New Skier - DO's

[fatbob]

Laugh. Often. At yourself and at others. Nothing is as precious as that. As you get more serious about skiing have a word with yourself and resume laughing - whooping and chuckling may be acceptable substitutes particularly when you screw up.

 

[Monique]

Laugh. Often. At yourself and at others. Nothing is as precious as that. As you get more serious about skiing have a word with yourself and resume laughing - whooping and chuckling may be acceptable substitutes particularly when you screw up.

This is the most important part of skiing.

 

[Wendy]

Try ditching the ski poles.

 

[Philpug]

Laugh. Often. At yourself and at others. .

Especially in the lift line and from the lift. Other skiers love it and will wonder what they are missing.

 

[Wendy]

Especially in the lift line and from the lift. Other skiers love it and will wonder what they are missing.

Good one!!

I still get laughted at from above!

 

[T-Square]

Find a good feeder hill to learn at. It's less expensive and the instructors will have more time to work with you. You won't need black, double black, or 2000' of vertical for a while. As a beginner 100' of vertical green slope will look like Mount Everest.

Go out, play, and have fun.

 

[Chris Walker]

The little inner cuff thing on the leg of your ski pants goes on the outside of your ski boots.

 

[Wasatch]

Borrowing equipment from a pal might be free... Don't do it.

Once upon a time, an uncle by marriage flew in from L.A. with some borrowed boards. He excitedly told me they were identical to Bill Johnson's skis, and they were as long as the car. He also borrowed a pair of really short skis that he called "trick skis." He was miserable on the "trick skis," and seemed to know that the long boards just might kill him.

+1 on mittens. I can't think of a whole lot that can be done with gloves that can't be done with mittens, and they are warm on the nastiest of days.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

So many great suggestions on here. I'm a huge fan of terrain based learning so I think a mountain that offers that is where I'd recommend someone go. My home mountain in western mass has it and it just adds another element of fun to the learning process. Learning can be frustrating so anything that makes learning more fun is a good thing.

 

[pais alto]

Look where you want to go. If you look at a tree or post or other hazard, that's where you will go.

Read the signs along the trail and at the lift. Especially the warning signs - Slow, Easiest/No Easiest Way Down, Experts Only, Move Away From The Unloading Area, etc.

Don't decide to try harder runs at the end of the day. As pretty as it might be up high on the mountain, you're more likely to be tired and get stranded.

If you're not sure how to board or ride a lift, ask the attendants for help.

Take your pole straps off before boarding the lift, hold both poles in one hand, don't try to use your poles when off-loading the lift - let gravity take you down the ramp.

Don't stop at or block the lift entrance or the lift off-ramp.

Don't use your cell phone to call 911 if the lift stops, there's nothing they can do.

If you're over-terrained (on a slope over your skill level), stop and ask for patrol help. They'd rather help you before you wreck.

If you fear that your partner is lost on the mountain, check your vehicle, the restaurant and the bar before you get worried.

Seriously, take it easy on the drinking.

Be nice to patrollers, they just want you to have fun and be safe. For that matter, the same goes for just about all employees.

 

[Philpug]

Laugh. Often. At yourself and at others. Nothing is as precious as that. As you get more serious about skiing have a word with yourself and resume laughing - whooping and chuckling may be acceptable substitutes particularly when you screw up.

As @JLev says in J-Skis tag line "It's Just Skiing", while it is important to us, it is still just skiing.

 

[Pete in Idaho]

A couple more tips for the beginner.

If you rent boots from home but them next to a car heater, they will warm up nice on the way up and the plastic will be softer making them easier to get on.

If you have ski socks, don't wear them on the ride up to the mountain. Your feet and socks will get warm in the car inside your shoes and your feet will perspire at least a little, then when you go skiing your slighly wet socks will get cold and wet inside your boot (on a cold day) makes for cold feet. Take your special ski socks with you and put them on just before you put your boot on and you will avoid slightly damp cold feet.

 

[Philpug]

A couple more tips for the beginner.

If you rent boots from home but them next to a car heater, they will warm up nice on the way up and the plastic will be softer making them easier to get on.

If you have ski socks, don't wear them on the ride up to the mountain. Your feet and socks will get warm in the car inside your shoes and your feet will perspire at least a little, then when you go skiing your slighly wet socks will get cold and wet inside your boot (on a cold day) makes for cold feet. Take your special ski socks with you and put them on just before you put your boot on and you will avoid slightly damp cold feet.

...put the sock on then directly into the boot, and don't step on the wet base lodge floor.

 

[Monique]

If you rent boots from home but them next to a car heater, they will warm up nice on the way up and the plastic will be softer making them easier to get on.

And by extension - never, ever transport your boots on a rack or in a box outside the car, and don't leave them in the car overnight. You'll be miserable.

...put the sock on then directly into the boot, and don't step on the wet base lodge floor.

I give myself some insurance by putting my (dry) shoe next to the boot. That way if I get distracted or lose my balance (I'm usually doing this standing in the parking lot), I can drop my foot onto the dry top of my shoe, not the mud or snow.

 

[Don in Morrison]

And by extension - never, ever transport your boots on a rack or in a box outside the car, and don't leave them in the car overnight. You'll be miserable..

I once went up with a group that included several carloads of people. I offered to let some of them ride with me, and a guy with a pickup offered to carry our gear, so I'd have room for the passengers. We put our skis and snowboards in his truck, but I insisted that my passengers bring their boots in my car with them. The truck driver, however, put his passenger's boots in the truck bed for the ride up. When they got there, one girl put the cold boots on and froze all day and never went skiing again. His daughter couldn't even get into her boots, they were so stiff. I convinced the dad to fire up the truck and put her boots under the heater until they softened up so she could put them on. We got them warm enough to squeeze her feet in and she was reasonably comfortable all day. I wish the other girl had done the same before booting up. My passengers put on warm boots and were comfortable all day.

 

[markojp]

Two things go in your ski boots... Feet and socks. No jamming long underwear, pants, etc... in the top of yer boot cuff.

 

[pete]

once progressing from bunny to bigger hill, if not taught ask instructor basics on side slipping. still saves me on the icy steeps ; )


helmet? many shops provide for free.

 

[Xela]

All this talk about dry socks makes me wonder if other people's feet perspire.

 

[pete]

All this talk about dry socks makes me wonder if other people's feet perspire.

mine only glow ....

 

[Monique]

All this talk about dry socks makes me wonder if other people's feet perspire.

I just want 'em to start out dry! ... You're probably right that it's a little silly, because they're ... moist within moments of putting them in a ski boot.