January is Learn to Ski/Ride Month in Colorado. Colorado resorts emphasize their Ski and Snowboard schools in January but lessons are available throughout the season and Colorado ski resorts employ certified ski and snowboard instructors.

If this is your first time to ski or ride (ride is a word used to describe snowboarding), you gotta get here first. In a world where time is of the essence and every moment of a vacation counts, Colorado is an easy, effortless and, most importantly, affordable winter destination option for beginning skiers and snowboarders. Check out the Colorado, Get Here guide on this website. With seamless air service, a true skier's airport and eight regional airports, getting to Colorado has never been easier; it's leaving that's difficult.

When you come to Colorado to Ski, you may be wondering, "What do I wear?", "Where do I stay"and "Do I need Lessons?" The answers are in this guide and at www.coloradowinterinfo.com as well.

What to wear in Colorado?
Dressing right on a ski trip is important. Leave the heels, the suit and the tie at home. Even the most opulent resorts encourage casual dress while you're here. Jeans, sweaters and boots are a must and under those consider long underwear, stocking caps and wool socks. During the day you want to have a pair of sunglasses handy as the it's usually bright out.

What to wear on the slopes?
Before you go out and spend thousands on ski gear and clothing, keep in mind you can rent most everything at $20 to $50 a day. Also keep in mind the days of wearing jeans on the slopes are over. Ski pants are very affordable to purchase or rent at most any Colorado ski rental store. Cotton anything is out. Cotton retains water and water on your body makes you cold. Under garments made out of polyester (like Under Armor) are recommended for the most comfort and warmth.Socks made of polyester also work much better when it comes to keeping your feet warm so avoid wearing wool or cotton when you're in ski boots. Of course you're going to need something on your head since that's where most of your body's heat escapes. We recommend a helmet for warmth and to protect you against head injuries. Ski helmets aren't cheap and like most everything else, they can be rented at ski shops. Of course you'll want a water proof jacket and you may want to wear a sweater underneath that. We believe the most important piece of clothing to have when you're skiing is good water proof gloves. Even the best gloves may not keep your fingers as warm as you like, so a $2 pack of hand warmers that heat up when exposed to air are recommended on a cold day. Just stick them in your gloves and you're good to go.

MUST DO!
Before you go out to spend a day on a Colorado mountain, there are two things you must do and continue to do all day. First, drink lots of water. The mountain air is dry and you'll be dehydrated before you know it. Second, lather up with sunscreen.It may seem cold but an unprotected face to the Colorado sun will end up burnt.

Lessons
Learning to ski and ride is a life long process and lessons are available for all ages and abilities. Even Olympic athletes still take lessons so if you've skied once before and took a lesson, that doesn't mean another lesson is a bad idea. It really depends on your comfort zone. Having an instructor close by is always a good thing.

If it is your first time you may be tempted to have Uncle Leo or your husband show you how it's done. That's rarely a good idea. For a good experience, we recommend a certified instructor working at a Colorado resort.

There's no better feeling than cruising down a mountain with your feet a half inch off the ground... if you do it right. If you do it wrong, it can lead to a bad experience including an injury to yourself or others in your path. Skiing and riding is not a difficult thing to do but like any athletic activity there are fundamentals you must know and practice to be good. A ski instructor can show you how to perform those fundamentals and the best places on the mountain to practice them.

All resorts have what are called the "Bunny Hill." We're not sure how it got that name, but this is a very small and forgiving slope with a pitch that regulates your speed to slow. There are some resorts better than others for beginners. Below is a list of area ski and snowboard schools you can check out. When you find something that makes sense, then you can go on and book your lodging and ski rentals. If you have questions about either, don't hesitate to ask the person you're talking to over the phone at the ski school.