pointers

[qt999ski]

hi everyone. i'm kinda new at skiing and i was wondering if any other beginner skiiers out there can give me a few pointers as to what places are best for me and some other useful information ( i know the season is pretty much over, at least i think) i'd appreciate it!

 

[loafer89]

It would be helpfull to know where you are located, to give you the best advice on where to ski.

 

[bvibert]

Where are you located?

The only advice I can give you is to take some leasons. Its a lot easier learn it right the first time instead of trying to break bad habits...

Most of all HAVE FUN!

 

[qt999ski]

I'm in CT but i'm willing to drive anywhere...

 

[ski_resort_observer]

lift tix

Many ski resorts have a "beginning lift ticket" at a greatly reduced rate from an "all mountain" lift tix. At Sugarbush, for example, you can ski the beginning lifts(2 at Lincoln, 2 at Ellen) for $15.

 

[loafer89]

I was just asking for location to give you the best recomendations with the least amount of driving.

In CT I would suggest Powder Ridge as they have gentle terrain and anytime start lift ticket plans.

In MA Berkshire East has a nice begginer area with a new quad chair lift and the place is nearly always uncrowded.

I also agree with bvibert that you should take lessons from a ski instructor and not a friend. I make it a point to get my son lessons, as I do not want him to pick up any of my bad skiing habits.

 

[RISkier]

I'm relatively new to skiing. Of the places I've skied I'd say Bretton Woods, NH is the best place for novice/low intermediate skiers. BW has a completely isolated area for beginners and green trails off of virtually every lift. And unlike many green trails, they have sustained pitch -- not steep or scary but you won't be poling through flats. Novices feel like they can go all over the mountain. Most of the blues are just a little step up from the greens. The infrastructure is very good -- lodge is nice, lifts are user friendly, they do a very good job with grooming. I haven't found crowds to be too problematic. A very friendly place. Downsides to BW: It's kind of out of the way and there's not a lot of good lodging nearby. The Mt. Washington hotel is VERY expensive. Jackson, NH is a fun place to stay, the drive to BW is very pretty and easy if the roads are clear. But there's just not a lot right around BW. It's relatively pricey, though really very little more than most of the other larger NE areas. The biggest problem with BW for many skiers is that it lacks much for advanced skiers. If the snow is good I've heard the glade skiing is pretty good, but there's nothing very steep. The groomed blacks are relatively short and I've been on numerous blues at other resorts that are steeper. In short, I think it's a very good place for novices or for folks looking for relaxed cruising.

 

[loafer89]

I agree with the suggestion for Bretton Woods as I was just up that way last week. They will be opened for quite some time to come with all the deep snowcover on many trails.

A good place to ski in New York would be at Belleayre, the lower mountain is perfect for begginers and is seperated from from the faster skiers on the upper part of the area. They have a long season and will probably stay open for another 2-3 weeks.

Snowshed at Killington is also a good bet, as are some of the trails on Rams Head Peak.

 

[Paul]

I agree with the suggestion for Bretton Woods as I was just up that way last week. They will be opened for quite some time to come with all the deep snowcover on many trails.

A good place to ski in New York would be at Belleayre, the lower mountain is perfect for begginers and is seperated from from the faster skiers on the upper part of the area. They have a long season and will probably stay open for another 2-3 weeks.

Snowshed at Killington is also a good bet, as are some of the trails on Rams Head Peak.

I second (or would it be, third?) Bretton Woods. I really can't put it any better than RI and loafer just did. I have a place in N. Conway, where there's plenty to do, and BW is only about 40 min. away.

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

I 2nd belleayre, they have a great beginner area on the bottom half of the mountain, should be only about a 2hr drive if you are in western ct.

 

[bigbog]

Hi qt999....
...and speaking of the N.Conway area, SundayRiver is just up #16(thru the Mt. Washington Valley...). Once you get to Goreham(sp?), hang a right on #2 and you'll be in Bethel, Me. in no time. SundayRiver is just ~5min East of town. It's ~28mi from N. Conway to the River. I think SR has a LOT of terrain :roll: , it's great skiing during the week..never a crowd during the week, ask the Trailboss.
You should do yourself a favor and make it up into Maine @this time of year. Late Winter/early Spring is really nice @either SundayRiver or Sugarloaf.

 

[loafer89]

I know that Sugarloaf has great begginer skiing, more than some people might think. The lower mountain has a gentle pitch that is just right. Boardwalk, L Winters Way and L Narrow Gauge are perfect trails to practice your turns on. Plus there is the Whiffletree area and Skiing from the summit on Upper and Lower Timberline and Glancer.

Sugarloaf is at its prime in April, and Maine is a beautiful state top to bottom and everywhere in between.

 

[thetrailboss]

hi everyone. i'm kinda new at skiing and i was wondering if any other beginner skiiers out there can give me a few pointers as to what places are best for me and some other useful information ( i know the season is pretty much over, at least i think) i'd appreciate it!

First off, welcome to the forum. I hope you hang out in this and our other discussion rooms (hiking and gear). We've got some real good folks in here who will give you worthwhile advice.

My take would be to get a lesson somewhere close to home in CT (nice hills down there or in the Berkshries) before venturing off north...that way you can get "your feet underneath you" so that you can appreciate the bigger places. That said, lots of mountains offer great beginner packages including those mentioned and Burke Mountain (www.skiburke.com) which has its own beginner mountain with mile long beginner cruiser runs.

It's getting late in the season and though the snow is soft, it may be too soft and hard for you to ski in...that said, good time to get some good deals on skis an tix.

 

[qt999ski]

thanks everyone for the advice...its 60 degrees outside so it looks like i wont be skiing too often now, at least around home. :roll: at least i went a few times this winter...can anyone tell me any good places in Maine, i have friends up there so it would be nice to visit and ski...thanks!

 

[bvibert]

Yup, the ski season around here is done. You'll have to travel north. I've never skied in Maine, so I'll let someone else answer that...

 

[qt999ski]

i hope its better in maine....

 

[bvibert]

There should be lift served skiing for at a couple of more weeks I would say. Maybe not the optimal conditions to learn in and the terrain will be limited though...

 

[Vortex]

I love Sunday River. No info on lessons never done that there. Bretton Woods is the best choice in my opinion from the info you have given. Very nice area to see all seasons. I go to that area in the summer more than the winter. They will be open until mid May still time to play. No need to repeat the reasons previously stated very well.

 

[smootharc]

Gotta chirp up here.....

....so here goes, in no particular order.

1) Asking other beginner's for advice - maybe not the best idea.

2) Previous suggestion with regards to lessons - excellent. To add to that, I would think about lessons as a course of study for at least a full season, if not two or three. Three or four lessons to get you going with no follow up leaves you with the middling masses who, despite shaped skis, cannot carve a turn, and have no concept of what a ski is supposed to do - how it is your brakes, accelerator, steering wheel, etc.

Granted, not everyone wants to ski with style, grace, control, and work their way up the food chain of terrain and difficulty. I can't really think about skiing any other way, and I'm finishing up my 39th season (of my 42 years on this planet).

3) Watching ski videos and DVDs. There used to be a sports company called something like cybervision or sports vision. They made VHS tapes of skiing, tennis, etc. You watched experts doing these activities correctly, and their movements and motions became imprinted on your brain. Brain controls muscles...and voile, you're heading in the right direction. You can also accomplish this by studying other skiers on the slopes, from the chair or on slope. It's amazing what you can learn, though try not to imprint mentally on poor skiiers.

4) Complete equipment review - you should be on the right gear for you skill level, gender, age, and physical type.

5) Take a look at a thread about "Skiers Edge". You might want to consider that unit. It allows you to imprint the feel of a good ski turn under controlled circumstances.

6) Pick your friends and ski partners carefully. There's always an idiot who'll suggest a black when it's not really the time or place for you to try.

7) Pick your ski areas carefully. Conditions and crowds can make all the difference.

8) Know when to say when. Some days, for beginners, it's best to turn around (boilerplate, etc.)

9) Stretching. Live by it.

10) Go to a Gymnastics gym and tell them you want to learn to fall under controlled circumstances. Learn how to tumble. Forward, back, etc.

11) Learn things in small bites, then practice, practice, practice.

12) Keep a ski journal and jot down a few notes after each ski day.

13) Snow. Amazing stuff. Study it. It changes. Daily, weekly, hourly....you need to know what it looks like, feels like under foot, where on the trails it hides. I'm amazed to see people struggle with the same main line on a trail that's gotten scraped off and is nasty, while I zip down the edge and revel in the ribbons of beautiful soft snow they've pushed into the margins.

14) Helmet - a most excellent idea.

15) Ski care and maintenance. Waxing and tune ups aren't for once a season. They are meant to be addressed regularly.

16) Overcoming the counter intuitive. Skiing produces forces and situations where you want to move or fall in a way that is what your mind tells you to do, but which actually is more dangerous and likely to produce injury. I realize this gets advanced, but at some point you'll have to realize that to move forward you'll need to point your torso down the fall line, more so the steeper you go. Our minds aren't, generally, programmed to let us "fall" down steep stuff. But the only way to be balanced and in control with your skis doing the work they are designed to do is to be in this type of gyronomic equilibrium. Motorcycle riders confront this all the time, and it's tough to realize that the bike works best when you allow it to lean, and don't fight it.

17) Good heavens, that's enough out of me for now.

18) But it wouldn't be a post of mine if I didn't add some idiotic bon mot, so here goes. Actually, I retract. My bons and my mots will be saved for a rainy day.

Good luck, and welcome to the greatest sport on the planet. Don't know why, but the smiley emoticon ended up where a few number keystrokes should be. Cyberspace...sheeesh....

:dunce:

 

[mergs]

I'm in CT but i'm willing to drive anywhere...

Anywhere... then I suggest Whistler... just kidding. :lol:

I know nothing about CT areas, but would recommend some resorts in the Catskills, such as Windham or even Hunter (which may be open one more week). I know some snowboard instructors at Hunter, and they are good, so I assume that the ski intructors are too (hopefully that assumption is not wrong). Windham is much more a family, learning type of mountain, unfortunately they are closed for the year.

I know that Western MA is close to you but I've never been to those areas so I don't want to comment on whether its any good or not.

Then there is so. VT such as Mt. Snow. They had a good program there 4-5 years ago but Ive not been there in a while and don't really know if they're open either.

til next year... now I'm afraid its "mud season"