Skiing is over rated.

[greenapples]

I am here in France for a week skiing. Now in my mid 40s I have been nearly every year for 20 years, with the husband and laterly the two kids (now teens). I have decided it is stressful and quite frankly an exhausting holiday. Why have I suffered this long?! AIBU?

Have you met my husband? 😂

YANBU. Sorry it took you so many years to get it. Thankfully we got it very quickly.

This is how I would spend a skiing holiday if I ever went on one with friends.

Although the "aprés-ski" would start after lunchtime.

This made me chuckle - totally agree!!

You can get a freepass in 4 vallees at 77? Cool!

It's my fave holiday ever. We have always skied together at the pace of the slowest one. This year, with two teens and dh wanting to hit the deep snow however heavy it was, I suggested we should ski separately so I wouldn't hold them up and got a long lecture about how we waited for them for over 10 years, now they would wait for me and later we would all wait for their dc, and that that's the fun of it.

I love the chatting on the ski lifts up, the lunches together, the early evenings (with more long chats) and the beautiful, crispy clear cold days you sometimes get. I don't love it when the snow is slushy and you're having to worry about wrecking your skis as you go back to the bottom of the slopes though, so the recent warm years have been less than ideal.

I plan to keep skiing until I can't, either because of me or because of the climate...

I didn't learn to ski until I was 48 at New year in 2000. It was a special holiday and I loved it; far better than any beach holiday. A couple of years later we moved to France and had a week skiing each year with some day trips with the local ski club to the massif central . I wasn't a good skier, quite content to potter down blue and green slopes. I really was hoping I'd continue into my 70s. Came back to England 5 years ago and the pandemic stopped us and I haven't been since.I've lost my confidence and am scared that if I fall, I wouldn't be able to get up again🙁

I'd have thought you may have a bit more terminal velocity in your 40s if you've put on a bit of timber (possible as you mention you now find it more exhausting).

Skiing with a good technique and in style, on suitable slopes- does not mean more velocity, even with more timber on (I am a size 18!).

We're going next week. The prep and the faff is threatening to overwhelm me for sure. But the moments of freedom on the slopes are magical, up high, beautiful scenery feeling on top of the world. I love that. Doing it all with kids, not so much.
My unfashionable opinion too is that I'm more than happy on blues. No real desire to go steep or fast. I like just a mellow glide and swoosh.

There is in fact, so much faff. We all when we are not there wonder if it's worth it.

Then we are and we remember just how worth it it is!

I LOVE skiing, worked in resorts for many seasons (as an accountant, I'm not cut out for hosting. 😂😂)& lived in some very average apartments in the centre of the ski resorts. You have ALL seasons so only have to ski when you want to.

i got a notification when Glenco opened the other day. I was on my way to packing up the car before I remembered I can't ski anymore.

my knees are basically non functioning!

the swearing would have embarassed a sailor.

if you like to ski, cram as much in while you can. I'm only 55 & my knees would not have been up to skiing, a few years ago & practically overnight!

if you don't like skiing ... can I borrow your knees please!!

Of course not. Otherwise the ski industry would collapse. People who live near ski areas are more likely to go for frequent short visits to it. People who don’t will go less often and for longer. Ski resorts are packed with people from all over the place.

Just don’t ski every day.

For me it is one of those really wonderful things in life. You see vistas you'd never see otherwise, the thrill of exploring new areas, sense of mastery/control, the physical exertion and endorphins, and doing it with friends. As I read back that post and check for typos, I realize that the same could be said of sex 😀 Maybe there are some similarities? If you've never had really good skiing (or sex) then you might think it is overrated, but when you've had good skiing (or sex) then you realize it is a very special activity indeed.

I do agree with the injusry risk from skiing though. Also, if I'm not fit enough or in shape enough then I do struggle. Boot are initially uncomfortable.

Another factor me is the resort and where I'm staying. Obviously being closer to the slopes, the crowds, the lift quality are all important factors too.

Back in early 2000s I did it every day for two weeks (ski, not sex) and found being at the same resort for that time too boring. 5 days-7 days is just about right for me.

Some people love sking, some don't. I do really enjoy it, but it is such an expensive holiday. I've always thought it would be nice to live close to a resort so you could ski for a day or three without the hassle of flights, airport transfers, lugging so much requipment and so on. No chance of that for me though :(

This is how I feel. All the planning and travelling and picking up kit is so tedious. Then we get on the first chair lift skimming over the trees with the snow-covered mountains all around and I remember it's all worth it.

I am still improving in my mid-40s and managed several blacks this year - felt really proud of myself!

@NearlyBritishSummertimeYay my DH and a lot of mates switched to snowboarding when they had knee trouble. Would that be an option? I've only ever boarded but the one time I did try skiing I hated the feeling that my knee could twist.

Love skiing, hence my username.

It's not for everyone.

It's hard work getting everything done to get on the mountain but it's absolute bliss for me when I'm up there.

Just love the views, exhilaration, fresh air, food and drinks.

That sounds great. I wouldn’t mind a holiday in a ski resort if I didn’t have to actually ski.

A ski holiday is a wonderful thing, but self catering family holiday anywhere is hard work. I'm injured this year and have been pottering about while DH and teens ski. It's been lovely break and I didn't miss carrying skis or ski boots at all! But looking forward to skiing again next year hopefully.
Over the years we've discovered that an apartment hotel which offers breakfast and has a restaurant works well for us. Plus locker hire at the gondola station, which reduces time in ski boots.

I also think it depends what kind of holiday it is. One year we stayed in a basic functional chalet with people I didn't particularly like- and the year after we were invited to a close friend's chalet where our kids had the most incredible bonding time and we were waited on hand and foot by an exceptional chef, manager and driver.

I've found if my (now adult) kids are loving it than so am I.

I always aim to take my kids (single mum) to places with other things to do as well as skiing. A week of straight skiing would be dull.

I live just over an hour from skiing. We still like to go for 1-2 weeks, to places that are further. That makes it more of a holiday rather than a quick break, so we get properly in the holiday frame of mind and have long existential conversations with the dc about life, which we never get to when we are in our routine or just away for a couple of days.

We do do most of our skiing off piste, though, so are not limited to just the slopes, which adds a lot of variety. We would also only go to really big resorts for these trips, so we have a lot of mountain.

We once spent the whole winter (5 months) in a ski resort and didn't get bored, although of course we didn't ski every day.

@massistar

thank you got thinking of me.

i tried snowboarding & chipped my tail bone! It's also not for me, I feel too restricted having my feet on the same board.

i can't kneel either, so it's just a goer 🥲🥲🥲