Is skiing safe for beginners????

[Shootin]

My 20 year old daughter has just told me she is going skiing with her friends later this month.
she has never skied before.
will she be safe??
my parents friends grandson got killed on a skiing holiday (school trip holiday) about 30 years ago.
Can anyone put my mind at rest please???

How would anyone ever start skiing if it wasn't safe to be a beginner?

Everyone has to start somewhere!

She will be fine op as long as she is sensible and sticks within her limits. What about going to an indoor place here so she can learn the basics?

Yes it’s fine. I’m so sorry this happened to someone in your circle - 30 years ago people didn’t wear helmets which wouldn’t have helped.

Make sure your DD is getting lessons - if you have the cash offer to pay if not. She’ll be pootling around on green and blue runs and the worse she’ll risk is a sore bum from falling on it

Yes it is. Tell her to get some lessons so she can learn how to stop. Always give way to those below you in the hill and wear a helmet!

my 5yo learnt Dec 2022 and her brothers picked it up again. Just have to ski within your ability and keep an eye out for other skiers

She'll be fine.

Tell her to join a reputable ski school for a few sessions. They'll teach her the basics, how to stop, turn etc, and what to look out for on the slopes.

Yes that’s true. Xx

Thank you everyone!!
Feeling better already.
Really appreciate your answers. Xx

It's really important she books some ski school. You can't just get on the slopes and off you go, that would be dangerous.

It's not so much the skiing itself that is dangerous as the irresponsible skiiers and snowboarders that go down slopes at top speed. Behaviour I find has deteriorated although it remains a minority who do that. She'll have to keep an eye on those.

Obviously it's understandable given what happened 30 years ago. So terrible and something you never forget. Skiing is safe in a proper ski resort and with a ski instructor.
If you can afford it, I would be offering to pay for lessons for your peace if mind .
My three all ski and absolutely love Skiing X

She'll be fine OP, as long as she's sensible and has some lessons with a reputable teacher. Have her friends skied before?

Our Niece is doing a ski season this winter, never skied before and having the time of her life.

As long as she's having lessons and not just winging it!

Yes it's safe but I would recommend she takes lessons - before she goes if possible (e.g. indoor ski slope) and whilst she's there - she could do lessons in the morning and ski with her friends in the afternoon. Stick to green or blue slopes this time around, and tell her to wear a helmet.

Oh and don't go off-piste; obviously.

Thank you for your advice.
I shall offer to pay for peace of mind. 🎿 ⛷️

Thank you.

Helmet, ski lessons, and don't listen to music on the slopes. You can also get knee and bum pads and wrist guards but those are more helpful for snowboarders. I also got my worse ever dose of sunburn skiing. Good Sun block is a must!

One of her friends has skied before. Her parents own property in France ( really well off) and she is experienced.
My DD is sensible.
Just going to look now for skiing lessons.
Thanks everyone.

Assuming she takes lessons, is reasonably fit, sober and wears a helmet as much as it can be. If she just follows her friends, gets drunk at lunchtime and does not learn how to control speed, turn and stop, then no. What is her attitude to risk?

Someone getting killed skiing is extremely rare and also 30 years ago no-one wore a helmet, now everyone does!

As ppl above have said yes to ski lessons and no to lunchtime / late afternoon drinking and skiing (or trying to as a beginner) afterwards.

DD is very sensible. She deffo won’t drink. Not a risk taker!! And will wear helmet.
Shes going somewhere In France.
Sorry to sound thick- but will there be a slope just for beginners??
thanks. X

There are nursery slopes for beginners then green/blue runs as they improve. Lifts can be challenging.

I’ve been skiing for 40 years. Done some racing too. I’ve had a couple of knee issues but nothing that serious. Kids have been skiing since they were toddlers… when they were understandably a bit wayward…. Maybe we are lucky but no injuries at all.

my advice would be to have a helmet, don’t ski with music. And don’t get drunk on the piste and ski down. Also, don’t get so drunk in the evening that you get lost in the snow…. Some sad stories there.

and have a ball!

I'd be dead if It wasn't for a ski helmet.
I also know two people who have lost family members skiing. Off piste and avalanche, neither should be an issue for a beginner.
It's foolish to pretend skiing doesn't have risks. You have to be sensible, but these are minimal if she's having lessons.

Stick with the runs she’s done with the instructors, don’t get talked into doing reds/blacks before she’s ready. Do you know which resort she’s going to? It’s usually pretty hard to end up on a difficult run without warning.