Planning a snow trip - Never been

• 

  Skramit on 01/05/2017 - 08:52

  +13

  None of us have ever skied before

  Whatever you end up doing, get a lesson from a ski instructor on at least days 1 and 2. Preferably on every day you intend to ski. Trust me on this.

  Also you could get a manicure on the mountain after a hard days skiing. Most ski resorts have day spas.

• 

  toniyellow on 01/05/2017 - 09:19

  There are companies that do weekend trips for students e.g. http://ozsnowadventures.com.au/australia/weekend-road-trip/

  Even if you prefer to go on your own, you can check their itinerary for an idea of costs and inclusion etc and compare what it is like to organise yourself

  Don't forget you need a national parks pass if you are driving into a national park, and appropriate tyres/snow chains if you drive in the snow. So may be better to stay off mountain and get a shuttle up.

  • 

    activ8newbs on 01/05/2017 - 09:24

    Love it! Thankyou

  • 

    try2bhelpful on 01/05/2017 - 10:56

    I agree if this is a bunch of mates getting together to have fun, but off mountain is a PITA if you are actually interested in skiing. On the bus ride home you will be wet and uncomfortable; but a bunch of guys together will probably keep each other amused anyway - please be considerate of other passengers and try to keep it down a little. I agree with the lessons. Absolutely necessary if only to work out how to get up when you've fallen and how to use the ski lifts. Ski in control at all times, you can hurt yourselves, and others, by not skiing within your skill range. Stuff on mountain is expensive so try to take snacks with you and save money on mountain for hot drinks and hot food.

• 

  jellykingdom on 01/05/2017 - 09:43

  +2

  I don't think it will be a waste, but just try to be realistic about how much time you'll spend on the slopes vs travel etc

  LENGTH OF TRIP
  Just be aware, that while that seems reasonable, you can end up pretty sore for the skiing. My feet and thighs were killing me after day 1. i'd seriously try to get some gym time in and do some squats. Make sure your boots are super comfortable, you'll be wearing them for 8hrs if you ski all day

  DESTINATION
  From my last experience I found that Perisher (ski field) was a bit busy and a bit steep for beginners (probably intermediate level). I've been 1x before but I found that it was too steep for my wife who had never been on skis. Also it was completely chockablock with all skill levels so it was a bit dangerous to be honest

  We ended up going over to Blue Cow (ski field) and it was better. More gentle for beginners, some really good intermediate slopes, and less busy.

  Definitely recommend a lesson at the start, then if possible find a friend who has been a few times and get them to drag you along. My friends took me as a newbie straight onto an intermediate slope at Hotham, and although it was crazy scary at first, you learn way faster. You can maybe even do a lesson on skis and a lesson on snowboard?

  I would stay down in Jindabyne (the town) personally, its expensive up on the skifields! We got a small house for 8 people then drove to the mountain train (dno't need chains on your car for this). The advantage of staying on the slopes is that you can do smaller ski adventures, rather than doing 8hrs in a single go.

  PRICE
  It won't be cheap. Skiing never is. Lift passes + mountain train + gear hire + lesson + accomm + food + drinks + fuel are all much higher than city prices. Maybe allow $800-1000? Advantage to staying in a small house is that you can buy drinks at bottle shop, + food and bring it all with you.

  Make sure you prebook everything online, its cheaper the earlier you book the lift passes which I found out the hard way. You can also do half day passes

  Check Groupon for ski hire vouchers + stacked discount (i think i got a deal for Monster Ski Hire and it cost $50 for everything) + maybe even accommodation. Borrow gloves or beanies or jackets if you know people, it will save you the money

  • 

    k-rokfm on 01/05/2017 - 10:31

    just re: not needing snow chains if you drive to the train for Perisher.. Thats not always the case (usually is though) if a big storm comes through overnight then it is common that you will need chains for the last part just before the train.

    Keep an eye on the perisher website as well, as they sometimes have good deals on there (pay 5 stay 4, etc) kind of thing which include all gear, train, pass, hotel..

    • 

      altomic on 01/05/2017 - 10:40

      Chains- some places say you have to have some anyway even if they are in your boot (just in case)

      • 

        k-rokfm on 01/05/2017 - 10:47

        This from: http://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/drivers/b…

        "National Park regulations require all vehicles (except four wheel drive vehicles) in the National Park to carry chains between the June and October long weekends when driving through designated ‘snow and ice’ risk sections. These are identified by black and yellow signs within the Kosciuszko National Park. The current designated ‘snow and ice’ risk sections are:

        Alpine Way – Thredbo to Tom Grogin
        Kosciuszko Road within the National Park boundary
        Guthega Road within the National Park boundary"

        So you wont need to carry them if only going to the Perisher train as it is outside the national park

    • 

      jellykingdom on 01/05/2017 - 15:22

      Those deals tend to be for longer visits though, not 3 days, you need to stay a whole week for e.g

      And it sounds like it would be a smart move in winter to have chains, but it definitely isn't legally required to get to the ski train

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  Peter Enis on 01/05/2017 - 10:01

  +1

  Do your sums on a Snowy Mountains trip, and then compare it to an NZ trip. In the time it takes you to drive to the Snowy Mtns (5-6hrs) you could be on your way to Christchurch, pick up a car and driving to Methven (a bit over an hour from Christchurch airport). Skiing at Mt Hutt.
  It sounds crazy for a 2 night holiday but I've done it before, no crazier than the 5-6hr drive to Snowy Mtns for such a short time away. Price wise it will be similar.
  Look at it this way, if it turns out that people in your group don't really like skiing, then at least you've had an overseas holiday.

• 

  Toons on 01/05/2017 - 10:45

  Have everything booked ready and confirmed for pick up, especially if your hiring gear the last thing you want to do is waste time on a short trip picking up gear and passes.

  Every minute wasted is lost slope time therefor in the ozbargain credo lost money.

  If none of you have been in the snow before book an early lesson in to get your bearings and give you some pointers. (these can book out early depending on season)

  (Voltaren) must have don't care how old you are.

  Everyone learns at different paces good if you have mates that can ski or board they can help keep you right.

  Ask some of your mates if they have gear you can borrow for a carton and service their gear or equipment on return. (I'll let my mates borrow anything but my main park deck i've got 4, and newest boots because they are heat moulded inners).

  I've been to a lot other places besides aus and keep finding Japan the best once you get that fluffy powder in your system you will never be happy with anything else.

  Ski in Ski out places are great if you can afford them. once your tired and you will be muscles you haven't used before no matter how fit you can cruise back and flop on a couch for an hour or so and warm up.

  if you could get a longer duration you might just get more appreciation out of, it not something everyone gets the hang of it quickly and i've seen people spend a lot of money to sit in the hotel drinking because they thought it was easy, hurt themselves and got scared.

  I snowboard and first time i'd say at the end of 2nd day i was just getting to the point of linking turns properly day 3 was first day of proper runs at a decent rate with my mates who go all the time.

  After that no stopping :-) i ended up extending the trip and every chance i get i'm there.

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  marcusv on 01/05/2017 - 10:59

  Aldi has a snow sale coming up. Sometimes buying your ski clothing from there works out cheaper than hiring.

  • 

    activ8newbs on 01/05/2017 - 11:01

    thanks!

    • 

      enzioFirenze on 01/05/2017 - 11:11

      +1

      actually buy online if you can, you can pretty much buy ski clothing for the same amount you'd rent them otherwise.

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  hoey888 on 01/05/2017 - 13:11

  If its your first time, you might want to wear thick pants underneath your snow pants. You'll thank me after the first day considering they will cushion the falls throughout the day.

  Definitely buy snow clothing and rent skis/snowboard as a first timer. Clothes can be used over and over so you'll make it back. Generally start with the basics like jacket, pants, gloves and beanie. You could substitute googles with a cheap pair of sunglasses; until you decide you want to commit to the snow. To give you an idea I wear, ALDI snow jacket, ALDI snow pants, t-shirt, work denim jeans, beanie and scarf underneath jacket if its windy.

  I'm a snowboarder, so renting initially allowed me to try different snowboards and boot/combinations. Eg there's different types of boots, bindings, snowboard width, snowboard length. You won't know what you are missing until you've tried a few sets of combinations.

  Tip: If you are driving and going as a group, go mid week. There's less people and traffic compared to weekends.

  • 

    moonphase on 01/05/2017 - 14:21

    Aldi has cheap goggle as well so I suggest to use goggle. you may easily damage / lose the sunglasses unless you have the strip + experiences.

    • 

      jellykingdom on 01/05/2017 - 15:22

      That Aldi ski clothing sale it coming up soon actually!

    • 

      Ughhh on 02/05/2017 - 17:02

      If you're planning on just walking in the snow ie. not skiing or snowboard, is sunnies fine or are goggles still needed?

      • 

        moonphase on 02/05/2017 - 18:03

        +1

        Sunnies fine for that. Make sure that sunnies has UV protection though.

• 

  CMH on 01/05/2017 - 23:51

  Someone's said it before, and I'll say it again: It won't be cheap.

  I'm more familiar with Hotham/Buller/Falls Creek but it should be the same at all the other mountains. Things like ski passes you won't be able to get any sort of deal unless you have a large group going.

  As for accomodation, the bigger the place, the cheaper per person per night.

  Ski gear you might be able to get some good deals renting in the suburbs. Here in vic I know that Aussie disposals did do a deal where you paid for it down here and pick it up up there, and it turns out cheaper. Other places you could pick up down here, and you get an extra day's hire, also cheaper, with the hassle of having to transport it up. Bear in mind sometimes things can go wrong and you need to get it adjusted/replaced, then you're stuffed. Rare, but it happens.

  Nice thing about our mountains is the ski-in, ski-out accomodation. Nothing beats going back to your accomodation for a bite to eat and heading out again. Food is going to be expensive up there, and generally crappier unless you want to pay absolute top dollar. For budget trips I go all out BYO. Cans of tuna for lunch, chocolate bars for energy boosts. A great plus is that your drinks will always be nice and chilled regardless how long you are out.

  Its been said, and I'll say it again: lessons. I've brought up many groups of newbies in the past, and there's always the odd one who thinks they're saving money by foregoing lessons. Even though newbie lessons are free. Taking those lessons do restrict your access to the harder slopes, which is a GOOD thing. On a 3-day trip you won't really be going down those anyway. In some of those instances where a friend decided to forego lessons they ended up injuring themselves and paid much more for medical care (which is NOT covered by medicare btw). Btw I consider myself a pretty seasoned skier and I still go for lessons (albeit high-level ones) and I find I always have something I could improve on. Or at least hone useless crap like skiing backwards, or on one ski.

  About medical cover, the only thing that you won't need to worry too much about is ambulance cover IF you have regular ambulance cover. Nothing special required. But that's it, everything else has to be paid for through the nose (doctors, meds, xray, etc).

  I would rent clothing. Snow is quite abrasive and while ski gear can handle it, regular clothing won't. A not-so-newbie once brought a pair of cotton gloves up and they got shredded to bits in a couple of hours. Might still be cheaper to buy several pairs and shred through them than buying ski gloves, but that's your call.

  Transport. If you're driving up, make sure to check before you go that your coolant is suitable. In the off-chance you're using plain water as coolant, serious damage will happen to your car if you don't change it. Certain coolants aren't suitable for the snow neither, or if it over-diluted. If your car is running diesel, fill up with alpine diesel before you climb. Most servos near the mountain will be carrying only alpine diesel, but check before you fill up anyway.

  That's all I can think off right now. Ask if you got more questions.

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  [Deactivated] on 02/05/2017 - 07:18

  Perisher for newbies, Aldi ski sale or Woolworths for outerwear, stay in Perisher for convenience, try and get all inclusive like the corroboree lodge, most expensive part is lift passes, rent snowboard, and lessons.

  Get decent goggles and gloves

  Just Snowboard.

  Bring a foam roller ;)

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  iforgotmysocks on 02/05/2017 - 08:28

  +1

  Also try and do it as late as possible in the semester break (even O-week) to give yourself the best chance of a decent snow cover.

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  cate-g on 02/05/2017 - 10:12

  Go snowboarding - it's more fun. Skiing is for oldies.
  Buy aldi snow gear, that stuff is cheap and good quality. Make sure when you try the gear on at Aldi that you go a size bigger. I found I bought my stuff to small and sitting and getting up from the snow was restricted because my pants and jackets weren't baggy enough.

  Also I highly recommend knee pads (just buy some thick velcro ones from bunnings) and padded shorts if you're going to snowboard. I got a cheap pair for $30 off ebay. I had my Aldi stuff for 4 years, just updated this year to expensive gear.

  Also…GET LESSONS. Omg I can't stress this enough. All of you. A lesson every day you'll be there. I've had friends who go without a lesson and hate it, they suck, they get tired, it's hard trying to teach them when you wanna go and have fun and not babysit them the whole day.
  Buy lift tickets early, and book accommodation early.

  You'll wanna stay close to the mountain so you don't have a long journey back to accommodation. Take lots of chocolate bars, muesli bars in your jacket so you can't chomp on them on the mountain. You will get very hungry and very thirsty. Its a PITA to go back down and SUPER expensive at the crappy cafes.