Hi Guys,
As you can see i am new here so please be gentle on me!
I am 36, my partner is 43 and we have a daughter of 9 and I have always wanted to ski. Ever since i was a child i longed to ski high up in the mountains but never seemed to get round to it. But now i have decided it is now or never. I have managed to convince my mrs that we would all love it and have just booked a week in Arinsal for us all.
I booked 1 week, flying into Toulouse from January 10th 2010. I have also booked a beginners package so we get 5 days of ski school, lift passes and equipment hire. So i am guessing we are all set.?
Clothing wise we are taking Jackets, Salopettes, some thin fleeces and 2 sets of base layers. Is that enough? I bought my base layers today and was wondering if 2 sets are enough for a week? Do they get smelly? Do you wear you standard undies underneath them?
I also need to get some goggles and socks. Are the Ski tubes you see hanging in TK Max good enough? I don't really worry about the price of things i just dont want to regret being stuck on a mountain wishing i had bought something else.
We are really looking forward to it now but some things are starting to worry me:
The flight (i hate flying)
The transfer, its a long one!
LACK OF SNOW!
Will there be plenty of snow in january? I have been looking at pics online and a lot show just strips of snow in what looks like green mountains. I assume these are made by the snow canons. I just want it to be perfect as i really don't want a lifetimes wishes to be dashed!
Jon
Ps: we are staying at the poblado apartments.....hoping they are ok.
Right i've done it...I booked my first trip!
Login
To Create or Answer a Topic
Started by Snapzzz in Beginning Skiing 01-Nov-2009 - 42 Replies
Snapzzz posted Nov-2009
Skied: Arinsal, La Plagne, Alpe D'huez, Flaine, Les Arcs, Morzine, Les Gets, Avoriaz, Sauze, Courchevel, Val Thorens
Pablo Escobar
reply to 'Right i've done it...I booked my first trip!' posted Nov-2009
Everyone is a bit different... 2 sets is enough for me for a week, they don't get smelly (unless there is a lot of hiking) and I don't wear anything under them... at all.
Tube socks aren't great, get ones that look like they are made to fit your feet. I wear smartwool socks but they are about £18 a pair, someone else will chime in with a cheaper option.
There will be enough snow for beginners even if there isn't any snow. They will make it for the beginner slopes! Unless it is catastrophically warm, then you are screwed ;)
January is usually the coldest month most places, just make sure everyone is wrapped up. Think layers instead of tshirt/thick jumper, looks like you have it under control though 8)
Tube socks aren't great, get ones that look like they are made to fit your feet. I wear smartwool socks but they are about £18 a pair, someone else will chime in with a cheaper option.
There will be enough snow for beginners even if there isn't any snow. They will make it for the beginner slopes! Unless it is catastrophically warm, then you are screwed ;)
January is usually the coldest month most places, just make sure everyone is wrapped up. Think layers instead of tshirt/thick jumper, looks like you have it under control though 8)
Edited 1 time. Last update at 01-Nov-2009
Tony_H
reply to 'Right i've done it...I booked my first trip!' posted Nov-2009
Hi Snapzzz. Welcome.
Remember its your first time and it may be painful and hard work, but you need to go through the pain barrier in order to develop and really start to enjoy it.
You should be fine early Jan, its my favourite week to go cos its so much cheaper and has always been cold and sunny!
As for clothes, get some cheap thermals from Primakr as it may be very cold. Layer up with a thin base layer and maybe even a thin fleece under your jacket. Miss out the fleece if its not too cold.
As for socks, please - avoid tube socks at all costs. They will cause you problems. Pay a bit more and go for wool socks if poss or at least thinner shaped ski socks. TK Maxx do some.
Most of all, enjoy it and learn as much as you can first week. You'll soon be hooked.
Remember its your first time and it may be painful and hard work, but you need to go through the pain barrier in order to develop and really start to enjoy it.
You should be fine early Jan, its my favourite week to go cos its so much cheaper and has always been cold and sunny!
As for clothes, get some cheap thermals from Primakr as it may be very cold. Layer up with a thin base layer and maybe even a thin fleece under your jacket. Miss out the fleece if its not too cold.
As for socks, please - avoid tube socks at all costs. They will cause you problems. Pay a bit more and go for wool socks if poss or at least thinner shaped ski socks. TK Maxx do some.
Most of all, enjoy it and learn as much as you can first week. You'll soon be hooked.
www
New and improved me
Jastem
reply to 'Right i've done it...I booked my first trip!' posted Nov-2009
Hi Snapzzz. Thinking back to my first ever ski experience (39/40 ish), I found I was far too warm and wrapped up most of the time as I thought skiing was going to be very cold all of the time. So several thin layers that you can take off if necessary. One of my favourite things is a Buff - one of those stretchy scarf thingies that you can wear round your neck or stretch right over your head to double up as a sort of balaclava. (It is also a useful hairband for us ladies!) Might be useful to take some Compeed blister plasters with you in case the ski boots cause a problem, not forgetting the Radox bath foam and arnica cream of course )
Your 9 year old daughter will whizz past you both after a couple of hours' lessons.
Your 9 year old daughter will whizz past you both after a couple of hours' lessons.
Hudman
reply to 'Right i've done it...I booked my first trip!' posted Nov-2009
Hi Snapzzz!
The clothing thing can be an issue for newbies! I organised a trip 2 years ago with a bunch of my mates, about half of which had never skied before. I always try to ski in January (I agree with Tony, that it tends to be cold but really sunny so great photos!) so sent a number of emails out to people stressing how cold it was likely to get and what clothes they really needed. In the end we had a weeks long heatwave (well -1 at the lift stations) and I was sking with just a thermal on and my jacket unzipped!
However it looks like you've got the layers sorted, it might be worth buying a small (no more than 15L) rucksack to keep an extra thermal/put un-needed clothes in. If it's small enough you shouldn't notice it but it will mean you don't just need to guess at clothing at the start of the day and then be lumped with it!
Finally have a think about a couple of lessons at home before you go. My beginner friends had a mix from a couple of hour lessons at a dry slope to a learn to ski in a day at the Tamworth snowdone. All of them found this really helpful when they actually got onto a slope and needed to put their skis on!
Whatever you do, have fun, you will get it but you might have to do a little bit of falling over before you do!!
The clothing thing can be an issue for newbies! I organised a trip 2 years ago with a bunch of my mates, about half of which had never skied before. I always try to ski in January (I agree with Tony, that it tends to be cold but really sunny so great photos!) so sent a number of emails out to people stressing how cold it was likely to get and what clothes they really needed. In the end we had a weeks long heatwave (well -1 at the lift stations) and I was sking with just a thermal on and my jacket unzipped!
However it looks like you've got the layers sorted, it might be worth buying a small (no more than 15L) rucksack to keep an extra thermal/put un-needed clothes in. If it's small enough you shouldn't notice it but it will mean you don't just need to guess at clothing at the start of the day and then be lumped with it!
Finally have a think about a couple of lessons at home before you go. My beginner friends had a mix from a couple of hour lessons at a dry slope to a learn to ski in a day at the Tamworth snowdone. All of them found this really helpful when they actually got onto a slope and needed to put their skis on!
Whatever you do, have fun, you will get it but you might have to do a little bit of falling over before you do!!
Pablo Escobar
reply to 'Right i've done it...I booked my first trip!' posted Nov-2009
Going to have to disagree with Hudman, try not to wear a bag, especially if you are learning. Being dressed properly should mean that even if there are temperature fluctuations throughout the day you will be OK.
Coops2
reply to 'Right i've done it...I booked my first trip!' posted Nov-2009
Hi Snapzzz
Great to hear you've decided to take finally take the plunge, the enthusiasm with which you write tells me you're really excited about it. You'll regret not having done it sooner. I didn't start skiing until mid thirties and wish I'd started much sooner. Many of the comments are valid for beginners, and I agree with Pablo, you don't need the encumberance of a bag when having beginner lessons. Having said that, you probably will require a backpack when you've become competent. As your lessons will probably only be for a couple of hours, it's always worth taking extra kit for after lessons and many resorts have locker facilities somewhere on the mountain. Your instructor can advise. Good socks and gloves are a must and good quality base layers can always be rinsed out and dried in your apartment overnight if they start to get 'aromatic'. Compeed blisters are another good suggestion to provide early protection for blisters.
If you end up in a large group during lessons you may be standing around for a lot of the time waiting for your group to go through exercises one by one, this can sap your body heat. So while in lessons, I would suggest you consider being warm first off. Most decent quality jackets nowadays have ventilation zips somewhere under the arm so if you're starting to overheat you can simply ondo the zip. If you're hot on the first day you can adjust accordingly on later days. Depending on the weather, Ski glasses may be preferable to goggles. Get goggles that fit nicely, not just because they look cool. Hudmans suggestion about lessons before you go is a top tip, I wouldn't bother with a dry slope though, keep to the real stuff if poss. Even practicing putting your boots on and clipping into ski's is useful before you get into resort. Might sound silly but there's even right and wrong ways to tighten boots up. There's plenty more information you can glean on this site, and (i think)it's all from people who actually ski, so all good advice.
Happy skiing and perhaps you'll report back on your experiences. :D :thumbup:
Great to hear you've decided to take finally take the plunge, the enthusiasm with which you write tells me you're really excited about it. You'll regret not having done it sooner. I didn't start skiing until mid thirties and wish I'd started much sooner. Many of the comments are valid for beginners, and I agree with Pablo, you don't need the encumberance of a bag when having beginner lessons. Having said that, you probably will require a backpack when you've become competent. As your lessons will probably only be for a couple of hours, it's always worth taking extra kit for after lessons and many resorts have locker facilities somewhere on the mountain. Your instructor can advise. Good socks and gloves are a must and good quality base layers can always be rinsed out and dried in your apartment overnight if they start to get 'aromatic'. Compeed blisters are another good suggestion to provide early protection for blisters.
If you end up in a large group during lessons you may be standing around for a lot of the time waiting for your group to go through exercises one by one, this can sap your body heat. So while in lessons, I would suggest you consider being warm first off. Most decent quality jackets nowadays have ventilation zips somewhere under the arm so if you're starting to overheat you can simply ondo the zip. If you're hot on the first day you can adjust accordingly on later days. Depending on the weather, Ski glasses may be preferable to goggles. Get goggles that fit nicely, not just because they look cool. Hudmans suggestion about lessons before you go is a top tip, I wouldn't bother with a dry slope though, keep to the real stuff if poss. Even practicing putting your boots on and clipping into ski's is useful before you get into resort. Might sound silly but there's even right and wrong ways to tighten boots up. There's plenty more information you can glean on this site, and (i think)it's all from people who actually ski, so all good advice.
Happy skiing and perhaps you'll report back on your experiences. :D :thumbup:
A day without Ski's on is a day wasted.
AllyG
reply to 'Right i've done it...I booked my first trip!' posted Nov-2009
Hi Jon,
Don't forget you can have too much snow - as in a total white-out, or blizzard. Before I went ski-ing it never occurred to me that too much snow when I was actually attempting to ski would be a problem and prevent me from ski-ing. And if it's very windy they often shut the gondolas, which sometimes means, depending on the resort, that you can't get up to the beginners area. You'll then need to bring swimming things etc. and find something else to do for the day.
So, if you're praying for snow, pray it snows masses before you get there, and after that snows only at night, and that the weather is beautifully sunny with no wind during the day (don't forget your sun cream and lip salve).
Which resort are you going to?
I hope you have a great time, and become totally obsessed with ski-ing like everyone else on here.
Ally
Don't forget you can have too much snow - as in a total white-out, or blizzard. Before I went ski-ing it never occurred to me that too much snow when I was actually attempting to ski would be a problem and prevent me from ski-ing. And if it's very windy they often shut the gondolas, which sometimes means, depending on the resort, that you can't get up to the beginners area. You'll then need to bring swimming things etc. and find something else to do for the day.
So, if you're praying for snow, pray it snows masses before you get there, and after that snows only at night, and that the weather is beautifully sunny with no wind during the day (don't forget your sun cream and lip salve).
Which resort are you going to?
I hope you have a great time, and become totally obsessed with ski-ing like everyone else on here.
Ally
Topic last updated on 15-December-2009 at 14:33