First time ski trip
Kyougu
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A couple of friends and I have been bouncing the idea of a ski trip and we gotten to the early planning stages. So far we're settling on a trip to Utah (Snow Basin) since lodging/ski lifts tickets are cheaper than Colorado. Also, since none of us have ever skied, we figure we can go in Late March/Early April, and still be good, since the bunny/beginner hills should still be fine.
The point that's sticking with us is equipment. The resort we're looking at rents everything, from clothing (jacket/pants/gloves/helmet/goggles) to the skis. If we rent everything that's about 100-150 dollars a day. I looked online and saw some decently priced ski jacket/pants combos )around the 100-130 range) but have no idea if they're any good. I also heard we should buy thermals and socks.
So any tips? Should we buy instead of rent? Also how long should we stay (as I heard it can take 2-4 days to get comfortable skiing). Right now our plan is to leave Thursday night, and return Monday, which would give us at least 3 full days out in the snow.
The point that's sticking with us is equipment. The resort we're looking at rents everything, from clothing (jacket/pants/gloves/helmet/goggles) to the skis. If we rent everything that's about 100-150 dollars a day. I looked online and saw some decently priced ski jacket/pants combos )around the 100-130 range) but have no idea if they're any good. I also heard we should buy thermals and socks.
So any tips? Should we buy instead of rent? Also how long should we stay (as I heard it can take 2-4 days to get comfortable skiing). Right now our plan is to leave Thursday night, and return Monday, which would give us at least 3 full days out in the snow.
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As far as buy/rent... we rented boots/skis/helmet but had the rest of the stuff. I think my wife bought a new winter jacket and snow pants but we live in Canada so that stuff comes in handy anyways.
(We went to Bridger Bowl in Montana)
-Day One: Get into an adults only lesson group. Typically these are fairly cheap at the resort and, in addition to teaching you what you really will need for a good time during the rest of the trip, also provide excellent networking with other folks to meet up with later at the local bars/restaurants.
-Day Two Through Whatever: Ski
Usually a ski lesson group goes for about 4-5 hours of skiing, working with a group of 7 to 12. The instructors are pretty great and let folks go at their own pace. But knowing how not to break your ankle the first time you get off a ski lift , or how to stop, fall and/or get back up safely is worth the time and investment.
Rent your skis, never buy (unless you ski more than twice a week every week of winter). Buy cheap bibs and a jacket at your local, downcountry(non-mountain area) apparel places (specifically at large, warehouse sporting goods stores rather specific ski retailers) and you will save a ton of money. Bibs and ski jackets really don't get worn out a lot, unless you go through huge physical changes they typically fit through most common weight fluctuations over the years.
Bring a warm hat: This can make the difference between fun and misery, depending on the weather. It will make your socks feel warmer.
Don't over-tighten your boot straps: Common mistake that can reduce circulation in your feet, making them feel colder.
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Location:
Snowbasin is in the middle of nowhere, but pretty rad. If you want more nightlife etc. you'll want Park City.
Outerwear:
Layers. My typical layering is long underwear (merino preferable, but poly is fine), fleece on top, then a gore-tex or similar shell with insulated snow pants. Check the weather as well, as you may be able to get away with long underwear+a softshell on top if it's sunny. Weather out west can get really cold or really warm, so that will really define what you can wear.
Rental Fit:
Most important is ski boot fit. Skis are relatively inconsequential in comparison. I wear a 10 street shoe and a 26.5 ski boot, but in rental boots I'd probably go 27. Make sure it feels like a tight clamp around your foot with no ankle or heel movement and no points of pain. If you google around, you'll find plenty of info on boot fit.
Oh, and wear sunscreen. Trust me.
For skis and skiboots, these are good to rent the first couple times. Skis have a fair amount of variability based on length and style, which you won't understand not having skied at all. The rest of the clothing stuff you should buy based on your personal need at this point. Given the price, general use, and comfort, it's probably best to buy gloves, hat, and glasses, simply for comfort reasons -- as in, having things that are very close/touching your face/hands/body directly that are yours, and not shared. If you don't care, then rent! If you do, then buy! Buying gloves and hats are a fine thing unless you never plan to get cold again. You may also want to buy toe warmers.
As you're all beginners, I think your idea to travel to somewhere that's not Colorado is smart. You won't feel intimidated and, as beginners, you'll get a good feel for skiing no matter where you go. Anywhere in the Rockies is going to have excellent skiing.
A lot of the overall details have been covered above, so I'll just add on to the lessons thing. Start off with lessons, which as mentioned can be between 2-4 hours. Usually they take short breaks and if you're feeling comfortable, you can go off on the main slopes. Or you can ski on the bunny hill and practice more. When I first started, I took a 3 hour lesson, and then joined up with my family for the rest of the day so I was still able to enjoy some of the fun slopes. At the end of the day, I was going down a couple blues. Most bunny hills are truly "bunny hills," as in a small, wide area that's at a gentle incline and pretty short. It isn't something you'd spend a whole day at, let alone a whole ski trip, and that will make sense once you're completing the lesson and feeling more confident. Once you have some fundamentals down, such as slowing yourself with a snow plow move, or swishing back & forth to control your speed (and leaning back vs leaning forward), you'll realize how you can apply those things to the longer slopes. The color coding is usually pretty accurate, and a green slope is going to generally be straightforward. Blues tend to have some more bowls and drops, blacks are more narrow and complicated.
Every time I've skied, I've had at least one good fall. Never broken anything, but each time, my fall was related to getting going too fast and not being able to turn/slow down when I should. Falling isn't that bad since snow is soft, but it's annoying and usually hurts a little bit.
@Schuss isn't kidding about sunscreen--use it. Don't forget to apply it to the underside of your nose and chin because they will burn from the sun reflecting off the snow. Same with your lips, ears and eyelids. Rent tinted goggles.
If you live anywhere close to sea level you're going to need some time to acclimate. Snowbasin's base elevation is just over 6k feet and while you're walking around that may not be a problem, but as soon as you start skiing that air is going to feel real fucking thin.
Addendum: if any of you are smokers, sit down before you light up because you're going to get lightheaded and maybe pass out.
Bring a water bottle. Bring chapstick. You will be dry as hell from mouthbreathing.
I bet Snowbasin will be fun!
For sure rent your skis and boots. I'm sure there'll be somewhere in huntsville that does rentals cheaper than the resort. If you were staying in SLC there'd be tons of places to rent but I don't know anything about Snowbasin
Since you're all beginners you probably wont go fast enough to crash into a tree so you probably wont wear a helmet, in which case a good hat is essential!! Don't forget sunglass/goggles and sunscreen
March/April is usually really warm and sunny, so you actually might be able to get away with a lot less clothing. A warm base layer is still important, but you might not need much else between your thermal layer and your outer layer. Can you even rent clothing? Personally I'd just buy the clothes and try to find good deals. Since the season will be ending, you'll probably be able to get some good sale stuff.
After a few days of skiing you will be SORE and TIRED. I think 3 days is plenty
Boots/skis: absolutely rent. Ideally, not on the resort, but if you're flying or otherwise cannot transport skis then you have no choice. Oh, and don't forget a helmet.
If you ever plan on skiing again, the following items may be worthwhile (I actually don't know much these things cost to rent, so this is entirely up to you):
Clothes: Since you're planning on late in the season, keep an eye out at your local chain sporting goods retailers for when they start to put stuff on clearance. Since you're apparently in Texas, this could be relatively early, but here in California (4 hours from Tahoe) it's more like late Feb/early March. I picked up ski pants this way. In general, you want pants meant for skiing, as they will have a liner and other features to keep snow out of pants and boots, because you will fall. As for a jacket, I just happen to be lucky enough the "shell" for my usual winter jacket makes for a really good ski jacket, so I can't advise you here. Socks, well, they make ski socks, and I have a couple pairs, but they're kind of expensive and probably not really necessary if you already have long socks. I like them because they're padded on the soles and also keep the upper parts of the boots off my skin, but that's not a huge deal. As for headwear, you're going to wear a helmet, so you don't need it.
Goggles: the first time I went, I though my sunglasses would be sufficient. Nope. As soon as I stepped out, the wind and intensity of the sun at 10,000 feet was almost too much. (Especially the wind.) I went right back into the base camp and bought a pair of proper ski goggles. I would recommend this, but back closer to sea level where they're presumably cheaper. It'll protect your eyes from the sun (always good) and also the wind, so they won't dry out. If you wear glasses, you'll have to figure out whether they will fit over your glasses.
Lift tickets/lessons: since you're going as a group, check out the websites for the resort(s) you're interested in. Remember, everything will be cheaper now than when you're on the mountain.
Timing: I don't what the conditions are like in Utah, but you don't want to go too late. Even on the newbie slopes everything is better if there's actual snow. As the weather gets warmer, what will happen is that during the course of the day parts of the runs will thaw and then freeze, meaning that you're really skiing on ice and not snow.
Fitness: skiing is pretty hard on your legs. You will discover muscles you probably didn't know you had. Unless you're all really fit, I doubt you will be able to ski more than 2 or 3 days in a row, so keep that in mind.
I would advise that you only do this if you actually plan and make an effort to stick with. I don't regret what I did but I am balls in on snowboarding.
NO NO NO this is false, you still need to wear a helmet! Both my boyfriend and my mom have gotten concussions while on easy slopes, and were not moving very fast at the time (in fact my mom was standing still, but a snowboarder was unable to stop himself and hit her from behind). Also there was the actress Natasha Richardson who died a few years ago; she hit her head while taking a beginner ski lesson on an easy slope. Even if you just fall on the ground, it can be icy and hard, and there are also rocks hidden under the snow. Also beginners are not used to boarding chair lifts or T-bars, sometimes people slip and fall under the chair and have it hit them in the head while passing over.
I recommend buying a helmet partially since you don't know the history of a rental helmet (how old it is or whether it's already taken a hard impact), and partially because I think other people's heads smell weird. You can buy a brand new helmet for $40, they can get a lot more expensive but I wouldn't pay more than $50 since if you hit your head really hard you're supposed to replace it like you would for a motorcycle helmet.
Other than that, I like to bring a few bandanas on ski trips. Even if your face isn't cold, it's nice to tie one in front of your face to keep the moisture in, and the sun out. And if your head is sweaty, it's nice to have a bandana or two to change under your helmet so it doesn't get all sweaty. And finally, one more to blow your nose on.
PS: Sorry if I'm scaring anyone away from skiing; to be fair I've been skiing every winter since I was four, and have only gotten one mild sprain. But I always wear a helmet.
Also, I will add my voice to the "get a helmet" crowd. I always wear a helmet and it's saved me from a concussion (or worse) on two occasions. Besides, they're as warm as a hat and they keep your goggles in place.
I would suggest an adult group lesson to start, and maybe a private lesson on your second day to get some more specific pointers. Having a private, one-on-one lesson can lead to some pretty stellar improvements.
Sun protection is key, and so is dressing in layers. Also, I think the whole run difficulty system (green circle, blue square, black diamond, double black diamond) is relative to that resort. A black diamond somewhere might be a blue square elsewhere... if memory serves me correctly.
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Agree with all of this. Take a lesson first thing. Just do it. Moving confidently into your free time will be so much better, you'll both be able to enjoy yourself more AND avoid the risk that you'll fall the wrong way and injure yourself, ending your holiday.
Most people don't wear helmets. That's because helmets just don't seem cool. I am a totally cool snowboarder, and I wear a helmet because I don't want to bust the back of my head on a butterbox when I inevitably fall. There's definitely no peer pressure NOT to wear safety gear, it's mostly that people pressure themselves into not doing it out of a misguided attempt to seem cooler.
Please make sure you understand the difference between waterpoof weather gear and not. Soak your pants after a fall and you'll be cutting your day waaay short due to bringing the wrong gear.
Liftopia is great when they have a deal. Make sure what they have is a deal, sometimes it's a trick.
You will get dehydrated and you won't realize it. Just take breaks to drink fluids.
Toward the end of your earlier days when you're getting tired and ask yourself, "Should I go in or keep going?" you should go in. Every single time that I reach that point in the day, I keep going and shortly thereafter bail spectacularly in a way which leaves me sore and less willing to go hard the next day.
- Bring twice as many socks as you normally would (or more). Good boots and pants will keep most of the snow out of them, but not 100%. Even if they are great, you will probably sweat in them. When you get back to the lodge, you will want to have clean/dry socks.
- If you and your friends drink, find out the lodge's bar prices. I'm not a huge drinker, but we got a case of beer and simply set it on the terrace outside our room to keep it cool. This kept us from having to spend money in the bar, so we were able to spend more on eating out.
- Bring sunscreen (yeah, even in winter!). The snow reflects what sun there is and this can lead to sun burn. You only have to use it on exposed areas which should just be your neck and face, so we were able to borrow some, but the lodge sold only $20 bottles.
- You might get blisters if your boots don't fit great (or socks get wet). You should bring some of those blister covers (forget their real name) just in case.
Oh yeah.
Utah has idiotic beer laws where most beer is 3.2% and weird hours, so make sure to plan ahead on that.
RE: Socks - it may be worth investing in a nice pair of thin merino socks. In skiing, thick socks are bad and cotton is bad.
I think people are making a bigger deal out of this than it is. It's always safer to wear a helmet than to not, but you really are not in that much danger when you're just a beginner. I don't think the coolness factor comes into it at all. It's just that the likely-hood of you getting a concussion early on is not very high. If a helmet is included in your rental package I would definitely take it. If it isn't I wouldn't worry about getting one until your sure you are going to continue skiing.
Get a helmet
Liam Neesons wife died from brain injury from falling on a bunny slope
My friend went over a small bump on skis going a bit fast once and landed on his back and needed surgery - but his helmet was cracked in 2 and that would have been his skull if not for the helmet
Not to scare you or anything but just rent a helmet- it'll keep your head warmer than a hat too
My first ski experience was Breckenridge and Sliver Springs(?) in CO while I was in high school. Never had set foot on a slope but just went out there and started doing it on my own. Took it slow, went on a few bunny hills then just gradually moved up. Fell down a lot, but no major injuries. Doing it again, I probably still would not bother with lessons, but I'm sure they'd help with form and control if you want to actually learn proper skiing. Basic form is keep legs stiff but not rigid, use your poles to guide, go in a Z pattern - not straight down, and learn how to stop before taking on big runs.
Equipment-wise, I sort of patched together a set. LAYERS ARE KEY. As are LOTS OF SOCKS. Think i did some long-underwear bottoms with sweatpants and some insulated ski pants from Target ; nothing too fancy. Top was a few layers and a Columbia coat. No helmet, just some sunglasses. Rented the skis and boots.
As others said, it's pretty tiring, especially if you wipe out a lot. It was a blast, well worth a few sore muscles.
A few points:
- If you get a lesson, the lesson usually will include the equipment rental for the day of the lesson. Often, you can sign up for more than one day of lessons (if you prefer to do that) and each day they'll work with you on something different. If you're all beginners who feel safer with lessons, this might be a good way to cover your lift pass, lesson, and rentals in one go.
- Make sure you buy your gear before you get to the ski resort. They usually have a shop but the stuff there is way more expensive than buying it from somewhere else.
- If money is a concern, consider stopping by a grocery store before you get to the resort. Resorts often sell food but it is overpriced and isn't very good. To save money, I'd recommend getting some stuff to make sandwiches with/bringing a picnic lunch with you and stashing it in a locker. You might not want to take a huge break from skiing to peel all your gear off, find your car, and find someplace to eat outside of the resort, so this is a good way to make sure you eat without taking a ton of time out of your day. It also saves you from getting gouged.
- Make sure you stay hydrated! Having just watched my beginner husband, it can be surprisingly tiring and dehydrating to constantly be picking yourself up again.
Since none of you have skied before, take lessons the first day. And like people have said, don't do more than 3 days. Even on day 3 you're going to be sore and tired. Also, don't be afraid to turn in your rental ski boots if you find they're hurting after a couple of runs. Ski boots that don't fit ruin the whole trip.
Things to bring:
-extra socks
-sunscreen
-a scarf (I usually wear two!), or some other way of covering your face and neck
-sunglasses, or goggles
-handwarmers
As far as places to book, the #1 overriding factor for what you are looking for should be the presence of a hot tub.
Have fun!
Edit: Just saw this was necro-posted
Hope the trip... was... good?