Beginner tipsVideo
Your first day on skis: what to expect
From clicking into your bindings to your first wedge turn, here’s how a beginner’s day usually goes, with a short video lesson from a national team instructor.
Almost everyone feels awkward for the first hour. Ski boots are stiff, skis are long, and snow is slippery. That is normal, and it passes quickly once you know a few basic moves.
Before you get on the snow
- Book a lesson. A group or private lesson with a certified instructor is the fastest, safest way to start. No article or video replaces one.
- Practice with your gear first. Buckle your boots snugly, then practice stepping into and out of your bindings on flat ground.
- Dress in layers: a base layer, an insulating layer and a waterproof outer layer, plus gloves, goggles and a helmet.
- Bring sunscreen, lip balm, water and a snack. Mountain sun is strong even on cloudy days, and snow reflects it back at you.
The skills you’ll learn
- An athletic stance. Feet about shoulder width apart, ankles and knees flexed, hands forward, weight over the middle of your feet. Leaning back is the most common beginner mistake.
- Walking and gliding. Side-step or herringbone up small rises, then push off and glide to a stop on flat snow.
- The wedge. Push the tails of your skis apart so the tips nearly meet. A wider wedge slows you down. Instructors also call it a snowplow or pizza.
- Wedge turns. Look where you want to go and steer your feet and legs that way. Turning across the hill is how you control speed and stop.
- Getting up. Swing your skis below you so they point across the slope, then push yourself up beside them.
Where to ski
Stay in the beginner area or on the easiest runs, marked with a green circle in North America and green or blue in Europe, until you can stop and turn both ways with confidence.