 Poster: A snowHead
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I have been Skiing and Snowboarding now for about 10 years, however I have not been for about 2 years now and keen to get back on the mountain.
I would like to introduce my partner to skiing but he will be a complete beginner and hes not sure if he will like it, im sure he will because the sport is so addictive but there may be other reasons why he may not get on with it, hes not the strongest person and a bit clumsy.
I'm sure this is a common issue when deciding to go skiing for many people in that the difficulty arises where we would, whilst he is learning to ski in the beginners group i would have to go off on my own which neither of us are overly happy about doing but we do have to start somewhere and make some compromise.
We do also have a ski group that we could go with, but we aren't overly happy with going with this group because of the nature of the group doesn't really fit with, that would mean i have someone to ride with whilst he is in lessons us but i guess beggars cant be choosers.
For the amount that we pay for skiing id like to have a bit more choice in what we do because on the last couple of trips Ive had to make so many compromises to the point it didn't seem worth it any more considering the average cost of a holiday seems to be best part of a grand now.
Our future goal is to go on our own organized couply trips but I have thought now that I could take him to one of the wet slopes in the UK and see how it goes and look again for next year.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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foxtrot_mike, welcome to snowHeads. In my experience it i the ski school experience which makes or breaks the first ski holiday. If the skiing is not enjoyed it doesn't matter what else you do on the holiday, it's just not going to be a good experience. So maybe choose a resort with a ski school which has a very good reputation, and put other factors as a lower order priority. When I introduced my partner to skiing she did 2.5 hours of classes in the mornings and skied with me in the afternoons. That gave me a chance to ski at my own pace for part of the day, and to ski with her at her pace in the afternoons. Seemed a good compromise.
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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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foxtrot_mike, welcome to snowheads.  I'd strongly echo what rob@rar, says. There are a number of resorts with good tuition, in small groups, and there would be lots of recommendations available here if you decided to go down that route.
The artificial snow slopes in the UK can be a good place to start - but it's important that the individual is quite highly motivated themselves because you do miss the grandeur of the mountains and the wider environment which contributes so much to a holiday. I did many weeks of lessons on a grim "plastic" slope in the rain, in Scotland, where there wasn't even a ski tow. I enjoyed it, but that was because I was so keen to learn; looking back on it, I must have been bonkers.
If you are flexible about dates you might think about a holiday in mid March, when the weather will probably be kinder and the days longer (though mid January is probably about the cheapest time to go). Yes, it's expensive, but the artificial slopes aren't cheap - a "learn to ski in a day" course in Milton Keynes will cost you well over £100. If you live near one of the slopes a course of shorter sessions is probably better (especially for someone who's not very strong; those day long courses can be a bit hard). But it's really not nearly as much fun as learning in the mountains. Small (max 6) group lessons can be very enjoyable with the right instructor; 1 to 1 instruction may be a bit intense, though the learning curve is probably faster that way.
Tell us a bit more about what kind of place you'd like, the things you don't want to compromise on after your previous experiences etc. and I'm sure you'll have plenty of suggestions.
One thing is that if you want your partner to become addicted to skiing you will have to devote yourself to ensuring it's the best possible experience for him, and put your own interests on the back burner. That would mean choosing a resort with plenty of easy slopes to progress to, for example, and accepting that after a hard morning's lesson he might just want to rest and put his feet up in the afternoon, rather than ski with you. Given that you say he's not very strong and a bit clumsy he might not be the fastest learner in the world (though he might surprise you!) and you might find it quite difficult to slow your own skiing down to his speed. Worst of all you might be tempted to take him onto a slope which seems really easy to you, but which he will find really discouraging and scary.
Do you ski and board equally well? If not, it might be best if you stick to your worst discipline, so he doesn't feel quite so out-gunned!
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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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| rob@rar wrote: |
| foxtrot_mike, welcome to snowHeads. In my experience it i the ski school experience which makes or breaks the first ski holiday. If the skiing is not enjoyed it doesn't matter what else you do on the holiday, it's just not going to be a good experience. So maybe choose a resort with a ski school which has a very good reputation, and put other factors as a lower order priority. When I introduced my partner to skiing she did 2.5 hours of classes in the mornings and skied with me in the afternoons. That gave me a chance to ski at my own pace for part of the day, and to ski with her at her pace in the afternoons. Seemed a good compromise. |
Were you there just with her, or with others, ie did you ski on your own when she was in lessons.
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| foxtrot_mike wrote: |
| Were you there just with her, or with others, ie did you ski on your own when she was in lessons. |
Mostly on my own I think. It was a long time ago.
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| pam w wrote: |
foxtrot_mike, welcome to snowheads. I'd strongly echo what rob@rar, says. There are a number of resorts with good tuition, in small groups, and there would be lots of recommendations available here if you decided to go down that route.
Tell us a bit more about what kind of place you'd like, the things you don't want to compromise on after your previous experiences etc. and I'm sure you'll have plenty of suggestions.
One thing is that if you want your partner to become addicted to skiing you will have to devote yourself to ensuring it's the best possible experience for him, and put your own interests on the back burner. That would mean choosing a resort with plenty of easy slopes to progress to, for example, and accepting that after a hard morning's lesson he might just want to rest and put his feet up in the afternoon, rather than ski with you. Given that you say he's not very strong and a bit clumsy he might not be the fastest learner in the world (though he might surprise you!) and you might find it quite difficult to slow your own skiing down to his speed. Worst of all you might be tempted to take him onto a slope which seems really easy to you, but which he will find really discouraging and scary.
Do you ski and board equally well? If not, it might be best if you stick to your worst discipline, so he doesn't feel quite so out-gunned! |
I suppose in an ideal world it would be good to go with a group of people who are equally experienced ie complete beginners and intermediate ski / board for me, for the last couple of years i have been with my family's dance group but i don't personally dance (apres ski) and as such that side of things gets a bit boring,my partner is not keen on this for the same reasons, and as far as apres ski actually goes im quite happy to meet in the pub for an hour or 2 after the last decent and then call it a night.
In my early ski years i used to go on School trips and obviously the company, groups and apres ski was much better but cant go back there again but would be good to find a group of similar age and personalities to me that i could bond with in a similar way.
I don't have a problem with going to a low millage resort, id be quite happy in a more local area say about 100 -150 km of runs, im relatively equal in both disciplines and not fussed which i choose i enjoy boarding more but i think skiing may be better if going with him because skiers and boarders tend to cut each other up, but i know we are both going to have to compromise until we have equal experience, but paying the amount you do it would be good to reduce that compromise as much as possible or waiting until he has finished uni and working so we can pay for a bit more luxuries.
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If he is still at uni - the university ski club trip might well be your best option? There are usually loads of folks of all levels on them, and tend to be cheap?
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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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foxtrot_mike, if you're not keen on skiing alone, one obvious answer is for you to have lessons in the morning too.
Another suggestion (not mutually exclusive) is to stay in a medium sized catered chalet - say around 15 - 20 people - with a Tour Operator who offers ski guiding. They will put together groups of roughly similar ability to ski together.
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| pam w wrote: |
foxtrot_mike, if you're not keen on skiing alone, one obvious answer is for you to have lessons in the morning too.
Another suggestion (not mutually exclusive) is to stay in a medium sized catered chalet - say around 15 - 20 people - with a Tour Operator who offers ski guiding. They will put together groups of roughly similar ability to ski together. |
Thats a good idea, not thought of that.
I could of course find an organized group that it better suited to us and do similar to your suggestion.
Whilst im prepared to make some compormises for my partner I dont really want to make much more in other areas but what we have decided to do is wait and save up a bit more so we can pay for some more luxuries.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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| foxtrot_mike wrote: |
| Whilst im prepared to make some compormises for my partner I dont really want to make much more in other areas but what we have decided to do is wait and save up a bit more so we can pay for some more luxuries. |
It depends on how you define luxuries but the risk is that you end up with less skiing and more luxuries until you decide together to give up the skiing and go for the luxuries. The wrong kind of slippery slope.
I'm thinking of getting a tape that would play while my wife sleeps, whispering repeatedly "You love skiing...skiing is good...you want go skiing..."
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You know it makes sense.
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Don't try and introduce it, go on your own until he asks you whether he can come. If he never asks then make the most of having a week of 'you' time every year.
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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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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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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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| Quote: |
I have now caught up a bit after eight years skiing with him and I'm not that bad now but he will always be eight years better than me
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vicki noble, don't you believe it. If you have top quality lessons and he doesn't you can catch up - go for it! I have friends who have skied for 25 years and they stopped improving after 5. They are now going slowly downhill. 
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pam w,
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They are now going slowly downhill.
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Maybe they enjoy that.
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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: |
Maybe they enjoy that.
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they do indeed. My point was that the presumption that someone who had skied for 16 years was bound to be better than someone who had skied for only 8 was wrong, and that vicki noble should not therefore convince herself that her OH would always be a much stronger skier than herself. I was skiing with a complete beginner last year who, at the end of the week, could have a good crack at the "turning on the inside ski" exercise which I still find very difficult. He was young, very athletic, fearless and a show-off. (and very good looking but as he had just married my husband's niece I have to look elsewhere for a toy boy. Besides, I don't want a toy boy who with a few more weeks of tuition would ski better than I can after a quarter of a century).
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pam w, does your husband know that you're on the look out for a toy boy?
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When I have taken beginners skiing with our group, we have strongly encouraged them to get lessons in the morning, and then we meet for lunch and ski together ish in the afternoon. I have also been at great pains to stress before the trip that they don't have to ski all day every day, they can do as much or as little as they like. They have always ended up completely hooked and skiing down in the almost dark to get the last half hour out of the day, but I think knowing beforehand that they were in control of how they spent the holiday really helped them to not feel pressured.
Also introducing them to the other ski holiday related things that are just fab, the great things about living in the mountains, the views, the apres-ski, the local cuisine, the culture etc. Although I agree that you don't want the peripheral things without the skiing, for me I love everything about skiing holidays, not just the skiing.
I am sure you will have a great time.
D
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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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Chasseur, 
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| horizon wrote: |
| foxtrot_mike wrote: |
| Whilst im prepared to make some compormises for my partner I dont really want to make much more in other areas but what we have decided to do is wait and save up a bit more so we can pay for some more luxuries. |
It depends on how you define luxuries but the risk is that you end up with less skiing and more luxuries until you decide together to give up the skiing and go for the luxuries. The wrong kind of slippery slope.
I'm thinking of getting a tape that would play while my wife sleeps, whispering repeatedly "You love skiing...skiing is good...you want go skiing..." |
I define luxuries on things like getting better quality hire gear, ability to eat properly ie at lunchtimes, get a decent hotel with heating (yes been there)
I have also had a hotel with a sauna / spa in the past and that just made all the difference after a days skiing.
Im not the sort of person who goes for the the cheapest of everything becasue i just know ill suffer.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Deliaskis wrote: |
When I have taken beginners skiing with our group, we have strongly encouraged them to get lessons in the morning, and then we meet for lunch and ski together ish in the afternoon. I have also been at great pains to stress before the trip that they don't have to ski all day every day, they can do as much or as little as they like. They have always ended up completely hooked and skiing down in the almost dark to get the last half hour out of the day, but I think knowing beforehand that they were in control of how they spent the holiday really helped them to not feel pressured.
Also introducing them to the other ski holiday related things that are just fab, the great things about living in the mountains, the views, the apres-ski, the local cuisine, the culture etc. Although I agree that you don't want the peripheral things without the skiing, for me I love everything about skiing holidays, not just the skiing.
I am sure you will have a great time.
D |
I think the biggest thing I hate about group holidays is faffing around in the morning, im the sort who likes to be in the queue before opening and down last thing.
Thats why i want to do less group skiing but may realise that this may have to be an option for a bit longer.
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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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foxtrot_mike, A 'learn to ski in a day' course at Leeds Castleford got Mrs Axs started, then we had several trips where we paid for individual lessons. She progressed from 'terrified' (of heights, lifts, speed, and ice) to 'loving it'.
As she is slimmer and fitter than me, (and drinks less beer - maybe the two things are related?) she now skis far better than me.
Most important thing in the early days was to have INDIVIDUAL (not group) lessons, and be patient.
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You know it makes sense.
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| foxtrot_mike wrote: |
| pam w wrote: |
foxtrot_mike, if you're not keen on skiing alone, one obvious answer is for you to have lessons in the morning too.
Another suggestion (not mutually exclusive) is to stay in a medium sized catered chalet - say around 15 - 20 people - with a Tour Operator who offers ski guiding. They will put together groups of roughly similar ability to ski together. |
Thats a good idea, not thought of that.
I could of course find an organized group that it better suited to us and do similar to your suggestion.
Whilst im prepared to make some compormises for my partner I dont really want to make much more in other areas but what we have decided to do is wait and save up a bit more so we can pay for some more luxuries. |
Hi Mike,
We were in the same position as you 8 year ago, except I was the novice and my wife was the skier, We stayed in a catered chalet of about 20 people , I had private lessons for 3hrs a day for 5 days and my wife went of with the social skiing from the chalet ( most catered chalet do this) ,We would meet for lunch and we skied together in the afternoon ( well I attempted to) . We repeated this for the 1st 2.5 weeks skiing holidays by this time we were able to ski together all day. The point I am trying to make is there has to be a compromise to move forward, For me it was the private lessons very high learning curve but well worth it, and for my wife it skiing with me in the afternoons.We now have some wonderfull skiing together 20 odd weeks in the last 8 years. mostly done in catered chalets. If you shop around there are now lots offering hot tubs and in some cases swimming pools, so you don't have to forgo your luxury's. Go for 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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I was in this position last year & the worst thing about it is the worry that your partner won't 'take' to skiing... I chose a resort that I knew well & where I knew they had a good ski school. He was booked in for group lessons every morning. I'd picked a chalet where they offered ski guiding as well. I would have far prefered going in a group, but it wasn't an option last year.
After all these carefully laid plans, I was ill in bed after the first day & my partner never skied in the afternoon as he came back to the chalet to look after me. However, after that week, he loved skiing, looked to be one of the best skiers in his group, despite being the only one who had never skied at all before & he's now nagging me about booking this year's holiday.
You do have to accept, I think, that you won't be able to ski all the time together for the first few trips, but it wont' take long if he enjoys it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Well i have decided to take him to La Plagne, We are going with a group so there will be people to be with when he is doing lessons and I also can go off with a more experienced group but I still need to compromise when he is not in lessons.
I just hope that he enjoys it and wants to go again, but want to know how to make that as comfortable as possible.
Luckily i have some clothing that he can use so we don't have to worry much about that, just a little concerned about the current exchange rate and how that will affect us, wondering when the best time will be to buy our Euros.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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>>the best time will be to buy our Euros
As late as possible imo. Sterling is oversold against the Euro, currently (the Eurozone isn't in great shape, is it!).
However, WHEN Sterling will cease being oversold, and whether it may become more oversold yet than currently... who knows.
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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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foxtrot_mike, Welcome to Snowheads. My partner introduced me to skiing about 6 years ago. He is Italian and from the Alps and so was practically born with skis on! We went to Soldeu in Andorra. I went to Ski School in the morning, we met up for a bite to eat at lunchtime, then skied together in the afternoon.
We deliberately chose Soldeu in Andorra because of the good reputation of the english speaking Ski School - it certainly did live up to its recommendation.
I know what you mean about not wanting to go off on your own whilst your partner is in a beginner's group. We did it in Soldeu and the following year in Soll. The only difference about Soll was that the lessons were all day, whereas, in Soldeu the lessons were in the morning only; that was the downside to Soll.
I hope your partner enjoys skiing as much as I have enjoyed and taken to it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Different snow sliding ability between winter holidaying couples are fraught with a minefield of danger that can threaten and test relationships to the point (and further) of destruction that tends to manifest itself around about day 3 and many's the time i have witnessed a fall out that runs along the the lines of a
"You keep leaving me /You can't keep up" nature or variations thereof.
Compromise (imo) is most definitly the key to avoiding domestic disaster on the slopes
so do stuff together at the the level of the lower ability partner and at each of your own levels with others in a similar ability group and never go to sleep on an argument.
No one enjoys the atmosphere of a warring couple for example in the close confines of a chalet environment.
Rob
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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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foxtrot_mike, sounds like you're doing the right thing in going in a group - more chance of finding someone around your level to slide with. However, as you're not going somewhere with a British ski school, you'll need to do your very best to try to find a ski school that has an instructor to pupil ratio better than that of the average French ski school, and at the same time offering instructors whose English is good enough to do even a satisfactory job of passing information onto a pupil, unless your partner's French is pretty good. Nothing more likely to impede learning and therefore enjoyment of a first snow holiday than finding that you're largely ignored because there are so many others in the class and even when addressed the instructor has enough English only to do the most primitive of jobs. Don't know how far you are from a snow dome but it might be worth investing in a group lesson or three there so he hits the ground sliding, able to slide after a fashion already. Also consider boarding rather than skiing as the learning curve is steeper and he's likely to get up to speed much more quickly (though initially more painfully!) 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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always hard going when starting to learn - doing those snow ploughs and parallels it is tough and nobody likes it, but you have to keep at it.
I introduced my new fella to skiing this year and he was adament he didn't want to do it ever! so i booked him on a 3hrs level 1-2 on the saturday, stayed in a hotel and back on sunday for another 3hrs for level 3-4 at Milton Keynes.
went back again within the week and had him on the main slope doing side slipping and heading down the hill and turning out and uphill to a stop - this is to excellerate him to learning to slide around the corner and sliding stops - by end of 2 hours he was doing it - we missed parallel turns altogether.
couple of sessions more in MK and he was on the pole planting and on verge of carving.....
just got back from Alpe D'huez yesterday and he can't wait to go back, we were really doing mileage by the end of the week - his exact words were - 'it's wicked'
just doing let him pack it in before he gets the hang of swishing about, because that is when it becomes enjoyable.
good luck
xx
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Well ive returned from la Plagne last week and all I can say is hes definitely caught the Skiing Bug and wants to continue which was really my aim of the week and Im please that this happened.
Yes it was a harder holiday than past years and I did a bit less boarding this time because I he didn't do full days every day and he did hurt his knee so had to look after him badly and there were a few arguments as others have experienced in this thread. but usually a worser holiday this year will mean a better one next time.
Being a large ski area this also caused problems with meeting up at lunch etc and really has still not convinced me yet that bigger resorts are necessarily better, as most of my skiing / boarding in the past has been done on smallish resorts and they do have their advantages.
Whilst the viarity of runs were very good the actual resort I didnt like, i think i prefer the more traditional smaller resort.
He was very fortunate in having a British Ski instructor (Works for ESF), she was very nice, and the ratio after mid week was 1:4 as some dropped out or moved up a group.
I am also now in a quandary as to whether to continue snowboarding or try skiing again next year but im going to cover this in another thread.
Thanks for all your help.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Sun 15-02-09 18:46; edited 1 time in total
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| Quote: |
hes definitely caught the Skiing Bug
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good. If people are in different groups, and need to meet up for lunch, then a small resort is definitely a good answer!
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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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Very good, theres some home truths in there
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FAQ
. Lets just say I got to the bottom of the run looking like Bridget jones 
. I have now caught up a bit after eight years skiing with him and I'm not that bad now but he will always be eight years better than me 
hope he likes it.