A skiing trip provides an experience that few other activity holidays can match. Once you’ve picked up the basic skills, you’ll have enormous fun hurtling down the mountainside. It’s a great workout, it’s mentally stimulating, and it’s a chance to explore some of the most amazing snow-blanketed mountain scenery the world has to offer.
If you’re planning your first-ever skiing holiday, however, it’s easy to find yourself bewildered and intimidated by all of the jargon. Let’s take a look at a few of the more important considerations.
Ski or Snowboard
You’ll need to first decide whether you’re going to be skiing or snowboarding. The skills you pick up in one are only transferable to the other in the loosest sense. So, if you decide to make a switch later on, you’ll need to go back to the nursery slopes.
Both activities are popular, and so personal preference should inform your choice. One thing worth bearing in mind is that you’ll spend a lot of time sitting down while you’re learning to snowboard.
Which Ski Resort?
There are some ski resorts in Europe that cater better to beginners than others. Some, like Chamonix, are geared more toward experienced skiers. Avoid these. When considering the difficulty, it’s worth looking at the map and seeing what proportion of slopes are green, blue, red and black (these being the grades of difficulty). Bear in mind, however, that different countries and resorts will grade their slopes in different ways. Ski holidays in France tend to appeal to a wide range of experience levels.
It’s also worth thinking about facilities, especially if you’re going to be travelling with your family. Some resorts are geared toward families, while others are more about the bar culture and nightlife.
Book Lessons, Equipment and a Lift Pass
When you’re booking a ski holiday, you’ll have to worry about more than just the hotel and the flights. You’ll also need to consider hiring equipment, and buying the pass with which you’ll access the lifts. Without the pass, you won’t be able to get to the top of the slopes – which means you won’t be able to ski.
Get Winter Sports Insurance
Skiing and snowboarding are both extremely exciting – but they’re also inherently risky. You can guard yourself against injury by wearing appropriate equipment, like wristguards and helmets. But you’ll also want to ensure that you’re adequately insured. If you should come off your skis and suffer an injury, then you’ll want the peace of mind that comes with knowing your medical treatment will be covered. The right insurance card will provide this.