Getting out and enjoying what New Mexico has to offer has become a favorite pastime for little Sophie. With every trip, she gains a new understanding of the world around her. What better place to explore than her home state of New Mexico, a never-ending source of inspiration. By taking on new experiences and learning new things, Sophie grows as a person. Isn’t this what all parents want for their children?
For her next road trip, Sophie learned to ski at Ski Santa Fe, and what an experience it was! When you think of ski destinations, there are those that always come up: Aspen, Vale, Purgatory, etc. Many people don’t realize that northern New Mexico has some of the best skiing in the country.
I believe that one of the things that is so magical about New Mexico is the topography. We can go from the desert to the mountains in a matter of minutes. Even better, it only takes maybe half an hour to get there from Santa Fe. That makes it all the more special.
Hitting the Slopes
The day started early, with arrival at Ski Santa Fe around 6:45 a.m. Sophie was super excited about going skiing. She was a little scared, but more excited to learn how to ski. She didn’t really know what skiing was until we explained it to her and showed her videos of people skiing. Her presumption at the time was that it was some sort of failure to fall down. Once she got into it herself, she began to realize that it was just part of the process. When she fell down, there was a little bit of drama at first, but she got right back up and after a while she realized how much fun she was having and the drama subsided.
First stop of the day was the rental shop, to be fitted for skis and assemble her equipment. At first Sophie was a bit put off because of the boots. “I thought they were so heavy,” she said later, “but they made me go so fast!” Sometimes the best lessons come through experiencing the very thing that you believe will hold you back. Lessons like this are invaluable.
Next up was signing her up with an instructor. That turned out to be a lovely young woman named Marissa, who more than lived up to her reputation. Marissa was so good with Sophie, showing patience and a sense of humor that is really necessary when dealing with a five-year-old. They started at the magic carpet, then moved on to the lifts. By the end of the day, somebody who had never skied before in her life, was up on the lift and coming down the mountain. And all within two hours, which is truly incredible!
Watching her come down the hill on her own was a revelation. Sophie was absolutely captivated by her progress. She reiterated several times that she had never done it before, but was quick to point out, “look how good I’m doing!” It was a very emotional experience for her.
Lessons Learned
The opportunity to truly enjoy nature has a very high appeal to me as an adult. Passing that enjoyment on to children is equally appealing. Sophie had seen snow before in town, but usually, it’s gone by 10 a.m. For her to see those mountains covered with snow up close was breathtaking. She couldn’t believe how much snow there was on the mountain, just 20 minutes away.
One of the biggest values of our life is human connection. We like things to be witnessed. It’s so profound that something like this happens and it can be witnessed via the videos we shoot. We’re not telling people they should do it. Instead, we’re just showing them what’s possible. You can take your kids to experience what our enchanted state has to offer. There are no limitations except the ones you put on yourself. Learning to ski at five years old is not only possible, but it’s fun too.
As for Sophie, she’s ready to do it again, but next time she wants to introduce her friends to the adventure. After having seen how quickly Sophie took to the slopes, it became very clear that five is not too young. There’s so much for them to learn. There were a lot of children her age on the slopes, and they even have group lessons for those kids who don’t want to go it alone.
And you better believe that with Sophie as a cheerleader, her friends won’t be afraid. Her excitement is infectious, and she’s already passing her newfound knowledge along. That, above all else, is what this little enterprise is all about.
