 Poster: A snowHead
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I need some advice please. Rather inconveniantly for my skiing aspirations I seem to have picked up a hanger on over the last couple of months. She has never skied before, but is not averse to giving it a go, and I'd quite like to be able to take her skiing with me, because let's face it, if I don't she is unlikely to stand for me disappearing off every couple of weeks over the winter.
From those who've done it successfully, what's the best plan for introducing a partner to skiing?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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1. Find "normal" skiing friends to introduce her to.
2. Get her to the local indoor slope for a few lessons
3. NEVER teach her yourself.
4. Plenty of praise and encouragement
5. On your first trip together go somewhere without a long transfer, etc. You may be used to it, and accept it, but make sure the holiday starts well.
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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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Stubai Glacier, late May. What a wonderful place to learn to ski.
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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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| Kramer wrote: |
| From those who've done it successfully, what's the best plan for introducing a partner to skiing? |
I suggest refering to her in more loving terms than a "hamger on" might be a good start 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
3. NEVER teach her yourself.
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If she atkes to it, never let you "show her round the mountain"
Kramer, A friend has just introduced her family (3 kids and a hubby) to skiing at Castleford Xscape. They had a great time and are gagging or more. Try getting her some lessons there, my friends family were VERY impressed with 3 out of 4 instructors. Once she has the bug, book her on a holiday where you are fairly sure there will be others of a similar standard. Lessons in the morning for her, blast around for you. fun together in the afternoon.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Kramer, It might be an idea for her to have classes rather than you trying to teach her, that way she'll be with same ability skiers and it gives you the oportuinity to ski where you want to. You can always meet at lunch time or the afternoon, depending on how the ski school time their lessons.
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| Elizabeth B wrote: |
| Kramer wrote: |
| From those who've done it successfully, what's the best plan for introducing a partner to skiing? |
I suggest refering to her in more loving terms than a "hamger on" might be a good start |
Classic!
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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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Kramer, The way I was introduced was along the lines of 'He will not fail' :-
Some of the things that happened :-
a) I was put with a mate who was also learning _ we pushed each other
b) We went to a nice resort .. and better than normal catered accom (well bettter tan i now care about) - a lot of things had been thought through for me eg my 'fear' of heights - so height friendly resort
c) I had private lessons bought for me from Day 1
d) Investment made in boots for me before we went
e) I didn't ski for 2 weeks with my SO ( I would have been disheartened if I knew how little I was atually learning and how good others can be)
f) the promise of alcohol
in other words a lot of the 'thinking ' was done for me.
Conversely if you want to save money in the long run do opposite of evything identified above
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I seem to remember from somewhere that it is possible to teach a family member to ski as long as you agree that the first time the tutee says “I KNOW!” the lesson ends.
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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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I've seen lots of people take their first skiing holiday, and by far the most significant factor in whether they really enjoyed it was the quality of the instruction they got. Choice of resort, apres-ski, scenery, time of year, etc are all of secondary importance in my opinion. If they don't develop a confidence on skis and make progress from nursery slope to easy trails around the mountain it can easily turn into a miserable, scary experience for beginners. I therefore think that the highest priority is to make sure that your friend gets first class instruction, either with someone you know will do a good job if the preference is for private lessons, or opt for a ski school with a first class reputation (some of the British ski schools might be suitable?). I wish that I'd been given this advice when I introduced my partner to winter sports - she hated the skiing, which blighted the holiday for her (and for me) no matter how enjoyable it was the rest of the time.
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Kramer, if I were you I would bin all these good ideas and take her to Bulgaria and leave her to sort things out for herself.
She will be sooo put off that she will not want to do it again and you can continue to enjoy your holidays with the boys.
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You know it makes sense.
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Kramer, You aren't planning on dragging her along on our drunken rampage thru the streets of Val Thorens in April are yer?
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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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Kramer, I agree with rob that it's the quality of instruction that counts. We started with New Generation Ski School in Courchevel 1650. The best of everything IMO, ie great resort with easy slope access & some good bars, superb Brit ski school, great beginner slopes, quietest of the 3V resorts, reasonable cost, easy links to the rest of the 3V for you. New Gen are also at Meribel but it's very busy for a beginner.
Or, of course, LDA with easiski
The beginner lessons at Castleford are also pretty good but it can get busy so it's best to go mid-week if you can. The big benefit of a few UK lessons is that it she'll be a couple of days on when you hit resort which makes it way more enjoyable.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Wear The Fox Hat wrote: |
| 1. Find "normal" skiing friends to introduce her to. |
Struggling a bit round here then...
sharkymark, 
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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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Jerry, that was my key thought - don't introduce her to us lot!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Kramer, I have experience of this and if I'd done all of the following, things would have gone a lot smoother !
1. Ideally you need someone else on the trip/in the group in the same position i.e. another learner, who they know before going. If you're compan gets along with rest of her ski group that's even better. A lesson before going out pays big dividends.
2. Go along to help with boots/skis selection. The guys in the shop will think you're a pita/just getting in the way but your special friend will appreciate it immensely.
2.5 Hang around on the first day until the instructor arrives, whatever you do don't dump and run. On the first day, find out from the instructor where and when the lesson will end and be there waiting.
3. Always arrange an easy to find place to meet up for lunch, ideally the same place, assuming lessons are in the morning.
4. Ski like a nutter in the morning so you don't get too frustrated in the afternoon.
5. Ski together in the afternoon, have a plan of easy pistes in your head. Remember how knackering skiing is when you're first introduced to it, so frequent rests and have a couple of coffee/hot chocolate stops. You may be given leave to do a run on your own during one of these, don't disappear for 30 mins. On day one especially, if she's knackered, call it a day.
6. Always have a celebratory vin chaud or a bombadino straight off the slopes. (General rule to be applied rigourously).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Be very very patient.
When you DO ski together, it's very easy to forget how terrifying event the shallowest of green slopes can look to someone who's only had a morning's lesson.
I have a vivid recollection of my g/f suggesting we go down the noddy slope, and my horrified reaction ("there's NO WAY you're going to get me down THAT").
Avoid ALL crowded trails. Especially narrow ones like cat-tracks, that tend to get icy. It's hard enough to concentrate on where you're going without having hordes of people of varying skill flying past you on both sides.
Think about downloading on a lift/gondola at the end of the day, rather than trying to ski out down the only viable trail to the resort. - especially if said trail has a busy apres-ski bar at the top. (Means you can (i) enjoy apres-ski and (ii) not get mown down by reckless drunk).
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brian
brian
Guest
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Elizabeth B,
| Quote: |
Kramer wrote:
From those who've done it successfully, what's the best plan for introducing a partner to skiing?
I suggest refering to her in more loving terms than a "hamger on" might be a good start
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agreed.
Handbrake?
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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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Oh dear - this sounds like it could be the start of producing little hanglets... and then it gets really expensive. But you wouldn't really want to spend a lot of time with someone who didn't ski?
I wonder if poor instruction (which usually includes that by partners) is the biggest turn-off for novice adults. So I would suggest considering private lessons in Europe (or small group with an instructor you know) or go to the US/Canada...
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Kramer, I introduced snowbird to skiing only three years ago and look at her now - own boots / skis, better than me - although thats not hard...........
I think the main criteria is that she goes somewhere on the first trip where the instruction and snow is excellent with good english speakers and a group of people who are at the same level. I would suggest Soldeu in Andorra. Excellent ski school and good snow record - it may bore you after four or five days but the whole area is now linked and you'll be spending time with her either morning or afternoon anyway.
www.grandvalira.com
The Sport Hotel has excellent facilities and food at a reasonable price, we are in the Sport Village which is abit more expensive but some rooms have jacuzzi's. The Sport Hermitage is 5 star luxury and if you want to spoil the lady then this is the place.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I had been skiing 3 times (all school trips) when I introduced Rhonda (aka Mrs JB) to the sport, and I hadn't been for 6 years.
We got an all inclusive deal to a small resort in France (Crest Voland). The good thing was it is where I learned to ski 9 years earlier. It has about 45 km of piste, nothing too steep perfect for learning. We were lucky and got snow the night we arrived with a small top up mid week.
My first mistake was trying to teach her myself. She was getting on well, then I decided to take the chairlift. BIG MISTAKE.  Ended up walking down. For the rest of the week she had 2:1 instruction and is now probably a better skier than me technically.
Go somewhere when your friend can take a day away. Mrs JB went to Megeve for the day. Luckily I hooked up with a few other guys from the hotel, so I was never lonley either.
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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Pack her off to XScape, get her on the lessons there. If she hates it, you haven't wasted too much money, if she likes it, she won't be a total noob.
Get her on the main XScape slope a few times, if she still likes it, get a holiday booked consisting of 3 or so days of private lessons (usually finish at lunch time, so you can regroup at a cafe and ski together for the rest of the day.) Then after those three days, ski off into the sunset together;]
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Kramer, I've actually put this on the other thread about wives but it seemed relavent here, just in case you didn't read it there:
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See if she would be prepared to do a beginner's course at a dry ski slope.
I did an excellent course at Bowles near Tunbridge Wells over several weekends before the first time I went skiing, and I am so glad I did it - it really helped, the instructors were very friendly, and it meant that instead of thinking
"OMG How will I ever stop, it's too steep!"
you think,
"OMG I daren't fall over, that dendrix will really hurt!"
It stops you falling over like magic!
In fact, at Bowles they have a separate beginners slope covered in a kind of white hard-wearing plastic carpet away from the main slope and you start on that. It is very user friendly and much kinder if you do fall over. Then you move to the main slope for later lessons. |
Bowles is obviously too far for you, though!
And make sure she has some really comfy ski boots -
Rossignol Soft 3 did it for me.
The horrendous pair I started with on my first week skiing nearly did for me completely...
...and made my big toe nail fall off  grown back now though 
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You know it makes sense.
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Do I need to buy a hat ????
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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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Smokin Joe, yes - I think a nice straw one with pink flowers would really suit you
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FAQ
gave you on dating a while ago has paid off. 
) we couldn't afford instruction and she had to put up with me.
