We asked the specialists: When you find yourself frozen in fear, what can you do to get down the hill?
First of all, take comfort in the fact that you're not alone. Anyone can be afraid; it's just a matter of degree, literally.
''It might take a 90-degree slope to scare me, and a 30-degree slope to scare you," says John Egan, an extreme skier and vice president of recreational services at Sugarbush Resort in Warren, Vt. Adds Mermer Blakeslee, an instructor of instructors who is often referred to as the industry's fear expert, ''A lot of people say they aren't scared, but their bodies say they are frightened to death."
Next, don't berate yourself. Do not take this opportunity to remind yourself how klutzy you are, how stupid you were to think you could ski in the first place, or how you can't believe you let your husband, wife, friend, soon-to-be-ex, or any of the aforementioned talk you into this. Some external circumstance -- flat light, a near-collision on your last run, tired legs -- may be at the root of your anxiety, and even if it isn't, this is probably a good time to blame something else anyway. I once had an instructor who advised: ''When in doubt, always blame the equipment."
Once you've acknowledged the fear (yes, cry if you have to) and stopped blaming yourself for having it, you can proceed to get moving in the right direction: down.
Start by taking a few deep breaths, slowly enough that your shoulders relax, because as long as they are hunched up around your ears you aren't going anywhere. Shake your head, roll your neck, shake your hips to get rid of as much physical tension as you can, and wiggle your toes to move your weight forward, where it's supposed to be.
