Skiing

[Lathum]

Went skiing for the first time ever a couple of days ago.

My In-Laws own a townhouse in the Poconos so me and my wife decided to go up for New Years. My wife is an excellent skier and I decided to finally learn so we can go together. I am in decent shape an pretty athletic with a hockey background so I picked it up quick.

She made me take a lesson which I am greatfull for since it was alot harder then I thought it would be, especially stopping.

After my lesson we tried some easy slopes, I fell a few times and was VERY sore that night, it hurts and you use muscles you never knew you had.

The second day Saldana and his sister came up and I did alot better, only fell once and did intermediate slopes all day. We are going back out today and I thing I am gonna try some expert slopes.




So are there any other FOFC'ers who ski or used to?

[terpkristin]

I've been advised by many docs never to ski, especially now that we know I have the genetic disorder, if I were to tear my ACL, it's highly unlikely we could fix it.

I do snowboard. Love it.

/tk

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

I've been advised by many docs never to ski, especially now that we know I have the genetic disorder, if I were to tear my ACL, it's highly unlikely we could fix it.

I do snowboard. Love it.

/tk

For the love of God, if there's one person on FOFC who shouldn't be skiing or snowboarding...

I've gone twice on a little place near Kansas City. The first was overnight when I lived in the dorms- we got a great rate. The second was with my wife about a year ago- they have a deal on Sunday afternoons where you got a lesson, rental, and 4 hours for $30.

Having a hockey or some sort of inline skating background helps immensely at least with the skiing (not so much with the stopping) as the movements are very similar.

Both times I started with a lesson, did fine on the bunny hill. The first time, I did ok on the green and tried the "taller" green- that was a mistake. By the time I made it to the bottom, I was going so fast that I had no way to control or stop so I basically fell and almost shredded one of my knees. I was really lucky and it reminded me to not go too fast with this. The second time I went, I stuck with the smaller hill and did pretty good, falling about half the time. It seems like the type of activity where there's a decent learning curve but if you're patient, you'll get something out of it.

I'd kindof like to find some skiing here near Richmond. I know there's some in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, but I'd like to go somewhere closer where I don't have to stay overnight, if that's possible.

SI

[Fidatelo]

I love skiing, but unfortunately I live in the flatest place on earth. Still, my wife and I try to get out somewhere to ski at least once a year (this year being the exception as she is pregnant). Last year we went to Big Bear in California, as well as Frost Fire in North Dakota (these two locations are about as night-and-day as you can get!)

[DaddyTorgo]

I ski. Well...skied I guess. I haven't been on a slope in probably close to 10 years, but it's a lot like riding a bike, I have no doubt I could pick it up again. Was pretty good by the time I stopped. Not world class or anything, but there weren't many hills I couldn't get down without wiping out (maybe some double-blacks I suppose).

[Buccaneer]

Skiing was my passion in the late 80s to mid 90s. I managed to get about 10-14 ski days per year in the Colorado Rockies, mainly at Monarch, A-Basin, Keystone, Vail, Loveland, Winter Park plus Taos. My legs were never that strong enough to handle the black diamond slopes or conditions. Eventually I gave it up because it really became expensive and a huge time committment/hassle.

[EagleFan]

I used to ski a lot. Started when I was 5 and would go up to Vernon Valley several times during the year (and filled it in with "so called" slopes in the area where I grew up. I haven't been in around 20 years now though so I would need to start slow if I tried again. Used to love it though.

[sabotai]

I skied once in 5th grade. I was terrible at it. The end.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I'd kindof like to find some skiing here near Richmond. I know there's some in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, but I'd like to go somewhere closer where I don't have to stay overnight, if that's possible.

SI

When I was in grad and a member of the ski club, we went up to Wintergreen (I think that's what it was called - around the Massanuttin (sp?) mountain). But our big trip was to Snowshoe in WV. After learning to ski in Utah and going to Colorado for winter and spring breaks, skiing in the Blue Ridge was something else. Skiing in Boone, NC or in Virginia was all ice with mud spots. Ugh. Snowshoe had decent conditions, depending which direction the slopes faced. It was skiing and photography that made me want to move to Colorado and once you skiied in the Rockies, you really can't tolerate skiing anywhere else, unless you're hardcore and have to go out.

[MacroGuru]

Yeah growing up in Utah you learn to ski or end up having a boring winter because all of your friends are on the slopes.

I haven't done any skiing outside of Utah though. I even worked at Deer Valley bumping lifts for a year before I got married.

[hoopsguy]

I really enjoy skiing, but have not done it in about 8 years now. My wife does not ski, which has pretty much eliminated for me as an option.

Back in my college and early post-college years I would get out about 1-2 times per year and make my way out west for a 3-4 day trip every few years.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Having a hockey or some sort of inline skating background helps immensely at least with the skiing (not so much with the stopping) as the movements are very similar.

SI

The hockey really helped, I never once felt "out of control" to the point of where I would hurt someone. I can always turn it's just stopping was a challange at times, especialy on ice, but by today I was better at it.

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I love skiing, but unfortunately I live in the flatest place on earth. Still, my wife and I try to get out somewhere to ski at least once a year (this year being the exception as she is pregnant). Last year we went to Big Bear in California, as well as Frost Fire in North Dakota (these two locations are about as night-and-day as you can get!)

We want to try and get to Whistler before my wife gets pregnant.

Originally Posted by hoopsguy

I really enjoy skiing, but have not done it in about 8 years now. My wife does not ski, which has pretty much eliminated for me as an option.

Back in my college and early post-college years I would get out about 1-2 times per year and make my way out west for a 3-4 day trip every few years.

This is why I am learning, so we can go together.

[thesloppy]

"Back in the day" I was a pretty serious snowboarder for 15 years, I used to buy a season's pass every year and put in about 40-50 days a year, dropping cliffs, cultivating my raccoon eyes, and doing all that other stupid crap you hear dumbass snowboarders talking about. My knees can't take that stuff anymore, so now I'm lucky if I get a day or two every winter, but I still love the hell out of it.

[Karlifornia]

I took skiing lessons once when I was like 6 or 7 years old. If you could ski from the starting point to the instructor without falling, you got a cherry life saver.

I didn't get any life savers

[st.cronin]

I had a really horrible knee injury skiing about five years ago, and the doctors have advised me to give it up. I enjoyed the hobby, but it is actually more dangerous than I realized.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Lathum

We want to try and get to Whistler before my wife gets pregnant.

Whistler is amazing - much, much better than anything you'll find in Washington state. Each mountain (Whistler & Blackcomb) features more than 5,000 feet of vertical terrain and both have a good number of fantastic runs, with a pretty good range of difficulty. The snow isn't quite as good as in the Rockies, but it's good enough (and likely better than in Pennsylvania). Once you get pretty good, there's nothing quite like bombing down the Dave Murray Downhill run on Whistler mountain to the Creekside gondola.

Add in the village and all the nightlife options, and Whistler is a great experience.

Seeing as how you're just starting out, Snoqualmie Pass will probably be fine for you for a while (though your wife will likely be bored). The obvious advantage of Snoqualmie is proximity - it's ~ 45 minutes from Seattle.

Stevens Pass is bigger and better than Snoqualmie, but I've tired of dealing with Highway 2 to get there.

Crystal Mountain is the biggest ski area in Washington and is pretty nice. It's about the same distance from Seattle as Stevens, but a bit nicer and the drive isn't quite as bad IMO.

If you get over to the east side of the state, Mission Ridge outside of Wenatchee has a lot of very good runs, and if the weather isn't horrible it's a good place to ski.

If you want to check out other places, I'd suggest trying out Park City, Utah. Fantastic snow, and the 3 ski areas in the Park City area (Park City, Deer Valley & The Canyons) all offer a deal comping your lift ticket if you fly in that day. You can get a 6AM flight out of Seatac and be in SLC at 9AM and on the slopes by 11AM at the latest. Considering lift tickets are normally $70+, it's a nice value. And right now, you can get flights to SLC out of Seatac for ~$180. If you don't want to stay in Park City (prices are pretty high there) you can stay in Salt Lake City - you're only about 45 minutes away.

I'm going in a few weeks during Sundance (4th year in a row) - great time to go, since most of the people there at that time are going to the film festival, so the slopes aren't very crowded.

[Buccaneer]

My SF brother had skied quite a bit, mostly Tahoe and Park City. But by far his best trip was Whistler.

The best trips I had were two Thanksgiving weekend trips to Crested Butte in 1990-1991 (back when we used to have early snow). Crested Butte would have free skiing that weekend and a bunch of us would rent a big house in Mt. Crested Butte and enjoy 3 1/2 days of great skiing.

[Lathum]

Thanks for the great info Dawgfan.

The cool thing about my wife is she is very patient and doesn't get bored. There were only a couple of times when she ventured off to an expert trail, both with Saldana while me and his sister took the eaiser slope. I'll have to check out those other spots you mentioned.

[Coffee Warlord]

I do miss skiing every now and again.

Knees just can't handle it anymore. Last time I tried I was done in an hour or so, just hurt too damn much.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

I had a really horrible knee injury skiing about five years ago, and the doctors have advised me to give it up. I enjoyed the hobby, but it is actually more dangerous than I realized.

You can thank the president of University of Maryland (Dr. Clayton D. Mote) for making ACL tears the most prevalent injury for skiers. Before joining university administrations, he did biomechanical engineering/research, and helped redesign ski bindings. Prior to his team doing their redesign, the most prevalent injuries in skiing were of the torsional tibia fracture variety.

ACL reconstructions have come a LOOOONG way, but for me, I still think a torsional tib/fib fracture would be better.

/tk

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

I do miss skiing every now and again.

Knees just can't handle it anymore. Last time I tried I was done in an hour or so, just hurt too damn much.

For some reason this reminded me of how I am now with water skiing. I used to water ski as often as my dad would take me. Now, I turn him down almost all the time when he offers, because my back just hurts like hell the whole time.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

Yeah growing up in Utah you learn to ski or end up having a boring winter because all of your friends are on the slopes.

I haven't done any skiing outside of Utah though. I even worked at Deer Valley bumping lifts for a year before I got married.

You got that right, used to ski a bunch in the late 70's and 80's. Between that and Football my knees will never let me live in a cold weather place again though.

When they came out with the Brighton/Solitude combo lift ticket a group of us would load up our bota bags with Brandy, spend the morning at Brighton, eat, then make the 4-5 mile traverse down to Solitude and finish off the afternoon there....Good times! I do miss it.

And Dennis, I have tried skiing in Arizona when I first moved here and Big Bear in Cali in the mid 80's, only once each place. The snow just couldn't stack up to Utah. (Never tried Colorado, which I am sure is awesome as well)

[Lathum]

Heading to Whistler this weekend, I am really looking forward to it.

We went to Crystal Muntain a couple of weeks ago and loved it, great skiing and awesome scenery. I can't wait for Whistler. 8 of us got a house up there and it is gonna be a blast.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Heading to Whistler this weekend, I am really looking forward to it.

We went to Crystal Muntain a couple of weeks ago and loved it, great skiing and awesome scenery. I can't wait for Whistler. 8 of us got a house up there and it is gonna be a blast.

Whistler is going to blow your mind. The amount of skiiable terrain there is so much greater than anything in Washington your head will spin, and the main village is great fun (if rather overpriced).

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Whistler is going to blow your mind. The amount of skiiable terrain there is so much greater than anything in Washington your head will spin, and the main village is great fun (if rather overpriced).

unfortunantly we couldn't go because of my MIL's heart transplant ( obviously a blessing) but we are bummed. We were really looking forward to it