Where/when did you learn to ski...?

A snowHead

Sort of following on from Megamum's thread about French and Swiss ski schools. It got me thinking back to my own lessons...

I learned to ski in Niederau in Austria in February 1977. A full week of lessons with my sister and about 12 other children. I remember learning to get up after falling, use the T-bar, snowplough turns which led on to stem christie turns by the end of the week. There was a chairlift that went about half way up Markbachjoch with a blue or red run down which was our goal by the end of the week. Judging by the piste map it's all changed now and there's a bubble lift to the top. My sister had an accident towards the end of the week and twisted her knee quite badly. However we were amused that she was taken to a 'Bezirkkrankenhaus' which I carefully explained to her was the local loony bin...

The snow was fantastic and I remember being absolutely mesmerised by the view of snow-covered mountains. I also remember trying schnapps and thinking it was revolting. How times have changed... Very Happy

The only other place I had lessons was on a school trip to Andalo in Italy which was awful because I was in a different group to the rest of my schoolmates on account of the fact I could already ski. After that I didn't have lessons on school trips, I just skied with the teachers instead...

I'm sure you all have fond memories of learning to ski...

A snowHead

Xscape MK at the age of 46, first mountain experience was a few months later at Geilo, Norway. Four and a half years later and with 13 weeks skiing under my belt I've reached a reasonable standard. I wouldn't recommend leaving it so late though it makes it very hard work to progress.

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

I'm still learning so it's difficult to answer a question in the past tense. My first ski trip was to Andalo in 1978 and by Day 3 I loved skiing and had begun to develop a life-long obsession with it. Along the way I've been taught in Italy, Austria and France, but it was only when I started using British ski schools that I really started to make any significant progress with my skiing.

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Having only had 11 days of lessons over 25 years ago I know I'm a rubbish skier compared to most. But who's comparing? Certainly not me... Very Happy

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I started learning in Norway (Geilo) on a School trip in 1963. Huge great long skis, and a hunky chap called Hans telling us to "face ze walley". Got a one star badge for my anorak, of which I was inordinately proud. Loved it, but couldn't afford to go again till I was 40 - nobody in my family (or anyone else I knew) went skiing.

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I realise I was very lucky to have been able to go skiing with the school. I went six times between 1977 and 1985, all paid for out of my school fees. But I did mean I couldn't go on the gymnastics or hockey tours. Shame... Very Happy

I then went twice on Uni trips, did a full season post Uni but have only been six times since. Goddam homeownership...

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First went skiing in March 2003 to Soldeu in Andorra with my partner who is Italian (he was brought up in the Alps and, therefore, was born with skis on!!). Had a brilliant time, the Teacher (English lady called Mary) was really good and had us all over the place by the middle of the week.

I've been every week for a year since then and also had loads and loads of small ski trips but, to be honest, I'm a bit of a rubbish skier.

After all it is free

Hillingdon dry slope in 1982. It was all downhill from there rolling eyes

I first went skiing at Passo Tonale back in the mid 80's and was hooked straight away. The instructor I had that week, Claude, was fantastic and spoke very good English which helps no end. I started by skiing with a big group who went one week a year but after a couple of weeks, that wasn't enough for me and I went on trips on my own.

Then I got married and only managed a few trips for a number of years but now divorced I am getting back into it along with my son, and after my first bash with snowHead

this year it won't be my last. Cool

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engleberg, when i was four, circa 1972. i've been told that i took one lesson with a skischool and was put in a swiss class with a french speaking instructor, then refused to go back. was deposited on a nursery slope with a rope pull and the liftie mimed/positioned my limbs to an assimilation of a skiing position. i've been a fair bit since and don't believe i've been handicapped by not taking lessons.

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Learn t in a one horse Austrian resort called Embach in 1988, which had 2 or 3 drags- can't remember exactly near to Rauris which we went to on the last day and being impressed at what a "proper" ski resort was like. The following year went to Oberau - next to Niderau.

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Rossendale dry slope at the age of 12 back in the early 80s. Followed that winter by a school trip to a small Swiss resort I can't remember the name of. Was hooked instantly!

I first went skiing in 1987, to Poiana Brasov in Romania, our instructors were Frankie and Vally (so they kept saying), Vally turned out to be the head honcho of the local ski school. It was the start of a love affair with skiing that has never wained to this day. We progressed steadily as a group and by the end of the week skiing full length runs (though by comparison with what I do now they were short runs). I have had many weeks in ski school since then, the early days were to Bulgaria and Romania (it was cheap but we also loved something about those countries), Then lessons in Austria, Andora, France and Italy. All this was complimented by alot of dry slope skiing to hone the technique. The highlight (and eye opener) was joining a couple of others for a weeks race training which was in Italy, which is where I began to understand more about the mechanics of skiing, and what speed and control really was all about. I think (IMHO) that if you want to keep progressing and improving confidence and technique you should never write off the odd lesson. The better instruction for me has been with British instructors from Interski which was in Aosta in places like Courmayeur, apart from the weeks race training in Italy. The worst was in France where the instructor decided he didn't want to speak any english,apart from "follow me" ! But this was only once and have had some good experiences in France. I think the most consistant instruction by non British instructors has been in Austria, but that's just my opinion.

You know it makes sense.

First donned skis at the tender age of two and a half in Scotland but didn't take formal lessons, again in Scotland, until I was around 7 and didn't really start skiing regularly (and a bit more seriously) until secondary school when I was around 12. Lived around 30 miles from Cairngorm so went up every weekend for many years with my school, parents and local ski club and never skied anywhere else until relatively recently. As a result have never quite got my head around the one week a year holiday ski trip mentality, still totally alien to me despite my currently being (hopefully temporarily) in the (mostly) snowless South West of England.

Took a prolonged break during the 90s but got back into it 3/4 years ago and now do some instructing and have since skied in various parts of Europe as well as North America but Scotland, being where it started for me, still gives me the biggest buzz on a good day ... I try to ignore the bad days Laughing

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I started to learn to ski at Bracknell (John Nike) dry slope three years ago. After several group and a couple of (V expensive) private lessons, I was told that, basically I wouldn't ever ski because I couldn't snow plough, or more accurately, do a 'snow plough' start, that is stand down the fall line in a snow plough without moving, and gently start to move. Had my holiday already booked, so was a bit, err.. disenchanted - gave up. A couple of weeks later Aldershot dry slope was suggested. They asked if I had been given poles.... 'OK, that might make things easier'. TBO though, we really skipped the snow plough and went straight to parallel. To this day I still can't snow plough (absolutely kills my knees), but have managed about 15 weeks so far, and another 3 to come in March. Me thinks Bracknell were a little pessimistic / downright incompetent.

A snowHead

Two days on Nevis Range around 15 years ago, using the barrier fences to slow down/stop, taking off the skis, turning them round and repeating in a left-right-left-right fashion till I got to the bottom, exhausted Shocked

.

Didn't take the hint and continued, without tuition for 15 years and here I am! I don't regret the loss of holiday time to ski lessons but, now I'm trying lots of off-piste options and mini-tours, I definitiely notice that my general lack of core finesse leaves me quite tired and, at (all?) times, a bit untidy style-wise.

Having said all that, I have found that I didn't so much need off-piste tuition but just safe and controlled exposure to situations where I could try and practice. I'd much rather hone my skills on the Bellecote N Face or Grands Montets, rather than in a group lesson Cool

A snowHead

I've never felt tempted to have any more tuition. Apart from the cost factor, I'm happy with my level of skiing given my health limitations. I'm sure there's loads I could learn but I can't see why I'd want to. Never really felt the need to go off-piste and push myself outside my comfort zone, but I have plenty of admiration for those that do...

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

5 sessions on bebington dry slope in late 80's then 1 week with ESF in ADH.
1 week in pas de la casa around 17yrs ago and then the odd private lesson here and there over the years.
Still lots to learn.

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Started to learn at Thredbo in August 1997 (yes after the landslide - my original selection for instructor died in that landslide)....
My brothers buddies(all XC and tele instructors) sent me for alpine lessons as my balance was an issue and "the alpine skis are much easier to learn on"... the plan was 1-2 lessons and then onto XC.... I've never stopped learning or skiing - addiction at first go!

Shortly after that my instructor announced he thought I was dropped on my head as a baby - because I displayed "brain injury" traits... He sent me off for neuro assessment and had me register as a disabled skier... Shocked

My mother is most insistent she did NOT drop me!(verdict is probably birth trauma)

By the time I left Australia for a couple of years in 2005 my instructors were working me towards the same skiing level as the APSI II instructors(ISIA). The verdict was that I needed more exposure - my nerves being the biggest issue they saw in my skiing at that time.... I'd rejected multiple offers by the ski school trainers to become part of the staff.

These days I am highly disappointed at how very much I still have to learn and wonder why the f I left learning to ski until I was nearly 40!!!

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I first skied on baby skis at age 3 in Wengen (along with toboggoning and making snowmen). At age 5 I was sooo proud to go to 'proper' ski school when we went to Klosters. From then I've never looked back - we skied in Wengen every year, and I was that horrible child in the adult group who wants to ski when the rest of the group want to hide in the restaurant in bad weather rolling eyes

. I have to say a big thanks to Heinz von Allmen for taking me out at lunchtimes then. I now realise how much he must have hated me, but it never showed. Then I was in DHO trainees, racing, BASI 3 - job in Wengen (horrible now to think how much I thought I knew, and to realise how little I did know) and then ... 6 years break because I married a jump jockey rolling eyes

Got divorced and off again, started skiing, started teaching again (Sandown dry slope) when I thought I was good enough, moved to Aviemore, moved to LDA, and there you have it. Very Happy

queen bodecia, The problem was your original question 'where did you learn to ski?' How can you truly answer that one when you're still learning - I certainly am, so we're all answering the question 'where did you start learning to ski?' or some such. Very Happy

If you have health issues, being able to ski without stress on your body would probably help you a lot - shame you're so sure it won't be worth it. Sad

edit: forgot to say that my first time was in 1955! Shocked

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Started : 3 lessons at the Dry Slope in Dundee. Shocked

Continued starting: Kitzbuhel, Sauze, Serre Che, etc

Still learning...

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1979 Verbier. Had the most stunning looking ski instructor, I would follow that backside anywhere. I was hooked.

After all it is free

easiski, fair point. I guess for some it is something you never stop learning, but believe me, I stopped learning a long time ago... Very Happy

I first went with the school when I was 13 so it must have been 1971. We went to Chamonix and had a Japanese instructor who, IIRC was great, most of us got on really well - flying snowploughs I would imagine!!

I went to Mayerhofen the next year with the school can remember progressing to parallel stops and starting to move away from stem turns.

Only skied a couple of times between that trip in 1972 and 1987 but then got moved with my job to Ferney Voltaire, on the French side of Geneva Airport. Needless to say that is when I started to really learn to ski as we would go most weekend from late November through May. I did some courses with Optimum in Villaroger with Chalky White and Martin Rowe during this time - these really helped to tidy me up.

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Taught myself at Llandudno ski slope. My first experience of snow was Grindelwald.

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Plymouth dry slope in the early 90's, had the very good fortune to be taught by three BASI trainers (Pete Baker, Alex Leaf and Dave Renouf) who were based there at more or less the same time. Had about 30 hours a week tuition and practice for several years as well as working there before having kids and moving to France. Definitely still learning and recently benefited (hugely) from a morning's offpiste tuition with offpisteskiing where two light bulb moments have made skiing even more of a pleasure.

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School ski holidays the 1st being Monte Bondone, Italy in '79. Still rate it as one of the best hols ever. Discovered skiing, girls and beer all in one week. The coach driver played Fleetwood Mac, Rumours on the transfer coach back to Verona, we all knew we'd had a special time. Smile

Where did I learn to ski? is an interesting question.

I had 4 years of private lessons in my 1 week punter holiday in Switzerland about 4hrs total each time and still couldn't snowplough down the flat wide beginners slope without a bad attack of the collywobbles. Then I did the EoSB in VT last year. I had 3 group lessons there with Gayle from Prosneige which I got a huge amount out of, but, to this day, I still think I learned to ski with my mates, the Snowheads, on the slopes on the first two days and have been consolidating this with various Snowheads and in particular with BMF_skier Very Happy

since then.

You know it makes sense.

I'm still learning! But I first started learning in Wengen age 3 (easiski - snap!), with Ruth I think.

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easiski, it was Klosters for my first 'proper ski school' too...

....and many years later I'm still going back there at every possible moment! I'm now part of the skischool that taught me, it was a proud moment Laughing

A snowHead

I haven't learned yet! Done a fair bit of trying but the progress has been painfully slow, Serbia, Xscape, Tignes, Vallandry, Val Thorens, LDA.

A snowHead

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

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Mt Hood, Oregon, 1984. Skied sporadically in US, Japan and later France during the next dozen years. Learnt to ski more systematically in Megève from 1996 onwards, with practice in a few other places. Still learning. snowHead

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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espri, we'll all be in the Lutins apres ski looking at video and chilling, so pop along any evening

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first time on skis Devils Head - Madison, Wisconsin around '85 straight lining and crashing. moved to europe in 91 and first lesson in chatel in '02, first group lesson '06 after a few privates. Big mistake not taking lessons and spent a few years unlearning all my bad habits, still trying to get better...

always learning and currently a beginner telemarker Toofy Grin

who has managed a blue run snowHead

After all it is free

Learned to board 1999 at Mammoth Mountain, CA. (not counting 2 lessons at Tamworth the year before, because the only thing I learned was that i was dreadful at snowboarding).

LA then Vegas then 10 days of Blue skies and fresh snow - and getting burned sooo badly on day 1 on the mountain Embarassed

, ah memories...

Had five days of ski school in Obergurgl about 6 years ago (age 27). The muppets' group was mostly made up of ladies of a certain age who one-by-one decided skiing was not for them, so by day 5 there were just two of us left in the group. A couple of years of developing my own style has since been partially rectified by easiski in LDA.

Lots more learning to come.

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For me my first experience of skiing was a School ski trip to Italy ,Fai Della Pagnella/Andalo circa 1978.Very much the Bends Ze Knees and follow/copy me style of ski school lessons.I remember being the happiest 12 yr old alive when I rolled up for lessons on the first day wearing the exact pale blue ski jacket that all the Italian ski instructors wore at the time. Cool

Happy days Smile

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Where/when did you learn to ski...?

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