 Poster: A snowHead
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The OP has already had loads of very technically focused lessons but has yet to experience real snow and real mountains with real weather. The suggestion above that some Andorra ski schools do lessons specifically for those who have learnt on dry slopes sounds perfect.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I may be unusual, but I hated ski school group lessons when I had them. Unless you were at the average ability of the group you didn't seem to get much out of it. If you were above the average you spent time hanging around. If you were below the average, you spent the week desperately focusing on trying to keep up rather than learning anything. We've often had guys on our holidays in group lessons and it seems very rare to be moved between groups.
One of the girls on our group holiday this year was a complete beginner and had ski school. She got very bored at the speed of progress, and there seemed no possibility of moving groups. She'd said she'd prefer a few private lessons next year.
I'm not sure the OP would enjoy group lessons that much. Also, quite importantly, their ski instructor(s) who've actually seem them ski and know what they can do are suggesting private rather than group lessons.
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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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@Amunah,
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@RobinS Hi, Robin! I think you might be responsible for all this... do you take the taster/beginner sessions?
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Do some beginners, but you would probably have encountered me and JanetS at the Sunday night supervised. Good luck with your holiday - whatever you do you will have a great time, so just relax and enjoy it!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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My husband and I have been skiing for 35 years and we still go into ski school from time to time, in particular if we go to Whistler. I think the 10 x 10 suggestion is a bit rigid but the principle is, in my opinion" bad habits which do develop and which can slightly hamper full enjoyment of the lopes in all conditions.
Have a fantastic time, ski school is a great place to meet lots of other people skiing at the same ability as you and helps you get full enjoyment from shared laughter, challenge and skill development.
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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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Get lessons. Girlfriend and her boys had lessons on their first holiday last year and progressed further than they would have. They had lessons at MK in the UK first (like you), so were not in the bottom group struggling with snow ploughs but the boys especially were soon up the mountains.
Maybe just do 3 , 4 or 5 days lessons. maybe you can start on a Monday if you are travelling on a Saturday so you can get your snow legs on the Sunday - and will be useful for the ski school test on the first morning to allocate you to a group. This should be an option as many resorts and operators transfer on a Sunday.
You will progress faster.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Lessons - private or group - are an essential not a desirable, particularly in the first few holidays on snow. Not necessarily every day, but more days than not.
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First time in a real ski resort, you really need someone who knows what they're doing to show you round I.e. an instructor. As to whether that's in a group or privately depends on the person but you'll progress much more quickly with a private lesson imv. I know they're expensive but I'd rather have 4 hours of private than 8 or 12 hours of group lessons where you could be standing around a lot. Plus you want an instructor who actually wants to teach you something and make you feel good.
Another major factor in a real ski resort is the lift system. Cable cars, Bubbles, Chairs, Pomas, Buckets, Travellators (like an escalator but flat with a slight incline) all different. If you've never used a chair someone needs to show you how to get on and off safely. No two Pomas are the same - on a dry slope you don't slide backwards at the entrance, ground doesn't slope awkwardly at the exit. Well that can be the case on snow plus if it's icy you have to know how to deal with that or know where not to go - an instructor is your friend in this case.
Book lessons and you'll enjoy it more.
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And I have a friend who thought she could manage without lessons and after a broken leg has given up skiing.
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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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| Chris Bish wrote: |
| And I have a friend who thought she could manage without lessons and after a broken leg has given up skiing. |
Conversely, I didn't have lessons but loved it and will do 3 trips this season.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Everyone will have things that they take and everyone is different. I also take a multi pack or two of about a dozen Mars bars. Cheaper in UK and take one each day as a snack.
Sort out your mobile phone in advance so you get the deal you want for foreign use.
EHIC card
But most of all take a big smile
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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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The impact it would have on the rest of my life. Oh, and not on my own behalf, but female associates - never buy white ski wear and if you do don't wear it skiing.
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If you're renting boots, take some blister plasters (Compede or similar). Although you can change your boots as soon as you realise there's a problem, the damage can already have been done. I wish we'd known this before our first ski holiday.
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You know it makes sense.
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Inclement weather has been mentioned. If you do get an instructor, he will know where to head for in bad weather, whether it be wind, viz, ice etc.
It just takes one day of crap weather, hugging piste markers to get down, to suck a lot of enjoyment out of it.
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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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Before I went to Andorra I wish I'd known (acknowledged) that they were outside the EU and roaming would cost me a fortune.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I would go with private lessons in VallNord... As previous people have said the quality of instructors are excellent (I first learnt to ski in Arcalis 6 years ago and have been back every year since).... Also skied a fair bit in Alps so have something to compare it to!!
If you are going up to Arcalis then Carlos Paredes is a super lovely instructor with excellent English.... My experience has been that the English speaking instructors tend to be good (my criteria when booking!!).
Private lessons are really very reasonable... And easily booked once there.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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What do you wish you'd known before your first ski trip?
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1. How quickly it turns into an obsession.
2. How fast real snow can be.
3. How beautiful the mountains are.
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98. How much fun it is/was going to be.
99. That I had started younger.
etc. etc.
If you go with the private instructor then make sure he shows you on the piste map which lift you are taking and then which piste you will take. This helps build your own mental map of the area for when you are on your own.
When you are on your own then don't be afraid to stop a random stranger and ask for directions, the vast majority of skiers/snowboarders are nice people only too willing to help beginners. You'll also probably get some advice about the piste you intend to take, difficulties, tricky bits etc.
Have fun and please let us know how you get on.
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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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@Amunah, Dont forget to come back and tell us how you got on.
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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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The biggest difference between the dry slopes and the real mountain are the chagable conditions. Skiing on the same slope can be a totally different experience depending on the time of day. Iremember my first trip skiing which was to Andorra. We skied the first day after getting out kit and into lessons. We'd skied quite a bit on dry slopes and by the end of the first day we we all bombing down a long blue run back to the resort and loving it.
The next day We all rushed up first thing and got on the lift to ski the same runs again. It had been bashed and had refrozen overnight and was very hard and icy. We all picked up speed , could turn, but not enough to bleed off speed or stop. We all got progressively faster and out of control. We all ended up hitting a hard deck, at high speed, at several points along the run. All of us were quite shaken. The moral of the story is get in some lessons, get in a gruop woth some experience, talk to experienced skiers around you about conditions and time of day.
Don't be put off by this tale. We were on old, worn out 1980's ski hire skis, given to school groups. They were too long, hard to turn and had no edges. Skis and rental equipment are so much better now. Despite out 2nd morning woes it turned out to be the most wonderful week of my life and the start of a lifelong love affair with skiing. I'm sure you'll have a great week but just be mindfeul that you can ski like a dream down a dry slope but hard snow, soft snow, slush, ice and big humps all require a bit of time an practice to master. The condition of the slope is often far more important than the colour grading. I've just returned from 8 days in Italy. We skied most of the black runs in the area but, by far, the more challenging run was the stretch of a cambered busy link blue run that has been scraped to hard polished ice. It was in the shadow of a cliff meaning the light was very low and it was is difficult to read the terrain. Learning how to read the moutain and various conditions come with experience but this can be greatly accelerated by skiing with others and in lessons.
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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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As someone who started skiing at 40, last September, and did my first ski holiday 2 weeks ago and my first black run, instruction definitely helps !!!
I was super excited, like you are, and my only suggestions are:
* Don't plan to the nth degree, because the weather, your mood, conditions, other opportunities might change them, so have flexibility
* Relax and you'll enjoy it
* Instruction! I had some 1:1 tuition at Hemel, then managed 1/2 a day in Tignes in Nov and a day in Verbier in December (two v quick trips to see a mate with an appt out there). 2 weeks ago my first ski holiday with mates in Val d'Isere and had 2 x 1/2 days with a friend. AMAZING. We managed a little bit of powder (just off the side of the piste), black runs, braquage technique, narrow turns, all sorts of stuff right to finishing on a black before lunch on the 2nd session.
The other thing about tuition (1:1) is that you get little tips about the area. The pistes to head for early when they're uncrowded, and for me just silly things like using lifts, where to go for cheap lunch, and how to get through lift queues quickly 
Being on the mountain can be intimidating (it was to me anyway) - all these people who seem to know what they're doing, huge potential to get lost or stuck on a run beyond my ability, and my fear of heights. The instructor can help with ALL of that - not just the ski technique!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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All good advice so far. I know you're hiring all your kit to start which is the best way to go till the addiction starts 😀 One piece of kit I wish I had got earlier to deal with variable conditions is some really good goggles. I know most people will say boots, boots, boots! But I really struggled with visibility when it's snowing heavily and can't see the bumps. Eat lots also! It's caught me out a few times and found myself running on empty. Carry some little snacks around with you. Most of all, enjoy, don't push yourself too hard and it will all come together 👍
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We're learning so much from these tips - thank you!
@JohnHSmith and @Orange200 Yep, noted that Andorra isn't in the EU (but we're taking our EHIC cards anyway), and checked and double-checked mobile roaming charges (and insurance)
@sugarmoma666 I read somewhere that pop socks can prevent blisters, so we're gonna try some under our ski socks - but 'blister plasters' now added to the shopping list in case that fails miserably!
@cameronphillips2000 Great reminder about conditions - scary, but good to hear it didn't ruin your holiday. Our dry slope does vary in speed/going (and snow/ice!), but to a much, much smaller degree.
@schneeflocke Yep, I read somewhere that Boarders go left/right so skiers go straight on exiting a chair lift - but I guess the important thing is to check with your chairmates so you don't crash in a heap.
@Whitty I need prescription inserts so I ordered goggles at the same time to ensure they'd fit:I bought my daughter her goggles for Christmas - still ranking as the most expensive kit we've laid out for so far (not including the weekly tuition we've clocked up since May, but I don't wanna add that up!).
@JohnHSmith and @Whitty I gave up eating full-size mars bars last year and would never have thought of this - but those extra calories burned will justify carrying some purely medicinal chocolate about our persons at all times.
To lots of you who said 'pack a smile', 'enjoy yourselves', 'have fun'... thank you, and we will give you the full debrief when we get back! My workmates are probably sick of listening to me talk about skiing, and there are still 20 days until we go...
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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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My workmates and friends are all tired of the skiing talk too 
I'd be nervous about wearing a set of socks under your ski socks, the extra layer is more likely to give movement and lead to blisters than it is to prevent them.
Borders don't usually do their own thing on a lift but most are okay at going straight. Try not to get on a lift with an obvious boarding beginner, it's a difficult knack for them to get off so likely they'll fall over.
Another thing to check out is general code of conduct, simple stuff like stopping at the edge of a piste or always checking up hill before moving off. Stuff like that can escape you when you're learning but is good slope safety/etiquette.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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It just takes one day of crap weather, hugging piste markers to get down, to suck a lot of enjoyment out of it.
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But learning to ski when you can't see which way is up or down makes it so much easier when the sun comes out 
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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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@swiftoid, lol, true dat.
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You know it makes sense.
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Lots of very good advice above, which I won’t bother to repeat but here’s a few more tips.
Take some anti fog solution to put on your goggles and glasses to stop them steaming up when you go from hot to cold places and back again, (you can get it at dive shops).
If the weather is warm you will probably overheat and good quality underlayers with zip necks can help you cool down more rapidly.
Definitely only wear one pair of good quality ski socks, two will help cause blisters and won’t keep your feet any warmer, if possible take at least three pairs, change daily and thoroughly air or wash between changes.
If you haven’t yet bought your own boots then consider hiring and taking with you the boots you use regularly in the UK to save your feet having to get used to a different pair.
Work out which way you can turn most easily and then get on the side of the chairlift that will allow you to turn away slightly from the central exit melee.
I’ve recently discovered the piste maps printed on a glasses cleaning cloth, if they’re available for your area get one as they do two jobs in one and you won’t have a soggy tissue mess after the first goggle clean.
Have a great time, you will love it.
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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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never buy white ski wear
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although white ski pants are excellent when you ski in late April.
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Poster: A snowHead
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why, @Hells Bells? I always find April tends to be muddy, and can imagine they'd get stained. It was a bit like that at Christmas and with mud under ski boots my black ski pants got dried mud around the bottom, but it wasn't so obvious.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think the fact you're going to Arinsal is a good idea. If anybody asks me where they should go as a beginner that would be my first choice. Easy green and blues on the main drag and if your become a little more adventurous you can get the cable car over to Pal. Its reasonably cheap and the Quo Vadis bar near the bottom of the bubble is a great place when you first get down from a days skiing. Usually showing footage of everybody up on the slopes. You can also get a bus over to Arcalis which is a great place to improve with wide open blues and reds.
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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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Quick update:
We're here and on our second ski day. Day 1 went pretty much to plan: warm-up on the greens at the bottom of the slopes (El Cortal) then a few runs down the blues (Port Vell, Salador, Les Fonts). The weather was sleety, light snow and some low cloud and grey skies (raining in resort). We bumped into a nice instructor on the same lifts several times - he complimented us on our stamina and technique, especially when he found out it was more or less our first day on snow.
The second day was warm and sunny all over, so we decided to head over to Pal (after a quick warmup on Les Fonts and a longish lunch) taking the Cami Inferior and La Serra. Now, these are supposed to be blues, but they felt like greens... really nice but by this time it was about 3.30pm and time to head home. To get back took El Gall and then El Cubil to go down the Col de la Bottella... now, these are supposed to be blue, but Col de la Bottella was steep and icy and took some getting down (legs felt like jelly in the gondola!). We were quite relieved to get to semi-familiar slopes, and we would probably have enjoyed the Tub Estadi if our legs weren't aching so much. By the time we got to the bottom, it was 5.15pm and time to get the gondola back to resort.
We're planning a much easier day tomorrow - maybe head over to Arcalis for that long easy green!
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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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The long easy green at Arcalis that I think you're talking about is very slow...In fact you will have to probably pole yourself along on parts of it. But the blues are a doddle...One other point if you are thinking of getting the free bus over there I can tell you its a bit of a bun fight to get on it. Well it was when we went but as we enjoyed Arcalis a lot we persuaded the tour company to run us over there in a mini bus.
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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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So pleased to hear it's living up to expectations so far. Make sure you get a good night's sleep tonight. After 2 days of hard skiing, you may be quite tired tomorrow and your calf muscles might not be thanking you. Probably wise to have an easy day and find a pretty spot for lunch. Enjoy the rest of your holiday. There's nothing quite like the excitement of discovering the mountains
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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try to get an 18 or 21 y/o girl on a gap yah. Mind you, she will be hungover and her bottom will be quite big by now.
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| brandegg wrote: |
| try to get an 18 or 21 y/o girl on a gap yah. Mind you, she will be hungover and her bottom will be quite big by now. |
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Have you posted in the right thread?
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And are you always a tool or only sometimes?
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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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Has it been posted in the right forum?
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Really quick update...
We decided to take it easy/easier on Day 3 sticking to the blues in Arinsal, and made it to Arcalis on Day 4: yeah, the MegaVerde was slow in places but exercising our arms made a nice change!
Day 5, we asked an instructor if it was worth getting a private lesson: he told us we wouldn't get the full benefit of a lesson at the end of a holiday, but as long as we were having fun and making progress by trying different runs we'd improve anyway. We got some fresh snow the last two days, so we stayed in Arinsal working on the reds. After squeezing 'just one last run' we ended up stumbling into the hire shop with just minutes to spare before they closed... they were terrific sports, no sulky tutting
In summary, we were lucky to get a variety of different REAL snow conditions over the 6 days - slush, ice, crud, fresh - and a good variety of piste difficulty: returning to the dry slope we've noticed a huge improvement in technique, so we probably gained a lot of experience that we can't even quantify. However, NEXT holiday, we've already decided to sneak in a private lesson early on in the week while our beginner family members are off at ski school!
Thanks to all who took part in my first thread!
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FAQ
