@Jenny
There is a certain aire of camaraderie above the snow line. We are all simply skiing mates no matter what our station in life!
My favourite Australian snow field is Mt Hotham....it does have really challenging slopes.
One visit in 2006, I (with friends) stayed in the Alberg Hotel at Mt Hotham......Ade by this stage was not a skier any more thanks to her MS but, she never stopped me from still having a snow getaway with friends.
https://www.arlberghotham.com.au/
The first night there after our evening meal John (my travelling companion) and I did a prowl of the complex and we ended up in the Piano bar. There was maybe 5 people present in the piano bar at that time.
Now both John and I have played a piano all our lives and there was this big, ugly, black, grand over in the corner of the room. It has scratches and the evidence of numerous drink spills and cigarette burns all over it.....in fact it looked like it had skied a run or two down 'Mother Johnson's Trail'!!!
Anyway, intrigued I walked over to it and lifted the lid, sat down and started to play, Cavatina, the theme from the film 'The Deer Hunter'. Despite it's appearance it was in surprisingly good tune and had a great sound and feel.
Now normally when you do that a staff member will come over and say to you...."Don't mess around with the instrument sir" and pull the lid down but, Jenny, they didn't, they just let me play. When I finished I launched into Billy Joel's 'Just the Way You Are' then John sat down and played a song or two and I guarantee within 30 minutes there were at least 70 people in that piano bar........ and we never bought a drink all night!
Jeez.....it was one of those nights the memory of which I will take across that rainbow bridge when my time comes!
Cheers........Rob