Days on the Slope - Teaching Someone to Ski

Last April, I convinced my girlfriend, who had truly never skied before, to buy an Ikon pass, promising I'd teach her. In the months that followed, we told our friends, family, and co-workers about the idea, and were repeatedly warned that teaching and learning to ski are difficult and can strain a relationship. "Good luck to you... If you guys survive this, you can probably survive anything" was a common phrase said to us, usually in a half-joking tone.

Sketch that shows me teaching my girlfriend how to ski during our recent trip to Steamboat.

Conversations with friends and family aside, heading into ski season, I was cautious but confident in my ski-teaching abilities, and more confident in my girlfriend's ability to learn how to ski. We started slow, skiing half a day on the bunny hill at Winter Park, and have gradually worked up from there. Now, a little over (hopefully) halfway through the season, I can happily report that we've had many happy days on the slope together, and all my expectations have been exceeded. Yesterday, we skied at Steamboat, the sixth time we've skied together, and I was all smiles as I saw my girlfriend tear down a handful of intermediate (blue) runs with no fear, confidently making sliding turns and remaining in control the entire run. It was a testament to the dedication and effort she has put in all winter to learn something central to my lifestyle, and I was both grateful and proud.

While teaching someone to ski has its challenges (see my first Days on the Slope blog post), the experience is incredibly rewarding. As the teacher, you are forced to build or refine skills that are valuable in several facets of life, such as coaching, patience, and planning. Additionally, I've gotten to share one of my favorite hobbies with my best friend, and hopefully have passed my love of skiing to her.

For those pondering teaching someone to ski, I am an advocate for it, given that you are an experienced skier and are dedicated to spending significant amounts of time on beginner terrain, even on good ski days. Teaching a significant other, for example, often means investing real time and energy over an entire season, but that investment can pay off for years, even decades, of shared days on the mountain. On the other hand, if you’re skiing with a buddy for the weekend and they ask you to teach them, it may be kinder (and more productive) to suggest a lesson instead. With that said, if you do decide to make the leap, here are several tips that I used that have made the first season skiing with my girlfriend a positive one.

Tips for a Positive Ski Teaching Experience

#1 Do Your Own Homework

Skiing might feel like second nature to you. But to someone who's never done it before, the idea of sticking two wooden planks to your feet and sliding down a snow-covered mountain is usually both foreign and daunting. There are so many basic concepts to teach someone new to the sport that you've likely forgotten about. So, do your own homework and find videos or articles that explain basic skiing concepts and how to get someone comfortable on skis. I watched this two-part series before my first outing with my girlfriend, and it was SUPER helpful.

#2 Be Patient and Understanding

Yesterday, when we were on the bunny hill at Steamboat, a guy was teaching his friend how to ski. His friend, a complete beginner, was struggling. He was falling a lot and couldn't really get back up on his own. After two runs, the teacher grew frustrated and ditched his friend, leaving him to struggle alone. It was sad to witness. Teaching someone a new skill, especially one as demanding as skiing, requires patience and a willingness to meet them where they are. Being a good instructor means understanding what your student can and can’t do, as well as their comfort level with risk. That understanding should shape what you teach, the terrain you choose, and even how long you stay on the mountain. Above all, it requires the patience to stay with them until they’re genuinely comfortable with their current level and ready to move on to the next challenge.

#3 STAY ON BEGINNER TERRAIN

During someone's first few ski outings, you shouldn't even think about taking them to intermediate or advanced terrain. This seems obvious, but I’ve heard too many stories of beginners having miserable, and sometimes dangerous, first experiences because their “teacher” took them down terrain that was simply too advanced. The assumption is usually that athleticism or comfort in other sports will carry over. In skiing, that assumption can be costly. As an instructor, the last thing you want is for your student to get injured or to never want to ski again.

#4 Think Win-Win or Find Compromise

Look, I'm patient, but I'm not perfect. Spending hours on the bunny hills and beginner terrain can be frustrating, especially if you know exactly what you're missing by not skiing the more fun runs. So, early in a teacher–student relationship, it helps to find a compromise you’re both comfortable with. Maybe that means you sneak off for a few laps while they take a break, or spend the first half of the day working on new skills before splitting up, giving them time to practice terrain they’re confident on while you head off to ski something more challenging.