My first time skiing

[-tcwd-]

I remember when i first skiied. I went on this really big hill, the first time. Damn that was a mistake. First, my left pole fell off, and then the other, and then, i somehow dropped down, and i like sat the whole way down. I was so damn cold afterwards x_x

[Michael]

Sounds scary, big slopes always seem daunting when we first approach them when learning to ski!

I remember that I used to sit at the top ... amazed .. at how these other people could just bomb down the slope.

At least you didnt break any bones on that occasion

[dream30.]

lol, getting snow down in your gloves, boots, helmet and jacket are always excrutiating..... i cant stand it, so i wear elastics around gloves to give that extra trapment of snow from getting in. Its irritating to be running a slope and have a chunk of snow moving around and melting on your body.

[Cedric_FP]

Not only is it irritating, but its bloody freezing! I like to actually tape my sleeves shut. It works fine.

[TomC]

I just put my jacket slieves over my gloves, never seem to have any problems.

[dazisonfire]

You definately need to be covered up with lots of layers.. it keeps you warm and softens the impact if you fall over. I was also amazed at how easy it seemed to other people, but I couldn't build up the courage. I eventually urged myself to go down the slope. Once you've went down once, you know what to expect so it makes it easier to do it again. After you build up your confidence on the slopes you can start trying tricks and it gets much easier from then on.

Good topic

[makemedie]

Wouldn't it be smarter to try out on a smaller slope if you were a beginner?

[Michael]

Originally Posted by makemedie

Wouldn't it be smarter to try out on a smaller slope if you were a beginner?

Noooo, of course not, the top is where all the fun happens

[makemedie]

Haha!

The top is seriously intimidating though. You start going down, and suddenly its like time freezes...and in a minute everything's over and you're down there already. That's the coolest feeling ever. Literally!

[Michael]

The biggest worry for a learner is how to stop. If they are confident in their stopping ability then they will (with enough confidence) go down any slope.

[blank260]

My brother did something similar on his first time skiing. He couldn't stop some how and went off this huge jump and ended up breaking something in his leg, not sure what he broke but it looked like it really hurt.

[onlyjane]

I went skiing for first time this xmas to Sauze D'oulx.

To access the beginners run you had to go down part of a red run!!!!
First time I panicked, with skiers whizzing past me left and right and the sound of snowboarders right behind was scarey.

I was having a problem turning to the right and in the end stood still and walked down on skis sideways. I really wondered what had possessed me to attempt skiing - I have vertigo, bad back and hate the cold.

Once on the beginners run I loved it, the sweeping turns were so much easier. I did that same run 7 more times that day. Was in bed at 8.30pm & slept like a baby.

Each day did a different run, first feeling scared at steepness, but once done it the feeling is unbelievable and each time seems much easier.

I'm totally hooked. I'm not very good, but I got down every run in one piece, only fell a few times, even managed to survive ice patches though probably looked like a cartoon from behind!!

onlyjane

[Adam]

Great to hear you had such a great time!
I have to say one serious put-off when learning to ski is if you are on a slope covered in people. All you can hear is the scraping of skis and snowboards and it all becomes very intimidating!
Doesn't seem to be such a big problem in America due to their wide slopes where everyone has enough room to move but from my experience in Austria you have to fight for your patch of snow!

Just remember if they are behind you and you can't see them you have the right of way...or so I have been told!

Good luck and happy skiing!

[Michael]

Originally Posted by Adam

Just remember if they are behind you and you can't see them you have the right of way...or so I have been told!

Yep, I think that's about right!

[SkiCatDad]

I remember the first time I skiied was at a crappy resort in the Poconos. I wanted so badly to be good and was embarrassed to be falling all over that me and my brother just hiked up a quiet hill there and kept skiing down and falling.

I was so persistant that my second time skiing I was determined to go down a black diamond. I basically traversed the trails and it took me 20 minutes to get down one hill. If your a beginner who likes to try hard trails (and hopefully take your time), please be consciencious of the uphill skier. Normally you should only worry about the downhill skier but I think if your taking up space on a trail and are traversing it could be very painful when you are cutting across and someone comes bombing down the trail. Could be disastrous.