Skiing 101

Isa Jones

So you wanna learn to ski. Excellent. Let’s start out with a few basics that’ll graduate you from total newbie to just … kinda-sorta newbie.

GEAR

Gear is easily the most expensive part of skiing, because you need a lot of stuff and none of it comes cheap. For the actual skis and boots (or snowboard and boots), you can often find them cheap at a sale or a used sporting goods store. But if you don’t feel committed enough to drop a few hundred bucks, it’s affordable and easy just to rent every time you head to the mountains. Plus, you’ll be suited up by a professional who knows exactly what hardware will work for you.

Other stuff you’ll need: snow jacket, snow pants, comfy (thick) socks, a helmet, gloves, and goggles. That sounds like a lot, and it kind of is, especially when you’re trying to throw it all into your trunk at 6am without forgetting anything. Before you rush out to the North Face store and drop a grand on a jacket made for summiting Everest, ask around to see if any of your friends have old gear. Most people buy new gloves and pants and whatnot every few years, so they probably have some lying around they don’t use. After the mass texts to generous friends have been sent, browse some online sale sites and used sporting goods stores. TheClymb.com and SteepAndCheap.com are two outdoor gear sites that have constant sales on last year’s models of jackets, goggles, and more. You can snag some stylish swag for more than fifty-percent off. In addition, while looking great on the runs is important, having gear that functions — meaning the gloves are warm, the goggles don’t fog, and the jacket fits — is the most important part. So don’t sacrifice warmth for style. There are few things worse than freezing on top of a mountain.

WHERE SHOULD YOU GO AND SHOULD YOU GET A PASS?

There’s no shortage of places to shred the pow in this great state, so deciding where to go can be a bit of a challenge. If this is your first season, it’s best to go somewhere that has a ton of space for the first-timers. You can go explore the back bowls and black diamonds later once you learn how to turn and make it more than ten feet without falling. Winter Park has a ton of beginner terrain, as does Keystone and Eldora. Those three are also very close, but it’s always a good call to explore resorts’ online maps before you head out and see where all the bunny hills and green lines are.

As far as getting a pass goes, don’t drop five-hundred dollars on an Epic pass. It’s not for you; it’s for the crazies skiing over cliffs and backflipping off jumps. Because skiing just one day will run you about a hundred bucks (it’s disgusting, we know), it’s best to buy a 3 or 5 pack from one place. You may want to explore all the resorts, but going over the same runs again and again will make you more comfortable on your board or skis, and that’s what matters the first season. A lot of resorts have bundle packs, and Liftopia.com has deals for every day of the week.

BEGINNER TIPS

Take a lesson. Lessons are not that expensive and just having someone you trust talk you through everything can be a game-changer. Don’t feel embarrassed about learning with the little nuggets while your friends go off on mogul runs. Everyone had to start somewhere.

Don’t be pushed into something you aren’t comfortable with. You’re going to fall a lot and feel insecure on your board or skis for a while. Don’t add stress to that by going down a run that scares you just because someone suggested it. That’s how you end your season in the hospital with a broken leg.

Be patient. Have we mentioned the falling yet? Because you will fall, constantly. You will also take wrong turns, go too fast, freak out on the lift, fall again, lose your poles, run into another skier, and fall some more. It’s ok. This sport takes time, so just go with the flow and celebrate the little achievements along the way.

Have fun! You’re dragging your ass out of bed before dawn, suffering through traffic just to get up a mountain in the cold and careen down it. You better have fun while you do it or it’s going to be a long, miserable season.