Distantly related but still an outdoors activity: Anybody here ski?

I'm an adequate skier but not a great one. Started late in life, as an adult. It is a sport which is best started as a child, and as a young one at that.

But I have been lucky with my surroundings and ability to travel. Big trip planned for January.

Anyway, anyone else here have that bug? What about east coast skiing? I know it's gonna be very weak, but I'm only a couple hours easy drive from Wintergreen in Virginia and it's been cold lately. I have my ski stuff in VA at the moment.

Maybe next week if it's warm I'll drive up for a day on the slopes.

Other east coast skiing? :notrust: But it's all I gots for now.

I know there are a few folks here who do this and skiing is almost as cool as cycling but it doesn't come as naturally to me, which is perhaps why I like it. It challenges me but still excites. So I want to improve.

Anyone else?

Bring your hands down and out* where you can see them out of the bottom corners of your eyes. And shift your weight a little further out over the hill, away from the mountain, exactly what your intuitive sense tells you not to do.

Sorry for the (constructive!) criticism , I can't help myself - been at it since about '62, wooden skis and leather boots and cable bindings. Frostbite, black&blue, separated shoulder, whacked in the balls by my own ski during the safety-strap era, cut off the tip of my pole with my own ski, lost my glasses in the snow. Skiied most of NY, VT and MA, never been to NH, dunno why. Went to ME once. Been to CO, UT, WY, NM, and CH - Verbier is heaven but Taos is a close second. Skiing is my first love, cycling didn't do it for me until much later.

Going up to Sugarbush next week, my usual destination. Followed by Mont Tremblant, never been there and looking forward to it even though we're gonna freeze.

Like those Stocklis. Got a pair of those myself.



*Each arm is 9% of your total body weight. Moving 18% of your weight out in front helps keep your entire body forward.

These days I'm only an occasional skier. Its been two years since my last outing. Living in the mid atlantic its hard to get excited about 3 minute runs and 10 minute lift lines after skiing out west.

That said, I LOVE skiing. At the end of the week I'm heading out to the land of Strong and Kirk to Moonlight Basin, MT. Its one of my favorite ski destinations. Not the greatest of amenities, or snow, or nightlife, but its beautiful and uncrowded.

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Originally Posted by prcrstn8

Bring your hands down and out* where you can see them out of the bottom corners of your eyes. And shift your weight a little further out over the hill, away from the mountain, exactly what your intuitive sense tells you not to do.


Like those Stocklis. Got a pair of those myself.



*Each arm is 9% of your total body weight. Moving 18% of your weight out in front helps keep your entire body forward.

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I need some good lessons. I might sign up for a couple hours of private lessons in January when I go overseas. I did a lesson a couple years ago and it was OK, but the girl doing the lessons spoke no English and very poor German, so there was hardly any communication. Lame.

A lot of it is counterintuitive. I am better than the picture might show, but not that great either. The action shot was skidding to a stop on a fairly steep slope. Not very elegant... The other one was where we got caught in some unexpectedly soft stuff and it tripped me up a a bit.


As to the Stöcklis, I bought them in Switzerland from my bro-in-law. It's their national brand and I'm a fan of the Swiss stuff. But I don't know much about skis and wouldn't be able to tell differences like I can with a bike.

It's not my first love, but if I had grown up in the mountains instead of in Wisconsin it might be. The first time I tried it I was mesmerized and I have always been hypnotized by the World Cup Downhill races. Terrifying and exciting at the same time.

http://www3.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/F...MuANb24ISl.jpg
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/image...4_cuche512.jpg

RE: Ski's. I desperately need a new pair. My Rossignols are probably a decade old, one of the first generation of shape ski's. Any suggestions for an all-arounder that leans somewhat towards high speed stability and carving ability?

A couple shots from Moonlight a couple years ago:
http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/5751/photo2nhu.jpg
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/9960/photo1epa.jpg

Nothing helps more than multi-day group lessons, year after year. You'll find places and learn things you'd get very late, if at all, on your own, and you'll learn from the others in your group, too. Sometimes from their mistakes. Private lessons work if you can afford the same instructor for multiple days or if you want a shortcut to learning the shortcuts of a particular mountain. The equipment now lets you learn much faster, even on your own, up to a point but then you have to put in the time and work at it.

Ski Sharp near Sugarbush sells Stocklis. When I belatedly switched from long skinny Dynamics (dee na meek) to shaped skis a few years ago I bought them there.

This kinda shit speaks to me
http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/4664/73318295rs4.jpg
http://zelenik.net/wp-content/upload.../tina-maze.jpg

Gre up skiing and was a ntionally ranked racer thru high school. Drugs and a shattered ankle ended any dreams I had of making it a career but I spent 1 year living the dream in Lake Tahoe and skied over 100 days that winter. It is still my favorite sport and is how I found cycling.

I make several trips a year back west to ski, my folks live in Durango, CO so I get to visit them and ski at the same time, win win for everyone involved. Since I stopped racing I have not skied on the east coast, to many nights and to much ice while training just led me to love the softer snow of the west. Granted the hard packed conditions of the east will make you a better technical skier I just don't take the time ski here.

I make take one major trip every year to British Columbia for a week of helicopter skiing. Simply the finest skiing experience I have ever had and keeps me coming back. There is nothing like skiing untracked powder all day for a week. No lines, incredible scenery, pick your line and go. I will post some pictures after I upload them from my computer.

Saab2000 drop me a pm if you want to make a day trip for some turns.

John

Got into cycling to try to get stronger for skiing. I moved from bashing gates in high school to free heeling and have not looked back. I thought skiing was expensive, dammit. I have gone quite a few places out west and in Europe, but right here in good ole New England theres some pretty good skiing.....

Maybe they're not so distantly related after all. Look invented modern clipless pedals and they were a ski company. And skiing brought some cyclists to skiing. And skiing can have an obsessive lifestyle not so far from that of cycling.

I like it.

Both have lots of technique and are full of nuance which have to be lived to be understood.

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Originally Posted by Saab2000

Both have lots of technique and are full of nuance which have to be lived to be understood.

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The beauty is in the details. After skiing for most of my life, not one day goes by where I dont try to refine technique or do something a little different. I can always get better. Now if I had the same knowledge of cycling technique I might be dangerous.

Another common thread between the two: after a good ride or day on the snow, beer justs taste better.

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Originally Posted by tele

Another common thread between the two: after a good ride or day on the snow, beer justs taste better.

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That is the truth!

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Originally Posted by tele

Another common thread between the two: after a good ride or day on the snow, beer justs taste better.

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Big thumbs up.

Word. I had an awesome trip last winter to Stowe, VT with my lady friend for some skiing* and drinking. As a novice I highly recommend Stowe for a great big mountain experience on the east cost. And of course drinking: the bar at Ye Olde England Inne was the tits for apres ski. Plenty of really good beers from europe on tap and free appetizers every afternoon (that's right, we were there every afternoon).

*I actually snowboard. I hope that's alright with everyone :blink1:.

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Originally Posted by AbeNP

*I actually snowboard. I hope that's alright with everyone :blink1:.

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fuckin' knuckledragger. my oldest wants to try snowboarding this year, I cant believe I am going to let him. I think I need a support group to help through this time in my life.

oh yeah, I love Stowe.

Mine does too. But we're out there together, a good thing.
http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/3...5923186229.jpg
I hate the way that jacket puffs out around my gut. Musta been the light or something.

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Originally Posted by prcrstn8

Mine does too. But we're out there together, a good thing.

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that's what I tell myself, we can do it together, it'll be alright. actually i tell myself i'll earn some extra brew!

Yeah, I skied a bit.....

Grew up on the Mountain Road in Stowe VT.

Started skiing when I was 2.

Father was a former 10th Mt Division member that directed the Ski school in Stowe for 35 years.

Mother taught skiing in Stowe where she met my father.

Sister #1 former US Ski team member [60's]

Sister #2 also taught for 10+ years.

Full time coach/instructor when I was 18.

Pro raced on the Eastern Pro Tour for a few years.

Last NASTAR handicap I held was a 2.

Coached 3 summers in Zermatt Switzerland.

Walked away from it when I was 32 to train dogs and have never [OK, 2 runs 5 years ago in tribute to by best friend who died in an accident] looked back.

Don't miss it and will probably never ski again.

Funny to think back on it.

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Originally Posted by tele

...my oldest wants to try snowboarding this year, I cant believe I am going to let him.

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Only let him if it's on a GS board with hard boots. I'm telling you, it's the only way to do it.

I have skiied since I was about two and a half feet tall and while I still enjoy it thoroughly, the time I came over the top of Mountain Run at Whiteface and there wasn't a single person below me so I made wall to wall arcs at a good 45 miles an hour all the way down is the one run I can remember every single inch of.

I skied for the first time in about 11 years last year, and loved it. I'm apparently much stronger and coordinated than I was at 13; go figure. Shelled out for my first pair of boots while I was up at Stratton over the summer, and the girlfriend and I are leading a crew of about 13 up to Burlington in January...I'm glad to hear Stowe is so rad, I was actually shying away from it because it's more expensive than the multitude of other mountains in the neighborhood. Does anyone have any other recommendations in that vicinity? Just looking at the map it looks like Smuggler's Notch and Bolton Valley are right down the road (from Stowe).

A local ski snob suggested we go to Mad River Glen, but I think that would be too much for almost everyone going on this trip...thoughts?

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Originally Posted by Tom

Only let him if it's on a GS board with hard boots. I'm telling you, it's the only way to do it.

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why's that? do they have hard boots for 7 year olds?

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Originally Posted by MaestroXC

I skied for the first time in about 11 years last year, and loved it. I'm apparently much stronger and coordinated than I was at 13; go figure. Shelled out for my first pair of boots while I was up at Stratton over the summer, and the girlfriend and I are leading a crew of about 13 up to Burlington in January...I'm glad to hear Stowe is so rad, I was actually shying away from it because it's more expensive than the multitude of other mountains in the neighborhood. Does anyone have any other recommendations in that vicinity? Just looking at the map it looks like Smuggler's Notch and Bolton Valley are right down the road (from Stowe).

A local ski snob suggested we go to Mad River Glen, but I think that would be too much for almost everyone going on this trip...thoughts?

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Here is my interepretations of the different places:
Stowe is simply a great mountain with lots of variety of all sorts of folks. The gondola is good to ride if it is really cold out. Stowe is the total package in the east. atmo (am I authorized to use that?)

Sugarbush is very nice though. Great terrain and lots of fun too.

Only been to Smugg's a few times, it was kind of a pain in the ass to get too. If there is lots of snow, some nice steep trees if your group is into that.

Bolton Valley is a hidden gem, if you will. Some really good skiing, but getting there kind of sucks too. They need to blow an exit off 89 to make it more accessible. Definitely a more homey laid back place compared to Stowe and other bigger areas.

Now MRG. I am biased as I was a shareholder for years. Great skiing with no snowboarders. Sorry Abe. The terrain can be challenging, but not as tough as some make it out to be. If you stay on the trails, there is some great intermediate stuff. On the right of the mountain, there is a place called Birdland which has some really nice stuff. However, MRG is all about the woods and natural snow. If there is snow, go. If not, dont, not worth it, as they dont make jack for snowmaking. Oh yeah, they dont allow snowboards, so maybe do go. :blink1:

Overall, check who has gotten the most snow and have fun. I dont think you will really go wrong with any choice, other than MRG/snowboarding if anyone in your group does that. Also if all of your group is skiing at the same place, check to see if you can get discounted tickets as a group.
Kevin

take some lessons, lots of lessons. and ski as much as possible. don't think just ski. i've been at since i was 2 and raced and all that and i can't imagine not skiing. it is my #1 pursuit and the feelings and the adrenaline and such can not be matched. strength will help you but technique is vital. you need balls too. MRG rocks! Sugarbush rocks. Stowe has awesome terrain. Jay Peak is like another country and gets more snow then CO, but try to ski w/someone who knows the mtn, you can get into trouble pretty quickly here. Cannon mtn in NH is my absolute favorite-steep, icy, cold, rarely crowded. you learn to manage speed and pain and burning legs here. when yer going mach 2 and yer legs are melting, well, even stopping is hard. sugarloaf in maine is my current stomping grounds and its awesome. the key to learning skiing is skiing. i ski stocklis as well, never had a better ski and its unlikely i'll ever switch to anything else. having said that, skiing is like biking, the skis don't matter just keep skiing. one of my buddies never and i mean never tunes his skis, and he absolutely rips so don't sweat the skis, just stay on them.

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Originally Posted by tele

Now MRG. Great skiing with no snowboarders. Sorry Abe.

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Hey man, I feel you. If I could board w/o other snowboarders I would...

A place like MRG that doesn't make snow can't afford the common phenomenon of snowboarders using theirs like a dozer blade. That's reason one why soft boots are the tools of the devil.

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Originally Posted by Tom

A place like MRG that doesn't make snow can't afford the common phenomenon of snowboarders using theirs like a dozer blade. That's reason one why soft boots are the tools of the devil.

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MRG does indeed make snow. They have 2 guns and they have been blazing for a while now.:bigsmile:

Thank you very much for the info, Tele, I can't wait to get up there. If some of these places are a pain to get to I need to work a little on the schedule, but I'm sure it will be a blast. Luckily the few people who were interested in the trip but aren't skiers have now dropped out, so people will probably be more forgiving of driving a bit further or going to a more "advanced" mountain.

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Originally Posted by mainemike

i ski stocklis as well, never had a better ski

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Glad someone else feels the same 'cuz I didn't want to get all gushy but over these skis, but they are pretty amazing.

MRG opens Friday. If you've never been, you should go at least once if only to say you've ridden the single chair. There's a persistent rumor that it gonna be replaced by a high-speed detachable single...

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Originally Posted by prcrstn8

MRG opens Friday. If you've never been, you should go at least once if only to say you've ridden the single chair. There's a persistent rumor that it gonna be replaced by a high-speed detachable single...

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ah rumours.....all the more reason to ski it if you can, while you can...

dont forget the single chair ale in the lodge. spend too many afternoons "warming" up with some ale.

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Originally Posted by prcrstn8

If you've never been, you should go at least once if only to say you've ridden the single chair. There's a persistent rumor that it gonna be replaced by a high-speed detachable single...

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Here's a picture of my sister in the single chair lift in Sölden in Austria from a couple years ago. Gave access to a slope which was only accessible with this chair lift. Pretty cool stuff!
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5288/...90224e8a_b.jpg

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Originally Posted by tele

MRG does indeed make snow. They have 2 guns and they have been blazing for a while now.:bigsmile:

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Yeah, until the stream freezes and the bathtub size holding area is used up. My stint on skis included a three year run at MRG directing the race program back when they had the dream of dragging it [MRG] into the 21st century. So much for dreams.

I so want to be able to ski, I tried tele for years but my duck feet got in the way. At the end of a day my knees would kill me. No ski store was willing to put my binding on in such an angle.

Have fun out there.
http://robonza.com/joe/2003/02-01_skiing/l1000178.jpg

-Joe

I ski 60ish days a year. A bit more than half of that is chasing pow and steeps, the rest is gates. Park City resort is about 6 minutes from my house, about 10 by free city bus if I time it right. Typical week from mid-Dec to mid-March is: Tue night: SL training, Wed am: SuperG, Thu night: GS, Sat/Sun: free ski w/wife or buds. Sometimes my 8yo daughter decides she wants go, sometimes I race on the weekend, more often as I get older (49) I skip days to rest up or cross-train to stay sharp. Cycling, as much as I love it, has always been an off-season thing. This week's schedule is SL tue/thu/sun, free ski on Sat; I'll blow Sunday's race off if there's a lot of new snow.

Took my 4yr old daughter skiing for the first time last week (on the right)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5169/...110dc0ab47.jpg

She had a blast, and wants to ski "a million more times"
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5008/...31ddfcd118.jpg

On the other hand, my feet were killing me the whole time. Can't believe I used to do this 3-4 times per week.

ha ha. I should have guessed saab skies on Stocklis.

An awesome site to pick up some tips for all ability levels. Great articles on GS technique too.

YOUCANSKI.COM HOME

And here's a great interview with a former WC ski tech who runs a shop in Park City. Tons of tuning insight here.

Ski Faster with the MSR Team

http://www.tahoetopia.com/news/daron...-sneak-preview

This will be mad dog. I chased Daron down the hill for a few hours several years back. It took everything I had just to try to hold on. Dude is wicked fast even when taking it easy and has impeccable form.

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Originally Posted by maunahaole

http://www.tahoetopia.com/news/daron...-sneak-preview

This will be mad dog. I chased Daron down the hill for a few hours several years back. It took everything I had just to try to hold on. Dude is wicked fast even when taking it easy and has impeccable form.

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he is an awesome skier

Gonna bring this out of the past.

Started skiing last February for the first time in 20+ years now that I am 15 minutes from Catamount and free on weekdays.

I got 12 days in last year, but 5 so far this year, and day 6 will be today.

Went to Belleayre at the end of November (need to get back there when more of the mountain is opened up), Butternut once, Gore once (heavily fogged in with drizzle), and Catamount the balance of the times.

I've got a M-F season pass at Catamount (15 min away) and sister mountain Berkshire East (which I haven't been to yet, hour and a half away).

Also have M-F pass for Gore/Belleayre/Whiteface, which I bought last March, letting me ski for the balance of last season on this year's pass. Unlikely I will get a season pass for next year as I can go 8 or 9 times and still break even. Belleayre is 1 1/2 hour dive, Gore is 2 hours, Whiteface I think is 3 hours.

Here's some random pics from the first 5 days of skiing this year....

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...61dad0dc_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...52486c03_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1093e8df_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fd6694dd_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...743b789c_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...580f3f99_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f898ed44_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...015d6316_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f2012e27_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ab4680f8_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...52e25cdd_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d43f5aa4_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...23e3f8f7_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4c4fc200_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...390073b4_h.jpgDecember 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

SPP

I’m ready, but snoqualmie pass is not. Last week’s trip to central OR included my skis but also a temperature inversion that delivered 48 degrees and rain to Bachelor and Hoodoo. Maybe I’ll get in a few days before Christmas? I can hope.

I picked up skiing again in 2022 after about 15 years off. I just didn't get out more than 2-3 times after college. My friends invited me on a Park City trip and I caught the bug again. I was out just long enough that I had to replace every piece of gear at the same time. All of the plastics were cracked and the rubber dry rotting.

My wife and I did Telluride in 2023 and Heavenly this year. This season we're going back to Park City.

The 250 ski hill down the street from me opened up for the season on Friday. I'm hoping to do some laps later this week when it cools down again and I'm off work.