Seven Things I Learned About: Skiing!

Over the Christmas holiday I had the opportunity to travel to Keystone Resort in Colorado and learn how to ski for the very first time! Keystone was absolutely beautiful with the snow covered mountains surrounding the resort. I am so very thankful to the amazing people who taught me how to ski with incredible, unending patience.  I am still very much a beginner, but I hope the seven things I learned help some beginner skiers and bring a chuckle or smile to pro skiers.

1. Get gear that fits you properly and learn how to carry you skis and poles so that you will not knock anyone out while carrying them! I also highly recommend wearing a helmet!

2. Snow plow is your absolute best friend.  Remember that the wider the pizza shape you make with your skis, more power you will have for breaking. 

3. Snow-plowing down the entire mountain is quite the work-out and exhausting.  I had to snow-plow for several runs before I felt comfortable bringing my skis a little more together and going a bit faster! And oh goodness was I sore the next day!

4. Get the first fall over with!  After you fall once, you are less scared of falling again... which will definitely happen.  That being said, learn how to get back up by standing with you skis perpendicular to the mountain and lean into the mountain side, which will make standing up so much easier.  By the end of the trip I was a pro at standing back up after falling down (I had lots of opportunities to practice!)

5.  You have the right of way on the mountain when you are in front.  It is the responsibility of skiers and snow-boarders behind you to maneuver around you safely. 

6.  It's okay to take breaks! The schoolmarm trail was 3.5 miles long and when I was just starting out I needed quite a few breaks and that is okay! It is all about your experience, it is not a competition with the other skiers and snow-boarders.  Some of the best photos I took were when I needed a few seconds to rest my legs.

7. Don't let fear hold you back.  Overcoming your fears and anxiety can be an amazingly empowering experience.  The day I challenged my fears of going too fast, falling, or skiing right off the mountain, I had the most amazing time and I actually skied my best!  

I am looking forward to the next ski trip and hopefully my learning curve will be a bit quicker next time!

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