Help me out - never been skiing

[Anonymous]

DH and I have never been skiing. Our kids (13 and 8) are interested in trying it. I’m curious too and would try it as well. So - how does a completely inexperienced family of 4 do this? Where should we go? Should we get a family lesson of some kind. We have gear to go and play in the snow but it’s not great quality since we only need it a couple times a year when it snows here. Will that suffice? Any other tips or things I should know? Hi Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

OP here - also am I too old to try this for the first time now??! In my mid-40s.

[Anonymous]

You are definitely not too old to try! I didn't start skiing until I was in my mid-40's. I'm still a very cautious skier but I'm really glad I learned (I still take lessons when we ski out west). I would start at a local or nearby resort. Not sure where you are, but other than my husband who already knew how to ski, the rest of us learned at Wisp. From there we spent a week in Vermont for a couple winters and now we've moved to skiing out west. It might be late to find a weekend to ski locally more than a couple hours away. Most DC area resorts are crowded on weekends which makes it a bit challenging with lessons but still very doable. So, pick a local ski mountain and plan to spend the morning in a lesson. As an adult, I prefer private lessons to group lessons. You and your husband could do a private lesson together and the kids could do a group lesson. As to gear, you won't need much as beginners and at a local resort. Just have some good ski socks (ski boots are not warm) and go with whatever you've got. All this said, if you've got money to burn, pick a resort out west (I'd recommend Deer Valley in Utah), put your kids in ski school and then you and your husband can take a few days of private lessons. We wanted our kids to learn to ski the east first but I know lots of people who jumped right in with weeklong family trips out west.

[Anonymous]

OP, I am learning to ski as an adult. I think the advice above is good.

Here were my main learning points:

1. Layers, but not cotton and certainly not denim. Wool or synthetic wicking fabric. This was a good site: https://newtoski.com/how-to-layer-for-skiing/

2. Most gear can be rented at the slope. I'd advise good clothes, including gloves and goggles. You can rent helmet, boots, skis, and poles, or bring your own. Rentals suffice for lessons.

3. It's hard to walk in the boots. There's a weird rocking movement to stairs, and they will tire you out more than you expect. Book extra time for this, both to get from place to place and to get to the lesson site.

4. There always seem to be discount shops near big ski towns. You can get things like good pants here, albeit worn ones, if you like.

5. Please expect to tip for lessons. It is appropriate. I've tried to book individual lessons but been rebooked for group lessons. Group lessons are useful. If you want private lessons, please speak to someone directly and confirm.

6. There will be lockers. They may take coins or bills or credit cards. Be ready for all of them, unless you know for sure. There's also the need to lock various things up over lunch sometimes, etc. Just have extra cash of various sorts as well as a card.

7. It is damn busy and confusing when you get there. I'd suggest giving yourself a couple hours to get oriented. Ski places with lessons tend to be really crowded with people who know exactly what they are doing and where they are going. I found it to be a real muddle at three different places (I ended 2019/started 2020 with the goal of driving out to try all the ski places in my area).

- If you buy tickets online, you have to go someplace to pick them up on site. It may not be marked in an obvious way, or another place with a long line might look right, even if it isn't.

- You have to pick up the boots, put them on, get the skis (and maybe poles/helmet), put them on, and put anything extra in a locker. These may or may not be in logical places in comparison to each other, and they seem to all involve long lines, which may or may not be the right ones (kind of like the DMV).

- It all made sense at each place once I knew what was happening, but I learned to make extra time to figure it out. EVERYONE wants to get to the slopes ASAP, and I didn't blame them -- except for the employees, and I couldn't always find them.

8. There was a waiver to sign, and other paperwork. You have to leave time for all this before the lesson, plus time to clomp over in unwieldy snow boots.

9. It was so much fun! I look forward to taking it up again, after COVID dies down. Not that skiing isn't safe, but I don't have vacation to use because of work duties.

I hope your family enjoys it. Bon voyage, and happy adventures!

[Anonymous]

Alternative at larger ski areas- rent your gear at a local ski shop the night before to avoid the madness PP describes (PP is right). If you rent after 3-4pm, you don't get charged an extra day. If you really want to learn, I would recommend. a multi-day trip to somewhere like Vermont. When you have the basics with a good instructor, you can practice on weekends/off days at places close to DMV

NOT TOO OLD! Have fun!

[Anonymous]

Skiing is awesome and a great family sport but it is quite an effort to get everybody equipped and ready to go for a day on the mountain. You get very good at it with time but if possible, I’d recommend a ski-in, ski-out hotel which makes things so much less stressful. Stowe, Okemo, Killington and most of the bigger mountains in VT have good options. Have fun!

[Anonymous]

I have 3 kids - ages 12, 9, and 7 right now. When the older two were 6 and 4 - we decided to ski as a family for the first time. We booked lessons and only did a day trip to Liberty that first time. In general I think Sundays are a bit less crowded than Saturdays if I was forced to guess.

I think you need to bring snow pants, waterproof gloves, and a jacket. The rest you can rent. We have both rented gear at the mountain and locally at Sun and Ski in advance.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I are from Florida and didn’t grow up skiing, but wanted our kids to learn. We put ourselves into adult private lessons together at the same time the kids went to full day ski school. It has taken at least five years of doing this before I felt comfortable skiing without an instructor by my side, but now I can happily ski down the slope with my kids (who are better than I am). We were mid thirties when we did this, so definitely don’t think you are too old! Just time your instruction with the ski school times. Your teen might be old enough to be in the same instruction group as you.

My husband never took to it - he had a couple of falls and decided skiing isn’t the sport for him, and he has never liked the cold. He is content to do work or read in the lounge and will meet us for hot cocoa or lunch when we break. It was kind of nice because with him lounging around, we never had to deal with lockers and watching our stuff because he minded it all while he relaxed.

Last piece of advice for people who knew nothing about the cold before trying skiing - wool socks and hand/feet warmers inside your gloves and boots!

[Anonymous]

^ when I say five years, keep in mind that we only skied for a week plus a few weekends every year. You will progress much faster with more consistent lessons!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 kids - ages 12, 9, and 7 right now. When the older two were 6 and 4 - we decided to ski as a family for the first time. We booked lessons and only did a day trip to Liberty that first time. In general I think Sundays are a bit less crowded than Saturdays if I was forced to guess.

I think you need to bring snow pants, waterproof gloves, and a jacket. The rest you can rent. We have both rented gear at the mountain and locally at Sun and Ski in advance.

Weekdays are even better if you can manage it!

[Anonymous]

The worst part is absolutely getting everyone equipped and dressed, especially when kids and moody teens are involved. Anything you can do to do that ahead of time, whether renting for the season at a local store or going in at 3-4 pm the day before like a PP said, will cut your stress level down dramatically.

[Anonymous]

The local mountains usually have learn to ski packages which include rentals and a lesson. We have gone on a weekday and had private lessons. On the weekends it is much busier but still useful.

[Anonymous]

Spent a weekday at Ski Liberty. They have packages that include lessons. Rent your gear there. Get there right when it opens. Four hours is a good start for your first day. Have fun!

[Anonymous]

Definitely not too old. I skied for the first time when I was 40. Nine years later, we take at least one trip out west each year that everyone looks forward to. It's a great family activity.

I agree that you and your husband should take a joint private lesson. If you are up fr it, and money isn't an issue, I recommend that you take a 5-day trip out west, put the kids in 5 days of all day ski school, and take lessons in the morning yourself, with independent skiing in the afternoon. It's much better than skiing in this area, but it's a financial and time commitment. You'll be amazed at how much you improve. I learned to ski at Solitude, in Utah, outside of Park City. It's much smaller than Park City, and less well known than some of the other resorts nearby (Alta, Brighton, Snowbird). It's also less crowded, and where the locals ski. On the down side, it's pretty isolated, and there's not a lot to do in the evenings. But it's a great place to learn. If you want more to do while not skiing, Park City ad Deer Valley are great, but pricier, and more crowded. And I'm sure this will raise objections from the Colorado/Tahoe/Jackson Hole aficionados, but Utah truly does have the best snow on earth.

If you ski locally, definitely rent before you get to the resorts. Depending on how often you plan on going, some places have seasonal rentals, which pay for themselves after a few days (and pay for themselves in less aggravation well before that!).

[Anonymous]

Not to digress, but your kids might like (or do better with) snowboarding.
You might surprise yourself, too, with a board rather than skiis. YMMV.