I’ve been browsing the Green Field Skiing Forum for a long time, absorbing a lot of knowledge but never posted anything. Today I’d like to share my own experience, hoping it can help some beginners. This beginner started with zero experience. In 2007, during my first time skiing at Huabei Ski Resort, I accompanied clients as part of my company’s hospitality. Watching those clients gracefully ski down the intermediate runs filled me with envy—I longed for the day when I could be just as smooth on the snow. I can’t remember which year it was, but a ski resort called Wangjing Ski Resort opened north of Luguangying. It was close to home and cheap—about 40 or 50 yuan for half a day. To put it plainly, they built a dirt mound and set up a tow rope. There was just one run, and after skiing down it 5-6 times in a row, I managed to learn the snowplow turn. Later, work got busy, and I put skiing aside. At the end of 2012, a friend who was learning to ski insisted I join them, so I picked it up again. So far this season, I’ve skied 13 times and am completely hooked—it’s incurable. At my current level, I have no problem with intermediate runs at Nanshan, Jundu Mountain, or Huabei, and I can handle parallel turns on advanced runs at Huabei with ease. Since I taught myself entirely, I hope to share some experiences that might help others who are just starting out.
1. Choosing the Right Ski Type for Beginners. If you’re young enough (under 25, preferably under 20), want to show off, meet girls, save money, have perseverance, and aren’t afraid of falling, go for snowboarding. Otherwise, choose alpine skiing. Snowboarding has a steeper learning curve but becomes easier to advance in. Alpine skiing is easier to start but harder to progress in. Additionally, once you advance in alpine skiing, there are more variations to explore—giant slalom, slalom, downhill, moguls, freestyle. Snowboarding is mostly just freestyle.
2. Choosing a Ski Resort. As a beginner, don’t worry too much about the ski resort. Just keep these points in mind: fewer people, closer to home, cheaper. I learned the snowplow turn on the dirt mound at Wangjing Village. Of course, if you have the money and time, Nanshan is the top choice. On weekends and holidays, Nanshan is more expensive but guarantees you time on the slopes—it has the most beginner runs.
3. Can You Teach Yourself? Absolutely. I recommend the CCTV skiing tutorials. They may seem tedious, but the explanations are detailed, and you can skip around. For books, I recommend Warren Miller’s skiing guide, which also comes with a DVD.
That’s all for today—I’ll post more based on your replies.