10 Things a Woman Can Do on the Ski Slopes That a Man Cannot

For all those women who have endured a skiing holiday with their fella whether in the European Alps or in the Rockies - this brief article is for you. Put a man on a pair of skis, give him two ski lessons and within days he convinces himself he is either Bode Miller or Herman Maier.

We ladies take our time. We listen to our instructor - fancy him a bit (maybe a lot). We follow him; heed his advice: mimic his stance and style and emerge the butterfly on skis. We read signs and obey them. We know codes of conduct and act upon them.

So - these are the 10 reasons why I believe women continue to look graceful on their skis and can do things on the slopes that men can only aspire to.

1. Firstly, and I speak from a week's experience of pure embarrassment, a woman can always look good in a one piece ski suit.

2. Women know when to stop - and often how to without spraying everyone else within a 200 yard radius.

3. Women can enjoy an extra hour in bed in the morning and feel no guilt when they see the first lift depart for the top of the mountain. Men prefer to rise with the larks, hastily breakfast then join and moan about the queues. ITS A HOLIDAY!

4. Women stop for hot chocolate and socialise with friends. Men drink beer and Gluhwein, think their skiing has improved and challenge mates to increasingly more frightening feats.

5. Women do not wear ridiculous hats for the week.

6. Women wait for others to catch up and don't set off immediately when they do.

7. Ladies do not laugh at the misfortune of those who head plant.

8. They do not race, jump, threaten trees and land on children.

9. Women conform to ski school lines.

10. And, of course, ladies ski better anyway!

The gender difference on the slopes is one of confidence. Only a confident male could wear a shiny pink, one piece ski suit with contrasting mauve belt and a pink helmet cover that made him look like a fat penis.

Ladies, lets be honest, we may not be the fastest on the slopes, we may moan about the cold and the wet, but we can always read the resort map and find our way back. Our caution, attention to detail makes us ideal ski instructor material, yet very few of us become one. If you do one thing today, check out a ski instructor training course and lets take women's skills and put them back on the mountain.

I wrote this article to encourage more women to become ski instructors. As a CSIA level 2 ski instructor who trained at the age of 46 after years of trailing after her husband around the alps in Europe, I set up The Winter Sports Company to help ambitious skiers to live their dream and become a confident, jacket-wearing ski instructor.

The Winter Sports Company provides fully inclusive courses from 3 to 18 weeks to train skiers to become instructors and welcomes women and men of any age.

Should I Wear a Helmet When Skiing or Snowboarding?

In 2011 the NHS reported that current studies on the benefits of wearing a helmet whilst skiing or snowboarding had several shortcomings. Whilst some concluded wearing a helmet can reduce head injuries by 35% in adults and 59% in children, the NHS claimed most of these studies lacked adequate sampling of control groups, an unclear definition of what actually constitutes a head injury and no consideration of the consequences of the actual fit of a helmet.

So as skiers and snowboarders, should we wear a helmet? What do we gain and what do we lose?

The NHS maintain that the actual risk of head injury for skiers and snowboarders is relatively low. Only 1 in 11,111 ski or snowboard outings result in an head injury and serious head injuries which cause fatalities are extremely rare.

Helmets are most effective if collisions happen at low speeds under 15mph. As we all know, the majority of intermediate and advanced skiers and boarders regularly travel at speeds much faster than this which increases their risk.

So what are the benefits of a helmet? Most regular helmet wearers describe higher levels of comfort. Helmets, unlike woolly hats, do not itch. They do not soak up moisture. They are warm when its cold and cool when its hot. Some claim that once you wear a helmet you will never go back to the beanie. New styles and designs of helmets have also made them more fashionable and in some European and American resorts, studies have shown helmet wearing has increased to 80% of those enjoying winter sports.

If you are considering a career in ski or snowboard instruction, you will find most candidates purchase a helmet. When teaching it is always better to lead by example, especially to children for whom it may be compulsory to wear a helmet.

Snowboarders have also to be aware that the Canadian Association of Snowboarders, who certify and test those wishing to become a qualified, internationally recognised instructor, have made helmets mandatory for their Level 2, 3 and 4 courses. If snowboarders also want to learn to teach in the park, helmet wearing is enforced.

So what do you lose if you wear a helmet? Some argue helmets may impair vision and hearing and that they may encourage people to take greater risk. There is also a cost factor to the purchase of a helmet - at around a £100 they are expensive item.

However, if you decide to invest in a helmet, you must ensure it fits well to give maximum comfort and protection. Measure the circumference of your head from just above your eyebrows and roughly follow the sizing chart below:-

Small 42 - 55.5 cm
Medium 55.5 - 59 cm
Large 59 - 62.5 cm
Ex Large 62.5 - 65 cm

A helmet needs to fit snugly with very little movement inside when you move your head. Be wary of a helmet that is too tight as it will be uncomfortable. When trying a helmet out wear it for several minutes in the shop to get a true sense of its fit. The ear pads inside should be in line with your ears and if you use goggles take them along and wear them with the helmet as they also can effect the fit.

Why Canada Is the Best Place to Train to Be a Ski or Snowboard Instructor

Obviously the main advantage of the Rockies over the Alps is snow. Loads of the white stuff falls every year in western Canada - and not just your average wet flurry of flakes, but soft, fluffy, champagne powder. There is no experience more satisfying than an early morning glide making tracks through newly settled snow.

The dry air in the mountains of western Canada not only keeps the snow light, it also takes the edge off the temperature. So when the thermometer plummets to minus twenty degrees, the lack of moisture in the air means it does not feel as cold as it should. Nevertheless, Canada can still be colder than the Alps. Rather than worrying about the cold, snow sports enthusiasts embrace the challenge of frozen goggles and nostrils. True cold is a memorable experience. Honestly!

The lack of lift queues in Canadian resorts makes them ideal for ski instructor training. Instead of wasting time at the bottom of lifts dodging penguin skiers pushing to get to the front, in Canada high speed technology ensures you get to the top fast. Larger resorts with less people mean vast empty pistes (slopes) await trainee instructors giving them the chance to develop their skills without spending time avoiding hordes of holiday makers.

Now its is true that North American resorts may lack a little of the charm of quaint Alpine villages, but boy do they make up for that by investment in super fast lifts and giving smiling customer service in most of their cafes, bars and restaurants.

In many of the Canadian ski resorts, the mountain terrain is much more extensive than that in the Alps. There are long slopes to coast along and steep, deep bowls and chutes to test your skills. In addition heli skiing and cat skiing companies often operate close to resorts and offer the opportunity for skiers and boarders to sample the 'back country' where thigh deep powder and pure silence await you.

The Canadians,who also appreciate this wonderful environment, use the weekends to go boarding or skiing in their nearest resort. In comparison to the Alps, where many of us make the pilgrimage for our annual ski trip, Canada's slopes are amazingly quiet during the week and a bustling array of colour on the weekends. This phenomenon is yet another benefit for trainee ski instructors in North America. After a week's intensive tuition trainees can either choose take their weekends off when the slopes are busy or help out at the snow school and shadow a few professional ski instructors.

There is no denying the splendour and the beauty of the Canadian wilderness however, its isolation does have its drawbacks. Some of the major resorts where ski instructors can be accommodated are many miles from the ski areas. This may entail long bus rides in the morning to get out to the snow. The purpose built village of Sun Peaks Resort in British Columbia has sited its hotels, bars and shops right beside the slopes. Skiers and boarders here can live and breathe the mountains every day and get to the lifts within a minute of stepping out of their hotel.

Skiing or boarding in the European Alps is a delightful experience. There is no better place to take your annual holiday on snow; pretty villages to travel between, excellent cuisine, a myriad of shops and plenty of like minded people with which to share your stories. However, when considering a full season in which to train to be a ski instructor, then Canada has to be high on the list. Canada not only has dramatic scenery it has a lack of queues, vast empty pistes, opportunities to shadow and work in a resort's snow school and professional long established instructor training centres providing Canadian qualifications which have set the standards for others to follow.

No Strings Attached Means Endless Fun

Whether you ski or snowboard, your level of interest and involvement in this winter sport is going to be directly related to where you grew up in the world, as the old real estate saying goes "Location, location, location". If you didn't grow up in a region where skiing is possible you probably don't think about the activity too much. For those who keep their equipment all summer long and look forward to the freedom and enjoyment skiing has to offer know about the amazing rush that accompanies the sport.

Skiers and snowboarders alike know about the importance of location, and fully understand that good ski conditions are also directly related to location as well. Geographic parameters combined with the man made infrastructure of a resort provide you with a winter playground. Cable cars can reach peaks and trails are cut out of the trees to provide everyone with a safe and easy to follow path. While some resorts are clearly more enjoyable than others, there is one factor that ties them all together.

Cables! They are the foundation for all traditional ski resorts. They take you to your destination and your excursions are limited by the places they reach. You have to sit in line and wait at the designated area (sometimes with far too many other people) for your turn on the cable, and then once you start to descend, again ropes and cables section off your boundaries. There is only one way to experience a mountain with no strings attached.

Helicopter skiing is an adventure for those looking for the ultimate ski experience. Not only are there no lines or cable cars; there are no boundaries. As you sit in the helicopter as it passes over mountain peaks on route to your handpicked destination, you realize that you are literally scouring the Earth for the ultimate descend. Then as the helicopter touches down and you hop on to the peak, you realize that you are completely free. Free from groomed paths and packed icy conditions, free from tiresome long lines and cables cars that stop because someone fumbled their poles.

It is an amazing feeling to be the first to carve a trail through two feet of fresh powder. As you float down the mountain with your companions it is easy to feel as if the world is your playground, as opposed to a direct and beaten path filled with other skiers. The freedom of having an entire mountain as your path is beyond words; a sensation that lasts a lifetime and must be experienced to be understood.

While not everyone can appreciate the joy of skiing, those that do search for the ultimate descend. Only a heli-skiing experience can provide you with the ultimate rush of freedom that comes from being completely unbound by cables or ropes. When the only factor that limits your freedom is your own courage, you are sure to push the limits of what you thought you were capable of. This personal discovery only happens when you release yourself from the boundaries of ropes and cables, and venture out to the great big world.