 Poster: A snowHead
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I posted last year as I needed advice on our upcoming ski hols to Ellmau.I thought I'd post an update and ask for advice on how I can turn things around. We went to Ellmau in Austria which is absolutely gorgeous, the people are cracking our hotel (Hochfielzer) was really nice and we had a really lovely time. We went at the end of March which was way too late as much of the snow had gone/was going. However, I've had further confirmation that I am not a natural born skiier. I tried, I really did. Ski school was good, but I had a nightmare finding boots to fit and on the second day, my toes bruised and me in pain, I finished before lunchtime leaving my OH. It went downhill from there really (forgive the pun!). I stuffed socks in my exchanged boots but they never really fitted and were uncomfortable. Unfortunately, I later discovered that I picked up a ski instructor's skiis by mistake - eek. I was all over the place during the following day and felt worse as OH was progressing well in the group. In the end, I asked to move down a group which the instructor reluctantly did. I was doing well - the only one in my group who managed to do the downhill one with the poles balanced on the back of the hands without dropping it. My confidence however hit an all time low with the rest of my original group and my OH hitting the higher slopes. Then my group progressed up to the more challenging slopes which left me doing the same run over and over, on my own. Pathetic. Even our kids (who were first time skiiers) went up to the higher slopes. Eventually, my OH pursuaded me to to up the venicular to the higher blues. We sat and had a coffee and soaked up the sunshine and I was feeling really good, until .......... I got to the edge of the run (94) I think it was called, and froze. What the bloody hell am I doing here? I can't go down that! Yes you can, it's only a blue I could hear. So I did and regretted it. I fell down after about 20 yards and couldn't get up. I had a lot of trouble getting my skiis back on (which I've since thought was because I didn't have my original skiis so the bindings were out maybe?). There were so many lovely people who stopped and helped me up for which I was so grateful. In between time, I just walked or slid on my backside. I have never been so humiliated in my life. Pathetically, I sat crying at the bottom. We went up in the chairlift to the cafe so that I could try to regain my composure (Pink's "You've got to get up and try and try" was blasting out of the speakers but it didn't help love, sorry) then my OH went and did the run again and then a red. He said that the run we had done was by then practically slush so we packed up and went down.
Now here's the thing. Our daughter (11) and son ( were taken with skiing, although the daughter didn't really like going too fast and panicked a bit. Our son is brainloose and just charged around. His instructor called him "Indestructable" because he had quite a few near misses, which earnt him a fair few blkngs from us. I must admit I wouldn't mind not skiing again but the others are up for it so I can't be a killjoy. The proviso though is that I get to choose the resort. After a fair bit of research, Seefeld seems to fit the bill. We loved the country and the people so much that it's the country we want to go back to. It seems as though it has quite a few easy blue runs which OH says is fine, just as long as he gets to go skiing again. So, do you think it would suit a chickenst like me and if so, can anyone recommend a hotel/hotel apartment (we need two bedrooms) preferrably with leisure facilities? We are going half term - end of February 2014. Thanks for reading this and hope you can help.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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bambionskiis, oh dear, what a sad story.  I don't see why you should force yourself to try again - even if the rest of the family ski, there are plenty of other things to do, especially in a resort like Seefeld (which is, for example, renowned for its cross country skiing and will also have loads of lovely walks etc etc etc).
But. If you DO want to try again, you need to analyse why it was such a disaster. You could get boots properly fitted to your feet - having painful feet is miserable, however keen and competent a skier you are. But that's expensive if you really aren't going to enjoy it, and be more successful.
I don't really understand the bit about the instructor's skis - was it a woman with the same size feet?
Anyway, you need to have really forgiving beginner skis, absolutely no higher than your chin (how long were they?).
Your best bet might be a session in one of the snowdomes (such as Hemel Hempstead) with a sympathetic instructor (we know plenty, between us) who can spend time with you 1 to 1 and really try to get to the bottom of your problem.
If you think snow quality was one of your problems (and last winter was an exceptionally good one for snow) then you might need to think again about your choice of resort - Seefeld is quite low. It has access to very high skiing not far off, but if conditions are bad a crowded glacier isn't going to do your confidence a lot of good. There are other resorts which might suit you better, and plenty of people here who know Austria well and could come up with suggestions for resorts with good terrain both for a nervous beginner and the more doughty members of the family.
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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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Never been to Seefeld but I hear it has a higher proportion of cross country skiing, and easier terrain.
Not being able to get skis back on could just be the heel binding not reset, or too much snow stuck to bottom of boot. Been there done that.
If France is on the list, then maybe Easiski is worth a try for lessons? I think she's pretty good with nervous and cautious beginners, and a few people from here have done such a trip?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Easiski would be great, but I bet she's fully booked for half term already.
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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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Thanks Pam. I feel that I do need to give it one more go as I actually enjoyed myself when it was going right (and I was upright). I went for intermediate skiis as I have been skiing many years ago and thought beginner skiis wouldn't be right. The instructor did have the same size feet but I didn't notice how long they were (taller than me certainly) - stop groaning everyone! My biggest problem is, well, me. I've done a free-fall parachute years ago with no problems, but standing at the top of a run looking down just terrifies me. I tried the Tamworth snowdome years back but it was heaving and I hated it. We have a dry ski slope not far from us, but I seem to remember it as not being "like the real thing". It may be worth a look again though. I did think that when we go, I would like to have a ski instructor for myself and the kids instead of going into a school. The snow earlier in the season had been good but ours was the last week of the season (the staff were packing up as we were leaving) and Ellmau was just turning more and more brown as the week went on, so I don't think the slush helped. Good point about the altitude; being earlier in the season I just thought the snow conditions would be safe, but it is certainly something to take into consideration. Andy, I do think it was the heel binding that was a problem, although it was pretty slushy so may have been a bit too much snow on board! Will know what to do next time. I wasn't thinking of France because of the school holidays which I understand are a nightmare there. Thanks both
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bambionskiis, Your first trip sounds like a carbon copy of OH's description of her first trip. She gave it another go and is now as hooked as the rest of us. Took us a couple of trips to work out how to ski March afternoons. Nothing as good as standing at the top with your heart pounding, then getting to the bottom and realising you survived/skied it like a god 
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Seefeld is a good resort for gentle terrain, and superb Austrian hotels. Both hills are not very big, and those that never want to ski the same piste twice will be disappointed, but it certainly fits the bill for those in the earlier stages of learning. The ski school is pretty good, certainly for my kids (8 & 6) - they love it there.
This is probably the best cross country resort I have ever been to. One of the main reasons we keep going back is Mrs M likes to ski uphill  , but it is a great place for the kids to learn as well if not the greatest for more advanced skiers. Several of the instructors are English, and we have always felt that we have had excellent service from the ski school. It sounds like your son might get a little bored, but it would be ideal for you and your daughter.
The 4* Kaltchmid hotel has 2 bedroom family rooms. You can either go half board or self catering there (reasonable kitchen and dining area, 2 separate sleeping areas). It's our favourite. They also have a nice self catering setup in the Romerweg apartments. You can stay there and use all the facilities in any of their other hotels; swimming pools, play rooms etc. etc. and even book to eat in one of their hotels in the evenings if you fancy at very reasonable prices. The Kaltschmid is very handy for the town center and the real beginners ski school area, Romerweg is better for the more advanced ski area.
We've done about 4 summers and 4 winters there, so if you've any specific questions just shout. Mrs M will remember the answers 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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bambionskiis, sad story, and glad you are going to give it another try - ive been with my wife at the 'crying at the bottom' stage of really easy runs in Kitz and Whistler, only to have her hit much more difficult runs and even a black accidentally. Its in the head and a good instructor would give you the tools to get over that. I would say not being as you put it 'a natural born skier' is a the issue with your confidence - the only people naturally born to do it, generally took it up pre-teens or close, when they were made of rubber and had no fear. Keep sticking at it, and go at your pace, or slightly above, and dont be pushed on by others if you arent happy.
Failing that....take up snowboarding  boots are much more comfortable, the learning curve is much steeper IMO, and not having your family doing the same takes some pressure off you to progress at their level.
Going to a smaller, quieter resort without all the traffic around, and with easier slopes is definitely the way forward, and Austria is lovely - snow will be much better for you late Feb too.
Good luck!
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and rent beginner skis.....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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bambionskiis, Firstly, I think it's great that you want to try skiing again. It's an amazing feeling when everything comes together and skiing feels effortless - and that applies just the same whether the skier is a beginner who is just getting the hang of linking two turns together, or is a freeride skier in bottomless powder. Skiing hasn't clicked for you yet, but given the right opportunity, it will!
I can't offer any advice about Seefeld. (I know someone who used to work in the ski school office, but doesn't any more, so that's not really helpful!)
The advice that I do want to offer is to find a good, empathetic and patient instructor. The right instructor will make a world of difference to what you have experienced so far. (If you can find one who is willing to go with you to ski hire and help you find boots that fit well, even better!)
Wherever you decide to go, ask on here for instructor recommendations - usually someone has some good suggestions.
Good luck!
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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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bambionskiis, If your game for more, make sure you find some boots that are comfortable - if you are renting make them find some that fit. If you can sneak off to a Snowdome for lessons withthout telling the familyyou can surprise them with your skill on the next skip holiday.
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bambionskiis, sorry to hear about your bad experience. I can't offer any advice on Austria, but would echo the suggestions above to consider a) getting your own boots fitted and b) getting some lessons (and practice) in a snowdome here.
I am a relative beginner and was pretty cautious when starting out, so I was really grateful for having had lots of lessons/practice in the UK before going abroad. Don't underestimate the difference it will make to your confidence. Busy snowdomes are definitely stressful if you're nervous, so would it be a possibility to go mid-week when it's quieter? (If you do go on a busier day, try first thing in the morning - in my experience it gets busier later and also more icy.) If you go soon, before the pre-season rush starts, even if you choose a group lesson there may be only two or three of you in the group - plus there are probably offers available. Chill Factore is currently offering half-price lessons so Tamworth may have something similar, and Chill Factore also has a Ladies' Morning once a month - 2 hours of skiing (generally not too crowded from my experience) plus coffee/cake afterwards for about £12 - so it doesn't have to break the bank
Good luck anyway, whatever you decide to do, and all the best for a more enjoyable holiday next time!
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You know it makes sense.
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bambionskiis,
It sounds like you have had a tough introduction to skiing commiserations but it need not be like that.
In all honesty I suspect that there are virtually no snowHeads who if you put them in boots that were painful and needed extra socks stuffing down them and then put them on inappropriate skis in awkward snow and asked them to ski down something that was a level above what they are comfortable with before be it blue runs black runs or couloirs there would be few who would not struggle.
Painful ill fitting boots at any level of skiing makes progression exceedingly difficult or impossible and generally knocks one backwards, it certainly does me.
I think you should have a plan next time to get some decent boots sometimes you can rent in the UK in advance and take them with you but if doing this you must try them out either on a dry slope or on an indoor slope before. The same goes for buying
If you rent in the resort do not go for a tour operator package which commits you to a single shop. But make sure the first thing you do is go to the hire shops and try. Regrettably it is inevitable that on changeover day the staff cannot give you all the time in the world, but make sure you allow yourself enough time to be confident you have the right boots.
I would also agree with others who say that a few lessons in the UK either on a dry slope or in a snow dome where the environment is controlled can be a great way to feel a bit more confident about your skiing before you go.
Lastly I have not skied in Seefeld though it sounds appropriate but if you cannot get appropriate accommodation there I would not worry to much about going elsewhere. Austria specialises in places with gentle slopes and sympathetic instructors there must be scores and possibly hundreds of places where the less confident beginner /early intermediate can have a really good time. Getting the right equipment and a bit of a feeling of confidence is the key.
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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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pam w,
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If you think snow quality was one of your problems (and last winter was an exceptionally good one for snow) then you might need to think again about your choice of resort - Seefeld is quite low.
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I don't think it is that low I drove through it once and it was well above the valley. According to the website the bottom of the skiing is at 1200m which for Austria in February should be pretty decent unless it is a truly rotten year.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Aww I really feel for you. I recently went to ellmau in January this year and we are a family of skiers with 4 weeks experience. (I do have a little more experience probaly Nother 4-5 weeks worth but that was 20 years ago so i dont count it lol) This year was different for me though. I had put a lot of weight on since my last holiday and I was very unfit. We chose ellmau coz we believed it to be cruisy and easy for our level. I didn't find this at all. Even though we have four weeks experience I still just like to potter round on easy blues.
My first day was also sat in the middle of the piste crying lol with my kids and hubby sat waiting for me at the bottom of the chairlift. The run that you mentioned (i couldn't find on the piste map) but from the bergbhaun restaurant the first run down which I think is 97b, the first little section is a narrow blue road type then it goes onto what I would say a red for about 100 yards then onto blue and I think that is quite a tough blue, also the 99 had a really tough section at the bottom. Our conditions weren't the best that week either. Things didn't help much when I was skiing and I felt out of control on my skis. It hadn't been like that the previous time, they didn't seem to be doing what I wanted. I was going far too fast, much faster than normal and I couldn't control my turns. It wasn't until I took them back to the shop to ask for a beginners pair that he pointed out that he gave me the wrong size ski. I think he had measured them in the shop for my 6ft son. I am 5ft5 and they were about head height on me.
Next day was easier with the correct sized skis but I still struggled because of my level of fitness aNd my burning feet. I had my own boots with me which i had worn on two previous ski holidays but when i put them on on day one they felt too tight (even though I tested them before we packed them) so I hired another pair. they were a bit better as they had more room in the toes as my own but my feet were still burning and I think I changed them every day bar one.
Anyway I seem to be telling my life story here lol, my point is that prior to this, skiing was my passion, I love it and would swap a summer holiday any day for skiing and I loved skiing round the slopes with my family enjoying the scenery and ambience (well when the kids weren't fighting)  but this year because of my level of fitness, the problems with my boots and also having the wrong skis, if that had of been my first ski trip I don't think I would have ever gone back. It's only because I know what it should have been like that I knew it shouldn't feel like this.
I want to commend you on your perseverance and wanting to do it again. Places I have been with gentler runs than ellmau are valmorel and les saisies. These are both in France. I also think if you can get to a snow dome, even if its just to try correct fitting boots and skis would be a boost of confidence. Best of luck with it, keep us posted on how you are doing.
Karen x
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sun 8-09-13 13:29; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Getting ski boots that fit is a challenge, specially for novice skiers as they do not know how properly fitting ski boots should feel. Some boots may feel correct in the hire shop, but be uncomfortable on the slopes. I believe that it can be valuable to visit a dry ski slope or a snowdome purely to try a number of boots during one visit or over several visits.
You say, bambionskiis, you have a dry ski slope near you. I suggest you talk to the boot hire people there, explain your previous poorly fitting boots, ask their advice, and try several boots on the slopes to learn what makes a good boot. Do not just keep swapping boots. Think about what your feet tell you about the boot and discuss that with the boot fitter.
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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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Seefeld sounds ideal, and offers plenty of other winter activities to try if you want a break from skiing. Another place you may want to consider is Bad Gastein. I haven't been, but I gather it has lots of mellow terrain, plus amazing thermal baths when you need a break. Much more skiing there for the rest of your family than Seefeld too.
I think you need some private lessons in the UK to build up confidence - everything I've seen on here from Rob@RAR and the InsideOut team at Hemel looks great, well worth you getting in touch with them. Private lessons too - from the sounds of it, sharing an instructor with your kids is just going to lead to frustration and misery. Equally I really don't think you should share an instructor with your kids on holiday, it sounds like their skiing and confidence is very different to yours, so it will lead to either them being held back or you being pushed too hard. Plus you don't want to watch/worry about them when already being nervous yourself! Put them in a group class together, they'll love it and make friends. Depending on how you feel, private lessons in the mornings then skiing with your partner in the afternoons could work, though equally the social aspect/support of a group lesson could be good - sometimes it's nice to not be the only one in the spotlight!
Boots can be a real problem, my Mum always struggled, and I don't think she ever found a hire pair that really worked for her. Expensive, but buying your own may well be worth it if it saves the rest of your holiday...
May I ask what sort of sports and exercise you do the rest of the year? Skiing is a sport and the fitter you are the better, but you might be amazed at how much greater your self confidence is when you know and feel that you are fit and strong, and that your reactions are honed and sharp. Makes a big difference even for very good skiers.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Mon 9-09-13 22:32; edited 1 time in total
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bambionskiis, I echo clarky999's comments and look at a confidence building trip on your own without the family (take a friend perhaps) - that way YOU can focus on YOUR skiing without the pressures of worrying about being mum - but I would look for a specialist trip - something like the 'cautious to confident' trips that Easiski run would be ideal - http://www.easiski.com/C2C.html
If you do a trip like that, you can then decide at the end if you like it, and then get your own properly fitted boots - it's worth the investment to avoid spending hours in the shop on the first day of the holiday / otherwise suffering agony all day long. come back here before you buy and we'll point you in the direction of a good fitter, in your neck of the country...
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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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Hi there, I can offer a similar tale and the solution we discovered.
My wife & I went to Les Arcs for her 1st ski trip in 2008 with some friends. She was booked into group ski school via Skiworld our tour operator with the demand she had an English speaking instructor. Yep, you guessed it, no English speaking instructors available. So, two days of frustration & pain from poorly fitting hired boots and she was done. Toys out of pram. Tears, tantrums & tiaras everywhere.
Solution. Off to Tamworth for private lessons every week for a month with the same instructor. Confidence gained that she could do it.
Next ski trip in Whistler for our honeymoon. Private lessons booked immediately for alternate days to give her time to both rest & practice her new found skills.
Final result. She now loves skiing and we spend as much time in the mountains as we possible can.
The moral of the story from my point of view is loads of patience, no personal feedback from me as I'm not a qualified ski instructor and lots of time with aforementioned instructors. Oh, the alcohol certainly helped too !
Good luck
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If you are committed to going again next year, then why don’t you have a look and see if any of the ski shops have any boots left in the sale. You can often get stuff half price in the summer and so they may not be too expensive.
If you get a pair now, you can then break them in whilst you are practising in the snow dome.
As everyone else has said, you can’t expect to ski well if none of you kit fits you or indeed is actually yours to start with! I would write off the issues from last year and concentrate on getting ready for this season. There are loads of different options re courses at the snow domes and so worth emailing a few places to see what they have got.
The final thing is that I would not get hung up on what other people are doing. Everyone learns at different speeds. You are far better to take your time and learn things properly as in the long run you will be a better skier for it.
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googiew just beat me to it - it's not easy but try not to compare your progress with others and especially not with kids who usually learn much quicker. Don't be despondent if everything doesn't work right away. It's frustrating but everyone has different abilities and fears, so skiing comes easier to some than to others. That's natural. If you're a slow starter, you just have to persevere, trying to find pistes that aren't too challenging. Your instructor should take care of that, though it isn't always easy (or possible) in groups with mixed abilities. And there is always a balance to be found, for you need a challenge sometimes to make progress. In the end, success will come (I still remember the spot where I first managed a parallel turn - and that was over 50 years ago).
Getting up after a tumble or a ski coming off can be difficult and the flatter the slope is, the more of an effort it usually is (standing up again). Make sure you have your skis below you and across the slope. If you're having trouble on a flatter slope, it can be worth taking one ski off if both are still on. Though then you have the problem of getting the ski back on again - make sure all the snow is off the boot (I usually scrape my boot over the front binding).
With regard to resorts, Seefeld would be fine. Another couple of Austrian areas which, though not very large, are good for beginners are the Loferer Alm (staying in the village of Lofer) and the Steinplatte (with hotels in Waidring). The latter is also connected to the Winklmoosalm in Germany with some even easier slopes (that's where I made my snowboarding "breakthrough"). And you and your family could even visit me in Fieberbrunn by bus 
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Thanks so much everyone for all your comments, advice and experiences, I am really enjoying reading them (special mention to karen, bless; I think we must have gone to the same ski hire place who I think were a bit rubbish to be honest). This really has helped me get things back into perspective and give me a fresh attitude for next year. Taking all of the above into consideration, my plan of action is to:
1) Get fit and lose weight (I do very little except walk the dog I'm afraid Clarky, but I dusted the treadmill off yesterday to start my regime)
2) Buy my own ski boots. We're in Gloucestershire, so are there any suggestions of where to go guys?
3) Book some sessions for us at Glos dry ski slope (unfortunately snowmonkey logistically snow dome won't work out for us as it is a very long way away which is a shame as you are selling it to me catclaires ).
4) Get fit and lose weight.
5) Book myself in for an individual instructor on resort, with kids going into ski school.
6) Decide on resort. I'm pretty sure we'll settle on Seefeld, but want to have a lookie at the resorts suggested by espri (thanks so much for your kind invite; if we end up that way, we'll definitely give you a shout thanks). Musher, if my son acts up like last time, I'm locking him in the boot room for the week! Will look at the Kalchmid thanks.
7) Get fit and lose weight
Watch some skiing videos online. The one on easiski looks good. I would have considered going with them but we are stuck with half term holiday period - boo.
9) Not beat myself up about the last experience and accept that several factors made it a less than brilliant experience (still love Ellmau tho!). Thanks for your comments tbar - very helpful.
10) Did I mention Get fit and lose weight?!!!!!
Respect to your sister shimmy - whatever it takes I reckon.
Your wife ending up on a black dennisp, bless her. Yep I definitely reckon its easier for the young uns not least of which them having less fear generally!
Now if I can just figure out how to take you all with me, I'm away!!
Thanks again
X
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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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11) Agree that at least one afternoon in resort will be 'you time', e.g. an afternoon in a Wellness/Spa, Horse-drawn sleighride, etc.
Be careful with the ski video stuff - it's easy for beginners to confuse themselves by watching too many ski videos without fully understanding what's going on, so they arrive at ski school with a very strange idea of what they should be doing.
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I have tried 1,4,7,& 10 for some years, still heavier than ever. Makes me go faster tho 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Ghost Dog wrote: |
| I have tried 1,4,7,& 10 for some years, still heavier than ever. Makes me go faster tho |
1, 4, 7 & 10 all contain 2 seperate things have you seen this thread which may help on the loose weight part (or at least helped me)
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=93164&highlight=
In the past I have been fit but over weight righ now (due to injury) I am very unfit but lightest I have been for a very long time and fitting back in clothes I bought for my honeymoon 14yrs ago.
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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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bambionskiis,
The Kaltscmid has a very good kindergarten, I'm sure Krista and Inga will instill the necessary discipline if required (when they aren't taking the little darlings to the ice cream parlor - the mushette now has a sacher torte habit)
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Cheers again guys.
I had a look at the weight thread which was very interesting. Given my personality I would definitely undo any good done on "fast" days on my "non-fast" days and may well defeat the object  I will watch the video. For skiing this year I lost a fair bit of weight and did regular exercise and it definitely paid off, but have gone to pot since. Hopefully once I book I will get the old zest back. Nicky hope your injury sorting itself and that you can get back to being fit - well done on weight loss. I still fit my wedding dress from 22 years ago - yep, I was very overweight then too tho!!!
Thanks Musher, The Kaltscmid does look promising. I don't know if mine are too old for kindy (9 and 12) at the hotel? habits have a habit of catching so I can see myself having to make sure the tortes are scrummy ... frequently (see my previous para!). Bit bothered about Trip Advisor complaints about being noisy (nightclub, church bells) as like a bit of peace and quiet. The Karwendelhof and Tyrol looks nice - do you know them. Don't worry if not as I'm going to do another thread about accomodation.
Yep Quinton, you are right - it's something I'm determined to do. Kid-free time is bliss (much as I love them).
Thanks
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You know it makes sense.
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Another vote for Lofer Alm and Waidring.
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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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bambionskiis, I had a similar problem with skis on my 1st holiday. I had taken skis with me from our local ski club, I'm quite short, so unknown to me, being a total novice, the last person who had used them was one of the kids, so had kids bindings on them, guess they were narrower than an adults. So I was in a group with my OH and one male friend. I had done some lessons at the dry slope, and was at a better stage than my OH. A friend had given me the hint to try and always be right behind the instructor as you can see better what you should be doing, however, being a beginner there was the inevitable falls, and like you I had real trouble getting the skis back on. So always ended up at the back. To make matters worse, sometimes it would take an age to get the ski on, while the rest of the group waited at the bottom and watched, very deflating, I just felt like the idiot. I did two days, dropped out a day as my ankle was sore (think with all the constant pushing into the binding or trying to, also trying to always catch up, it just took it's toll - oh also I remember, I had went up high with the group, and it was a green road all the way down, but me being scared of heights took an age, so,it was all that snowploughing that strained my ankle!). Anyway, I didn't have a clue what was wrong with my bindings until I got home, so I didn't get much out of that holiday, but still enjoyed it.
I went back the next year, with the group of friends again, I had joined our local ski club and was doing lessons in the dry slope there. This time, about 4 of us including my OH and the other male friend would get a couple of private lessons for the four of us. This continued for the next few ski trips, with other people adding into our group, and it then tending to be a couple of the girls who would get lessons together. The boys wanting to be with the other boys and whizz down the blacks etc
This was around 18 years ago I started. I was a member of the ski club for many years, and would take various lessons, the dry slope is very good for honing your technique, the terrain doesn't change like snow, so you can perfect (well doubt it's ever perfect every time!) a parallel turn, feel how a carved turn should feel, and in turn it'll give you the confidence on snow. For a good few years, I was terrified of the fall line, so I would run out of slope as I wouldn't initiate the turn, shuffle back and so on, while my group would be at the bottom shouting "turn!" It's quite funny looking back!
We now have our own children, ski as families, and it's wonderful! Stick with it, it was a bad 1st experience, but not all due to bad skiing, mainly bad equipment.
I will add that on that 1st holiday, my OH and friend were skiing down blacks with the initial group I was in. My OH can get down most slopes comfortably, but I am a far better skier than him, (which he is happy to agree to) I just have a little bit of fear factor and common sense!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thank you so much for sharing this with me Gilly - proof that things can turn out well in the end! It was a real confidence boost to hear of your and others' comments about equipment fitting affecting performance so dramatically. It's obvious in retrospect, but I think I had just gotten myself into an "I'm pants at skiing" mindset and not exploring just how important it is that all of the equipment is very well suited to my needs. I've just booked us a week in Trysil in Norway next year as it looks to have super-friendly runs to get myself back on the horse, so to speak. It will also be good for the kids to start again with instructors with good english as their ski school last year (which was their first time skiing) spoke very poor english and they apparently couldn't understand a lot of what was being said. I'm definately going to have dry slope lessons. I went years ago and got put off because it hurt so much when I fell over - wimp! A chap in our group fell and broke his thumb when he caught it in the "holes" in the surface, poor thing; I'm definately going to wear gloves and sallies.
Good tip about staying behind the instructor. I avoided it as you were the first to be asked to lead the group on demos, which I hated as I got so self-conscious! He did however compliment me on being a good technical skiier, due to the fact that when I was going any sort of speed, I would turn and therefore take ages to get down, which was hacking everyone off!
Now just have to work on not panicking when stood at the top of a slope, looking down. Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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bambionskiis, I had a work colleague who also broke his thumb on the dry slope, I know some dry slopes are now using the stuff without the holes, the two near me both have a mixture.
Re standing at the top looking down, don't look for too long! Lol seriously though, now, for me, if I'm going down a steep slope, usually a black (see how far you can progress!) I don't look right down the slope but at the snow just in front of me, for my turn (obviously if busy it's harder to do), it has made a load of difference for me. I only just found this technique when going down a black in Canada, so don't know if it would have worked for me when I was just beginning, but it's worth a try. You don't realise how steep it is so you don't get your legs turning to jelly as much!
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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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Sound advice again and will definitely try. Actually I did look up on one of the runs that I had just skiied and couldn't believe I'd done it so I just need to reverse it!
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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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Looks like you have already been given some good advice but thought I would give you some info on the skiing in Seefeld. I took the wife there in early March 2012 for her first ski lessons. Main reason we chose Seefeld was because of the reputation of the ski school and because most of the slopes were supposed to be easy blues.
1. First bit of advice. If you are hiring skis/boots then do so from the shop that is opposite the ski school offices. The shop is ran by an English guy and is much better than the shop which is on the side road to the learner slopes
2. Do not go to Seefeld any later than mid March. If you do your likely to have rock hard pistes in the morning and soft slushy snow in the afternoon. The resort itself is at around 1200m Asl and the learner hill is accessed directly from the village and doesn’t rise very high above it. Thus your unlikely to have very good snow conditions from mid march onwards
3. I found that the English instructors were much better than the local ones. The wife had three different English instructors during here week and all were very good. I had two local and one English instructor in my week. The English one was far better than the locals. Probably not much you can do about it I know but hopefully you will end up with a good instructor.
4. When you first look at the learner hill you may freak out. The top part of the slope is definitely not what I would call learner friendly. What they have done though is to create a narrow track across the slope with one sharp turn when it gets near the edge. Once you traverse this section then the rest of the slope is far less steeper and is wide enough to practice your turns.
5. Over the other side of the learner hill as you face it from the village is where you will be doing most of your ski school skiing in the first few days. There are no slopes in this area to be frightened of. You will be taken at times into a bowl which has what looks like steep sides but the instructor will lead you in on a route where you will be turning without touching the steeper sections. There are other steeper sections in this area but all you have to do is to follow the instructor and he/she will ensure that you avoid these.
6. One thing to note on the main learner hill is that most of the lifts are T bars or travelators. No chair lifts here unfortunately. However if your still skiing on this hill at the end of the week then it will be virtually deserted as everyone else has progressed to the other hills in the village
7. Once you progress you will be taken to the second hill (gschwandtkopf) on the other side of the village. The immediate area just above the base station is ideal for progressing. However just be aware that the T bar lift to get to it from outside the main restaurant will lead you to a section of slope which you need to traverse to get to the easier section. Quite a few in our class struggled with the traversing even though the slope you traversed across wasn’t that steep. The top section of this hill is probably the hardest section as the slope is rolling rather than flat and hence has sections that are quite steep even though they are short. Again, just follow the instructor and you will be fine. The way they lead you down really isn’t that difficult.
8. Hope this info helps you in making the right choice. Overall I think Seefeld is a fantastic winter resort but I’m not a big fan of the skiing there. My wife thought that the place was ideal for learners though I’m not sure if I agree with that view. In my viewyYou would be better off in the Alta badia area especially starting off on the wide easy nearly flat slopes in Colfosco and then progressing to the slightly more steeper slopes above Corvara, San Cassiano, La Villa
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FAQ
bonkers, but it worked for her and it meant she could keep everything within her control and not advance quicker than she felt comfortable with. She continued to progress slowly and now she does use the chair lifts and even the bubbles to go higher and ski more.
