A few years into our marriage, Nazari stumbled across a list he had made when he was a teenager of characteristics he hoped his future wife would possess. Included on this list was that she be able to ski/snowboard.
At that point in time, unfortunately, I did not meet that piece of criteria young Nazari had for his future wife. I asked Nazari if he wanted to remedy the issue and teach me to ski. He was not at all interested in that endeavor. (I get VERY cold very easily, so he figured it was more trouble than it was worth).
But as fate would have it, a new job relocated my parents from Pennsylvania to Colorado, and Nazari decided that if we were going to visit my parents in the Rockies, I was going to HAVE to learn to ski. So teach me to ski he did. We started at Boyce Park (which is a great place for your first go at the sport!). We upgraded to Seven Springs. And then we were ready to embark on the slopes out west! It has since become one of our favorite winter dates, and even helps make the frigid winter months more bearable, and even enjoyable!
Naz was remarkably patient when teaching me to ski, so thankfully it was a very positive experience. For some, it may be worth it to pay for a lesson the first time or two to get your bearings, while remaining friends with your spouse.
One of the really nice things about skiing is all of the down time involved. Even if you are different levels or speeds (Nazari is MUCH faster than me), you can still spend quality time together on the lift up the mountain! And as much as we love skiing, it really tuckers us out. So you will definitely hit up the ski lodge a time or two to recoup by grabbing some food and warming up!
We have found that with skiing, a little goes a long way. Between the challenge it is in general, and the freezing air, we are typically spent with a half day. With that said, while it is a pricey date, you definitely get your money's worth for a full day activity.
PROS:
Active/good exercise
Outdoors (Gets you outside in the winter!)
Super Fun
Great quality time together (ski lifts, lodge hang outs, drive there and back)
You can do it forever! It's very aging friendly.
Its world wide - so you can travel and ski!
There are so many different trails for all different experience levels.
CONS:
Expensive
Can be dangerous
Cold. It's so cold.
Exhausting - it really tires you out!
Can be long lines to get on the lifts, so you can end up waiting around a lot.
GOOD TO KNOW:
Bring hand warmers! Lots of hand warmers. These are lifesavers!
Invest in a quality pair of durable, water proof mittens, and really insulated, warm ski socks. It is SO worth it and makes such a difference!
If renting: Rent Parabolic Skis (these give you better control). They should come up to your shoulders in height.
Make sure to get your ski boots one size up from what you normally wear.
There are two ski shops en route to Seven Springs that offer cheaper rentals. (They do tend to close early though - so be sure to check hours).
You can rent lockers to store your stuff, but you can also leave most of your belongings at a table in the lodge. While the lodge is not responsible for any lost or stolen items, we have never had a problem.
If you can swing a weekday, you can get a much cheaper rate and the slopes will be much less crowded: double win!
If you ski at night, it does tend to be more icy, and it definitely gets colder - sometimes too cold to be very enjoyable.
Seven Springs Pricing:
MONDAY – THURSDAY-
All Day (9 a.m. – 9 p.m.): $67
Twilight (1 – 9 p.m.): $61
Night (4 – 9 p.m.): $48
FRIDAY – SUNDAY-
All Day (9 a.m. – 10 p.m.): $87
Twilight (1 – 10 p.m.): $81
Night (4 – 10 p.m.): $48
You can check out more information and buy passes online here!
OVERALL RATING:
Price - 5 $$$
Quality Time - 10
Fun - 10