 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello! I'm leading a trip of beginners skiers to Austria in Feb half-term and I rather like the idea of printing and laminating a sign for the backs of their bedroom doors - what to wear and in what order, what to check that they have before leaving their room etc.
Has anyone got anything like this already done?
Thanks in advance!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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For instance:
1 - base layers - over socks or under socks, or what if the base layer trousers are too tight to roll to the knees? cut them off at the knees?!
2 - Mid layers next
3 - Ski trousers/Salopettes
4 - Jacket
Double check ski pass is zipped in
Lip balm in pocket
Ski gloves
Helmet, goggles, neckbuff/balaclava
10 euro note in pocket
Does this sound sensible?
Once on the bus, I'll be on the microphone checking for boots, poles.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Base Layer trousers pulled up above boots. Unlikely to be too tight.
Other:
- Piste Map
- Sun Cream
- Goggle Bag (for wiping Goggles)
- Photograph Lift Pass in case it gets lost
- GHIC Card/Photo of Insurance
- Glove Liners if cold
- €20 probably nearer the mark
- Phone with your number on it
- Means to identify skis/boots
- Ski school receipt?
Nb. Make sure they all have adapters....probably bring extra in case.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 28-01-25 21:30; edited 2 times in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sunscreen applied and tube in pocket
Sweets or chocolate in pocket
Fully charged phone
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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It's more than 20 years since I was running school trips and phones are now ubiquitous which wasn't the case then. Nevertheless, I would give everyone a laminated card, maybe worn round the neck, with all group leaders' phone numbers as well as school and hotel details. In worst case scenario, incapacitated with no-one familar present, rescuers don't need extra problem of trying to find info on phone. I would also give these cards to ski school and instructors.
Sign for bedroom door, I found this rolled off the tongue quite well:
Hat
Goggles
Gloves
Lift Pass
Map
Sun Cream
Wallet
Phone
Mars Bar
Lipsalve
Obviously now likely to be helmet, and one or two optional (piste map), and probably will be others that will be suggested.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Will they not be renting skis, boots and poles? Useful for them to have a note of their numbers, or whatever. Someone's bound to take the wrong ones.
Yours, and each other's, numbers can presumably be organised on phones before you go. Maybe Whatsapp.
And well done - hope everyone has fun. What Mynydd are you from?
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How old are they?
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Always printed laminated ski pass size cards with hotel info, ski school info, emergency teacher contact number on for kids to have in an easily accessible pocket, or to put in the back of a phone case. If any medical issues eg asthma / allergies, this would be noted too. Have had a few phone calls from random members of the public who have found lost kids in restaurants or kids that have lost touch with groups in bad conditions so it's a system that works for our school.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Origen wrote: |
| Will they not be renting skis, boots and poles? Useful for them to have a note of their numbers, or whatever. Someone's bound to take the wrong ones. |
Our trip company have sent us ski ties with a space for their names to be written in Sharpie. I'm expecting them to either lose the ties during the day or forget their names!
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Dressing Order:
Base Layers
Socks (only socks go into ski boots so base layers cannot go either under or over socks)
Mid Layer (adjust depending on the day ... thicker or thinner)
Salopettes
Optional 2nd Mid Layer (puffer jacket if cold and/or jacket is a shell)
Jacket
To take:
Goggles
Gloves
Helmet
Facemask or scarf (if cold)
Required Accessories:
LIFT PASS !!!
Piste Map
Cash
Emergency Contact details and Insurance/EHIC details
Phone
Snack (eg Mars Bar or Chocolate or Gummi Bears)
Hat (if going to sit outside to eat lunch)
Sunglasses (if going to sit outside to eat lunch)
Suncream and Lipsalve (ideally one of those small tubes with the lipsalve included)
Skis and Poles
.... this was the list I used with my kids when they were small. And, yes, later my by then 15yo son did turn up for his morning lesson with everything he needed ... except his skis.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Don’t forget smokes and hip flask 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Brain?
…it seems this is optional sometimes…
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i run an Arctic Trip for a school and another good tip is - cellotape EHIC/GHIC to back of passport
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You know it makes sense.
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@Merch y Mynydd, one thing to consider is that kids invariably have phones with them - PRIOR to the trip its worth reminding parents to make sure that their kids mobiles are suitably setup for data roaming that they won't be getting a massive bill post trip... Sideways_Jnr is off to Austria on a coach with his school in 2 weeks too so its something I am very aware of as 48 hours of streaming across Europe will tank his regular allowances pretty fast.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Make sure that everyone has the ICE information updated on their phone
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Macker13 wrote: |
| ... another good tip is - cellotape EHIC/GHIC to back of passport |
Not sure about that one. If they all take their passports out every day, some will probably be lost by the end of the week!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
If they all take their passports out every day
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Probably best if they don't. Maybe teacher should have all EHICs.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| ecureuil wrote: |
| If they all take their passports out every day |
We take their passports on arrival and return them on the coach back to the airport. During that time, they are locked in the hotel safe (the passports, not the kids, although....)
In case of injury we would accompany them to the hospital/clinic, in which case we take their GHIC with us
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I have a graphic B5 sized little poster we have for our apartment rental clients which is by the front door. If you PM me, I’m happy to send you the PowerPoint original.
It has little pictures of a skipass, goggles, sunglasses, ski map, sun/lip cream, mobile phone (charged up); ID; money; water and chocolate.
If I were you and wanted to be comprehensive, I’d consider a similar thing in the bedroom for getting dressed, and another for the boot room (poles, helmet, goggles ….).
There are in fact quite a lot of things to remember, so splitting the signs up into dressing, apartment and boot room would probably increase the chances of getting everything sorted.
Tell them to take a photo’ on their mobile of their GHIC and passport, plus contact details for you and any local emergency numbers.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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For UK use I already have my passport, driving license, GHIC and all that stuff securely in my phone.
You might want to add the resort app if that works as a lift ticket, and it'll have the piste map in it, if you need one.
If it was a cooperative group of people, you might think about location sharing, for example with google maps.
I use that with buddies sometimes when snowboarding, and it works well if you've either data or good wifi coverage.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It’s a low probability scenario, but in a heli-evac, there’s no space for anyone else, other than the injured. So they will arrive at A&E well ahead of anyone else and be on their own. So that’s why it’s a good idea for them to have their GHIC on them, together with contact details for someone else in the group. Of course, they’ll be treated whether or not they have the GHIC, but in my experience it just helps streamline admission a bit. It’s also useful for everyone to know what happens in an accident that requires emergency services or helicopter transfer. Again, it just provides reassurance for those caught up in the event, which can be stressful. For the group lead, it’s worth finding out ahead of an incident where any injured will be taken and having a plan of how to get there.
I was on a group trip once where one person didn’t carry any sort of ID, money, GHIC or anything on them. “I put all that in X’s rucksack, it’s much easier.” they said. I then asked them how they thought things might pan out if they got separated from everyone else and perhaps knocked unconscious or were heavily sedated and then taken to A&E? “I hadn’t thought of that …”.
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Sorry for the delay in responding - norovirus is such fun... 
Really grateful for the tons of great advice here - some things I hadn't considered, so I'm thankful to you all.
To answer a few questions: they're a group of 12-16 year olds and I've been strict on entry requirements, so they're good kids all in all. That said, some have never been away from Mam and Dad and all of them bar 3 have never skied before. THe 3 that have a week each on snow. Staff are beginners too but totally up for it. I'll be skiing solo alas, but I don't mind that at all. Our Ski Operators have years of experience and I've travelled with them before, so I know we're in good hands.
@Origen, Mynydd Gellionnen here in the Swansea valley. Born and bred Cymraes Cwmtawe!
@LaForet - I'd love to take you up on your offer. I'm PM you (when I figure out how!).
Hasn't considered the ICE on phone, and I'm definitely going to work on credit card sized hotel and contact details - they can pop these into their lift pass pockets and keep them there.
I'm trying to cover all small problems beforehand - I've overdosed on A**zon's velcro ties as despite having it on the key essentials list for parents, I've got too many pupils telling me "My auntie/cousin/neighbour/mate down the park told me I don't need to buy them" and I know it's going to be a mad scrabble every morning without them (sharpies at the ready too).
Where can those without lift pass pockets store them? Some have already said that their jackets don't have chest/arm pockets so I'm concerned that these will be lost very quickly and cause me a headache! If i think of anymore questions, I'll be back! I've only ever been responsible for my own little family so organising a 45 person trip is making me a little apprehensive. It's all going very smoothly so far........
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Apologies for the typos!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Merch.Y.Mynydd, lift pass can usually go in trouser pocket or lower jacket pocket, they just might have to hump the machine a bit to get through.
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| SnoodyMcFlude wrote: |
| @Merch.Y.Mynydd, lift pass can usually go in trouser pocket or lower jacket pocket, they just might have to hump the machine a bit to get through. |
Yup - Just make sure it's in a pocket on its own, or it could get pulled out by mistake if along with other contents.
I've also had success in a fleece pocket, warn directly under the jacket.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I am currently skiing with three other teachers and we have been comparing horror stories which would make the HSE blanche. I am just glad that there are some left who are prepared to give children these opportunities. My own not very relevant advice is not to take a non-skiing grandmother via Venice! The best of luck.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Merch.Y.Mynydd wrote: |
| ...Where can those without lift pass pockets store them? Some have already said that their jackets don't have chest/arm pockets so I'm concerned that these will be lost very quickly ........ |
Left trouser / salopette pocket should work, unless they are too short. Arm or neck pouch? Or one on the end of those elasticated cords? Wherever they put it, don't let them put their phone in the same place. (Not only because taking their phone out might lose the pass, but because the phone will stop the pass working).
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Also don't put it in with an old ski pass from the previous year. Took a while to work out the issue when one my kids did that 
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You know it makes sense.
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Buy a foreign esim for those 48-hour bus rides, @Richard_Sideways, fits into the existing mobile like a dream! Available on the internet for the cost of a pint.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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just a story of my mixed lads and lassies school ski trip which was 55 years ago, twas where I learnt that most girls where well in advance of the lads but thats a tale im not going to tell , however here we are in ischgl skis at least 2 ft above our bobble hats with cable bindings and a ski jacket from c & a. Apres ski consisted of going to a cafe for a coke or a hot chocolate in the company of the duty school teacher who as one of her rules was that we didnt drink the tap water unless boiled . One of the girls asked teacher for an aspirin/disprin so when asked how to take it teacher said oh dont drink the water (even though it was more likely to be the purest ) pop it in your drink which was a bottle of coke ,twas the nearest thing to being on the edge of vesuvious having an eruption the whole place walls ceiling people not just us where covered in a sweet sticky foam( think theve changed the recipe as doesnt have as much umph nowadays tried it on the grankids at a summer bbq though still fairly spectacular ho ho . Now onto my other memories of this trip, twas where we learnt to snowplough which on occassions I still have been known to adopt in fact more so nowadays as in my 70s but as for the other tales they will remain my memories !!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Many years ago husband and I were enjoying beers in a little bar in Meribel and noticed what was clearly a school party there too. 14-16 year olds it seemed.
Husband, himself a headteacher, said let's have some fun’ and he introduced himself to one of the school staff as ‘The Ofsted Inspector for the Alps’.
Staff member looked horrified and said he wasn’t in charge ‘It’s him over there’.
Husband ask the ‘Him’ about staff-student ratio and similar plausible enquiries, leader assured him kids were not drinking alcohol and would shortly be returning to their hotel, then husband asked if a list of all DIN settings was available (daft question).
School staff were now getting a bit suspicious and husband was asked for his ID.
“My credentials are lodged at the Mairie in Courchevel. We are leaving now but I congratulate you on what is clearly a very well conducted school excursion”.
School staff looked suitably pleased and proud.
For some time afterwords we expected letters in the Times Ed Sup complaining about the absurd waste of money involved in employing an ‘Ofsted Inspector for the Alps’ , plus others hopefully asking where such jobs were advertised.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Coloured ribbon to tie to every bag before you start the trip so that when collecting bags everyone can easily tell it's part of your parties bags and so will grab it rather than every child looking for their bag which they probably won't recognise anyway.
Labels to label skis so children have the right ones, if you are allowed to stick them to the skis. Make a note of all boot sizes.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| pieman666 wrote: |
Labels to label skis so children have the right ones, if you are allowed to stick them to the skis. |
Make sure you get the right and left ones correctly labelled.
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FAQ
