Your first ski holiday; a time of hope and success mingled with absolute terror and frustration.
A time where you celebrate getting on that first drag lift, getting down that first piste, parallel skiing for the first time, going over 5 miles an hour. Conversely a time where your body doesn’t do want your mind wants, where every move feels unnatural, the fear you might fall, the embarrassment when you do fall, the helplessness, and the frustration of wanting to throw your skis at you instructor and never come back again.
It’s a rollercoaster of a ride, and your first ski holiday can be intimidating. These are all the tips for your first ski holiday I wished I’d known, and more. The first section are the most important tips I can give you to progress in this sport/hobbie/absolutely crazy-idiotic but wonderful and life-affirming experience.
The rest of the sections are split down into the journey you will take, from the point you first start thinking about a holiday on the snow, till when you return afterwards.
Before Anything Else
Have the right Expectations. If you are very gifted, can skateboard well (or similar), or are very lucky, you may hit the ground running – or the snow skiing, so to speak. For the vast majority of people, skiing takes time. It’s hard, at least to start with. If you stick with it, at some point you will look back and wonder why it was so difficult. But, for now, expect it to be challenging and expect there to be setbacks as well as successes. This mindset is mandatory to keep you sane.
Have patience, and perseverance. Whilst you’re setting your expectations, one of these will be that skiing is a hard sport for many to pick up. And takes time. You must be the zen master. Nobody impatient ever succeeded at skiing. You will do the same thing again and again until you learn it, very much like a martial arts. Accept this is what is needed to truly learn to ski. When you’re skiing, celebrate every achievement. Don’t just shrug it off because you think it’s a small thing, or because every one else can do it already. Congratulate yourself. Conversely, don’t be put off by your failures. You will turn 100 times badly and mediocrely until you hit the sweet spot and do a fantastic turn on snow. Don’t be put off those first 100 times because you will succeed with perseverance.
Be prepared to be bored and terrified in equal measures. Learning can be yawn-tastic. You wait watching everyone else do a drill and you’re bored out your mind. Then you have to do it, and it’s terrifying. Embrace this juxtaposition. Don’t worry all the time about your turn. Just learn to relax when it’s boring, and breathe when it’s terrifying.
Be Confident and Fall Often. This is the hardest thing to get right. Hesitation and worry is normal. The quicker you can be confident in your stance and in your moves, the quicker you will learn. You don’t have to be fast or reckless, but you do have to keep some speed in your turns and have faith. I hardly fell when I started to skiing, and that’s not a good thing. I know that a fall can hurt, and it could potentially damage you. But the fastest learners were prepared to fall, and fall repeatedly. And they did. But every time they got back up, they were a better skier or snowboarder for it. They pushed on and their skills accelerated.
Before Going
Find the right resort. Do your research into your resorts. Firstly, you’ll want to look at how hard it is to ski. For instance, both Chamonix and Val D’Isere are known as harder ski resorts. Some good beginner resorts are Les Deuz Alpes, La Rosiere and Meribel in France, Soldeu in Andorra, Elmau and Lech in Austria, Levi in Finland, Bankson in Bulgaria, Passo Tonale in Italy and Beckenridge in the U.S. If you have friends or partner in tow who can ski, you’ll need to see what there is for their ability. Finally, you’ll want to look at what is off the slopes. You may be interested in other activities. Somewhere like Finland, for example, allow you to do a little skier but also they have husky rides, skidoos, reindeer rides, and the Northern Lights to contend with for your attention. I would caution against heading anywhere just because your friends and family go there time and time again, but I understand this may be the only option. If it is, research the beginner slopes and set yourself some goals.
Find the right accommodation. When you travel, most of your options will be hotels, chalets and self-catering. I’d advise against self-catering on your first holiday unless the resort your visiting has great restaurants nearby. Hotels with half board make life easier, and if the food and price is good then it’s even easier to recommend. As a beginner, going out to find somewhere to eat may be the last thing on your mind. A note about lunch – it’s rare to see hotels offering full board on ski holidays. You won’t generally want to come back to the hotel for lunch. You’ll want to grab it near the ski school or on the mountain, so I wouldn’t look for it and if you find a place with full board, ask if they would discount the rate a little if you don’t take lunch. A final option is chalet accommodation. Chalets can be very homely, and offer a completely different feel to a ski holiday. Some people swear by them, and don’t go anywhere else – it’s always comforting to have a dinner companion to share your woes with each night, and you never know, they might even be in the same ski school as you.
Pick a fully packaged Tour Operator. Unless you have good reason not to, picking a tour operator is the best option for your first ski holiday – and for most people, every ski holiday. You tend to get the flight, accommodation and transfer thrown in, and most will give you the ability to prebook extras such as ski tuition, ski rental and lift passes. They make life easy for a beginner. In the modern world, you can book hotels and flights easy. Getting transport from your airport to your resort can be long winded and expensive. Let the tour operator sort that. Sitting on a coach with 40 other customers for 2 hours is a small price to pay for the ease of booking. Plus, if anything goes wrong with your holiday, you can use your tour operator to sort it out. Examples for British customers include Crystal, Ski Total, Inghams, Nielson, Club Med, Esprit, Skiworld and Topflight (for Irish Customers). There are loads more, and many specialist chalet companies too.
Consider all costs. Ski holiday costs can add up. The price you see for a package holiday is normally, as mentioned above, flight + transfer + accommodation. You’ll also need a ski/lift pass of some sort, ski rental (unless you have skis, boots and poles yourself!) and I would strongly recommend ski school or some tuition. These can vary across countries, but as a loose rule of thumb in Europe, a 6 day lift pass will be €250, 6 day ski hire will be €100 and a ski school may be €150 for 5 or 6 days group tuition. That’s another €500 to take into consideration.
Pick the right time to book. Generally very early or very late. Do your research and look for deals. For instance, fly to Sestriere in Italy next 9th Feb yields prices of £605pp with Neilson, between £610 – £1089pp with Crystal, and £649 – £1858 with Inghams. However Crystal are also offering Buy one Lift Pass and Get One Half Price, which will save you around £100 on one of the lift passes. If you can get in early and you have the flexibility, you can normally pick up the best deals.
Look for Bundles on the Extras. Many operators will do a bundle where you can get a ski pass, ski rental and tuition for a set price – for instance, Crystal call this a Learn to Ski bundle. These are generally very good value, and help to take away the pressure of having to book it all yourself. Look at what this includes. Some include boots and ski rental, other just skis. As a note, all ski rental I have ever seen also comes with poles free of charge. Helmets are generally rented separate, and can be done at booking or in resort easily.
Book Ski School or Private Tuition. There’s always one person you wants to go on their first ski holiday, ski all day with their mates, and thinks they are going to pick it up. It’s a bad idea. It leads to many people getting hurt, and many people picking up very bad habits. Even the best skiers in the world still have a coach. Ski School, or private tuition, is almost mandatory. I would recommend a 5 or 6 day ski school. In some respects, five days is nice and gives you the last day to do your own skiing. The norm for ski school is mornings only, though some do afternoons, or full days. It’s great to be in a group of Beginners because you have people to relate to. You’ll also learn good technique and how to stop first, which is kinda vital.
Tell your friends/family/partner/dog they won’t be teaching you. One of my favourite pastimes on the mountain is watching people teach their loved ones and friends, and fail miserably. A few things can happen. Firstly, there are a lot of fights and tears. Your boyfriend doesn’t have the patience a ski instructor has, and he will snap. He will get passive aggressive when you can’t do things. Sometimes people get bored, and they push you onto harder slopes before you are ready – it’s hard for an expert skier to do the same shallow Blue run again, and again, ad infinitum. Then there are the people who think they can ski, but teach all the wrong things. Don’t get me wrong; they bring much enjoyment to my day. Just please, don’t be one of them. Spend the money, get ski school, and tell your mates to piss off for the morning/day.
All Insurances are Equal, but some Insurances are a Million Times More Equal than others. If you have insurance already, read it. Because of the growth of winter sports, most insurance policies have specific “Winter Sports Cover” and sections to tell you about these. Some insurance companies will hardly cover you for anything. Others will cover you for lost and broken skis, even when you left them outside a mountain restaurant for lunch, off piste, helicopter rescues, medical expenses, refunds on your lift pass, money to bus to another resort if your lifts are closed… the list is endless. Pick your insurance wisely. It may be worth getting a single trip policy out specifically for your holiday.
Get an EHIC Card. As a write this, Britain is still in the EU. Which means an EHIC card, free at www.ehic.org .uk, is a good addition to your insurance arsenal. It gives you state covered, free healthcare in many places across the EU. IT’s free and it takes a week or so to arrive, so it’s a no brainer.
Consider Practicing on an indoor slope. Indoor slopes just ain’t the same. And you pay for the privilege, compared to the price of tuition abroad. However, if you want to get a little headstart and build some confidence, then you can do a few hours at an indoor slope with tuition. Most indoor slopes do beginner mornings or days.
Ski Clothes and Gear
Borrow, Borrow, Borrow. I know you want to look cool, and matching on your first ski holiday. Resist this urge. Ski gear can cost a lot of money. It’s 6 days of skiing and you may never do it again (though I hope you do). You can borrow salopettes and ski jackets, and much of what you need from people you know. If you have to buy salopettes and ski jackets, places like Go Outdoors, Decathlon and Sports Direct have the better value stuff, and quite often do sales.
Rent, rent, rent. With poles, skis, boots and helmets, you can rent these. There is no point buying beginner skis because you will outgrow them. There is equally no point buying intermediate or expert skis, because you will struggle to learn in them. I know the addiction to buying skis, but when you start, it’s better to rent.
If you have to buy, get boots not skis. Your first purchase gear wise is a good pair of boots. Go to a specialist where you can try a variety on, and who can fit them. Many offer a moulding service that a lot of people swear by. Your first pair of boots can be the most comfortable purchase of your skiing life.
Good gloves. Vital to have great gloves. Many people have two sets, thin inners and thick outer mittens. But a nice pair of gloves will keep you happy and warm. Personally, I would but thermals, socks and gloves for a first holiday and beg, borrow and steal the rest of the clothes.
One pair of socks is always enough. I don’t mean in total; I mean for each day’s skiing. Some fall into the trap of thinking two pairs of socks on is the way forward. Sometimes, I’ve even seen 3. This creates one moisture loving area inside your boot, leading to blisters and more. Buy some good ski socks, maybe two pairs, and use these inside your boots.
Wear googles, or sunglasses. Googles are the default, sunglasses are acceptable. Surprisingly, looking at white snow for hours on end with the reflections on the sun on it is not a good thing – it can give you snow blindness too.
Wear Sunscreen. Another surprise; altitude means you are close to the sun. And being closer, you burn easier. Don’t be fooled by the cold, the wind and whatever clouds there may be around. Suncreen is a good shout. Luckily you’re in a lot of clothing, so it’s the face nose, neck and ears that you really have to worry about.
Wear lip balm. No one tells you that your lips will burn, peel and chafe. It’s not fun. Lip balm with an SPF value is ideal.
Ogres have layers. Skiers have layers. Layering is the best way to stay warm. And don’t overdo it. On a very cold day, I’ll take out thermal, thin fleece and ski jacket. On many of the low level and nursery slopes that you’ll be practicing on, you may find a Tshirt and ski jacket is all you need. Test out the first day, and see what your body needs to be at the right temperature.
Don’t take too many Non-Skiing Clothes On Holiday. You will ski every day, probably. At least for a half day and maybe for a full day followed by some drinks in ski gear and boots. You will never need as many casual clothes as you think you will need.
The Rental Shop
Don’t be fazed. If you’ve followed my advice, you will rent your skis, boots, poles and helmet. The ski rental shops can be scary places for beginners. You don’t know what you need. But the technicians do. And hopefully speak great English too. Have faith in them.
Know your height, weight and shoe size. It’s most important to know your weight and shoe size (in Euro as well as UK, but they will have a conversion chart too). The technicians will guide you through, but tell them your weight and that you’re a beginner and they will so the rest. They will pick a beginner ski, measure it up to your height, adjust the fittings so the right boot size will go and set the DIN Settings right. You don’t have to worry about DIN settings but it’s a calibration of how easily – or not – the skis will come off if you fall. Beginner skiers have lower DINs for the simple reason that you ski slower and less aggressively. But, hakuna matata – the technician does this all for you.
Pick up gear as early as possible. You’ll probably be able to pick up ski gear as soon as you arrive in your resort (ask your tour operator). Though it can differ resort to resort and shop to shop, in general the earlier you go, the quieter it is. Especially if you get into a European resort around 1pm or 2pm, go then. If it’s quieter, you’ll feel more at ease talking to the staff. Busy rental shops are something else for the first time. If it’s the first day of skiing, go at opening time. Even 15 minutes in, the shop will start picking up as skiers come to catch early lifts or get fitted for ski school.
Take a Ski Sock. Try the boots on with a ski sock. It’s the best way to ensure the fit is right.
Don’t Feel Bad about Swapping Rentals. Quite often, it will be Day 2 before you realise that the skis or boots you have are not right. Don’t be afraid to take them back and ask for something different.
Consider a Ski Locker. Ski Lockers cost money, but it saves you having to walk from your accommodation every morning, and back every night, with skis and boots. Some rental shops have them, and some are so lovely that they include them in the cost of the rental. If they are near the slopes, or near your ski school, they are a decent investment – especially for a beginner.
Ski Boots are Evil. For beginners, ski boots are the most evilest thing in the world. Period. They make you walk funny, with your weight to the front. They don’t grip on ice, so they make you fall or do this little walk that takes you forever to get anywhere. They can be too tight. They will hurt, more so after a full day. Be prepared to be like a giraffe on a frozen lake for your first holiday. However, that being said, you need to have a good fit. You should be able to wiggle your toes – hence not cutting off the circulation – but not your heel. Your foot should not be able to move side to side. You should also be comfortable when you bend your knees and put all your weight forward. If this happens, and your heel doesn’t leave the base inside the boot, you’re good to go. If not, take them back to the shop and replace them.
Carried Skis have a life of their own. Be gentle and careful carrying skis. A lot of beginners like to swing them, which is not fun for people passing. They will be awkward at first – that’s normal. Do not carry them suspended from your poles, and do not carry them across your torso, because you look like a British idiot. They go over the shoulders, and they rest there. Get the balance right and you hardly have to hold them. If you still feel your skis are too heavy, the rental shop may be able to swap them out for something lighter.
Ski School, and Skiing Itself!
Give yourself tons of time to get there. You may be able to manage about 0.1 miles per hour the first time you walk in ski boots. On the morning of ski school, give yourself plenty of time. That way you can have a leisurely breakfast, get changed and get there, and maybe even have time for a second morning coffee nearby to ski school meetpoint. It always takes longer than you think to get there. Don’t be that person 15 minutes late, sweating, worried and exhausted because that will set you up wrong for the whole lesson.
Don’t Panic. Turning up for ski school first day can be nerve-wracking. In big ski schools, there may be loads of instructors and hundreds of adults and children. Sorting people first day, and getting everyone away, is massively time consuming. Turn up, tell them you’re a beginner and patiently wait where they ask you to.
Don’t big up your level. First day of ski school, you will be asked your level. I would suggest, even if you went to an indoor slope beforehand, to say you are a beginner. It’s nice to start with other beginners, and if the instructors feel you’re in the wrong group, they will put you up a level. Conversely, its much less fun and harder on your ego if they have to put you down a level.
Bend your knees. Many people start skiing with straight legs, and this is a hard habit to get out of. Your knees should have a natural bend in them. Don’t overdo and don’t look like you’re trying to sit on a toilet – your form overall should be fairly straight. But a bend in the knees will allow the body flex and help absorb vibrations.
Don’t be afraid to fall. The quickest learners are often the ones you have little to no fear of falling. It allows you to go a little faster, be a little more confidence, and focus on technique rather than constantly trying to stop your own worry.
Don’t look down. Like most sports, there is a tendency to look down at your feet and your skis. Look to where you are heading instead. Over time, you will know what your feet are doing without the need to look at them.
Listen to your instructor. Instructors come in many shapes and sizes. They all have to be patient, but some are more shouty and others are more soothing. Regardless of this, they know their onions. At times, you will want to punch your instructor, a tree, your fellow school mate. This is normal and the joy of learning to ski. Resist this urge. Listen, and try to do what they say at all times. This will make progress faster.
Lean Forward. Most beginner skiers lean too far back (toilet position) or over their skis. When you are going downhill, the sooner you can learn to put as much of your weight forward, the easier it will be. As a trial, try to put the full force of weight forward – the skis will hold you. Many skiers are still learning to do this after years of skiing. The sooner you can stare down that Black Run with all your weight down the mountain, the easier your turns get and the better your skiing get. Note to any snowboarders:- this is a very bad idea, and will result in headplanting. Snowboarders lean back – heel edge – on a mountain, but that’s another story entirely.
Ski only on one ski. This sounds counterintuitive and ridiculous to most beginners. Skiing well is the art of balancing on one leg. Your instructor will teach you how to turn, and the sooner you can put all the weight onto one side, the better and quicker you will turn. Generally skiing, all or most of the weight in on one ski and one leg at all times.
Be prepared to spend your week on the nursery slope. You’re here to learn to ski. This is about skills not enjoyment. Sorry. As much as you may want to ski all over the mountain, be prepared that this won’t be the case in your first week. The first few days especially are about cementing your new knowledge, and this means nursery slopes. Then easy blues and reds. You may have a ski school that uses one of their days to take you across the mountain, more ski guiding not ski learning. This is a great day to look forward to. But remember, you’re here to learn. They will be future holidays to master your skills by heading every which way across every mountain you can find.
Lift Passes and The Mountain
Get the cheapest lift pass you can. I mentioned above that pre-booking lift passes in bundles saves money. Just to throw a spanner in the works, there may be a cheaper way to ski on your first holiday. Sometimes, you will only need a nursery slope pass for 3 days and then go on the odd gondola or chairlift for the next few days. It’s good to ask your tour operator this before you go, if you want to save money. Also, ask the ski school want they require for beginners. This is easy to do via email before arriving – if you don’t know the name of the ski school, ask your tour operator.
Getting used to Drag Lifts is “Fun”. One of the first lifts you go on may be a drag lift, otherwise known as a button lift. Be prepared for this to take some getting used to. You position a button behind your bum, squeeze them bum muscles tight and then the lift propels you up the mountain on your skis. They are easy to fall off if you don’t pay attention. The old French ones can also yank quite hard at the start. Chairlifts can also be interesting. You need to get in place before the chairlift comes round (when the barriers open) then sit when it comes near. Finally, somebody will take the bar down and you need to lift your skis up on the bar. This can take some practice to get it smooth. Gondolas and cable cars, which are lifts you walk into with your skis in hand, are much easier.
Green, Blue, red and black Runs. What does it mean? For the times you are not at ski school, it’s useful to know where to go. All resorts have piste maps that you can pick up from the ski pass office, and from other places like your hotel. Many resorts now have apps or you can find maps online. Have a look at them, and make sure you don’t go anywhere you can’t ski. Green slopes are your easiest slopes. Blue slopes are the second (but many countries don’t do green so these would be your easiest). Then you have red and finally black. Know your limits. Also realise that some red slopes can be easier than blue slopes. It makes no sense but a steep blue can be more difficult than an easy red, especially if its busy, narrow or has an odd pitch or worse snow coverage. As a rule, stick to nursery slopes then blues for your skiing outside of ski school.
Final Advice
Don’t drink too much. Alcohol and skiing don’t mix for beginners. You can ruin each ski school with a big session the night before. When you have a headache and you don’t know how to ski, you won’t learn. Drinking is an inevitable and ingrained part of the skiing experience, just know how to balance them.
Don’t give up. Many times I’ve thought about giving up skiing in my first few weeks. Don’t. The rewards are worth ten times more than the pain. Keep on at it, even if you learn slower than other people. Never compare yourself to anyone else. As long as you are better than you were, that’s the true test.
Consider Snowboarding. This article is written to help you ski. Snowboarding is always another option. If you feel you will never make a good skier, don’t just give it up. Consider having a try at snowboarding. It may be more your sport.
Book your second ski holiday. When you come home, there’s a tendency for the slow learners to never go skiing again. I would strongly advise you instead to throw caution to the wind, and just book another trip. After my first trip I hated skiing. Then I decided out the blue to do a ski job, and now love it. That first failure is never a long term one, as long as you don’t let it be.
Further Resources
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