Basic Skiing Overview

Snow can be the best plaything on Earth. One canwant to go faster, they move their legs a little closer
have a snow ball fight and make a snow man with it.together. When they want to stop, they push the V
One can spend a chilly Sunday afternoon sleddingout farther. This gets them ready for the next stage
down it until it is nothing but muddy mush and theof skiing, the green hill.
snow clothes need cleaning. One can use it for aThe green hill is still for beginners, but also for novice
home like the Eskimos and polar bears do. One canskiers. Not too many instructors will take their classes
snow ski on it, either for recreational purposes or forhere because skiers are working on getting the
a professional competition. Regardless of what one istechniques of starting and stopping down, taking a
skiing for, it is always fun, until someone misseschance on how fast they can go, and gaining
getting off of the chair lift! Watch out for that skier,confidence. There may be a few more trees to line
it is a sign that they are a beginner and will run intothe green hill or runs, but they are not in the way of
you, if you are in their way.the skier. They are more of a natural fence than
In order to ski, one needs the right equipment. Noanything else.
one should be skiing in shorts and a tank top, but itThe blue runs are for advanced skiers. Novice skiers
has been done (and not well). If you are a beginner,should not try these runs until they are skiing down
you will be falling a lot, and mostly on your rear.the green runs without stopping, falling, or feeling
Strapping a pillow to it will not help because it will justafraid. The blue runs contain steeper slopes which
throw your balance off. So, get some warm,allow the skier to "slice" down the mountain instead
cushioned snow bibs, or a snow outfit, a nice warmof using the "snow plow" technique. There may be
jacket, woolen socks, because the electric ones domoguls which are bumps in the snow that a skier can
not really work all that well especially when they geteither ski over or ski around, but these can throw a
wet, gloves, hat, ski boots, and skis and hit theskier off balance and into the snow, if they are not
slopes, preferably the bunny hill.careful. The moguls here are usually visible, to give
The bunny hill is the hill where people learn to ski.the skier time to decide what they want to do to
There will be ski instructors there with classes madeget over the mogul.
up of kids who are in 1st grade to grandparents whoThe black diamond and double black diamond runs are
have never skied in their lives. This is the best placethe hardest runs. They contain moguls, a steep slope,
for a beginner to be because it is a gentle slope withsharp turns, and other obstacles that an expert skier
minimal trees and a very slow ski speed. Here, thewould know how to negotiate. The thing to
beginner will be taught to ski by using the "snowremember about skiing is to never leave the trail. It
plow" technique. This is where the skier beginscould kill you.
moving and has their feet in a V shape. When they