When you’re approaching a lift just look ahead and plan your approach. So many have little uphill bits around the queue barriers and if you get it wrong you end up doing lots of shuffling side stepping. All adds to the fatigue.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
For me the faffing is off the scale on the first morning. Making sure I have everything I need for the day. Guarantee I end up walking back to the room cause I forgot something.
It gets easier from then onwards.
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?
Contrary to the comments on gloves and socks; make sure your body core (torso) is warm. If that’s warm the brain doesn’t have to drastically reduce blood flow to the extremities.
Everything at least with throat zip if not full body zip for maximum temperature adjustment.
Learn where is the fall line. Skis across it when clipping in and when standing up. Steer away from it, and even diagonally up it, to slow down (latter is how to slow down in snow plough, NOT by pushing really hard while pointing down hill).
Cheap key ring or similar somewhere around your hip, eg on a pocket zip pull. When gloves come off, IMMEDIATELY clip together and on the key ring. Don’t leave them on the table, in the helmet, hanging out of a pocket etc. You’ll lose one or both.
Try to put things always in the same pocket each time. By Day 3 you’ll remember, and Faffing will be reduced.
Laugh really hard, at yourself or another student, at least twice a day. Getting the giggles when you can’t stand up is highly recommended.
Take loads of photos, even silly snaps. You’ll get great memories.
If struggling - take a Private Lesson mid week. If you like your class Instructor, see if they are available. If you want to try someone else - ask about (or ask on here).
Survival Techniques:
You will probably have little say in a Class lesson what will be taught - but the following will get you down if difficult:
1. Snowplough Turn
2. Kick Turn (allows you to face the opposite direction across the slope, while static)
3. Side Slipping. I think this was mentioned earlier and is invaluable in getting down slopes that are too steep or icy for comfort.
I'm sure (1) and (3) will be covered - but if (2) isn't, I'm sure the Instructor would cover it, if asked.
A classic! Used to be watch when we were kids before every ski trip.....
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I’m loving all this help!!! Thank you all so much.
- glove clips on order, I spent too long finding the perfect shade of pink glove to risk loosing them.
- I’ve packed 9 pairs of socks for 6 full days
- I’ve just been to Tesco and bought pocket snacks.
- Have made a mental note to hold myself back from doing the Highland Fling in my boots!
I’m already well practiced in falling, my Glencoe experience has left quite a number of bruises!! Need to try and not get frustrated with the falling and just embrace it - Glencoe dented my confidence for a wee bit after a few big falls, took my boyfriend a fair amount of patience to get me back on the slope to try things again!!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Ciorsdah wrote:
Glencoe dented my confidence for a wee bit after a few big falls, took my boyfriend a fair amount of patience to get me back on the slope to try things again!!
A huge element of skiing is Confidence. It will build through the week....but can be lost in an instant. This is why you have had the excellent advice to only ski where you have been in your lesson, or runs your Instructor recommends.
Do not be tempted to follow better skiers/Boyfriend down something more difficult, because they think you can cope, "As you are doing so well".
Last edited by After all it is free on Tue 18-01-22 21:48; edited 1 time in total
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.
One last thing.
Enjoy yourself, it’s a holiday
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Oh I’m absolutely not going to be following anyone down anything crazy the plan is mornings are for me at school//he’ll be on reds and blacks. We’ll meet for lunch and then he can supervise me on my greens/blues. Luckily I’m stubborn and he won’t push
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Spike107 wrote:
Changing base layers and socks every day, good grief, must be wearing cotton or some other inappropriate material for skiing
Invest in merino for both base layers and socks and you can mange a couple of days out of them at least without smells occurring.
For the inevitable over indulgence of Apres, pack the Berocca. One each morning before breakfast and you're fresh as a daisy by the time you head for the first lift
Also pack some compeed blister pads or leukoplast tape just incase your boots give you jip.
A timely reminder. Just thrown a tube in to my suitcase! Thank you!
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.
Ciorsdah wrote:
I’m loving all this help!!! Thank you all so much.
- glove clips on order, I spent too long finding the perfect shade of pink glove to risk loosing them.
- I’ve packed 9 pairs of socks for 6 full days
- I’ve just been to Tesco and bought pocket snacks.
- Have made a mental note to hold myself back from doing the Highland Fling in my boots!
I’m already well practiced in falling, my Glencoe experience has left quite a number of bruises!! Need to try and not get frustrated with the falling and just embrace it - Glencoe dented my confidence for a wee bit after a few big falls, took my boyfriend a fair amount of patience to get me back on the slope to try things again!!
No no. That was a mistype by the poster who mentioned it. As has been clarified, DO do the Highland Fling, on the understanding that someone films it, and then uploads it to
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
Ciorsdah wrote:
Oh I’m absolutely not going to be following anyone down anything crazy the plan is mornings are for me at school//he’ll be on reds and blacks. We’ll meet for lunch and then he can supervise me on my greens/blues. Luckily I’m stubborn and he won’t push
Don't take Grading as Gospel.
There are Blues that are more like Greens....and there are Blues that have a distinctly Redish flavour.
Then there are Blues that get icy (or Bumpy), which makes them much more difficult.
This is why you stick to Runs recommended by your Instructor....as opposed to - "This is Blue so you can manage it".
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Old Fartbag wrote:
Ciorsdah wrote:
Oh I’m absolutely not going to be following anyone down anything crazy the plan is mornings are for me at school//he’ll be on reds and blacks. We’ll meet for lunch and then he can supervise me on my greens/blues. Luckily I’m stubborn and he won’t push
Don't take Grading as Gospel.
There are Blues that are more like Greens....and there are Blues that have a distinctly Redish flavour.
Then there are Blues that get icy (or Bumpy), which makes them much more difficult.
This is why you stick to Runs recommended by your Instructor....as opposed to - "This is Blue so you can manage it".
Absolutely, I’m not a proud woman. I’ll ask for help and take all advice. Im told the instructor for my group has been based in Val T for 5 years so I’m hopeful they will be familiar with the runs and match me to them.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Indeed one thing which can catch out beginners: the mental checklist for skiing is HUUUUGE.
Normal winter-day checklist in England:
1 wallet
2 phone
3 jacket
Normal winter-day checklist in CH:
1 backpack with back protector
2 water bottle
3 lift pass (Crans Montana or Magic Pass depending on destination)
4 gloves and spare gloves and more spare gloves for Grom - which were drying on radiator
5 neckie - which was drying on radiator
6 boot inners - which were drying on radiator
7 bright light goggles and low light goggles
8 jacket
9 parking shrapnel
10 sticks
11 skis
12 boots
13 helmet
14 phone
15 sun block
16 skiing specs which fit inside goggles plus spare glasses
17 wallet
...and that's for a piste day.
And then I have to check that all three other family members have their kit - or it will be me driving back to pick it up...
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Ciorsdah, forget about everything else and read this old but highly important thread - please make sure you make it past the first post at least:
Good spot, @horizon. Interesting to see how comparatively little mention there was of socks. Times change, of course, though even then some of the more far-sighted Snowheads did have some inkling of how spare socks would come to be regarded as indispensable.
Glencoe dented my confidence for a wee bit after a few big falls, took my boyfriend a fair amount of patience to get me back on the slope to try things again!!
A huge element of skiing is Confidence. It will build through the week....but can be lost in an instant. This is why you have had the excellent advice to only ski where you have been in your lesson, or runs your Instructor recommends.
[b]Do not be tempted to follow better skiers/Boyfriend down something more difficult, because they think you can cope, "As you are doing so well"[\b] .
This 1000000%.... My wife will not touch a pair of skis again having gone with 2 other mates skiing before I met her... She being the beginner and her mates competent. Had lessons in the morning and her 2 mates got bored with staying on" easy slopes with her... Took her too high too soon, fell badly... Kicked the skis off won't entertain going ever again... Which really naffs me off to this day and we've been married 12 yrs Still go with the lads when we can but I'd be skiing even more if she would be up for it
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
1) Enjoy it as much as possible
2) Be nice to snowboarders
3) Quit for the day when you feel like it. Nothing to prove
Re thermals - I only wash mine at the end of the season. Usually get 4 or 5 months out of them. Prefer to snowboard alone
After all it is free
After all it is free
If you are a glasses wearer, try and sort out contacts. Glasses are a pain in the mountains, they always mist up at the worst moments. Daily disposable contacts are much better.
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.
Paul33 wrote:
If you are a glasses wearer, try and sort out contacts. Glasses are a pain in the mountains, they always mist up at the worst moments. Daily disposable contacts are much better.
Very much this.
Also, dammit. I meant to wear my contacts all day to day for my eyes to get used to them again.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I now have my contacts in. Everything is massive.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Old Fartbag wrote:
Ciorsdah wrote:
Oh I’m absolutely not going to be following anyone down anything crazy the plan is mornings are for me at school//he’ll be on reds and blacks. We’ll meet for lunch and then he can supervise me on my greens/blues. Luckily I’m stubborn and he won’t push
Don't take Grading as Gospel.
There are Blues that are more like Greens....and there are Blues that have a distinctly Redish flavour.
Then there are Blues that get icy (or Bumpy), which makes them much more difficult.
This is why you stick to Runs recommended by your Instructor....as opposed to - "This is Blue so you can manage it".
This x 100.
I really wish I hadn't learned what colour codes were. I really feel it held me back, maybe not in my first two weeks of skiing, but certainly after that - avoiding reds became an obsession. The best ski days have been when I've followed instructors or guides, no time to freeze at the top when the colour didn't look right, just had to trust them.
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.
This is what I can offer as my top ten tips from what I remember of my first few weeks:
1. Most importantly - do not compare yourself with other skiers or the skiers in your teaching class. You are all different
2. Don't give up - I found the first week hard and had a meltdown on the slope with hubby in Val T on a blue. It does get easier
3. Don't be too ambitious late afternoon - it's horrendous to realise you need 3 x lifts to get back home and they're closing shortly
4. Always know your turnings to get home or in the direction of home - ties into point 3 (very easy to miss the right signpost)
5. Ski over lunchtimes and eat earlier/later - it's quieter so more practice time and space
6. Take more than what you need and don't worry if you don't end up using any - it's so much more expensive to buy kit in resort
7. Don't look all the way down a slope as you approach as sometimes they look worse than they are - chop your descent into segments
8. Take medicines just in case - I'm never without Ibuprofen, ice gel, heat gel
9. Try to be the one behind the instructor so you can keep your eyes on what the professional is doing, not a learner
10. Enjoy your time off the slope as much as on!
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
@Kettonskimum1971,
Quote:
Try to be the one behind the instructor so you can keep your eyes on what the professional is doing, not a learner
On a point of order...you're the second person to give that advice but, if you're in a class, there's nothing more annoying than one person constantly hogging that position. A good instructor will make sure this doesn't happen, and will swap people around.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:
On a point of order...you're the second person to give that advice but, if you're in a class, there's nothing more annoying than one person constantly hogging that position. A good instructor will make sure this doesn't happen, and will swap people around.
OK - on the basis that I was never behind the instructor in my lessons (but didn't compromise anything), I'll exchange for:
9. If you're instructor makes you practice exercises that fill you with dread (eg ski down a slope holding poles behind your head) do not panic - they're not there to make you get hurt
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Old Fartbag wrote:
Ciorsdah wrote:
Glencoe dented my confidence for a wee bit after a few big falls, took my boyfriend a fair amount of patience to get me back on the slope to try things again!!
A huge element of skiing is Confidence. It will build through the week....but can be lost in an instant. This is why you have had the excellent advice to only ski where you have been in your lesson, or runs your Instructor recommends.
Do not be tempted to follow better skiers/Boyfriend down something more difficult, because they think you can cope, "As you are doing so well".
This.
Also bear in mind that the snow and the weather will almost certainly be much better in VT than in Glencoe (unless you were very lucky in Glencoe and very unlucky in VT), plus the blue pistes are generally wider. So, along with your Hillend experience, you are likely to find skiing in VT to be much easier and much more enjoyable, so your confidence will build accordingly. Enjoy!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
chart_monkey_neil wrote:
Old Fartbag wrote:
Ciorsdah wrote:
Glencoe dented my confidence for a wee bit after a few big falls, took my boyfriend a fair amount of patience to get me back on the slope to try things again!!
A huge element of skiing is Confidence. It will build through the week....but can be lost in an instant. This is why you have had the excellent advice to only ski where you have been in your lesson, or runs your Instructor recommends.
Do not be tempted to follow better skiers/Boyfriend down something more difficult, because they think you can cope, "As you are doing so well".
This.
Also bear in mind that the snow and the weather will almost certainly be much better in VT than in Glencoe (unless you were very lucky in Glencoe and very unlucky in VT), plus the blue pistes are generally wider. So, along with your Hillend experience, you are likely to find skiing in VT to be much easier and much more enjoyable, so your confidence will build accordingly. Enjoy!
This! Scottish skiing is not for the feint hearted due to weather, snow quality and generally narrow pistes. It will be must easier in resort.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
It was the weekend when there was decent snow cover in Glencoe (they even opened the Cliffhanger on the Sunday), I think part of the challenge was the volume of people on such narrow spaces. They had really only managed to open the lower slopes so there was every range of ski/snowboarder making their way down the same 3/4 runs. Given I'm still a little like bambi, I got spooked with all the people whizzing so close by me which lead to me making so many mistakes in turning (i was worried the speedies would hit me as i crossed to turn) and fell so much.
Reading through this has made me very excited and nervous for next week!
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 you are a glasses wearer, try and sort out contacts. Glasses are a pain in the mountains, they always mist up at the worst moments. Daily disposable contacts are much better.
This is the first year I’ve not worn contacts and am in glasses. My prescription mean I can’t wear soft or dailies and I need varifocals to do almost anything. Or glasses over contacts. So I’ve given up.
Tbh I’ve done ok. I’ve got my normal glasses, helmet and goggles and once on no fogging, even with my mask/buff up and down.
Also brought prescription sunnies in case the glasses/goggles combo didn’t work. I was thinking of investing in verifocal ski goggles but not sure I dare check £££
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Ciorsdah wrote:
Oh I’m absolutely not going to be following anyone down anything crazy the plan is mornings are for me at school//he’ll be on reds and blacks. We’ll meet for lunch and then he can supervise me on my greens/blues. Luckily I’m stubborn and he won’t push
took my girlfriend skiing 47 years ago did this ( well not so much supervise as encourage) and having asked her to marry me the following summer when she asked if we were going to try and go skiing the following winter have been every year bar 2 since 1 yrchild being born in season and 2 nd miss covid last year but it will take hell to freeze over to stop us going this year if at all possible , now got grandkids and theve already been this yr. have fun
After all it is free
After all it is free
Try to avoid carrying a rucksack when learning to ski. It can restrict movement, affect balance, be uncomfortable on lifts and stands a fair chance of being landed on. Either get someone else to carry your bits and pieces, or leave your bag in a locker, lift station, restaurant, etc.
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.
If wearing goggles, it can be nice to have sunglasses to put on at coffee/lunch/apres stops on the mountain. Probably even more important for a beginner (who given snow ploughs etc take a lot more energy than developed technique) who is likely to want to stop more often and for longer. (Also critical if you wear contacts; if anything goes wrong with them you want spare prescription something (whether contacts or glasses). While contacts are nicer for skiing, I tend to try and make sure I can wear glasses under my goggles if it all goes wrong...
Per @sno trax, go for a walk, and preferably walk UP HILL (or stairs) as this stretches out the calves (After a hard day (and when I was (even) less fit) I have struggled to get up and down stairs, but have been far better the next day having made myself do it than otherwise). Especially if you are really feeling it; Obviously proper stretching is even better, but going for a walk will help and is more likely to consistently happen (enjoy the mountain views )...
WRT to faffing/how long the morning takes; @valais2, list is missing (imho) at LEAST:
lip balm (might be on sunscreen)
weather check (how warm/cold, inc up the mountain, lifts opening on time?)
weather dependant spare midlayer
liner gloves
mountain snacks.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Also missing salopettes from faffing list … remember our group heading for a first lift start, mini-bussed to the Chaudanne to find one of the part announce he had forgot his pants
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
the plan is mornings are for me at school//he’ll be on reds and blacks. We’ll meet for lunch and then he can supervise me on my greens/blues. Luckily I’m stubborn and he won’t push 
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