By: Dallin Rahlf 

“French fry! Pizza!” If you know this quote, you’ve definitely watched a certain South Park episode in which the kids take a skiing trip to Aspen. By the end of the episode, after days of skiing and instructions, they’re not sure whether or not they had any fun. I would like to say that, as a long time skier, skiing definitely IS fun for all shapes and sizes and skill levels. 

My family has skied every year since I was born. My parents grew up with skiing being from Montana, and we often took ski trips throughout the year. When I introduced my Ohio friends to skiing, they were pretty nervous about going. After all, those skiers in the Olympics make skiing look intimidating: flying down the mountain at mach speed, performing these insane tricks hundreds of feet in the air… yeah, that can make skiing look nearly impossible to enjoy. Here’s the great news! Skiing, when done the right way the first couple of times, can be an enjoyable glide into a lifelong hobby. 

Let me give you some tips that I created myself and that I got from semi-pro Nick Redder, head of Marketing at the GetOutPass. 

1. Dress for success. It’s really hard to have a good time skiing iff you’re miserably cold the entire time. Skiing is interesting because, depending on how the sun is shining and whether or not it’s snowing, the weather can vary from FREAKING COLD to hmmm it’s actually kinda warm and I need to take off my jacket… So, to combat this, check out the weather app, and remember, it’s ALWAYS better to be prepared for the cold than not. Layering sweats and a thermal short underneath some ski pants and a thick winter jacket will be the basics for success. Do not wear those thin, fuzzy mittens you can find for $4 at the grocery store. They are trash and you will be so sad. Get quality gloves, and if the fingers are attached (mittens), these gloves tend to keep your hands warmer than the ones with fingers. A beanie is crucial, a scarf is fashionable, and thick socks are a must.
2. Wear sunglasses or bring ski goggles. That sun gets awfully bright reflecting on the white snow. My eyes have gotten sunburn from skiing outside all day and not having any eye protection. Ski goggles will stick to your face a little better, but sunglasses will work just fine. 
3. Pick the right crowd to go with. When you’re a beginner in anything, it’s never fun to be thrown into the deepens by hanging out with people that are too impatient to allow you to learn and go slowly. Nothing makes potential life-long skiers quit as early as an awful first experience because no one would hang out with them and go slow. If you’re getting invited to go skiing but you know the entire group is gonna do their own thing, I would look into getting a ski instructor or being very sure that your friend is gonna hang out with you for the day. 
4. Take it slow. You simply will not be able to learn to ski like a pro in one day, no matter how competitive you are. “But Dallin, I’m super good at water skiing on my friend Brad’s boat that his dad owns but he says is his!” Yeah, yeah. Water skiing and skiing down a mountain are two different beasts. Same base concept, very different way of going about it. Again, nothing makes a more miserable first experience than expecting yourself to fly down the mountain with zero problems on your first run. Be patient—learning to ski is a “slow burn”. Do it the right way and it’ll be a hobby for life. 
5. Get boots that fit properly. When you get to the mountain, you’re gonna be stoked and want to rush the beginning of getting everything ready. We cannot emphasis enough that getting the right sized pair of boots is going to make or break your day. If you’re renting, be sure to talk to the employees there. They want to help you have the best experience you can, and they are talented at finding the prefect sized boots for you. Don’t be afraid to speak up if they don’t seem comfortable. Ski boots are heavy and clunky, but when fitted the right way, are quite comfortable. 
6. Plan your skiing. As you may or may not know, all ski mountains vary in difficulties, parks, weather, culture, and runs. Most ski mountains will have four difficulties to show how difficult the run is. Green circle is for beginners. They have easy hills and are a great place to hang out for the day. Some greens will have trickier terrain on the sides where the trees are, so if you find yourself getting comfortable on the green, you can take a little side adventure through their runs in the trees. It’s fun! A blue square is a little harder, with steeper slopes and faster movement. Black diamond is pretty dang tough where only confident skiers should go, and double black diamonds are reserved for skiers that have tons of experience and want a thrilling challenge. DO NOT go on anything above a black diamond your first day, and ask the locals which blues are easy. You’ll be able to find a map or bring a map with you that shows the lifts and where they get off. Before you get on a lift, be sure it’s not going to lead you to a drop off that only has black diamonds, found usually at the highest point of the mountain. 

Follow these ski tips for a great experience on the mountain! I cannot emphasis enough that skiing is a sport that everyone should try and that everyone can enjoy. Some people ruin this lifelong hobby by going way too fast on the first day, not dressing warm enough, or not having boots that fit properly. Stick with these tips and you’ll be one happy little skier.