Finding a new challenge at Lost Valley

by Carl Natale @Schusster

First thing I notice walking into Lost Valley Ski Area is the Learning Center. It’s an area on a mild slope. I hesitate calling it a slope. It’s a bump. The elevation gain is about what most people experience getting on their front porch.

And the Learning Center is full of kids. Many of them as tall as the bump. They’re practicing and learning their moves. The same area I will be taking lessons. Me. A forty-something adult who with the bright idea it’s time to take on new challenges and write about them.

Heck with the lessons. How hard can it be? I can figure it out from watching everyone else. That’s how I learn just about everything else.

The first chapter in my self-taught lesson plan closes as I watch a skier fly down the first real slope I see. Again, I hesitate calling it a slope. It’s a wall. And skiers are coming down faster than I drive my car.

So I make the most courageous decision of the day. I walk up to the desk of the ski school hoping they take pity on me and not put me in a class of tweens who can out ski me after five minutes of instruction.

After identifying myself as a writer for MaineThingsToDo.com, the Lost Valley staff figures out what I need (everything) and sets me up with a free pass, gear and lessons.

The Gear

First come the boots. Big heavy plastic things with buckles that clamp down solidly. No laces to tie. My foot needs to fit tight in the boot. No wiggle room in the heel. When I move my foot, the ski needs to move exactly the same.

Any movement means less control of the ski. It’s also a good way to start a blister.

These are the strangest boots you will try on. They’re heavy and force you to lean forward. My wife says that’s what it’s like living in heels. Except the boots are rigid above the angle. There’s no flexing to keep you perpendicular to the ground. But there’s a reason for this later.

Next come the skis. I get 145 cm skis. That means pretty much nothing to non-skiers. But it’s short. Which makes it easier to maneuver and is lighter than bigger skis. Thus the proper length for beginners of my height and weight. If I get better at this, I can get longer skis and avoid the stigma of short skis.

I also grab a pair of poles.  Not sure what the right height is but I figure they’re good if they let my elbows rest at a ninety-degree angle. I’m going to find out later I’m wrong about poles.

The Lesson

Here’s why you should learn to ski on a weekday. A lot of people want to learn to ski on weekends. Unless you pay for private lessons, you’re in a class with all those children with low centers of gravity, enviable dexterity and disregard for fear.

But on this day, I am the only one in Amy Marron’s class. So I get a private lesson and relief from my worst fear.

It starts out well enough. She explains the basics of moving around in skis. Feet placement is simple. All I need to know is french fries and pizza.

French fries means I keep the skis parallel to each other sticking straight out in front of me. This is basically for going forward. Pizza involves spreading my legs apart and pointing the tips toward a common target. This represents a slice of pizza and my best chance of stopping.

And by the way, this is all done without poles. Amy doesn’t want her students relying on them. Yes they have their role in some moves and balance. But beginners shouldn’t rely on them for that balance.

After about 20 minutes with the basics, she says I’m ready for the slopes. And no she doesn’t mean that wall. She assures me that we’re headed for the gentle slopes.

The Skiing

One of the first benefits I see from lessons is that skiing coaches and their students get to cut in front of the line at the ski lift. Getting on the lift takes a bit of skill by itself. But after a few times it gets as easy as sitting on a log.

The strategy on the slopes is simple. I follow her using mostly my pizza skills. It’s not as intimidating as I would think. We stop a few times but make it to the lifts without incident.

Then it’s back up the mountain and back down another green trail. Those are the easy ones that parents are taking their young children down.

The Strategy

Here’s the thing that makes skiing possible for me. I’m only skiing to the next turn.

When I look up at a slope, there’s no way I’m going to let myself careen down it. And standing at the top looking down, I can’t imagine making it all the way.

But I don’t have to.

I aim for the other side of the slope. I go at an angle instead of straight down. The descent isn’t as steep. It helps keep my speed manageable. And when I get near the side, I do a kind of pizza move with one leg that puts me in a turn.

And slows me down.

I am then aimed at the other side of the slope. Repeat.

If my boots have laces, that’s how my path would look criss-crossing the slope. It’s actually fun to do. Makes me feel like I’m executing maneuvers. And is very manageable for someone who likes to stay upright.

It works so well that Amy moves me over to the bottom half of the Bobcat. At Lost Valley, you know you’re on a hard trail if the animal name is higher up the food chain of the other trails. So the Bobcat is a different animal than the Chipmunk and Rabbit.

But hey, it’s the bottom half. And by sticking to my live-for-the-turn strategy, I’m feeling pretty confident. Even when she starts me at the top of the Bobcat, which is steep and straight, I let myself think I’m a real skier.

The Fall

You know it has to happen sooner or later. But first let me say that I’m a fan of low center of gravity. By bending the knees, I’m just a bit lower to the ground. It helps keep balance.

At one point while losing balance, I keep sort of up right by bending my legs more. That lower center of gravity is enough to keep me on my skis.

But during one of the runs down the Bobcat, I pick up too much speed. My best instincts tell me to take a fall. Here’s another benefit of a low center of gravity. You don’t have as far to fall. Especially if I lean uphill. So my fall is kind of gentle. The skis dig into the snow to stop me.

And for some reason, my ego doesn’t get bruised. I’m having a good day and this fall isn’t typical.

Besides I can blame it on fatigue. Really. My quads are burning on these turns. And this is happening after a good hour and half of skiing. My legs aren’t ready for this. So I try to take it easy by not digging my turning leg into the snow as hard. Which leads me to make steeper runs down the slope. That means I get going too fast.

Lesson learned.

The rest of the way down I take quick turns that prevent me from building up speed. I still think I’m looking like a real skier.

One more run

My legs are tired. It takes a lot of effort to skate over to the lift. This is the point I miss the poles. They help me move forward on flat surfaces nicely. But we got one more run and stick to the non-violent animal trails. Which makes me happy.

It’s a successful day. I don’t notice that the temperatures are in the teens. The sun is shining. I challenge myself. And I don’t need an ambulance to leave the place.

Why Lost Valley

It’s a small ski area. From the top to the lodge, there’s only 243 feet difference down only 15 trails. It’s big with families for a reason. Especially families with very young children.

I need someplace like this to get started. It has instructors like Amy who enjoy sharing what they love. They also know the ego is as fragile as a bone. And they keep it all safe.

Considering how tired my legs get in my first outing, shorter runs seem to be what I need.

It’s also very convenient to anyone living in the Lewiston-Auburn area. Basically in the neighborhood. So we don’t have to invest a lot of travel time in the pursuit of a new activity.

From Head to Toe

Keeping warm and comfortable during any winter activity is a challenge. So here’s I handle it.

Since a lot of your heat is lost through your head, I prefer a windblocker fleece hat that covers my ears. Under that is a fleece balaclava. It’s a hood that I can pull any part back if I get too warm. On this day I need it mainly to cover my chin and neck.

I don’t do anything outdoors without my sunglasses. Not only do you have sunlight and glare to deal with, your eyes could use some protection from the wind generated by your movement. A lot of skiers prefer goggles. A day with wind and precipitation would call for ski goggles.

Lost Valley ski instructor Amy Marron recommends a helmet. It’s basic safety.

I believe in layers. Next to my skin I wear long underwear that wicks away moisture. I put a good fleece over that. To block the wind, I wear a light-weight shell. And I’m wearing pretty good snow pants. With a bit of activity, it’s enough to keep me warm.

Amy stresses keeping your hands and feet warm. Once the fingers and toes get cold, it’s pretty much over - especially with children.

Layers work well with my hands. My gloves aren’t very thick. But I wear a pair of mittens over them that keeps my hands comfortable. But your mileage may vary. A thick pair of gloves may work better if you don’t want to buy ski gloves.

Ski boots are pretty warm. The insulation and plastic will do a lot of the work. My feet are most comfortable in merino wool socks. They’re warm and wick away moisture. Keeping your feet dry is key.

-Carl Natale

Send an e-mail to schusster@carlnatale.com. You can see more events as Maine’s ski season takes shape on our ski calendar and get up to speed on all the ski area deals. I’m also going to be sharing events, news and snow reports on Twitter as @Schusster. Follow me for everything you need to know to plan your next ski trip.

Plan your winter skiing schedule.  There are many skiing, snowboarding, x-c, telemark options in Maine.  Maine ski season is long, so you’ll have time to take the ultimate ski tour of the state. Whats that?  You do not have time during the day…. check out night skiing!  Each location is unique, below is some basic information to help you discover what the State of Maine offers, (brought to you by SkiMaine) Make it a point to visit them all!

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Ski Maine Association is a non-profit association representing the Maine ski industry. Its mission is to increase the availability and enjoyment of Maine skiing and snowboarding for children, families and individuals. The season begins in November and extends to May 1st! Maine skiing offers a full range of experiences from the community-based areas to the full-service resorts. Why not try a new area at least one day this season? Enjoy a brand-new view, meet other Maine skiers and riders, and maybe discover a favorite new trail for skiing or riding. You are never far from a ski area in Maine and it has never been a better time to get out and enjoy a crisp winter day in Maine and the mountains.

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Thanks to Connie and Staff at  Lost Valley Ski Area, Auburn Maine.

Visit Lost Valley Ski Area at www.lostvalleyski.com

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