Moving from the Dark Slide to Two Planks

A snowHead

After ten years of boarding I have signed up for ski school. We're off to Puy St Vincent for my 5 year old to learn to ski. The mountian looks pretty small and the lessons are apparently good (and cheap) so I have signed up for 2 hours a day.

I had only skied a week on long skinny skis before learning to board which I found much easier as i found turning very difficult having had 2 operations on each knee and a ruptured cruchiate.

However, on a board i can't help tow my daughter or even risk waiting for her on some flatter slopes so I thought I'd try skiing again.

Also it may well give her some added impetus to learn if she can compete with Dad.

Has anyone else tried to go back?

Is there anything I should think about?

It is going to feel strange having independent legs and facing straight down the mountain and greens and blues are suddenly going to look very scary.

A snowHead

ashton parker, I wish you luck! my only attempt to go back was on an hours pass at MK snowdome, which, I have to say it went ok and I even managed the jump ! Would like to try again on the mountain with the non skinny ski's though.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

That's fantastic news ashton parker.

I went from boarding to skiing a few years ago. Skiing feels so much more natural (for me, anyway).

I think being able to skate across the flats is a massive benefit plus I'd be terrified skiing through the trees on a board.

The problem with skiing though is that it's easier to twist your knees (I noted you have bad knees). It's also harder to look like a pro when you're not! wink

It's good being able to look where you're going, isn't it! Cool

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ashton parker, I have done exactly that. Firstly on snowblades (which are very convenient when skiing with the kids for walking around them and picking them up), then onto basic 150 fun carvers and now looking for something high performance.

I think you will find that boarding and skiing are not as different as you think and the combination of your boarding skill and modern short skis will make you much more competent than the last time you tried skiing. I'm sure you could just step onto some short skis and start having fun without lessons even.

Skiing is more versatile and I find more comfortable in poor conditions (e.g. bad visibility or ice).

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

A friend of mine switched from a board to skis a couple of years back and progressed very quickly. She said the main benefit of having snowboarded was not being frightened of the sensation of sliding, falling or picking up speed. Personally, I think her technique would be a little better if she'd been scared of the blue runs and stuck to the greens for just a little longer. Best of luck!

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ashton parker, I have been boarding for the last eight years after trying skiing and not mastering it at all. However over a long week end in February and a 2 hour private lesson I think I have it cracked and have just been to buy boots and skis for our forthcoming trip at Easter. Hopefully I will be able to ski the hardstuff in the morning and board the softer stuff in the afternoon!! The board will always be first choice for powder days.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Thanks for the comments folks. I have no intention fo making a permanent swap unless I take to it like the proverbial duck but if I can get to a relativley competent level fairly quickly then i can see the benefits in being able to help suport the kids progression.

Fogliettaz, I agree. Boarding will likely always be my first choice and if we have a powder day next week then skis, lessons, children and wife will be dumped in favour of large board, comfy boots, goggles and helmet. I'm thinking on the same lines if I'm competent enough - skiing in the morning when snow is hard and icy switching to board when it gets slushy and I get tired.

After all it is free

nessy, you may be right but I'm assuming as a competent boarder and an incompetent skier it will be less tiring on my board at the end of the day in slushy conditions which are easy on a board and apparently not pleasant on skis. I also assume different muscles are used or the same muscles but in different ways which means switching to my board will feel easier. I may well be wrong and just end up sledging or propping the bar up.

I agree that generally boarding is more tiring than skiing as a boarder can never relax even (or especially) on a relatively flat bit whereas I just see skiers stand up and relax in such instances.

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ashton parker, you may be right about the different muscles. I think you might do better than you imagine though as long as you get some short skis with a tight turn radius.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I am a competent boarder and an incompetent skier although I am trying to become competent in both disciplines. At present Skiing is more tiring than boarding. I am trying just to keep up with my children, although this is just a forlorn hope as I know this will never happen!!!!

ashton parker, I still wear my helmet and goggles whilst skiing and will continue to do so.

snow reports

Fogliettaz, as will I. I am going to look slightly incongrous when I turn up to my beginners sking lesson in my well worn, duct tape supported hard-core boarding gear, helmet, goggles and camelpack. I think I will leave my probe, shovel and transeiver in the apartment for my first lesson though.

ashton parker, I'm glad there is someone else out there going through the same as me!! I, too leave the backpack tranceiver etc in the apartment for lessons. After spending the last 8 years boarding and having nothing in my hands, my wife is now giving me a hard time with how I hold the ski poles.

You know it makes sense.

Best of luck you two. Learning again when you have something to lose is hard. I'm full of admiration.

snowHead

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

ashton parker, I did it and the biggest buzz is learning something new. I was a pretty good boarder ie go anywhere, any conditions, piste map-less etc . My wife tried to board and it was a disaster. She surprised me after a terrible week in France and said she'd learn to ski. How could I not learn with her? Also, I have little kids like you and felt I'd rather in the future be a competent skier in my 50's with a dry bottom all day than a sad looking old man grovelling about with bindings, chairlift mishaps etc. (others will argue but thats how I feel)

But as a skier of now 3/4 weeks I have gone backwards in terms of mileage but I am absolutely loving it. I made a pact with myself that no matter how hard it gets (and it did and does at times) I will not board again. It has been good for my marriage as well wink

A snowHead

Skiing will be far easier than you remembered it and a lot of fundamentals like balance, edging etc will be hard-programmed now for you. In fact you'll have some advantages over skier only types as the losing an edge on ice and going into a side slide is hardly likely to freak you out.

A snowHead

just back from a very successful trip. Started in the beginners as I couldn't even work out how to put my boots and skis on properly. I did however pick it up very quickly going up a chair on my second day and joining the intermediate group by day 3 and relativley comfortable on reds by day 4 and even did some simple off piste on good snow.

It was also very good fun skiing with my daughter as she learnt at the same time.

Interesting points from my experience:-

1. I only fell four times all week. Once getting off a lift, once on the slushy piste and twice just standing still.
2. I nearly fell numerous times but managed to rescue myself without mishap. I presume this is due to my experience of sliding rather than a phenomenal sense of balance
3 Snowboarding experience gave me a huge advantage as I was noticeably more comfortable at speed, on steeper and longer slopes and did not need to keep traversing the piste before turning
4. drag lifts are so easy on skis
5. when getting off chairlifts and when shooshing I felt an irrestisable desire to turn sideways
6. skiing boots aren't as uncomfrotable as everyone makes out but
7. snowboarding boots are still much more comfortable and allow you to do more things (like walk and play with children)
8. turning in slush is hard when skiing
9. bumps are fun on skis
10 skiing is bad for knees but not as bad as I feared. I am however having trouble walking now that I am back but was fine while skiing.
11. what are ski poles for?

In summary a thoroughly enjoyable trip. I exceeded my expectations hence the smug tone to some of the comments (sorry can't help it) I will carry on skiing on week long trips with children but will still board on lads trips, when tired from skiing, on powder and slushy days.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

ashton parker, Good report - sounds like you cracked it!
I was pretty good on ski's but i had a good few years gap (no winter hols Sad

) before i went onto a board, which I really enjoy and think I prefer. But I am really interested to see how I am on ski's again, I miss the speed aspect . Think I might give it a go next time... ITs nice to see someone who hasnt totally defected to the other camp and can see themselves doing both in the future.

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ashton parker, well done ! I have been thinking about having ago at skiing just from an interest point of view and you have reduced some of my fears.

BTW my mate recently did the the reverse and as a skier he gave boarding a go and is still in pain three weeks later. He fell loads and said it is the hardest thing he has ever done.

Help!!

Moving from the Dark Slide to Two Planks

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