WHERE is the best place to ski if you don't drive

[AngryHugo]

 

Also a good thing to note is the sausage affect of tight clothes.

 

 

so this is why sexkitten always comes to see us on Gaper Day

 

heyyy-oooo!

[Glenn]

I've taught 2 girlfriends how to snowboard and several other friends. I've had good luck but I'm heavy on the patience and the positive reinforcement.

 

I've also taught my current girlfriend how to whitewater kayak, which is about WAY more likely to blow up in your face. Again, I had good luck, and she has progressed faster than anyone I know. That being said, I'm pretty hands off with the teaching now, it's just us floating down the river together.

 

All that being said, I don't think I have the patience to teach anyone I'm close with how to snowboard anymore. I'm also not patient enough to teach anyone from scratch to class IV whitewater anymore. It's just too much time not doing to the stuff I want.

 

I'm happy to spend a day with someone showing them tips, or how to improve, but the SO scenario is a long term time investment.

[Robert2]

wow no crashes...hmmmm that doesn't sound too fun

 

I'm in it for the long haul. A daily fitness program.

One crash and the whole season is screwed.

Two years ago I got an arm full of stitches from a long board skateboard fall.

I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time for that accident.

It took two months for that wound to heal.

So I sort of try to do things without the crashing now.

[nick malozzi]

I've also taught my current girlfriend how to whitewater kayak, which is about WAY more likely to blow up in your face. Again, I had good luck, and she has progressed faster than anyone I know. That being said, I'm pretty hands off with the teaching now, it's just us floating down the river together.

That being said, she is a pretty committed person when she wants to learn something. I can't say that all significant others would put forth as much effort as her. She pretty much killed it this season.

 

I think my bad luck with teaching an x to snowboard was more about her lack of effort. I think where a cheap easy access lesson is available (ie: snowboarding is way cheaper and easier to find then kayaking) I'd recommend that as a first step. That way if the significant other struggles because they straight up don't like it... they blame it on the lesson and not you. When they come to you again asking to go ride, then you know they actually like it and will prolly put out decent effort. The patience needs to come from both sides. The teacher needs to be patient about the lessons, and the student needs to understand they aren't going to become the teacher over night.

 

I'm currently having good luck with my current GF in the climbing arena, but that is because she has a natural ability with it and enjoys it. I don't think I'm anywhere ready to teach her to kayak yet though... despite how frequently she talks about wanting to.

[Robert2]

You can get to Rutland via Amtrak and Killington has free shuttles from there. I don't think a lot of people other than visiting Europeans take advantage of it because you can get to Rutland a lot faster by car than by Amtrak. I would set it up with wherever you are staying so that they are expecting you. Once you get to Killington you can get everywhere on their free shuttle buses.

 

Looks like good way to go.

BUT

I can't find any OPENING DATES on any VT websites.

How's a person supposed to plan a winter trip in advance if the ski resorts don't post

opening dates?

[nick malozzi]

I can't find any OPENING DATES on any VT websites.

How's a person supposed to plan a winter trip in advance if the ski resorts don't post

opening dates?

It's easy to plan a WINTER trip. However, in most of the US you're planning a Fall trip.

[AtomicSkier]

Looks like good way to go.

BUT

I can't find any OPENING DATES on any VT websites.

How's a person supposed to plan a winter trip in advance if the ski resorts don't post

opening dates?

 

 

Because in most cases, you'll find out the day before, maybe two. The places on the east coast who open first are pushing the hardest, thus, its a last minute decision. Last year we didn't know until Friday night/saturday morning that Killington was opening on Sunday.

[Robert2]

Because in most cases, you'll find out the day before, maybe two. The places on the east coast who open first are pushing the hardest, thus, its a last minute decision. Last year we didn't know until Friday night/saturday morning that Killington was opening on Sunday.

I see that to be standard operating procedure for small places like JF and BB where it only takes a handful of people to do daily operations,rentals,food service, a few lifts etc....

but I would think the bigger resorts in VT would have a better grip on the start date.

 

What was the VT start date last year ..that Sunday?

How much later did Blue open?

BB opened a week or two before JF did last year.

If I can't go to VT much earlier than I get daily BB riding I won't be bothering with VT.

[AtomicSkier]

I see that to be standard operating procedure for small places like JF and BB where it only takes a handful of people to do daily operations,rentals,food service, a few lifts etc....

but I would think the bigger resorts in VT would have a better grip on the start date.

 

What was the VT start date last year ..that Sunday?

How much later did Blue open?

BB opened a week or two before JF did last year.

If I can't go to VT much earlier than I get daily BB riding I won't be bothering with VT.

 

No VT resort has any idea when they're opening until the day they do. Just as it is in PA. The only reason why the "big" western resorts have set opening dates isn't because of snow, but when they're allowed to operate as lots of areas are leased from the national forest service (I believe). If a short notice trip to VT isn't doable for you, then I'd hang for a week or two for BB.

[CaptDave]

Does anyone actually know of any ski resorts out west that groom like JFBB does or

am I only going to find a "new" experience going out west and finding nothing but ungroomed

natural surfaces?

 

Heavenly

 

and they have pretty frequent shuttle buses from Reno airport down to South Lake. I don't think it would be worth the trip early season though. Snow and weather too unpredictable.

[phillycore]

I skied like total shit in K-ton on that trip, but it was mad fun hanging with my homies Doug and Jeff... Definitely something I'd like to do again this year if we can all make it work... It will always be a last minute decision with anything like that though.

 

Hope it ends up being a Saturday or Friday opening though... that trip for one ski day kinda sucked bawlz..

[AtomicSkier]

. that trip for one ski day kinda sucked bawlz..

 

but so worth it!

 

ya...im hoping for a saturday opening as well.

[trackbiker]

Robert2, You missed the whole point. You may be the best, most patient ski instructor in the world. And teaching the wife to snowboard may work out. Like Glenn and nick malozzi pointed out, there are a lot of variables. Does she really want to learn or does she just want do it because you do? Or is she just too insecure to say, "Go ahead and have a good time. I'm not into it." (It doesn't matter what she says about why she wants to learn. What's the truth?)

A wise old man once told me, " The best barber in the world doesn't cut his own hair and the best golfer in the world doesn't teach his wife how to golf. They hire professionals. Why would you try to do it yourself?" Find a good instructor from recommendations, referrals, etc. and the money will be well spent. She'll be with peers and won't be pushing herself to "catch up" with you. She'll feel good about her progress. It takes time to aquire the skills. If you teach her, are you willing to have her glued to you for several seasons until she catches up?

I sent both of my kids to ski lessons. They had fun learning with their peers and moving up.

[Robert2]

Robert2, You missed the whole point.

Yea I guess I must have missed the point.

I said my wife wants to learn to snowboard this year and all of the sudden everyone has some kind of teaching advice for me.... as if they actually had as many hours on snow teaching newbies, and relatives, as I do.

 

Thanks for the input guys ....really.

It may be helpful for the weekend warriors with the girl friends but all this advice has little bearing on me teaching my wife.

We've been married 28 years and have grandchildren so if you really think

spouses can't communicate you need a few more years to catch up with me.

[JFskiDan]

i tired teaching an x of mine to ride... wasn't worth it at all. just complained the entire time and then gave me the cold shoulder in bed that night. pay for a lesson, your sex life will thank you.

 

 

yep, tried that...didnt go so well. her words to me were, "YOU need to find a way for me to get the fuck off of this mountain. she was the ultimate handbrake.

[Robert2]

yep, tried that...didnt go so well. her words to me were, "YOU need to find a way for me to get the fuck off of this mountain. she was the ultimate handbrake.

See what I'm talking about?!!!

She was not ready to be on that mountain yet.

If you started her off on carpet at home then perhaps she would have had a chance

instead of being very uncomfortable out of control on slippery snow.

So whats the worst thing that can happen on carpet?

You wind up playing twister with her and she gets rug burned?

 

Anyone ever seen a FUSION scooter?

Its got large outboard wheels and a T handle bar.

It rides just like a snowboard.

You can teach a newbie what a toe sided and a heel sided turn means

on that scooter and then link turns.... on flat blacktop.. not hills.

Its nothing like riding a skateboard.

If your newbie can link turns with a FUSION scooter then your newbie will have

a better chance on the snow.

Just another way to prepare todays XBOX generation some balance without a joystick

button game controller.

Nintendo Wii Fit is nice for balance training too but leave them in the old age home and GET OUTSIDE for exercise.

[method9455]

Practice on carpet the basic moves to roll over and get up.

If your newbie can't do a single push up then your newbie isn't going to get up on the snowboard

either.

 

That is a really good tip. In my experience the most frustrating thing with a lot girls/women is that when they fall down they can't push themselves back up from both directions or can't make the flip to get to the easier direction for them, where as most guys can just do the push up either way. And you get cold quickly when floundering on the snow and that saps your strength even more.

[JFskiDan]

See what I'm talking about?!!!

She was not ready to be on that mountain yet.

 

there were a few other factors working against her skiing that day:

 

1 - i cant teach. dont know what i was thinking.

2 - it was cold and windy out.

3 - she had to wear a hat, and that was "destroying" her hair.

 

if she didnt have to wear a hat, i think she may have been ok.

[trackbiker]

there were a few other factors working against her skiing that day:

 

3 - she had to wear a hat, and that was "destroying" her hair.

 

if she didnt have to wear a hat, i think she may have been ok.

Let me be the first to tell you, just in case this post wasn't supposed to be sarcasm.....It wasn't about the hat.

Sounds like the kind of girl who would be very happy sitting at the bar in the lodge at Stratton dressed in a very expensive Bogner ski suit. Don't fight it. The Bogner suit and drinks are worth it if you can ski all day and the apres ski is good.

[JFskiDan]

Let me be the first to tell you, just in case this post wasn't supposed to be sarcasm.....It wasn't about the hat.

Sounds like the kind of girl who would be very happy sitting at the bar in the lodge at Stratton dressed in a very expensive Bogner ski suit. Don't fight it. The Bogner suit and drinks are worth it if you can ski all day and the apres ski is good.

 

you are 100% correct. it just took me a little while to figure that out.

[DiMe]

On 9/25/2009 at 11:35 AM, Robert2 said:

I'm not your average kid falling down the mountain.

I've had more than 5,000 rides down the hills at JF and BB in everything from boilerplate ice to

fresh powder without one crash.

 

I was a snowboard instructor for 5 years.

I've taught more than 1,000 people all ages from 10 to 55 years old how to snowboard.

I don't teach any half pipe or rail tricks, just how to stop and turn and ride.

You don't have to be a Burton sponsored mutant ginger jumping off cliffs to

make a shitload of money in snowboarding.

ALL beginners need lessons and way back when I was an instructor we got tipped

for giving lessons and no injuries.

I made more in tips every day than the hourly wage paid by BB.

 

I think what is boils down to is the weekend warrior who pays $50 for a lift ticket and

waits in weekend lift lines is going to be a little pissed off right out of the gate

and suck at teaching if his SO is keeping him from getting any real snow slide time just to teach a lesson. You could spend over $500 on rentals, lift tickets, lunch, clothes ..etc.... and never get to really ride more than a bunny slope if you took your SO out for the first time to learn to snowboard.

Since I have 5 days a week in zero crowds on the white stuff I'm not going to be pissed off like that guy.

When I teach I expect to never get away from the beginner areas.

Thats why I said last year that you guys can come find me in the PASR jacket... I won't be freeriding

when I have a beginner student on Friday nights.

 

Just because you ski or board does not make you a good instructor.

A lot of people take their friends out and just watch them fall.

Thats not a lesson.

I have a rigid structure lesson that I give the same way to everyone I teach and

the 1st half the lesson can be done on carpet in the lodge.

So when its 15 degrees outside and the newbie will freeze before mastering simple things like

strapping in, rolling over, getting up.....

its better to do that training indoors instead of having them flop around in the snow like a fish out of water.

 

Also a good thing to note is the sausage affect of tight clothes.

Dress your newbie and have the newbie sit on carpet and strap in BEFORE YOU GO TO THE SKI RESORT.

Note how tight the clothes are.

If your newbie is wearing a bunny suit and its impossible to touch her toes to strap in on carpet then don't expect any better outside on snow. Remove the bunny suit from the equation.

Wear over sized bib pants and a long jacket instead of tight form fitting clothes.

Practice on carpet the basic moves to roll over and get up.

If your newbie can't do a single push up then your newbie isn't going to get up on the snowboard

either.

Its good to find out these things before you are standing on the $500 ski resort investment.

If you can't do it on carpet today, at least you can do some push ups and other strength training

before the snow falls. GET IN SHAPE before going to the ski resort.

 

Beginner ski lessons are absolutely grueling.

Snowboarding lessons just a wee bit better.

Most standard ski resort beginner lessons start off in a nearly flat training area where they teach you how to walk and turn in skis and then play with a very slight hill for downhill control training.

BUT

then they make you walk up that hill.

It may only be 100 feet of slight incline but its still humping uphill in real tight plastic boots

and unwieldy skis.

It doesn't take very long for exhaustion to take over.

Once exhausted, the newbie starts to make mistakes, and you don't want to be making mistakes when

sliding down a hill.

Snowboarding lessons can be the same place, same hill, same humping up the hill, but

now the newbie on the snowboard has to drag this huge fat ass board up the hill without

chopping up themselves with the sharp edges or twisting a frail ankle.

Exhaustion is again your worst enemy.

So what to do for these wimps?

I like to start snowboard newbies off with quick release stepin FLOW bindings

and never make them walk up the hill dragging the snowboard on one foot.

The faster the newbie can get in and out of the board the faster they will run up that short hill

and learn how to ride and turn.

Its much easier to walk uphill than skate uphill for most out of shape newbies.

Of course we do teach them how to walk up a hill chopping ice with the board edge but don't make them

do it all the time.

It also helps to bring bottled water and power bars to the lessons.

I used to carry HERSHEYS KISSES and give them out for energy until a doctor I was teaching told me

that hard candy metabolizes much faster than chocolate.

I don't like hard candy because its a choking hazard while chocolate will melt if it goes down the wrong pipe.

 

Don't teach anyone to snowboard without providing armor.

Roller blade wrist guards, glove liners, and over sized mittens over the wrist guards.

Roller blade knee pads, worn over the base layer underwear and under the snow pants.

Roller blade elbow pads... under the winter jacket.

A snow sport helmet.

And finally....

a hip hockey check guard to protect hips and tail bone.

 

Once you wrap up the newbie in armor they become tough as a turtle and when they fall they

either bounce right back up or ask you to help flip them over first.

Each fall becomes a thrill rush instead of a day ender.

The most common injury on snow is a broken wrist.

You will put your hand out to break a fall and without armor you just end your day on the snow.

Armor up and forrrrrrrrgettttabout iit.

You had me at remove bunny suit 🐰.  Miss you Robert2.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

2 hours ago, DiMe said:

You had me at remove bunny suit 🐰.  Miss you Robert2.

I love when old posts get bumped. Not many know that’s JFDan used to be Smartass on here. 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

On 9/25/2009 at 11:35 AM, Robert2 said:

I'm not your average kid falling down the mountain.

I've had more than 5,000 rides down the hills at JF and BB in everything from boilerplate ice to

fresh powder without one crash.

 

I was a snowboard instructor for 5 years.

I've taught more than 1,000 people all ages from 10 to 55 years old how to snowboard.

I don't teach any half pipe or rail tricks, just how to stop and turn and ride.

You don't have to be a Burton sponsored mutant ginger jumping off cliffs to

make a shitload of money in snowboarding.

ALL beginners need lessons and way back when I was an instructor we got tipped

for giving lessons and no injuries.

I made more in tips every day than the hourly wage paid by BB.

 

I think what is boils down to is the weekend warrior who pays $50 for a lift ticket and

waits in weekend lift lines is going to be a little pissed off right out of the gate

and suck at teaching if his SO is keeping him from getting any real snow slide time just to teach a lesson. You could spend over $500 on rentals, lift tickets, lunch, clothes ..etc.... and never get to really ride more than a bunny slope if you took your SO out for the first time to learn to snowboard.

Since I have 5 days a week in zero crowds on the white stuff I'm not going to be pissed off like that guy.

When I teach I expect to never get away from the beginner areas.

Thats why I said last year that you guys can come find me in the PASR jacket... I won't be freeriding

when I have a beginner student on Friday nights.

 

Just because you ski or board does not make you a good instructor.

A lot of people take their friends out and just watch them fall.

Thats not a lesson.

I have a rigid structure lesson that I give the same way to everyone I teach and

the 1st half the lesson can be done on carpet in the lodge.

So when its 15 degrees outside and the newbie will freeze before mastering simple things like

strapping in, rolling over, getting up.....

its better to do that training indoors instead of having them flop around in the snow like a fish out of water.

 

Also a good thing to note is the sausage affect of tight clothes.

Dress your newbie and have the newbie sit on carpet and strap in BEFORE YOU GO TO THE SKI RESORT.

Note how tight the clothes are.

If your newbie is wearing a bunny suit and its impossible to touch her toes to strap in on carpet then don't expect any better outside on snow. Remove the bunny suit from the equation.

Wear over sized bib pants and a long jacket instead of tight form fitting clothes.

Practice on carpet the basic moves to roll over and get up.

If your newbie can't do a single push up then your newbie isn't going to get up on the snowboard

either.

Its good to find out these things before you are standing on the $500 ski resort investment.

If you can't do it on carpet today, at least you can do some push ups and other strength training

before the snow falls. GET IN SHAPE before going to the ski resort.

 

Beginner ski lessons are absolutely grueling.

Snowboarding lessons just a wee bit better.

Most standard ski resort beginner lessons start off in a nearly flat training area where they teach you how to walk and turn in skis and then play with a very slight hill for downhill control training.

BUT

then they make you walk up that hill.

It may only be 100 feet of slight incline but its still humping uphill in real tight plastic boots

and unwieldy skis.

It doesn't take very long for exhaustion to take over.

Once exhausted, the newbie starts to make mistakes, and you don't want to be making mistakes when

sliding down a hill.

Snowboarding lessons can be the same place, same hill, same humping up the hill, but

now the newbie on the snowboard has to drag this huge fat ass board up the hill without

chopping up themselves with the sharp edges or twisting a frail ankle.

Exhaustion is again your worst enemy.

So what to do for these wimps?

I like to start snowboard newbies off with quick release stepin FLOW bindings

and never make them walk up the hill dragging the snowboard on one foot.

The faster the newbie can get in and out of the board the faster they will run up that short hill

and learn how to ride and turn.

Its much easier to walk uphill than skate uphill for most out of shape newbies.

Of course we do teach them how to walk up a hill chopping ice with the board edge but don't make them

do it all the time.

It also helps to bring bottled water and power bars to the lessons.

I used to carry HERSHEYS KISSES and give them out for energy until a doctor I was teaching told me

that hard candy metabolizes much faster than chocolate.

I don't like hard candy because its a choking hazard while chocolate will melt if it goes down the wrong pipe.

 

Don't teach anyone to snowboard without providing armor.

Roller blade wrist guards, glove liners, and over sized mittens over the wrist guards.

Roller blade knee pads, worn over the base layer underwear and under the snow pants.

Roller blade elbow pads... under the winter jacket.

A snow sport helmet.

And finally....

a hip hockey check guard to protect hips and tail bone.

 

Once you wrap up the newbie in armor they become tough as a turtle and when they fall they

either bounce right back up or ask you to help flip them over first.

Each fall becomes a thrill rush instead of a day ender.

The most common injury on snow is a broken wrist.

You will put your hand out to break a fall and without armor you just end your day on the snow.

Armor up and forrrrrrrrgettttabout iit.

@saltyant good advice..I never thought of hard candy as a choking hazard. 

Edited November 23, 2023 by GrilledSteezeSandwich

[saltyant]

1 hour ago, GrilledSteezeSandwich said:

@saltyant good advice..I never thought of hard candy as a choking hazard. 

This Robert guy sounds like a gaper.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

42 minutes ago, saltyant said:

This Robert guy sounds like a gaper.

No way, he’s had over 5,000 rides down the hills at BB and JF