Downhill snowsports

Downhill snowsports, which include skiing and snowboarding, are popular sports involving sliding down snow-covered terrain with skis or a snowboard attached to your feet.

Skiing is a major travelling activity with many enthusiasts, occasionally known as "ski bums," planning entire vacations around skiing at a particular location.

Understand
Off-piste alpine skiing in Blue Sky Basin, Vail, Colorado

Choosing between skiing and snowboarding

If you don't have any strong preferences or prior experience, choosing between skiing and snowboarding can be a tough choice. Here are some factors that might help you make up your mind:

  • Do you know how to do similar sports? Skiing has some similarities to ice skating, roller skating, and rollerblading. Snowboarding is similar to skateboarding, longboarding, and wakeboarding, although not very similar to surfing.
  • Do you have problems with your knees or feet? The main movements in skiing are front-to-back bending in your ankles and knees, while the boots lock your ankles against side-to-side leaning. The main movements in snowboarding are rotating the hip and leaning side-to-side, so there's more motion in your ankles and side-to-side in your knees, but not as much front-to-back leaning in the knees.
  • Is there a particular type of skill you want to work towards? Snowboards are much more common for doing tricks in and out of terrain parks, while skis are better suited for off-piste or ungroomed terrain.
  • Skiing is easier for most people to learn than snowboarding. On skis you can control your speed separately from making turns, but on a snowboard you have to learn both skills at the same time. Learning to snowboard, you'll spend a lot more time falling down and getting back up repeatedly, which can quickly become frustrating and overwhelming.

Lastly, remember that you can change your mind later. Many rental shops will let you switch to the other sport's equipment for free; ask about their policy before renting.

The idea of skiing is very old — cave paintings depicting skiers date back as far as 5000 BC! Downhill skiing as a sport goes back to at least the 17th century, and in 1861 the first recreational ski club was opened by Norwegians in Australia. The most common type is "Alpine skiing", where the foot attaches to the skis at both the toe and the heel. In "Telemark skiing" the technique is different; the heel remains unattached ("Nordic skiing"), which allows skiing in flat or uphill terrain. There are also Nordic skis suitable for serious cross-country skiing. (Skis were traditionally used as a means of transport in Telemark.)

Snowboarding is much newer. Although people made their way down slopes by tying flat boards to both feet as far back as the 1920s, it wasn't until 1965 that the first modern snowboard was sold. Snowboarding was invented and largely popularized in the U.S., but today it has international followers, although nowhere near as many as skiing. Snowboarding initially became popular with Generation X, who brought a "skateboard punk" attitude that put them at odds with skiers and ski resorts, leading many ski resorts to ban snowboarding. Today, much of that distinction has been lost, and skiers are just as likely to be punks as snowboarders. However, a rare few ski resorts do still ban snowboards (including Alta and Deer Valley in Utah, and Mad River Glen in Vermont).

Other downhill snowsports include sledding/tobogganing (which is the basis of the Olympic sports of luge and bobsledding), tubing, and ski jumping.

Planning your visit

Since very few people live near a snow-covered mountain, most skiing happens at ski resorts, which offer the skiing location, equipment rental and sales, dining, and lodging all within a small village. Sometimes nearby resorts that can be skied with the same ticket are grouped together.

To ski on the mountain, you purchase a lift ticket. This serves as your admission, and lets you use the ski lifts to get from the bottom of the mountain back up to the top.

Naturally, you also need some equipment: skis or a snowboard, of course, but also cold weather clothing.

Unless you're only going for a single day, you need lodging. And because you'll be getting a good workout, you will probably want some food and maybe a nice après-ski drink.

Children

Normally children are accepted to a skiing school from 3 years old.

When choosing a destination and accommodation to travel with a toddler, consider the following:

  • Dining in your hotel is much easier and time-saving than going out. Consider half-board packages or at least a hotel with its own restaurant (but not full-board, as you'll likely prefer to have lunch in a restaurant near the slopes).
  • If you'll be returning to your room during the day (such as if parents are taking turns babysitting), distance from your room to the skilift matters twice. Any time spent going to and from your room will count twice as much in reducing your time on the slopes.
  • Make sure you'll have enough activities for a toddler at your destination (and even better at your hotel): child-friendly swimming pool; open-air playground; rent sleds and ride him on a small children's slope.
  • Après-ski is rarely compatible with travelling with a toddler — you'll likely find yourself looking for quieter streets and cafés in the village.
  • Make sure there is no danceclub or bar that can be heard from your hotel (or at least from your room) in the hours a toddler normally sleeps.
  • Make sure there is a babysitting service and/or a kindergarten, and the personnel there speak your toddler's native language.

On the slopes

The mountain is divided in to various trails (also called "runs" or "pistes" [rhymes with "least" in British English and "list" in American English]), each of which is rated according to its difficulty.

There are also beginners' slopes, also called bunny slopes, which are very short and very shallow. Some may be reserved for classes, but otherwise they are open for anyone to use. Although bunny slopes are good for a little bit of practice, they can actually be difficult due to their shallow grade and lack of length.

At the bottom of the slopes are lifts that take you to the top of the mountain. When you queue up to use the lift, your lift ticket will be scanned to make sure it's valid for that day and time (although staff may not opt to scan it every single time). Then you just ride the lift back to the top of the slope, and head down the slopes again.

There are almost always multiple lifts and often crossing trails; if you're not careful, you could take the wrong lift and end up not where you started. Be sure to look at the mountain's map before going anywhere so you can be sure of where you should go on your way down, and which lift you need to take to get back up.

Ratings

There are different rating systems in different parts of the world, and none are standardized; don't assume an "easy" trail on one mountain is the same as an "easy" trail on another mountain!

Be sure to check the legend and rating system at each mountain before going out on to the trails.

In North America, the usual scale is:

  • Green circle – easy
  • Blue square – intermediate
  • Black diamond – difficult
  • Double black diamond – very difficult
  • Orange/yellow oval (or other symbol) – terrain park, with jumps, half-pipes, or other obstacles

In Europe a similar color system is used, but not always with the shapes:

  • Green (in some countries) – easiest
  • Blue – easy
  • Red – intermediate
  • Black – difficult
  • Double or triple black diamond (in some countries) – very difficult
  • Orange (in some countries) – extremely difficult
  • Yellow, orange square, or red diamond – an "off-piste" or "ungroomed" trail which is left in its natural state and is not regularly patrolled

In Japan a color system is also used, although it may vary at locations catering to foreigners:

  • Green – easy
  • Red – intermediate
  • Black – difficult

Buy

Whether it's your first time or your hundredth, the one thing you must purchase is a lift ticket or lift pass. It's your admission to the mountain, and your ticket to use the ski lifts to get back to the top.

Lift tickets are almost always available in single-day, multiple-day, and season tickets. Discounts may also be available for children, students, large groups, etc. As with any bulk purchase, a multiple-day or season ticket will usually save you money if you use it enough.

The other thing you'll need is equipment. This largely falls in to two categories: skis/snowboards, and cold weather clothing.

Skis and snowboards

For skiing, you need the following:

  • Skis – these come in matched pairs, one for each foot. Unless you specify otherwise, by default you'll get Alpine skis, with bindings for standard ski boots. If you need a different type of ski or binding, check that they'll be available where you're renting/buying.
  • Ski boots – these specialty items are usually made from hard plastic. They keep your feet from leaning side to side, but pivot front to back so you can lean forwards. Plastic flanges on the toe and heel attach them to matching clips on the skis. Most modern boots are closed with buckles for a tight fit.
  • Optionally, ski poles – these are used for balance as well as propulsion.

Snowboarding requires a somewhat different set of equipment:

  • Snowboard – strictly speaking, this is actually two pieces of gear: the flat board with upturned ends, and the bindings that strap your boots to it. Bindings must be adjusted for how widely you stand, the angle of your feet, and your stance. Your stance is which way you face going down the slope, either "regular" (left foot forward) or "goofy" (right foot forward); it's important because the front and back foot are usually set at different angles, and because some snowboards are directional, with one side designed to be in front. (Don't let the names deceive you; many people naturally ride goofy, possibly more than ride regular.)
  • Snowboard boots – unlike ski boots, these are fairly stiff all around, but are thickly padded and reasonably comfortable to walk in. Some have laces, but ratcheting wire systems are simple to use and becoming more common. Generally boots don't attach directly to the snowboard's bindings, but are simply held in place with ratcheting straps.

Clothing

All the other gear you need is not specific to the sport, but is just meant to keep you warm and safe:

  • Snow pants – available as regular trousers or the less common "bib" style (like overalls). They consist of multiple layers with insulation to keep you warm. The outside is wind- and water-resistant, so that the snow and weather won't make you cold or wet. Zippered pockets keep your possessions from falling out if you take a spill. Ventilation zippers let you get airflow to keep cool — remember, you're getting a workout.
  • Snow jacket – like snow pants, the jacket is layered, insulated, and made from specialty fabrics to keep you warm and dry. Features the same zippered pockets and ventilation zips as well. An extra feature on some is a special hook for your lift ticket; this puts it front and center so it's easy for staff to scan. Most jackets also have a hood, which should be large enough to fit over your helmet.
  • Gloves – your extremities need special care, particularly when you'll be sticking them in the snow repeatedly to get back on your feet. Ordinary gloves just meant for keeping warm won't suffice; as soon as they get wet, you'll be in worse shape than if you weren't wearing them at all! Look for cold- and snow-rated waterproof gloves specifically designed not to allow any water inside. Straps help them seal to keep snow from getting in the opening, or to seal against your jacket. Extra straps attach them to your wrists or jacket so you can take them off without losing them. Mittens don't separate the fingers, which keeps them warmer but reduces dexterity; some mittens keep the index finger separate as a nice compromise. You can also wear glove liners made from various materials designed to retain heat. Small pockets on the back of the hand are meant for inserting a chemical warming pad.
  • Socks – these protect your feet from rubbing against the boots and getting sore, and of course keep them warm and dry. Never wear cotton socks, as cotton soaks up and retains water (both sweat and snow), not only making you miserable but also putting you at risk of frostbite. Instead choose wool, synthetic, or wool/synthetic blend socks with a good fit — no loose fabric, especially around the toes and heel. One thick sock is better than two layers of thin socks, which could shift around and chafe. When buying socks, it's helpful to get two or more thicknesses; if you find that one boot fits tighter or looser than the other, you then have the option of mixing pairs of socks, wearing a thicker sock on the foot that fits looser and a thinner sock on the foot that fits tighter.
  • Goggles – aside from keeping snow out of your eyes, goggles also act as sunglasses. (Remember, the sun is out, there's less atmosphere between you and it than normal, and snow reflects additional sunlight in to your eyes.) As with regular sunglasses, look for good UV protection and polarization. If you wear glasses, you'll have to get extra-large goggles designed to fit over your glasses (which can be expensive), buy prescription ski goggles (more expensive), or wear contact lenses or do without vision correction.
  • Helmet – less for protection against cold than against hard-packed snow, ice, and any other obstacles you may run in to. Although many people omit them, professionals and amateurs alike have died from head injuries, so think twice before passing on one! Helmets are designed to use without a cap, and better ones have vents since your head can actually get quite warm. But if you do plan to wear a cap underneath, make sure your helmet will fit when you're wearing a cap, or else it won't give you the protection you need. (Likewise, if you think you may remove your cap at some point, make sure the helmet won't be too loose.)
  • Head and face warming – The least standardized element, this can be just about any warm winter scarf or cap that you have. If you're wearing a helmet, you generally don't need a cap, but without a helmet, a cap is a must. The best choice would be something warm and wind-proof, as a stiff breeze can rob you of a lot of warmth. Face protection is also very important, as your nose, lips, and ears can become cold and frostbitten very easily. Various types of balaclavas, ski masks, caps, and face scarves all help to protect your mug. Despite the name, a "ski mask" isn't necessary as long as it's not excessively windy or cold; even a thin scarf around your mouth will quickly trap warm air to insulate your lips and nose.
  • Layered clothing – underneath your snow outfit, you should dress in layers. Your base layer — the one closest to your skin — should be chosen carefully to keep you dry. Cotton soaks up and holds on to water (sweat and snow) so avoid wearing cotton as your base layer. Instead, wear thermal underwear (long pants and a long-sleeve shirt) made from non-cotton materials, or "performance" clothes designed to wick away sweat so you stay dry. With your skin protected, you can add additional layers for warmth, as desired. However many layers you have, it's a good idea to add one more T-shirt or thermal layer just in case; then you have it if you need it, and can take it off during the day if you get too hot.

While you're at it, don't forget winter clothing for the rest of the trip. When carrying things to and from your car, going out for dinner, or lounging around your room, you'll want street clothes suited to the cold weather. Warm pajamas are a good idea, as it can be difficult to keep bedrooms warm at night in some lodgings. Don't forget boots or other shoes suitable for walking through snow and ice.

Buy or rent

Renting is more expensive even after just a few days, but until you decide you're committed enough to the sport to purchase your own gear, it makes sense to rent for a few trips.

Before you rent, check what clothing is available in the rental package. Some places don't offer clothing rentals (jackets and pants), meaning you'll have to buy your own.

Even with an "all-inclusive" rental package, there are some items that are rarely included, which you'll have to buy for yourself: underclothing, socks, head and face warming, and sometimes gloves and goggles.

On a budget

In general, skiing and snowboarding are not the cheapest of activities. However, as with most travel activities, careful planning ahead can save you a good deal of money.

  • Prices vary greatly among different countries and specific resorts, so make sure to look around. For example, in Europe, resorts in Switzerland tend to be more expensive than those in neighboring France. Some resorts have a stronger focus on students or young people than others, which often results in lower average prices and more budget options for accommodation and food.
  • Avoid holidays. Many destinations get crowded during national or even regional holidays and prices tend to rise according to demand. When traveling to another country for your ski-trip, make sure to look up national holidays there, and in countries from which many come to this resort. Compare prices for different weeks to see when the peaks are (but peaks can also depend on when conditions are good).
  • Last minute bookings of course come with the risk of unavailability, but can save up to 30% or more.
  • In many cases, groups are cheaper as group accommodations (e.g. 6 or 10 people) are available in many resorts and are often cheaper per person.
  • Check out all-inclusive or at least combined deals, which provide one price for accommodation, rental of equipment and tickets. This can be especially interesting if you don't have ski equipment of your own. In some cases, transport (or at least regional transport from the airport or a major train station to the resort) can also be included.
  • In many resorts, apartments are at least as readily available as hotel rooms (sometimes even more so). If you're on a budget, it often pays off to prepare your own meals.
    • Even without a kitchen, you can still prepare some meals in a hotel room. Many meals can be kept with only a refrigerator or a cooler with ice: sandwiches, pasta or potato salad, chips and other snacks, etc. If there's a microwave in your room, in the hotel's dining room, or in a lunchroom on the slopes, you can also cook or reheat frozen meals (although hotel fridges usually have very little freezer space), casseroles, soups, breakfast burritos, etc. With hot water, you can make instant noodles, oatmeal, boiled eggs, and of course drinks.
    • If possible (and not much more expensive), consider accommodation very close to the pistes. It will allow you to head home for lunch instead of being forced to eat out.
    • If you're making your own way to the resort by car, consider taking at least the most expensive foods/ingredients and other supplies with you. Note that many ski resorts are a good drive away from cities or "normal" villages. Supermarkets and shops in the resort (especially in smaller ones) can be rather pricey.
  • If you're renting your equipment, check if your materials are covered under your travel insurance. If not, consider taking an insurance at the spot. Many rental shops offer that option for a rather small fee (e.g. <€10 in France). It's not at all uncommon for a ski or stick to break and costs of replacement or repair are often high.

Do without
See also Stay healthy below

A few items are not strictly necessary or can be substituted, but not many.

Wearing regular sunglasses, or no eye protection, is possible if it's overcast and not too bright out.

If you're visiting a "warm" location (air temperatures above freezing) and tolerate cold well, you may be able to skip some of the layered clothing and face/head protection.

Beyond that, it's not a good idea to skip any of the equipment. Although "warm" mountains always have beginners who think they can get away with just wearing jeans, you run a real risk of frostbite and permanent injury doing this, not to mention being miserable after your jeans soak up several hours worth of snow.

Do

There are many types of skiing within alpine skiing, from contests to downhill (going straight without turns) to moguls (going around the bumps). Cross country skiing is usually also available. Nowadays most resorts allow snowboarders as well, but if you plan to do so double check beforehand.

Most resorts also offer a variety of other activities such as horseback-riding and ice skating. There are also usually great stores for shopping and wonderful restaurants in the area that are worth looking into after a day of hitting the slopes.

Ski resort areas are also frequented during the summer months because of their numerous hiking, mountain bicycling, etc. opportunities.

Sledding is in its most basic form a low-height activity, especially for children. More competitive forms include bobsled and luge. While sleds are usually not allowed within lift systems, other slopes can be found.

Learn

Teach yourself

Getting dressed

Before hitting the slopes, you'll need to get dressed. Most of the equipment is simple and straight-forward to put on. The legs of your snow pants usually have an elastic inner layer ("gaiters") that goes over your boots to keep snow out. Snow jackets may have similar layers to seal your gloves; they may also have one around your waist (a "snow skirt"), but beginners don't usually need to use it. Helmets usually have a slot at the back to hold the goggles' strap in place.

Attach your lift ticket where it's easily visible; some jackets have a spot meant just for this, but otherwise attach it to a zipper, pants belt loop, or somewhere else on your front. Usually zipties or metal hooks are provided to attach it to the jacket's fastener or zipper; ask staff for help if you're not sure how to attach it. Make sure your lift ticket won't fall off, as it's often your only proof of admission.

If it's convenient, you may be able to take what you need with you (e.g., wallet for purchasing lunch) and leave everything else in your car or hotel room. Otherwise, there are usually coin-operated lockers where you can leave your street clothes, valuables, etc.

Getting around

Getting around in skis is pretty easy. Lay the skis on the ground, and then simply step in to each one toe-first. They'll click in to place, and it releases the catches that keep them from sliding around when they're unattached (this applies to the typical downhill skis, there may be other types of bindings). Once you have them on, you can shuffle around on flat ground or even move uphill a bit by pushing off like an ice skater does, or using poles if you have them. Some skis allow freeing the heel for still easier movement.

On a snowboard you need a way of freeing one foot for propulsion on flat ground, so typical snowboard bindings just have quick-release straps that hold your boots in place. One strap goes over the top around the ankle, and the other goes over the toes (either directly above, or straddling the top and front corner of the boot's toe). The "highback" is a plastic support for the back of your leg, which can flip down on many bindings for compact carrying and storage; it supports your leg, forcing you to bend your knees a bit and giving you more control over your turns. Raise the highback into position, locking it in place if required on your bindings, and place your foot in the binding as far back towards the heel as you can. Strap in your front foot (left if you ride regular, right if goofy) and leave it attached all the time, but don't do anything with your back foot yet. You'll need your back foot free to push yourself around on flat ground. You can glide for a short ways by standing your back foot directly on the board, adjacent to (not in) the binding; this is a skill you'll need to learn in order to dismount lifts. Before heading down a slope you have to strap in your back foot, and release it again at the bottom to ride the lift.

Riding a lift

Beginner's slopes sometimes have a "magic carpet" lift. This is basically a conveyor belt in the ground, which is simple to use even with no experience. Slide closer and closer, and when it's your turn, just step onto the belt with your skis or snowboard. At the top, the snow will be packed to create a downward slope at the end of the lift. Lean forwards, and let the momentum push you off the end onto the slope; you may have to nudge your way forward a bit in order to slide down.

"Bar coming down"

Not all ski locations require you to lower the safety bar, but even where it's not required, remember that it is called a "safety bar" for a reason. Although preferences about whether to use the bar or not vary, common courtesy means that if any one person on the chair wants to use it, no complaints will be made.

When lowering the bar, particularly if no one else has made a move to, warning your chairmates "Bar coming down" or "Mind your head" is polite, so that no one gets bonked on the head.

The most common type of lift for many slopes is a chair lift, an open-air bench that lifts 2-4 people into the air. Getting on these is the easy part. After queuing, when you're second in line, you'll wait behind a marked line so the preceding chair can pass in front of you. As soon as it does, shuffle your way up to the next "wait here" line. The chair will come up behind you, and you just plop your bottom in to it as it scoops you up. Lift your feet so your skis/snowboard don't drag until you're up in the air.

Getting off a chair lift is a bit trickier. As you approach the top, there's a bit of an uphill so you don't catch your skis/board, followed by a flat section. On skis, just point your skis straight forward; on a snowboard, turn so you're ready to move forwards (torso facing sideways), and put your back foot on the board next to the bindings. When you reach the flat part just before dismounting, put your weight forwards so you'll be stable coming down the hill. As the chair moves forward it will give you a bit of a push down the hill, and you're off. Once on flat ground, move out of the way as soon as you can so that others can dismount without running into you.

Many beginners have a hard time dismounting without falling, so don't feel bad about it. But, if you do fall, try to fall forwards away from the lift and other people. If you stop too close to either, the lift operator will slow down or stop the lift to make sure no one gets hurt, which delays everyone else. It's a normal (sometimes frequent) occurrence, particularly on beginner slopes, but it's good etiquette to do your best not to delay others.

Going down the slopes
Note: When on the slopes, people ahead of you have right of way. This means that it's your job to avoid anyone in front of you. Don't go so fast that you won't be able to stop or move away from someone in front of you.

When you do fall — which you will, as a beginner — try to avoid hitting others or getting in the way of people behind you. If you fall or stop in the middle of a trail, either get moving again within a few seconds, or move to the side of the trail so you're out of the way while you get situated. Don't stop where you're not visible to others, such as just past a hill or around a corner.

Now it's time to head downhill. As you do, always lean forwards. Your instinct is to stay "upright", but because you're on a downward slope, you're actually leaning backwards. This leaves very little weight on the front of your skis or snowboard, which gives you less control and causes you to go faster. If you lean forwards, keeping your weight on your front, you will be able to control your speed and direction much easier. It feels unnatural at first to lean so far forward, and you'll require constant reminding, but it will help your technique immensely.

On skis, beginners are often taught "french fries to go fast, pizza to slow down". When your skis are parallel to each other ("french fries"), you'll accelerate downhill or coast on flat ground. To slow down, point your skis towards each other in front like a disconnected V ("pizza" or "wedge", also called "snowplow" because it does kick up a lot of loose snow). Don't let your skis touch each other or cross; that's a sure-fire way to lose control and fall. This basic "french-fries–pizza" technique is easy for kids and adults to start learning with, and is enough to let you regulate your speed and even do basic turns.

Once you start to get the hang of it, work on controlling your speed by zigzagging across the slope, rather than snowplowing in a straight line (which breaks up a lot of the nice powder). As you get more advanced, you should learn how to stop and turn by keeping both skis parallel and sliding sideways, much like how ice skaters stop.

On a snowboard, you first need to stop and strap in your back foot. Once you do this, you can try to stand up, although keeping your balance while doing so may be difficult. For beginners it may be easier to hold your board in the air and roll over on to your stomach, so that you can stand up backwards instead of forwards.

For snowboarders, "forwards" means turned to the side with your lead food (left foot if regular, right if goofy) furthest down the hill, and your back foot furthest up the hill. Likewise, "sideways" actually means having your chest or back facing straight down the slope. Turning "sideways" is how you stop: turn so your chest is facing straight down the slope, and rock back onto your heels so the long edge of your board digs in. (You can do a "toe-side stop" as well, by facing up the mountain instead of down and digging in with your toe edge instead of your heel edge. Beginners usually prefer heel stops, since you can see where you're going.) You can also use this technique to go down the slopes slowly: control the pressure on your heels to limit the amount of braking you get. But as with skis, this is called "snowplowing" and you should advance beyond this technique as soon as possible, since it's slow, takes up space, and flattens a lot of powder.

Turning is done by "carving" a long edge of your board in, either toe-side or heel-side. A good way to start learning turns is to do a "falling leaf". This is a simple way of zigzagging your way down the slopes like a leaf falling from a tree. Facing "sideways" looking down the mountain, start on the far right side of the slope. Get moving, but stay on your heel edge so that you track from right to left across the slope. When you reach the left edge, stop. Now repeat the process, this time going from left to right. You can stay on your heel edge, which seems easy (and requires less work) but isn't ideal, because you're actually switching which foot you have in front. Instead, try to switch to your toe edge, this time facing up the mountain. (If you ride goofy, you'll have to reverse left and right in order to use the same technique.) The falling leaf technique is much better than snowplowing: it doesn't kick up as much powder or get in people's way, and it's a stepping stone to the next step.

By now you want to get a little more speed. To do that you'll need to start pointing yourself straight down the slopes. When you feel you're going fast enough, turn (whichever direction you like) and come to a stop. Then point yourself down the slope again. These are called "J turns", "C turns", or "garlands", because of the shape it makes when you do them in succession.

As you get more advanced, you can learn to control your speed by making S-turns back and forth to lose speed rather than sliding or stopping. To do this, you need to learn to connect turns, transitioning from heel to toe, and toe to heel. The trick is that you don't go from a turn directly to the other kind of turn. If you do, the edge of your board will dig in, and you'll be violently flipped over. Instead, you have to straighten out first and get your board flat on the snow for a bit before starting the turn in the opposite direction.

Lessons

Virtually all ski resorts have a ski school where you can sign up for lessons. It's recommended that you learn to ski at a smaller, cheaper mountain nearer to your location before going off to a major ski resort, so you won't have to buy an expensive ticket to just use the bunny hill (which would be the same more or less anywhere).

Some tips that can help you in choosing a right skiing school:

  • It helps a lot if a school doesn't allow new members to join a group in the middle of a course (i.e. on the 2nd and later days of group training). This guarantees that you won't repeat the same basic set of exercises every day.
  • It's best if your instructor is a native speaker of your first language (or another language you are very fluent in); otherwise, most instructions are "do like me", but it's difficult for the instructor to explain what exactly you're doing wrong or what you should do differently.

Stay safe

Ski terrain can often be very dangerous and can lead to hazards that can potentially injure or kill a careless skier. Do not ski any terrain that is above your skill level and pay attention to all signs and ski patrol instructions. Always ski in a group, or let someone know where you will be. Start each day with some easy slopes to warm up, instead of skipping directly to the hardest trail you think you can manage.

Heed avalanche warning signs and avoid areas where avalanche buildup can occur. If an avalanche does occur, ski sideways to get out of its path. If you can reach a tree or rock, hold on to it for as long as you can; even 1-3 seconds can make a difference.

Injuries are common for beginners, as everyone falls down a lot when they first learn to ski or snowboard. Wearing a helmet of course provides protection for your most important body part. But also pay attention to your wrists and knees. Beginners often try to catch themselves with their hands or knees, leading to sprains or broken wrists. You can wear a wrist guard or knee brace if you're sensitive in these areas, but the best solution is prevention. If you feel you're about to fall, turn it into a controlled sit or drop instead of an uncontrolled fall. Fall with your whole body; land with your whole butt and back rather than just your tailbone, or with your forearms and chest rather than your hands. At the same time, tuck and roll. Tuck your arms and legs instead of letting them flail so they don't get twisted or overextended. Roll as you fall, to distribute the impact across your body rather than concentrating it in the first part to hit.

If you injure yourself on patrolled terrain, ask a fellow skier to fetch the resort's ski patrol for you. Lift operators can help contact them. Mark the location of an injured person by planting skis or snowboards in an upright cross (like an "X") just uphill.

Stay healthy
See also: cold weather, altitude sickness

Skiing takes place in some of the most treacherous terrain in the world under very cold conditions. Be sure you are properly protected against the cold so you will not suffer from frostbite or hypothermia. When you are skiing you will be exposed to the elements all day and need to act accordingly. If you feel particularly cold, particularly if you begin to shiver, call it a day and head indoors to warm up.

When the sun comes out, the reflection from the snow around you can cause serious problems as well! Be sure to wear snow goggles or sunglasses to protect your eyes from snowblindness and wear sunscreen to protect yourself from sunburn. Snow can reflect more than 50% of the light that hits it, so wear sunscreen even if it's cloudy outside! You'll thank yourself later.

Consider packing some anti-inflammatory painkiller to deal with minor soreness and aches. Other items to keep in your first aid kit might include ice packs or heat pads.

Eat

Drink

Après-ski (French for "after skiing") is a fancy word for "going out drinking after skiing". Once the sun goes down, everyone's day is pretty much done (unless there are lighted ski trails, but even these are only open for a few hours), so there's not much else to do except party.

Sleep

Because of their remote location, lodging in and around ski resorts tends to be expensive, with prices dropping off the further from the slopes you get.

The most highly regarded lodgings are ski-in ski-out. Literally, this means some kind of ski trail abuts the lodging, and you can step out the door, strap on your skis, and get to and from the slopes entirely on the snow. (This may be more difficult for snowboarders, because the trails to the lodging may be rather flat, and without poles like skiers have, snowboarders are likely to coast to a halt.)

However, not all ski-in ski-out lodgings are actually ski-in ski-out. Many times, this merely means that the location is close to the ski slopes, but a bit of a walk may be involved. Or it may mean that only a select few units in a building are ski-in ski-out.

The appeal of ski-in ski-out is that you don't waste any time trudging back and forth from the slopes. When you want to take a break, you can return home and leave again later with almost no time lost.

For a bit less money, you can choose lodging that's near the slopes, but not ski-in ski-out. You'll have a few minutes' walk or maybe a shuttle ride, but you still don't have to worry about driving, changing boots, and locking up your car.

As you get further from the slopes, prices continue to drop. There's usually a sharp difference between lodging on and off the mountain. If you lodge off the mountain, at least twice a day you'll have to traverse the road up to the ski resort. These are generally long, narrow, winding roads that may take 15 minutes to half an hour or more, depending on how far away you stay.

The extra driving may not sound like much, but a short mid-day rest can do wonders for your stamina, letting you stay on the slopes longer overall. This option becomes increasingly impractical if it takes you half an hour or more just to get to and from your lodging.

However, every resort is unique, so it pays to do some research. In some locations, driving to the ski resort doesn't take long, and it may be very practical and economical to stay someplace 10 minutes away for much cheaper than lodging on the slopes.

Connect

As ski slopes are typically in very rural areas, cell phone service may be weak, unreliable, or nonexistent.

Walkie-talkies are excellent for keeping in touch with your mates while on the slopes; it's much faster and easier to pick up and use a handheld radio with gloves on than to pull out a phone and make a call, and you can talk to multiple people at the same time. However, despite advertising claims, the actual range of typical personal use radios is generally no more than 1–2 miles/kilometers, and often much less.

There is no global standard for personal radios. Using radios from your home country elsewhere may cause illegal interference (for example, walkie-talkies from the U.S. overlap with frequencies for the UK fire brigade and Russian police). Even if the same standard is in use, some channels may be legally restricted (e.g. emergency channels) or limited to a particular use by consensus (e.g. road safety channels). Before bringing your walkie-talkies abroad, research the laws to determine if and how you can legally use them. A few common standards are:

Destinations

Major skiing destinations include:

Africa

Asia

Europe

North America
See also: Winter in North America

Canada

United States of America

Oceania

Australia

See Winter sports in Australia

New Zealand
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See also
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