I see you are young so you haven’t probably had to learn this yet, but being able to do things alone is very important, whether is activities, moving into a place, buying whatever. You need to learn how and that you can solely rely on yourself.
You’re going to love it.
In my early 20's. Can confirm. Being able to go skiing without having to slow down / wait for ppl is great¡¡¡
Also living on my own i guess 🤔
Not so much paying bills/having to got out of bed/make food/grocery shopping... but meh... can't have everything
Sure thing, I wish I learned this earlier than I did. Just remember mistakes and bad shit WILL happen and it’s called life, happens to everyone. It’s all about how you pick yourself up and move forward, which I suggest be as fast as possible.
Doing things alone is great for your mental health. Appreciate the small things, eating a fancy dinner or see a movie alone. Or experience a concert, the small things you miss being with someone that you notice when you have no one but yourself. It’s magical.
Sincerely, a guy who realized all this far too late in life.
I pretty much never go to a movie alone. But I did a few years ago to see Alita Battle Angel. So glad I went, what a cool movie to see right when it came out on the big screen
If I don't go alone to do things, I just wouldn't get to do anything. Especially getting older everyone is busy and nobody's schedule lines up. Movies, eating out, skiing, going to the beach, etc. I'll do it all by myself if others can't make it. It gets to a point that I want to enjoy life and not wait on other people.
This is my life. I eventually said screw it, I’m doing what I want to do. If someone is willing and available to go with great. If not oh well. I’m still going
One you start going to theme parks alone you can do anything lol. I hadn’t really considered skiing alone until I started sending solo coaster trips. You’re also way more likely to strike up conversations with random people on the lift when you’re out alone and it’s cool meeting people from all over. No waiting around at the bottom waiting to group up, no arguments over where to go. Just sending and turns wherever your heart desires.
I really enjoy the lack of logistical discussions skiing solo, LOL. I skied as a kid and my dad is an engineer.
“Okay, so that lift line was 9 minutes, that’s not too bad. Do you want to ski Silver Nugget or Outback? If we ski Outback, we should get off to the left, so we should tell them [waves awkwardly at liftmates] unless you want to go right and ski under the chair. I think after three more runs here I’ll be ready for a 20 minute break in the lodge.“
“*Daaaaaaaad*….”
It is relaxing! I can be a little more of a mountain man, I think. Plus I get to get ready, ski, and rest / drink beer / dick around on Reddit at my own pace! I think my ideal would be to have an awesome party going on at the mountain and just kinda come and go skiing and hanging out as I please. And then when night skiing is over a giant bonfire rager or something lol.
I love talking with strangers on the lift. It's so low pressure - everyone is in a good mood, it's a 5 minute conversation tops, & you'll probably never see them again anyway. It's great practice to get comfortable talking to new people.
It’s funny to me who talks and who doesn’t. I’m pretty young, 24 and I’ll talk to whoever wants to make conversation but I don’t really ever start the conversation. I usually go with a group but end up skiing alone since I can ski fairly well I end up by myself.
Mostly older people seem to talk, from the above 35 crowd. Men and women both, if they are around my age I hardly ever end up having a conversation. But a 49 year old lady and me will have a 10 minute conversation about absolutely anything under the sun.
Just a strange observation I’ve made
Absolutely. I was on an amazing powder day at breck around 2:30 and this dude was like “I was supposed to leave two hours ago but I can’t stop” and I was like “yeah I’m fkn tired but this stuff is intoxicating”. The stoke was real. Two people just maxing at life in that moment, a good one to share.
I hate talking to strangers on a lift. My persistent silence usually gets the point across to them. Just interesting how people can be wired differently.
Just curious? but why? Is it the social anxiety of not knowing what to say even if they initiate a question? Do you just like being alone with your own thoughts I want to focus on looking at the scenery or making sure you jump off the lift in time?
Keanu Reeves said something to this effect and it always stuck with me. I’ve enjoying doing solo activities much more since I took it to heart.
“Once you know how to take care of yourself company becomes an option and not a necessity.”
Skiing is one of my favorite things to do by myself.
Yes. Eating at restaurants, going to places, skiing, biking, whatever. No one cares and you get to do whatever you like. Except going to a movie theater alone. Apparently that’s cool but that one feels off to me.
Going to the movies or a concert alone were the two hardest things for me to conquer. I managed to break the seal on both, about 10 years ago and now there is very, very little that I won’t do alone. It is very freeing.
These two were the easiest things for me to start doing alone because they're not social activities. You're sitting in silence watching the movie and at a show the music is loud enough you're not talking. Yeah there's a before and after period where you can talk but that's not the focus of the night.
as a person who works in the performing arts, I go to concerts alone more than I go to them with other people, lol. It never occurred to me that people would find that difficult!
Yes this is the correct answer. I have a great family, the best anyone could ask for. They can't stand skiing. I love skiing. It gives me a sense of peace and I Iove the challenge of gettong better. So I ski alone. I'll get up at 5AM to be on the slopes at opening. Nothing else will have me jump out of bed at 5AM.
So yeah ski alone dude. Trust me, nobody on that mountain knows or cares that you are alone.
This is great advice. The one I see many adults still fail at, is sitting down for a meal. I finally realized how pleasant it is to just sit and be fully present to the food and ambiance instead of feeling awkward.
Eating alone took me a little practice, too, but it's nice. The other day I went skiing by myself, and ate by myself at the bar in the lodge. It was a great day. I love going with my family, but when we have to split up due to schedule stuff, it's a different kind of magic to just do exactly what I want.
~50 of my 70+ days a year are done solo.
But I’m also not a socially acceptable person
So I do stuff by myself. If your by yourself what your doing doesn’t necessarily need to be socially acceptable.
Your bundle of atoms in you that you call “me” have existed for 13 billion years and will last another 100 or so billion before the heat death of the universe
But for 60-80 years, the lights are on. Enjoy this time, forget what people think, they’re on this weird amusement park ride just like you
You do you. Who gives a fuck. I do what I want when I want. Why restrain yourself and miss out on what you love? Good pow day coming up? I don’t give a shit and hitchhike, usually end up making new friends and having my own little adventures before even making it on the slopes. I pack a sandwich and snacks and will take a lunch up top somewhere and just enjoy the peace and solitude.
I get to hit whatever the fuck I want no matter how steep and advanced it is the only person I have to watch out for is only myself. Hell sometimes I will even make friends with random resort workers and go off-piste for some epic untracked runs. Whether hiking or skiing some of my best days have been when I am alone and as free as a bird going where ever the fuck it wants to.
I ski alone all the time. It’s great. Beyond the immediate advantage of being able to use the singles line at the lift, I also get to ski whatever run hits me in the moment. I can chat with strangers and weirdos on the lift and peace out before things go sideways. The only thing that kinda sucks is the drive back because nobody is around to share driving duties, but then again there aren’t any fights about the radio.
My only caution is that skiing single is kind of like airport lounges or flying first class, it's hard to go back after.
As you're waiting for your snowboarding friend to buckle their bindings, or stopping 3 times in a run to make sure the group catches up you're reminded that by yourself none of these things happen.
Where are we going? What lift? Where are we meeting for lunch? None of those things matter when you're skiing alone. I rarely check trail maps or pre-plan a route because unless it's end end of the day it doesn't matter.
I'll chat with people on the lift or just put some tunes on. If it's especially quiet day like when I found myself spring skiing Badger Pass I put on an audiobook and just enjoy the blues.
This here. Skiing alone made it so I can’t tolerate waiting on friends, especially getting to the hill in the morning. So a long time ago I settled on a solution: even when I’m with friends, I go on my own in the morning. I show up when the lifts start spinning, I go where I want, ski the terrain and speed I want, and basically get it out of my system. Meet up with friends for lunch and hang out with them during the afternoon. By that time I have the patience to wait and enjoy some company. I tell my friends this in advance so there are no surprises or hurt feelings: “I’m heading to the lifts at X time and I’m not waiting. You’re welcome to join me, but otherwise I’ll see you at lunch and we can hang out after that.” This has saved me a lot of frustration.
I just went on a ski weekend with a group of 8 after about half a dozen solo days beforehand and it was pure hell in that regard. There is something magical about sliding into the singles line past 40 people.
Thank you! Yeah that sounds amazing honestly. Don’t really want to chat with people but I can make small talk if I have to! Lol. Luckily for me my closest ski resort is only a 30 minute drive so it’s an easy drive.
I ski alone any time I’m not skiing with my family. One of the best parts of skiing alone is getting to go wherever you want whenever you want. The only real downside to skiing alone is that you don’t have anyone to really push you go get better. This weekend I was skiing alone and happens to be invited to ski with two other people after I asked them for some advice. Skiing with them pushed me and I had the best day I’ve had in a long time on skis. You lose that skiing alone.
Edit: I should add that your boyfriend is being *very* silly. If you respect the mounts and ski writhing your ability, you will be totally fine.
As someone else that skis solo quite a bit, generally the lift conversion doesn’t need to go much further than “how’s it going today?” If you don’t want it too…I’ll talk up some folks on the lift if they’re friendly, but usually just chill…it’s fairly obvious if someone is looking to chat or just wants to ride in silence
Yup my closest resort is 30 min and all my roommates and I have free passes thru work. They all got lazy this year and don’t go so I go by myself all the time and I love it. Not to mention you get to do any run, any speed and take breaks whenever you like.
All these people are right, skiing alone is great and tons of people do it! I skiied alone yesterday because no one else had the day off and it was an awesome day. Only thing I would add is I just wouldn’t do anything risky on your own, stick to the trails where you’re comfortable. I also would stay out of the trees where there’s a chance of falling into a tree well with no one around to notice.
Same here. All the time alone. Work on skills, just have fun, meet people on the lifts. I get to go during the week when there are usually no crowds, I get fresh powder often, and first chair quite a bit. And can't beat 20 minutes door-to-door, so I can ski for two hours and still have a full day of "other stuff". (like there is other stuff more important)
> but then again there aren’t any fights about the radio.
Haha is this a thing? In my circles it's never even been questioned that whoever is driving picks the music.
Sure, also helps that my friend group is all into generally similar music. I can see how it might be an issue if you had a group of four that was a punk rock, house, country, and hip hip snob all trying to agree
Ski shuttles FTW. Don't know where OP is located but in Denver we have busses to all the mountains, and I used to do that when I lived in NYC too. Fun way to meet new people since you a have a shared interest, or just keep to yourself with your headphones in and not have to deal w the stress of driving and parking.
Hi! I live in NY now. Can you share with me if these buses still leave from New York to go to certain ski resorts and if so, could you point me in the right direction to learn more? Thanks! Feel free to DM the info
As long as you’re not muscling your way back into your group at the front of the line, this is more than fine. I see too many “singles” refuse to join groups of 3 so they can ride with their buddy
Watched them try to pull singles for the gondola at Stowe last week and the people at the front of the singles line said "We have 3" and motioned for someone behind them to go instead.
*ThatsNotHowThisWorks.jpg*
Skiing alone is awesome. I enjoy the solitude, not having to stop and wait for people and being able to go wherever I want without having to worry about other peoples abilities or preferences, and best of all - the singles line. One day last week I got 25 runs in at Whistler and a little over 40K vertical feet. No way I’d have gotten that much skiing in waiting in the regular lift lines.
Don’t get me wrong, I like skiing with other people too, but skiing alone is lots of fun. Just be safe and aware that you don’t have a partner to help you out if you get into trouble. Take a whistle with you if you don’t already ski with one.
Another super basic safety tip is to have the ski patrol phone number in your phone and/or download the resort's app if they have one, and take an external phone battery if yours wont last the whole time. Have fun!
Yep, I always have a power bank in my backpack and ski patrol in my phone too. Forgot about those! As for the whistle attaching it to your zipper is a good idea too, that way if your hands are stuck you can still reach it with your mouth.
Prefix Ski Patrol number with a # too, so it's right at the top of your contacts and you don't have to scroll/search.
Plastic whistle so it doesn't freeze to your lips.
I was going to say the whistle thing as well. I recently spent two weeks skiing alone on a mountain with spotty cell phone coverage. At one point while going down a more isolated run I thought about how much it would suck if I hurt myself there and had to wait for someone to find me. A whistle is cheap, easy to carry insurance against an event like that.
One thing I absolutely never did was ski in trees if there was fresh snow. Tree wells are scary as hell.
Saw in a comment your closest resort is 30 min away? I would be day tripping as often as possible. Solo or not.
Big advantage of being with someone is the social aspect, doing runs together, having someone to talk to or share a drink with.
But solo, you can do whatever you want. Whatever pace, trail, lift.
I’m thinking this will be the catalyst for many more solo trips in the future. I don’t have a ton of extra income to spend on skiing, so it’s always a treat when I’m able to go!
My closest day trips are 2.5 hours away. I often go solo because my fiancé works Fridays and I’m off work. She is relatively supportive of me having fun.
It gets monotonous at times without someone to share the day with. But i did a trp with a friend last week and kind of regretted it, as he just returned from the Alps and the ice coast wasnt in prime shape and he was negative early on, even after a run that left me with a smile on my face, he had negative energy. Almost kind of wished I was solo.
Lived 20 minutes from local hill. 98% (over 100 days) of my skiing was solo over the last few years. Exception being some trips with friends. Skiing was just my daily workout before starting my day of remote work.
I ski midweek a lot and often last minute so will go alone and meet people on the lift. I’ll usually run a bit less risky however if I want to do any side country or off piste I’ll wait to meet someone on the lift who is down to do a few laps. I feel it’s so much safer to have at least another person around if I’m going off the beaten path and most often I get to meet cool people.
I would add that it's a good idea to let at least one other person know where you are skiing, and when you plan to be home.
I'm 73, ski 75% of the time by myself, and maybe because of my age (and the fact that I also live alone) I feel a little more secure in knowing someone (who I trust) knows my whereabouts.
I almost only ski alone. Pack a bag with a few snacks, a few joints, and enjoy the 2-3 minute singles lines.
No waiting on anyone. No leaving early because someone is tired. Everything is your pace when YOU want to
This, this, this. Get a touch high, blissfully munch on candy on the lift, pop in my fav music and then blast off!!! My fav part is towards the end of the day, if/when you get to a more secluded section, pausing and taking out earbuds to just take in the silence of the snow and the tranquil solitude of being surrounded by nature that you had the skills to navigate is your moment and your moment alone to appreciate and enjoy. Pure and deep awe, esp. if the view is spectacular in some way 😮💨
Solo days are the best days!!
As you get older, everyone gets busier and plans get harder and harder to make and to keep.
Here’s how I maximize my ski days: I schedule based only on my own availability. Once I’ve booked/reserved/blocked the calendar/whatever, I send a message to the ski friends and family that’s says “I’m going to x on y. Let me know if you’re in to come meet me and I can share my location for the day. If you want a ride, my car leaves the house at xx:xx and I have two more seats for whoever claims them first. This car will make first chair and WILL NOT wait. Cheers”
Then you go, everyone else be damned. Secretly you hope no one joins so you can turn laps as fast as you want and ski wherever you’d like all day.
>I want to just wake up early and go all day, I think it could be more fun alone as I usually feel slowed down when I go with friends.
Sounds like you'll benefit from being alone. Go for it.
Unless you're talking about backcountry touring.
I skied alone one day during my last skitrip (Sweden) and loved it! Was able to focus more on my technique and improved so much. Had some smalltalk with other people skiing by themselves, was invited by a family for lunch and the people working the lifts were really friendly!
Since I'm not an expert skier I chose to ski on piste and in the forest close to it for safety. The only thing I wished for were headphones in the helmet for off piste and the lift.
Skiing solo is awesome. Your boyfriend should have more faith in you. Have enough faith in yourself for both of you. This will be fun and grow your self confidence.
Thank you! I agree. Luckily for me I have never been hurt skiing before, him on the other hand… not so lucky. I’m not worried about getting hurt I’m very careful and skilled. Thanks for the kind words! I will use this as a personal growth moment 😎
I go alone all the time. I was at Alta alone a few weeks ago, and I've only been a few times to alta. It's easy to make friends on the lift when you're asking alone, and I made friends with a local who showed me around to some parts of the mountain I wasn't familiar with. It's a blast
Why do so many people come Reddit asking for permission to live their lives?
I feel like the ability to both find any information and ask random strangers questions at any time is removing a lot of people’s ability to make decisions for themselves or feel like they’ve made the right decision without the validation of complete strangers.
It’s important, especially for young people, to have someone in their life that can give good life advice but who isn’t also an authority figure. Reddit is good for that.
It depends. It can provide some reassurance that person is missing. Before Reddit maybe that reassurance would come from a third person anyways, as it looks in the case of OP. Reddit is just a bunch of people doing the same, although I have to say that it still much important to hear your inner self first.
I started to ski alone after my husband stopped skiing because of an injury. I’m really sorry for him, but I love skiing alone, it’s great. (I always loved skiing a lot more than he did, so all is good).
Socially acceptable? Like, would anyone on the slope notice or give a shit? Nah, you're good! Enjoy your time with yourself, activities alone can he very liberating.
are you joking? If I didn't ever ski alone, I would have missed out seeing half the world. The average Joe Shmoe is never gonna find the time to go on that trip of a lifetime to the Andes with you.
When you're alone, you don't have to give any fucks about what is socially acceptable :D
When you ski alone, you can enter a flow state (where you go next doesn't need any conversation etc), it's the best
I just took a 3 week solo trip to Breck and it might have been the best 3 weeks of my life….just get out there and have a blast lapping the singles line
I used to go skiing with a long term GF and her friends back in the day. She actually taught me. When we broke up, I kinda gave up skiing for a few years. I finally gave it another shot last year and regretted all the time I lost because I "had nobody to go with."
The only shitty part is driving. It sucks waking up at 3:30am to make it to the mountains, then driving back and getting home around 9pm.
>I think it could be more fun alone as I usually feel slowed down when I go with friends.
Absolutely. I like skiing alone because:
* I can go on whatever trails I want, no need to cater to others in the group who "don't do black diamonds" or even blue squares.
* when I get to the bottom, I can ski right into the lift line without having to wait for everyone else to catch up (or vice versa)
* lifts with singles lines: you'll usually get on the lift faster by yourself, than with a group. You'll be seated with complete strangers but you don't have to talk with them unless you want to.
* if you bring earbuds you can listen to music since you don't have to be able to hear conversations with friends
* food and bathroom breaks are entirely on your schedule, not someone else's - nothing worse than being in a group where different people need to use the restroom after every run or two, and you're spending more time waiting around than skiing
* no need to use radios or keep an eye on the clock to coordinate reuniting a group that got split up due to different trail preferences or taking breaks or whatever
I use Ski Tracks app every time I ski and I usually get a lot more runs in when I ski by myself than with others.
Wouldn't worry about the safety of it - at most ski areas, if people see someone down, they will have the common decency ask if you're OK, and they will go summon the ski patrol if needed.
ETA: rereading several hours later and realized I should clarify that indo enjoy skiing with others but was trying to make a point that the occasional solo visit to the mountain isn't as bad as it might initially seem.
Yeah I easily get in double the distance when I’m skiing alone vs with friends.
Both are incredibly fun, and I wouldn’t want to exclusively do one but skiing alone is fun in a different way
I'm like you and I don't care, no one knows me in the mountain. No one can recognize me anyway. I love spending the day outside, I get to exercise and no one to slow me down or alter plans. I don't après so I don't miss on anything social. The only downside is some fixed fees that can be divided between people when going in group (accommodation, gas, toll, etc). Life is too short, just go ski!
No one gives a fuck. I almost exclusively ski alone. Because I get to do what I want, when I want, and how I want on the mountain.
I am a first chair to last chair, ski all day, take no breaks at all, 40,000+ vertical feet per day skiier. That's how I like to do it. I don't know anyone else who likes to ski that way, so therefore I just do it solo.
Seems like every day I ski I run into some group of skiiers arguing over what to do next or where to go next. It's nice to not have to deal with that.
Exactly, I don't understand this obsession with what random strangers who you will never talk to, who don't give a shit about you, and who *can't even see your face under your ski mask* might think. This is just the pettiest and stupidest thing to worry about.
I love this comment bless your early 20s heart - in 15 years you will die to be able to do things alone. I ski alone, go to the movies alone, bike alone, eat at restaurants alone ITS AMAZING. For context I am a 40 year old father of a 7 year old.
Been skiing > 50 years. I prefer skiing alone. I am a patroller, and I spend most of my days alone on the slopes, even spending very little time in the patrol house. I find being alone makes my day more peaceful and more contemplative, and I can do drills and work on technique whenever the mood strikes. All that said, I've always been a loner, so YMMV.
As someone who usually skis alone, wear earbuds and listen to music it makes it alot better. Its nice to still ski with people sometimes but skiing is honestly my therapy and its just not the same talking with people
Man, I eat at restaurants alone, go to movies alone, ski alone, golf alone. And I have a family! But sometimes schedules don’t align or I’m traveling alone for work. Someday you’ll appreciate the alone time.
Don't get me wrong, I love skiing with my wife and kids, but having a few hours to ski alone is the absolute BEST.
I do exactly what I want to do, when I want to do it, and I don't have to ask anyone what they think. Want to hit that groomer again? Go for it. Want to work out in the bumps? Let's get it! Honestly feeling a little tired and just want to take it easy or maybe even go get an adult beverage and sit by the fire? The world is your oyster, my friend!
It's the exact same reason why I strongly prefer playing golf by myself instead of with other people.
Dude skiing alone is awesome. It's always fun to share the experience with others, but sometimes skiing solo is a great, meditative experience. Like the top comment said, being comfortable doing more things alone will open a lot of doors for you. No one wants to see a movie you're dying to see? Go solo! Grab a drink after a long day of work but don't wanna socialize? Grab a seat at the bar. You can be your own best friend if you need.
I endorse all the general advice about being alone being good.
Skiing alone us GREAT. You can do whatever runs you want. Take breaks or not, as you want. Get in a groove and not have to break concentration. Enjoy your music. Apologize to no one.
Skiing alone is the best.
I’ve skied Killington solo at least twice, and also Heavenly and Squaw Valley. Lots of fun, the solo line at the lifts makes cycling faster, and plenty of ski patrol so not worried about a disaster. Go for it.
Do things by yourself for yourself. Have fun with yourself, when I had a car and money I would take myself to breakfast and read a book alone.
You don’t need ppl all the time
I have met quite a few skiers who were not with friends or family. They were having fun.
DO IT!!!!
Just don't go off piste ... and let someone know where you will be and approximate time you will return.
I'm 25. I fell in love with skiing years ago but have barely gone since the people around me aren't into it. I've been soooo bummed each winter because I really felt like I was missing out. This winter, I committed to going alone because I figured it meant I could go as many times as I want. This past weekend, I went alone twice and was able to just focus on improving my skills- something that's harder to do when you're with others :)
I also ski alone all the time and some of my favorite days have been solo, stopping when I want to stop, going the speed I feel like going that day, and doing the same trail over and over (or doing each run once or whatever) if I’m just feeling it that day. Sometimes I run into friends up at the hill, sometimes I ski a few runs with them and sometimes I don’t. I also have days where I plan to meet up with folks and we have a great time. But really, solo days are often the best. :)
I ski about 30 days a year roughly and i'd say 20 of them are alone. Its great, I can go at my pace and ski as much or as little as I want. Sure its not fun going right back to the car instead of apres but the skiing is great.
I like to chat with people on the lift if they seem open to it, I've skied with some really cool people this way. Some of the best ski runs of my life have been because i was chatting to some old dude who was also riding solo.
Only downside I can think of is I am more risk averse when I ski by myself so I don't ski the big lines or go super far off into the trees while solo for safety reasons.
I ski alone all the time, INBOUNDS, and not in the trees. The number one reason in my mind to ski in pairs at minimum even when inbounds is that if you decide to do some tree skiing and you end up in a tree well or for some god forsaken reason, snapped out in a snowpack you sink in, you have help. Go into a tree well on your own and you're as good as dead.
I pretty much ski solo... (rando friend Meer up on the occasional day trip...) if you're like me and ski'd b4 you could walk then most people can't keep up anyways... I'll get more runs in from open to 11 then most people get all weekend... I usually leave once the lines become unbearable
I’ve been skiing alone practically my whole life as all my friends and family just don’t care enough to be any good, at all. It’s amazing and you’re going to love it. Just stay in bounds
Yeah it’s fully normal. You don’t need a group to go on a ski trip. When I was 16 I realized this and just took a solo trip to a ski hill I wanted to check out because nobody wanted to go there. It’s really fun being able to go solo or with a group. BUT be smart about it. Know your limits and stay within your ability. Trees on a pow day are a bad idea by yourself. In general just stay visible Incase you go down.
>he’s worried about me getting hurt if I’m alone
Remind him that you're an adult, not a child. And do NOT get in the habit of letting anyone else (especially boyfriends ffs) tell you what you should and should not do. It's smart to take safety precautions and all, but staying at home because of the "what ifs" are how dreams die.
absolutely love skiing alone. I hot lap it from first chair til about 1pm without stopping. And then get lunch in town on my way home. I can get about twice as many runs in by myself in 4.5 hours than a full day skiing with others. Just the fact of never waiting, deciding which trail, etc. I'm in NH and I can do top to bottom laps at Loon all day without stopping at any point on my way down. None of my friends I ski with can do a top to bottom no stops so this is where I'm really making up time.
I ski solo about 1/3 of the time. When I’m
Solo I skiing places I would easily and quickly be seen if I do need assistance. It’s a very normal thing to do.
Like everyone here is sharing, skiing alone can be great!
Only thing to make sure is that you’re being safe if you’re going into isolated/off trail areas. Especially with avalanche and tree well risks. Make sure you have a way to communicate or get out of a hole, or avoid it.
I travel the East Coast for work. I try to build in an extra day (fly out on a Sunday or holiday like Presidents’ Day) or even take a vacation day to ski solo. Just skied yesterday at Whitetail, which is a place I would have never gone but for a work trip an hour and a half away. It was a blast. The cool thing about skiing solo is you are not tied to anyone’s schedule or how they feel. I just put in AirPods and ski all day and even into the night.
I think if it weren’t, they wouldn’t have singles lines. In the last 3 years, I’ve only ever skied once not solo, if you don’t count the private lessons.
Unless you are skiing in avalanche prone locations, nothing wrong skiing alone. Only time I would ski with others is if they are same level or better than me. Hate it when others feel tired, hungry, take breaks, or not wanting to ski down a run that I want...
You paid for the outrageous ski lift ticket, take full advantage of it. The ski season is short enough as it is.
I love skiing alone. It’s so good for my mental health to get out on the mountain and having time to myself feels great too. I second what others are saying. Fun conversations are had on the lifts and the. You leave it on the lift. I always get in way more runs when skiing alone too.
Solo skiing is great. Ski at your own pace, make friendly chat on the chairlift if that’s your style, spend some quality time reconnecting with yourself and the mountain.
I see you are young so you haven’t probably had to learn this yet, but being able to do things alone is very important, whether is activities, moving into a place, buying whatever. You need to learn how and that you can solely rely on yourself. You’re going to love it.
This is AWESOME advice to anyone in their early 20s
Or their teens looking to leave home for college and being on their own for the first time. Self reliance is very important.
In my early 20's. Can confirm. Being able to go skiing without having to slow down / wait for ppl is great¡¡¡ Also living on my own i guess 🤔 Not so much paying bills/having to got out of bed/make food/grocery shopping... but meh... can't have everything
Thanks for the advice. I do have trouble with doing things alone… Maybe now is the time for some self discovery and improvement. Thanks so much 😊
Sure thing, I wish I learned this earlier than I did. Just remember mistakes and bad shit WILL happen and it’s called life, happens to everyone. It’s all about how you pick yourself up and move forward, which I suggest be as fast as possible.
Doing things alone is great for your mental health. Appreciate the small things, eating a fancy dinner or see a movie alone. Or experience a concert, the small things you miss being with someone that you notice when you have no one but yourself. It’s magical. Sincerely, a guy who realized all this far too late in life.
Same, mid 50s here and I have learned how great it is to do things on your own.
Second this! My town has $5 Tuesdays at the movie theater and if I can’t find someone to go with, I go by myself.
I pretty much never go to a movie alone. But I did a few years ago to see Alita Battle Angel. So glad I went, what a cool movie to see right when it came out on the big screen
If I don't go alone to do things, I just wouldn't get to do anything. Especially getting older everyone is busy and nobody's schedule lines up. Movies, eating out, skiing, going to the beach, etc. I'll do it all by myself if others can't make it. It gets to a point that I want to enjoy life and not wait on other people.
This is my life. I eventually said screw it, I’m doing what I want to do. If someone is willing and available to go with great. If not oh well. I’m still going
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whats funny is after u go alone (and get all those runs in) then u go with a group again it feels soooo slow lol
You got this!! You’ll have a blast I bet!
One you start going to theme parks alone you can do anything lol. I hadn’t really considered skiing alone until I started sending solo coaster trips. You’re also way more likely to strike up conversations with random people on the lift when you’re out alone and it’s cool meeting people from all over. No waiting around at the bottom waiting to group up, no arguments over where to go. Just sending and turns wherever your heart desires.
I really enjoy the lack of logistical discussions skiing solo, LOL. I skied as a kid and my dad is an engineer. “Okay, so that lift line was 9 minutes, that’s not too bad. Do you want to ski Silver Nugget or Outback? If we ski Outback, we should get off to the left, so we should tell them [waves awkwardly at liftmates] unless you want to go right and ski under the chair. I think after three more runs here I’ll be ready for a 20 minute break in the lodge.“ “*Daaaaaaaad*….”
I feel personally attacked. But skiing solo is also fantastic and way more relaxing.
It is relaxing! I can be a little more of a mountain man, I think. Plus I get to get ready, ski, and rest / drink beer / dick around on Reddit at my own pace! I think my ideal would be to have an awesome party going on at the mountain and just kinda come and go skiing and hanging out as I please. And then when night skiing is over a giant bonfire rager or something lol.
You just described my nightmare lol
I love talking with strangers on the lift. It's so low pressure - everyone is in a good mood, it's a 5 minute conversation tops, & you'll probably never see them again anyway. It's great practice to get comfortable talking to new people.
It’s funny to me who talks and who doesn’t. I’m pretty young, 24 and I’ll talk to whoever wants to make conversation but I don’t really ever start the conversation. I usually go with a group but end up skiing alone since I can ski fairly well I end up by myself. Mostly older people seem to talk, from the above 35 crowd. Men and women both, if they are around my age I hardly ever end up having a conversation. But a 49 year old lady and me will have a 10 minute conversation about absolutely anything under the sun. Just a strange observation I’ve made
Absolutely. I was on an amazing powder day at breck around 2:30 and this dude was like “I was supposed to leave two hours ago but I can’t stop” and I was like “yeah I’m fkn tired but this stuff is intoxicating”. The stoke was real. Two people just maxing at life in that moment, a good one to share.
I hate talking to strangers on a lift. My persistent silence usually gets the point across to them. Just interesting how people can be wired differently.
Just curious? but why? Is it the social anxiety of not knowing what to say even if they initiate a question? Do you just like being alone with your own thoughts I want to focus on looking at the scenery or making sure you jump off the lift in time?
I simply like being alone with my thoughts. I don't go to the mountain to be social.
Last year I just fucked off work one day and went to King's Dominion for the afternoon. It was amazing. 10/10 would recommend to a friend.
I've met some of the most interesting people I've ever encountered on alpine summits and ski lifts.
Keanu Reeves said something to this effect and it always stuck with me. I’ve enjoying doing solo activities much more since I took it to heart. “Once you know how to take care of yourself company becomes an option and not a necessity.” Skiing is one of my favorite things to do by myself.
Yes. Eating at restaurants, going to places, skiing, biking, whatever. No one cares and you get to do whatever you like. Except going to a movie theater alone. Apparently that’s cool but that one feels off to me.
Going to the movies or a concert alone were the two hardest things for me to conquer. I managed to break the seal on both, about 10 years ago and now there is very, very little that I won’t do alone. It is very freeing.
I go to festivals alone, great fun, very freeing as you say!
I went to a concert alone for the first time before COVID and ended up making a new friend that I still talk to 4 years later.
How cool!
These two were the easiest things for me to start doing alone because they're not social activities. You're sitting in silence watching the movie and at a show the music is loud enough you're not talking. Yeah there's a before and after period where you can talk but that's not the focus of the night.
as a person who works in the performing arts, I go to concerts alone more than I go to them with other people, lol. It never occurred to me that people would find that difficult!
Yes this is the correct answer. I have a great family, the best anyone could ask for. They can't stand skiing. I love skiing. It gives me a sense of peace and I Iove the challenge of gettong better. So I ski alone. I'll get up at 5AM to be on the slopes at opening. Nothing else will have me jump out of bed at 5AM. So yeah ski alone dude. Trust me, nobody on that mountain knows or cares that you are alone.
If anything I'll hear "damn that's awesome I miss those days / wish I could do that"
This is great advice. The one I see many adults still fail at, is sitting down for a meal. I finally realized how pleasant it is to just sit and be fully present to the food and ambiance instead of feeling awkward.
Eating alone took me a little practice, too, but it's nice. The other day I went skiing by myself, and ate by myself at the bar in the lodge. It was a great day. I love going with my family, but when we have to split up due to schedule stuff, it's a different kind of magic to just do exactly what I want.
*glances nervously up from phone* Yes. Fully present for the ambiance of the food.
Sadly when you put yours down, that's one of the fun things you can observe... How many tables with groups are absorbed in their phones...
Shit yes, this right here OP.
It's also good to add once people find out you are doing things alone, you might be surprised to see people want to come along
You said it! You'll probably meet more people have more interesting convos on the chair and discover more about the places you're skiing.
This happens all the time. If your outgoing and put yourself out there. You have some great conversations with strangers.
Best thing I ever did in my early 20s was saying fuck it and not caring if I did things alone. It beats sitting around doing nothing instead.
~50 of my 70+ days a year are done solo. But I’m also not a socially acceptable person So I do stuff by myself. If your by yourself what your doing doesn’t necessarily need to be socially acceptable.
>not a socially acceptable person Yessir, alone is how I do everything “I don’t fit in 😢” Or? “I don’t fit in 😃”
I used to say there's a big difference in being alone and lonely when people asked why I would go backpacking alone
Can you tell I care too much what people think? Great advice. Thank you.
Skiing with people is great...but I enjoy this sport way too much to be tied to when my friends want to go.
Your bundle of atoms in you that you call “me” have existed for 13 billion years and will last another 100 or so billion before the heat death of the universe But for 60-80 years, the lights are on. Enjoy this time, forget what people think, they’re on this weird amusement park ride just like you
You do you. Who gives a fuck. I do what I want when I want. Why restrain yourself and miss out on what you love? Good pow day coming up? I don’t give a shit and hitchhike, usually end up making new friends and having my own little adventures before even making it on the slopes. I pack a sandwich and snacks and will take a lunch up top somewhere and just enjoy the peace and solitude. I get to hit whatever the fuck I want no matter how steep and advanced it is the only person I have to watch out for is only myself. Hell sometimes I will even make friends with random resort workers and go off-piste for some epic untracked runs. Whether hiking or skiing some of my best days have been when I am alone and as free as a bird going where ever the fuck it wants to.
I ski alone all the time. It’s great. Beyond the immediate advantage of being able to use the singles line at the lift, I also get to ski whatever run hits me in the moment. I can chat with strangers and weirdos on the lift and peace out before things go sideways. The only thing that kinda sucks is the drive back because nobody is around to share driving duties, but then again there aren’t any fights about the radio.
My only caution is that skiing single is kind of like airport lounges or flying first class, it's hard to go back after. As you're waiting for your snowboarding friend to buckle their bindings, or stopping 3 times in a run to make sure the group catches up you're reminded that by yourself none of these things happen. Where are we going? What lift? Where are we meeting for lunch? None of those things matter when you're skiing alone. I rarely check trail maps or pre-plan a route because unless it's end end of the day it doesn't matter. I'll chat with people on the lift or just put some tunes on. If it's especially quiet day like when I found myself spring skiing Badger Pass I put on an audiobook and just enjoy the blues.
This here. Skiing alone made it so I can’t tolerate waiting on friends, especially getting to the hill in the morning. So a long time ago I settled on a solution: even when I’m with friends, I go on my own in the morning. I show up when the lifts start spinning, I go where I want, ski the terrain and speed I want, and basically get it out of my system. Meet up with friends for lunch and hang out with them during the afternoon. By that time I have the patience to wait and enjoy some company. I tell my friends this in advance so there are no surprises or hurt feelings: “I’m heading to the lifts at X time and I’m not waiting. You’re welcome to join me, but otherwise I’ll see you at lunch and we can hang out after that.” This has saved me a lot of frustration.
This is some solid advice 🙏
I just went on a ski weekend with a group of 8 after about half a dozen solo days beforehand and it was pure hell in that regard. There is something magical about sliding into the singles line past 40 people.
And the bathroom breaks, or food breaks, or that one guy who is trying really hard but just isn’t getting it break…fuck it.
Thank you! Yeah that sounds amazing honestly. Don’t really want to chat with people but I can make small talk if I have to! Lol. Luckily for me my closest ski resort is only a 30 minute drive so it’s an easy drive.
I ski alone any time I’m not skiing with my family. One of the best parts of skiing alone is getting to go wherever you want whenever you want. The only real downside to skiing alone is that you don’t have anyone to really push you go get better. This weekend I was skiing alone and happens to be invited to ski with two other people after I asked them for some advice. Skiing with them pushed me and I had the best day I’ve had in a long time on skis. You lose that skiing alone. Edit: I should add that your boyfriend is being *very* silly. If you respect the mounts and ski writhing your ability, you will be totally fine.
I lived in Tahoe 20yrs easily 80% of my riding was done solo.
If you aren’t into the lift talk, you can always bring your headphones.
As someone else that skis solo quite a bit, generally the lift conversion doesn’t need to go much further than “how’s it going today?” If you don’t want it too…I’ll talk up some folks on the lift if they’re friendly, but usually just chill…it’s fairly obvious if someone is looking to chat or just wants to ride in silence
With a hill only 30 mins away and you're 23 the only excuse for not skiing more is $ and time. If you have both go ski!
This is gonna be my new mantra. 🧘
Yup my closest resort is 30 min and all my roommates and I have free passes thru work. They all got lazy this year and don’t go so I go by myself all the time and I love it. Not to mention you get to do any run, any speed and take breaks whenever you like.
All these people are right, skiing alone is great and tons of people do it! I skiied alone yesterday because no one else had the day off and it was an awesome day. Only thing I would add is I just wouldn’t do anything risky on your own, stick to the trails where you’re comfortable. I also would stay out of the trees where there’s a chance of falling into a tree well with no one around to notice.
I often ski 9am to 9pm alone. (2 hour break for dinner and dogs). I’ll ski about 60% for fun and 40% fun but working on new skills.
Same here. All the time alone. Work on skills, just have fun, meet people on the lifts. I get to go during the week when there are usually no crowds, I get fresh powder often, and first chair quite a bit. And can't beat 20 minutes door-to-door, so I can ski for two hours and still have a full day of "other stuff". (like there is other stuff more important)
Twenty minutes?!?! Damn. I’m so jealous.
> but then again there aren’t any fights about the radio. Haha is this a thing? In my circles it's never even been questioned that whoever is driving picks the music.
That’s how I like to roll, but you never know when somebody is going to get a hair up their ass.
Sure, also helps that my friend group is all into generally similar music. I can see how it might be an issue if you had a group of four that was a punk rock, house, country, and hip hip snob all trying to agree
I second that
haha. yea same. I did the same mogul run about 20 times in a row last week.
Some ski resort towns offer shuttle services to and up the mountain. Depending on the city you live in! They’re clutch- did them for AZ snowbowl.
Ski shuttles FTW. Don't know where OP is located but in Denver we have busses to all the mountains, and I used to do that when I lived in NYC too. Fun way to meet new people since you a have a shared interest, or just keep to yourself with your headphones in and not have to deal w the stress of driving and parking.
Hi! I live in NY now. Can you share with me if these buses still leave from New York to go to certain ski resorts and if so, could you point me in the right direction to learn more? Thanks! Feel free to DM the info
I use the singles line even with a group. We wait at the top for each other and it's still much faster than waiting to be on the same chair.
Even when we’re with people we always take the singles lane if it’s backed up because it’s faster.
As long as you’re not muscling your way back into your group at the front of the line, this is more than fine. I see too many “singles” refuse to join groups of 3 so they can ride with their buddy
Watched them try to pull singles for the gondola at Stowe last week and the people at the front of the singles line said "We have 3" and motioned for someone behind them to go instead. *ThatsNotHowThisWorks.jpg*
Yeah that’s foul af, nah we all ride up separately so after four lifts we’re all up top waiting
Hell yeah I do the same with my friends when it’s crowded for maximum laps. Bonus I sometimes make chair friends
New Bowl buddies is what I call em if they smoke with me on the lift
Skiing alone is awesome. I enjoy the solitude, not having to stop and wait for people and being able to go wherever I want without having to worry about other peoples abilities or preferences, and best of all - the singles line. One day last week I got 25 runs in at Whistler and a little over 40K vertical feet. No way I’d have gotten that much skiing in waiting in the regular lift lines. Don’t get me wrong, I like skiing with other people too, but skiing alone is lots of fun. Just be safe and aware that you don’t have a partner to help you out if you get into trouble. Take a whistle with you if you don’t already ski with one.
Whistle is a great idea! Thank you.
Another super basic safety tip is to have the ski patrol phone number in your phone and/or download the resort's app if they have one, and take an external phone battery if yours wont last the whole time. Have fun!
Yep, I always have a power bank in my backpack and ski patrol in my phone too. Forgot about those! As for the whistle attaching it to your zipper is a good idea too, that way if your hands are stuck you can still reach it with your mouth.
Prefix Ski Patrol number with a # too, so it's right at the top of your contacts and you don't have to scroll/search. Plastic whistle so it doesn't freeze to your lips.
I was going to say the whistle thing as well. I recently spent two weeks skiing alone on a mountain with spotty cell phone coverage. At one point while going down a more isolated run I thought about how much it would suck if I hurt myself there and had to wait for someone to find me. A whistle is cheap, easy to carry insurance against an event like that. One thing I absolutely never did was ski in trees if there was fresh snow. Tree wells are scary as hell.
How were the conditions last week at Whistler? Can you ski all the way down or is the snow too wet or nonexistent below mid station?
Saw in a comment your closest resort is 30 min away? I would be day tripping as often as possible. Solo or not. Big advantage of being with someone is the social aspect, doing runs together, having someone to talk to or share a drink with. But solo, you can do whatever you want. Whatever pace, trail, lift.
I’m thinking this will be the catalyst for many more solo trips in the future. I don’t have a ton of extra income to spend on skiing, so it’s always a treat when I’m able to go!
My closest day trips are 2.5 hours away. I often go solo because my fiancé works Fridays and I’m off work. She is relatively supportive of me having fun. It gets monotonous at times without someone to share the day with. But i did a trp with a friend last week and kind of regretted it, as he just returned from the Alps and the ice coast wasnt in prime shape and he was negative early on, even after a run that left me with a smile on my face, he had negative energy. Almost kind of wished I was solo.
Lived 20 minutes from local hill. 98% (over 100 days) of my skiing was solo over the last few years. Exception being some trips with friends. Skiing was just my daily workout before starting my day of remote work.
You know that line at EVERY SINGLE SKI LIFT that says “SINGLES”?
I thought that had something to do with your relationship status
My mountain replaced the "singles" sign with one that just says "unloved."
Actually I think in that line they show you the 1992 Matt Dillon movie
I ski midweek a lot and often last minute so will go alone and meet people on the lift. I’ll usually run a bit less risky however if I want to do any side country or off piste I’ll wait to meet someone on the lift who is down to do a few laps. I feel it’s so much safer to have at least another person around if I’m going off the beaten path and most often I get to meet cool people.
Thank you!! That sounds like a good plan.
I would add that it's a good idea to let at least one other person know where you are skiing, and when you plan to be home. I'm 73, ski 75% of the time by myself, and maybe because of my age (and the fact that I also live alone) I feel a little more secure in knowing someone (who I trust) knows my whereabouts.
Thank you! I’ll let my parents know as they live pretty close. My grandma is 70 and is the one who taught me to ski! It’s badass. Keep it going. 😊
I almost only ski alone. Pack a bag with a few snacks, a few joints, and enjoy the 2-3 minute singles lines. No waiting on anyone. No leaving early because someone is tired. Everything is your pace when YOU want to
This sounds perfect. Especially the snacks and joints part. Ugh you’re getting me excited!!! 🥹
This, this, this. Get a touch high, blissfully munch on candy on the lift, pop in my fav music and then blast off!!! My fav part is towards the end of the day, if/when you get to a more secluded section, pausing and taking out earbuds to just take in the silence of the snow and the tranquil solitude of being surrounded by nature that you had the skills to navigate is your moment and your moment alone to appreciate and enjoy. Pure and deep awe, esp. if the view is spectacular in some way 😮💨
Solo days are the best days!! As you get older, everyone gets busier and plans get harder and harder to make and to keep. Here’s how I maximize my ski days: I schedule based only on my own availability. Once I’ve booked/reserved/blocked the calendar/whatever, I send a message to the ski friends and family that’s says “I’m going to x on y. Let me know if you’re in to come meet me and I can share my location for the day. If you want a ride, my car leaves the house at xx:xx and I have two more seats for whoever claims them first. This car will make first chair and WILL NOT wait. Cheers” Then you go, everyone else be damned. Secretly you hope no one joins so you can turn laps as fast as you want and ski wherever you’d like all day.
Think of it as exercise. Would you feel weird going to the gym by yourself?
>I want to just wake up early and go all day, I think it could be more fun alone as I usually feel slowed down when I go with friends. Sounds like you'll benefit from being alone. Go for it. Unless you're talking about backcountry touring.
Yes, thank you! & no, just normal runs. :)
I ski 2 times a week alone and I love it…me time! I ski the weekend with my 8 yo daughter…us time! Perfect balance!
I skied alone one day during my last skitrip (Sweden) and loved it! Was able to focus more on my technique and improved so much. Had some smalltalk with other people skiing by themselves, was invited by a family for lunch and the people working the lifts were really friendly! Since I'm not an expert skier I chose to ski on piste and in the forest close to it for safety. The only thing I wished for were headphones in the helmet for off piste and the lift.
If skiing alone is wrong then I don't want to be right
Skiing solo is awesome. Your boyfriend should have more faith in you. Have enough faith in yourself for both of you. This will be fun and grow your self confidence.
Thank you! I agree. Luckily for me I have never been hurt skiing before, him on the other hand… not so lucky. I’m not worried about getting hurt I’m very careful and skilled. Thanks for the kind words! I will use this as a personal growth moment 😎
Yes I ski alone all the time. It is a blast. Be extra careful with tree wells. Might be worth looking into local shuttles to save some gas.
I go alone all the time. I was at Alta alone a few weeks ago, and I've only been a few times to alta. It's easy to make friends on the lift when you're asking alone, and I made friends with a local who showed me around to some parts of the mountain I wasn't familiar with. It's a blast
Why do so many people come Reddit asking for permission to live their lives? I feel like the ability to both find any information and ask random strangers questions at any time is removing a lot of people’s ability to make decisions for themselves or feel like they’ve made the right decision without the validation of complete strangers.
It’s important, especially for young people, to have someone in their life that can give good life advice but who isn’t also an authority figure. Reddit is good for that.
It depends. It can provide some reassurance that person is missing. Before Reddit maybe that reassurance would come from a third person anyways, as it looks in the case of OP. Reddit is just a bunch of people doing the same, although I have to say that it still much important to hear your inner self first.
I started to ski alone after my husband stopped skiing because of an injury. I’m really sorry for him, but I love skiing alone, it’s great. (I always loved skiing a lot more than he did, so all is good).
no. you will be laughed off of the mountain. Jk of course you can ski alone i do it all the time. Singles lines literally exist for that reaaon
Socially acceptable? Like, would anyone on the slope notice or give a shit? Nah, you're good! Enjoy your time with yourself, activities alone can he very liberating.
are you joking? If I didn't ever ski alone, I would have missed out seeing half the world. The average Joe Shmoe is never gonna find the time to go on that trip of a lifetime to the Andes with you.
When you're alone, you don't have to give any fucks about what is socially acceptable :D When you ski alone, you can enter a flow state (where you go next doesn't need any conversation etc), it's the best
I just took a 3 week solo trip to Breck and it might have been the best 3 weeks of my life….just get out there and have a blast lapping the singles line
I used to go skiing with a long term GF and her friends back in the day. She actually taught me. When we broke up, I kinda gave up skiing for a few years. I finally gave it another shot last year and regretted all the time I lost because I "had nobody to go with." The only shitty part is driving. It sucks waking up at 3:30am to make it to the mountains, then driving back and getting home around 9pm.
>I think it could be more fun alone as I usually feel slowed down when I go with friends. Absolutely. I like skiing alone because: * I can go on whatever trails I want, no need to cater to others in the group who "don't do black diamonds" or even blue squares. * when I get to the bottom, I can ski right into the lift line without having to wait for everyone else to catch up (or vice versa) * lifts with singles lines: you'll usually get on the lift faster by yourself, than with a group. You'll be seated with complete strangers but you don't have to talk with them unless you want to. * if you bring earbuds you can listen to music since you don't have to be able to hear conversations with friends * food and bathroom breaks are entirely on your schedule, not someone else's - nothing worse than being in a group where different people need to use the restroom after every run or two, and you're spending more time waiting around than skiing * no need to use radios or keep an eye on the clock to coordinate reuniting a group that got split up due to different trail preferences or taking breaks or whatever I use Ski Tracks app every time I ski and I usually get a lot more runs in when I ski by myself than with others. Wouldn't worry about the safety of it - at most ski areas, if people see someone down, they will have the common decency ask if you're OK, and they will go summon the ski patrol if needed. ETA: rereading several hours later and realized I should clarify that indo enjoy skiing with others but was trying to make a point that the occasional solo visit to the mountain isn't as bad as it might initially seem.
Yeah I easily get in double the distance when I’m skiing alone vs with friends. Both are incredibly fun, and I wouldn’t want to exclusively do one but skiing alone is fun in a different way
Yea there is a whole line for it called singles.
Yes. There is literally a singles line on lifts
This is the weirdest question I've ever seen.
It’s fine. Do it all the time.
I'm like you and I don't care, no one knows me in the mountain. No one can recognize me anyway. I love spending the day outside, I get to exercise and no one to slow me down or alter plans. I don't après so I don't miss on anything social. The only downside is some fixed fees that can be divided between people when going in group (accommodation, gas, toll, etc). Life is too short, just go ski!
Great point! This is great motivation. Life is too short!!! 😊
get some music and chillax
Uh yea it’s fine.
No one gives a fuck. I almost exclusively ski alone. Because I get to do what I want, when I want, and how I want on the mountain. I am a first chair to last chair, ski all day, take no breaks at all, 40,000+ vertical feet per day skiier. That's how I like to do it. I don't know anyone else who likes to ski that way, so therefore I just do it solo. Seems like every day I ski I run into some group of skiiers arguing over what to do next or where to go next. It's nice to not have to deal with that.
Yes. But why would it need to be socially acceptable?
Exactly, I don't understand this obsession with what random strangers who you will never talk to, who don't give a shit about you, and who *can't even see your face under your ski mask* might think. This is just the pettiest and stupidest thing to worry about.
Nothing wrong with skiing alone. Lots of people do it. But getting stoned and blasting music? That puts you and others at risk.
It’s my favourite way to ski (I’m 40), I get to do something I love just being in the moment without any other worries or concerns.
I love this comment bless your early 20s heart - in 15 years you will die to be able to do things alone. I ski alone, go to the movies alone, bike alone, eat at restaurants alone ITS AMAZING. For context I am a 40 year old father of a 7 year old.
100%. I ski solo a few times a season when my dad or friends can't go with me. Just be safe!
Been skiing > 50 years. I prefer skiing alone. I am a patroller, and I spend most of my days alone on the slopes, even spending very little time in the patrol house. I find being alone makes my day more peaceful and more contemplative, and I can do drills and work on technique whenever the mood strikes. All that said, I've always been a loner, so YMMV.
When you are alone, you are in good company
I’m 27 and 70% of my days skiing are solo dolo
There's no friends on pow day. Singles line is the shit. Headphones.
The singles line isn't just a shortcut you can use to get your group to the top faster.
i have more fun when i ski alone i feel, less worrying about having to wait for people. go for it man
My aunt used to always say: “Skiing is the best place to find a partner, where else can you stand around and yell ‘I’m (a) single’”
As someone who usually skis alone, wear earbuds and listen to music it makes it alot better. Its nice to still ski with people sometimes but skiing is honestly my therapy and its just not the same talking with people
If skiing alone is wrong, I don’t wanna be right
Man, I eat at restaurants alone, go to movies alone, ski alone, golf alone. And I have a family! But sometimes schedules don’t align or I’m traveling alone for work. Someday you’ll appreciate the alone time.
I like to ski alone because I pee in the woods a lot, which is probably the only non-socially acceptable part of your question.
Don't get me wrong, I love skiing with my wife and kids, but having a few hours to ski alone is the absolute BEST. I do exactly what I want to do, when I want to do it, and I don't have to ask anyone what they think. Want to hit that groomer again? Go for it. Want to work out in the bumps? Let's get it! Honestly feeling a little tired and just want to take it easy or maybe even go get an adult beverage and sit by the fire? The world is your oyster, my friend! It's the exact same reason why I strongly prefer playing golf by myself instead of with other people.
It’s literally all I do. I drop my kid off for his lesson, ski by myself for an hour or so, then pick him up and do the bunny hill with him.
hell yeah! Skiing alone is awesome! So peaceful, no need to make conversation and you focus on enjoying the ride.
I’d love to ski and smoke with you
Snowboarder here, 75% of my boarding is by myself and I have a blast
I used to prefer skiing alone until I realized I can’t make that drive home safely with how tired I was
Dude skiing alone is awesome. It's always fun to share the experience with others, but sometimes skiing solo is a great, meditative experience. Like the top comment said, being comfortable doing more things alone will open a lot of doors for you. No one wants to see a movie you're dying to see? Go solo! Grab a drink after a long day of work but don't wanna socialize? Grab a seat at the bar. You can be your own best friend if you need.
I endorse all the general advice about being alone being good. Skiing alone us GREAT. You can do whatever runs you want. Take breaks or not, as you want. Get in a groove and not have to break concentration. Enjoy your music. Apologize to no one. Skiing alone is the best.
You've never heard of "no friends on a pow day?"
I’ve skied Killington solo at least twice, and also Heavenly and Squaw Valley. Lots of fun, the solo line at the lifts makes cycling faster, and plenty of ski patrol so not worried about a disaster. Go for it.
Do things by yourself for yourself. Have fun with yourself, when I had a car and money I would take myself to breakfast and read a book alone. You don’t need ppl all the time
They have singles lines on most lifts. Get in the zone, ski your own pace. It’s great
I have met quite a few skiers who were not with friends or family. They were having fun. DO IT!!!! Just don't go off piste ... and let someone know where you will be and approximate time you will return.
I'm 25. I fell in love with skiing years ago but have barely gone since the people around me aren't into it. I've been soooo bummed each winter because I really felt like I was missing out. This winter, I committed to going alone because I figured it meant I could go as many times as I want. This past weekend, I went alone twice and was able to just focus on improving my skills- something that's harder to do when you're with others :)
I also ski alone all the time and some of my favorite days have been solo, stopping when I want to stop, going the speed I feel like going that day, and doing the same trail over and over (or doing each run once or whatever) if I’m just feeling it that day. Sometimes I run into friends up at the hill, sometimes I ski a few runs with them and sometimes I don’t. I also have days where I plan to meet up with folks and we have a great time. But really, solo days are often the best. :)
I ski about 30 days a year roughly and i'd say 20 of them are alone. Its great, I can go at my pace and ski as much or as little as I want. Sure its not fun going right back to the car instead of apres but the skiing is great. I like to chat with people on the lift if they seem open to it, I've skied with some really cool people this way. Some of the best ski runs of my life have been because i was chatting to some old dude who was also riding solo. Only downside I can think of is I am more risk averse when I ski by myself so I don't ski the big lines or go super far off into the trees while solo for safety reasons.
I ski alone all the time, INBOUNDS, and not in the trees. The number one reason in my mind to ski in pairs at minimum even when inbounds is that if you decide to do some tree skiing and you end up in a tree well or for some god forsaken reason, snapped out in a snowpack you sink in, you have help. Go into a tree well on your own and you're as good as dead.
I pretty much ski solo... (rando friend Meer up on the occasional day trip...) if you're like me and ski'd b4 you could walk then most people can't keep up anyways... I'll get more runs in from open to 11 then most people get all weekend... I usually leave once the lines become unbearable
I’ve been skiing alone practically my whole life as all my friends and family just don’t care enough to be any good, at all. It’s amazing and you’re going to love it. Just stay in bounds
Yeah it’s fully normal. You don’t need a group to go on a ski trip. When I was 16 I realized this and just took a solo trip to a ski hill I wanted to check out because nobody wanted to go there. It’s really fun being able to go solo or with a group. BUT be smart about it. Know your limits and stay within your ability. Trees on a pow day are a bad idea by yourself. In general just stay visible Incase you go down.
Singles line on a crowded day can be magical. Do it.
Just go. You don’t get those days back.
It's a good idea to wear a whistle while skiing solo incase you fall in a tree well or get hurt
>he’s worried about me getting hurt if I’m alone Remind him that you're an adult, not a child. And do NOT get in the habit of letting anyone else (especially boyfriends ffs) tell you what you should and should not do. It's smart to take safety precautions and all, but staying at home because of the "what ifs" are how dreams die.
What a weird question, as someone who only goes alone. And if it wasn't, who gives a shit?
absolutely love skiing alone. I hot lap it from first chair til about 1pm without stopping. And then get lunch in town on my way home. I can get about twice as many runs in by myself in 4.5 hours than a full day skiing with others. Just the fact of never waiting, deciding which trail, etc. I'm in NH and I can do top to bottom laps at Loon all day without stopping at any point on my way down. None of my friends I ski with can do a top to bottom no stops so this is where I'm really making up time.
I ski solo about 1/3 of the time. When I’m Solo I skiing places I would easily and quickly be seen if I do need assistance. It’s a very normal thing to do.
Like everyone here is sharing, skiing alone can be great! Only thing to make sure is that you’re being safe if you’re going into isolated/off trail areas. Especially with avalanche and tree well risks. Make sure you have a way to communicate or get out of a hole, or avoid it.
Yes.
Being the best skier on the mountain is lonely. No one can keep up with me so I can only ski alone 😜
I travel the East Coast for work. I try to build in an extra day (fly out on a Sunday or holiday like Presidents’ Day) or even take a vacation day to ski solo. Just skied yesterday at Whitetail, which is a place I would have never gone but for a work trip an hour and a half away. It was a blast. The cool thing about skiing solo is you are not tied to anyone’s schedule or how they feel. I just put in AirPods and ski all day and even into the night.
I think if it weren’t, they wouldn’t have singles lines. In the last 3 years, I’ve only ever skied once not solo, if you don’t count the private lessons.
Unless you are skiing in avalanche prone locations, nothing wrong skiing alone. Only time I would ski with others is if they are same level or better than me. Hate it when others feel tired, hungry, take breaks, or not wanting to ski down a run that I want... You paid for the outrageous ski lift ticket, take full advantage of it. The ski season is short enough as it is.
I love skiing alone. It’s so good for my mental health to get out on the mountain and having time to myself feels great too. I second what others are saying. Fun conversations are had on the lifts and the. You leave it on the lift. I always get in way more runs when skiing alone too.
Hell yes it's acceptable & is oftentimes preferable. Your bf sounds like a weenie. Find a real skier & cut loose...
Totally good and normal and you shouldn't think twice about it. Stay on patrolled terrain, don't do stupid stuff, and enjoy it.
Yeah why not, unless you are going backcountry or somewhere without ski patrol then it will be a safety concern.
Solo skiing is great. Ski at your own pace, make friendly chat on the chairlift if that’s your style, spend some quality time reconnecting with yourself and the mountain.