First Time Skiing Need some tips on top of lesson

[michaelper22 0]

I have a ski trip this Thursday with my school. We will be going to Camelback mountain in the Pocono mountains (in Pennsylvania), which I hear is a great mountain.I have never gone skiing before, so I could use some tips, before the trip. I have seen numerous packing lists online at many ski area web sites, so I am briefed with that knowledge already. I hope I have fun on the trip.

[tdktank59 0]

lol theres lots of stuff!1. dont feel like your being pressured by others...- theres this thing called a pizza put ur legs at the correct angles so your skis are close to touching at the from and apart behind... you will go slower... to go faster make your skis more parelle2. when they ask you wha type of skier say lvl 1 or beginer trust me here if you fall itll hurt more at a lvl 2 setting especialy when you dont know what you are doing.3.drink liquids the night before lots i mean you seriously dont want to get dehidrated on the slopes-in the morning have a really good breakfast and drink a glass or 2 of oj (orange juice) and more water!!!- gaterad is good one on the slopes4. its probably cold over there in pensilvania im in calli but heres a tip on clothing...- LAYERS!!!!!!!!!! i cant stress this more than that its a benifit to wear layers... if you get hot take one off... and so on visa versa the other way around lol... make sure you stay warm otherwise ur might as well be dehidrated as well5. WEAR SUNBLOCK!!!! and GOGLES/SUNGLASSES (if its snowing gogles...)trust me youll thank me later lol.. ur eyes wont be hurting like there was no tomarrow and your nose wont be pealing...6. have fun dont press yourself to do more than you can dogreen circles are nice and easyblue dimonds are harder and can have nasty bumps called mogles they cna hurt...black dimonds and up ha have fun... u will most likely be wanting off the mountian after these... they are hard for beginers7. get skis about your height (feet to nose is waht i normaly do) (around 160-170 cms for a 6ft tall person)8. get boots taht feel good but are still tight you really dont want your feet sliding around trust me here...9. wear 2 pairs of socks -1 tight thin-2 wool warm thick sockthe thin one will prevent the blisters from forming while the thick one is there for warmth!!!thats all i can think of atm have fun on the mountian

[michaelper22 0]

lol theres lots of stuff!
1. dont feel like your being pressured by others...
- theres this thing called a pizza put ur legs at the correct angles so your skis are close to touching at the from and apart behind... you will go slower... to go faster make your skis more parelle

2. when they ask you wha type of skier say lvl 1 or beginer trust me here if you fall itll hurt more at a lvl 2 setting especialy when you dont know what you are doing.

3.drink liquids the night before lots i mean you seriously dont want to get dehidrated on the slopes
-in the morning have a really good breakfast and drink a glass or 2 of oj (orange juice) and more water!!!
- gaterad is good one on the slopes

4. its probably cold over there in pensilvania im in calli but heres a tip on clothing...
- LAYERS!!!!!!!!!! i cant stress this more than that its a benifit to wear layers... if you get hot take one off... and so on visa versa the other way around lol... make sure you stay warm otherwise ur might as well be dehidrated as well

5. WEAR SUNBLOCK!!!! and GOGLES/SUNGLASSES (if its snowing gogles...)
trust me youll thank me later lol.. ur eyes wont be hurting like there was no tomarrow and your nose wont be pealing...

6. have fun dont press yourself to do more than you can do
green circles are nice and easy
blue dimonds are harder and can have nasty bumps called mogles they cna hurt...
black dimonds and up ha have fun... u will most likely be wanting off the mountian after these... they are hard for beginers

7. get skis about your height (feet to nose is waht i normaly do) (around 160-170 cms for a 6ft tall person)

8. get boots taht feel good but are still tight you really dont want your feet sliding around trust me here...

9. wear 2 pairs of socks
-1 tight thin
-2 wool warm thick sock

the thin one will prevent the blisters from forming while the thick one is there for warmth!!!

thats all i can think of atm have fun on the mountian

1. I've heard that before; also called plowing or something
2. Sure thing. But someone in my school said I shouldget level 2 on the bindings so I won't break out that much.
3. I will be sure to drink up. As far as breakfast goes, I can't really - we are leaving at 6:15 AM, and only stopping off in New Jersey for the morning prayers (we are a Yeshiva high school). Can water substitute?
4. I have ski pants, long underwear, and good sweatshirts, and a Lands' End Squall Parka - I think that's quite enough.
5. Good point on the sunblock. I have goggles, so I solved that problem.
6. I think I'll stay away from Marjie's Delight and Cliffhanger (one of Camelback's double dimond trails)
7. I don't know anything about this - I'll take what they give me.
8. Read about that too - comfort and control are the aims. It should be a firm handshake, with room to wiggle the toes.
9. I only have one, medium cushioned pair of socks. I'll make due.

Thanks for your help!
Edited March 20, 2006 by michaelper22 (see edit history)

[LocalSeer 0]

Since you have never went skiing before let me tell you the ^ also known as pizza is gonna be your life. With that you can go down any green circle slope barely inching forward if you choose(though it hurts your ankles if you do this for a while). Practice on the bunny hills first the inching forward and then slowly get some speed and make sure you can turn easily before you take your first hill. That will probobly take an hour and be the most demanding. It gets easier from there, once you go down your first hill you can take the ski lift instead of walking up(which is a major pain) and your boots are designed for moving so standing still in skis hurts. Skiing also depends on the snow conditions, so if its icy prepare to go faster then fluffy snow which is the best. Best luck.

[jlhaslip 4]

With regards to staying warm on the slopes, nothing can keep you as warm as a good Hat. What we refer to as a 'toque', preferrably wool, but many other options work well, too.Sun glasses or tinted goggles if it is sunny. Layers are a MUST DO. Wool next to the hide, just like the sheep wear it. (if you can stand the itching) Likewise, two thin pair of socks are good, too. And don't cross the tips of your ski's... that can be darned near fatal. In general, stay in control with regard to your speed, and keep flexible in your knees, especially on 'rough' terrain. Learn to 'snowplow' to stop. Otherwise, if you know how to Ice Skate, stopping is about the same method, sideways onto the edges.When it looks like you are going to crash, sit down on the back of your skis or try to fall backwards. It doesn't hurt as much as a face plant into a tree.Take some snacks and juices (or other suitable beverages) to consume throughout the day, because by the time you feel thirsty, you will already be dehydrated.Most of all, enjoy the day.

[apollo 0]

Yes, skiing is *cool* think. I remember i went skiing two years before first time. It was with my brothers class. Most of them knewed how to do that think... But I.. OMFG my but was blue and it hurt so much as after jail`s shower appointment:) Now i really like it, and every weekend i`m going skiing somewhere... Just one problem, there aren`t normal mountains in Latvia. Longest run is 450 meters. So every spring holidays i`m going to Finland or Sweeden skiing. That`s much better. This year i`m going to Salen, it must be Ok, but last year i was to himos [http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ all, don`t be scared and have fun. It will be ok... btw, are you going to snowboard or skiing? Snowboarding is much better and *cooler*

[tdktank59 0]

i would sujest getting some food itll help you alot!!!he water dosnt have protien and *BLEEP* that you will want!~!!!!

[elevenmil 0]

Take the advice from those who've posted above, but here is how I prepare for the slopes :huh:1. Take food and drink, put in a backpack.If you're low on cash, do this. Food and drinks are extremely expensive. I'm a skiier in PA, I go to Seven Springs. EVERYTHING you look at is overpriced.2. Overdress.It never hurts to wear more than what you need. If it's a warm day, which it's been frequent this winter in PA, don't overlook the fact that when it starts to get dark the winds will pick up and it will get cold.3. Goggles.Get ski goggles. Not only will they protect you from a blinding sun reflecting off of the snow, but it'll protect you from nature's elements and, if your resort has them, the snow makers.4. Practice on a local hill.If you have a small hill around your home, put on your ski's and give it a shot. You'll get the feel of things. Also try on your boots and walk around in them. Ski boots are weird and it makes you lean forward, you have to adjust. Walking up and down stairs as a newbie will lead to frustration .5. Start out slow on the hills.Go on some flat trails or bunny slopes. The ski resort should have a "training" area with a rope tow that you should practice on for a while. Then shoot down a mountain and see how you do, remember to use the plow method.6. DON'T BE AFRAIDThe most important thing to note is the fact that you can't be afraid on the hill. If you're going to fall, don't fight it, just fall! First of all, just falling will most likely prevent injury (if you fight it you may land awkwardly and injure yourself)Hope you have a good time on the slopes

[BuffaloHelp 24]

I've read some good advices form everyone. Looks like not only our forum community is well endowed with computer knowledge but outdoor activity as well :huh:Just a small additional suggestion I'd like to add is that you stretch well enough before and AFTER your skiing. I'm talking about deep stretches especially your legs, groin, back and arms. You will be facing with many positions you're not used to when you fall (and you will fall) or trying to stabilize yourself. And be prepared to fall a lot. It happens with every new outdoor activity that involves external equipments. When you feel that you're going to fall, just fall. And there's a technique to falling. You want to simulate rolling by using your back as a cushion. So start the rolling fall by leaning to your most controlled side (usually the right hand side) and bend your knees to get closer to the ground. Then initiate the roll. But keep in mind that your ankles are fixed. So don't do the full rotation with your back. Keep your legs as close to each other as possible when you are rolling. Ski instructors in the past told everyone to have your ski pole strap through your wrist. This is dangerous. If you happen to fall and the ski pole is still hanging by your wrist, a sudden jerk or pull may cause injury to your wrist. Do not use the pole strap if you can.And furthermore, bring fresh change of clothing just in case your ski outfit is wet. It does take some time to dry even with waterproof clothes. The last thing you need on the way back is to sit with wet behind.Have fun!

[shigajet 0]

Sounds like some pretty sound advice for a beginner. Does this apply to snowboarding as well? I've skiied before - though not for a long time, but I'd like to try snowboarding someday. Unlike skiing, which I can quickly re-master after a run or two, I heard that you'll much more often when you're learning to snowboard.

[michaelper22 0]

Wow! I had such a good time yesterday. It turned out that we got breakfast (bagels and cream cheese, donuts, orange juice), so I wasn't hungry when we got there. I was running a little late for the lesson (it started at 10:30, we got there at about 10:00). During the lesson itself, I was having trouble doing everything the guy was telling us. But later, another teacher came in to help us practice before we hit whatever trail. Since it was around 52 degrees outside, pretty much everything touching my skin got sweaty (but as I said it was quite warm out so I didn't start getting cold). I had a fit with the lockers; when I first went to get a locker, I put 25 cents into a small locker, not realizing that there were bigger ones (that cost one dollar, as opposed to 50 cents for the small one), so I ended up wasting that quarter. The locking ski racks were almost straightforward: You put the skis in the little square on the lower beam of the rack, and the lock is on a little door that holds the skis in place at the top, although getting the skis in so that you can lock the little door is a little hard.As far as skiing itself in concerned: I find skis (combined with boots) to be very heavy, so I couldn't really decide to take them off or not to get around the mountain (I ended up keeping them on most of the time). The hardest parts of skiing for me are walking on the flat ground, walking up small inclines (like in Camelback's base area), and controlling speed on anything other than the beginner slopes. Hopefully I'll be able to make it on a trail other than The Meadows (which has a rating of Novice, one green circle).

Edited March 20, 2006 by michaelper22 (see edit history)