I found that, until about my 4th week on skis, 0 beers was best. Even just having a pint at lunch would throw out my ability to ski half decently and I became a bit of a risk, which is why I stopped having a drink with lunch. Now I'm inclined to agree that a beer is good to relax my stance a bit...plus I like beer.
A few other tips:
Learn how to carry skis. Sometimes it's fine to have them up on the shoulder, at other times there's a high chance you'll hit someone in the face. Plenty of 'amusing' Youtube videos on the options. Personally I tend to go for 'the claw'
It's okay to sit on a lift with a strange person, it's only a few minutes. This especially applies when it's busy, nothing annoys me more than watching lifts go up half empty when there's a huge queue of people.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Following on from @Themasterpiece, you will find that that when you are trying to put on your downhill ski it was a tendency to slip down the hill away from you. To stop this lay your skis facing across the hill, stand with both your legs downhill of your skis. Lift your downhill leg, cross it over your other leg and click into the downhill ski, then bring over your uphill leg and click into your uphill ski. That way you are always stepping uphill into your skis.
I've just read that back, it sounds more complicated than it is. But it works.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
If going with multiple small children get different colour skis & boots for them, so that child A knows that their boots are red, whilst child B should go for the black ones, etc. Take some tape to write their names on the skis.
Our first trip was with six kids around 5-7 years old. One even managed to get two left boots of different colours on. 18 years on they are all holding down responsible jobs....
If you're ski school group has a 1Euro fine/fall to be spent in the bar after the last lesson, everyone pays up but only a few go to the bar/stay for more than 1 drink you will be a complete wreck by the time your skiing friends catch up with you
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@under a new name,
“I like to have a martini,
Two at the very most.
After three I'm under the table,
after four I'm under my host.”
One even managed to get two left boots of different colours on.
Always test for colour blindness. After a long dicussiion about whether the piste we were on was blue or black an ergonomist friends pointed out you should never rely on colour alone to disinquish between items. He argued that blue piste markers should be a different shape to black ones, though he was a bit vague about how a stick in the ground could be any other shape.
Yes I know the buckles would be suspiciously on the same side of the boot.
I keep meaning to swap a ski with my son and see if anyone comments when on a chair lift.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Take a photo of your skis (should have a code on them for the hire shop) and boots, it helps when you forget which ones you actually use
After all it is free
After all it is free
pieman666 wrote:
Take a photo of your skis (should have a code on them for the hire shop) and boots, it helps when you forget which ones you actually use
And lift pass (or keep receipt). Needed in case you lose it and need to replace.
johnE wrote:
Always test for colour blindness. After a long dicussiion about whether the piste we were on was blue or black an ergonomist friends pointed out you should never rely on colour alone to disinquish between items.
I once had an argument with a mate because I was convinced that a run was "a bit steep for a green run", at which point he said it was blue. Even standing right in front of the sign, goggles off, it looked green to me. 2 hours later when we were on the same piste again I saw that the sign was, almost indisputably, blue. Never a fan of losing an argument, I still maintain that a pisteur must have switched the sign
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
On my 1st trip I took loads of 'going out' clothes for evenings. Never used any. Keep my ski stuff on all week and travel home in what I arrived in. Just pack enough boxers, base layers and ski socks for the week and a wooly hat to cover 'helmet hair'.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Be mindful of "friends" who are more experienced than you when it comes to skiing. They will get bored waiting around on nursery slopes and easy blues at some point and "coax" you up something you may not be ready for. They will say "you'll be fine, we'll show you blah blah" .... It could ruin your experience of skiing once and for all as it did with my missus before we met. Her mates took her too high, too soon and ended up in a bad fall, wont go near a pair of skis ever again as a result which peeees me off no end
Actually what am I saying, I go with the lads every year instead
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Make sure your insurance is valid, and understand what it does and doesn't cover you for.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@Spike107, yep, did that with a mate. Not sure he'd have embraced it anyway but that definitely put him off. Periodically try to convince him to give it another go but its way past the point that we'd be skiing the same things much, so I'm finding new friends that already ski instead
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
On my the first EOSB I had no helmet and although I put suncream on I got badly burnt up my nostrils and down my ears. Never again
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much on Wed 18-01-17 17:55; edited 1 time in total
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Let's be careful with this idea you can wear the same gear all/every day and night. Yes a few do that and you can be that guy if you like but the rules are no diff than at home, take as many changes of ski and apres/evening gear that work for you (and your luggage allowance).
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Grandma Sunshine,
Quote:
it's a ski trip not a fashion show you don't need a different outfit for every night
And anyway you will be transmogrified into a person of fashion while you're asleep, if you're lucky.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Scarpa, sorry, but how does a helmet help you to avoid burnt nostrils
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
More seriously, I agree with the fact that you won't have to wear umpteen layers of clothes. It's hot work when you're just starting to learn!
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@Hurtle, I really hope not but alas you are probably correct
On my 1st trip I took loads of 'going out' clothes for evenings. Never used any. Keep my ski stuff on all week and travel home in what I arrived in. Just pack enough boxers, base layers and ski socks for the week and a wooly hat to cover 'helmet hair'.
This!! my packing still gets lighter every year...especially in Austria where apres goes form 3-9pm then you're too "merry" to be bothered what you wear!
Let's be careful with this idea you can wear the same gear all/every day and night. Yes a few do that and you can be that guy if you like but the rules are no diff than at home, take as many changes of ski and apres/evening gear that work for you (and your luggage allowance).
I fear I may have made myself sound like a health hazard 😀
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Scarpa wrote:
On my the first EOSB I had no helmet and although I put suncream on I got badly burnt up my nostrils and down my ears. Never again
I got vicious sunburn at the EoSB on a day that it was completely overcast...having chided someone in the morning for wearing suncream
After all it is free
After all it is free
Whitty wrote:
essex wrote:
Let's be careful with this idea you can wear the same gear all/every day and night. Yes a few do that and you can be that guy if you like but the rules are no diff than at home, take as many changes of ski and apres/evening gear that work for you (and your luggage allowance).
I fear I may have made myself sound like a health hazard 😀
Haha no worries, don"t mind my comment, i do tend to bring a lot of both types of clothes.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Quote:
As a beginner, don't go skiing before March
I disagree with this. As a beginner go skiing as much as you possibly can. I had my first trip mid March 2012 and got hooked. Second trip pre Christmas week the same year, third trip January 2013 followed by trips in March and April of that year. Much easier to get the hang of something if you do it often. Four trips a season (not including some Scottish skiing) since. Granted I now live in a cardboard box out the back of Lidl but it's worth it.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@swiftoid,
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@sugarmoma666, Im going to VT for a week on the 11 march. Hotel Tango Half Board. No lessons and Hiring everything except helmets....eeeww. Full 3V pass. About 20 hrs of ChillFactore lessons and practice under my belt.@Raceplate, Ive felt both confident and overwhelmed following good and bad sessions so far so wont give up., Ive bought way too much stuff but for me ......that's half the fun. I golf so im used to expensive all the gear no idea stereotypes haha. Really pleased with the response and the advice. Its invaluable learning from you guys. Id really like to blog or diary my adventure from the viewpoint of a newbie. Any suggestions where I could do it? @t44tomo, hahaha Ill do my best
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@SnoodyMcFlude, Ive heard I need a passport photo for my ski pass, not from anyone directly nut Ive kind of picked it up along the way? any truth?
@essex, Im not the kind of guy to wear the same outfit twice........not sure how that goes down on here. Point me to the drycleaners
Oh and to make you all roll your eyes ..... Im just about to buy a GoPro.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Skis are even slidier on snow than you'd think
Apres ski is really fun
Skiing to get to lunch is a worthy objective
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@GorillySticks, no need for photo. Think that's more of a season pass thing.
... lay your skis facing across the hill, stand with both your legs downhill of your skis. Lift your downhill leg, cross it over your other leg and click into the downhill ski, then bring over your uphill leg and click into your uphill ski.
Top tip. Don't know why more instructors don't teach this right at the beginning of someone's skiing career. I see so many people struggling with putting skis back on when they are on even moderately steep pistes, including plenty of experienced skiers. Here's a video which shows how:
@sugarmoma666, Im going to VT for a week on the 11 march. Hotel Tango Half Board. No lessons and Hiring everything except helmets....eeeww. Full 3V pass.
Consider having some lessons, even if it's just a couple of private ones. The mountains and the snow there are quite different to a snow dome.
Have you been on a chair lift on skis before? If not, watch videos, etc and ideally get someone (instructor or friend) to take you on your first one or two.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@rob@rar, that video shows it to be much simpler than my long winded description.
@rob@rar, that video shows it to be much simpler than my long winded description.
As is always the case when using words compared to pictures! It's a habit for me know, so I I almost always put my skis on like that even when on the flat.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Hurtle wrote:
@Scarpa, sorry, but how does a helmet help you to avoid burnt nostrils
LOL, only half the issue. It was the ear flaps. Just wearing a hat half my ears were uncovered and it was the inside of the canal entrance that got burnt. When I started wearing a lid at least that problem was solved.
- Going to a snow dome made a huge difference compared to my friends who didnt go to practice first
- At the top things look steep but when you are on them, they don't (necessarily feel as steep). There is a particular blue I am thinking of which is short and you looked at it as you approached and all you could see was the flat below, scared the hell out of me so I didnt do it. A year later came back thought the same thing but did it and once on it, it was fine
biggest mistake:
- "Racing" experienced friends... always ends in a fall.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@rob@rar,
Quote:
Don't know why more instructors don't teach this right at the beginning of someone's skiing career.
I've thought about this too, but have you ever tried on Dendix without poles? It's damned near impossible to stand still enough on one leg as your boot slips and slides into the holes. I guess we get them to pair up so they've got something to lean on. Might try that on my next group lesson.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Try to get morning lessons - watch where you go, and then spend at least part of the afternoon practising / repeating what you did in the lesson.
If you fall over and your skis don't come off, it may be easier to release them when lying on the ground, and then put them back on when standing up.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Don't do too much skiing the first few days - you will be tempted to "keep at it" in the afternoon/ after lessons finish.
My advice is practice a little longer after lessons finish if you feel fit (12-1pm can be the quietest time on the slopes so maybe make the most of that period)
Then have lunch and a beer and potter about (or nap) instead.
Otherwise , by day three you will be broken.
Serious accidents can happen when you get tired....one last run syndrome.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Bring lip balm with spf included, nothing worse than burnt lips!
Try to consciously lean forward on your ski's, it's daunting at first but your skiing should improve much quicker.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
