One of my greatest passions as a teenager, and a young adult was alpine skiing.  I had a pretty significant knee injury during a ski trip to Colorado that pretty much totaled my confidence to perform again on the slopes.  I skied for a few more years after the injury, but it was never the same, and soon the passion faded, and I slowly gave up the sport.  Now many years later, and a commitment to making myself stronger and healthier than ever, I decided to ski again, and I am so glad I did.  The knee injury is no longer an issue (as I hoped), and skiing is again the joyful freedom I remember from my younger years.

A significant factor in my return to skiing was the opportunity to introduce my two young children to the sport.  Both my daughters hit the slopes for the first time this weekend,  and all indications point to a positive experience.  My older daughter decided that snowboarding was for her, while my 4-year old used skis for her first time on the snow.  They both took joined an all day ski camp which allowed for a lot of interaction with the instructors, and allowed them to learn with their peers in a isolated section of the hill.

Bear mountain is a nice ski resort, with a good variety of terrain,  and runs are long enough that do not make you feel like they are over too quickly.  The ski lifts are relatively fast, and the lines on the busy day we were skiing moved respectably.  Bear mountain is undeniably a snowboard centric resort, providing a multitude of options for boarders, including a huge superpipe that they were finishing up the weekend we were skiing.  The snowboarding accommodations do not take away much in the way of skiing, but if you are looking for a pure alpine skiing experience, it may behoove you to go to another resort.  The ski school is top notch,  with a good ratio of instructors to students, and a great isolated area for learning.  In addition, there is a separate bunny run open to everyone that provides a great option to expanding your new skills after the lessons are done.

It was a perfect day for skiing,  mild temperatures, sunny skies,  and plenty of snow.  A day to fall in love with slopes all over again.  It was like connecting with an old friend, enjoying the company, and wondering why you lost touch in the first place.   The connection is made, and there will me many more encounters between the slopes and myself to enjoy.