Skiing in groups..skiing alone?

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Do you prefer to ski alone or in a group of skiers and riders? What percentage of the time do you think you ski/ride alone. For me I like a mixture of both. For a quick afterwork session..I want to get a bunch of runs in a short period of time so skiing alone or with one or two fast skiers/riders is ideal. For longer sessions or if it's a good friend..I prefer skiing with others..because I'll still ski alot of vert even if my skipartners are pokey.

When I visieted Jackson Hole it was the perfect balance. About 60 percent skiing alone 30 percent skiing with a good friend and 10 percent skiing with a first time visitor to Jackson Hole. For me it's rewqarding guiding someone into terrain they've never skied that I'm familiar with. Being a mountain guide would be a nice ski resort position to have. It doesn't have to be extreme backcountry..just around the resort to get people their bearings.

Buddy Skiing is great because you know your buddies skiing style and judgement and can scope out drops, chutes and landings..having a spotter is always good..someone to warn about a rock or other hazard.

Having a huge crew on Gaper day is sweet as well but as the crew grows..it's tougher to stay together due to bathroom/beer breaks and people making a wrong turn and ending up at a different lift. A group poach of chin-clip at Stowe Ski Vermont Discussion List Green Plaid style is the ultimate in group skiing..

If you have a short minute, tell the AlpineZone community about your ski preferences..

 

[severine]

I prefer skiing alone. I've said it over and over again: skiing is my zen. It's the only time I get to just live in the moment. Enjoy the quiet. Not have to cater to the little tyrants' demands. Clear my head. I enjoy and crave that time. I've been missing it sorely.

This year, I skied 6/14 days (43%) completely alone. 79% without Brian.

 

[wa-loaf]

I like skiing in a group (no more than 4) when the skiers are equal or better than me. It's fun to be with a bunch of folks who will push your limits a bit.

Being stuck in a group with people who aren't interested in skiing hard sucks and I will ditch them ASAP.

 

[wa-loaf]

I like skiing in a group (no more than 4) when the skiers are equal or better than me.

I just want amend that bit, just as long as the other skiers are into trying new terrain or pushing themselves I'm happy despite skill level unless it's a huge discrepancy.

 

[riverc0il]

I prefer skiing in a small group (3-4) whenever possible. Unfortunately, it doesn't happen nearly as often as I would prefer. Group skiing is safer and generally more enjoyable. Sure, there are times I find myself completely alone in the woods without a sound on a perfect day and I wouldn't want a person to intrude on my serenity. But more often than not, I find myself wishing for folks to share the experience with and chat with. Folks that have my back and know that I got theirs.

Online forums have helped to establish a loose network of folks that I ski with a few times a year which is awesome. But without a local buddy with a similar pass and logistics preferences, it is often hard to line up days on the last minute.

This weekend is a perfect example. Until 7am this morning, I was on the fence about MRG or Cannon. Cannon's snow report came in with almost a foot and that made the decision. Hard to setup group skiing when one of the guys wants to be flexible... so I don't make contacts unless I am 100%... which is pretty rare given weather in New England.

 

[kcyanks1]

I have a lot more fun skiing with others when we are of similar abilities and have similar interests, but I end up skiing alone/taking runs alone fairly often, because it just doesn't always work out that I'm with others who fit those criteria.

 

[ed-drum]

I generally ski in small groups. I got a lot better quickly skiing with people better than myself. "I can't go down that!". "Sure you can." It's also fun to dust the snowboarders who sit in the middle of the trail with a gang. :uzi: Ed.

 

[severine]

It's fun to be with a bunch of folks who will push your limits a bit.

I tend to succumb to peer pressure too much in those instances. Try to show off and end up hurting myself.

 

[hardline]

when i was in college we would normally ride in groups of three or four but that was because thats how many people fit i car coming burlington. as for the last few seasons i have been mostly solo. sometimes i may take a few runs with someone new. as riverc0il said its tough to work out logistics with people when you chase snow in the northeast. all that being said i like to ride with at least one other person. its more fun to share.

 

[riverc0il]

I have a lot more fun skiing with others when we are of similar abilities and have similar interests, but I end up skiing alone/taking runs alone fairly often, because it just doesn't always work out that I'm with others who fit those criteria.

Good point and also an issue. When the trees aren't good or terrain options are not there, I will ski whatever with any one. But when the terrain options are available, I prefer skiing single to skiing with a small group that can not ski anything on the mountain. Though on the flip side, personality becomes an issue as well regardless of ability. I am pretty conservative off piste and backcountry and don't pair up well with hard chargers.

 

[Greg]

Before the past few seasons, I enjoyed skiing alone from time to time. Sometimes it's great to just charge hard and hit the trails you want to take without discussing it. But my ideal group size is 2-5 of similar abilities. Like GSS I like exposing people to new areas, or have other do the same for me. The latter hasn't happened in a while, but it will at Whiteface this Friday!

I took a look at my TRs and so far this season, out of my 37 days, I've skied solo once. There have been a couple days where I had several hours of solo skiing though. I feel pretty fortunate to have a crew of AZers that I ski with a lot now. We have similar skiing interests and there is not a big enough difference in anyone's ability to impact the pace of the day all that much. I consider these folks friends offline so that's pretty cool. A few of us have even taken overnight trips together, and some of us have more in common than just skiing, i.e. kids, etc.

Having some ski buddies can turn a somewhat crappy day into a good one simply due to the camaraderie.

 

[deadheadskier]

About a third of my days this season have been with others, two thirds alone. Ideally I prefer the opposite if I'm with people close enough in ability such that I am not stuck on terrain that is boring to me or I don't have to wait much.

There is pleasure in both, but in general I find it more fun to reflect back on a killer day with someone who shares that memory with you.

 

[wa-loaf]

It's also fun to dust the snowboarders who sit in the middle of the trail with a gang. :uzi: Ed.

He he, you must not hang with DMC.

 

[castlerock]

Small Groups rock

I get bored skiing alone. Small groups are perfect. 2-4, maybe 5 Once you get to 5 it is too many for woods skiing unless all are equally proficient.

And yes, DMC won't slow you down in the woods. Unless it is at Sugarbush, where it typically sucks.

 

[ERJ-145CA]

So far this season I've skied 5 days with a friend or my family and 32 days alone. I prefer to ski alone because I can just get in as many runs as possible and it's just me and the mountain. I'll take a short break for lunch and just continue skiing. I'm looking forward to skiing more with my 5 year old son next season, he did the chairlift for the first time this season and we did a few runs at Bromley and it was great, he's already a good skier.

 

[severine]

Not to backpeddle, but you also have to understand that my skiing this season has consisted exclusively of Sundown and Mohawk. If I were skiing bigger places, without a doubt, that would be more fun with a smaller group. And preferably including Brian in that group since we rarely get to ski together.

I guess maybe my answer is a little more complex than I first thought?

 

[Terry]

A small group of 2-5or 6 is the most fun for me. I tend to ski better when I am pushed by others who are better skiers than me. We have a fun mgroup at Shawnee that always seems to come together, and also at Sunday River. That being said, I also enjoy solo nights that you can just ski anything that you want to without discussions and decision making. On those nights I just make top to bottom runs nonstop on whatever terrain I feel like skiing and just kind of zone out into my own little world!

 

[mondeo]

I have been basically a loner since I've started so I am hoping I will fit in a little up at Sunday River next season and at Sugarloaf / Loon too. It has started to get a Little boring just being out by myself all the time.

That's basically where I'm at. I find it more relaxing when I'm alone, but it's fun to have people to chat with (that you actually know, even with skiers being as generally sociable as they are,) and I'd also like to have the benefit of having people critique my technique, so they can push me and help me get there at the same time. Skiing at Sundown more next year should help, and I figure I'll eventually get to know the dedicated bump skiers at Killington that I see every time I'm there.

 

[bigbog]

...both...~ 70/30 by myself

Enjoy skiing with others, especially kids...but Luv skiing by myself or with skiing partners...which isn't all the time, in fact...is too few times a season.

 

[shwilly]

Almost all of my days are with Ms. Shwilly. Occasionally a friend or two join us. I haven't done a single day solo this year, unlike years past. We generally enjoy the same types of runs, and when we split up for a run or two it's easy to meet back up.