Growing up in South Texas, “Mountains” and “Snow” were just fairy tales of far off places. Neither seemed real to me nor did I truly understand the magnetism that they emanate. It wasn’t until I was twenty years old when by sheer coincidence I stumbled across a ski film called “Seven Sunny Days” that I felt the call of these magical places. By the time the credits rolled I knew that my path in life would be forever altered.
If you are finding yourself similarly drawn to the mountains and want to experience the pure joy that is snow skiing then read on as I have created this guide as a way to provide practical and insightful advice for how to make this happen. Skiing can be intimidating for many reasons but almost all of them boil down to expense and fear. I’ve come to find that the root cause of most barriers to entry for skiing (and almost anything else) is simply a lack of information. Ultimately it is my goal to clear up these unknowns to help pave the way for your journey into the mountains.
The first and main barrier to entry for many folks is cost and the associated logistics for organizing a trip. While some people may live close enough to a ski area to make a day trip out of it, most people do not and the act of “skiing” will require a bit of logistical preparation. This logistical preparation will likely include travel (air, car, or train) and some form of accommodations. These costs will of course be combined with the fixed costs of actually skiing (lift tickets, ski rentals, and (hopefully) ski lessons) so you can see why people will start to balk due to costs. What most people don’t realize is that a lot of these costs can vary wildly by what you want to get out of the trip and a ski vacation can be customized to fit within any budget. In fact, my very first ski trip was in 2015 to a little know mountain in Southern New Mexico known as “Ski Apache”. All in total my wife and I spent less than $500 to drive there, stay in a small cabin for four nights, and ski for three days with rentals. While it certainly wasn’t the most glamorous of vacations we had an amazing time and I still recall the trip fondly even years later. Like I said, a ski trip can ALMOST be customized to fit any budget, you just need to be willing to find a deal and know where to look. Here is my advice:
There are endless options for skiing in the US and beyond. If you want to plan a ski trip then the single most important cost factor is your destination. Where you will ski impacts how you get there (travel), the costs of being there (lodging, food, & entertainment), and of course the costs associated with actually skiing (life tickets, ski rentals, lessons, and more). It’s obvious that a trip to Aspen will be wildly more expensive than a trip to a lesser known place such as Monarch Mountain or Sipapu but you will need to know what you want out of your trip to ultimately decide what (and where) is best for you. I recommend making a list of things you would like to see, do, or experience and using that as a starting point for deciding on where to go. Do you want a mountain town/village with nightlife and a vibrant after-ski (“Apres-Ski”) scene? Breckenridge might be what you are looking for. Do you want an inexpensive family atmosphere with some other local activities such as snowmobiling and/or dog-sledding? Ski Cooper could be your perfect getaway.
With the answers to the above questions you can begin to make short list of destinations and simply narrow your selection down from there. The more you do your research, the more confident you will be in your decision and don’t be afraid to ask a friend or online. So many people absolutely love to ski and would probably enjoy helping you out (myself included). Once you’ve finally found the perfect place it is time to move to the next step in the planning process: When to go?
Skiing is not only a seasonal activity but it is heavily impacted by holidays and events. Don’t plan to ski in July or August unless you want to travel to the Southern Hemisphere and if you want to avoid crowds and inflated costs it is best to avoid holidays as well. At the end of the day though you can only work within your limitations (family, school, work, etc.) so here is a month to month guide to help you nail down the perfect time to hit the slopes.
November – While some ski areas may have even opened in October, most are just opening up for the season around Thanksgiving week. Skiing in the month of November will mean VERY limited snow coverage as it is extremely early in the season which will in turn will result in all of the skiers being concentrated into the limited areas that are open at that point. Conditions are usually variable and I wouldn’t really recommend this for a beginner who wants to maximize their ability to learn. You will also want to try to avoid Thanksgiving week as will be one of the busiest weeks of the year.
December – Snow is starting to stack up and ski areas are finally getting to open more terrain. Rarely will ski areas be fully open during the month of December but conditions SHOULD be significantly better than they were in November. Early December is usually the best time in the early season to ski as most children are still in school and the holiday vacation period has not started yet. This of course changes the week leading up to Christmas and the week between Christmas and New Years is absolute CHAOS. I would recommend avoiding this week at all costs if possible unless your most important goal of the trip is to actually celebrate the holiday in the mountains/snow.
January – In most years, resorts will finally be reaching the magical “100% Open” mark sometime this month. Aside from the most extreme terrain most of the ski area should have ample coverage to spread out the crowds. Avoid the week of New Years as the remnants of the Holiday Season will still drive heavy crowds and if possible abstain from planning an MLK Holiday weekend as many others will have the same idea.
February – In all but the worst of years resorts should be 100% open this month and conditions should be great for getting out on the slopes. As usual, avoid the major holiday of the month (President’s Day) to minimize any chances of crowds and reduce costs.
March – The snow conditions for the season should be reaching their prime and temperatures will start to warm up as month goes on. This combination can make for great skiing and a great trip BUT if at all possible avoid the insanity that is Spring Break at a ski area. In some cases the chaos of Spring Break can even surpass Christmas and traveling during the holiday will cost a hefty premium. You would do yourself (and your group) a huge favor if your itinerary is flexible enough to plan around this major US holiday!
April & Beyond – Ski areas will begin closing in early April as temperatures begin to rise and conditions start to deteriorate. Some high elevation resorts or those that receive large amounts of snowfall might remain open into May and beyond but most will be closed by the end of April. This can be a good time to travel to get the best bang for your buck but “Spring Skiing” presents its own challenges and may not be the best time of year for a new skier to learn. With the temperature swings between night and day straddling the freezing level, snow will freeze overnight making mornings a bit icy, thaw during the day creating a nice, slushy surface, and then quickly begin refreezing once the sun starts to dip behind the trees or the horizon. Most veteran skiers find great enjoyment during the slushy hours these days can offer but avoid mornings and evenings due to the ice.
There are many ways you can travel to a ski area. If you are fortunate enough to live near one you may just need to jump in the car and make a day trip out of it. Look online for the closest ski area to you and you may be surprised at what you find. In fact, almost every state has skiing in some form and you don’t need to travel deep into the Rocky Mountains to get your first taste of gravity powered bliss. Still, for most people skiing will require travel in one form or another and how you get there can impact both your planning and more importantly your overall trip cost.
By Car: If you aren’t afraid of a road trip into the mountains, driving is nearly always the cheapest option. This form of transport also gives you the greatest freedom as you are only limited by the space of your vehicle (for passengers and/or luggage), you will have your own transportation throughout your trip, and your only real cost would be fuel. Some people might argue that food should be included in their travel costs but again, if you want to be budget minded, you can prepare homemade food in advance and pack it along to minimize expense. More importantly, whether you were on vacation or not you would still have a food expense (that is largely in your control) so I don’t usually include it in my trip costs unless the meal is a featured experience of the trip itself (i.e. Eleven Madison Park).
By Plane: Depending on your destination (International? Alaska?) you may be required to incorporate flying for at least part of your travel. When booking airfare consider any charges if you bring your own equipment. While most of you first timers out there will not have your own skis or poles, baggage fees can add up so make sure you account for that when selecting the best deal for you. Also consider how you will get from the airport to the mountain. Unless you are flying in to a place like Aspen then you will likely to need to pre-arrange some form of transportation to get to and from the airport that you arrive at. Options include renting a car, chartering a shuttle, or even more creative means such as using social media to hitch a ride with someone else. Either way, don’t forget to incorporate this into the budget and the planning.
By Train: Though extremely rare these days there are still destinations you can reach by train. Amtrak travels around the country and some places have trains that can take you from major cities (airports) directly to the ski areas (i.e. Winter Park Express). If you are feeling adventurous, don’t be afraid to consider this option as a component of your adventure.
On-Site Hotel/Resort: While this option is likely to be the most expensive option it can offer great value and accommodation depending on your needs. Staying on resort can minimize or even eliminate your need for travel around the ski village and allow you direct access to skiing from your room. If you are new to skiing you will soon learn that it is quite a process to go from everyday streetwear to a complete ski kit and being able to do that in your room instead of a parking lot or the back of a car is magnitudes easier and more enjoyable. This is even more true if you have kids or family in tow. Lastly, staying on resort does not mean you need to eat on resort. You can save some money by bringing groceries and eating in your room instead of paying crazy high cafeteria prices or needing to eat in your car/travel back to your room for lunch.
Nearby Hotel: If staying on resort is not an absolute necessity you can save quite a bit of money staying at a nearby hotel. Often tines ski villages/towns will have a litany of hotels within walking distance or that offer free shuttle service to the ski area. These can save you quite a bit of money while only having the added inconvenience of travel between skiing and where you are staying.
AirBnB/VRBO: Short Term Rentals as they are often called can be a great option with limitless variety. Some places can be found for a great deal with tons of space and household amenities while others can offer you the unequivocal luxury of staying in a mansion on a named ski run within the resort. There are options for every budget and if you book far enough in advance, great deals can be found.
Other Options: Hostels, couch surfing, and even camping are all options depending on how many amenities you want to give up in exchange for cost savings. Finding these places will require a bit of research and a bit more planning but if you are willing to put in the work then you might be rewarded for your efforts.
Lift Tickets: The cost of lift tickets should be one of the main considerations when choosing a skiing destination. Daily lift tickets can range from $50 or less to over $200 day depending on where you decide to go. Save money by booking tickets online in advance (the earlier the better) and seeing if your hotel, airline, or even an organization membership (AAA? Costco?) can offer you discounted rates.
Ski Rentals: Rentals can picked up at the ski area, in the ski town, or in a major city on the way to the ski resort. Each option will have its advantages and disadvantages so you will want to consider them closely. Renting on resort has the greatest ease in pickup and storage, minimizing any need for you to travel with this cumbersome gear but expect to pay a premium for this. Renting at a local shop in the mountain village/town can save you a little money but you will have to deal with some transportation of the gear and if you run into any issues you will have to return to the shop to address them. Finally, renting in a nearby city is generally the most cost effective way to rent gear but you will have to rent the gear for every day you have it even if you are not skiing (unless you intend to drive all the way back to return it on down days) and if you have any issues with the gear you will generally have to travel quite far to get it fixed. Additionally, consider where you are staying when deciding where you want to rent your gear. If you are staying on resort then renting on resort is obviously the easiest option. If you rent anywhere else you will have to leave the resort to return your gear on down days and/or to fix any problems that arise (uncomfortable boots, broken binding, etc.). If you are staying off resort then picking up your gear at a local shop or even a nearby city might make sense as you will already have some travel built into your day and your pickup/dropoff spot might be on your way.
Lessons & More: If you have never skied before I HIGHLY RECOMMEND taking at least an introductory lesson. Often times ski areas will have “Intro to Skiing” or “First-Timer” packages that include rentals, lift ticket, and a lesson for a great deal. If you want a more personal touch you can also book private lessons though you will of course pay significantly more for this experience. Regardless, getting profession guidance on your first day will help ensure you maximize the enjoyment you get out of your trip. If you are not a first-timer I still recommend getting a lesson at least once a year as there is always something to learn and ways for you to improve. I personally take lessons as often as I can even though I can confidently ski pretty much anywhere on any mountain.
So now that you have the inside info to help you plan your trip, what should you know about skiing? Just like anything skiing can be an endless pursuit of perfection where you will find you can never really learn everything there is to know but you can definitely work on a few basics before you ever step into ski bindings are start sliding on snow.
How to ACTUALLY Snow Ski: It’s difficult for me to describe and/or teach just through writing when there are such good resources online. Below are a few links to YouTube Videos and Channels that I personally have used to improve my own skiing and that I think can be a great resource in preparing you for your trip. Having some knowledge and exposure before your first day on snow can greatly expedite your learning curve once you actually get on the mountain.
Getting Stoked: Each year as summer draws to a close and autumn begins to cool the air, millions of people across the globe experience a rekindling of a flame from the year before. This flame grows as the anticipation of a new ski season draws near and often times these individuals will “stoke” that flame with the annual release of ski cinema. Production companies such as Teton Gravity Research and Matchstick Productions film and release epic ski movies at the end of every summer and these movies serve as the inspiration for the season to come. There are so many great movies out there that it is hard to recommend just one but here is a list of my personal favorites. Pick one and watch it before your first/next big adventure to stoke your own flame of excitement as you anxiously count down the days until your departure.