UKC

Just posting this here as there's not the skiing forum yet.

We'd both like to be able to go ski touring but neither of us can actually ski :oD

Learning in the Alps is very appealing but I only have 2yrs left of long breaks to take trips to the Alps and we want to go peak bagging while we are there as so much we'd like to do.

So that leaves learning to ski in Scotland the only option really for the immediate future. Not that appealing, sharing crowded nursery slopes with billions of other bumbling beginners.

Can you guys advise the best place to start out, in terms of the different centres? I've snowboarded at Glenshee before, the Lecht and Cairngorm and found the nursery slopes at Cairngorm always seemed over crowded.

Is it possible to learn outwith the ski centres (with instruction)

In reply to Sonya Mc:

Erm, the skiing forum's been going for a couple of months.

In reply to Sonya Mc: Hi Sonya you can learn the basics on any easy angled slope, I used to teach skiing on cairgorm and many times I would have to look outwith the main area.

In reply to Sonya Mc: Hi Sonj,

Firstly, you might want to check your glasses... http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/i.php?f=26 ha!!

Secondly, I'm getting into touring just now. I'm an 'ok' piste skier, but do struggle off piste. (Much better on a board)

My only advice is to try and get as good as possible on piste before thinking about going touring.

Unfortunately, in Scotland, you have no real choice but to battle with the queues and hordes. I really don't recommend trying to learn to ski off-piste without having a good level of skill on piste.

Try and go midweek if possible.

Enjoy...

In reply to Sonya Mc: The Lecht is a good place to start as the place is well managed in general. The range of beginners runs is good. Also maybe less queues than Cairngorm coz there are fewer skiiers there looking for longer runs, whereas cairngorm is overall more popular.

Haha, ooops! Streap just informed me that the skiing forum was here. I just had a quick glance, yes need to get my eyes checked!

In reply to Sonya Mc:
>>

Depends how quickly you take to it. People will always say you need to get good on piste first but for some that takes years! and then the transition is often difficult too. Others can get going very quickly indeed. 2 of mates Gary and Steve- who you see at the wall, never took a lesson of any kind, did a few days piste skiing and just started coming out with us. Both now 100% capable skiing in the mountains after 3 seasons of just going touring. Gary's first experience of deep powder was when we got to the top of the Pigne D'Arolla. He fell a couple of times but picked it up by the bottom of that slope!

Just go for it!

In reply to Fultonius: Yeah, we were thinking midweek would be idea, but can't happen really as I'm going to be working 9-5 after Jan

In reply to Sonya Mc:

Ski touring is really just hillwalking with skis on. The better you are at skiing the more you will enjoy the downhills. Get a few days on piste, master parallel turns then start touring and watch your winter climbing career slowly grind to a halt!

Thanks folks, will try and do a few lessons at the Lecht as Matt suggests, then see how we get on as to whether we feel good enough to go out on the hill.

In reply to Sonya Mc: yeah, try and go mid week if possible. It's obv not as impressive as cairngorm but maybe better for learning at first...

In reply to MattG: Yeah, I've got a week free after my exams on the 20th Jan. A few days of trying to learn how to ski and then a couple of days climbing sounds like a good plan

In reply to Sonya Mc: learn to ski at the Coe, its prettty much a carbon copy of what you will encounter ski touring, except you have a ski patrol to lift you off the hill. I wouldnt advocate learning to ski in leg breaker crud in somewhere like the middle of the Fannaichs