This article aims to provide beginners with a reference plan for their first ski trip. It covers the planning of time, location, hotel reservation, transportation, ski ticket purchase, luggage arrangement, etc. It is a good case for those who experience winter skiing for the first time.
Travel planning can be tricky, and on a ski trip you’re not familiar with, you’ll face even more confusion. Read the beginner’s ski guide before you leave on your trip; it will help you to clear your mind and plan the perfect ski trip for you or your family, step by step.
Article Catalog
1. Select departure date
##Based on your vacation
Most people don’t have a lot of vacation time, so they have to be smart with their money. First of all, thank you for being willing to give your precious Christmas off to skiing. It might also be a good choice to use such a precious holiday for skiing, just at the time when the snow is thick and the ski runs are plentiful. Christmas is a high season for skiing, and smaller ski areas may already be packed.
The holiday season is high, so if you can only go during the holiday season, be prepared with your wallet. Hotel prices during the holiday season can be twice as high as usual.
If you have enough vacation time and free time, that couldn’t be better. You can take a look at what comes next and choose your ski dates from several angles.
##Based on piste conditions
The best season is from December to March. The snowfields that cool down earlier start laying snow in October, and the trails are fully paved by the end of November and gradually close at the end of March. If you want to enjoy all the trails, you must arrive after they are all open. The natural snow is also thick enough after January, and the snow-covered slopes have more of a winter flavor. If you happen to catch a heavy snowfall, you can also go off-piste to have fun. The first snow season is mostly man-made snow. The snowy surface will be hard, with ice or icy surface.
##Based on weather
In conjunction with the opening of the piste, you can choose the skiing date at the temperature you can afford. It doesn’t matter if it’s 20 below. Wear a few extra layers and have enough clothes to change into. The temperature will never dissuade skiers from skiing. At the end of March, it’s time to say goodbye as the temperatures slowly start to warm up and the snow surface starts to melt due to prolonged heat.
##According to low season high season
Prices are different between low season and high season and can be double the price difference. Each snow resort has a different definition of low season and high season. The best value for money is, of course, the off-season days near the high season. Enjoy the quality of snow in the high season for the price of the low season. For skiers on a budget, these days they are a good choice.
##Ski days selection
If you are to enjoy skiing, spend the holiday, looking for happiness, it is recommended that a snow resort three or four full days on it, too long may be boring, every dawind yourowing cold wind body also need to rest. If the distance is not enough for vacation, then a full day plus half a day is also needed.
If you have hired an instructor for advanced skiing, at the end of the course still hope you can leave more than one day for yourself, just turn around, looking for the pure joy of speed sports and discover the beauty of those corners.
2. Decide which snow park to go to
The ski resort you choose is best after considering various aspects, such as.
1. moderate prices and good facilities. The snow resort has a lot of snow and a mixture of natural and artificial snow so that it can have a very natural and good atmosphere. Snow field snow period is long (lasts 3-4 months), snow hard, snow quality is good (soft).
2. The slopes are more, not too steep, and should have space for long snow trails, preferably on the back side of the mountain. In the snow field, there are beautiful snow scenery that can be viewed, so that not only can ski, but also can do a variety of interesting snow games. The snow park hardware facilities are complete, primary, secondary, high snow track and aerial ropeway cable car, fiber cable, slide, etc. should have.
3. Snow track requirements, primary slope 6% ~ 25%; intermediate slope 25% ~ 40%; senior slope 40% or more. The length of the ramp and speed, the longer the ramp, the better the skiing effect. The drop of the slope is generally 500-800 meters.
4. If the ski resort has a professional large snow track cleaning vehicle to clean and refurbish the ski track, after a day of skiing, such as not mixing the snow track, compaction, will make the snow track uneven, beginners at this snow surface skiing is difficult to master and learn skiing techniques.
5. To have a professional ski instructor for primary technical guidance, so that you can learn the basic skiing techniques faster from the coach.
6. Choose a ski resort with clear fees. Some ski resorts do not have comprehensive information on fees, which may cause you to pay extra fees.
7. Choose more convenient transportation.
Refer to this information, and then compare to see if you can find a better choice when choosing a ski resort.
3. Hotel reservation
##Family Groups
Snowhotel with snow tickets is definitely your best choice. The choice of room rates are all inclusive of the snow ticket, snow equipment breakfast, which works out to be very cheap for pure accommodation.
##Personal, group of friends
If you’re a person or with your friends to stay together, there are two rooms or suites to choose from. More people also have leapfrogs or villa, but this also means more expensive prices. If the budget is limited, you can choose the cheaper suites, and get your friends to live together to sleep in the same bed.
##Book in advance
Snowpark rooms are a tight resource and booking accommodation should be done early. Hot room types may not be available a month in advance on some dates. But snow park rooms are commonly and can’t be cancelled, and businessmen are a real headache. Used snow park rooms are transferred, and there are still people who take them over. If you are closer to town and the room you want is really not available, or you are worried that it will not be available, it does not matter. You can choose to book a room in the city. The hotel in the city may be cheaper than the ski resorts. If you are not living in the city by car, remember to go early to wait for the bus to the ski resort, because the bus space is limited, miss may delay your skiing.
4. Transportation mode
Know in advance how you need to get there and back.
Self-driving
Driving yourself to the slopes is really convenient, you can move between the slopes and the city every day, skiing and having fun at the same time. It is important to have snow tires to get to and from the slopes. When you encounter heavy snowfall, the suburban roads leading to the snowfields will be late in clearing snow and the vehicles are very smooth when pressed across the road. Once again, reminded that the powder snow is particularly good after the snow, the road after the snow is particularly slippery, and then anxious to drive slower. One thing to note. If you own a pure tram, you’d better know in advance whether there is a charging post at your destination.
Airplane
If you are far from the destination city and need to take a plane,on the return trip you must pay attention to your ticket purchase time, must choose the time after the ski resort bus arrives at the airport. In order to prevent mid-way accidents delaying arrival time, you can extend the ticket purchase time.
If you want to check in your snowboard, please call the airline in advance to ask for a price. Rental skis are also of good quality, and accessories and protective gear are available for rent. However, I recommend that you bring your board with you.
Trains
If you choose to travel by train, trains are able to carry large luggage, so you just need to plan your arrival time.
5. Consider whether to hire a coach
Choosing an instructor
Obviously, getting the most out of your short vacation and getting the most out of your level is a wise choice to hire a professional ski instructor. Different instruction may have different steps and styles, but the time it takes for them to finish teaching the skills is basically constant and faster than the time it takes for you to figure out is on your own, which means you have more free skiing time. You may be able to ski smoothly in half a day, but you may still need half a day for your instructor to correct your movements and allow you to ski more consistently and face steeper slopes and variable snow surfaces with ease. Skiing is also a sport where there is no end to learning, and your instructor still has a lot of skills to teach you as you go deeper into your learning journey.
Not choosing an instructor
Maybe you’re confident, maybe you’re too self-taught, maybe you’re on a budget. Self-learning skiing is a little slower though.
Self-learning is highly recommended to try parallel turns on a double board first before learning to snowboard. Continuous smooth skiing is the threshold to enjoy alpine skiing, after that the enhancement you can go at your own pace, or technical level, or just ski everywhere just for fun is also a good choice. The threshold for you to enjoy the whole ski area is also continuous smooth skiing. I hope that after coming to Songhua Lake, you can soon cross this threshold and feel the real charm of alpine skiing.
No matter where you are, self-learning skiing is a hard task. Don’t be afraid to fall, try more, and try to break through your fear of speed and angle. When you are tired, take a break, have energy to have courage. When you take a break on the lifts and trails, you can also ask the lone quiet skier around you. Most likely, he will share his experience with you, solve your doubts and help you progress faster.
6. Shopping for snow tickets
Concept
All alpine snow parks, resorts and snow surfaces do not have an entrance fee. Without a ticket you can freely enter and exit the resort building, enter the snow surface, play in the snow, take pictures and even climb the mountain. This is very different from indoor snow resorts and small snow resorts. All tickets are required to ride the lifts and you will need to swipe your card once for each lift ride. Please keep your snow ticket in your upper body pocket. Normally, you do not need to purchase a ticket in advance.
Entry tickets
Tickets are the most common tickets purchased for single day ski trips and are generally divided into half day, all day, and night tickets.
Edge Card: The best choice for short-term skiing.
Season Pass: Season card is more expensive. You need dozens of days of skiing to return to the capital, but you can apply for a season card with your friends. It will be cheaper.
If you buy a ticket for a certain day, you can enter the snow park on that day with the ticket during the valid period. Ski resorts often use different colored tickets to distinguish the dates. It is important to note that the ticket is only a pass to enter the resort on the same day, but to ride the lift up and down the slopes, you need to buy a lift ticket!
Free hotel tickets
The hotel you booked at Snow Park may give you a free ticket. If you have a complimentary ticket, then you don’t need to buy an extra ticket for this part.
If you are a morning departure flight, then you will probably arrive at the snow park in the afternoon, and check-in will be at 2pm. The quality of the snow is very poor at this time and you can use the complimentary tickets for your stay for the next day’s skiing. The afternoon you arrive, you can now wander around the town above , most of the ski towns are very unique, especially at night.
7. Prepare luggage and ski equipment
What you can rent at the ski resort
Ski clothing, snow pants, helmets, snow goggles, ski protective gear, snowshoes, snowboards you can rent at the snow park.
Ski clothing and accessories
Snow pants, helmets, snow goggles, ski protective gear which are only used in the field of skiing, other sports and life can not be used, you can choose to rent. If there are indeed products that appeal to you, you can buy some that are more convenient to carry after leaving, such as handsome ski goggles.
Here are some of the ones you need to prepare. Clothes, the ski resort is particularly cold, down coat coat wear up, in wearing some thick pants, outer pants thick windproof, shoes to be impervious to the wind, the best waterproof, buy a few pairs of thick socks.
Although many you can rent, but some still have to buy their own. First is the face protection, professional skiing face protection a lot, part of the winter riding face protection can also be used, a simple use of scarves can be. Then there are ski gloves, waterproof first insulation second, other outdoor gloves can also be substituted. Also need long socks. If your feet are afraid of cold, or do not want to be close to the rental snowshoes, you can buy a pair of long socks. Finally, optional sports underwear, strenuous exercise will cause a lot of sweat, professional underwear can make you more comfortable.
You can also use your imagination to use more equipment other than skiing in skiing. Waterproof and windproof are the most important, warmth second, wearable third. Don’t worry about what others see, everyone will admire your creativity.
Snowshoes must be tried on. Choosing to buy snowshoes online will affect your skiing experience if they don’t fit properly.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the ski trip, you can go to the town and buy some unique goods as a souvenir of your first ski trip before you leave, or you can give it to your friends. Don’t forget to take out your cell phone to take pictures to record the next great trip.
Extended Reading
What Is Skiing and What Can It Bring To Us
How to Keep Your Face Warm for Skiing in 2023
Artificial Snow vs. Real Snow——What’s The Difference
How to Handle AFTER Skiing Injury
