Learning to Ski

There's a fresh layer of snow on the mountains and the slopes are calling my name. I love to ski. I love the rush of the wind through my hair, the sight of the fresh snow over an almost pristine landscape, and the feel of the snow as I tumble head over heels into the powder. So, okay I may not be an expert. Truth be told I'm a novice when it comes to winter activities, but it's never too late to learn something new.

So you've gathered your skis and boots and all your winter clothes. You have on three layers of clothes and feel like the Michelin man. You drive up to the lodge, strap on your boots and if you're a beginner like me you sign up for a lesson. I recommend taking lessons from a professional instructor before going out on your own. Most lodges offer ski schools that allow you to learn from an expert with other beginner skiers. This can help you learn the basics, stay safe, and meet new friends. Most people feel confident enough to go it alone after about three lessons. At that point you should have enough general knowledge to handle the green trails.

So what's a green trail? Trails are usually colored coded green trails are for beginners and are usually at the bottom of the mountain. Green trails tend to have very small hills along a gentle gradient. Blue trails are filled with slightly larger hills and a steeper slope. Red trails are usually for intermediate skiers and include steeper, narrower trails. Black trails are for experts only and can range from slightly challenging to extremely difficult trails. They can include extremely steep and sometimes dangerously narrow trails. Most ski resorts use this coding system for their trails and usually use colored circles on the chair lifts to let you know which is which.

Speaking of chairlifts... how exactly do those work anyway? You should wait in the holding area until it's your turn; skiing schools usually have their own line so that the chair lift operators will know that you might need help. If you do have questions don't hesitate to ask. Otherwise when it's your turn you can scoot up to the green or red area and wait for the chair to come up behind you. As it does sit down into the chair and remember to keep your skis pointed forward the whole time. When coming off the lifts put your feet down and stand up onto your skis. You may glide a few feet before coming to a stop at the top.

I won't pretend that I can teach you to ski through an article, that's best left to a professional on the mountain. The most integral part of being a successful skier is having confidence in your self and in the snow. The biggest problem I had was worrying about falling down, every time I'd get some momentum going I would panic and lean back, big mistake. Leaning back automatically causes you to lose your balance and fall. Falling while skiing can be scary at first but it's important to realize that you're falling into soft snow and you're not falling very far to begin with. The hardest part about falling is getting back up. Don't give up if you don't get it right the first time or second, third, or fourth time for that matter. Like anything the more you practice the better you will get.