At some point, rehabbing from a broken bone becomes too much trouble. I wouldn't do it past 50

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I learned after 40 and it is still scary and skiing is a huge hassle generally I think people lose tolerance for the hassle with carrying skis etc.

There is a big difference between learning young and continuing to ski as you get older. It is like riding a bike, there are certain movements which become intuitive. As you get older, you become more risk averse and it's hard to become a great skier when you're always afraid of falling.

Also agree with the poster that it's harder/less fun to ski for 5 days straight when you get older. I think lots of older people who live in resort towns ski early and call it a day at lunch.

They do that bc that’s when the snow is best and the lift lines are shortest.

I think it depends on the person how fit they are and how active they are. I think anyone under 60 should be able to learn skiing if they are in reasonable shape and are active. The falls from skiing are usually relatively mild. Snowboarding falls are much harder on the body.

Anonymous wrote:I learned after 40 and it is still scary and skiing is a huge hassle generally I think people lose tolerance for the hassle with carrying skis etc.

There is a big difference between learning young and continuing to ski as you get older. It is like riding a bike, there are certain movements which become intuitive. As you get older, you become more risk averse and it's hard to become a great skier when you're always afraid of falling.

Also agree with the poster that it's harder/less fun to ski for 5 days straight when you get older. I think lots of older people who live in resort towns ski early and call it a day at lunch.

DH and I just learned to ski this past winter at age 40. Our instructor said he has mostly kids and ladies in their 60s as first time skiiers. So apparently lots of older ladies take it up in retirement.

My kids learned this winter also and were fearless and seemingly made out of rubber. I have hypermobility and am more likely to dislocate or tear a ligament than break a bone, and was very cautious the entire time. The kids LOVED it so I think we'll try to do a trip or two per season, but I don't think black diamonds will ever be in my future.

Anonymous wrote:My dad loves to ski and was able to do it pretty actively through his early 70s. By mid 70s he was much more nervous about the implications of a bad fall and so just stuck to the “bunny Hills” with one of the grandkids. I know he missed doing it, but I was glad he made that change around that time.

Skiing with inexperienced skiiers is more dangerous. They and their wayward gear are more likely to knock you down

My grandmother x county skiis at 92. She doesn't do downhill anymore because of other people, but she probably still could.

I do both in my 50s but I try to minimize some of the risks. Trails or days when it's less crowded, taking it easy and slow. Of course there's no guarantees, but so far so good.

Anonymous wrote:My parents retired to Breckenridge so my dad could keep skiing. By having a condo there, he can ski less shorter days and nonconsecutive days, which is much easier on him than a week long ski vacation, where you go hard for 5 days in a row. He is still skiing at 74, although it is noticeably harder on him this year. Walking in ski boots is the hardest part for him, not the skiing! There are a high number of people in his complex who are still skiing hard well into their 70s. They credit this for keeping them young and active!

I hope I can still snowboard at 74. I'm sure I'll only be able to do a few runs per day, and I'll have to be very selective about trails and conditions. And I bet getting up from my butt will be VERY hard. But I never learned how to ski.

Biking, no cutoff.

Skiing? It would.be better to stop when you start taking longer to recover. I'd say 45+, depending on what shape you are in and your tolerance for broken bones.

My parents retired to Breckenridge so my dad could keep skiing. By having a condo there, he can ski less shorter days and nonconsecutive days, which is much easier on him than a week long ski vacation, where you go hard for 5 days in a row. He is still skiing at 74, although it is noticeably harder on him this year. Walking in ski boots is the hardest part for him, not the skiing! There are a high number of people in his complex who are still skiing hard well into their 70s. They credit this for keeping them young and active!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about snowboarding? I feel like falling is kinda of a “feature” of snowboarding. You are always down on butt fiddling with the buckle.

I'm the PP who learned to ski after 40 (and am loving it) but I hate snowboarding after 40. Ugh, no way.

I’m quitting snowboarding now at age 44. I’m going back to skiing.

Anonymous wrote:A fall at 30-40-50 is not the same as a fall at 60-70-80. Your useful life and independence could be over in one fall. Look at Terry.

+1.

I've started to wonder about this myself. In the past few years, I've had multiple friends - all regular skiers who used to live in CO and UT - suffer pretty bad skiing accidents in their 40s. One had an ACL tear, the other broke a few ribs and shoulder, and another suffered knee injury that required surgery. I know that many of us still ski well into our 40s but the risk of serious injury increases tremendously. I enjoy skiing and will stick to pretty easy slopes from here on out. Once my kids can head out on their own, I will likely not venture out. The risk is too great.

Anonymous wrote:What about snowboarding? I feel like falling is kinda of a “feature” of snowboarding. You are always down on butt fiddling with the buckle.

I'm the PP who learned to ski after 40 (and am loving it) but I hate snowboarding after 40. Ugh, no way.

A fall at 30-40-50 is not the same as a fall at 60-70-80. Your useful life and independence could be over in one fall. Look at Terry.