Is skiing elitist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother lives in Maine. Skiing is the after school activity. The mountain is one of the school bus stops. At the mountain, the kids receive a snack and homework help. And then they go skiing with their friends for the afternoon. It costs $80 per child for Jan-March. Their local mountain is not Sugarbush. They laugh at me when I talk about skiing there. It’s expensive and crowded. They like their local mountain more.

Skiing can be expensive but it doesn’t have to be.

My cousins and DH all grew up just like this and it wasn’t because they were elite— quite the opposite actually. Of course, DH’s knees are now paying the price for all of that skiing but he still loves it. I prefer cross-country but I grew up doing that more so I’m more comfortable with it than down-hill.

My friend lives in Montana. Friday the schools go to the ski slopes. Everyone skis.

I think one issue is that many the areas with these cheap local options (VT, NT, ME, UT, Boise) tend to be pretty white. Even in CO, denver is pretty diverse but it isn't that close to the mountains. The areas where the mountains are are fairly white.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother lives in Maine. Skiing is the after school activity. The mountain is one of the school bus stops. At the mountain, the kids receive a snack and homework help. And then they go skiing with their friends for the afternoon. It costs $80 per child for Jan-March. Their local mountain is not Sugarbush. They laugh at me when I talk about skiing there. It’s expensive and crowded. They like their local mountain more.

Skiing can be expensive but it doesn’t have to be.

This is how I grew up in upstate New York! Every Wednesday we were skiing at night. Bus would bring us, parents gave us $20 and we skied from 4-8pm or something like that. We did this from 4th grade through high school. Now that I am a parent I cannot imagine letting my 4th grader do this but man it was fun!

+1000

There were ways to ski cheap (midweek) in upstate NY, ski clubs, used equipment, brown bag lunches. It was a great way to grow up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother lives in Maine. Skiing is the after school activity. The mountain is one of the school bus stops. At the mountain, the kids receive a snack and homework help. And then they go skiing with their friends for the afternoon. It costs $80 per child for Jan-March. Their local mountain is not Sugarbush. They laugh at me when I talk about skiing there. It’s expensive and crowded. They like their local mountain more.

Skiing can be expensive but it doesn’t have to be.

This is how I grew up in upstate New York! Every Wednesday we were skiing at night. Bus would bring us, parents gave us $20 and we skied from 4-8pm or something like that. We did this from 4th grade through high school. Now that I am a parent I cannot imagine letting my 4th grader do this but man it was fun!

+1000

There were ways to ski cheap (midweek) in upstate NY, ski clubs, used equipment, brown bag lunches. It was a great way to grow up.

m

Also night skiing on fresh powder ....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is Africa elitist? Cause it's expensive to get there.

So elistist. The ones I know that go on safari or climb mount kilimanjaro are not exactly struggling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If skiing is too expensive for many people to participate in, let's figure out ways to make participation more accessible.

Na, I'm good.

Same! Who wants to buy all that clothing to stay warm that the kids outgrow every year, then ski boots and skis to avoid the long rental lines? Windburn, runny nose, no thank you!

That how you know it is really fun. Otherwise who would bother with all that. Now that many fun activities get you outside all day in the cold winter relaxing, exercising and having some healthy fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An old money guy my husband works with has his kids in boarding school and their school does an entire month or maybe semester (?) in Switzerland in the winter so they can ski? That sounds pretty darn elitist.

Le Rosey is a whole different stratosphere of wealth and privilege. Makes our local Big Three look like podunk one-room schoolhouses.

[Anonymous]

Not in Europe.

[Anonymous]

We have a vacation house in Tahoe. There is a huge Latino population there...yet the ski areas are mostly white and a little Asian-American. I wonder why that could possibly be? But sure, skiing is an equal access sport.

What I'm curious about is that no one here has mentioned backcountry skiing. That's a far more accessible sport (cost-wise) if you live near snow and mountains...though also far more dangerous.

[Anonymous]

I only read the title but want to propose this thread for the stupidest thread ever.

[Anonymous]

Yes of course. How sheltered are some people?

[Anonymous]

I’m paying less for my two kids to snow this winter than I am for them to swim competitively. (Ski rentals + season passes + 5 weeks of weekly 3 hour lessons = ~1k). That said, it’s certainly not cheap. It’s a splurge for us because we all enjoy it and can get to decent mountains while visiting family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A coworker said this to me today. Is this a common perception?

sounds like co-worker is jealous!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If skiing is too expensive for many people to participate in, let's figure out ways to make participation more accessible.

Na, I'm good.

Same! Who wants to buy all that clothing to stay warm that the kids outgrow every year, then ski boots and skis to avoid the long rental lines? Windburn, runny nose, no thank you!

Np Well some kids don't grow that fast and it is fun! Sorry you don't get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If skiing is too expensive for many people to participate in, let's figure out ways to make participation more accessible.

Na, I'm good.

Same! Who wants to buy all that clothing to stay warm that the kids outgrow every year, then ski boots and skis to avoid the long rental lines? Windburn, runny nose, no thank you!

Np Well some kids don't grow that fast and it is fun! Sorry you don't get it.

I think I was misquoted. We love skiing. Just not interested in making it accessible for all. Not everyone gets to do everything. That's life. I grew up not able to afford to do everything I wanted to. It made me want to work harder. Now I can afford what I want to do.

[Anonymous]

You can generally tell how elitist and inaccessible a sport in the US is by the number of AAs who compete in the sport professionally.

Skiing is up there with sailing, crew, and triathlon to name a few.