Ski Weekend in Vermont

Happy first day of March! I didn’t mean to go for so long without posting, but hey, life gets in the way sometimes!

This past weekend Jordan and I went up to Vermont with friends. It was supposed to be a mountain biking weekend, but trail conditions were not good for biking, most of them were even closed. They decided to make it a ski weekend.  All of Jordan’s friends ski, while I had never been on skis in my life. But that was about to change! Since I’m always up for a challenge and love spending as much time outdoors as possible, I figured it would be a great opportunity to learn how to ski.

Saturday morning we got to Smuggler’s Notch Ski Resort in Vermont. Jordan helped me rent gear (skis, poles and boots) and we got our lift tickets (buy one get one free!) and off we went to the bunny hill.

He taught me the basics and we rode the “magic carpet” up and down the hill until I got the hang of it. Shortly after, he taught me how to get on and off the lift! It was tricky at first. I fell the first few times getting off, but finally got the hang of it.

I made my way down the easiest green trail a few times.

The next day we drove to Jay Peak Resort. The conditions at Jay were much different than at Smuggler’s. There was fresh snow and  a lot more of it! It actually made skiing a lot easier. (More snow=easier to stop!)

At Jay, I skied a few green trails with the girls while the guys skied. After a few hours, I took a group lesson (that turned out to be a private lesson!) for two hours. I learned more of the basics, like proper form, how to turn, stop, etc. The instructor said I had some of the best form he’s seen for someone who has only been skiing for 2 days! By the end of the lesson I felt much more confident. I loved it!

I was a bit hesitant to get a lesson, but since it was included in my beginner’s package at Jay, I decided to go and it ended up being a private lesson and extremely worthwhile. I got two hours with a professional instructor. He was great! He corrected my form and taught me the proper techniques. If anyone is out there thinking about taking a ski lesson, do it! It was a great experience and definitely worth the extra money. After my lesson, Jordan and I skied back to the lodge and met up with the group in one of the bars for a post-ski beverage. It was a fantastic day. I’m looking forward to skiing again soon! Maybe I’ll try some blue trails next.