Do you downhill ski regularly as a hobby?

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Downhill skiing doesn't seem like a sport someone with AS would participate in due to the motor skills needed. I am curious how many people on this boad ski or snowboard regularly as a hobby.

In my mind I would like to ski, but when I am doing it, I don't enjoy it nor am I good at it.

Last edited by JWRed on 15 Dec 2007, 1:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I lived in the Adirondacks for a few years and liked to hike and snowshoe. I decided that during the winter when snowshoeing is the best way to hike and not sink into the snow that as fun as it is I could not travel so far as walking or hiking cause snowshoeing is alot of hard work really.

I decided to try cross country skiing once. I only did it once cause I had a hard time I had a hard time controling my direction and I could cruise but did not wanna go to fast cause my balance was not good and I did not wanna hit a tree. I wish the skiis were shorter, then perhapse I woulda done just a little better. My dad does it alot and I may try it again, perhapse I just need some practice, I would never down hill ski and I guess in the end would almost prefer to just keep my snow shoes on.

Ive done some but i suck at it.

i dont ski, i dont do any sports, it used to be just because i didnt want to... now its because i have a profound physically disabling condition...

so no, i dont ski...

I live in Florida. Not only do we lack the snow, but we also lack hills which would give us a "down" to go downhill on. If you want to ski in florida, you'll probably be waterskiing. I do not waterski, either.

I went downhill once and hated it, was terrible at it, saw no reason to try it again. I tried cross country once and liked it. However, skiing is expensive and involves driving and spending money on resorts, hotels or condos.

even if i were physically able to do it i probably wouldnt... i would not like the cold air blowing into my face and everything...

I am lucky to live close to the Adirondacks where I can go downhill skiing at places like McCauley Mountain in Old Forge and Gore Mountain near Lake George which are not too expensive. It isn't a long drive to reach the Adirondacks from my hometown.

Also, in the city near my hometown, there is a small ski slope right in the middle of the city...just large enough to ride up and ski down. Next to the ski slope is a bunny hill where most kids just go sledding or tubing. Skiing is fun but, like any sport, one
has to do it enough times to "get the hang of it."

Cross country skiing is okay...but, I find it boring and not as exciting as downhill skiing.

I downhill ski. I've been doing if for several years. I used to think I was too clumsy to do sports well, but I eventually discovered that I just have trouble learning them.

My complaint is in the way these things are taught. There never seems to be enough information given. I eventually figured out that in order to learn a physical action, I need to know what all of the steps are. If something is left out, I can't figure out what is wrong, and I fail miserably.

Even with all the steps given, I usually have to go through an analysis phase before I start doing it, to figure out what sort of pattern it has and plan which instructions I need to give my body to do it. Once I go through all that, though, and I learn something, then I can remember it. It's easy once I know how.

I just don't seem to be able to intuitively figure out how to move my body in space.

If you really want to do something like that, maybe you need better instruction, more than you need lots of practice (doing it wrong). Good luck finding it, though, because most people seem to not believe that I have this problem when I tell them.

The program that I ski with is part of the city recreation department. They usually have me with an instructor and 0-2 other students.

The program I ski with works with a lot of people with disablilities. They have lots of adaptive equipment. Almost anyone can ski, with the right equipment/assitance.

Of course, if you don't want to ski, then don't.

the problem is i am highly thermal sensitive, the wind in my face wouldnt feel good to me...

snowmobiling sounds fun though, but i dont have good arm function, head array controlled snow mobile anyone?

I am a very good skiier, actually. Don't get to go that much because I'm from Alabama and go to school in NYC (not that into the slush they call snow up in these parts), but I have been skiing at least once per year, usually twice, since I was 8. We usually go to the Park City area (lately, Deer Valley), and I am a strong blue/black skiier, but certainly there are many people much better than I. If I lived out West, I'm not sure if that would remain the case, but at least for now

Do you ski the expert slopes at resorts?

I can't stand the idea of downhill skiing, or water skiing for that matter.
I only love cross-country skiing, and as it is snowing again today, I would like to get out there.
I like it when it is completely flat, for instance, on a snow-covered frozen river, because even tiny hills are difficult for me to maneuver.

I'm a very slow skier. I make a lot of turns to keep from going too fast. I have successfully skied every run at the resort we go to, even the double-diamond one (very steep - like going over a cliff), but very slowly. I don't know if that run is considered 'expert'. I live in the midwest, and I've never been to the real mountains out west.

I consider myself an intermediate skier.

It's been quite a few years, but I used to be a pretty good downhill skier, mostly intermediate runs at resorts in New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. I was lucky to get a good instructor my first time, but after that just learned on my own. It helped that I was in pretty good physical condition from playing racquetball 2-3 times a week. I always loved the cold, the snow, and the crisp, clean air.

Although I always went with a group, I usually ended up skiing on my own. I could handle the twisty runs OK, but what I really liked was getting in a tuck and flying straight down a hill a top speed. I think I would have liked to try speed skiing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_skiing