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???

We have a (modest) place in France and a few of the kids friends have been out. Lessons compulsory unless I know they are decent skiers. I lost it with one 14 year old who tore down the nursery slope without turning…. I’m quite big on safety.

Read the word

Can't

Rolls eyes

I’m sure you’re just trying to be funny but OP knows nothing about skiing so it’s a bit irresponsible to make sarky comments in case any of it is taken literally!

OP in case you’re in any doubt- throwing yourself backwards is a truly awful idea! Ski lessons are a must, not an ideal. And no one can pick up skiing in less than a couple days.

Is she going out of peak times? This will greatly help. I've been skiing most of my life and I only had an accident when the slopes were just too full and busy. Make sure she takes out insurance with her lift pass- this was incredibly important for me when I hurt myself it got me off the mountain!

Nursery slopes also tend to be quieter and wider so lots of space to fall over safely!

Insurance is vital. Good point - do double check she’s covered.

Also the carre neige insurance you can get with the lift pass is worth purchasing- it’s only a few euros per day and covers stuff like being picked up by mountain rescue, evacuated off the mountain to the hospital. Yes decent travel insurance will also cover this stuff but without the carre neige you will likely be asked to pay costs upfront and seek reimbursement later. It just adds peace of mind and ensures rescue if needed will be hassle free. Obviously you hope it’s never needed though and chances are it won’t be!

"Insurance is vital. Good point - do double check she’s covered."

She must have "Winter Sports" insurance, which she can usually add on to an annual policy or buy a separate policy for just the length of the trip for a few pounds. She also needs to take her EHIC/GHIC card.

French resorts usually offer an additional insurance (Carre Neige) on the lift ticket that reduces the faff should she need to be helped off the mountain (which of course hopefully and probably won't happen). This costs a few quid and is worth having just in case.

Note - insurance is NOT VALID if skiing under the influence of alcohol or anything else. Basically, think of skiing just like driving - people (hopefully) wouldn't drive a car after a few drinks, or drive the following morning after a skinfull the night before.

fall sideways, not backwards, that's a really dumb suggestion.

And when getting up and trying to put skis back on, try and stay parallel to the slope. Anything that involves going in the same direction as the slope will, inevitably, result in acceleration.

But the instructor will teach her all this.

Skiiing is like riding a horse, contact rugby, hockey etc. 99% of the time it’s all fine, but injuries do occur. She needs winter sports insurance, she needs proper lessons (not flaky “training” whatever that is). It is an amazing sport/holiday. Dd has skied for over 10 years and this time had a silly fall, had to be taken off the mountain and is heading for surgery. It is not without risk.

Proper instruction will teach her how to stop, where her limits are, and how to get the most out of this amazing opportunity. As a family, it is our favourite type of holiday.

All of this! Don't be peer pressured into thinking adult beginners don't need lessons. They absolutely do to be safe for themselves and others.

I grew up in an alpine part of the world where everything revolved around skiing, it was pretty much everyone's #1 winter hobby. Sadly I do know several people who died this way, BUT almost all of them were excellent skiers who went off-piste for some extra fun/challenge/adrenaline and ended up in avalanches. Often ignoring the avalanche advice that is clearly advertised on the slopes - although leaving the marked slopes is never truly "safe" even in "good" conditions.

As a beginner, your daughter won't be doing this type of skiing so I wouldn't worry. They'll stick to marked slopes. There are always freak accidents and of course there's a chance of injury, but I believe most tragic cases are related to people going off the slopes and getting caught in avalanches. It's horrible and to be clear I am not victim-blaming as I do it myself sometimes. Just pointing out that this is where a lot of the horror stories come from, rather than collisions or falls.

Oh, and many PP have said helmet already but just reiterating how important this is! You can also get back protectors, they are thin and light so barely noticeable. And it may sound obvious, but a good pair of sunglasses or goggles and a high SPF (snow reflects the sun) are also essential. She will have a great time and I hope this thread has helped with the anxiety!

On her first skiing holiday she shouldn't be skiing at all out of a lesson. When the lesson's finished, so is she for the day.

I don’t know that I agree with this. A few practices on the nursery slope or recapping a piste done with the instructor that morning is usually fine especially from
day 3 onwards. If in doubt ask the instructor’s opinion but saying no skiing outside of lessons when or you’re on day 5-6 is a bit extreme! I learned in my mid teens and I distinctly remember the instructor telling me what to practice that afternoon, so I think it’s expected?! She just needs to make sure she’s not tempted to follow mates down more challenging terrain in an effort not to be left out or ski down after a boozy lunch.

Yeah i've never see this either. Everyone I know who has learnt as a beginner, my DP included, has had lessons in the morning and then practiced themselves on the nursery slopes/travelatorin the afternoon, progressing to Greens with friends by about day 3, as other have said. If they pick it up well the instructor will have them on Green and Blues midweek anyway so I really dont think this is necessary. Most beginners would at least be skiing a Green if not a Blue with friends by the end of the week if having daily lessons in the morning.

No I don't agree with that either - she'll make much better progress if she's practicing what she's learned in lessons in between. Initially that'll just be practicing some gentle turns on the nursery slope, but in 5-6 days with decent instruction most people will be capable of tackling easier runs (greens or easy blues) on their own assuming conditions are OK. Definitely recommend taking the instructors advice on where to practice - they'll know which runs are best suited for beginners - although piste maps have colour labelling (green being the easiest) it doesn't tell you anything about slope conditions, how busy they are etc.

Hi guys.
just been in the phone to DD.
She’s been recommended a place called ESCAPE near Leeds to have lessons.
The ski resort is called Chamonix.
Anyone know anything about it?? ⛷️

Large , party resort! Not really a beginners resort although there is a rope tow lift at valley level and nursery area higher up. Hopefully some of her group are also beginners otherwise they may be off elsewhere to ski. Escape is an artificial snow slope, a few lessons will familiarise her with the equipment and draglifts.

But it also has plenty of non ski activities should she want a break from learning.

It’s a big resort, she’ll have a great time! She needs lessons there though not just at one of those snow dome places before she goes.

My 2 year old nephew went for his first ski lessons in December. No worries. Also, it's a great sport. Everyone in my family skies/snowboards, we all love it, great exercise too.

Chamonix is not an ideal resort for beginners, but I imagine her hosts can tell her where to go (several separate areas), what pass to buy and where to book lessons. She’ll have a ball.