 Poster: A snowHead
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Ski-ing is the thing pal 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Old men who start skiing late just look sad, with skis, poles and arms flying everywhere as they try to plow down the hill toward loserville
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Equally sad old and young.
But the one who don't start AT ALL are the ultimate loser.
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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?
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Tubbs, I've not read through all of this (just the first page) so you may have been given this advice already. Learn one of the disciplines first, I would go for skiing first (if you snowboard first there is a fair chance you'll opt out of the skiing). Skiing is much easier at first and you should be making decent turns in a day.(If you're as you describe yourself). Snowboarding will take approx 3 times longer. The big difference between them after a weeks lessons is this,
Skiing, you'll think you're pretty proficient at it but in truth you'll probably never look stylish or be able to ski powder, bumps, do tricks or carve without being taught how to.(It's a big gripe of mine that most British skiers have never learnt to ski properly)
Snowboarding, you'll get pretty good, look stylish, start doing tricks etc, just riding with friends.
Snowboarding is more fun until you can ski well (which won't happen without instruction)
I have no axe to grind either way as I love both disciplines equally. Hope this helps.
...and by the way age is irrelevent, I was 43 when I first started thowing myself off kickers etc,
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| abc wrote: |
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Old men who start skiing late just look sad, with skis, poles and arms flying everywhere as they try to plow down the hill toward loserville
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Equally sad old and young.
But the one who don't start AT ALL are the ultimate loser. |
A very good point - and not just snow related!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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skidonald - THANK YOU.
Great follow up - there has been a lot of helpful comments and yours sums things up well for me.
Without being too greedy I want to experience it all and happy to learn and practice over the coming years ( I am lucky to have friends that I can stay with anytime near crabbe - might not be a mega resort but great to practice and cheap! I have other trips I can do during the seasons so in the next few year I hope I can cram in a lot) If it comes naturally all the better, if not I am sure I will have fun a long the way.
Good news about the kickers, looking forward to it and I still have 5 years until you have beaten me too it!
Next step MK
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tubbs, I hope you'll be back to tell us how it all went?
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im oblivous to the result.
have you chosen skiing or boarding?
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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.
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Skiing
I will post how MK goes - I will be honest!
Unless I completely hate it then I will stick with skiing on my trip - hope to get 3-4 days at Whistler then at least 6-7 full days at Crabbe.
Crabbe seems great value and I can go during the week so try to get some 1 -1 tuition - and lots of practice.
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skidonald, Thoroughly agree.
| Whitegold wrote: |
At 37, knocking on 40, your abililty to learn a new sport is vastly impaired.
You are not a teenager anymore, even if you feel like one.
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Disagree, that's pretty much when I learnt.
tubbs, Go for it!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wrong choice. But good luck. Let us know how it goes.
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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.
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As a beginner, if you're 17 or under and have excellent, long, scruffy-but-cool hair then do snowboarding. If you don't fit that description then you're just going to look fat/old/stupid/combination of all three on a board. So do skiing.
Whatever you do, don't sit in the middle of the piste on blind corners. 
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| JonO_1001 wrote: |
skidonald, Thoroughly agree.
| Whitegold wrote: |
At 37, knocking on 40, your abililty to learn a new sport is vastly impaired.
You are not a teenager anymore, even if you feel like one.
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Disagree, that's pretty much when I learnt.
tubbs, Go for it! |
Agree - I was 36 when I learnt and was managing to get down blacks (with poor style though) after 10 days.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Whitegold wrote: |
Old men who start skiing late just look sad, with skis, poles and arms flying everywhere as they try to plow down the hill toward loserville. |
It's all the years of sex, drugs and rock and roll that have adled our brains
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I wonder whether I could use that quotation as a sig?
Whitegold, What a hero!
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Poster: A snowHead
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The body deteriorates rapidly when you pass around 28 years of age. At 37, your physical and mental skills will already be waning fast. For example, 99% of professional soccer players have retired by this time.
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Now just hold on a minute... There are those of us who have had to wait a while before strapping anything onto our feet and launching ourselves down a mountain - not like you youngsters! and just because we are in our forties (or even fifties) when we start does not automatically mean we are barely able to stand up! I am taking a group of teenge friends of my son skiing/snowboarding at Easter and I know I can wipe the floor with all of them except my son (a skier) who can just about keep up with the boss! So forget the ageism - it's what is in your head that counts and snow sports are a great leveller. And anyway professional footballers are a bunch of girls.
P.S. I would go with the skiing because you can do more with it and you don't end up with a wet bum all day, but really it is whatever rings your bell and you only know that when you have tried both.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tubbs- pleased you have not chosen the path of darkness (boarding) and won't be doomed to a life of sitting on slopes ,falling of drag lifts, and talking a makey up language not on else understands.
But seriously, as for this ageist bit, surely it relates to your starting point! I know someone who has just taken up skiing in his late fifties, but is fit and active for his age. A number of years ago I had a go at boarding, had a great laugh, and intend to try more seriously some time (despite what I said above) so that I can then try that kite boarding thing. Would also like to telemark etc. Should imagine that 99% of retired soccer players would be more fit than most for skiing or boarding if their knees weren't knackered.
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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?
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I'm thinking of getting a pet for my children. Could anyone please advise me whether I should get a cat or a dog, as I'm not sure which is best.
Thanks in advance.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Cat.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
talking a makey up language not on else understands
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You what?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Peter Smith wrote: |
| Quote: |
The body deteriorates rapidly when you pass around 28 years of age. At 37, your physical and mental skills will already be waning fast. For example, 99% of professional soccer players have retired by this time.
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Now just hold on a minute... There are those of us who have had to wait a while before strapping anything onto our feet and launching ourselves down a mountain - not like you youngsters! and just because we are in our forties (or even fifties) when we start does not automatically mean we are barely able to stand up! I am taking a group of teenge friends of my son skiing/snowboarding at Easter and I know I can wipe the floor with all of them except my son (a skier) who can just about keep up with the boss! So forget the ageism - it's what is in your head that counts and snow sports are a great leveller. And anyway professional footballers are a bunch of girls.
P.S. I would go with the skiing because you can do more with it and you don't end up with a wet bum all day, but really it is whatever rings your bell and you only know that when you have tried both. |
It is not agist.
It is biological fact.
After 28, the strength goes, the balance goes, the coordination goes and the spacial vision goes.
Just watch 40+ Maradona, the world's most gifted soccer player, try to kick a ball now. He looks like a loser.
Starting a brandnew sport at such a late age is a tall order.
Skiing is a tough sport. Snowboarding is easier.
The choice is simple. Trays win.
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To be fair Maradona has been an alcoholic cocaine addict for about the last 20 years.
Could anyone let me know which is the nicer food please: olives, or marmite.
Thanks in advance.
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Have two cats and a dog. None of them like marmite or olives. Haven't asked the goldfish
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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.
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| Quote: |
After 28, the strength goes, the balance goes, the coordination goes and the spacial vision goes.
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Not true.
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Skiing is a tough sport. Snowboarding is easier.
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True.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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[quote="Whitegold"]
| Peter Smith wrote: |
After 28, the strength goes, the balance goes, the coordination goes and the spacial vision goes. |
Tell that to Sir Ranulph Twistleton-Wykeham-Fiennes.
you dont have to be as fit as a 21 year old to learn to ski, my ski instructor in Winter park was a hell of a lot fitter than me and he's a dash older than 60 !
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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.
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Well it took me longer to book than expected but did 3 hours today at MK L1&2 (really wish I had booked a full day but I only booked late last night which meant I had to juggle my day enough as it was)
It was really good, instructor was great, I was surprised how easy it was to pick it up, I had prepared myself for a lot of falling over but managed to stay upright all morning. Our group was a big mix of ages early 20's to into 60's and all of them bar one guy picked things up really quickly.
Really pleased I tried skiing, the boarding lessons were going on too, a lot of stressed faces BUT as they picked it up clearly they enjoyed it more and more. Quite different learning curves!
So my plan.....
Maybe try to fit in L3&4 @ MK before I fly on the 9th to Whistler - actual skiing might be limited due to some work commitments whilst there but snowmobile and zipline trips planned anyway. When I get to the other side at least 7 days at Crabbe - they have a bar and wifi so I can work for a few hours a day and ski the rest of the time. 1 hour private tuition each day too I hope.
And when I get back, definitely going to give snowboarding ago - gives me plenty of options then for future trips if I enjoy both, but for now really looking forward to the skiing.
Once again thanks for all the comments, will post again once I get back from CA.
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| Whitegold wrote: |
| Peter Smith wrote: |
| Quote: |
The body deteriorates rapidly when you pass around 28 years of age. At 37, your physical and mental skills will already be waning fast. For example, 99% of professional soccer players have retired by this time.
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Now just hold on a minute... There are those of us who have had to wait a while before strapping anything onto our feet and launching ourselves down a mountain - not like you youngsters! and just because we are in our forties (or even fifties) when we start does not automatically mean we are barely able to stand up! I am taking a group of teenge friends of my son skiing/snowboarding at Easter and I know I can wipe the floor with all of them except my son (a skier) who can just about keep up with the boss! So forget the ageism - it's what is in your head that counts and snow sports are a great leveller. And anyway professional footballers are a bunch of girls.
P.S. I would go with the skiing because you can do more with it and you don't end up with a wet bum all day, but really it is whatever rings your bell and you only know that when you have tried both. |
It is not agist.
It is biological fact.
After 28, the strength goes, the balance goes, the coordination goes and the spacial vision goes.
Just watch 40+ Maradona, the world's most gifted soccer player, try to kick a ball now. He looks like a loser.
Starting a brandnew sport at such a late age is a tall order.
Skiing is a tough sport. Snowboarding is easier.
The choice is simple. Trays win. |
Are you genuinely stupid or just working up to wilfully ignorant? I'd love to see the reference material that tells us that we've all become virtually decrepit at 29. Our bodies and facilities do BEGIN to degrade in our mid-twenties, this is a SLOW and GRADUAL process and with a healthy and active lifestyle (illness and injury excluded) the speed of our decent into decrepitude can be slowed to a crawl. The curve grows exponentially post about 60 for most people.
Choosing a self-indulgent, drunken, drug addict with a self-confessed lack of will-power just demonstrates that no amount of gift or skill will overcome gross stupidity and illustrates that while you may be able to write, spell and punctuate, that doesn't mean that you've not produced utter and bigoted shoite.
And having undertaken the process of learning to board and ski, I will unequivocally state that 'first steps' are by far less generally physically demanding on ski's than on a board. The simple fact that skiing is bipedal should penetrate the skull of even the most juvenile of dickheads 
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You know it makes sense.
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Whitegold, my, you do talk some complete b0llocks don't you? 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Whitegold, Mrs Chris learnt to ski in her late 40's. I can quite confidently say, that if you tried to race her down a very steep pitch, thigh deep in snow, you would be a loser!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Although I think boards are in their element off piste (and I get the impression you will be playing off piste quicker if you board than if you ski), extensive off piste skiing in Europe will involve long traverses and flat paths that need poling/skating skills (all of which conditions are almost imposssible to deal with for a boarder). Much of the off piste can be accessed by going off the back or taking off ski or board and simply walking a bit, but even if you do not get into proper touring you will need occasionally to skin up something to get to good snow and to otherwise inaccessible valleys and you cannot do this on a board. In the US this is less true if you stay within bounds but back country skiing will mostly not be available to you if you cannot skin.
The quip about the skier sinking in the off piste is easily countered by hiring broad skis - the best of them are also good on piste and they require no change of style.
It is a difficult ballance of pros and cons. I would certainly back the idea of taking several lessons at each in a snow dome (one won't be enough), but I think you would be better to choose just one for your holiday or you won't get far with either. You will take a while on either to really get up and around the mountain and get the payback of feeling in control. I'm sure you will have lots of fun and be hooked whichever you choose.
I should perhaps say that I am a skier (90% off piste) and have only tried a day on a board. However much fun there is in carving a neat line on a prepared piste, there is something sublime about getting away into wild places where there are no other people or lifts and you are making the first tracks in natural snow. Also after a while (well OK, quite a few years) the pistes will offer few challenges and you will want to try couloirs and steeper slopes and tree skiing. However I am not a keen tourer - I just skin in a limited way occasionally to get to good skiing, I don't really enjoy it enough for itself.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Off piste is where I eventually want to be but some skill to gain first 
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FAQ
