Have you learned anything about yourself on a recent ski trip?

I came back from ADH last week and felt a little enlightened after another fantastic week away skiing. I am lucky enough, by choice, to ski at least twice a season, sometimes 3 times, and this has definitely improved confidence and ability in recent years. However, I had one of those deep and meaningful moments up the mountain last Saturday, and started thinking about what I had learned about myself as a skier. Heres what I came up with, anyone else got any of their own?

- I am happy and bright in the mornings when I am skiing, always quick and early to rise
- I could live in the mountains in a ski area
- I am a better skier than I thought I was
- I am now skiing much faster than before, my wife told me off for this
- I find myself practising things without thinking to improve my skiing all the time
- I love sharing the experience with other people, mainly Mrs H but also with other friends
- I cannot drink anywhere near as much as I used to be able to, and don't feel the need to anymore
- I don't sweat now when I am skiing, compared to how much I used to
- I have managed to build a relationship with my skis. I love them and they seem to love me back
- I know a lot more about skiing generally than I realised, mainly due to information gathered on this website I imagine!
- I am able to wear appropriate clothing for the day just by stepping out onto the balcony in the morning
- I think about skiing every single day, even in the summer time
- I start looking for the more challenging runs to get off a mountain, reds not blues for example
- I don't stop as much as I used to. Fitness? Doubt it, so technique must have stepped up a level
- I find myself gazing mystically at the snow in the distance when up a mountain
- I never want to give this up

Jeez tony how do we add to that. I guess you have answered it for us all..... 1 thing I'll ad is I never get bored of looking at the snow as it glistens in the sun when your on a lift.... The diamond effect. Amazing... Oh and I much rather give up a summer holiday To get away skiing....

crispyapplepie wrote:Jeez tony how do we add to that. I guess you have answered it for us all..... 1 thing I'll ad is I never get bored of looking at the snow as it glistens in the sun when your on a lift.... The diamond effect. Amazing... Oh and I much rather give up a summer holiday To get away skiing....

I also love it when you get that kind of glitter effect in the air. Ice particles or droplets glistening in the sun. Magical.

I know that I am very very lucky to be able to afford to go on two skiing trips per annum. I do not take it for granted at all...

I just wish I'd got the bug when I was younger (but of course had no money!!)

Does anyone else feel slightly "odd" when you are heading down the final piste on the last skiing day of a holiday? I do....

bedrock barney wrote:I know that I am very very lucky to be able to afford to go on two skiing trips per annum. I do not take it for granted at all...

I just wish I'd got the bug when I was younger (but of course had no money!!)

Does anyone else feel slightly "odd" when you are heading down the final piste on the last skiing day of a holiday? I do....

Sad, not odd. But I kind of know what you mean.

I also strangely always get to the top of the first lift on the first day and wonder if I will remember how to do it.

Tony_H wrote:
I also strangely always get to the top of the first lift on the first day and wonder if I will remember how to do it.

Completely with you on this one Tony.
I have been skiing regularly for over 30 years and yet ........
Top of the first lift and the question arrives - unbidden, unwanted and a total puzzler.
Ermmmmmmm .....
How do I do this?

Tried to explain it to my son - he laughed.
Told some others while skiing last month. One out of four admitted to the same feeling.

This last hol I went up the nursery poma a couple of times before going off with the MW guide - just in case !!!

It is the mountains a glorious place to be in winter and summer .......

The kids did it for me this year. Their first ski trip. And it suddenly came home how much we're programmed to protect them but then at some points you just need to let them do it on their own.

There were mixed feelings of utter terror (real pounding heart) as they were skiing a narrow track alongside a 50ft cliff with no fencing, one slip and they are gone. But utter pride as I could witness their transformation during the week.