It doesn’t matter if you’re a complete beginner, or an expert skier, preparing properly for your winter trip will help to ensure that you get the most out of it. Here are some top tips to help you get the most from your skiing holiday.
When to Ski?
Whether it is your first holiday or your twentieth, the question of when to ski is becoming increasingly relevant. Keep an eye on the snow forecasts, check out previous resort snow levels and overviews. Beginner or expert, you will always get to ski on your winter holiday thanks to man-made snow.
Pick the Right Resort
For beginners, this will mean picking a resort that has a good reputation for ski instruction and plenty of those nice and gentle runs, with some harder ones to slowly progress on to. If you’re going with friends who already know how to ski, pick a resort that has an easy meet-up on the mountain for lunch-get-togethers, and try to avoid resorts where you have to take buses to reach the slopes.
Choose a resort that has non-ski activities or easy access to some interesting local tourist spots, just in case you decide that skiing isn’t your cup of tea.
For intermediate to advanced groups, the usual mantra is to go high, above 1,800m – this guarantees snow for more advanced skiers. Val Thorens offers diverse terrain that offers great opportunities for off-piste skiing.
The F-word
Many skiers end up burnt out or injured by day three of their holiday, purely because they’ve been couch potatoes in the months leading up to their trip.
Being fit before you go on holiday will make a huge impact on your enjoyment of it. Try and do some hiking, cycling or attend a spinning class – these will all help to kick-start your leg fitness. Of course, taking some ski lessons at home will get you used to the basics and help to improve your fitness. There are lots of skiing related fitness workouts available online, so set aside some time to focus on these target areas before your holiday – you’ll thank us later.
Pre-Holiday Ski Lessons
Simply learning how to put ski boots on, click into your skis and move around on them (probably resembling a penguin) will help you on your first ski trip. Taking a few skiing lessons before you head off to the slopes is most definitely recommended – even if you can just master the basics, it’s something to build on. It sets you up to learn how to ski properly, without picking up bad habits from your friends.
Gear Choices
Never, we repeat, NEVER buy skis or ski boots for your first ever ski holiday. This is the time to see if you like skiing or not, and to learn a bit about it before taking the plunge and splashing out the cash on equipment. Obviously, taking your own base layers and apres ski clothing is essential.
However, buying your own ski goggles, gloves, sunglasses and helmet is a smart idea, perhaps even buying a ski jacket that you could wear at home when it’s cold and rainy.