Undoubtedly the greatest thing about working a ski season is the skiing. If it weren’t for the skiing I don’t think any of us mad seasonaires would continue to put ourselves through the torture of the long hours, sleep deprivation and put up with the lousy pay. But the shear exhilaration, THAT thrill and joy as you glide down a piste, feeling the cold wind on your face quickly becomes utterly addictive.
As some of you know, when I arrived in Vaujany at the start of the season I had the huge pressure of having to learn how to ski within a few weeks. As part of my job I had to be able to ski host guests on the slopes 3 days a week, which meant that I had to learn quick!
I had taken some dry ski slope lessons back in Plymouth, but nothing could have prepared me for the actual event of skiing. On our 8th day since arriving in the Alps, after we had spent the previous week working ourselves into the ground, opening up the chalets, we set off to the larger resort, Alpe D’Heuz for our first day out skiing. We were all obviously excited and as we began the windy ascent up to the mammoth resort, I began to feel sick with anticipation. What was I getting myself into? I could feel the pressure of having to master a new skill building within me. I had no choice but to have to learn, and although I wanted to, I still felt that nervous anxiety at the possibility of not being any good at it, or not liking it. My mind was buzzing with thoughts of “What if I can’t do it?” What is I hurt myself, or freeze up with fear?.....my season will be over before it has even begun!”
But despite all of my thoughts and fears, I went into focussed, determined, ‘capable of doing anything Kim mode’, ready to take on the challenge and to apply myself to learn quickly. Darren, the director, had assured me that I would pick it up quickly, although I had no idea how he had qualified that statement! So there I was kitted out in my snow gear with these two planks attached to my boots, about to get onto my first chairlift. The snow was perfect; the conditions perfect, I only hoped that my day would land up being just as perfect.
Watching other skiers, glide and turn effortlessly down the piste, I was instantly transfixed and jealous of how it must feel to be able to ski so beautifully. In that very instant, I was determined to become as good as those skiers, I was going to make it my mission for the season. So off I went, full of determination and a belly full of butterflies! I glided off the chairlift in perfect snow plough formation. Bringing myself to a complete stop at the top of the piste, looking down at what was about to be my first ever run! Of course none of us knew the resort well at that point, so I went in blindly and decided to take my first run on a blue slope (one up from the green beginner runs).
I quickly found out that snow was much more slippery than the plastic on a dry ski slope and that stopping or turning on snow was a lot harder than I had anticipated. As I began my first descent, I built up too much speed and crashed spectacularly about 50 meters later. I landed in the meter deep powder off piste and lost both my skis! I was buried deep in the snow. Eventually I trudged my way out of the powder and made my way back to the piste to try again. Much to my relief my first fear had been conquered; it didn’t hurt to fall over in snow!! And so I clipped back into my skis and tried again and again and again. I eventually made it to the bottom of my first run about 30 minutes later and after about 10-15 more spectacular falls I decided to take myself off to the nursery slope! But I persevered, I wasn’t going to be beaten, giving up was not an option, and besides I was having too much fun to give up!
My day hadn’t been quite the perfect day that I had envisaged but I had learnt a lot. I had quickly developed the beginnings of a burning desire to excel at this new found sport. I learnt that the trick to skiing was to trust your skis; to use your edges and weight correctly.
Soon after that first day skiing in Alpe D’Heuz, my circumstances changed and my role within the team changed, meaning I wouldn’t need to ski host guests any longer. The initial challenge and pressure of having to learn to ski at such a rapid pace was lifted from my shoulders and I was free to learn in my own time. I was able to let my confidence build slowly without having to push myself or bluff my way through ski hosting! I now had an even bigger challenge to master, the kitchen! But more about that later….
On my second day skiing I attempted my first red run, I would have made about 100 snow plough turns on the run but I made it to the bottom and felt the sense of achievement at being able to ski into Alpe D’Heuz from Vaujany. I could now ski anywhere! Even if it was still at a snail speed pace!!
Thankfully, for my 25th Birthday, the kick ski team all pitched in and bought me a private ski lesson with an ESF instructor. I was wrapped! I had got myself to a standard where I was able to easily go down blue runs and was attempting more and more red runs each time I skied. I was still snow ploughing but I was beginning to feel out the technique of parallel turns more and more. I just needed someone to perfect them with me. So along came Pascal, my wonderful instructor, who in 2 hours turned me into a natural skier on snow! It was brilliant; I all of a sudden felt THE feeling of skiing and from that moment on, no one could stop me. I had my weight and stance corrected, I felt natural in my skis and I had discovered edges! From then on, each day out on the mountain, I explored new places and built up confidence on slopes that had become favourites. My speed was slowly picking up and I was learning at a very rapid pace. I simply couldn’t get enough of skiing.
I still remember ‘the moment’ (after I had begun skiing more confidently) of simply facing my skis straight down the piste and letting go! Allowing myself to go as fast as my skis would take me. Allowing the adrenaline to consume my fear and letting the crazy, playfulness of skiing overwhelm me. I threw my arms and poles into the air and simply looked up to the blue sky and in that moment….I was hooked! I had a smile plastered broad across my face and instantly knew that I had found something that I was going to enjoy for the rest of my life. I fell in love with the sense of freedom, the joy of being on the mountain, surrounded by endless beautiful mountain peaks. I loved the playfulness of skiing and being able to share it with like minded people who had all become friends because we all loved skiing.
To me, skiing is reckless, extreme and playful all in one. The extreme conditions and scenery, mixed with the adrenaline rush, speed and recklessness of throwing yourself head first down a mountain on snow is an incredible mixture. It brought out a playfulness in me that I hadn’t felt since I was a child. I loved the sense of freedom from the fluidity and rhythmic feel of gliding endlessly on the snow. Every day was different, the conditions, snow and visibility changed every day, every hour, and of course that only added to the excitement of it for me.
And now my new found passion for skiing seems to be creating a path for me around the world. I simply can’t wait to hit the slopes again, to continue to perfect and learn the never ending amount of techniques and types of skiing. But mostly, of course to continue to have fun existing in a world of endless days spent on the slopes.
