Hello
@TheArchitect I'll look forward meeting you at the Aspen Gathering. I lived in Somerville for 20 years, so we probably have few common experiences living in Eastern MA and skiing VT, NH, and ME.
Quite literally, I've felt your pain. I can't count the number of ski days that involved a 2-3 hour drive before skiing. The advice I have to offer is quite obvious, but difficult to execute on.
I don't know if warming up reduces fatigue. Reducing fatigue, comes in the days and weeks before you ski.
Endurance:
You are working on dropping the lbs. Good on you. Keep it up. I dropped a good amount of weight as I began this journey and it made all the difference in the world. Diet did part of the work, exercise did the rest. So naturally, increased physical activity over a period of time will increase your endurance. I don't think it matters *much* what the exercise is. I've played ice hockey, year 'round for most of my adult life. The ice skating stride is a good exercise to work the skiing muscles. That said, between the late games and the beers that follow, I'm not sure I'd recommend taking up beer league hockey to get in shape. Rollerblading is fine, but I think it's to easy unless you are doing a lot of hills. Also difficult to find dry pavement in the winter. Going up builds the body, coming down steels the nerves and is kinda like slalom skiing. My silver bullet? Orange Theory Fitness 2-3x per week.
Flexibility:
This was a huge break though for me. Yoga and stretching. Yoga has the benefit of also building some endurance along with promoting flexibility. I try to go through a stretching routine daily. I typically get 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes a day. I know life is busy, but you gotta, gotta, gotta find a way to carve out 30 minutes a day to do it. I try to find a hockey game to watch while going through the routine, but I also enjoy the meditative benefits of a dark, quiet stretch.
Here's a link to my go to routine:
Fitness Blender - Stretching, Pilates, Yoga Workout Blend
If I have another 10 minutes, I throw in 1 cycle of this routine:
Fitness Blender: Total Body Workout
When I want to get a ski-focused workout in, I use this:
Fitness Blender - 30 minute Ski Conditioning Workout
As stated, I don't know if this actually reduces fatigue, but I don't really get tired or sore from resort skiing. I am certain if I didn't stretch for flexibility I wouldn't be skiing. I end up having a few crashes every season that I'm surprised I walk away from, relatively unscathed. I 100% credit that to flexibility. Doesn't help much if I collide with something immovable though...
Lastly, and in homage to
@KingGrump Technique:
1st day of 1st ski week in Taos, instructor "Stephanie" said to me, "oh Matt, we're going to get you to ski gracefully". Nothing specific here, but as I've developed better technique and don't slide and bang nearly as much as I previously did my fatigue dropped.
Keep up the good work. It's been a journey for me. I hope I never reach a destination.