Ok you lot … D O N E … Now closed for entries? including you Zikomo … your first ‘ski trip’

A snowHead

Les Menuires. 2009 or 2010. Mid April and stunning spring conditions. I'd done learn to ski in a day before hand. Just scraped through the course. Had lessons booked on first 4 days but the instructor took one person off from our group as she was so bad he had to teach her separately for the first day. So my mate who was super experienced tried to teach me. Absolute disaster. I could not turn left. I finished the day battered and bruised and still have a calcium lump on my shin from one fall. Still, made massive progress through the week. Loved everything about it. I was completely hooked and bought boots and skis when I got home and spent the next winter in a campervan visiting a whole host of European ski resorts.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Legend., great story….what was the smell in the campervan like? Everyone I know who has done that winds up smelling a bit musty for the following decade….must be the fungal spores….

You need to Login to know who's really who.

2007, aged 34 I was invited skiing with some friends to Ischgl. Fell in love with both skiing and pear schnapps Very Happy

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

1981 - school trip to Schruns, Austria aged 14.
1st ski season - 1996/97, working as the bean counter at the Rond Point, Meribel.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Mid 1980s at a small hill near Toronto, the local YMCA ran a program to get us 'city' kids skiing. Every Sunday we got return bus, lesson, ski rental and lift pass all for $5. I don't remember much about the skiing, but I distinctly remember getting Duran duran stickers in my cracker jack box.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@valais2, I've definitely undersold it, it was Hymer motorhome rather than a campervan. Nicer than most hotel rooms. Heated and well insulated. Although that didn't really help when the heating broke down when it was -13 up in Sauze D'Oulx. That was a couple of very cold nights.

After all it is free

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

First time on skis, a couple hours one afternoon near Toronto in 2012. I knew immediately that it was for me, so much so that I bought boots before my first trip to La Plagne in 2014. Went with a couple of mates, one snowboarded who'd done a week before and one completely new skier (plus myself who had only done a few hours but felt I had the basics). We did do a trip to Hemel and some dryslope skiing beforehand but didn't book any lessons so were probably your fairly typical Brits skiing too fast and too out of control. The other lad on skis definitely was, and didn't make many attempts to turn at all, so was a little alarming watching him. He had a couple days off mid-week and hasn't skied since. Me and the other lad got around the mountain pretty well by the end of the week I think I was skiing reasonably well considering the lack of lessons.

It was a self-catering trip with some small TO, shoebox room flights, transfers, passes and rental kit for £451 each. Think I spent another £100 during the week, including a night out that was a little too heavy and meant that I didn't ski on the Wednesday. The following season I did two trips, the year after that was 3.

If I could do it again then I'd definitely get lessons, wouldn't have bought boots straight away and possibly even snowboarded. In fact I keep thinking about trying it now, but after 20+ weeks of learning to ski I think I'd get frustrated. I'd also force the other lad to have lessons, I'm sure one of the reasons he didn't enjoy it was because he wasn't very good.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

snow reports

1978 in the back paddock with an improvised rope tow - nobody in the family skied bit for some reason I had decided I wanted to ! Then did loads of lessons during school at Hillend then first overseas trip was La Rosiere late 80s. Did 6 back to back seasons then stopped skiing altogether for 8 years then did 2 days then stopped again for 7 years !

About 1995ish (30 years old) a bunch of us drove to Flumserberg in Switzerland, me and my then girlfriend were the only two that couldn't ski. My Swiss mate tried to teach me to snowplough, after about 15mins I'd had enough...it was hard work, they didn't do that on Ski Sunday! I saw someone else ski straight down and do a hockey stop so that's what I tried. I used to ice skate as a kid so it went quite well I thought. I spent the week trying to follow my mates where ever they went and not fall over too much.

A year later we went to Pitztal, there was a lot of drinking involved again. I was still useless (I smoked heavily and not very fit) fed up with falling over on my just mended broken wrist and gave it up for the next twelve years.

2008 I went with a mate to Valloire, he bribed me by telling me he'd spend the whole week looking after me which he did. I was finally hooked.

10 years later, after a couple of bike accidents I tried boarding, but now I've got my Mojo back thanks to skimojos!

You know it makes sense.

1995 - Arinsal in Andorra....I was 22 me and a gang of mates left Dublin on St Stephens Days thinking we were heading off to conquer the north face of Eiger.
An everlasting love affair was born.

I had just graduated as a engineer and just joined the company I still work for.

Given the covid years I've skied pretty much twice a year since.

My year revolves around it.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Greece in 1979. Was working & living in Athens and we went to Mount Parnassus above Delphi. Very rudimentary kit. Not much in the way of tuition but enjoyed the experience sufficiently to do a proper trip (to Kitzbuhel) the following year

A snowHead

1985, Sol Y Nieve, aged 4. Hazy memories of battling with local kids in ski school & the badge pins with the stars, but those are surely from subsequent trips!

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Sept 1976 - Pontypool (Dendix) for me, followed by San Cassiano in the Dollies in Dec 76

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Always seemed to snow every year when I was kid in North Kent, the local farmer even cleared our road with a snow-plough and the council put up snow fences to stop drifting on more exposed roads, and often days (again it seemed) when we couldn't get to school?

Plus we had a great sledging slope (Happy Valley, now a vineyard) ten mins walk that could get quite extreme, not helped by the barbwire fencing if you managed a fast long ride Laughing

No way can I remember where, but was a school trip skiing when I was around 12 so 1970'ish, then again when I was 17, again can't remember where.

The first resort I can recall was Formigal, that's when I was working at The Times (81), which was then owned by Lord Thomson, as in Thomson holidays so we had great discounts and then that was it, skiing/boarding most years ever since, and forays at Sandown artificial slope, Box Hill (real snow) and numerous sorties on the North Kent Downs and South Downs whenever possible.

You'll need to Register first of course.

1973 school trip to St Moritz - we stayed in a youth hostel. Black leather lace up boots that only just covered your ankle.
8.5 CHF to £, and I discovered apfelstrudal Very Happy

As Origen, couldn't afford to go again until I was 40, but only 2 kids.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

School trip in 1978 to Monte Bondone, Italy. An introduction to skiing, girls and beer in one heavenly week. .

After all it is free · Last edited by After all it is free on Wed 6-03-24 18:37; edited 1 time in total

1992 £200 each last minute trip to val thorens in a S/C rabbit hutch (during the winter olympics) with skiworld on the old overnight party train from calais, it was me and one other newbie, and 2 other blokes who had been before.

it was feb half term, but i dont remember any issues with it being busy at the time, for some reason i was tasked with booking the trip, and spent two evenings watching the teletext holiday pages scroll round and round Very Happy

no one in my family had ever skied before, apart from my twin brother who had been on an army ski trip whilst serving in Germany, financially it would not have been on our radar.
but one of my good mates had been on a few ski trips and i was due to go with him in 1988, but he had a severe accident a few weeks before our trip, and nearly had his arm amputated in a hospital in Grenoble, so obviously that trip was cancelled

absolutely hooked from the first morning sobering up on the train and seeing the snow and the mountains, and mornings of ski lessons, where the cold air blasted you awake.

like a few others have mentioned, i had not a clue that you could get sunburn, and returned home with a face like a slice of corned beef Shocked

a few other trips in the next couple of years, including me and my newbie mate going to Colorado for a two week festive trip the next winter straight after our first ski. to this day, i still cannot work out how i managed to book a DIY trip to the states before the internet was invented Puzzled

fast forward a couple of years and i started doing seasons in Meribel as a maintenance man/driver, then one as a "ski comapanion" for a T/O

@Kenzie, we would have been in meribel at the same time, 96/97 was my second season, would you remember the manager of ronnies that season, i think his name was James, am sure he was a facebook contact of mine at one stage?

from memory, he was good friends with one of my colleagues from silverski, Steve, his nickname was "spank", mad as a box of frogs with a plastic duck stuck to his snowboard!!!

1966, age 14, school trip by coach and train to Kandersteg in Switzerland. Lace up leather boots, skis as tall as length of arm above head, 20 minute walk to cable car, then one chair lift ride up to the slopes per day, ski lessons with swooningly handsome instructors, side stepping back up slope after each exercise.... learning stem Christies and kick turns...
Huge plates of chips and mayo, a disco every evening, bunkbeds in large dormitories, 2 showers between 50 of us.
A wonderful holiday. Fell in love with the mountains and skiing and still love it.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

1997, Sauze D'Oulx (I can still smell the drains). My ski instructor told me I skied 'like an arthritic chicken'. I was disheartened, but I managed to come first in my beginners' slalom race on the Thursday (albeit out of control and on one ski most of the time). I was about to give up snow holidays as a bad job, but met a couple of snowboarders who convinced me to try again the following year on a snowboard instead. I followed their advice, and have stayed happily at lower-intermediate level on a board ever since, boarding one week per year.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Mid 70s aged 14, school trip to Leysin in Switzerland. Didn't have the opportunity / funds / time to go again until I was 28 and been kicking myself for the lost time ever since.

snow reports

@terrygasson,
Originally it was Jurgen, but he left end of Feb/start of March? to set up his own summer operation. James (manager at Scotts? - restaurant next to Doron bar-hotel) and Gaga (Ronnies' bar manager) shared manager duties for rest of season.

First “trip” or first ski/board?

Seems all but a few went straight to the mountains, without spending time in any frig/dry slope before hand! rolling eyes

And it seems to went rather well for the majority, judging by the result. Very Happy

My first “trip” isn’t really a “trip” either. It’s only an hour from where I live in Michigan. I went because a bunch of my mates were going. At that age (late teens), it’s quite normal to be trying this or that activities out just for the heck of it. Even jumped out into empty air (with parachutes on)! Scared silly but also excited. That’s what teenagers do. Embarassed

I didn’t get on too well. So decided to try cross country skiing instead. Michigan is flat as a pancake. Lots of snow but not a lot of hills. So xc skiing turns out to be a better activity. Can ski out the backyard to school! Very Happy

After I got comfortable on xc skis, I tried downhill ski again. This time a lot easier. I still do both.

This was back in the 80’s. But I can’t remember all the dates. (Probably because it wasn’t a “trip” and not particularly memorable)

You know it makes sense.

1978 I think.

First trip was a week in St Moritz ...which sounds (and was) very grand.

However... it was a school trip and we stayed in the Youth Hostel.

As a complete beginner, I somehow got put into a non beginner class after the 10m initial 'grading' test, consequently held everyone up at the back of the class for a couple of days, but got relatively good pretty quickly as a result. Fond memories.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Kenzie, cheers.
i remember James being a nice bloke, we were given good seasonaire discounts and several free drinks from him when he was on duty during ronnies apres sessions!!

A snowHead

1992, Les Deux Alpes aged 26. 24 or so of us, mostly baby barristers, plus assorted friends and family across 2 catered chalets and a hotel. I’d done some lessons at Swadlincote dry slope. I drank a significant quantity of the export strength Gordon’s gin on the first night, felt dreadful and was duly back classed to total beginners class on day one. As the Albertville Winter Olympics had taken place shortly before, it seemed like everyone decided to go skiing the second week in Match. I recall standing in queues for the beginners drag lift for 40 mins. I ached all over. Up the mountain the queue for a gondola was so long, 2 French blokes had an argument in and then launched into a proper punch up.
I was terrified when coaxed down a blue run by a well meaning friend (“don’t worry, you’ll be ok”).
The whole week in the chalets was a total blast, I loved it. Despite my overall level of complete and utter terror on the slopes , I couldn’t wait to go again. Plus I developed a long standing addiction to Salade de Chèvre Chaud.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@halfhand, was Martin Marlow your instructor by any chance?

You need to Login to know who's really who.

1998 Katschberg Austria, party of 8, 4 newbies and 4 experienced, one of the experienced who is German “ I have friends who run a hotel which is great ” she said, “how much” we asked, “ oh don’t worry I will get it cheap for everyone” she replied.
It was, 4* full board with all singing wellness and spa, newbies had a private instructor who had skied for Slovakia in the olympics until he blew a knew and has to retire from competitive skiing, a great bloke and got me hooked. One evening we walked up to a hutte for dinner, stopping on the way to drink 2-3 bottles of schnapps, then a very drunken toboggan ride down after dinner, we nearly lost one of the party. Another night we had a horse draw sleigh there and back to a different hutte for dinner.
It was a fantastic week, until we were given our bill on checking out, it wasn’t cheap, it was four times how much our other experienced friend thought it was going to be. Shocked

But I was hooked and haven’t missed a season since.
For 1999 it was Thomson ski half board to L2A for a quarter of that trip

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

1980: school trip to Aviemore (I was 14). We'd had 3x1hr lessons on the old dry slope near Rushden to give us a head start. I was absolutely hooked and went on every school ski trip until I left (parents couldn't really afford it so I contributed all my paper round money every year to cover at least half the costs). Later trips went to Italy (St Gree di Viola - no snow so a 40 minute bus journey every morning to find some!); Austria (stayed at Itter and skied mainly in Soll); and then 3 years on the bounce to Switzerland (Les Croset - so got to ski a bit of France too by default). I'm forever thankful to the PE teachers at my good old bog standard comprehensive for the opportunity.

I too remember watching the BBC coverage of the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympics and saying "I want to do that!"

You'll need to Register first of course.

March 1985 Tignes in a catered chalet with either Supertravel or Baldon Lines. I'd spent a lot of time on Aldershot dry slope and could manage a stem christie. First run on snow I fell over so many times but by the end of the week with a couple of private lessons I was skiing parallel (ish) down blues. Remember the trip over to Val, huge bumps down under tommueses and a lack of snow down to la daille. I was hooked Toofy Grin

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

1989, Les Deux Alpes, 6 of us self catering in a shoebox that slept 6. I was 23. I remember sitting in a bar in the village while one or other of the 2 couples went back to the apartment to have it to themselves for a while...
I worked for an outdoor retailer and we sold ski gear in the Winter. When my manager tried to explain how long, straight, skinny skis could turn corners, and bindings could both hold your boot onto a ski and let it come off when necessary, I decided I had to take myself skiing if I was going to be any good at selling this stuff to people.
Had a 6 hour dry slope course at Bassingbourne beforehand and then just went for it. Fell over A LOT that first year!

After all it is free

Aged 20, Zell am Ziller, on my own - no friends wanted to forgo their summer holiday and couldn’t afford both; neither could I, but I took a 2nd job in a pub, and worked all the overtime on offer in my main job. Set off on my big adventure wondering WTF I was doing, but too late to turn back. I knew the boots would be uncomfortable so didn’t question the horrendous blisters on my shins due to the boots being too loose and all the sidestepping. Still had an absolute ball, and was hooked.

Christmas 2000, aged 32, Valmorel. Persuaded by my then boyfriend, now hubby, to give it a go as he was a keen skier. Got a fantastic late deal in a nice hotel overlooking the main piste down into town. Had a 6 hr wait at Geneva charter terminal before our bus left for resort (thanks Airtours). No rep on board & we had to drag our bags across the bottom of the piste in the dark to find the hotel. Had daily afternoon lessons but the telecabin broke down so had to yomp gear up to the meeting point every day. First lesson, arrived late & didn’t even know how to put my boots into the skis properly. After that had an absolute blast even when taken out rather spectacularly by another lady in my class. Not so keen on the rare kangaroo steaks which took centre stage on Xmas eve meal.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Help!!

Ok you lot … D O N E … Now closed for entries? including you Zikomo … your first ‘ski trip’

snowHeads Forum Index >>> The Piste