• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

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

BradA

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Jul 12, 2017
Posts
11
Certainly can't match 72 but I started a week or 2 before my 50th birthday. Got talked into signing up for a 3 day lesson package at Gunstock. I'd have gladly never returned for day 2 but I'd promised to give it a 3-day try. Mostly enjoyed the 2nd day. After our 3rd lesson we skied nearly every weekend the rest of that year.
 

Chris V.

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Mar 25, 2016
Posts
1,366
Location
Truckee
I'd have gladly never returned for day 2 but I'd promised to give it a 3-day try. Mostly enjoyed the 2nd day. After our 3rd lesson we skied nearly every weekend the rest of that year.
Good reminder of the importance of finding a way to make it fun for students right out of the gate. Set reasonable expectations for the first day? Leave students with something to practice simple enough for them to do successfully on their own, but that will lead to enjoyable results and building fundamental skills?
 

KingGrump

Most Interesting Man In The World
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
12,209
Location
NYC
My December project this year is a almost never ever 61 years old women. She skied once 2 seasons ago. Had a lesson in the morning and a melt down in the afternoon when she was skiing with family. Husband is Mamie's life long family friend. Grew up in the hood together.

She is totally committed at this point. She already bought her Ikon pass. Took her to my boot fitter for a pair of heat molded boots. Loan her my skier's Edge machine. She is working out on ski specific exercise almost everyday. I think she will be ready come December.
She also picked up a beautiful Toni Sailer jacket over the Columbus day weekend. I could definitely say she is all in.
 

Jenny

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Dec 6, 2015
Posts
1,839
Location
Michigan
My December project this year is a almost never ever 61 years old women. She skied once 2 seasons ago. Had a lesson in the morning and a melt down in the afternoon when she was skiing with family. Husband is Mamie's life long family friend. Grew up in the hood together.

She is totally committed at this point. She already bought her Ikon pass. Took her to my boot fitter for a pair of heat molded boots. Loan her my skier's Edge machine. She is working out on ski specific exercise almost everyday. I think she will be ready come December.
She also picked up a beautiful Toni Sailer jacket over the Columbus day weekend. I could definitely say she is all in.
Good for her! She’s got a great instructor, too, based on the level of patience you had with me.
 

newboots

Learning to carve!
Skier
Joined
Dec 9, 2016
Posts
1,367
Location
Catskills
I posted on this thread last spring about starting at 62. I was able to ski this summer at Big Snow in NJ. Now I’m carving! Sadly, the fire stopped my progress. I have to get video to see where I need improvement, which of course, I do. And lessons!

I’m 68 now. Don’t tell yourself you can’t do it!

P. S. Carving = much more control at notably higher speed. Guess what? Speed is fun if you sense you are in really good control! This was a revelation.
 

Marker

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Oct 16, 2017
Posts
2,351
Location
Kennett Square, PA & Killington, VT
I posted on this thread last spring about starting at 62. I was able to ski this summer at Big Snow in NJ. Now I’m carving! Sadly, the fire stopped my progress. I have to get video to see where I need improvement, which of course, I do. And lessons!

I’m 68 now. Don’t tell yourself you can’t do it!

P. S. Carving = much more control at notably higher speed. Guess what? Speed is fun if you sense you are in really good control! This was a revelation.
We have some good friends with a husband who has skied and snowboarded his whole life. He learned snowboarding with his kids who are excellent at it. But his wife (early 50's) would not even think about it until my wife took her XC skiing on one trip to Mt Snow. After two winters of that, she signed up for the Killington learn to ski package for 4 days, which gives you a free pair of skis on the 4th day. She really liked the idea of those free skis. She was an exceptionally slow skier for the next couple of years, but I kept giving her little tips (only when she asked for them!). Last season her speed and control took a big leap although I would hesitate to call it carving. I wish I could get her to take more lessons. This surprises me because she does kick boxing for fitness at a local taekwondo dojo and has even started teaching beginner classes now that she is retired.
 

BLspruce2

Getting on the lift
Skier
Joined
Feb 3, 2018
Posts
90
Location
New England
One thing have noticed is if a person knows how to ice skate and has in the past it makes a world of difference. Something about the balance and coordination of ice skating that helps immensely. If they have not it will take more time and effort.
 

newboots

Learning to carve!
Skier
Joined
Dec 9, 2016
Posts
1,367
Location
Catskills
One thing have noticed is if a person knows how to ice skate and has in the past it makes a world of difference. Something about the balance and coordination of ice skating that helps immensely. If they have not it will take more time and effort.
Yes, and roller blading too.
 
Thread Starter
TS
J

jwtravel

JWTravel (man)
Skier
Joined
Aug 27, 2020
Posts
77
Location
Indiana
One thing have noticed is if a person knows how to ice skate and has in the past it makes a world of difference. Something about the balance and coordination of ice skating that helps immensely. If they have not it will take more time and effort.
I took this advice to heart. Decided that learning to ice skate was my temporary mission until ski season gets here again. Bought skates and COMMITTED, have been skating 30 times in 2021. Went skiing after 10 of them (March 1, 2) and I felt the difference. Can’t wait to see how much even more ice skating balance helps at Winter Park and Copper. 1st time skating on New Year’s Day, I was “glued” to the wall. Can now confidently “shove off” the wall and just go, can stop fairly well, and can stand up on ice without using the wall, impossible in January but commonplace now.
 

cantunamunch

Meh
Skier
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Posts
21,907
Location
Behavioral sink
I took this advice to heart. Decided that learning to ice skate was my temporary mission until ski season gets here again. Bought skates and COMMITTED, have been skating 30 times in 2021. Went skiing after 10 of them (March 1, 2) and I felt the difference. Can’t wait to see how much even more ice skating balance helps at Winter Park and Copper. 1st time skating on New Year’s Day, I was “glued” to the wall. Can now confidently “shove off” the wall and just go, can stop fairly well, and can stand up on ice without using the wall, impossible in January but commonplace now.

Awesome. Do you like it though?
 

Philpug

Notorious P.U.G.
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Posts
42,624
Location
Reno, eNVy
My December project this year is a almost never ever 61 years old women. She skied once 2 seasons ago. Had a lesson in the morning and a melt down in the afternoon when she was skiing with family. Husband is Mamie's life long family friend. Grew up in the hood together.

She is totally committed at this point. She already bought her Ikon pass. Took her to my boot fitter for a pair of heat molded boots. Loan her my skier's Edge machine. She is working out on ski specific exercise almost everyday. I think she will be ready come December.
She also picked up a beautiful Toni Sailer jacket over the Columbus day weekend. I could definitely say she is all in.
Few are ambassadors to the sport in setting a ski up for ultimate success like @KingGrump.
 

cantunamunch

Meh
Skier
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Posts
21,907
Location
Behavioral sink
Even with moments of terror during near-wipeouts, I like the sense of accomplishment of conquering something I was afraid of. When I’m skiing, even at my level, I can’t wait to get back on the lift every time I get to the bottom. Addicting.

Hehe, that level of enjoyment reminds me of Red Bull athletes. Witness a direct quote:

"this is so out of my element but I don't care, like this - there's a feeling you get when you do something new that your learning curve is so steep and you feel so much progression in such a short time - I'm going to increase my ability here in such a large amount in such a short period of time, and that makes you feel..."




Well, here's hoping skating can work for ya over the long haul too.
 

Bolder

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Dec 1, 2017
Posts
486
My father learned to ski at 55, after 3 heart attacks. And he was a pretty decent intermediate! He just wanted it badly enough, bought the kit and took a bunch of lessons. After a season he was already planning trips out West from the Poconos area.

So there you go.
 

Sponsor

Staff online

  • Dwight
    Practitioner of skiing, solid and liquid
Top