Alpine Mtn, PA: 2/20/11

Ski Day 23: Zelda called for a time out this weekend from the endless driving we've been doing. I'd resigned myself to the first weekend I had without skiing since mid-December.  Then, James called me out in this very forum challenging me to ski somewhere other than Gore.  The gauntlet had been thrown and the challenge was accepted.

The plan to hit Shawnee was abandoned when we realized how insane the holiday crowd would be.  So it was back to Alpine Mountain for James and Claude, and a new experience for Neve and me. It was my first chance to ski the Pocs in many years. Alpine claims 500 verts, but we had a hard time seeing more than 350.

Conditions were a thin layer of corn on top of boilerplate. Neve who's really never skied much beyond fresh cord, noted that the snow was "bumpy."  We skied maybe 10 runs in 3 hours, and it was really worth doing. Thanks James for callin' me out!


"First chair at 1pm"


The Lodge


All smiles


Breaktime


Pondering the next move


Neve drops in.


The Headwall


Tough day at the office

Excellent kid stoke!

Small hills aren't so bad, eh?

Sick Bird Rider wrote

Small hills aren't so bad, eh?

They really aren't. I haven't skied that many hills, and not many small ones. Would like to hear from James on this but, I'm guessing that Alpine has more usable terrain for Claude and Neve than most bigger hills you'd ski. Belleayre may be the exception as it has a lot of gentle terrain below the lodge.

One thing is for sure it, it's cool to let kids "pick" where there want the go. Most of the hill is fair game.

IMHO, the two pix that Harv included of Neve are not representative of her level. The 1.5 seasons of lessons at Gore are definitely paying dividends.

From my terminal-intermediate POV, she's got strong fundamentals (weighting the outside ski) and balance.

Harvey44 wrote

Sick Bird Rider wrote

Small hills aren't so bad, eh?

They really aren't. I haven't skied that many hills, and not many small ones. Would like to hear from James on this but, I'm guessing that Alpine has more usable terrain for Claude and Neve than most bigger hills you'd ski. Belleayre may be the exception as it has a lot of gentle terrain below the lodge.

One thing is for sure it, it's cool to let kids "pick" where there want the go. Most of the hill is fair game.

Agreed. Agreed.  Agreed. Reminds me of when my GF's son and niece were younger. After skiing, I'ld ask them if they were tired and they'ld say no, but then they'ld sleep the whole way home from Gore. Sometimes they'ld still be sleeping after I pulled into my garage. I'ld just leave them there, they wake up eventually.

Thanks James. I have to say it does really feel worth it.

This was the first day she and I skied together, just us. Really the first time I took two runs in a row with her.

One thing I realized is how much easier it is to take pics or video when you're spying on a lesson vs being in charge.

Because I had to stay very close to the subject, the video appears shaky, and my shadow is in most of the shots.

Here's the steadiest one:



Here's Neve in the steeps:



I got to give her credit ... she was in corn for the first time ever.

And you'd go from corn to near boilerplate... and she handled it. I think she fell twice on ten different pitches.  

She also chewed me out for pointing out upcoming challenges. "Daddy I know when it's steep!"  Unreal.

Harvey44 wrote

She also chewed me out for pointing out upcoming challenges. "Daddy I know when it's steep!"  Unreal.

She put you in your place! Daddy is going to have to think twice before he speaks next time

I have 350' vertical in my backyard which I ski on xc skis. Made some tele-turns today with the light gear in the powder. Really sweet.

Glad you got to have a day on the slopes with the kids. Priceless!

Harvey44 wrote

She also chewed me out for pointing out upcoming challenges. "Daddy I know when it's steep!"  Unreal.

I went thru that with the GF's son.  I told him many times to stop when he came upon a headwall and always stopped so he would too.

He was 9 or so and had been skiing several years. One day we entered Wild Air, me first. I left him decide on his own for the first time, but after I crested the headwall, I pulled over and wouldn't you know it, he didn't pause or slow down atop the headwall.

Whoosh! he went flying by me, all tensed up and straight lining.

There was a snow pile by the next tower  and a lip that obscured him for awhile. Hmmm. He should be visible by now......bet he wiped. Oh No there he goes! I went after him and he pulled over as best he could to the left. I got to him when he stopped.

" HOLY CRAP! "

" Tim, are you ok? "

"HOLY CRAP! "

" Tim, are you ok?"

So, back and forth the conversation went for awhile, Tim staring intently forward.

We laugh about it now. It was really funny after it was over. But it was scary when it happened. I envisioned him flying into the trees, etc.

It's hard to say when one should stop parenting. I always figure drill stuff in their head cuz someday they''ll be off skiing with their buddies and you won't be there.  The best gauge is their decision making.