re: How difficult is it to learn to snow ski?

I went last year and tried to snowboard as a first timer. I didn't take lessons and hit my arse so hard that I think I time traveled. It would've been a lot more fun had I been able to slow down.

ETA: The last fall made me unclip and walk down the mountain. There were other boot prints so I didn't feel so bad.

We also all fell off of the lift trying to exit.

My favorite part of the trip was licking my wounds in the hot tub with several whiskey drinks.

I don't think it's that hard. I went skiing with a friends family one Mardi Gras. They were all very proficient skiiers and I'd never done it before. I decided I didn't need lessons and by Day 2 I was skiing Blues with them and skiing Blacks on Day 3.

I lived in El Paso for a couple of years. Friends took me to my first ski trip to Ruidoso, NM.

They gave me some basic tips and took me to the top.

We were supposed to take a left in the course being it was an easy slope. I just followed them. But they accidentally turned right and it was a black diamond course.

We already went down forty feet and would have been too hard going back up hill. They said be careful and go slow.

Screw that. I was in great shape with very strong legs. I watched the downhill every Olympics. So I just got in a crouch and zoomed down.

I was killing it and flying down. But alas I had no idea how to stop. I just thought I could just shift sideways like the guys from Austria on tv always did and make it look cool.

But I flipped and crashed so hard my skies flew like missiles in two directions. People screaming and calling for help for me because surely I had to be badly injured.

Guy came to my help and fell over tearing his knee up. I came out great being I was very limber. Only damage was my ski pants was ripped to shreds.

Moral of this long arse post. Always take lessons and stay away from black diamond courses and dumbass people like me.

You don’t have to be “good” to enjoy skiing either. Everyone gets something different out of it. There are people who do two runs at 10a and drink the rest of the day, others are one the first and last chairs. Find what you like about it and do that.

Just stay out the left lane with your damn rental car

Oh, and wear a good helmet

For me there’s nothing much better than drinking a beer at the top, slow cruise down a green or blue while taking sips of bourbon, then drinking a beer at the bottom.

Repeat half a dozen times.

Head back to the house for hot tub time and more drinks.

I started skiing 4 years ago at 26. Took 3 days of lessons my first time and was comfortable on blues by the end of it. I've been hooked ever since. I skied 3 continents and 4 countries in 2019. Worked my way up to skiing pretty much anything.

I was tempted to quit on day 1 though. It feels like you're perpetually slipping at first. The turn mechanics aren't anything what you'd expect. Feels way too easy to get out of control. Almost ran over some toddlers on the bunny slopes. That being said, just stick with it.

pretty easy to learn, the black colored runs are the easiest! Start there!

Take lessons and get ready to be tired out of your mind. Your legs will be on fire, and you'll spend most of your energy trying to put your skis back on on an incline after you wipe out. First time I went a few years ago, I did lessons for a day and by day 3 I had it figured out well enough to handle blue trails.

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How difficult is it to learn to snow ski?

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depends on how old you are and how athletic. I started when I was 13 and picked it up quickly and was skiing more advanced slopes by the end of day 2. My parents, not so much.

In my late 30s now. We try to go once a year, but at my age, 3 full days of skiing kicks my arse. Just not in that type of shape anymore. But once you learn, it really is like riding a bike. I'm not as adventurous or risky like I used to be when I was younger, but just normal skiing isn't hard to pick back up.

I hated it ... I hated the stuff on my face. I turned in my skis after an hour of ski school. That trip, one son did great, my daughter did great, other son tweaked his MCL and husband tore the crap out of his knee.

I'll go back but it'll be for the other things to do.