I don't understand skiing as a leisure activity

[Anonymous]

I don't understand the appeal of strapping long planks to my feet, impeding my ability to walk, followed by dangling perilously on a swing seat to the mountain top then sliding down the mountain at a dangerous speed.

It's not for me but I get that some people enjoy it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At some point in your 40s/50s/60s you are probably going to find that taking a 3-4 runs up and down the mountain is all you have the appetite for, and for those 3-4 runs, you spent unjustifiable dollars.

This is the dumbest thing I've ever read. What kind of crap shape are you in?

Read my words again: do you really think most people who know how to ski are going to want to ski more than 3-4 runs after they turn 70? Maybe the ski patrol, but most people, which means probably? And I am in perfectly good shape and ruck in steep terrain for hours 5-6 days per week. Maybe if I lived in California and owned a slope-side house I would feel differently, but my realistic options are in icy New England/Quebec.

People who really enjoy skiing will continue into their 70s. I met a wonderful 70 yr old retired doctor on a lift at keystone and skied a few runs with him as he showed me around the mountain. I aspire to keep skiing into my 70s and while we live in the DC area now we plan on retiring out west so we can hike in summer and ski in winter.

I've seen a trend in some areas of instructors being elderly where they used to all be young.

They are wealth-off retirees who own homes near the ski resort. The younger people can't afford to live near the mountains and teach ski lessons. Kids still living with their (wealthy) parents in ski towns don't have to deign taking a part-time job and are busy on the weekends with competitive ski team, tutors, ECs, etc.

It's a whole thing. The fact that we see old retirees teaching ski lessons is actually a bad sign. Once they kick the bucket, there won't be many people left. Very few professional ski instructors in the US. It's actually an entire career in Europe because normal people can still afford to live adjacent to ski resorts.

[Anonymous]

I don't get skiing either, and it's a mild source of frustration in our marriage. My husband likes skiing and got our two kids into skiing. Pre covid, we would go to Snowshoe for a weekend, and between rentals and hotel costs, along with the skiing costs, it was approaching a 2K weekend (for the lowest/most basic places in snowshoe). And I don't ski! To me it's just not worth it as a family activity. Also frankly I hated going along and then being part of the getting everyone ready and out the door and then helping everyone get all their gear etc off and dried when they got back. it was like I was the maid for the family. My husband was always frustrated that I wasn't helping more.

We've not been skiing since covid, and the kids - high schoolers - have been saying they want to go.

That said, I'm not starting a thread about why do people like it. Good for you if you do. I jsut don't want to participate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At some point in your 40s/50s/60s you are probably going to find that taking a 3-4 runs up and down the mountain is all you have the appetite for, and for those 3-4 runs, you spent unjustifiable dollars.

This is the dumbest thing I've ever read. What kind of crap shape are you in?

Read my words again: do you really think most people who know how to ski are going to want to ski more than 3-4 runs after they turn 70? Maybe the ski patrol, but most people, which means probably? And I am in perfectly good shape and ruck in steep terrain for hours 5-6 days per week. Maybe if I lived in California and owned a slope-side house I would feel differently, but my realistic options are in icy New England/Quebec.

Sure, I'll read your words again. You wrote, "At some point in your 40s/50s/60s" I, and others who love to ski, will only want to take 3-4 runs. No mention of "after turning 70," which is a completely different calculus, you flippin' moron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe don't do it then?!

Why come here and ask people to defend why they enjoy something? Such a strange post.

Exactly. So bizarre.

There are an infinite number of hobbies and leisure activities. No one requires anyone to like all of them and most normal people understand that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't get skiing either, and it's a mild source of frustration in our marriage. My husband likes skiing and got our two kids into skiing. Pre covid, we would go to Snowshoe for a weekend, and between rentals and hotel costs, along with the skiing costs, it was approaching a 2K weekend (for the lowest/most basic places in snowshoe). And I don't ski! To me it's just not worth it as a family activity. Also frankly I hated going along and then being part of the getting everyone ready and out the door and then helping everyone get all their gear etc off and dried when they got back. it was like I was the maid for the family. My husband was always frustrated that I wasn't helping more.

We've not been skiing since covid, and the kids - high schoolers - have been saying they want to go.

That said, I'm not starting a thread about why do people like it. Good for you if you do. I jsut don't want to participate.

Just have your husband go solo with the kids and enjoy a kid-free week/end to yourself.

My DW is like you - really hates the cold/snow and no desire to ski. I've managed to convince her to come to the Alps for skiing with the family - there are full day ski programs for the kids, lots of stuff to do aside from skiing (shopping, restuaurans, spas, etc), and its generally just a lot cheaper than in the U.S.

She loves Italy so the next big trip is definitely the Dolomites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in New England, where a big part of the culture was going skiing on weekends/vacations. I skiied a few times throughout middle school/high school, and I didn't really enjoy it; it always felt very physically tiring, lots of exposure to the cold weather, etc, so I never really pursued it after that.

Thinking back on it as a adult, I understand the appeal as a lesiure activity even less. Coupled with the drawbacks I mentioned earlier, it's expensive (something I didn't have an appreciation for as a kid obviously), inconvenient (you have to drive several hours to get to get to a resort, depending on where you live), doesn't really lend itself that well to socializing as you can't really chat with someone while you're skiing down a mountain, and the safety/physical danger aspect.

Compare with golf (which I don't, but DH does), golfing:

- Has a lower barrier to entry (many more golf courses around vs ski mountains)
- Lends itself well to socalizing
- Less physically taxing (my guess is that many more 70 year olds are able to golf vs go skiing)

Omg did not know there are also others out there who feel the same. -signed a former ski resort going person only because "we ski we're new englanders" ugh

[Anonymous]

OP, I lived in =Czech Republic for a number of years, and learned to really enjoy skiing there. EVERYONE skied: poor people, middle class people, everyone. Schools closed for "ski week" each winter because this was just something families did together. And the ski resorts were no expensive, either.

I'm generally an indoors type of person. I like reading, warmth, comfort. But I really did like the skiing. The way it was so clean and still as I looked down while going up the lift or standing at the top of a slope, so that I could actually hear snow falling from tree branches, and the wind. And no, you can't talk to people while you are skiing, but that was part of the appeal, too. You are entirely alone, but wholly inside your own head. At the end of the day, you are so deliciously tired and can see and hear snow when you close your eyes.

I did hate skiing while growing up.

[Anonymous]

Part of the issue is that skiing in the US has become a corporate money suck. All the fun has been taken out of it. Fake base villages, $500 per kid per day just to get them into a lesson, terrible cafeteria-level food, unhappy low-paid employees, etc.

It is 10x more enjoyable to ski in Europe. You can get a sit down 3 course meal for lunch for $18. The lack of trees at altitude make the scenery much more stunning. They get more sunny days. Lift tickets are cheap ($50/day). All day lessons for kids for less than $100.

The best part about living in DC is that you can fly out of Dulles at 5pm, sleep on the overnight flight, and be skiing in France or Switzerland before lunch time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never been skiing but lol at you thinking golf has an easier barrier of entry. The equipment is very expensive and playing a round is easily $100+ at most courses here. Both are geared toward a targeted income level.

I just started playing golf this year. I bought a full set of mismatched Dunlop clubs (with bag and pull cart!) for $40 on Craigslist. I found some golf shoes at Unique Thrift for $6. My first round at Rock Creek Golf Course was $10, $5 for cart rental, with another $18 for beer. Shot a 90 on 12 holes and had a blast

My first day as a golfer cost less than filling the gas tank on my Jeep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in New England, where a big part of the culture was going skiing on weekends/vacations. I skiied a few times throughout middle school/high school, and I didn't really enjoy it; it always felt very physically tiring, lots of exposure to the cold weather, etc, so I never really pursued it after that.

Thinking back on it as a adult, I understand the appeal as a lesiure activity even less. Coupled with the drawbacks I mentioned earlier, it's expensive (something I didn't have an appreciation for as a kid obviously), inconvenient (you have to drive several hours to get to get to a resort, depending on where you live), doesn't really lend itself that well to socializing as you can't really chat with someone while you're skiing down a mountain, and the safety/physical danger aspect.

Compare with golf (which I don't, but DH does), golfing:

- Has a lower barrier to entry (many more golf courses around vs ski mountains)
- Lends itself well to socalizing
- Less physically taxing (my guess is that many more 70 year olds are able to golf vs go skiing)

I do understand some aspects. EG Getting out during the winter, winter vacations. There are some aspects which I don't understand. To be sure I never afforded to do it, except on some army surplus cross country skis. I lived near a ski basin, I didn't go skiing, I would just go out and do winter hiking/snow shoeing on the back side of the slopes. Like I don't understand, the ski lift does all the work, why is that even a sport. Snow machines etc. Just go out enjoy the winter outdoors already.

[Anonymous]

I hate being cold, I hate being bundled up but skiing for me is pure joy. Even after tearing my ACL, MCL and meniscus. It's a little scary but in the best challenging way. And being outside like that in the winter with the fresh air is fantastic. Plus that beer at lunch is the best drink ever. It just hits.

[Anonymous]

I get why people in the DMV don't get it. Skiing in the mid-Atlantic is crowded and expensive and SUCKS. Skiing in New England is crowded and expensive and often sucks. The west and other parts of the world can be amazing (as can New England maybe 10% of the time) but it's a big investment of time and money to get to a place where you enjoy it and the trips that end up being busts are something you just get over and you look forward to the next one.

Most people who love skiing learn when they're kids or young adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand it either. It's definitely an aspirational sport. People who do it either are rich or want to appear so. My husband grew up skiing and likes it so he made sure our two kids learned to ski. One likes it as much as DH does and the other one hangs out on the greens with me. If I never ski again its totally fine with me. I've mostly just put up with it to appease DH.

No, not all people who ski want to appear rich. Maybe the ones who will only go to resorts that famous people go to are trying to be something they aren’t. A lot of people who enjoy skiing are ones that grew up close enough to easily get to the mountain (hill). Day skiing is popular. No resort just a place to ski for the day. Schools in cold places offer ski programs. Snowboarding is big in high schools.

I hate the cold but noticed if you’re dressed correctly it’s not really cold except on the lift. It’s also easy to learn. You start off small, look ridiculous and soon enough you’re up the mountain and enjoying it. That’s my experience anyway.

[Anonymous]

Isn’t a lot of this just access?

If I lived in Colorado and could get a season pass and buy my own gear I’d do it all the time.

Ditto btw golf is much more accessible for middle class people in places like Michigan.

I have done both but am not really into either. Mostly I’m happy to just go on a 30 minute run, it’s free and I have the rest of my day to spend at my leisure.