Daniel B.
Yelp
I skied for the first time on Sunday at Wolf Ridge Ski Resort in Mars Hill, NC. So that should be a barometer as to what kind of perspective my review is coming from. Ergo, I have nothing to compare this ski resort to (from personal experience).
Bibs are $15 to rent and helmets are $10. Since I spent most of my time on the bunny slope, I decided to forgo the helmet. Helmets are recommended for snowboarders. We got a group rate of $34 for the lift tickets and skis were $15 to rent (snowboards $29).
We took a one-hour beginner's class with Michael from New Mexico. Michael was a nice and relaxed dude. He was very patient with our group. In one hour, he just taught us the bare minimum: the wedge (or pizza), the pointed inward angle you make with your skis in order to slow down and control your speed. We started with one leg, then the other, then both. Then we took turns down the bunny slope, getting a feel for skiing. He did teach us a few safety tips (e.g. how to fall -- not on your butt) and how to turn, but that's about it.
He did *not* teach us how to get up after falling. I went through the entire beginner's class and several trips down the bunny slope without falling. However, when I did eventually fall, it was quite a challenge sometimes getting back up. Several of us got confident (cocky?) after dominating the bunny slope. I know I did. So we were enthusiastic to ride the lift up and try the intermediate slope.
First, the lift. Nobody told me how to use the lift, so when I sat down on it and started going up, I did not bring the safety harness down. At amusement park rides, the safety harness usually comes down automatically. Not at Wolf Ridge's lift. So I went up about a quarter of the mountain before I decided to try and pull the bar down.
Second, the intermediate station. On Sunday, people riding the lift had the option to get off at the mid (or intermediate) station or the top station. The intermediate station had a confusing handwritten sign that led beginners to believe the intermediate station was really the expert station. So instead of getting off at the intermediate station, I rode all the way to the top of the mountain where the expert station was located.
At that point, there was no turning back. I spoke with one of the safety crew, Billy, and told him I was a beginner. He decided to follow me down the expert slope to the intermediate station to make sure I was OK (thanks Billy). It's a good thing he followed me because I fell and tumbled every which way down the expert slope. It was embarrassing, exhausting, and funny. My confidence from the bunny slope was immediately squashed. I can't tell you how many times I fell and wiped out. I slid on my butt most of the time. You're not supposed to slide on your rear end, but I did it intentionally just so I could get down the dang mountain. I also slid on my chest, face, side, spinning clockwise, counterclockwise, flipping over, you name it. I'm lucky I didn't get injured. I was way in over my head.
The most humiliating thing about it was the little kids that were killing it down the expert slope. I saw two 10-year old girls go down it like it was nothing. A little boy snowboarder grabbed one of my poles that I had lost during one of my 200 wipeouts and brought it down to me. Nothing like little kids schooling you.
Aaron D. made the same mistake as me and rode all the way to the top station. He didn't fall nearly as many times as me, though he did crash into a pole. He said the entire expert slope was "terrifying." I get a chuckle everytime I think back to him just as he went over the edge and down the slope in his permanent wedge. He looked frightened for his life.
By the time I made it to the intermediate station, I was mentally and physically exhausted from the expert slope. I fell quite a few times on the intermediate slope, but mainly because I could barely stand anymore. I didn't have the energy.
[Expert tip from Daniel B: DO eat something, like breakfast, before a day of skiing. I skipped breakfast - bad idea.]
I walked for part of the way down the intermediate slope before I realized I would expend more energy walking than skiing. I took a bit of a break before snapping on my skis for the home stretch, which I eventually made through smoothly.
I refueled at the lodge, though I didn't realize how overpriced their food was. A simple cheeseburger was $5 and a hot dog was $3. A combo meal was $8, which was basically a burger, fries, and a small fountain drink (no refills). Yikes. You may want to think about packing your own food. The selection at the lodge also doesn't vary much (they also serve pizza and chicken tenders).
In the end, I had a lot of fun at Wolf Ridge and thought it was a great introduction to skiing. I can't wait to ski again!