Hi everyone – looking for your advice/experiences with ski lessons!

I'm a 24-year-old guy who has been skiing for a quite few years now (I probably have around 8-9 weeks of experience in total, mostly since turning 18). I can ski all colors of slopes without any issues (though not very gracefully on blacks), but I really feel like I've hit a plateau and just aren't improving anymore.

I've only had a very small amount of group ski lessons in the past where we did basic drills, so I often feel like my skiing is a bit rusty and stiff. I really want to achieve a better, smoother, and more refined technique, which is why I'm now considering investing in a couple of hours of private lessons on my next trip.

So my questions are:
Has anyone else here been in a similar situation, where you've skied for years without lessons and only later realized you needed a technique tune-up?

Is it actually possible to notice a significant improvement when you've already gotten used to a specific way of skiing?

Did you feel it was worth the money, or was it a waste of time?

I'd love to hear about your experiences!
Best regards

I’ll keep this short, I’m from salt lake it’s my brothers ski with a core shot I thought I could fix, I do all my own maintenance but this is bigger than anything I’ve ever taken on. The base is exposed, buddy told me to use some jb weld as ptex doesn’t stick to metal and that didn’t help the ptex at all. I was using a stick to drip it in, I’ve taken it to two shops that have said they can’t repair it. The ptex is just cracking and flaking out so I’m at my wits end and it just snowed so I’m in dire straits now.

Any tips on how to repair or a shop that would take this on, much obliged.

I have been looking at gear, and I am planning on renting skis, and boots, but buying the other things like helmet and goggles. What gear exactly do I need to buy? And what should I rent?

Hi everyone! I’m Tomi from Argentina.

I’m planning a ski trip to Europe for late November / early December 2026. I’ve never been to Europe before, so I don’t really know which resorts or areas would be the best options.

I’m traveling on a fairly tight budget, so I’d really appreciate recommendations for affordable places to ski, especially somewhere with a decent chance of having good snow that early in the season.

I’m also wondering about ski gear: would you recommend bringing my own equipment from Argentina (skis, poles and boots), or would it make more sense to rent everything once I’m there?

Any recommendations, experiences or tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

My gf and I are heading to Banff next year, Sunshine, Louise, Norquay.

What are the best apres spots? Any mid mountain bars like in Europe or is it mostly in the town?

Looking for a roomate to go skiing in Italy with. Would be going with a larger group of people, but I need a roomate or else I have to pay extra $1k. Jan 16-25. Club Med Pragelato resort. Reach out to me at: +1-347-933-0323.

I recently came across this piece and have been digging into its history. It's a team-issued down puffer hat from what appears to be the golden era of Italian ski tailoring. Inside, it features the patent tailoring tags from Nicola Aristide, custom silk-screening with the Florentine lily emblem, and heavy-duty snap earflaps designed for extreme alpine conditions. I’ve done extensive research into the history behind the hat and based on the tags and how they correlate, what the tags say, the design and small structural details, and all other details I can confidently confirm it’s a 1970s Italian national ski team issued hat. One of the tags says Pool Sci Italia. Pool Sci Italia is the official consortium of technical suppliers founded to equip the Italian National Alpine Ski Team (FISI). Only brands under direct contract to supply gear to the national team are authorized to sew the Pool Sci Italia label into their garments.

I've spent hours searching archives and haven't been able to cross-reference another team-issued example from that era (or really at all) in this condition or similar to mine. For any vintage sportswear or textile historians here—how common was this level of bespoke national team contracting back in the 70s, and what would you value a piece like this at if positioned as a 50+ year old Italian ski collectible?

Could this potentially be a museum piece due to the era and the pristine condition mixed with the rarity? For example maybe places like The Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame (Vail, Colorado) or The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum (Ishpeming, Michigan) would put something of this caliber in some type of display, on a manakin, etc?

Hi, I’m an intermediate skier looking to fully immerse myself in the world of snow sports. I’ve managed to get up to the mountains occasionally, but living near the sea makes the logistics a bit challenging. This year, I’m finally able to dive in and spend plenty of time on the slopes, so I want to level up my skills across the board. Could you recommend any channels or videos that would help me take my skiing to the next level in areas such as:

- technique and progression

- general knowledge about snow and the mountains

- equipment

- other topics?

If there are any other aspects you consider I should look into, please feel free to point them out :)

Hi everyone!

I'm hoping to hear from current or former ski resort employees, lift operators, and department managers about two things I've been curious about.

1. How do ski resorts choose which seasonal applicants to hire when there are far more qualified applicants than available positions?

I previously worked as a snow tubing attendant at a Wisconsin ski area in 2020 and have been interested in returning to the winter recreation industry.

I've attended walk-in hiring events for the past two seasons and interviewed for both snow tubing and lift operations, but unfortunately wasn't selected either year.

I have previous customer service experience, offered nearly completely open availability, including weekdays, weekends, evenings, and holidays, and was willing to undergo training.

One manager mentioned that the resort received over 250 applications, while the tubing department could only accommodate 30 total employees, including returning staff.

I'm genuinely curious how hiring managers make their final decisions when several applicants have very similar qualifications.

Do managers use a formal scoring or ranking system?

Do returning seasonal employees generally receive preference?

How do managers decide between several equally qualified candidates?

Are hiring decisions typically made by individual department managers or discussed collectively with senior management?

Do resorts ever maintain an on-call list of qualified applicants who weren't initially selected?

Are people who apply over multiple seasons ever given additional consideration?

I'm not looking to criticize any particular resort. I'd just like to understand how the process works and what makes one applicant stand out from another.

2. What is it actually like operating a ski lift, particularly from inside the control station?

I also recently interviewed for a lift operator position and became interested in learning more about how chairlifts are operated.

I've watched videos explaining the mechanical systems, but I haven't found many showing the operator's actual perspective from inside the lift station.

I'm especially interested in seeing what the control panels and monitoring equipment look like, what operators monitor throughout their shifts, and how they coordinate safe loading and unloading.

At the resort where I interviewed, the supervisors explained that many lift stations are staffed by just one operator, which surprised me because I've seen larger resorts where multiple employees assist with lift operations.

Does anyone know of any good YouTube videos, training documentaries, or behind-the-scenes footage showing the inside of a ski lift operator's booth and its normal operation?

I'm not looking to operate any machinery myself without training or authorization. I'd simply enjoy seeing an educational demonstration of what the job involves.

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has worked in lift operations, snow tubing, resort management, or seasonal hiring.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!

My friend and I want to do a ski trip to Colorado end of February early March, the amount of ski resorts in Colorado is very intimidating, I’d like to go to one that isn’t crazy crowded and has good glades and snow fall, wondering if anyone has any good recommendations.

Hi,

I’m relatively new to this sub, but just wanted to ask some advice for a first time solo ski trip. I’m UK based and like i say, will be a solo traveler for the first time.

Firstly, I’ve been a skier since the age of 4 and am keen to improve my overall technique, and am also looking into buying my own skis and boots.
In regard to skis and boots, I have heard about buying boots in the UK and buying skis out there (not renting).

Secondly, accommodation suggestions would be preferable, as I have previously always stayed in hotels, but this may be difficult due to bookings, so perhaps alternative lodging solutions would be more preferable.

Finally, if anyone has some rock solid suggestions for any of my previous statements please discuss below or send me a DM as i’d love to know as much as possible before going out to the slopes

Location would probably be France or Switzerland as i will potentially be heading to Switzerland in February to meet family.

Many thanks to all!