Teaching cross-country skiing

Teaching someone to ski is sooo different from just skiing. The masochist in me decided that I should contribute to my outdoors club by running a ski trip for beginners. My first ever trip as a leader and I organise a three day trip a long distance from home, for beginners. As soon as I volunteered and it was in the club program, I was terrified and started reading every tip I could find on the web about teaching skiing. There were only two absolute beginners on the trip, but that was well and truly enough to keep me busy. They might have appreciated a few more though – I think I overwhelmed them with my helpfulness and advice :S  They would have laughed if they’d seen me the following weekend. Put a pack on my back and suddenly I’ve lost control of my skis. It didn’t help that due to the ten degree days the snow had a really bad crust on it late in the day. Not easy skiing. I had one of my funniest falls ever on this trip. I fell on my face, with the tips of my skis into the snow, my stocks and hands locked under my chest and my pack forward and resting on my head. I couldn’t move. The guy that came to help couldn’t tell if I was crying out in pain so despite being tempted he didn't stop to take a photo. Shame is I was actually laughing and would have loved the photo! He had to remove my skis and lift me up by my pack. Back to the beginners and the thing I had most trouble with was getting them to go with the glide of their ski – they tended to pull back once the ski started sliding. Anyway, I was really proud that the group managed a 15km ski from Perisher to Charlotte’s Pass and back, and stayed in good spirits, and improved by the end of the weekend. After being tempted many times to cancel the trip, I’m glad it went ahead because it was really satisfying. I may even do it again next year.