Know anyone who learned to ski after 50? Be honest.

[KingGrump]

If it was bamboo speeds, you'd be worried?

Hell, I am old and slow. Everything worries me.

 

[Chris V.]

Fast trees going uphill in bc

I thought those guys never ran into anything....

 

[ELDoane]

Fast trees going uphill in bc

This post should be captioned with the age old advice - "ski good or eat wood"

 

[Bolder]

Late to this but my dad.

We took our first lessons when I was a teenager and he was 50 y/o. Former hockey player in college and XC skier and still in excellent shape. While he hadn’t ever clicked into a pair of alpine bindings, I’d say he had a good foundation.

We ended up skiing off the Brooks chair at Stevens on easier blues, and hit Meadows later that year. Next year we did Whistler and skied off the peak chair and did the Saddle. I wouldn’t say we had perfect technique but we didn’t injure ourselves.

This winter I’m going to get some turns in with my dad. He hasn’t skied in a decade, but is still in very good shape for his age (73) and is ready to ski some easier groomed runs. First thing will be a refresher lesson off the same beginner chair we learned on at Stevens.

Also late to this thread, but my father didn't start till he was in his mid-50s. I'm not actually sure why, tbh. We kids always skied with our friends at the local hills but he wasn't interested. Then he got a wild hair at some point and just started skiing. He joined a club, got some nice North Face gear and just did it. He wasn't bad, for a guy who'd had a bunch of heart attacks and was 50 lbs overweight (!!). He was a good athlete as a kid, in fact he was a nationally ranked tennis player back in the amateur era in the late 40s. But he certainly wasn't remotely athletic as an adult.

We went on one trip to Utah together when he was about 65 and had a great time. I never really asked him why he started and I'm not sure he could have articulated it.

I think it's really about your attitude. If you want to learn something new when you're older, you have to be a little gung-ho. My wife tried to pick up alpine skiing in her late 30s and it did not go well. Her only motivation was to do it with the rest of the family, but she didn't want to do it for intrinsic reasons.

 

[freeskier1961]

Learned how to ski properly after 50!
newer skis less effort more result!

Take a lesson from a pro