Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
A lot of people don’t appreciate the snow that comes with winter, but to skiers, it is worth its weight in gold. Nothing is more disappointing than waiting all year for Christmas Break then having no snow. Even once there is a couple inches of snow, skiing cannot begin until there is enough for a base layer and some more on top of that. So put on your snowcaps and tribally dance around a Yule log in the hopes that it will appease the snow gods.
The first run of the year is terrifying.
No matter how prepared you think you are for the ski season, the first run of the year is sketchy at best. As you get off the chairlift and look down the slope a fear creeps over you. The slope looks so much steeper from the top. What if you can’t stop at the bottom, what if you can't carve down the mountain, or what if you forgot how to ski entirely? You finally work up the courage and with shaky legs, you head down the hill. Once you make it to the bottom you have all the confidence you need to ski for the rest of the day.
Pizza, French fry.
At some point while you were learning to ski someone explained how to slow down or speed up by telling you to make your skis look like pizza or French fries. From that day on pizza and French fries have been engrained in your mind as the essentials to successful skiing. Even if you panic and can't remember how to ski, pizza and French fries will come to mind and you will make it down the hill.
Don't be the guy who makes the chairlift stop.
The chairlift is the most annoying part about skiing because it takes forever. During a day of skiing, half of your time is spent cruising down the hills, and the other half is spent begrudgingly waiting for the lift to take you back to the top. Because of the limited mountain time, it is a sin to make the chairlift stop moving. When it is your turn to get on or off of the lift be ready, or be prepared to be hated by everyone on the lift.
Don't sit in the middle of the hill.
For some reason, some people (particularly snowboarders) feel the need to sit in the middle of the hill, typically just below a ridge. Because of their position on the hill, it is nearly impossible to see the snowboarders before going over the ridge and by that time it is nearly too late. Similar to wasting time on the chairlift, when someone causes you to fall it makes that whole run pointless. Now you have you catch your skis, and scrape your dignity off the ice to continue skiing.
Snowboarders love being sprayed…
Next time you see some snowboarders sitting in the middle of the hill, acting like they own the place, do a little power-slide just behind them. I have been told that snowboarders love being pummeled with snow because it makes them feel accepted by the skiers on the hill. PRO TIP: when attempting to spray snowboarders, whatever you do, don’t fall!
Kids are crazy.
No matter how good you think you are there will be some little kid that shows you up. It seems that the majority of children on the ski hills do not have an understanding of fear or potential injury, and are willing to try any trick that comes to mind. While you're debating whether or not to hit that bigger jump, some little kid will fly by you, jump one even bigger than that and make you feel like a fool.
Carload days are on par with Christmas.
Every once in a while ski places will have a carload discount, which basically means lift tickets are super cheap. Any skier knows that lift tickets can break the bank, so when they are on sale it is more exciting than most national holidays, and every skier has a mental spreadsheet of dates and locations offering deals. There is not much better than getting a carload of your ski buddies together and spending the day on the mountain.
The more the merrier.
Skiing is always fun, but it is definitely more enjoyable when you are skiing with other people. The more people in your group the better; you can play games or race each other down the runs instead of just skiing by yourself. Whether you are on the hills or taking a break in the lodge, even a bad day of skiing is better than a day without it.
