Anyone learned to ski later in life?

We loved our first ski holiday over the Christmas holidays so much that we persuaded six friends to come with us and try it at Easter. We had benefitted from practice on the local dry slope so urged them to do the same.
The shed where you were given boots was about a 20 metre toddle from the bottom of the slope.
One friend managed to fall over between shed and slope and break her wrist.
Her enthusiasm for the forthcoming holiday was seriously dented.

I'm an instructor. 47 is not really any issue as long as you're reasonably fit and have a positive attitude towards trying something new. My oldest beginners have been in their 70's and they have still managed to have a good time skiing some of the easier runs.

Some tips:

Get yourself fit - cycle, walk, go to the gym if that's your thing, do some stretching exercises. If there are a few "extra" kilos hanging around, try to lose them.

Do a trial session at a snow centre (Milton Keynes, Hemel or Chill Factor in Manchester) to get a feel of what it's like - but don't expect to be an expert after just one or two sessions.

Pick the right resort - or rather, stay away from the more difficult resorts. For beginners, Saalbach-Hinterglemm is better than St. Anton. La Rosiere is easier (and cheaper) than Courchevel. The Tour Operator websites (Nielsen, Crystal, Inghams, Heidi etc) usually grade the resorts, or look at the Snowheads website.

Get the right instructor. An older instructor who understands the physiology of beginners aged over 40 and who paces and adapts the lessons accordingly is by far the best option. Snowheads is a great source of information and you can ask on the forum there for recommendations, both for the best ski schools and the best instructors in a given resort. Group lessons can be great fun - everyone is in the same boat and you can learn and laugh together. Individual private lessons usually help you to progress quicker, but these are more expensive.

Be positive - skiing really is fun, which is why so many people rave about it. Modern equipment has made it far safer and more comfortable than it was even just 10 years ago and many resorts have also focussed on making the pistes safer, particularly for children and for beginners. Thankfully things have moved on since this famous BBC documentary from 1987 ... 😆

No need to try indoor skiing in UK - it’s expensive and nowhere near replicates skiing outdoors on real snow. Also, skiing with more experienced friends really pushes you on in a good way.

I did this aged 43. Had a professional 1:1 half day on first day, had more instruction on day 2 with DH who is a good skier. He told me in no uncertain terms that we weren’t staying on the bunny slope all week, took me to the top and made me ski down the whole way in snow plough.
Spent a couple of hours the next day with another friend who is a qualified ski instructor and PE teacher. Skied down the red on day 3, mistakenly went down a black on day 4 (thought it was marked blue because I was wearing my yellow visor) and never looked back. That was almost 20 years ago, skied every year since and now strong intermediate/ early advanced depending on which scale you use.
If you’re fit, there’s no reason why you can’t do the same, but fitness is key!

I learnt in my thirties.

dry skin slopes are shit. Get yourself to a snow dome.

Dry skin slopes are nothing like the real thing.

I learned to ski when I was young but husband learned at 42 ish about 12 years ago). He loves it so much that he goes twice a year now.

Google ski fit exercises and do those and lots of squats before you go, to limit the burn when you are out there.

Definitely get lessons. Loads of adults learn later in life so you will be amongst like minded people of all ages.

Me! DH & I both learned at 45 after the kids went on the school ski trip and loved it. We have been away every year for 5 years now.

We had a few lessons in the snow dome before we went the first time so we weren’t total beginners on holiday. We usually get a private instructor for the whole family each morning when we’re away. The kids are much better than us so sometimes the instructor takes them on more challenging stuff while we pootle about the blues & sometimes we all ski together.

I am very risk averse & don’t like to go on anything to steep. Just love the fresh air and the feeling of swooshing down a gentle slope!

If you’re reasonably fit and want to do it then it’s not too late!

I learned in my 40s in a beginners' group in the Alps, full of 40-something mums whose kids were belting down the red and black runs.
I found it hard work for the first couple of days but by the end of the week could navigate blues and greens competently. Most importantly though, I've discovered I absolutely love it. Best family holiday we've ever been on and we can't wait to go again.

I would have a go in a snowdome before you go out to the mountain though, if only to learn the absolute basics of how to put skis on, what the boots feel like, and how to stop. Will be helpful when you're trying to navigate kids and skis and poles and everything else to the start of the ski lessons while you're away (ime that bit is harder than the actual skiing!!)

My dh did aged 30 no issue at all
if you’re fit and outdoorsy then I think you can

do you age one of those big snowdomes within reasonable distance (eg Manchester chill factore). I’d recommend getting a 1-1 lesson there to see how you get on before committing thousands

I started skiing when I was 45 and continued until I was 72. We had lots of wonderful family holidays with our DSs and more recently DGCs. I really regret having to accept I am a bit past it at 80.

I had my first lesson aged 49. I had daily individual lessons for an hour for a few days (I think four with a midweek break for my legs to catch up).

I also hike and was reasonably fit. I found it really hard, but great to take on the challenge.

My kids were also on their first ski holiday and were up on the big slopes within a day or two. On the last day my DS and I spent an idyllic afternoon noodling about on the training slopes together - one of those magical memories!

Re injuries - everyone in my ski school group had had some sort or skiing injury over the years. Some of the non skiing partners were non skiers due to skiing injuries. While we were there someone in the hotel broke their coller bone, someone on the bus had a dislocated knee, someone in DD’s snowboarding class broke their wrist (DD sprained her wrist but not too badly - I don’t recommend snowboarding). Someone in the resort broke both legs - we saw two helicopter rescues. There is definitely a risk that any of these things could happen even if you don’t make a misjudgment yourself someone else could ski into you. It is always a relief to get the the end of the week injury free.

Age 50, my first ever time on skies. I was unfit, slightly overweight and to top it off I had a chest infection but it was fantastic. Been skiing every year since. I'm never going to be the best one on the slopes but I can get down a red now without any problems with a smile on my face so I'd say give it a go.

I am sure you would be fine. However I would be aware that there is always a risk of injury some can be life changing.

I'd really try and travel to somewhere that has a snow dome to do some lessons there. Yes it's different on snow but fundamental technique is the same. Having strong leg and core muscles will help as well as some degree of fitness

Never say never oP! If you’re keen to give it a try, why not?

What I would say is that by your age most of my friends are winding down from youthful exuberance on skis, and that’s with a background of learning young, so I think you need to be realistic about what is achievable. If you envisage gunning down the blacks and steeper reds in five years tine, that probably isn’t likely to come to fruition. But if you just want to have fun on the gentler slopes, and a bit of apres ski then absolutely! Why not? Ps I don’t recommend dry slopes for progressing. Maybe as a very loose “taster” but the mountain is a totally different thing,

My mum first went when she was 49. Go for it.

I had a few lessons age 30 on a dry ski slope but then nothing until this year when I went on a skiing holiday. I had group lessons every morning and many of the group were 40 years +. It was challenging, but I absolutely loved it and was pottering down the easiest run by the end of the week. I am 52 and fairly fit.

Oh and the apres ski I the relaxing bit. Just don’t do what my DD did, went to a bar on the slope not realising you had to ski the rest of the way down. Not good for a beginner after several schnapps !

It’s VERY expensive to have lessons in uk or on the holiday. Think my DD paid £150 for an hour. She is young and fit and was exhausted after a few days and underestimated how heavy the skis are. She absolutely loved it though. Maybe improve your fitness and strength beforehand too.

Well, this is clearly the thread for me…😁

I began in my thirties and am not actually too bad these days. I have had umpteen, endless lessons, both group and private, know all the techniques and can handle most red runs. But I have reached a plateau of moderate speed, technique and confidence that I am now, in my late forties, very unlikely to go beyond!

It is quite a long term investment if you want to get beyond beginner level. Plus the risk of an accident is always there…

Book yourself in for some lessons at a snow-dome and see if you actually like it or not?

Back to my 13 year old - obviously young and fit but her legs got really tired and achey - the first week first involves a lot of walking up the hill and snow plow which is hard going.

I think my knees did better than previously (haven’t been for 8 years so I am older than I was) maybe due to my weight lifting routines that I have now (daily 5 mins and weekly body pump)

As long as you don't have osteoporosis, are co-ordinated of mind and limb, and don't have a weak bladder (those salupettes/adult babygrows are a bastard to get off), you'll be grand.