General Ski thread

[wtfNeedSignUp]

Hearing it's going to be a snowy season in Europe, I made a ski thread with the hope I'll manage to have a few trips this season. If anyone on the farms likes to ski I'm interested in what are your favorite places, what's the most fun thing you find about skiing and general interesting experiences you had.

To pad OP out, here are my overview on different skiing locations (mostly food):
* Europe: Generally good experience with the slopes in the Alps with the differences between different countries coming down primarily to pricing and food. Italy has the best food, Austria is serviceable, France is good if you like cheese, Switzerland is just too expensive. People are alright.
* USA: Fantastic both times I was there (once in a small town, the other time in Vail). Absolutely lovely people, great ski ranges who are a lot more open than Europe and the variety in food is great (clam chowder on a snowy mountain is amazing). It's not too costly but unless you live in the USA, the flight is most of the cost.
* Georgia (the country): Fun and cheap, not a lot to explore but a good place for beginners who don't want to commit to a full vacation and want a bit of a slavic experience. Terrible roads up the mountain though.

 

[Colloid]

I really prefer skiing on more fine powder snow up in the mountains instead of the slushy/icy runs you usually get at lower elevations. It feels like your pretty much flying plus it doesn't hurt as much wiping out on it compared to the latter.

 

[AnsemSoD1]

I can't ski without my training wheels!

 

[Rome's rightful successor]

Oh I'm a really good skier. Been skiing since I was three and my old man has been since he was two. But haven't done so since covid started and gained a few pounds since then so getting back in the swing of things will be a challenge.

 

[Your Girlfriend's Dad]

It's been pretty shit conditions up and down the east coast, but I've gotten about 4 good ski trips in so far totaling 5 days.

Gonna head up to Vermont to get back to Okemo on Saturday to catch first chair and stay the night for some morning runs on Sunday. Hit it at the end of November. There were only a few open runs but it was honestly not as bad as I was expecting. I've been getting used to day trips with 8-9 hours in the car and 5-6 hours on the mountain.

Going out to Utah at the end of January. Love skiing out west, but I'm a Northeast skier at heart. I'm just happy when I get snow under my feet so it's all a win

 

[Ughubughughughughughghlug]

I have an opportunity to learn skiing or snowboarding for real cheap, but I'm scared of the idea of having to ride the ski lift.

 

[Your Girlfriend's Dad]

I have an opportunity to learn skiing or snowboarding for real cheap, but I'm scared of the idea of having to ride the ski lift.

That's pretty much the easiest part. A chair just scoops you up, you close the bar.

@Rome's rightful successor Get any good runs in so far? I've got like 14 days on mountain and had a great trip out to Utah.

 

[Rome's rightful successor]

That's pretty much the easiest part. A chair just scoops you up, you close the bar.

@Rome's rightful successor Get any good runs in so far? I've got like 14 days on mountain and had a great trip out to Utah.

I skied locally only twice this year. The warm weather is making it kinds hard to get back into the swing of it.

 

[Stalphos Johnson]

It's been too warm this winter for me to do any local skiing. It's been in the 50s the past couple days. I'm hoping it gets cold enough for a good snow storm, otherwise I probably won't be able to get any done this year.

 

[Stan]

I love to ski, but it can be dangerous. I've had my share of falls and injuries directly attributable to skiing. As the old joke goes: skiers keep orthopedic surgeons in the black. My husband got his knee twisted badly in his learning period and he's so put off skiing that I hesitate to request it as an activity. So I haven't gone skiing in about two years. I also think the last two winters haven't been the kindest for conditions in the NE, which is where I would go. 55 degrees on Christmas Day is wack.

I've skied in the Alps, once, for two whole weeks of day to day skiing and beer, it was awesome. I also got pretty good at skiing. I've skied the Northeast, obviously. I started when I was 12 at a crappy shaved-ice mountain in Virginia somewhere, and my dad taught me the basics. I liked the lift rides over the mountain scenery so I was interested in going back to ski.

 

[Your Girlfriend's Dad]

Got my first day this season in Vermont next weekend. Their snowmaking should be cooking, it's been below freezing for weeks.

 

[Maori Kiwifruit Growers]

Anyone know any places where I can safe skis for a good price? they could be those garbage ones that ski resorts use. i just want to get on the slope for cheap.

 

[Your Girlfriend's Dad]

Anyone know any places where I can safe skis for a good price? they could be those garbage ones that ski resorts use. i just want to get on the slope for cheap.

I'd recommend renting. Don't buy used, the bindings are on an indemnity list that expires. Wait until off season to get a ski/binding combo for cheap. Don't skimp on boots. They will make or break your season

 

[Maori Kiwifruit Growers]

I'd recommend renting. Don't buy used, the bindings are on an indemnity list that expires. Wait until off season to get a ski/binding combo for cheap. Don't skimp on boots. They will make or break your season

Is "rent to own" a good idea when it comes to skis?

 

[Your Girlfriend's Dad]

Is "rent to own" a good idea when it comes to skis?

I haven't really seen a lot of options for that. I usually rented at the mountain shops. They'd let you pay 10 bucks extra to demo out a new model. Try black crows, they're pretty awesome. I recommend an all-mountain/all-terrain. They will let you ski anywhere and generally you're not sacrificing much specific performance.

Edit: Skis, by their nature, take a beating. I never recommend used.

I actually have a pretty cheap pair of Nordicas. They were like 450 with brand new bindings off season. I figured I'd like them but not love them and they'd hold me over until I had enough money for a high end pair of crows or fischers, but I fell in love with them. They're very light, which works for my goofy skiing style. I like hockey stops and throwing my skis all over the place.

My boots on the other hand were high end. Rossignols that I got for 600 at like 100 bucks off. They were the first pair of boots i bought in over a decade and I was amazed by how much better boots have gotten. They're comfortable, which was a foreign concept to anyone that skied 20 years ago. Boots sucked, you just dealt with it. That's not necessarily the case these days.

 

[code123]

Anyone know any places where I can safe skis for a good price? they could be those garbage ones that ski resorts use. i just want to get on the slope for cheap.

i always got good deals on ski stuff online buying last years old stock a bit before season started, but that's more like buying 1000$skis for 300$ so hard to call them cheep.

if you are only going for a few days its probably cheaper to rent but get the demos. i always hatted how floppy the cheep rental skis where, i like something a bit stiffer, always scared the shit out of me when i was flying down a slope and the skis where just vibrating like hell.

if you get your own i would think about the weight alot, mine weigh too much and i always wish i went with a lighter binding and ski, as sometimes you have to carry them forever to get to the mountain where i ski, and if you wanted to hit any trails that required you to hike up a bit.

i would go to a place that sells boots and make sure they fit you good, a boot that does not fit just right can make the day suck.

 

[Maori Kiwifruit Growers]

i always got good deals on ski stuff online buying last years old stock a bit before season started, but that's more like buying 1000$skis for 300$ so hard to call them cheep.

if you are only going for a few days its probably cheaper to rent but get the demos. i always hatted how floppy the cheep rental skis where, i like something a bit stiffer, always scared the shit out of me when i was flying down a slope and the skis where just vibrating like hell.

if you get your own i would think about the weight alot, mine weigh too much and i always wish i went with a lighter binding and ski, as sometimes you have to carry them forever to get to the mountain where i ski, and if you wanted to hit any trails that required you to hike up a bit.

i would go to a place that sells boots and make sure they fit you good, a boot that does not fit just right can make the day suck.

can you buy the demos?

 

[code123]

can you buy the demos?

i would never buy a rental ski, you might buy used but ski's get abused, especially rental skis. but yea they probably sell them, but i would imagine its at the end of the year.

not sure where you ski but most of my experience was when i was a bum sleeping on peoples couches in Breckenridge skiing 30+ days a year. alot of the used stuff depends on where your at.
in breck it was all abused to death.

dam this is making me want to go skiing at some point lol, season passes got so expensive and i don't think i have a couch in summit county to crash on anymore.

 

[Your Girlfriend's Dad]

i would never buy a rental ski, you might buy used but ski's get abused, especially rental skis. but yea they probably sell them, but i would imagine its at the end of the year.

not sure where you ski but most of my experience was when i was a bum sleeping on peoples couches in Breckenridge skiing 30+ days a year. alot of the used stuff depends on where your at.
in breck it was all abused to death.

dam this is making me want to go skiing at some point lol, season passes got so expensive and i don't think i have a couch in summit county to crash on anymore.

You sound like we would get along. Breck rocks. I'm def an east coast guy that tries to get out west like once a year.

I bought an epic pass for my brother and myself by working an impossible amount of OT. Like 860 a pop. I try to spend at least 20+ days a year on the mountain.

@Maori Kiwifruit Growers I strongly recommend against buying the demos themselves. Demos are great for you to rent the brand new models. Take notes on the one you like, then buy them next summer when they're old stock and cheaper. Same skis, unused, and you got to try them first.

Renting is very cheap.

 

[code123]

You sound like we would get along. Breck rocks. I'm def an east coast guy that tries to get out west like once a year.

I bought an epic pass for my brother and myself by working an impossible amount of OT. Like 860 a pop. I try to spend at least 20+ days a year on the mountain.

yea i bet so.
i had a great time when i was younger, the best thing you can do in these mountain towns is to befriend the local wage slaves.
i would roll up to one of the on mountain restaurants where i knew a few guys working right when they switched from breakfast to lunch, and they would just hook me up with a bunch of food they where throwing away, and get me a drink from the bar, all for free. good times man.

now i cant get away from work long enough to make it out there, and even if i did work does not stop and its just hell catching up when i get back, i used to just quit my job for a few months and just get hired back, but after a few promotions its just not worth it anymore. and season passes got pricy and a basin left the epic pass, and everything is just so crowded, i miss beeing able to ski breck middle of the week and go to keystone or a basin on the weekends with no lines.