I can still recall most of the details from my first skiing experience. It was 14 years ago, and I was a newlywed, eager to join my husband in one of his favorite activities.

I remember the bone-chilling cold, the way the rental boots felt too loose on my narrow feet, despite the multiple pairs of socks I was wearing underneath them, and how awkward I felt with my feet attached to two long slivers of fiberglass. And I remember how, after a few words of encouragement and instruction for my husband, I made my first run down the bunny hill at Ski Paoli Peaks.

All was going well until my skis went out from under me and I found myself lying flat on my back, wondering how in the world I would ever get back on my feet. I planted my ski poles firmly in the snow and tried with all my strength to push myself up. Hard as I tried, though, I remained sprawled out across the snow. Finally, in complete frustration, I took off my skis and trudged to the top of the hill. After repeating this scenario a few more times, I decided that skiing wasn't a sport for me.

I gave it a second try a few years later, and even took a short group lesson in hopes of improving my skills. After spending another day in complete frustration, I gave up. Over the last 10 years or so, I've spent several winter days at Ski Paoli Peaks, sitting in the lodge reading a good book by a roaring fire while my husband zipped up and down the hills having a great time.

Brenda Palmer, an instructor at Ski Paoli Peaks, isn't surprised by my frustration with the sport. But she does have a solution: lessons and equipment designed specifically for women. She says it can make all the difference in the world.

When it comes to skiing, men and women are very different. It has nothing to do with athletic ability or enthusiasm for the sport and everything to do with the way men's and women's bodies are put together.

According to Palmer, there are two important things to remember: center of mass and something she calls the "Q angle." Using skiing techniques and equipment that compensate for these differences can greatly improve the experience for women.

"A man's center of mass is in his shoulders, while a woman's is in her hips," Palmer explained. "It's important to keep your weight forward when skiing. But having her center of mass behind her tends to make a woman get back on her skis, which will make the skis go out from under her and cause her to fall."

The Q angle refers to the way the pelvic bone is structured. In men, the hips are more narrow, which allows them to roll their knees into a turn. The turning move is more difficult for women because their pelvis is wider, causing the knees to come together and creating a knock-kneed position, making it more difficult to roll into turns.

"The curvier a woman is, the more pronounced the Q angle is," said Palmer.

"You should always ski on a flat ski," she added. "But the Q angle brings women's knees together. That makes their feet turn in and causes them to get on the inside edge of their skis. Until that is corrected, you can't get the proper balance on your skis. You have to have your balance forward. If you get back on your skis, you're going to lose control."

There are several modifications that can be made to equipment to help compensate for the Q angle. One is using cantabile boots, which feature a piece on the side of the boot that allows for adjustments. Cants can be placed under the binding, which help make the ski flatter. Heel lifts can be added under the boots to push the foot forward slightly. And bindings can be mounted further forward on the skis.

"The differences are very subtle," said Palmer, "but they can definitely make skiing much easier for women."

Equipment manufacturers have taken notice of the number of women on the slopes and have begun making skis and boots that are specifically designed for female skiers.

"It used to be that manufacturers just put women's cosmetics on men's equipment," said Palmer. "Now they make equipment that is truly designed for women's bodies."

That equipment includes boots that are made to fit a woman's narrower foot and with a lower cuff that doesn't cut into the calf. Skis designed for women are lighter, which makes it easier to keep the ski flat on the snow.

Even more important than proper, well-fitted equipment to a positive experience on the slopes, is proper instruction. Two years ago, Paoli Peaks began offering special women's ski clinics. The lessons are an hour-and-a-half long and cover the basics every skier, male or female, needs to know.

Why women-only ski lessons?

"Women come to the sport with physical differences," said Barbara Hawkins, a professor in Indiana University's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and a part-time instructor at Paoli Peaks. "And many women, especially those in their thirties or forties, aren't necessarily interested in the competitive aspects of the sport. They prefer to learn in a more collaborative and nurturing environment. The social aspects are as important as the skill development."

Palmer said a typical women's clinic begins by assessing the participants' feelings about the sport, teaching such basics as putting skis on and taking them off, and then working on some confidence-building skills.

"I want them to get the feel of skis on their feet and to get comfortable," she said. "Then we warm up using steps that are actually used on the snow. We do a short, straight run so that they feel the sensation of the skis gliding on the snow."

The lesson also includes information about equipment and safety instructions, such as what a skier should do when she gets out of control.

"In that lesson, I try to teach my students how to make turns and how to link turns, how to control their speed, and how to avoid obstacles," said Palmer. "The goal is to get them to the point of having fun safely and hopefully wanting to try it again.

Palmer, who didn't learn to ski until she was 36, can relate to some of the fear and apprehension her students feel when they step onto the snow for the first time.

"I've been there," she said. "I can remember when the bunny hill looked like a mountain to me."

She added that if a student has a high level of discomfort, she or Hawkins will split that person off from the rest of the class and work with her on an individual basis.

Both instructors said they have noticed a growing number of women in their forties and even fifties taking to the slopes.

"We baby boomers are feeling our oats," said Hawkins, counting herself among that generation. "We still have our health, and we want to enjoy life and have some adventurous experiences. Once you learn the basics, skiing is a sport that you can do across the lifespan."