Aspen for Trouble

Whenever someone asks me if I want to go skiing, my immediate impulse is to sprint the opposite direction with my hands flailing and my vocal cords screeching. That is, of course, because I'm a coward, but also because skiing seems to me a phenomenal opportunity to seriously and irreparably injury yourself. Fortunately, if you find yourself in agreement with these sentiments, I've some newfound advice: Suck it up; skiing is fun.

The premise, I must admit, is ludicrous: Lock yourself into effortlessly gliding metal strips and try to maneuver down a slippery-sloped, snow-capped mountain. Top it off with the fact that your legs are constantly presented with the opportunity to go in completely different directions, and cause for concern seems defensible-even downright sensible. But skiing, with a little guidance, is not such a slippery slope; and sometimes people even enjoy themselves.

Skiing begins with courage-a most costly and hard-to-find article. Fortunately, all remaining requisites are of a material nature, including skis. Skis may seem deceptively simple-merely two narrow planks of metal with boots glued on. However, resist the temptation to fashion your own; you'll be better off with store-bought. In addition, a special suit is required for skiing, mainly due to the fact that you will spend the majority of your time tussling and tumbling down snowy hills cursing snowy hills. Trust me: It gets wet and cold. Most skiing sites provide customers the option to rent ski-suits-protective eyewear included. Renting the skis themselves is also a popular decision, with many advantages to the skiing neophyte. The logic being, that skiing is a difficult sport, so consumers should know what they're getting themselves into before purchasing the equipment.

If you've decided to rent your skiing apparel, the next obvious step is finding a place to ski. Ski resorts usually pepper the mountains during winter, but don't be a tourist. Do a little research on the best skiing places for your skill level. Most every skiing site offers "bunny slopes" (which I assure you are not as kind as they sound) for beginners. Other specifics warrant investigation, such as safety, location, and price. Most locales offer skiing lessons as well, a healthy investment for novices.

Once you've drudged through the snow to the choicest resort, rented your skis and special suit, and wrenched all possible courage from your bones, it's finally time to ski. A lift whisks you up the mountainside where you're afforded breathtaking views of all the spots where you're about to fall. A few deep breaths of mountain fresh air and, courage willing, you catapult yourself downward towards either tremendous fun or horrendous doom. This is the chief draw of skiing: Chance.

A common and dangerous mistake many first-time skiers make (present company certainly included) is overestimating one's skill level. Skiing is complicated; just because you were able to navigate the bunny slopes, does not mean you're ready to jackrabbit over to the slalom. Make sure you're entirely comfortable skiing on gentler slopes before opting for the steeper ones. Skiing is dangerous. I say this, not to ward you off, but to caution you of possible injuries. Use discretion. Also, it behooves you to realize that ski resorts come replete with other skiers and snowboarders whizzing past you at breakneck speeds. A keen sense of surroundings is indispensable. And an attempt to avoid careening into other skiers is ordinarily encouraged.

Skiing-beneath it all-is meant to be fun, so enjoy yourself. Besides being a challenging sport, skiing also allows for magnificent scenery and atmosphere. But if, after a brief encounter, you decide that skiing isn't exactly your racket, head down to the lodge for some safe and well-deserved refreshment. You'll probably see me there, hunched over the bar, trying to locate that courage.