March 28, 2007
Skiing
I went skiing for the first time yesterday at Squaw Valley in Tahoe. The conditions couldn't have been more perfect. There was a foot and a half of new snow on the ground, and it was snowing lightly (and sometimes heavily) through the day. I spent most of the morning doing the bunny four bunny slopes (see map). I did fairly well. I think the binding on my right ski was a little off and I lost that ski several times when I probably shouldn't have and that caused a bunch of falls.
I had forgotten my camera, so I went to the gift shop before lunch to get a disposable. As it turns out the gift shop was out. The guy behind the counter said that I could get one at the base of the mounday, and that an easy way to get down was to take the mountain run trail down. He said it was an easy blue route. Blue routes are the next step up from the bunny slopes (green routes).
I talked with Joe and Dan about it and said that I would go if they would come along. We all agreed and set off down the hill. It was probably a mistake for me to do it. The trail was three and a half miles and a lot steeper than any of the slopes I had been on before. I fell, and fell, and fell and fell. I found new ways to fall. I found loads of fresh powder to fall into. I feel into ice walls to avoid just crashing in the middle of the lane.
I even found a way to blow of both skis during a few crashes. This was a step up since as you get better and faster the crashes get less frequent, but more intense.
Did I enjoy it? Kinda. It was very tiring because I was completely engaged in the activity, so that required a lot of attention. And because of all of the falls, which sapped a lot of my energy in the recovery. What I can say is that I kept a fairly positive attitude throughout the day and that seemed to help a lot.
I will definitely hit the slopes again some time. But I'm in no big hurry to get back.
Posted by jherr at March 28, 2007 9:08 AM
YARD SALE!!!! Why didn't you take a lesson silly? Always good to take a lesson when you're starting skiing or haven't been in awhile. You'll learn about french fries and pizza skis! However, 3.5 miles is a long run no matter what the elevation. But it is a great work-out..used to love it when I lived there.
Group lessons, which were affordable, didn't run at times we could use. And private lessons were hellishly expensive. So the guys figured they would teach me and I picked it up fairly well.
I may have overstated it. On the bunny slopes I didn't fall down much at all. It was really on the last run, the 3.5 mile trek, that I just got pounded.