Gunstock the perfect place to teach the joys of skiing

Sara Thorp, and daughter Rylee, ready to conquer Peepsight (Rochester Voice photo)

GILFORD - There may be no greater thrill for a parent or grandparent than to pass on their love of a favorite pastime or passion.

And so it was nothing short of amazing to watch my five-year-old granddaughter, Rylee, soar to new heights as she schussed down a beginner slope at Gunstock Mountain Resort earlier this week.

The first time she skied was last year, and she ended that day having more frustrations than fun as she learned - at first clumsily- how to navigate just walking around on skis, let alone ski down a hill.

But after spending just a few minutes on Gunstock's bunny slope, she expressed interest in taking the Penny Pitou quad for a run down Peepsight, for the most part a wide slope after a slight jog to the left from where you get off the chairlift.

Needless to say, she fell pretty much every time while trying to make that left turn. But once she was headed down after that first turn she pretty much never fell the rest of the way. A regular "Downhill Racer" ala the 1960 film starring Robert Redford. Wow, it was that long ago?

Back then I was a youngster going over to Blue Hills Ski Area in Canton, Mass., every weekend where an all-day lift ticket was $6.

Wow, times and prices have changed, but what hasn't changed is the exhilaration of the cold air, a corduroy carpet of newly fallen snow beneath your skis and the warmth of family and friends doing something together they all love.

What I really like about teaching Rylee to ski at Gunstock is that just a few steps from the bunny slope is the Penny Pitou chair that we took for our runs down Peepsight where we stayed all day.

Rylee quickly had grown bored with taking the carpet up the bunny slope.

Me too, especially after I almost fell getting off the carpet, which would have been very embarrassing with all the little tots watching.

After being a little frustrated with her first ski adventure last year, now she says she can't wait to head back to Gunstock to hone her fast-developing skills.

And we will be going back again this year for sure.

To see Rylee schuss down Peepsight click here (Videography by Sara Thorp)

To learn more about Gunstock Mountain Resort click here.