GreenWife can't make her mind up, and we want to go up to the slopes this weekend for our first trip of the season. I want to book her a lesson, but I don't know what of.

The vast majority of the people we know here ski - I can't think of anyone else who snowboards in fact. Included in that number are some beginner ladies who might be good company for her.

I, however, snowboard - at an intermediate level - and could help her out myself if she chose snowboarding.

I've heard skiing is easier to learn, snowboarding is easier to do once you learn.

She isn't a particularly adventurous sort, and whatever she does she won't try and progress too fast.

She has had one day on skis before many years ago, and thought it might be nice to try something different, but I think that is really irrelevant, it was so long ago and brief that she doesn't remember anything from it.

Given all that, any ideas on what would be best?

GalahOnTheBay said...
As a boarder don't you remember how punishing learning was?

I subluxated my shoulder on my first day, but no, I forget stuff like that. I've subluxated them both multiple times, so I didn't really associate it...

Point taken.

GreenPat said...
She isn't a particularly adventurous sort, and whatever she does she won't try and progress too fast.

If you love your wife, if you love her very, very much, you'll never, ever let her catch you saying stuff like that.

If you were a skier you would probably be advanced .I boarded many years ago and ditched it for skiing .Modern skis allow very fast advancement without the punishment and wet arse and gloves assoiated with snowboards .Was fun at mt selwyn on a snowboard but crap on good ol Aussie hardpack at thredbo and Perisher .Skiing for your partner is the way to go .If you have regular pwder then maybe snowboarding

My wife and I had our first week on the snow this winter - we are both 45yo. My wife is very athletic, but in a sporty netball, gym, swim kind of way. I have been surfing for 30+ years and was a keen skateboarder in my teens (so have 'board balance').

I boarded. It took me a full day to get my balance/edge/stopping sorted, and by day three was doing full green runs no issue. By day five I was started to do some carving turns and very hesitant 180's and was doing some blue sections. Having said that, I had more than a few good stacks and could not get those T-bars sorted... and after a week was as sore and bruised as I have ever been...

My wife opted for skiing - and we both had one on one lessons for 2hrs on day one. Where I gradually got better and tried more with my growing confidence, my wife remained uneasy and did not really get into it. Despite being keen, it did not come naturally to her. I think the crowds were part of the problem - other learners getting in the way... and her having little control to stop when required.

As Chrispy says, let her try both and see how she goes...

In my days I used to steer beginners towards skates (very short skis).
Much faster to learn and get some speed. Less chances of twisted knees, falls are less dramatic for newbies, etc. I say used to, since many slopes don't rent them anymore.

Boarding always takes more time to get the basics on day 1, but if someone sticks to it and is somewhat athletic, there's a return on investment around day 3 or 4.

^^^
I actually took my wife longboard skateboarding a few times before we went... it didn't help

I recon you should get her to ski... its way more fun to watch a skier stack it than a snow boarder :P

(I snowboard, as does my partner - though the progression is quite different between us).

GreenPat,
Go with the Ski option... I think... in this case...

I was the opposite... I persisted with Skiing for about 3 seasons... but when I jumped on a snowboard, it came really easily... Morning 1, got a lesson, fell about twice. Day 1 in total, fell about 5 times... No bruises, no bad falls... But I could already surf, skate, and windsurf... (a little! )

pat - fark that.
Snowboarding. Reasons..
you're not learning on ICE - you're in canada no? A good instructor in lessons from the start in 4 days she'll be just about all mountain. Heaven forbid she might actually really like it and you will have your holidays sorted.
Skiing she will be a muppet for years. You wont want to ride together or on the same terrain. Boarding is easy to learn in lessons. dont try and teach her yourself, no matter how good you are. plus its more fun learning in lessons with others who are at the same level that you can have fun with.

Good decision.

I can ski and board.

The rule I always used was as follows:

Adventurous and soft snow - snowboard

Adventurous with good board-riding experience and hard-pack - board (but with helmet, padded shorts and wrist guards)

Adventurous without board-riding experience and hard-pack - ski

Less adventurous and any snow conditions - ski


If she does try boarding, make sure you give her wrist guards (for the toe edge catch) and a helmet (for the heel-edge catch) and preferably some padded shorts. A lot of people would show up at apres-ski in a wrist cast after their first couple of days on snow.

Photos look awesome. I love Australia, but at this time of year so many friends are heading for the snow for the season and wow do I get FOMO.

Talking to doctor in Queenstown last year he gave me this statistic
(i know your missus is a chick so doesnt really apply, but makes you think)

"if you are a male over 40 and snowboarding for the first time the chance of an injury requiring hospital treatment is 100%" he was saying this as he was re-setting my wrist back to where it normally should be, i was 39 then, what a winner.

Agreed about the icy conditions, dont bother boarding, ski, the falls are to hard learning to board on ice/hard conditions, my lesson learnt the hard way, next time. Looks awesome there have fun

^^ Couple of tracks in the foreground, but you're right. I did manage to get bogged down in a couple of unexpected bits of powder though.

You fall off lots and lots when you're learning to board. Which is fine in soft snow, but icy conditions is like falling on concrete. The board is grippy when you are moving quickly and using the edges. It's all over the place if you're learning and going slowly with the board flat on the ground. I'd suggest if she's not the adventurous type, aim for skiing. Within a very short period of time she will be able to snow-plough her way down the mountain with skis. Although if you do have really good powdery conditions it's pretty easy to pick up snowboarding, you don't have to edge much, the board has heaps of grip and if you fall, you land on soft snow.

GalahOnTheBay said...

GreenPat said...

Great pic!

Only one thing wrong though - no one has bothered to take the effort to put tracks through that prime piece of fluffy goodness...

and therein is the issue. in three days she would be loving that stuff on a board with you. If she ski's she'll say 'yuk, lets go on a nice groomed run' and wont be competent or appreciative of the pow for many many years of dedicated progression. depends on whether you like pow or groomers

both are great - specially on the new skis

From a purely mechanical perspective

However if you have put a lot of ks on your knees - snowboard = 1 edge dominated by 2 knees and 2 legs.

Ski = 2 edges to control - 1 edge per knee and ankle - which is a lot harder on them

Skiing really killed my knees - Snowboarding dished out FAR less damage.