For you Neil

kristine25 · Jan 18, 2008

I should tell you the snow was wet and heavy or slick and icy or that it poured down rain and the wind was blowing at 25mph. But it was a perfect day for skiing. Sunny, fresh snow 2 days ago and 27 degrees. I was up at Snoqualmie Pass, a large but not so great ski place in the Cascade Mountain Range about an hour from Seattle. Runs are pretty short but at only 30 minutes from my house, it works best for us right now. 
I was actually thinking about you today and wishing I could have a lesson from you. I suck at skiing. Been doing it for almost 20 years and can't seem to master a blue run. I can FLY down a green run though and have a total blast but I keep totally lifting up my skiis on my turns when it gets steep. Drives me crazy!!!! 
Anyways, I"m in the purple coat and after a 4 year abscense, I was very happy to be on the slopes again! <img alt="" src="http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n312/kristineklo/January17th2008009.jpg" style="border:0px solid;"> <img alt="" src="http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n312/kristineklo/January17th2008008.jpg" style="border:0px solid;"> <img alt="" src="http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n312/kristineklo/January17th2008005.jpg" style="border:0px solid;">

neil donnelly · Jan 18, 2008

Now I have gone beyond Jelousy and am no longer even going to acknowledge your exsistance 
N

neil donnelly · Jan 18, 2008

Must Resist posting about Skiing

neil donnelly · Jan 18, 2008

Cant help myself - The lure of the powder is too strong

neil donnelly · Jan 18, 2008

Hello My name is Neil 
And I am a Ski-aholic

neil donnelly · Jan 18, 2008

Kristine 
Wonderful pictures the snow looks incredible 
Are your skis your own or do you hire - If you hire try out a pair of top end Carving Skis - they feel a bit strange at 1st especially if you have only skiied on Straights but they will really help on the turns especially on the steeper stuff. 
Another piece of advice is have a couple of lessons - although I have been skiing for years and I am pretty comfortable skiing any terrain or colour I still will have some lessons every year - even if it is just to push myself a little harder 
The person below you on the slopes has nice form that what you want to be aiming towards- Although it looks to me as if he /she was taught in Europe - The europeans especilly the French teach you to Ski with the skiis almost touching all the time - In the IS and Canada it is taught to ski slightly wider apart - Having been taught in both USA/Can and Europe I sort of fall between the 2 and it really depends on conditions 
I love the picture back up the mountain It looks as if the slope to the left of the chair lift is either unpisted or covered in Moguls -- I love those bumps 
Thansk for the post Kristine and keep up the Skiing - It is a Multisport after all 
( Although My coach is worried about me skiing at the end of March in case I injure myself before Germany - But as I keep telling him I am a much better Skier than Triathlete and if I had to give one of the sports up Triathlon would lose- But that wont happen ) 
Neil

valleysuper · Jan 18, 2008

I am off next week for some skiing in the Northeast. Mt Snow on Wed and Sunday River on Thurs. I am so excited. I still have some of the oldest gear on earth but I love it. The last time we went someone asked about Parabolic skiis and I had no clue what they were talking about. 
I do just fine with my old Elans' and just love being out there. I think I am going to start the kids next year so that everyone can go eventually. They will be 5 and 3 so its' time. 
I can't wait.

kristine25 · Jan 18, 2008

Neil; 
The run to the left of the chair is covered in moguls. They have two of those hills up there. Won't catch me going down that. 
I have my own skiis I bought used about 10 years ago. They are a pair of K2's and they were made when they very first started shortening and shaping the skiis. I went with DH and my best friend and she has a awesome pair of carving skiis. After lunch we switched so I could try them out. I loved them on the green runs. Where I feel confident and fast and don't lift my ski when I am turning. Right turns, I lift the right ski, left turns, the left. Anyways on the blue runs where my turns actually involve plowing and lifting (bad form, you would cringe if you saw it!!) the carved skiis were sooooo freaking heavy. I made it once down the blue run (I had done about 6-7 before lunch) and I was done. My legs were on fire!!! I do need a lesson. We are going to get our kids in lessons next year. My youngest will be 4 and that is the minimum age up there so I'll take a lesson then. We are only a short 4 hour drive from Whislter BC and love it up there. Would love to go skiing with my kids there! 
It will be your turn before you know it!!!

kristine25 · Jan 18, 2008

You gotta tell me how your kids do. Mine are 5 and 3 too. I think the 3 year old (girl) would LOVE it. My 5 year old (girl too) is pretty girly and while playing soccer last year, ran away from the ball everytime it got close to her. Not sure how she would handle skiing but we want to give it a try. 
My best friend who I went skiing with has lived her whole life here in the Pacific Northwest but has been in Maryland for the last 4 years. Her husband is in the Navy. He is in Afghanastan right now so she came home for the next 7 months. She hates east coast skiing. Says there is nothing like good old Northwest Snow! 
Have fun!

LeftRightRepeat · Jan 18, 2008

You lack confidence so you're over-weighting the downhill ski to make sure to sink that edge. Ideally, you'd be more balanced between the skis so that you can use the "inside" edges of both skis and double your turning "power". You're pretty normal. <img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif"> 
I gotta agree with Neil - a lesson or two would probably really pay off for you. 
On the subject of kids, both my boys have been skiing since they were 3 or 4 (now 11 and just about 13). Both can now tackle anything on the mountain and are starting to loose their parents. We lost mom on the steep slopes a year or two ago. I can still hang with them "on piste" but when they suck me into the trees or moguls, their young spring-like legs leave me behind and I look for the shortcuts to catch back up. My oldest skis once a week with an after school group - I'm jealous!!

valleysuper · Jan 18, 2008

Kristine, 
I too have two daughters and in talking to people I think I am going to take them to the Mtn and get them lessons. A few solid lessons like Neil posted every once in awhile should speed up the learning curve. I am lucky in that I live right next to the smallest skiing mountain in the country, Yawgoo Valley. I can get a season pass for like $100 and bring my kids every week, and turn them loose. 
My dad used to go to Utah every year for 10 days and he said the same about the west. We have good skiing but it is not the same as out there.

mommelisa · Jan 19, 2008

hey, kristine!! 
we started our kids about five years ago and you can't imagine how fast they pick it up. we wanted them to ski first and then my son started snowboarding last year. we did a quick couple of days at snow bowl a few weekends ago and he was coming down all the blues and one black on that thing - scared me to death. 
even though your daughter is girly (frankie was the same - except she was sitting in the middle of the soccer field playing with her hair) i think there's something about skiing that is so effortless for children, they pick it up so quickly. plus they're so much closer to the ground and less afraid to get hurt like us! 
i'm taking neil's advice this year and getting lessons. i'm like you - great on the green - but my problem is that i start to overthink everything else!!

Cashmason · Jan 19, 2008

Kristine, the new ski's help you turn so much better. I have 10 year old ski's and they don't come close. 
The ski's in the last couple of years make turning so much easier. Rent a pair for the day and try them.

neil donnelly · Jan 19, 2008

Kristine - get to Whistler - It is one of my favorite places to ski in the world ( I am biased as thats where I learnt to ski ) 
I also agree with the above sentiments that the East Coast resorts are OK but not a patch on the West coast and Rockies 
Although I still rate Cortina in the Italian Dolomites as they best Ski Area in the world - I have yet to try Japan or New Zealand but they are both on my to do list 
N

RunningForT3 · Jan 19, 2008

Neil, so you've been to Cortina? I heard its very over-rated, not great as a ski mountain, but more as a trendy resort.

LeftRightRepeat · Jan 19, 2008

The biggest problem is that when we Easterners go west, we have to look for ice patches to turn on 'cuz there's all that soft snow all over the slopes and we don't know what to do with it!!

neil donnelly · Jan 19, 2008

When I say Cortina I suppose I should clarify - I love the entire region of the dolomites - Cortina is the most famous town in the region - Yes it is a very Chic and expensive resort but the skiing both at Cortina and slightly further afield is excellent - The area Superski Pass gives access to over 1200km of pisted runs - My personal favorite is the Laguzoi just outside cortina - 
And the World cup downhill run at Val Gardena 
N

For you Neil

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