UPDATE! DD7's First Time Skiing?? What to expect??

[Irin997]

I'll bet she'll do just fine. My kids picked it up within a weekend with a couple of lessons. FWIW, I would never allow my children to ski without a helmet And, according to DS, it is easier to snowboard and then ski, then the other way around He found it difficult to snowboard after years of skiing but finally managed to master it after many tries -- DD still hasn't been able to get it and I think has given up Just a thought. Have fun, stay warm

Trust me, this is really something I've wrestled over. I've never skied, only snowboarded so I have no personal experience to compare it to. Basically I want her to get the feel on being on snow first and get used to it (if that makes sense) before she tries something that take a bit more patience and practice to learn, but once you learn it gets easier. Ugh. I still am sure I made the right decision to have her ski first but oh well. If she sucks at skiing she can try snowboarding.

 

[PatsGirl]

Well, you are right about the picking it up quicker. If you definately want her skiing the mountain that first day, skiing is the right choice. Few people hitting the slopes for the first time could snowboard well enough the first day but I've seen many/most kids be able to ski with their parents after a lesson and a few hours of practice

Oh, and BTW, my expertise comes from my nice, warm, comfortable seat at the lounge/pub. I'm a non-skier although I did ski for years in high school many many moons ago

 

[christiane]

I just heard that some ski resorts in the east might close during this cold snap. Now that means COLD!

Hopefully that won't affect you, but make sure your daughter has good thermal undergarments made for cold weather & not just cotton long-johns. Also a thermal helmet-liner and neck tube will be a must. Socks like Hot-Chilis are great. If it is sunny, remember the sunscreen.

I agree with you about starting with skiing first. Boarding has a steeper learning curve, even for children. Lifts are harder to negotiate with a board, there is more sitting around strapping back into your bindings and a lot more falling down!!

Have fun!! My children were all on skis by 3 and my 3 boys are all J-racers. It is a wonderful family sport and creates lots of great memories.

 

[Irin997]

Well, you are right about the picking it up quicker. If you definately want her skiing the mountain that first day, skiing is the right choice. Few people hitting the slopes for the first time could snowboard well enough the first day but I've seen many/most kids be able to ski with their parents after a lesson and a few hours of practice

Oh, and BTW, my expertise comes from my nice, warm, comfortable seat at the lounge/pub. I'm a non-skier although I did ski for years in high school many many moons ago

And that is exactly what I want! I wanted her to be able to ski alongside us for the most part and have an enjoyable experience of actually going down the mountain her first time. I've heard time and again that for kids learning to snowboard it is very frustrating. I KNOW how frustrating it was for me to learn snowboarding, let alone a 7 year old's first time on the snow period. I wanted her to have fun and like it so we could go again. I figure she can learn snowboarding after she already enjoys skiing.

Hey, sometimes the best person is the lounge/bar warmer. They're the ones that have the drinks ready at the end of each run.

 

[Irin997]

I just heard that some ski resorts in the east might close during this cold snap. Now that means COLD!

Hopefully that won't affect you, but make sure your daughter has good thermal undergarments made for cold weather & not just cotton long-johns. Also a thermal helmet-liner and neck tube will be a must. Socks like Hot-Chilis are great. If it is sunny, remember the sunscreen.

I agree with you about starting with skiing first. Boarding has a steeper learning curve, even for children. Lifts are harder to negotiate with a board, there is more sitting around strapping back into your bindings and a lot more falling down!!

Have fun!! My children were all on skis by 3 and my 3 boys are all J-racers. It is a wonderful family sport and creates lots of great memories.

Ew, hopefully they won't close the southern PA resorts. But I think with 20 degree temps they should be able to handle it. Have to research later!

Good to know you recommend cold weather gear. I'll look into it. She has kids Under Armour ski socks that are nice and toasty. And I never forget sunscreen! Will a beanie hat work with a helmet? And a scarf in lieu of a neck tube?

 

[Irin997]

I know I'm about two weeks late with my update, BUT everything was fantastic!! DD7 had an absolute blast and while it definitely was COLD (1 degree during our drive up!!) we had more than enough layers to keep warm.

DD7 enjoyed her 2 hour lesson and after her lesson, DBF and I took her to the larger "learning/bunny" slope for several runs. She lasted all day and by the end of the day she was ready for more difficult green runs. She didn't want to leave, which thrilled me to no end!! That's exactly what I want to hear from her!

So we're planning our next trip to a (hopefully) bigger mountain with more selection.