What is your skiing history?

[XTski]

growing up just north of Albany 1st place was maple ski ridge to learn, then the years after got dropped off in Vermont to ski bye ourselves, no adults on the mountain to worrying about shit, just fun times the whole day snow, sun or rain, skied in all conditions

 

[riverc0il]

I grew up skiing with my family, I owe my involvement in the activity to my parents. We skied the local bump (Bradford, MA) occasionally and used school vacations/long weekends to ski bigger mountains.

I took part in a middle school ski program and raced on the high school ski team. I was not a good skier. I was "racing" on 204 straight skis when the other kids that were really racing had shaped race skis.

I took a few years off from skiing during my early college years then later joined the college race team my junior year. We were a club team going up against varsity programs; our team partied hard the way other teams trained hard. Still, I finally learned some solid technical fundamentals and acquired a decent pair of skis.

After graduating college, I could rip groomed trails pretty damn well but could not ski natural snow. I was envious of skiers that could ski bumps, so I started learning and skiing bumps and natural snow. That was around 2001 or so, around the time that I started posting trip reports online, onto what would eventually become my blog.

By 2004-2005, I was starting to master natural snow skiing. I was able to ski just about anything by that point and started to explore outside the boundaries and in the woods. I had a lot of breakthroughs at Cannon and Mittersill (back before it was part of Cannon). I got into earning turns with my first dedicated AT setup that season.

I moved north into the mountains in 2005, centering my lifestyle decisions around skiing and the outdoors. I became a bit of a powder snob after a few years as a Jay season pass holder. Recently, I have chased storms and played the field. But I can see myself returning to Jay next year.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

Growing up in the 70s in CNY during the long winters, either you were a skier or a hockey player. I was the latter and conventional wisdom was that only rich kids could afford to ski. My elementary school had a 125-vert hill right next to it with a rope tow and t-bar that I eventually skied 35 years later with my young son cheering me on.

I remember schoolmates back then going on ski-club visits to local hills Song, Toggenburg, Lab, or Greek and arguing about which was their favorite. I don't recall anyone talking about other areas in the region like Intermont or Ironwood Ridge. Lucky ones went to Gore or Whiteface; really lucky ones went to Killington, which was like going to Switzerland to us.

While living out west in the 80s and early 90s, I x-c skied and on rare occasions tried downhill with friends and family at places like Eldora, Keystone, and Copper in Colorado and Sandia Peak in Albuquerque. After moving back east, during a x-c trip to the Eastern Townships of Quebec in the winter of 2000, friends convinced me to ski at Mont Orford and I was hooked (in my mid-30s).

The next winter was 2000-01 (still the best EC season I've ever experienced) and the majority of my 17 days were deep pow. I went back to the Eastern Townships and also to Tremblant, Ascutney, Hunter, Belle, and two memorable March days at Whiteface including, on a dare, picking my way down Slide 1, which I had absolutely no business being on/luckily, it was buried in snow (I don't recall them requiring beacon/shovel/probe back then).

I loved going on western trips but the real revelation was going to the Alps for the first time in 2003 (hopefully, we'll be allowed to go back there next winter). I also quickly became a fan of off-the-beaten-path ski areas and loved checking out places like Mittersill and Bobcat.

 

[tirolski]

There are obviously some very, very, very good skiers on this board. I just read the TR on Tuckerman Ravine. .. there are some days that I just can't get my shit together on the bunny slope.

Did you grow up in a skiing family?
First one in family to get skis. Lace up boots and cubco bindings. Green rockets for skis but I can’t remember the brand. First time using em was night skiing at Song with a neighborhood friend who’s mother brought us. Had to bail out in a parking lot as turning and stopping were yet to be fully acquired skills.

Did you race?
Only racing ever performed were the ones to not be last one down as ya had to buy the first pitcher.

How did you learn to ski?
By skiing.
First lessons was a free one included in a M-F weekday pass at Gore for the 19-20 season. Friends have been known to share their wisdom though.

Rode Song’s Bunny Hill lift a few day’s at the end of this year when the snow was sticky to get elevation to make to the triple with some speed instead of having to slog it up hill. Does that count for getting shit together on the bunny slope?

Don’t count me in with the very to the third power good skier group, just sayin.

 

[Benny Profane]

I didnt ski until I was 34. My family didn't do it, and I couldn't afford it until then. I got a great job at that time, with, and this was very important, a three day week, at least one on the weekend, and tons of vacation and comp days because I worked holidays (magazine publishing). Fell in with some skiers who dragged me up to Killington for a five day learn to ski week, and I was hooked. Then they said, ok, you know how to ski, you're coming with us to Colorado in March. Then I was really hooked.
If I was a M-F, 9-5er, I doubt I would have been so gung ho. But, I'd probably have more money.

 

[Ripitz]

My family didn’t ski much when I was young. I do remember though, tromping around the farm on little wood skis with leather and bale string bindings.

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My first downhill runs were at Big Birch when my older sisters were in high school. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I did any skiing of consequence. Family friends had a ski house in Londonderry VT and we started doing trips there. I didn’t ski well so I was stuck with the parents. Eventually I got to ski with the boys who were very good. I learned to ski very fast to keep up as a result. I became hooked and skied as much as I could. In ‘92, I dropped out of college after only a month to ski bum. I started in North Conway and ended up doing 10+ seasons in Europe and out West. I can say beyond any doubt that ski house changed my life. Now I do laps with my wife and our Peanut on Deer Run at the Belle. I hope Peanut goes to college... in ski country of course!

 

[Harvey]

View attachment 9018

 

[jamesdeluxe]

Those look like skis for elves.

 

[Sick Bird Rider]

This is a great thread. Have to go grill some eggplant just now so will tell my story later.

 

[Johnny V.]

Just wanted to add to my original post that one of the guys who was part of our night ski gang at Bristol in the '80s was the father of well know blogger, contributor and member Robert!