by Jeff Day
Planning a skiing or snowboarding vacation is much like planning any other vacation, except for the loose ends. The loose ends — such as lift tickets, warm clothing, and equipment — are rather important, however.
Start by setting a budget. Snowboarding and skiing are not cheap, but some destinations are definitely more expensive than others. Decide what you want to spend and stick to it, eliminating all non-essentials, if necessary. Stay closer to home to save on transportation costs. Cut back on the nightlife. Look for a cheaper motel. Hit a grocery store and pack your lunch.
Once you've set a budget, start planning. Pick a state, country, or area where you'd like to snowboard or ski. This cuts your choices to a manageable number, eliminating the nine million places you don't want to visit. Next decide if you want lessons. Almost all resorts offer lessons, but many offer packages that give you lessons, lift tickets and equipment rentals at a reduced rate. Look for deals as well as lessons that sound like they'll meet your needs.
The next big decision: What type of resort are you looking for? Is this a family trip, or are you looking for a place with great nightlife? Do you want to stay in a cute resort village with great shopping, or do you just want to crash at night? Talk to skiers you know and ask for recommendations. Even a dedicated partier can give you advice on places more suited to families and vice versa.
Now head to the computer. Check out the recommendations you got — you may have to go no further. But as long as you're on the web, do a little browsing. Come up with a phrase that describes the trip you have in mind, and search for it. It doesn't have to be Shakespeare: Even a search for “Vermont skiing lessons resort village shopping family beginners slopes” generates some 40,000 search results — far more results, in fact, than there are places to ski in Vermont.
So how do you narrow it down? For the most part, you can stick to things you find on the first couple pages of hits. Search engines list sites in the order that best matches your search term, starting with the best and moving down to the worst. The further you go down the list, the further you will be from a good match, eventually ending up with things that are only tangentially related to skiing and snowboarding — job postings, equipment reviews and the names of people who left New England for Jamaica.
Keeping Costs Down
Now comes the part where you match your dreams with your budget. Start by looking for package deals that combine several things for a discounted price. Lodging and lift ticket is a common package, as are lift ticket, equipment rental and lessons.
Ski off-peak. Weekends and holidays are generally more expensive than weekdays and less popular times. Hitting the slopes the second week in January is going to be far less expensive than skiing between Christmas and New Year — and there's likely to be more snow.
Stay longer. A 3-day pass is cheaper than three one-day passes and, on a cost-per-day basis, a five-day pass costs less than a three-day pass. If you're taking more than one trip, it might even pay to get a season pass.
Booking early will often get you a free night or two at a hotel. Investigate apartment rentals in nearby towns, too. If it's a family trip, you may find a reasonably-priced condo — everyone gets a room and you can eat-in instead of hitting the restaurants. Consider sharing with another family to cut costs even further.
Unless you're going to rent, consider buying everything you need before you leave. Equipment is far more expensive at a resort shop than it is at your local store, and you'll probably have a better variety to choose from when shopping at home. If you're flying, you'll need to weigh the cost of checking your equipment vs. renting it.
Equipment and Clothing
If you don't have skis or a snowboard, rent instead of borrowing from a friend. A good rental shop will match your equipment to your height, weight and ability, as well as making sure the boots fit properly. Your buddy's old skis or snowboard are guaranteed to do none of the above. If you're taking your own equipment, you'll also need a rack to carry it. Snowboards and skis don't fit in the trunk.
Dressing adequately is far more important than dressing stylishly. Dress in layers, with long underwear next to your skin, an insulating layer over that, and wind-and-waterproof pants and jacket on top. The first two layers should be fabrics that wick moisture away from your skin — wool, silk or synthetics, including fleece. Don't even think about cotton, and don't wear jeans. Once cotton gets wet, it stays wet and only gets colder. The outer layer should be ski pants and a ski jacket. A waterproof fabric that breathes is ideal, but expensive, and folks have managed to do without breathable fabrics for most of the world's history.
Wear a hat, not a beanie — the head accounts for at least 30 percent of the heat your body loses. Mittens are warmer than gloves, but a bit clumsier. Wear one pair of medium-weight, moisture-wicking socks under your boots, and have a dry pair handy to change into after lunch. Beginners should wear ski helmets. Don't forget goggles.
Freelance writer Jeff Day took his first ski trip wearing jeans, a pea coat and work boots instead of ski boots. He no longer speaks to the friends who assured him this was a good idea.
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