Read this information-packed write-up on skiing submitted by one of our regular teen writers. This article gives you tips on how to prepare for skiing and also where to go!

The winter is finally here and whether you’re a first time skier or snowboarder, or a long-lived professional, here are some basics for skiing and snowboarding. First of all, you need to dress appropriately; a good waterproof snow jacket will be just fine. Also, consider buying some snow pants unless you like to wear wet jeans. Gloves, extra socks, a hat and goggles are also necessary. It is required in many places for children to wear helmets and is encouraged for adults to do the same.

Whether you’re buying or renting your skies, you have to remember that they should be no higher than your nose. The longer the skies, the harder it will be to control them and the shorter the skies the faster you will go. Your poles should fit comfortably and should be up to your chest. If you are snowboarding, your snowboard should be between your chin and your nose, and you should be within the weight range which is stated on the board.

When you hit the slopes you should know the types of hills there are. The easiest slopes are rated by a green circle. These slopes are for beginners or young kids. The next level of hills are marked by blue squares and are for intermediate skiers as these hills are moderately steep. The difficult hills are rated as black diamonds and are steep and icy. Finally, the toughest hills that are only meant for experts are the double black diamonds which are extremely steep and should only be skied upon by the most experienced skiers. There are also hills marked by a yellow rectangle which signals that they contain a terrain park which has jumps and rail with various difficulties.

Since you are now ready to ski, you have to chose where you want to go. Some local recommendations are Whitetail Resort, in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania which is about one and one and a half hours away from Washington, DC. This resort has a 900 ft. vertical drop and has 19 trails. A great resort for the family or for beginners is Wisp Resort in McHenry, Maryland which is about three hours away from Washington, DC and contains a 700 ft. vertical drop and 39 trails. If you are planning to go somewhere farther to ski, a good recommendation is the Whiteface Lake Placid resort. Lake Placid contains many fun activities such as tubing, bobsledding and competing in the biathlon. It is located in the state of New York and is about nine hours away from Washington DC. In fact, the Winter Olympic Games were held at Lake Placid two times! Another great skiing resort a little farther from home is Whistler Blackcomb, located in British Columbia, Canada. Whistler Blackcomb contains over 8,170 acres of skiing area and is the location of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. These tips are all you need for a successful skiing trip and now that you have them in mind, dress warmly, remember to be safe and have a great winter season.

Oleg Pevzner