills in MA) and "taught" me to ski. I learned to ski at night and on ice. I hit a tree and I hit a fence. The only reason I didn't land in the parking lot after hitting the fence was I knew how to ice skate and could hockey stop. Kept skiing. First real lesson was at Smugglers Notch. Another work friend organized a weekend trip. Sat morning he pulled me and his sister aside and told us no skiing til we took a lesson. He signed us up. We got to ride the Magic Carpet with knee high/thigh high munchkins staring at us. Finally one asked us why we were there - well, we're learning to ski - a chorus of "ohs" and some very astonished looking little faces. The next day 2 of the guys I was with took me to one of the longest blue runs at Smuggs and I managed to get down with a combo of walking, skiing and sliding on my butt but I did it. My work friend was waiting for at the bottom and he ripped the 2 guys up one side and down the other. They didn't know it was the 3rd time I'd ever been on skies.
 

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