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• Downhill in Thunder Bay
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• A jumpin' joint
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Lessons at Lutsen

Alpine skiing is more fun when you learn to do it better.

When you live in the frozen north, you may as well embrace winter.

My idea of fun is to cross-country ski, but for that, Mother Nature needs to bring snow. But alpine skiing, which I also like, requires only some big snow guns.

After the first wimpy winter of the late '90s, I bought alpine skis. They cost a lot, but I can actually use them, unlike my Nordic skis, all winter long.

After the second wimpy winter, I decided I might be using them a lot. So I called the ski school at Lutsen Mountains, on Minnesota's North Shore, and asked instructor Marcela Perez-Abreu how I could get over the “intermediate hump.’’

“That’s a tough plateau to break,’’ she said. “But you’re going to break it a lot easier and faster with some instruction.’’

That’s how I ended up sitting on a Lutsen chairlift with Arnie Wright, a ski instructor on loan from Cascade Mountain in Wisconsin, discussing black-diamond runs. Already, I could ski them ugly: crouching, making wide turns, wedging to slow down.

But how could I be like other skiers I’d seen, making those tidy little turns, knees together, swish-swish-swish down a sheer drop? How could I look cool?

Wright, who spends every March skiing at Vail, sighed and thought about it.

“Lots of practice,’’ he finally said. “The average Midwesterner is lucky to ski 10 or 15 days a year, okay? People who get very good ski a lot more.’’

I knew to push my shins against the tops of my boots and to pull my butt in rather than sit back as if water-skiing. I knew not to turn with my shoulders, and to keep my upper body pointed downhill.

 But tidily carved turns? Hardly.

The key, Wright said, is the little toe. Roll the little toe left to turn left, and right to turn right; the other leg will follow. Tip, and then tip some more. If you do it right, you’ll see two pencil-thin arcs carved in the snow behind you.

Near the top of an easy run, we did exercises, carving figure-eights with boots only, then one ski, then two. We did them in garlands, putting our weight on one ski and swishing the other one in and out. We practiced briefly releasing edges before quickly tipping into the next turn.

“Carving turns is a blast,’’ Wright said. “When skis hook up with snow, it’s really, really fun.’’

A wicked wind was blasting away at Eagle Mountain, slowing skiers in the middle of Bridge Run, and the snow was icy; Wright called it “sugar,’’ but it was more like kosher salt. It lay in loose piles on the narrow Catwalk, where I caught an edge and crashed —  a “learning experience,’’ my instructor said.

Watching me, he told me to maintain balance by rolling my pelvis slightly forward and keeping my arms in front of me, and he demonstrated by wedging his poles horizontally between his chest and elbows, hands sticking straight out. I tried it, and it worked.

At the end of the hour, he took me past the “Experts Only’’ banner to the black-diamond Koo-Koo and I followed him down, too focused to be afraid. I took another lesson the next day, when a 13-year-old from Lakeville joined us. We did some more figure eights and practiced the same techniques as the day before — but then he took us to a double-black diamond, the Cliff Run.

He took off, and there was nothing to do but follow him. It was steep, it was icy, and there was a pack of wild snowboarders crunching down behind us.  But we suspended fear — all thought, in fact — and did it.

It was a Cowardly Lion moment, since my “courage’’ consisted mainly of Wright’s assurance that I could do it. Still, I’m now officially a double-black diamond skier. The next trick will be to make it look easy.

Picking a ski hill

All ski hills offer lessons. In Minnesota, many people head automatically for Lutsen, because we love the North Shore and  because the ski area has the region’s steepest vertical drop. It does have the longest runs and widest variety, but skiers pay for their view of Lake Superior by tolerating ice and wind generated by the lake. It has a variety of lodgings on the mountain and entertainment on weekends.

Giants Ridge, near Biwabik on the Iron Range, is an hour closer than Lutsen for Twin Citians and has superb grooming, a pleasant chalet with an espresso shop and good deals on lift tickets and accommodations. Its own Lodge at Giants Ridge is the region’s best value for ski-in, ski-out lodgings. Skiers on a budget can stay at the Sports Dorm next door. There's not a lot to do at night.

For natural snow and lots of it, the four resorts around Ironwood on Michigan’s mellow Upper Peninsula are the obvious choice. This is where you can count on snow; if they like, skiers also can cross-country ski or snowshoe to nearby waterfalls. Accommodations are inexpensive, deals are easy to find and the locals are friendly. There's a dearth of fine dining, however.

I like Indianhead, whose sunny chalet sits atop the mountain and always has a fire crackling. Whitecap, across the border in Wisconsin, has the loveliest terrain on three hills rising from deep forest. Blackjack is a snowboarder favorite, and Big Powderhorn is cheerful and open. People in the Twin Cities seem to think these resorts are on the other side of the moon, but it takes about 4½ hours to drive there, the same as Lutsen (from Duluth, take U.S. 2 across Wisconsin).

Spirit Mountain, in the hills above Duluth, has the best view, the best midweek deal and the best variety of accommodations, restaurants and nightlife. Its vertical drop is second-highest, after Lutsen, and it has many nice intermediate runs.  If you stay at one of the local hotels midweek, you get two free half-day lift tickets — and everything else Duluth offers.

In central Wisconsin, Granite Peak has the same advantages. It's right in Wausau, and in the evening, skiers can see a movie or go to a concert. There's also Saturday entertainment at the mountain, which has a new cedar chalet and a historic stone chalet, both with multiple stone fireplaces.

Closer to the Twin Cities, I like the country settings of Trollhaugen, just across the Wisconsin border near Dresser, and Welch Village, in a pretty area near Red Wing. If you’re serious about skiing better, an intensive series of lessons there may be just the ticket.

Trip Tips: Where to ski

Always check for lift and lodging deals on Web sites. Buy online to save a lot of money. Reserve lessons and children’s programs in advance; beginners can get cheap Learn to Ski packages.  Some resorts, such as Spirit Mountain, offer a free Learn to Ski Day package once or twice a year, but they don't publicize them much, so ask.

Late winter and spring is a good time to learn, when snow is softer and more forgiving. Skiing can be good through April Fool’s Day, especially on the Upper Peninsula, which also offers the best late-season deals.

Lutsen: Walk-up lift tickets are $54, $44 for children 6-12.  A one-hour private lesson is $70, $65 when bought online. A semi-private lesson is $45-$40, and a group first-timer lesson is $35-$30. The Web site lists a huge array of lodging packages; if you know area accommodations well, you can find some decent deals. (218) 663-7281, www.lutsen.com.

Giants Ridge: Weekend lift tickets are $44 and $28 for children 7-12; on weekdays, they're $37 and $22. Private lessons are $37 for one hour, $57 for two hours. The runs are lighted Friday-Sunday evenings. (800) 688-7669, www.giantsridge.com.

Spirit Mountain: Eight-hour lift tickets are $40, $30 children; four-hour tickets are $5 less, and night tickets $20 less. On weeknights, a family of four can ski for $25 total, with equipment rental $10 apiece. Guests at hotels in the Ski and Stay get two free four-hour lift tickets every day except Saturdays and holiday weekends. (800) 642-6377, www.spiritmt.com.

Indianhead: Lift tickets are $44, $35 youths 10-17. (800) 346-3426, www.indianheadmtn.com.

Big Powderhorn: Lift tickets are $42, $34 juniors. (800) 222-3131, www.bigpowderhorn.net

Blackjack: Lift tickets are $40, $33 juniors. After the Christmas holidays, it's open only Fridays-Sundays and holidays. (888) 906-9835, lodging (800) 848-1125, www.skiblackjack.com.

Whitecap: Full-day lift tickets are $40, $30 juniors 12-17, $20 children 6-11. Many lodging and meal packages are offered; the best rooms are in the Whitecap Lodge, which has a pool, whirlpool and sauna, and in the newer condos and townhouses. (800) 933-7669, www.skiwhitecap.com.

Granite Peak: This ski hill in Wausau has 74 runs on a 700-foot mountain and is an easy drive from the Twin Cities, Madison and Milwaukee. Lift tickets are $52, $38 for youths 6-12, $58 for an adult-child combo. 715-845-2846, www.skigranitepeak.com.

Trollhaugen: Lift tickets are $37, $27 for children 6-12; check for daily specials. Tickets can't be ordered online. (651) 433-5141 or (715) 755-2955 or (800) 826-7166, www.trollhaugen.com.

Welch Village: Lift tickets are $43, $38 for youths 5-10.  Its Learn to Ski or Snowboard package on Tuesdays and Thursdays is a good deal at $35; it includes a one-hour lesson, lift ticket and rental. Reserve it at (651) 222-7079, www.welchvillage.com.

Last updated on July 14, 2008