What was the first mountain you ever skied?

[Greg]

For me, it was Mount Southington in Connecticut when I was a junior in college (must've been 20). My roommate throughout college asked me a bunch of times to go skiing. I never thought much about it, but one snowy morning I woke up and said, "let's go skiing". So off we went. I knew I was hooked when I took a full speed wipeout down one of the main blue trails. He also sent me down one of the black diamonds there. Granted the blacks at Southington are pretty tame, but it seemed like a cliff at the time. I distinctly remember looking back up that run and feeling a great sense of accomplishment.

I think we skied at Southington one more time that season and that summer we both bought the same set of cheezy Elan skis. That next season saw us heading up to Snow and Haystack regularly. I still ski with him as often as possible.

 

[IndyJones]

Perfect North. Still the only mountain I've skiied. That is until Febuary.

 

[Joshua]

Wawa...pretty much the same story as Greg...except I was a first year law student. Took a nice nose dive into a lift pole and said to myself, well the only way for that not to happen again is not to fall. My friend aslo through me down a few blacks at wawa...it was a great way to learn.

 

[riverc0il]

that's really cool you guys learned so late in life, had what could be considered bad experiences, but still loved the sport and went with it!! i think if you don't get most people on skis before high school, they have a much harder time picking it up.

bradford was my first ski area around 3-4 years of age. then family trips to gunstock as i got a little older. i had some bad first experiences, but had my family there in which everyone skied to push me along and keep going.

 

[Joshua]

I wish I had learned ealier...but trying to make up for lost time. Most people have a hard time believing I got so good at skiing so late in life.

 

[Greg]

I wish I had learned ealier...but trying to make up for lost time. Most people have a hard time believing I got so good at skiing so late in life.

Likewise. That added level of fear as an adult is what intrigued me so much. As you progress, that fear subsides, but skiing still excites me as I improve on the bumps, etc. Probably the only thing I'll never be able to do well is jump/tricks. That's something you probably need to learn at a younger age when the fear factor is not there. I still struggle hitting jumps of substantial size in terrain parks, etc. I could pull off a spread or half-assed daffy, but I never seem to get enough lift to really trick well. I'm still too chicken to hit those at speed.

I am determined to get my daughter on skis young. She'll be one this winter, so maybe in a year or two.

 

[Joshua]

i am determined to work on my tricks in the park this year....i have no problem getting air on jumps on the runs...parks are different...moguls just take practice I keep telling myself..but maybe it is an age thing.

 

[jlangdale]

My First

7 years old, I'm dropped off by my father with rental skis, a ski ticket, and like $50 bucks in my pocket at the base Heavenly, Tahoe. My father goes to gamble or something and I learned to ski on a decent blue by myself.

23 years later, I'm not sure I'm all that much more improved or mature for that matter.

 

[Joshua]

im not sure if that is sad, funny, or a combo of both...must have been nice to learn out west though

 

[wavracr]

i was about 6, it was 1977. My father had been a skier for a while and decided to intruduce me to skiing. My rentals had straps, not ski brakes. They were hacked. I was pretty serious into skiing until around 23-24 then it became difficult to afford lift ticket, places to stay and equipment. Last year I started again. I bought used 2yr old equipment this year and am looking forward to skiing alot this year.

 

[teachski]

5 years old, actually on my 5th birthday..old wooden skis with screwed on edges and beartrap bindings (no runaway straps), leather boots and loads of heavy, thick gloves for the hemp tow at Pine Ridge in Barre, MA. Not really a mountain, but a nice little family bump!

 

[Joshua B]

3 years old, probably at Springfield Ski Club in Blandford, MA. But it wasn't until the next year at Hogback in Vermont that I started to enjoy it and progress.

 

[ChileMass]

1st "Mountain"

My home ski area in western Maine was Titcomb Hill in Farmington which had a lot going on for its mighty 340' of vertical. I probably skied there for the first time when I was about 8. The season was long, a family season pass was cheap, lessons were always available from dedicated instructors, and the racing teams were fantastic. A great place to learn to ski!!

 

[Greg]

^Bump^

Great discussion for the warm summer months. Continue...

 

[RISkier]

Wish I'd started as a young one, but Gunstock at age 49.

 

[thetrailboss]

Burke at the age of 9 years old. I had a hard time crunching into the boots and then snapping into the bindings(!). I wished that I had been younger.

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

Crotched Mountain in Francestown NH.

 

[jimme]

I'm pretty sure it was Darrow's Farm Tow (NELSAP). I think I was around 5 at the time. My Aunt gave us some old wooden skis and my Dad would take us there on weekends. He'd wait in the warming shack while we skied. A few years later my Aunt got my Dad to try it and he got hooked, big time!

Jimme

 

[GadgetRick]

Jack Frost

I skied at Jack Frost in the Poconos my first time. I was about 25 and had wanted to ski for a long time but never had anyone to go with. I was in sales (still am) and my branch won a contest so we got a bunch of money to do something. We used the money to take a day and go skiing.

I bought my first boots the next week.

The Rickster

 

[Buckeye Skier 1330]

Mad River mountain OH, a 300 foot hill. This year I'm hoping to make it to Mad River Glen VT, a little bit bigger "hill". :lol: