Make new skiers but keep the old

[Tricia]

I'm tickled pink when I read threads like this, where @coskigirl encouraged and helped get a friend interested in skiing. This is something we clearly need to see more and be a part of more.

Then I sit on the boot bench with an older gentleman who is having a hard time getting his boots on, and is feeling like he's at the end of being able to enjoy skiing.
I found a solution, with a boot that is a good fit as well as easier to get into, which is keeping this gentleman skiing and smiling.

Then I login to Pugski and see good friends like @Pete in Idaho, who has come back from some crazy health issues to continue his enjoyment of the slopes.

Reminds me of the old song I sang as a kid:
Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver, the other is gold.

The reality is, we need to do the same thing for the new and the old friend in our skiing world...
Make it easy
Make it fun

This may seem like a cheerleader thread, and may be it is, but dammit, it feels good when you help make a difference to someone who just wants to enjoy this sport we love.

 

[socalgal]

After a bit of cajoling, one of our friends will be trying skiing for the first time on Sun and Mon. She's signed up for lessons, we have gone over the gear and how things work together, and have lent her all the miscellaneous clothes she didnt have yet. I'm so excited!

 

[Fishbowl]

The industry resistance to making skiing more enjoyable for the recreational skier, ie. comfortable boots and shorter skis, will always be the greatest barrier to continued participation at both ends of the demographic. We keep the sport exclusive by making it inconvenient to enjoy by the masses.

 

[Tony S]

When I read the thread title, I thought, "Bit late for that."

On reflection, my 19-year-old, who for a while I thought was destined for a purely indoor life, is now in his fifth week of hiking the Camino de Santiago. Maybe he'll start skiing again someday too. So we don't always know how we pitch in, I guess.

Meanwhile, yeah, emphasis on the fun and camaraderie is pretty much always the right move. The gathering reinforces that principle with me every year. Hoping all the attendees felt included.

 

[Jilly]

Some of my best days teaching skiing were taking never- evers and making skiers out of them. I love running into the old fools crew at Tremblant. Most are in their 80's. Skiing week days.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

This past year in Vermont I've been almost exclusively teaching teens and adults to ski and it's so rewarding and nothing makes my day more when they 'get it' and start smiling and having fun. This is so gratifying to me because I feel like a major contributor in making them a skier.

 

[Muleski]

I met a three generation family of beginner skiers last winter. The parents thought it would be a fun activity for their young kids {like 4, 6}, and that they ought to start to ski as well. The grandparents, who seemed really young and vibrant were early retirees who had always lived in the south because of his career, but always were intrigued by skiing.

Grandpa and Gramma buy ski home, and give everybody passes, etc. Get to spend every weekend with their grandchildren. Huge win. Grandpa told me that his goal was to stay ahead of the six year old for at least a couple of years.

So cool.

 

[Johnny V.]

We've had the pleasure of taking our 7 and 5 year old granddaughters quite a few times this year and watching them "get it" (especially the 7 year old).

 

[pchewn]

Here's the newest skier in the family: Archer's 1st day at the local hill. With dad (Scott) and Grampa (me, Pat)....

We started him out on X/C skis and he kept asking "When do I get to go on the lift"? Well now he's going on the lift and really likes to go on jumps. He's 6 yrs old.

 

[Tricia]

The gathering reinforces that principle with me every year. Hoping all the attendees felt included.

I always fear that we will miss a few people while circulating. This annual adventure really is about inclusion and I hope we do a good job of making everyone feel a part of the group.

I also noticed that we have a young set of "kids" (not really kids, but you know) and some "seasoned" members all mixing it up.

 

[Bolder]

The industry resistance to making skiing more enjoyable for the recreational skier, ie. comfortable boots and shorter skis, will always be the greatest barrier to continued participation at both ends of the demographic. We keep the sport exclusive by making it inconvenient to enjoy by the masses.

That is the truth. Nothing will turn a first-weeker off faster than the uncomfortable, heavy boots we wear! The only other sport in which the gear is such an impediment is windsurfing, and look where that is today...

 

[fatbob]

That is the truth. Nothing will turn a first-weeker off faster than the uncomfortable, heavy boots we wear! The only other sport in which the gear is such an impediment is windsurfing, and look where that is today...

Well the feeling of total lack of control caused by comfortable but sloppy boots might. If boot comfort is such an issue there's always snowboarding. I really don't think it's quite the issue - the overall ballache and admin of getting on the slopes in the first place with everything you need (and for many doing it at a price appropriate to a try-out experience not a luxury good) might be.

 

[Jacob]

Well the feeling of total lack of control caused by comfortable but sloppy boots might. If boot comfort is such an issue there's always snowboarding. I really don't think it's quite the issue - the overall ballache and admin of getting on the slopes in the first place with everything you need (and for many doing it at a price appropriate to a try-out experience not a luxury good) might be.

When I moved to the UK, I was really shocked at how easy it is for never-evers to try out skiing, at least in this part of the country.

I think a lot of hills in the US could learn from the indoor slopes around here with things like lift tickets including not just rental boots and skis/board but also pants, jacket, gloves, and helmet. That makes it so much cheaper and easier for a beginner to try out the sport.

I also like how the beginner lessons are set up as a progression of courses that you follow in order.

 

[fatbob]

When I moved to the UK, I was really shocked at how easy it is for never-evers to try out skiing, at least in this part of the country.

I think a lot of hills in the US could learn from the indoor slopes around here with things like lift tickets including not just rental boots and skis/board but also pants, jacket, gloves, and helmet. That makes it so much cheaper and easier for a beginner to try out the sport.

I also like how the beginner lessons are set up as a progression of courses that you follow in order.

I've said before that I think all US resorts could offer the all -in $99 bunny hill beginner package - kit people out with everything they need - give them a 2-3hr lesson and access to a supervising coach the rest of the day and a limited lift pass for the relevant lift(s). And let the limitation on the lift pass be the thing that stops exploitation but let people repeat as much as they like through say 3 foundation levels. Would lead to a greater pool of try outs and IMV more skiers long term. Feeder hills are all very well but what if you are say a Texan and your skiing friends have invited you to go with Vail with them?

 

[Fuller]

I suppose all of these things are great - until they all show up on a Saturday holiday weekend.

Ten people standing in the middle of the cat track discussing their lunch plans, five people getting on the quad lift, six year olds darting about like minnows chased by a barracuda, over terrained skiers sliding sideways down the chute...

wait, that was me. Never mind.

 

[moreoutdoorYuri]

since we're musing...
since my injury, last season (including before that injurious moment...) I've actually considered NOT alpine skiing ...
what brought it on were 3 missile strikes by boarders on my person. 2x within 2 ski sessions within weeks of each other. All at Mammoth. first occurrence was on a wide open slope above McCoy station, while I was fall-line skiing the edge of the 'trail'. Never saw the shithead. Ended up with a split lip, bloody nose prolly from being smacked by my equipment during the double ejection from the strike in the back quarter.
2nd strike was similar, on Broadway, going back to main.
3rd strike was on the afternoon of my last day of my first 3 days back on skis AFTER my ACL/MCL replacement. Luckily I had my pack on, heading down to my car in the lot at the mill - this was Stump Alley. The hit spun me around, ejected from both skis and slid into the lift tower. Thankfully no injury either to limb nor torso nor face/head.
I'm not a slow skier, on anything I head down - so to get shelled from behind while skiing straight down - assholes fully out of control.
In each case I advised the Mtn/Corp. I have yet to get even a reply from Mammoth either email/letter or anything. Which reaffirms my conviction that every Corp. don;t give a shit about you, the person - and it extends to ski corp.
Mammoth does NOTHING effective to counter the increasing level of asshat-osity. I see similar incidents multiple times on any given day of skiing.
Is this a Rant? not really, just expressing disappointment in a 'lifestyle' which no longer exists and has been replaced by something of 'less' value.
I have been x-c skiing a bit this year, and I'm remembering how great this is also...
... I may stop alpine skiing at the end of this season... and will be greatly disappointed when I do...

 

[skibob]

One thing I see with our kids is that when we ski with our friends who have kids their age or thereabouts, all the kids have about 10x as much fun as when they are just skiing with their parents.

 

[Guy in Shorts]

Killington has been running this deal for at least the past couple of years trying to recruit new blood.

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• Lessons do not need to be consecutive, but need to be completed by the end of the 2017-18 season.
• Four 2-hour lessons, four days of rental equipment and a 4-day lift ticket.
  • Lift ticket included is limited to learning area only on days 1 and 2; days 3 and 4 include full mountain access lift ticket.
• On your fourth day of lessons, we'll be handing over a brand new pair of Elan skis/bindings or free Burton snowboard/bindings - FREE!
  • Your instructor will give you some pointers on how to make the most of your new gear that day and beyond.