new Skiers.

[snowmonster]

legalskier, thank you for the link to SOS Outreach. I guess it's time to put my wallet (however thin) where my mouth is.

Great idea too on the camera phone pictures. One venue I do this is through my Facebook. I make it a point to post my ski reports and pics on my page. Once in a while, I'll get friends inquiring: "That's beautiful! Can't believe there's so much snow up there. When are you going to ski next? Can I hitch a ride?" Happy to split the cost of gas and get another snow sports lover on the slopes.

 

[trapedui]

I see a lot of teens and kids skiing and adults 40 and over. What I don't see is large groups of 20-30 years olds.
I can't convince ANY of my coworkers to go skiing when they would have to lay out $40 for rentals, $50-70 for a lift ticket and $20 for a crappy lunch.
They say "$100 for 1 day??????" and that's where it usually ends.

This sounds very familiar. I skied a lot as a kid, but completely stopped when I went to college. Dad wasn't there anymore to pay for my lift tickets. I think I only skied twice between the age of 18 and 35. It certainly did not help that my wife was not a skier. We also lived in North Carolina for 5 years and never really thought about going skiing. We have now been in New York for the last 5 years and skiing has become our primary form of winter recreation. My wife and our two daughters (ages 5 and 8) have all learned to ski and they love it. I spent several years on the greens and easy blues with my wife and kids and this is now paying dividends. The kids can now handle the easy blacks at Belleayre and my wife skis the challenging blues. I think it also helped me to ease back into skiing after so many years away.

We usually go alone, but have been able to get friends and family to join us on a few occasions. Skiing is definitely not cheap, but like others in this thread, we have tried to be smart by buying discounted tickets, equipment on Ebay and doing day trips to avoid lodging costs. Hopefully, the girls are already hooked for life. If I can afford it, I will try to subsidize their ski trips when they are in the 20s, so they don't have the same ski lull that I did.

 

[WakeboardMom]

Hopefully, the girls are already hooked for life. If I can afford it, I will try to subsidize their ski trips when they are in the 20s, so they don't have the same ski lull that I did.

I had forgotten about that, but yes, that's a good idea. I did that. Paid airfare to CO once or twice when the big boys were in college; and also the airfare to France for them one year. Third son spent a semester abroad in Austria and we did what we could to help with that. I know that there was also a trip to CO that the three of them went on that we helped with a bit.

Now it's my daughter's turn; I'm thrilled that her college roommate is a boarder. They joined the ski club, bought a pass to Stratton/Okemo and are having a blast.

We were able to ski once as a family out west.

Good thinking about helping them avoid the lull. Number 2 son is now ripping it up in the PNW; number 3 is coaching freestyle while his g/f coaches racing; and number 1 who's in MD actually convinced non-skiing wife to go on a ski weekend in PA. You're on the right track, I think. It's awesome!! : - )

 

[x10003q]

and number 1 who's in MD actually convinced non-skiing wife to go on a ski weekend in PA. You're on the right track, I think. It's awesome!! : - )

Here is your answer to why so many women bag skiing/boarding when they get older. They might participate to please the husband. After a while they might even like it. But if they never get the addiction, it becomes a chore. My wife did not ski until after we were together. I am pretty sure she likes it. Would she ski if we were no longer together? Maybe for our daughter, or maybe it would be up to me and she would give it up.

By the way the best thing you can do for your daughter is to teach her to ski/board. There are always more men than women at ski resorts. :wink:

 

[WakeboardMom]

By the way the best thing you can do for your daughter is to teach her to ski/board. There are always more men than women at ski resorts. :wink:

Yes, my daughter is awesome about skiing. She's always been, "If the boys (her brothers) are doing it, I wanna do it..." That's why I'm happy her roommate is a boarder; she still has someone in her life with whom to share that adventure. At least for this winter...

But your mention of the ratio is hilarious!! You are so right. My husband knows that if something happens to him, I'm going to a bar as a ski resort to start looking for a replacement!!

 

[x10003q]

Yes, my daughter is awesome about skiing. She's always been, "If the boys (her brothers) are doing it, I wanna do it..." That's why I'm happy her roommate is a boarder; she still has someone in her life with whom to share that adventure. At least for this winter...

But your mention of the ratio is hilarious!! You are so right. My husband knows that if something happens to him, I'm going to a bar as a ski resort to start looking for a replacement!!

No doubt you will find what you need. Both my sisters can rip. Before they were married there was a never ending line of guys "meeting" them on the trails. It is still a running joke in our family ski trips and it still goes on. Sometimes me, my brother, and the husbands hang back and watch the vultures descend on the wives and sisters. It is quite a sight. :lol:

 

[faceplant]

Here's something we see quite a bit: the women give it up before the men. Why is that, do you think?)

they might like the womens clinics on a weekday
I hear good things about 'em

 

[WakeboardMom]

they might like the womens clinics on a weekday
I hear good things about 'em

THAT'S a great idea.

A big part of the problem is that most of my friends who are my age are older than me.
; - )

 

[billski]

they might like the womens clinics on a weekday
I hear good things about 'em

We need more women to weigh in on this topic. It would be better asked over at Ski Diva forum.

 

[Sparky]

We need more women to weigh in on this topic. It would be better asked over at Ski Diva forum.

I would but I don't think I could pass the physical.

 

[4aprice]

By the way the best thing you can do for your daughter is to teach her to ski/board. There are always more men than women at ski resorts. :wink:

My wife has always told her single friends that there's no better place to meet men then at a ski resort. Most don't listen.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[ski_resort_observer]

I think all resorts need to be proactive on cultivating new skiers/riders to the sport. The Bush as a unique lesson program....if your a new skier/rider and you take the 3 lesson First Time package you get a free season pass. Not a bad deal
http://www.sugarbush.com/vermont-skiing-snowboarding/first-timer-lessons

 

[billski]

I think all resorts need to be proactive

Proactive is key. It seems most resorts offer programs that are quite inexpensive. They simply don't promote them properly. They should be circulating coupons (virtual and real) all over the universe. They should be at shows other than ski shows - any sports venue will do.

I also believe they need to offer a second-timer's incentive, since the majority of first timers never come back. You have to give people a reason to return, not a lesson package. Give them a free lunch, or a "second timers/second chance" program customized. So many people have a sucky first experience. Yeah, some people are just not qualified, but a 90-95% dropout rate tells me it's more than the newbie's fault.

 

[speden]

bet the olympics stokes some interest.....

I was thinking the same thing, but it might have the opposite effect on a lot of people. Olympic skiing probably looks pretty scary to a non-skier. They are flying along at top speed and sometimes have spectacular crashes. Then mogul events look like they are bashing their bodies into a pulp. Might be hard for a non-skier to picture themselves having fun doing that kind of stuff.

But I'm pretty content if skiing doesn't get any more popular. I like the resorts to rake in a lot of money during the holiday weeks, but on the other weeks I'd just like to have uncrowded trails.

 

[Ski Diva]

We need more women to weigh in on this topic. It would be better asked over at Ski Diva forum.

Interesting discussion!

I'm glad to see this brought up on AZ. It shows you're concerned. We women like that.

This is a subject that's been covered quite a bit over at TheSkiDiva.com. And though there's no definitive reason why women leave the sport, there are a number of contributing factors. I'm not a sociologist or a sports psychologist, and I don't pretend to be any sort of expert. So I can only tell you what I've heard.

First, there's pregnancy. Some women ski when they're pregnant, but for many (like me), it's just not worth the risk. Or they find it damn uncomfortable to deal with the ski clothes, getting on and off the lift, hauling equipment, etc. So some women leave the sport then, never to return.

Second, child rearing. Like it or not, women still are -- and always have been -- primary caregivers for kids. Let's be real: for a lot of men, a ski day is a vacation day. But the work never ends for a mom. It's usually up to her to get the kids ready for the day. That means finding the outfits, making sure the kids are dressed, making the lunches, getting the equipment together , etc., etc.. Just getting to the hill is a major undertaking. Then once you're there, you have to get the kids situated, give them snacks, get the snowsuits on and off for the bathroom. But it's not just the kids you have to worry about: What if (God forbid) you were to get hurt, who'd take care of the family while you were laid up? Who'd cook? Clean? Get the kids to school? You get the picture. Like it or not, politically correct or not, the caregiver instinct is fully ingrained in women. It's a hard thing to overcome.

Third, attitudes. It's generally considered more acceptable for men to take the day off from work or go off on a Saturday or Sunday for a day of skiing. The caregiver mindset for women is a strong deterrent here. Women worry about who's going to be home for the kids after school, who's going to make dinner, how will Suzy get to soccer, and so on. So even though I often see flocks of men skiing during a week day, you don't see too many groups of women. They can't give themselves permission to go off and do this. What if Suzy needed her? It's tough.

Fourth, physical problems. This applies more to older women, but it's a fact: many women of a "certain age" are concerned about osteoporosis, and may not want to run the risk of falling and breaking something, which could severely impact their quality of life. There are drugs that help this now, but that's a fairly recent development.

Obviously, there are a lot of women who don't feel this way, as evidenced by the number of women who participate at TheSkiDiva.com. We'd like to see more women ski, too, so it's worth taking steps to make it both easier and more acceptable. That's why it's so great that there IS a forum directed toward women on the internet. And why women's clinics are a good thing. Anything that gets women out there in an encouraging, supportive way, is helpful. I'm sure you agree.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

bring back stretch pants....

 

[billski]

Wendy touches on a couple of things that never even occurred to me. Glad you stepped up.
I began by contending it's because their life priorities change. I go skiing but my wife would rather stay home. I suggest she go away for the weekend and I'll watch the kids, but no, she'd rather stay home. She may in part be under-confident of my ability to deliver on full-court parenting

As you say, there are exceptions written all over the place. Most places I raise a discussion like this, I get dissed for making generalizations and accused of being sexist. Most of the time it's because the women I discuss this with I contend are the exception not the rule. But it's not viewed that way. Kind of difficult to have an open-minded discussion about this without stereotypes causing inflamed anger of one sort or another. Thanks for looking at this even-handedly. And yes, I'd say men are a bit more selfish, unwilling to give up certain things they do. Women in general are more willing to sacrifice for the sake of others. OK, let the flames fly!

 

[legalskier]

I received this email from Gore. They will be doing an outreach to Central Park tomorrow, and providing discounted bus service to the mountain. Someone up there is making a terrific effort to bring in "new skiers!"

Can't Make it to Gore This Weekend? We've brought the Snow to You!
If for some reason you can't make it to Gore this weekend for our awesome conditions, the Boardercross, or Telemark Day, join us in Central Park for Winter Jam NYC - we've made tons of snow so you can celebrate winter a bit closer to home!
No Car? NEW Discounted Bus & Gore Ticket Packages! Gore Mountain & Adirondack Trailways have partnered to deliver you new bus and lift ticket packages that are both affordable and convenient, with service from the Port Authority and Ridgewood, NJ. Enjoy round trip transportation packaged with a 2-day weekend lift ticket for under $200!