Evening star., 1959-12-15
SKI
TRAILS
By ROBERT B. RYAN

~
More than so skiers con-
verged upon the Ryan prem
iSeS in Holmes Run Acres,
Fairfax County to attend the
annual outdoor session of the
"Dry-land Ski School" con-
Quoted by the Ski Club of
Washington.
Thus was a very successful
portion of the clubs program
of ski education and safety
concluded for the current sea-
son, for now with snow lying
in the Alleghenies, the Ski
School will shift its operations
to the club slope at Cabin
Mountain near Davis, w. Va.
But there is much which
can be taught to the novice
skier without a requirement
for actual snow. The Dry
land school. under overall
supervision of E. Packard An
derson of Arlington. indoctri-
mates new skiers in fundamen-
tails of equipment. clothing.
safety, and, in general, intro
duces them to the sport. Roy
Miller of Washington has SUI
pervised a series of condition
ing exercises which are reg
ular feature of each session OF
the school.
Instructors of the Cabin
Mountain Ski School and OFF,
GERS of the club have instructed
in various facets of the sport
so that by the time the new
skier is first ready to put on skis
much of the mystery sur
rounding the sport will have
been removed. He will be IA
miliar with his equipment,
and its proper adjustment. He
will know the proper clothes
to wear and he will even know
how to fall and how to get up
from a fall.
/ At the outdoor session Of tbs
drv-land school the novice
skier gets a chance to put some
of the theories he has beer
hearing into actual practice. A
the recent Holmes Run Acre
session IL instructors of thu
Cabin Mountain Ski Schoo
were at hand to teach the fun
damentals of walking on skis
turning both in motion ant
while standing, balance ant
rotation, and to explain, with
out snow. the physical factor
which act upon skis in motor
and how the skier can contro
, them.
The environment was pleas
ant, the weather was warm
and the skis were obviously no
| going to run away" with tn
skier-something which oftel
affects the new skier when h
, first ventures on the slope.
| Thus. unencumbered by re
uuirements for what he con
, Siders survival" the skier wa
/ free to devote full attention Il
, the instructor and to becom
acquainted with the feel o
the skis.
The final phase of the out
door session included a minia
ture slalom course, through
which the new skiers sprinteo
A few weeks hence, when the
!. first try their skis on the snow
experienced gained in the dry
! land school will stand them il
good stead.
J.. = -
] Skier on your Christmas list
Possibly a short guide is in or
der. $5 range: Mitts. inne
gloves for mitts; cap. with ca
, flaps; knitted headband; cog
giles. $40 range, poles; best
|, quality mitts; sweater; mex
pensive parka. $40 range, mex
, pensive skis if novice); to,
quality poles; medium pric
:. parka; medium price ski pant:
, $50 range. Good to excellen
!, quality skis; best ski clothing
Above this range it is best t
: have your skier available a
: consultant.
r AVOID: Sports clothing mad
. for the golfer, hunter or fish
erman with the hope that
! will suffice for the skier. Gen
orally this type of gear-mackl
, naW3 and boots, for example
: ar 100 heavy and bulky. 81
, clothing must be lightweight
, G..G designed for the skier.