Your ski first day on skis this season?

[SSSdave]

Since most of us given snowfall have skied our first days this 2018/2019 season, recollection of how our first day and first few hours on skis went ought still be reasonably fresh. Thus asking for some general input on how versus your usual mid season form and style, that went?

• What resort and upon what type of slope did you first take your very first runs on?
• What about advanced runs say later that day?
• Was it a fun day? Were you happy to be back sliding on snow and now eager for more?
• How did your body parts feel and change during the day? Legs, knees, back, ankles, shoulders...
• What about your form, edging, and balance skills? Did that change during the day?
• What about keeping your balance forward without getting in the backseat?
• What usual mid season form and skills will take more time to come up to speed with?
• Were you on familiar skis/boots or new gear?
• Any soreness by the end of the first day or upon waking the next morning?
• How many years/decades have you been skiing and how does this year's start compare to other season starts?

 

[Kiki]

this looks fun, look forward to reading about everyone's experiences!

• What resort and upon what type of slope did you first take your very first runs on? ->. Whistler. Green run along emerald chair. Very very crowded, due to limited terrain. Not the environment I hoped to start on. No room for drills, and flocks of people peppered over every surface.

• What about advanced runs say later that day? -> n/a Got hit by a snowboarder at the bottom of the first run. Injured and had to leave :-(

• Was it a fun day? Were you happy to be back sliding on snow and now eager for more? ->. YES! I cried leaving as i didn't want to leave. It was beautiful and exhilarating. It felt GREAT! Fresh crisp air, the trees, blue sky amd sunshine, and zooming over the surfaces with control.

• How did your body parts feel and change during the day? Legs, knees, back, ankles, shoulders... ->. I was in better shape than expected but certainly not where i wanted to be. Cardio was the challenge, i got winded quickly

• What about your form, edging, and balance skills? Did that change during the day?-> better than expected. I wasn't turning as crisply as usual, and felt i was slipping a bit in the icy parts so not getting my edges in well, but not bad for day 1

• What about keeping your balance forward without getting in the backseat? -> i think i was too forward . Need to recalibrate. Possibly impacted by new boots

• What usual mid season form and skills will take more time to come up to speed with? -> clean up form, get back in shape!

• Were you on familiar skis/boots or new gear? -> familiar skis, new boots

• Any soreness by the end of the first day or upon waking the next morning? -> shoulders

• How many years/decades have you been skiing and how does this year's start compare to other season starts? -> 2nd season back after many years away. Much better than last year. No fear! I was excited and just wanted to ski when i got up there with no intrepidness

 

[Kiki]

Since most of us given snowfall have skied our first days this 2018/2019 season, recollection of how our first day and first few hours on skis went ought still be reasonably fresh. Thus asking for some general input on how versus your usual mid season form and style, that went?

• What resort and upon what type of slope did you first take your very first runs on?
• What about advanced runs say later that day?
• Was it a fun day? Were you happy to be back sliding on snow and now eager for more?
• How did your body parts feel and change during the day? Legs, knees, back, ankles, shoulders...
• What about your form, edging, and balance skills? Did that change during the day?
• What about keeping your balance forward without getting in the backseat?
• What usual mid season form and skills will take more time to come up to speed with?
• Were you on familiar skis/boots or new gear?
• Any soreness by the end of the first day or upon waking the next morning?
• How many years/decades have you been skiing and how does this year's start compare to other season starts?

What about you @SSSdave ???

 

[Beartown]

Day 1 last Saturday at Sunshine Village. First run was a blue groomer off of Wawa. New skis (Brahmas), so I wanted to give them a test on some corduroy. Did some hockey stops, falling leafs, flat 360's and just ripped a few turns as well. Felt pretty good. Later in the day I was all over the map, greens to blacks, groomers/crud/bumps/trees/ice. Definitely a fun day. No spills, but was definitely a little sore the next day. I did a lot of exercise prep work starting on Labor Day, but nothing gets those ski muscles working quite like skiing. My form is not where I was at the end of last season, but I think some of that is the new skis. Was a bit better on day 2 at Lake Louise, but I took a weird fall on some ice and horked up my knee. Saw orthopod today who says I don't even need an MRI and I got his blessing for next week's trip to Steamboat!

 

[mdf]

I was very happy with my first day -- last Saturday at Sugarloaf with @Tony S and @Needham . Mid-season level performance in having-fun-with-friends.
I was on brand new skis, and they felt great. It literally had one run that felt awkward. Probably the smoothest re-entry into skiing I have ever had.

My legs didn't hurt till at all till late afternoon, after tensing up backing off from an unaniticipated cliff in Bracket Basin.

My only real problem was visibility -- the clouds moved in mid-afternoon. I fell three (yes three) times in about 2 minutes on a cattrack when the surface under my skis did not go where I expected it to. I was slow and tense, but OK, skiing in that bad visibility, but the cattrack was a killer. When we punched through the bottom of the clouds -- bliss!

 

[luliski]

• What resort and upon what type of slope did you first take your very first runs on?
• Today, Squaw Valley, off the Gold Coast lift. Not sure if it's an easy blue or a green run
• 
  
• What about advanced runs say later that day?
• Nope, no advanced runs. Went over to Shirley Lakes later, those are blue runs.
• 
  
• Was it a fun day? Were you happy to be back sliding on snow and now eager for more?
• It was very fun. I am eager for more!
• 
  
• How did your body parts feel and change during the day? Legs, knees, back, ankles, shoulders...
• Most of me felt strong. I felt unbalanced on my first run (new skis), but once I figured the skis out I felt better and better. I had surgery on my left foot in the summer, so that's the only part that was a problem. I've had problems with that foot for a while,which is why I had surgery, but I was paying more attention to it today. It's difficult to balance on my edge on that foot, because now it hurts more than before surgery.
• 
  
• What about your form, edging, and balance skills? Did that change during the day?
• balance felt off the first few runs mostly because of new skis. I like my new skis, though! As I mentioned i have edging issues with my left foot. I need to figure out what to do about it, because the surgery didn't help.
• 
  
• What about keeping your balance forward without getting in the backseat?
• I don't think I was in the backseat?
• 
  
• What usual mid season form and skills will take more time to come up to speed with?
• Quickness (agility), confidence will come later.
• 
  
• Were you on familiar skis/boots or new gear?
• Old boots, new skis
• 
  
• Any soreness by the end of the first day or upon waking the next morning?
• Not yet. I did fall dropping onto a catwalk in the flat light, so I'll probably be bruised.
• 
  
• How many years/decades have you been skiing and how does this year's start compare to other season starts?
• I have been skiing 46 years. Mentally, I always have to build up confidence by skiing as much as I can. Other than my foot issue, I haven't noticed any other differences physically that have changed drastically, but of course I know there have been gradual changes over the years.

 

[Bill Miles]

What resort and upon what type of slope did you first take your very first runs on? Sun Valley (Baldy) green and blue groomers.

• What about advanced runs say later that day? None open

• Was it a fun day? Were you happy to be back sliding on snow and now eager for more? Fun enough for first day.

• How did your body parts feel and change during the day? Legs, knees, back, ankles, shoulders...Legs feeling their age

• What about your form, edging, and balance skills? Did that change during the day? Not really

• What about keeping your balance forward without getting in the backseat? Nothing unusual.

• What usual mid season form and skills will take more time to come up to speed with?

• Were you on familiar skis/boots or new gear? Familar

• Any soreness by the end of the first day or upon waking the next morning? Yes

• How many years/decades have you been skiing and how does this year's start compare to other season starts? 58 years. It used to take rwo runs to get used to skiing again, the two hours, then two days, then two weeks. Now.....?

 

[Bad Bob]

First day was Saturday at a nice hill in South Central Idaho named Pomerelle that I have never been to before. Wanted to do some balance and edging drills which didn't work out too well with 16" of loose 2 day old snow. So just pretty much skied heavy powder. Most of the hill is blues and greens but there were a couple of gentle blacks. Skied on gear I have owned for years, so old friends there.

As the day moved along I was able to do some 1000 steps drills, falling leaf, a few pivot slips but would have liked to do more for a 1st day out. There will be a 2nd so that's okay. Hope to find some packed snow this weekend, want to try the new frontside skis out.

Found myself projecting the right hip for left turns to compensate for what used to be a knee. Seperation on the right turns felt okay. Moving along the ski felt okay but there is a lot of room for improvement there. Nothing really hurt the next day so it must not have been too far from the truth.

All things considered, IT WAS FRIGIN' GREAT, I was skiing again.

 

[Eddie S]

A great list of fun questions, SSSdave! It's enjoyable to read the reports. If all goes well, I'll be skiing Wolf Creek next week (100% open now) and will report after.

 

[SSSdave]

• What resort and upon what type of slope did you first take your very first runs on?
• Kirkwood, Chair 5 (Solitude Chair), couple non-stops down Mokelumne (trail), intermediate groomer 2pm Sunday. 7 runs 7k feet vertical.
• What about advanced runs say later that day?
• Short Spoke small to medium packed powder bumps 3 last runs. Stayed away from more serious terrain.
• Was it a fun day? Were you happy to be back sliding on snow and now eager for more?
• Oh yeah and with the best early December Tahoe conditions in a decade, it all makes me excited knowing so much fun is lined up in next few weeks that as a retired guy I can ski as much as I want once I do the long boring drive.
• --
• How did your body parts feel and change during the day? Legs, knees, back, ankles, shoulders...
• Well first session was just 2 hours and no soreness at all. Second session next day 4 hours and a lot more mogul skiing. Though slight soreness body Tuesday morning felt like I did something strenuous so am building muscle especially my lower back. Respiration was fine all day even at altitude so guess am in better shape than expected.
• What about your form, edging, and balance skills? Did that change during the day?
• Sort of sloppy edges and wobbling balance (for me) first few runs. Happens every new ski season and quickly brain starts re-acquainting itself to all the muscles and body positioning the neurons connect to. By days end had done a couple awkward non-stoppers down 300 foot fall line of bumps.
• What about keeping your balance forward without getting in the backseat?
• That took several runs to get into consistent control. By end of day was much more consistent.
• --
• What usual mid season form and skills will take more time to come up to speed with?
• With more days, my lower back muscles grow larger in a familiar way so that I can confidently pressure my skis into porpoise like rebounding turns down against any weird bump shapes a slope offers.
• Were you on familiar skis/boots or new gear?
• Yep. well used 65mm waist 2011 Dynastar Twisters RS110 SC Langes.
• Any soreness by the end of the first day or upon waking the next morning?
• Maybe just a little twitch in the shoulders from all the poling. Feet fine. Lot of hiking and backpacking into October then street dncing.
• --
• How many years/decades have you been skiing and how does this year's start compare to other season starts?
• 4 decades. Monday skied very well. Ran 300 foot vertical bump line on Short Spoke 3 times non-stop and best skiing was not when I was fresh at beginning of day but rather last half of day when was in the zone and confident. The last couple decades have quickly skied at a modestly high level at least some by second day but takes more days for staying power at that level. First couple decades skiing there was a period of days when I would struggle with edging, balance, form, and style. Better skis in this era have a lot to do with that.

 

[Talisman]

• What resort and upon what type of slope did you first take your very first runs on? Big Sky. First run on a long blue Calamity Jane.
• What about advanced runs say later that day? Of course and clacked a few rocks.
• Was it a fun day? Were you happy to be back sliding on snow and now eager for more? Any day on skis is a good day.
• Were you on familiar skis/boots or new gear? Rock skis are very familiar to me and the talus.
• Any soreness by the end of the first day or upon waking the next morning? Of course, despite conditioning ski specific muscles get sore
• How many years/decades have you been skiing and how does this year's start compare to other season starts? Many decades and this season Big Sky is off to a great start. BS needs to get Ramcharger 8 and Sheddy going to open more terrain.

 

[graham418]

• What resort and upon what type of slope did you first take your very first runs on? It was the legendary Mt St Louis, opening day
• What about advanced runs say later that day? It was Mt St Louis. Its 550ft. Not much in the way of double blacks
• Was it a fun day? Were you happy to be back sliding on snow and now eager for more?. Great fun, with good friends. Can it get any better!
• How did your body parts feel and change during the day? Legs, knees, back, ankles, shoulders..First time skiing with Atrial Fib. Had some shortness of breath episodes, some fatigue.
• What about your form, edging, and balance skills? Did that change during the day? I felt I was skiing poorly, but my companions thought I was great. (Just trying to make me feel better?)
• What about keeping your balance forward without getting in the backseat? Its just like falling off a bike..You never lose that
• What usual mid season form and skills will take more time to come up to speed with? Where did my fitness go? Between shoulder surgery and heart failure, its been a lost summer!!
• Were you on familiar skis/boots or new gear? Had some Stockli SX in the morning . A lot of work!!
• Any soreness by the end of the first day or upon waking the next morning? Oh Yeah. I felt it the next day. And the day after!!
• How many years/decades have you been skiing and how does this year's start compare to other season starts? Worst. Start. Ever. But its Skiing!! Gotta Love It!!

 

[firebanex]

• What resort and upon what type of slope did you first take your very first runs on? Local area, I actually went to one of mid level wide runs as we had 6" of fluff ontop of the organic base.. powder day!
• What about advanced runs say later that day? Yup, hit a smattering of all levels of runs in no particular order.
• Was it a fun day? Were you happy to be back sliding on snow and now eager for more? Pretty much nothing makes me more happy than skiing.
• How did your body parts feel and change during the day? Legs, knees, back, ankles, shoulders... I had brand new S/Lab MTN boots on and was very surprised at how comfy they were all day.
• What about your form, edging, and balance skills? Did that change during the day? First run is always getting my legs back in sync. I can still turn and stuff, but getting the proper feel and coordination takes at least 2 runs
• What about keeping your balance forward without getting in the backseat? Conscious effort to keep my weight forward by exaggerating my hands reaching forward and pressure on my shins
• What usual mid season form and skills will take more time to come up to speed with? Balance and air feel, it's all there just a bit wiggly
• Were you on familiar skis/boots or new gear? New boots and bindings, "old skis" Salomon S/Lab MTN boots, Shift Bindings, Black Diamond Bondary Pro 107s. Very happy with this set up
• Any soreness by the end of the first day or upon waking the next morning? Nope! I was super surprised as that has never happened before.
• How many years/decades have you been skiing and how does this year's start compare to other season starts? Skiing for 28 Years, every year seems to come easier and faster to get back at it.. It used to be youthful enthusiasm, but now its because I make an effort to be in shape for ski season.

My third run of the day was a sled run to an accident. So my legs got quite the workout and I still didn't feel it at the end of the day. Once again that hasn't happened quite like that before, last year I was slayed by a very similar sled run on the first or second day.

 

[mdf]

Skiing for 28 Years, every year seems to come easier and faster to get back at it.. It used to be youthful enthusiasm, but now its because I make an effort to be in shape for ski season.

I used to have a lot of trouble at the start of the season. After the first few runs, I'd start to worry that I was never going to remember how to ski, and worse, be afraid that I was never going to enjoy skiing again. And my legs would hurt. One memorably bad year, my legs hurt the entire next week and still hurt the next weekend when I went skiing. I know it was technique, not conditioning, because my legs suddenly stopped hurting in the middle of a run and were fine for the rest of the season.

That is why I was so happy this year. As I said above, by the bottom of my first run of the season everything was working great. By far the quickest and easiest season start I have ever had.

 

[Jersey Skier]

• What resort and upon what type of slope did you first take your very first runs on? Hunter Mountain, Hellgate. Black diamond trail. Not the first time it was my first run of the season, and probably not the last.
• What about advanced runs say later that day? Black diamonds all day because that is all that was open from the top.
• Was it a fun day? Always a fun day on skis. Were you happy to be back sliding on snow and now eager for more? Same answer
• How did your body parts feel and change during the day? pain in my shins at top of boot tongue were the thing that bothered me the most, to the point of me calling it a day by 1pm. Legs, knees, back, ankles, shoulders...Legs were getting tired, but that was to be expected.
• What about your form, edging, and balance skills? Better than expected for day one on black slopes. Did that change during the day? The conditions got worse and the light got flat. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

• What about keeping your balance forward without getting in the backseat? Not really an issue yesterday.
• What usual mid season form and skills will take more time to come up to speed with? Speed and bump absorption. Still skiing kinda stiff.
• Were you on familiar skis/boots or new gear? Same old boots and very familiar AX78 skis that I accredit to an easy start of the season.
• Any soreness by the end of the first day or upon waking the next morning? Sore shins from boots and sore quads from skiing.
• 
  
• How many years/decades have you been skiing and how does this year's start compare to other season starts? About 44 years so far. Ouch. Like riding a bike.

 

[firebanex]

• How many years/decades have you been skiing and how does this year's start compare to other season starts? Skiing for 28 Years, every year seems to come easier and faster to get back at it.. It used to be youthful enthusiasm, but now its because I make an effort to be in shape for ski season.

I was thinking it but forgot to add "I fully expect this to eventually stop and the season to take a bit more time getting the legs back in sync with things, but for now I'm pretty happy with how things are going."

 

[ADKmel]

• What resort and upon what type of slope did you first take your very first runs on? Whiteface- Blue trail Excelsior from top of gondi- many would it call a black trail.
  
• What about advanced runs say later that day? none open (blues at WF are blacks just about everywhere else- the only green is the parking lot)
  
• Was it a fun day? Were you happy to be back sliding on snow and now eager for more? A BLAST- I'd rather be skiing than doing anything -Yes anything!
  
• How did your body parts feel and change during the day? Legs, knees, back, ankles, shoulders... Everything was Fine-
  
• What about your form, edging, and balance skills? Did that change during the day? Nope just like riding a bike..
  
• What about keeping your balance forward without getting in the backseat? Never go in the back seat!
  
• What usual mid season form and skills will take more time to come up to speed with? I'm an Old dog ski the same..
  
• Were you on familiar skis/boots or new gear? My Z-90's and Atomic 100' boots both new last season both felt great.
  
• Any soreness by the end of the first day or upon waking the next morning? Ahh a tad due to Whiteface vertical- I did feel my thighs but skied it off after Day 2 I'm good
  
• How many years/decades have you been skiing and how does this year's start compare to other season starts? 50+ years This years opening was REAL POWDER!! Rare.. usually is manmade w/death cookies and variable conditions (East coast)

 

[SSSdave]

Was it a fun day? Were you happy to be back sliding on snow and now eager for more?

Kiki " YES! I cried leaving as i didn't want to leave. It was beautiful and exhilarating. It felt GREAT! Fresh crisp air, the trees, blue sky amd sunshine, and zooming over the surfaces with control."

mdf "I was very happy with my first day"

luliski " It was very fun. I am eager for more!

Bill Miles "Fun enough for first day."

Bad Bob "All things considered, IT WAS FRIGIN' GREAT, I was skiing again. "

SSSdave "Oh yeah and with the best early December Tahoe conditions in a decade, it all makes me excited knowing so much fun is lined up in next few weeks that as a retired guy I can ski as much as I want once I do the long boring drive. "

Talisman "Any day on skis is a good day."

graham418 "Great fun, with good friends. Can it get any better!"

firebanex " Pretty much nothing makes me more happy than skiing."

jersey Skier " Always a fun day on skis."

 

[DoryBreaux]

• What resort and upon what type of slope did you first take your very first runs on? - N*; the most extreme thing we could possibly find
• What about advanced runs say later that day? - Even more extreme because they opened the skating rink
• Was it a fun day? Were you happy to be back sliding on snow and now eager for more? - BEST DAY EVER (so far that week)
• How did your body parts feel and change during the day? Legs, knees, back, ankles, shoulders... - Body felt great during the day.
• What about your form, edging, and balance skills? Did that change during the day? - First season where I didn't lose anything over the summer. I think I actually gained a lot.
• What about keeping your balance forward without getting in the backseat? - Sk into the future or don't ski at all
• What usual mid season form and skills will take more time to come up to speed with? - I can't figure out how to get off the chair all of a sudden
• Were you on familiar skis/boots or new gear? - Familiar
• Any soreness by the end of the first day or upon waking the next morning? - Minimal.
• How many years/decades have you been skiing and how does this year's start compare to other season starts? - 25somethingish years. See above; I started this season stronger than I ended last season.

 

[David]

Fun/bad day...
It was good to be back on skis but I always feel like a beginner those first few days out. Off balance, sometimes steering with my tails not tips, skis doing what they want not what I want, legs screaming at me and after the long drive home I'm so stiff and sore I can't get out of the car.
And that was on blue runs after a lot of cycling and my Skiers Edge this summer. Guess it wasn't as much as I thought...