skiing or snowboarding

[cadalano]

dear trusted advisors,

im going to colorado in january and i need to know which "______ for Retards" class i should sign up for... skiing or snowboarding.

most importantly, which one is easier to learn in a few days?

second most, which one of them will break my ass less?



furthermore,
has anyone been to Breckenridge? what is awesome there?

[Psyloche]

I tried Skiing 3 times in my life and I sucked every single time, although I never took an actual lesson in an effort to learn, I just went with friends who knew how. I hated every minute of it.

I tried Snowboarding one weekend because my friends were going on a Skiing trip and it gave me an excuse to ask a girl I'd been trying to get with to go somewhere fun (every person going was a couple). I learned to Snowboard in 1 day, again without lessons.

I found Snowboarding a heck of a lot easier for me to learn, but I figured I'd toss this out there too because everyone told me Skiing is like ice skating and Snowboarding is like skate boarding.

I fucking suck at ice skating, roller blading, and can somewhat move around on roller skates.
I fucking suck at skate boarding and fall off before I can even get on.

I can snowboard down blacks 3 years later having gone Snowboarding at least once or twice a year for 3 years now (That trip where I took the girl turned into a yearly thing and now I'm engaged to said girl). I think I went on my first Black the second trip I went, I was only brave enough to try the blues that first trip. At this point, I don't even like going down Green because it doesn't go fast enough -- but I will go to take video and/or pictures of friends who are learning.

[Truant]

I've done a lot of both. It was always explained to me that skiing was easier to learn, but harder to master...while snowboarding was harder to learn but easier to master.

I don't think either of those are accurate however. It really kind of depends on the individual. Both are a lot of fun, and both can break your ass if you're not careful about how you fall.

My personal advice, if you've never done either before. Pay the extra couple bucks and get a private lesson instead of doing the class. You'll get a lot more out of it, and if you learn fast you won't be held back by all the mouthbreathers you'd be grouped up with in a class. You can do private lessons as a couple or even 3 people as well. Just makes it more relaxed and enjoyable.

As far as falling and busting your ass. Fall like a smart person. The ground is covered with snow, some of it may be packed, but it won't hurt that bad. A common snowboarding injury is wrist sprains because people try to put their hands down and catch themselves when they fall. Don't do that! You'll know when you're going to fall, and when you feel it's coming, just lay down. If skiing, just lay over to one side and keep your skiis downhill from you. If snowboarding, fall on your ass, or if going face first, use your forearms to brace yourself so you don't eat snow. If you ever feel out of control because you're going too fast. Just lay down, get up and start again. Sometimes it's all you can do, it's no big deal.

Personally, I prefer snowboarding. I have a lot more fun on it, and I can do more with it. I ski'd (wtf is the past tense of ski?) for like 14 years growing up, and got quite good at it, but randomly made the switch one year and never went back.

Breckenridge is one of a group of resorts all in the same area (I think they call it the Summit? I forget). Vail, Keystone, Beaver Creek, and Arapaho Basin iirc. Might have switched a couple. Anyways, there's a shitton to do, because it's a very big tourist draw. Personally, I would recommend skipping the upscale shopping and restaurants. Hit the microbrews and find a good cheap sports bar that the locals hang out at. You'll get more for your money and have more fun to boot! (Good tip: Ask your ski/snowboard instructor where they like to hang out at...but do it in a not weird/creepy hit on kind of way)


edit. 1 more thing:Make use of the hottub at the place you are staying. When you get done for the day, go spend some time in the hottub before you go out for the night. Otherwise, you'll be so sore and stiff the next morning you'll be mistaken for a zombie.

[valryte]

The first time I went skiing was to Telluride, CO. I tried both Skiing and Snowboarding as well as a bunch of people that I went with. I can tell you that it truly depends on the person. Some people picked up skiing very fast (me) other picked up Snowboarding. From my personal experience it was easier to learn to Ski on my own than it was Snowboarding. If you decide to pick up Snowboarding, I would recommend you get lessons from an instructor. From what I've seen, the people who have done both, prefer snow boarding. They have a lot more fun on it.

Oh and as Truant said...

1 more thing:Make use of the hot tub at the place you are staying.

Definitely follow that advice. A bunch of us rented a cabin and it had a sauna in the basement and a hot tub outside. It really helps. Just be careful with wet hair

[Winnow]

Most of my skiing days were over in Europe. St Moritz, Andermatt, Chamonix, ...lot of glacier skiing in the Alps. There were zero snowboards back then that I saw.

In the states, The best slopes I experienced were around Lake Tahoe (Squaw Peak/Heavenly Valley) and Vail in Colorado. The ski conditions in the Western U.S. are much better on average than in Europe (Eastern U.S. skiing doesn't even make the list), especially if you like powder. Europe does have the awesome views though.

Back on track, when I first saw someone trying to snowboard, it looked kind of dumb. The guy always struggled in the lift lines, having to push with one foot and had no poles to help. As was mentioned above, if you master skiing you can have a lot of fun but it does take some time. I started ski lessons when I was like seven or eight years old, maybe younger. If this is your first time attempting to ski or snowboard, I'd recommend snowboarding. You'll look like an old granny out there snowplowing with skis as a beginner. I'll always love my Rossi (Rossignol) Freestyle skis though!

Side note:

If you're a nature freak, skiing can be one of the best experiences ever if you manage to go a little off the main trails on a hill that's not crowded. Some of the views I've seen (both in Europe and in the U.S.) have been spectacular. Skiing through lightly forested hills in fresh powder is quite serene.

[Spang]

The only thing I've ever done in snow is walk. I'm getting pretty good at it.

[cadalano]

going with snowboarding- although i've not completely thrown out the possibility of just sitting by the fire in the lodge with a glass of scotch instead.



thanks to all of you, my treasured friends

[Winnow]

Skiing has the benefit of obtaining ski poles that have the hidden container compartments so you can fill up the poles with schnapps or whatever.

[Tegellan]

I am a snowboarder myself, but I must say I busted my ass a hell of a lot more to learn snowboarding than I did skiing. Whatever you do, i would much recommend getting a private lesson, you gain a lot from those.

[Clatis]

i board, go boarding, never ski'd, what state are you doing this in? I take it up north or out west? *Edit* nm reading is fun

[Ransure]

I tried Skiing 3 times in my life and I sucked every single time, although I never took an actual lesson in an effort to learn, I just went with friends who knew how. I hated every minute of it.

I tried Snowboarding one weekend because my friends were going on a Skiing trip and it gave me an excuse to ask a girl I'd been trying to get with to go somewhere fun (every person going was a couple). I learned to Snowboard in 1 day, again without lessons.

I found Snowboarding a heck of a lot easier for me to learn, but I figured I'd toss this out there too because everyone told me Skiing is like ice skating and Snowboarding is like skate boarding.

I fucking suck at ice skating, roller blading, and can somewhat move around on roller skates.
I fucking suck at skate boarding and fall off before I can even get on.

I can snowboard down blacks 3 years later having gone Snowboarding at least once or twice a year for 3 years now (That trip where I took the girl turned into a yearly thing and now I'm engaged to said girl). I think I went on my first Black the second trip I went, I was only brave enough to try the blues that first trip. At this point, I don't even like going down Green because it doesn't go fast enough -- but I will go to take video and/or pictures of friends who are learning.

Really? you can snowboard now?.... sorry, Im just laughing to myself imagining it...

[Psyloche]

Really? you can snowboard now?.... sorry, Im just laughing to myself imagining it...

Yeah it's pretty fucking ridiculous that I learned, considering I more or less suck at anything remotely related.

[masteen]

The past tense of ski is SKIED. Fuck, how did an apostrophe even enter the fucking picture, you fucking illiterates?

[Truant]

Thanks for the help there buddy.
Do you happen to know what the past tense of suck me is?

[Winnow]

Someone has has a case of ski'd marks!

[cadalano]

side note:

breckbrew.com

score!

[Leonaerd]

Snowboarding has more of a fun edge-to-edge feel, and the process of going heel-to-toe and back is more rewarding at high speeds. On the other hand, skiers have more control and domination of the mountain because the equipment is more capable of handling adverse terrain. I would choose snowboarding any day. It feels like sailing on the snow and requires a honed balance. While skiers can carve quickly and efficiently, the swooping carve of the snowboard is more impressive. Chicks dig snowboarders.

[Xyphir]

I've been boarding since I moved to CO about 4 years ago. In that time, I've been up on average about 12 times a year. I haven't been to all of the ski areas in CO, but I have been to a good many near I-70. My favorite has become Copper Mountain. I love the back bowls and they give free cat rides to some back-country areas which are incredible. I don't like Breckenridge because there are a lot of flat catwalks to other parts of the mountain. You can never get up enough speed to make it to the next slope and end up having to unstrap a boot to push, which sucks ass at 9,000 ft. Copper is very well marked, and lots of beginner/intermediate terrain. I would strongly recommend getting wrist guards, and a helmet.

As for hangouts, it would depend on where you were staying. If you're going to be in Breck, there's a couple breweries nearby, Dam Brewery and the Backcountry Brewery. We almost always drove back or were too exhausted after skiing to do anything but get to bed early and dream of making trails the next day.

Winter Park/Mary Jane is also a pretty nice mountain. Personally, I like Loveland but it's more of a locals place. No resort associated and the lifts are all really slow. They used to have the highest chair in CO, but I think Breck took that crown from them last year. Some of my best memories boarding are from Loveland, but it gets damn cold on that lift when the wind is blowing.

Looking forward to the season! I got my 4-pack from Loveland and getting my Copper 4-Pack soon. Let is snow!

[Arborealus]

I'm in the "Friction is Good" camp here...strapping anything on your feet to reduce it is bad...It seems to me that reducing it differentially between feet would be far more likely lead to groin injuries which, in turn, could tragically impede one's ability to perform in the evening...Have you looked into purchasing Crampons instead?...Crampons give you that "I'm a rugged mountaineer" vibe while greatly reducing the risk of falls! And if anyone laughs at you...you can stomp them to death readily...

I am also strongly pro-Scotch...so there's my vote...

[Leonaerd]

I'm in the "Friction is Good" camp here...strapping anything on your feet to reduce it is bad...It seems to me that reducing it differentially between feet would be far more likely lead to groin injuries which, in turn, could tragically impede one's ability to perform in the evening...Have you looked into purchasing Crampons instead?...Crampons give you that "I'm a rugged mountaineer" vibe while greatly reducing the risk of falls! And if anyone laughs at you...you can stomp them to death readily...

I am also strongly pro-Scotch...so there's my vote...

Huh? What do crampons have to do with snowboarding and skiing?

[cadalano]

whoosh

[Drolgin Steingrinder]

I am also strongly pro-Scotch...so there's my vote...

So come on over and drink that bottle of 22yr old Ardbeg with your name on it, jackass! It's not going to keep forever, you know...

[*~*stragi*~*]

be careful don't get hurt jordan luv luv

[Sylvus]

I just got new (to me) skis.

[cadalano]

stuck w/ snowboarding. pics of the trip:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24301512@N ... 461150347/




im planning on going up again at the end of the year, and I will probably try skiing next time just to see how I like it. I kinda had bad luck and ended up with a really shitty instructor and Breckenridge's lessons are borderline scams.. but it was still a good time and I didn't break anything.

[Canelek]

Oh, I loved Breckenridge when I went back in 1987! Some notable runs were Mach 1, Tiger's Tail and DEVIL'S CROTCH! I want to go back there at some point.