25 Year Lay-off - Lesson Question

[Keith W.]

I’m (finally) returning to skiing after 25 years. I’m 48 now, and took my only lesson at age 12. From there was self taught. At the point I stopped skiing (thanks to a move to Texas, as well as a couple of kids), I could ski just about anything in Southern California. So basically, a Colorado bunny slope! It wasn’t pretty, and the fundamentals sucked, I’m sure, but I could get down without falling.

Flash forward to now, the little kids are grown and gone, and we just bought a condo near Keystone, CO. I also bought a season pass and did a season rental on skis. My intention is to do a lot of 2-3 hour ski sessions, rather than subject myself to long days without being in ski shape.

Here’s my question... should I start with a beginner lesson, or would an intermediate lesson be more appropriate? I’m also not opposed to doing both. Also, would it be worth skiing a few hours prior to the first lesson to get my skis back under me?

Thanks for any and all advice!

 

[Philpug]

To an extent, skiing is like riding a bike...except for the baseball cards in the spokes and the streamers from the handle bars. . I wll add, in 25 years it is a different sport, different gear and movements but there is a bot of muscle memory and you will want to retrain those muscles if you want to benefit from the gear. Get a day on snow, get your ski legs under you and go from there.

 

[Jilly]

A lesson would be beneficial. @coskigirl @SkiNurse, is Katy at Keystone or Breck? Might be the instructor he needs...

 

[Blue Streak]

I’m (finally) returning to skiing after 25 years. I’m 48 now, and took my only lesson at age 12. From there was self taught. At the point I stopped skiing (thanks to a move to Texas, as well as a couple of kids), I could ski just about anything in Southern California. So basically, a Colorado bunny slope! It wasn’t pretty, and the fundamentals sucked, I’m sure, but I could get down without falling.

Flash forward to now, the little kids are grown and gone, and we just bought a condo near Keystone, CO. I also bought a season pass and did a season rental on skis. My intention is to do a lot of 2-3 hour ski sessions, rather than subject myself to long days without being in ski shape.

Here’s my question... should I start with a beginner lesson, or would an intermediate lesson be more appropriate? I’m also not opposed to doing both. Also, would it be worth skiing a few hours prior to the first lesson to get my skis back under me?

Thanks for any and all advice!

Ski week at Taos

 

[SkiNurse]

A lesson would be beneficial. @coskigirl @SkiNurse, is Katy at Keystone or Breck? Might be the instructor he needs...

Katy is at Keystone.

 

[T-Square]

20 years ago I did the same thing. I came back to skiing after 25 years in college and the Navy. I had taken 3 or 4 lessons as a kid. When I came back I took a private lesson. It helped bring things back into focus. The equipment had changed greatly. Gone were the double lace up leather boots, wood sticks with windmill straps, and "safety bindings" that released the toe both to the right and to the left. But, I found sliding is essentially the same. Techniques have changed to take advantage of the new equipment.

I’d recommend you start with a beginner lesson. It might help if you ask at the lesson desk if you could talk to someone in charge of the ski school. Then explain your situation to that individual and ask for recommendations for your first lesson. It will make a world of difference for you.

Be careful. You might end up like me. A ski instructor.

 

[Jilly]

Katy is at Keystone.

Katy Perrey!! Look her up, you won't be disappointed!!

 

[coskigirl]

Katy Perrey!! Look her up, you won't be disappointed!!

Agreed.

 

[4ster]

Normally I would say take a few runs as a warm-up. After reading your history and the fact that 25 years ago you were mostly self-taught, I would highly recommend your first runs be with an instructorfor. No point in retraining and re-ingraining old habits. Start out on on the right ski so to speak.
Even though it is expensive, in your case I would suggest you hire a private instructor for your first time back out, describe your previous experience and where you want to go with it. During this initial lesson and before you invest in much equipment take the opportunity to ask the instructor especially about boots & options for your future development.
Also, take some time now to read and watch videos about modern technique.

She was only off skis for eight weeks but knew that she needed to start with the basics ...

Have fun!

 

[François Pugh]

On the bright side, being mostly self-taught (like me), you weren't taught any bad habits.

I recommend you take one day to get your ski legs back, then book a PRIVATE LESSON with a LEVEL III instructor.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

I'd say take a private lesson. If I were teaching you, I'd pretend you are a beginner and just see how fast you advance. Then I'd slow it down once we were breaking new ground.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

On the bright side, being mostly self-taught (like me), you weren't taught any bad habits.

I recommend you take one day to get your ski legs back, then book a PRIVATE LESSON with a LEVEL III instructor.

But I bet you learned a bunch of them. Skiing is not intuitive.

Since you're at Keystone, look up Don Duran, a regular contributor here. Take a private lesson to learn about changes in equipment since you last skied and the resulting changes in movements.

You might also look into the season lesson program at Keystone.

 

[mister moose]

Couple things -

As a returning skier, you might be placed in a class that suits your (initial) ability, but you will progress far faster than everyone else who has less prior experience. You'll feel held back, even on the first day. Your questions on now vs then will have no bearing for the new beginner who has no "then". That points to the benefit of a private lesson. Or several. You didn't mention budget considerations.

That doesn't mean at all that you couldn't go out, hit the easiest bunny slope, and shake out all the cobwebs and experiment on your own. Then take some group lessons. Way less $$$

I think Kneale's suggestion of looking into a seasonal program is an OUTSTANDING idea for you. You've got the condo and season pass. You'll get huge bang for the buck. You'll be able to transition between different level groups as you progress at your pace. You'll meet a bunch of people and make friends. You'll get regular, recurrent training and feedback, which is huge compared to sporadic lessons. You can ski with your new friends and practice/discuss after the weekly lesson. You have the entire season in front of you to take advantage of it.

 

[Keith W.]

Great stuff here, and much appreciated. As much as we (my wife is going to be doing lessons, as well) would love to do a private lesson, I couldn't sell her on the cost. The seasonal programs seem to be a great alternative, though. That would also alleviate my concern with choosing between the beginner and intermediate. I'll just start at the bottom and work up.

 

[Living Proof]

There are many in this forum who skied when we were younger, took a bunch of years off, and, then returned. I took 15 years off while my children were growing up, and, just found so much passion for going downhill when I returned over 10 years ago. Part of my frustration in initial ski experiences was that could not figure out how to turn the skis easily as the terrain became more steep, and, in more demanding pitches or snow, I was lost. Once I was a pretty competent skier, it had disappeared, plus, I was out of shape. My solution was a book with an accompaning DVD that became my ski bible.

While I, too, would recommend lessons, it seems that you have done some research regarding the cost. A 3 hour private at Breck costs in excess of $600, many skiers do not believe the value is worth the cost. There have been many rants in instructional threads about how ski areas treat instruction as a major income source to the detriment of skiers who need instruction. Unlike other sports, there is a severe lack of printed material on how to ski. YouTube is an excellent source for video on ski technique, the problem is finding a single instruction program where the various movements needed to progress are clearly explained and demonstrated. There is an instructional forum here in Pugski, you might want to search and find previous threads about new skier progressions. Feel free to start a thread in that forum with

The seasonal program is good long range option, I do not believe a lot of magic happens in 3 hours. One plus is modern equipment facilitates improved learning, one tip, get good boots fitted by a specialist - as a first step. Worry about skis after that. This community can be a great help, take advantage of the experiences of the members. If you can make some connections, spend some time skiing with the Pugski team.

 

[Noodler]

Katy Perrey!! Look her up, you won't be disappointed!!

Yep, Katy will teach you how to "Ski like a girl" (with emphasis on the "girl" power).

 

[NZRob]

I'd go and enjoy at least a morning or maybe a day tooling around on the snow and then take an intermediate grade lesson on day 2 morning. Day 1 just to get the basic feel back and like Phil said, get back on the bike. You'll then feel ready for a lesson. I wouldn't do a beginner lesson after that I think that would be a waste of cash.

p.s. $600 for 3 hours private - Holy sh*t. What does that include?

 

[François Pugh]

I'd go and enjoy at least a morning or maybe a day tooling around on the snow and then take an intermediate grade lesson on day 2 morning. Day 1 just to get the basic feel back and like Phil said, get back on the bike. You'll then feel ready for a lesson. I wouldn't do a beginner lesson after that I think that would be a waste of cash.

p.s. $600 for 3 hours private - Holy sh*t. What does that include?

You need to take that private lesson at a small hill, not a major resort. We have a level 3 (CSIA) instructor at our 250 ft vertical speed bump.

 

[Jilly]

I'm a level 2 on 175'....love eastern Ontario!!

But @François Pugh has a good suggestion. As much as I love Katy, and she will not "teach you how to ski like a girl", getting back on the horse can be done anywhere.

 

[Pequenita]

It wasn’t pretty, and the fundamentals sucked, I’m sure, but I could get down without falling.!

If the fundamentals sucked the last time you skied, the 25-year layoff didn’t improve them. Enough has changed in the equipment, too, that a half day private the first day back will be very helpful.

Also, from a purely practical perspective, I don’t recommend going off skiing before the lesson unless you know how get back into skis if they’ve come off, on the trail, without assistance. I know this sounds totally asenine, but the reality is that I’ve seen people get really stressed out by this.