What age did you start skiing or riding?

[bvibert]

I think I was 9 when I started the after school program to Ski Sundown. I did that until I was 15 I think. Then I didn't go again until I was 24 when I went once that year and once again the next year. When I was 26 I finally got my wife to try skiing and she loved it, that was two seasons ago.

 

[tree_skier]

21 months old. My father, who loved skiing had missed most of 3 seasons due to my sister an myself being born. That first season it was mostly walking around, on skies, the Guilford Outing Club base area. My father and mother would alternate taking runs and my father would pull me up the hill a little and send me off for a straight run untill I learned to turn.

 

[snowsprite]

I really like deadhead's post. It is somewhat like what happened with our family. We did spend a lot of time together as a family generally speaking, but had no real "hobby" to rally around. Then my husband talked me into going skiing one day at age 35. I had skiied once as a teenager and vowed "never again." So I had absolutely no interest in skiing or snow, and generally was unhappy and cold all winter long. After a lot of cajoling though, I agreed to go.

I was not thrilled with my experience, but wanting to be a good sport I agreed to go again. The second time is a charm I guess, because I was totally hooked after that! In our case, I became the driving force behind "skiing as an obsession" for our family. I began to plan trips, buy gear, and get better. Our son started out at age 6 and it has been a joy to watch him develop, finally surpassing his parents by light-years in his ability last season with a little help from the Killington Hopefuls program.

I can honestly say that skiing has been one of the best things to happen to our family. The only thing is I wish we could find a summer obsession to have as much fun in the off-season (the occasional biking/camping trip don't quite measure up). But I've been scoping out boats on Ebay lately after some fun outings with friends that have me thinking about taking to the water. So you never know...I may be on to something again!
8)
Sprite

 

[JimG.]

Age 4 at the Concord Hotel in the Catskills.
I have visual memories that I remember like a photograph even today.

 

[Tyrolean_skier]

I started at 24. Got hooked but for the next 10 years of so just did some weekend trips and some ski vacations. Then I joined a ski house in Killington and went up there every other weekends. That lasted for 3 years. After that I took a break because I was getting married and buying a house and there was no money left over to go skiing. My husband and I eventually decided to buy a condo at Killington and after that is really when we started skiing frequently. We've been season passholders since then. I started both my kids when they were 2 years old. My son who is now 8 is planning on joining the freestyle team this coming season - he would be taking lessons to become a freestyler. My daughter (almost 5) is in the Ministars program and is very advanced in her skiing. This past spring she even skied Superstar.

 

[ga2ski]

Started when I was 7. Been addicted for 23 years and counting.

 

[Vortex]

Good to see you here TY. We started skiing more once the kids were old enough and bought a place similar roads. Folks this lady is a fanatic. :wink:

 

[skibumtress]

Took my first three lessons at 11 or 12 at Campgaw Moutain (those of you who know the little ant hill can laugh but hey, it was only 10 minutes from my house). I pretty much fell in love with it then but didn’t get another opportunity to go until I was 16 and that did it for me. My cousin’s buddy had a house at Mt. Snow so we were there every other weekend, and winter breaks for two years. My cousin gave me the basics and a friend and I took a couple of lessons. Only was able to do a few day trippers during college and then moved to NYC and didn’t know a sole who skied. Later on met a friend who got into skiing from her boyfriend and so we got together a few people and did trips out to Colorado once or twice a year for about 6 years. Then moved back to NJ and did two relocations two years in a row right in the middle of winter so I missed two seasons. Got back into it again the season of 2003/04 after meeting some folks over at the KZone board (then the KChat board) and skied the most days I ever skied this past season (about 36 or 37). There’s no turning back for me now. :wink:

 

[Vortex]

Started when I was 7. Been addicted for 23 years and counting.

You look much older. :wink:

 

[dmc]

There’s no turning back for me now. :wink:

Cool... to use the old addage...

You go girl!!!

 

[Tyrolean_skier]

Good to see you here TY. We started skiing more once the kids were old enough and bought a place similar roads. Folks this lady is a fanatic. :wink:

Came over to check it out since KillingtonZone is not responding too well right now. Moderators are looking into the problem. Where you referring to me when you said "Folks this lady is a fanatic". If so, that is quite accurate. I love to ski and do it as much as I possibly can. When my kids are old enough, we plan on taking some trips out West and maybe some trips to Europe and South America (in the summer)

 

[smootharc]

Technically speaking.....

.....first skied inside my mommy's tummy, so I understand. Once out, I understand it was just shy of three or so, according to family yore. Under the spotlights on the backyard hill. Remember those big, fat flakes coming out of the darkness and hitting my face as I tried to catch them on my tongue.

Come to think of it, life's been a journey to get back to catching snowflakes on my tongue....

Where did it all go wrong...... :wink:

 

[Sparky]

I couldn't get into skiing until I was in my mid 30s. i was donig the fun stuff, like dealing with a 100 year old house, little kids lack of funds, all the usuall reasons. I wish my family did ski so I could have started in my youth. Oh well.

 

[NHpowderhound]

13 years old for ole' NHPH at Moose Mountain, NH. I went with a youth group and two of the older kids said they would show me how to ski. They took me to the top, said "this is how you turn,bye!" and left me at the top fearing for my life! I bet I fell 100+ times by the time I was halfway down Mooses' 1000' vert. I took my skis off and swore to doG I would never ski again. It was a sport for people that liked pain.
But with about 250' left, I put my skis on, and was transformed into ((*NHPH*)). I never fell again for the rest of the day and was addicted. The following year I skied 30+ days and have been doing so for the last 23 years. OMG,am I getting old?
((*
*))NHPH

 

[SUGARBOWL]

Black Mountain

Black Mountain, I believe I was 8 or 9, circa 1974. Dad rented oldest bro. & myself ski's put us on lifts, waited all day at the bottom. Went once or twice a year for the next ten, then started dating my wife and we bought our own equipment and picked up the pace.

Went on our Honeymoon to Lake Tahoe in January 1990, during which what was called the worst snow drought in twenty years. Heavenly was ok. big difference from eastern skiing, but then ventured North one day, passed by Squaw which was mostly closed. Came upon an older, uncrowded, vast expanse of white at Donner Summit called the Sugarbowl.

That felt like my first time skiing all over again.

 

[tirolerpeter]

Skiing Age?

I started in 1949 at age three on a set of wooden boards with leather straps. I was born in and lived in a refugee camp in the Austrian a
Alps right after WWII. My cousin made the skiis for me and literally carried me up the the slopes from the base of the mountain where the camp was located. At age five we came to the USA and then I didn't get a chance to ski again until I was a teen. I have been skiing ever since and now just sort of suffer through the summers. Now that I am retired, I indulge myself in mid-week skiing and I am moving to Salt Lake City next spring or summer so that I don't have to travel more than 30 minutes to about seven great mountains!

 

[Lostone]

I first tried it at 17. A friend of the family wanted to go skiing and wanted to take a couple kids. They took me from our family and another from the school, but I didn't know him.

Back then you chose your ski length by reaching up and they gave you skis that reached the bottom of your fully extedned hand.

They had straps that tied to your ankles, so that if you fell down they followed behind and beat you up for having the audacity to obey the law of gravity.

They had J bars and T bars on the bunny slope, so I fell going up as much or more than going down.

I didn't get it.



Then, when I was 29, I got tired of hearing myself complain about whining about winter. I decided that I had to get into winter or get out of New England, as there was a real good chance that we would have winter every year. I decided to try cross country. That was'79. There was no snow in '79. :roll:

I hooked up woth a group from work. They were going to Mt Snow to go downhill. I went to do some cross country around there.

We got there early in the afternoon and were not able to check in until around 2. Everyone else wanted to get a half day ticket.

I figured I'd try downhill for the afternoon and go downhill the next two days. The next day, I decided to go downhill on Saturday and XC on Sunday. On Sunday, I decided to go XC in the morning and downhill in the afternoon.

I went back to Mass and bought a full set of downhill equipment.

:beer:

 

[snowsprite]

Re: Skiing Age?

Tirolerpeter, you had a really interesting start there. Amazing!

Sprite

 

[dmc]

Re: Skiing Age?

Tirolerpeter, you had a really interesting start there. Amazing!

Sprite

yeaj... that pretty much takes the cake...

 

[Vortex]

Ty I was talking about you as "that lady is a fanatic." About as much praise as I give out.