Exiled Years

[highpeaksdrifter]

How many of you have had to take 1 or more years off from skiing cause of job, family, injury, illness, location, etc. Tell us your story and what it felt like coming back.

 

[2knees]

took a few years off after i blew out my 2nd acl. i tried to ski on it but it didnt hold. didnt have insurance when it happened. when i came back, it was like riding a bike although i think it was less then 2 seasons i missed. kinda fuzzy on the dates.

 

[RootDKJ]

I took way to many years off after college. I had a really crappy job and just couldn't afford it. Hell, I couldn't afford cable tv or even my phone back then. Man have I really come around

 

[mondeo]

Skied I think twice my freshman year of college, and then not at all for the next three years due to lack of time and funds.

Two years ago, first year out of college, got back into it. First day back was early December at Killington. Took Great Northern all the way down, feeling my legs out. I'll echo 2knees; after a few turns, I probably have taken any black on the mountain.

 

[riverc0il]

How many of you have had to take 1 or more years off from skiing cause of job, family, injury, illness, location, etc. Tell us your story and what it felt like coming back.

Two years during college while I pursued other interests. Got back into racing my third year of college and never looked back. Those two years off didn't really phase me much because I was pursuing things that were more interesting than skiing at the time even though I picked the University I went to because it had a ski team.

I doubt I would ever take another year off from skiing unless it was due to injury.

Don't call it a come back...

 

[Geoff]

I had two seasons where I blew an ACL on day 1.

 

[Johnskiismore]

For about two years after college I only made it skiing a few times a year. Could not afford it, then income changed and so did my life thankfully!

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

NEVER!
(knock wood)

 

[Puck it]

Four years in CA and only skied once in the late 80's and early 90's. Moved backed to New England and skied a few times but picked up again big time in the late 90's

 

[dawn-ski]

2005 was hit by a chevy blazer while riding motorcycle....open ankle fracture no 2005-2006 season,when I returned the next season discovered I had an acl tear,prob from same accident,last year took off due to acl/patella fracture,but I'm back.....skied Killington 11/2,felt great!

 

[severine]

2004-2005: Pregnant
2005-2006: only managed 2 days; practically skipped
2006-2007: Pregnant

Considering I only started skiing in Jan 2004, I've missed a lot so far. But I'm trying to make up for that...

 

[kingslug]

Depending on if I sell my house...this might be a very lean season.........

 

[campgottagopee]

Missed 2 yrs, 90 & 91, no injuries just me being stupid :roll:?? Here's the deal----I'd just moved back home after spending 4 yrs at Smuggs skiing everyday, darn near all day. Looking back now I'd become a "small hill" snob thinking my local hill (Greek Peak) wouldn't be challenging enough, keep my interest, or even be fun--whatever. I didn't even head north because skiing 1-2-3-4 days wasn't good enough to me----what a nerd I know!!! Finally, my buddies I'd grown up skiing with talk me into goin' w/ them. By now I'm thinkin' I'll go, make 2 runs and be bored off my ass. Man-o-man was I wrong!!! Guess I'd forgotten why I started skiing and why I really loved the lifetime sport so much. As soon as I'd gotten to the hill, saw the rat necks pumpin out the goods and all those snow covered trees I realized just being outside, riding a chair w/ a pal meant more to me than looking for the "nasty".

Not sure if any of that made sense----guess now as long as I'm w/ friends skking it really don't matter where or why just as long as I do.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

No exiled years..the year after I graduated from college I was unsure where I was going to be living and didn't have a season pass..I skied under 20 days..and that felt like an exiled year..I was broke at the time and with no season pass to Blue, I mainly just went on discount days and such..I made up for that season by moving to Montana the following fall..

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Missed 2 yrs, 90 & 91, no injuries just me being stupid :roll:?? Here's the deal----I'd just moved back home after spending 4 yrs at Smuggs skiing everyday, darn near all day. Looking back now I'd become a "small hill" snob thinking my local hill (Greek Peak) wouldn't be challenging enough, keep my interest, or even be fun--whatever. I didn't even head north because skiing 1-2-3-4 days wasn't good enough to me----what a nerd I know!!! Finally, my buddies I'd grown up skiing with talk me into goin' w/ them. By now I'm thinkin' I'll go, make 2 runs and be bored off my ass. Man-o-man was I wrong!!! Guess I'd forgotten why I started skiing and why I really loved the lifetime sport so much. As soon as I'd gotten to the hill, saw the rat necks pumpin out the goods and all those snow covered trees I realized just being outside, riding a chair w/ a pal meant more to me than looking for the "nasty".

Not sure if any of that made sense----guess now as long as I'm w/ friends skking it really don't matter where or why just as long as I do.

Good post

 

[drjeff]

Basically took off the '03-'04 and '05-'06 seasons when my kids were born (both b-day's right around Jan 1st). Basically since my wife couldn't ski those seasons, I did the good husband thing and didn't ski either. In both of those seasons, I did manage to get a couple of days in at the end of the season when we did a family long weekend(s) to Killington. In the "05-06 season, those couple of ski days I got in also marked my oldest kids 1st days on skis

 

[deadheadskier]

Took off 01-02 when I moved to Ohio for my first 'real job'. It was a great growing company with lots of room for advancement, but I couldn't deal with not being near the mountains and the ocean to a lesser extent. I realized that my next move within the company would not be at one of their hotels somewhat near skiing, so I took a job at Snowshoe, WV. They worked me into the ground and I only manged about 10 days out. The winter after I took a job at Wisp in Maryland, same thing. 04-05, I moved back to VT and still only skied about 8 days as I was broke from moving all over the previous three years. It wasn't until I moved to Portland in 05' and skied a bit more at 15 days followed by 18 in 06-07 and 20 last year. While it's unlikely prior to retirement that I'll ever be a 50-100 day a year skier again like I was in college and my college drop out years, I'm content as long as I get out at least 20 days. I'd prefer it to be 30, but that would be a stretch for me right now due to time and family obligations.

 

[mountainman]

Last season missed.

Missed all of last season. Worked at a small resort in vt. First time in about 25 years I did not make a turn. I was on salary. Head of snowmaking and grooming. Worked 80 - 90 hours a week grooming and making snow. All most made it out one day but a pump went down had to shut down system and stayed the next 30 hours to pull out pump take down and have it repaired. Rest of the season was in a cat working nights grooming. Days off none. Day off when I was too tired to come to work. I think I had to sleep. I left that job in the summer. Working at another resort just grooming now. A.M. shift. Shift is over get out of the way boards are going on this season.

Hope everyone has a good season of skiing and riding

 

[deadheadskier]

Missed all of last season. Worked at a small resort in vt. First time in about 25 years I did not make a turn. I was on salary. Head of snowmaking and grooming. Worked 80 - 90 hours a week grooming and making snow. All most made it out one day but a pump went down had to shut down system and stayed the next 30 hours to pull out pump take down and have it repaired. Rest of the season was in a cat working nights grooming. Days off none. Day off when I was too tired to come to work. I think I had to sleep. I left that job in the summer. Working at another resort just grooming now. A.M. shift. Shift is over get out of the way boards are going on this season.

Hope everyone has a good season of skiing and riding

glad you left

as I mentioned, similar experience working as a manager at a resort; salary 90 hour work weeks, total bullchit.

Seriously, I'd rather work at Wendy's than ever work at a ski area again in management.

 

[Beetlenut]

Missed 98 - 2000 due to birth of our first and associated problems. When I did ski again, only went 5-6 times a year. Missed 2003 due to birth of our second, still only going 5-6 times a year since then, due to on going medical problems with kids and lack of funds. Someday soon hope to buy a seasons pass somewhere. 5 yo starts skiing in two months!!