2026 is the 20th anniversary of The Ski Diva. To celebrate the amazing women who make this community what it is, we’re going to be featuring interviews with Ski Diva members on the blog all season long. Check them all out here.
Header photo taken by member @marzNC at Belleayre.
Tobi – known as @Tvan on the forum – has been a member of The Ski Diva since 2011. Retired and living in Vermont, she’s an avid musician and quilter in addition to being a skier of 20 years and an active member of the community.
How did you get into skiing?
When I turned 45, I decided to spend the year doing things I had never done before. My husband wanted to take a snowboarding lesson, so I booked myself a ski lesson as well. We were at the Dartmouth Skiway in NH, where my husband went to college. My instructor was a retired Dartmouth professor who understood adult beginners and who made me feel at ease. My husband said that I smiled the entire time on the hill. We went home, rented skis for the season, and have skied ever since. It’s been about 20 years and skiing is still my favorite thing to do.
What drew you to skiing, and what’s kept you hooked?
I grew up in a family of non-athletic musicians. I didn’t participate in any sports as a kid and always thought of myself as uncoordinated. Learning to ski and being sort of good at it opened my perspective of myself – I am actually athletic! I can ski!
How did you find The Ski Diva? What motivated you to join and stick around?
As a new skier, I was looking for advice on skis. A google search led me to The Ski Diva! I found the forum to be a welcoming community and I received really helpful information from “marry your boots, date your skis” to “you can never have too many ski jackets.” I joined the forum because I enjoyed the camaraderie, the general merriment and the encouraging vibes.
Can you share a favorite memory or story involving the forum or forum members?
One memory that stands out was on my first Diva outing at Elk Mountain, PA in 2017. I didn’t know anyone since it was my first outing with the Divas and I was very nervous. I’m a slow, cautious skier and I was petrified that I was going to hold back the group. But @nopoleskier made me feel completely at ease. “Just follow the line”, she said, so I did.
Another favorite story was from Stratton. I was in the singles line for the gondola when I noticed someone ahead of me with a Ski Diva sticker on their helmet. I tapped on her shoulder and met @MissySki!
The first time that I attended the Okemo Women’s Alpine Adventure (WAA), I was really nervous because I didn’t know anyone else who was attending. I put out an invitation on The Ski Diva forum, asking if any Divas in the Ludlow, VT area were free for dinner the night before the WAA started, and ended up having a wonderful evening with @ski diva, Mr. ski diva, @newboots, and @Abbi, and it set the stage for a terrific week at the WAA. We continued this pre-WAA dinner tradition for several years!
When my husband and I first moved to Vermont a few years ago, @Ilovepugs reached out and we had dinner together. It was lovely to meet her in person, and to feel like we had friends in this new place that we had just moved to.
Have you ever gone on a trip or adventure that wouldn’t have happened without The Ski Diva?
I can say with all confidence that my husband and I would never have gone indoor skiing in the Netherlands if The Ski Diva had not planted the idea of skiing adventures for me! We were on a business trip in The Hague, and spent a free day skiing indoors at Die Uithof. It was 85 degrees outside, and we were wearing jackets and gloves inside!
Is there anyone you’ve met through the forum who’s had a big impact on you?
One person that I think about frequently is @Serafina. She had a wickedly funny sense of humor and her posts were always engaging and delightful. She passed away in 2022 and her husband wrote the most epic obituary about her. I miss her.
How has The Ski Diva community influenced your skiing?
I’ve learned so much about skiing since being part of this community! Both from forum posts, and from skiing with divas in real life! From skiing with @nopoleskier, who is excellent at gentle teaching points when you’re doing a lazy green run, to @Jilly’s generous tour guiding on our Tremblant trip, to @marzNC who has encyclopedic knowledge of ski areas from coast to coast…Divas are the most fun and the most knowledgeable to ski with!
What advice would you give to a new skier just starting out – especially women entering the sport?
Take lessons. Get equipment that is right for your size and skill level. Get appropriate outdoor clothing and dress for warmth. Take breaks. Find a ski friend. Join The Ski Diva and participate in the forum. Post an invitation in the Meet On The Hill forum and meet some Divas in real life.
What do you hope The Ski Diva looks like 20 years from now?
I hope that The Ski Diva forum continues to be a thriving community where women from all over can come together and encourage each other, through skiing and enjoying the mountains!
If you had to describe skiing in three words, what would they be?
Crisp, Fresh, Free!
What song would be on your ultimate ski playlist?
The Joker! That thread is 15 years old and I STILL can’t get that song out of my head!
