Come Out of Hibernation

A A A Comments By Colin Bane Thursday, Jan 13 2011

The Professional Ski Instructors Association, which is headquartered in Lakewood, will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary in 2011, starting with the annual Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month. The organization known as PSIA-AASI (it includes the American Association of Snowboard Instructors) partners each year with the National Ski Areas Association, the National Ski Patrol and Snowsports Industries America to get more first-timers up on the slopes in January.

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“We have a slogan: Humans were never meant to hibernate,” says Mary Jo Tarallo, director of the month-long series. “The whole idea is to get more people active in the winter and to make sure they have a great first experience in the mountains.”

This year, both Colorado Ski Country USA and Vail Resorts (which does not belong to Ski Country) are participating, which means there are learn-to-ski promotions at every ski area in the state. “The most important things for a first-timer are to dress properly and to take a lesson from a professional,” Tarallo notes. “These are people who are trained to teach others. It’s almost never a good idea to try to learn from a friend or family member. Just because somebody’s a good skier or snowboarder doesn't necessarily mean they can teach someone else.”

For more information, go to www.skiandsnowboardmonth.org.
Jan. 1-31, 2011

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