Your first time heading to a ski resort can be overwhelming. What are you supposed to wear? Where are you supposed to go? What do you need with you throughout the day? To help you on your first day, read through these tips for your first time on the mountain.
It is essential to stay hydrated as well. You should either carry a small water bottle with you or plan on stopping 2 to 3 times throughout the day to drink water and eat something. Skiing/snowboarding can be exhausting so make sure you are prepared!
If it's your first time skiing or snowboarding, always remember to never ski alone. Although it may sound childish, use the buddy system and keep an eye on each other at all times. Having somebody with you will allow both of you to help each other during falls and when navigating around the resort. If you're skiing with somebody more advanced than you, try to also take some tips from their technique as they glide down the slopes.
In terms of cost, private lessons are the most expensive but they aren't essential when it's your first time skiing. Instead, you should choose a small group lesson taught by a skilled instructor. Most lessons last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half and it is time extremely well spent. During the lesson, you'll learn the very basics of how to ski including how to go down the slope, brake, and turn.
As you're making you way around the ski resort, make sure to pay close attention to the signs. As a reminder, green is for beginners, blue is for intermediate, and black is expert terrain. The last thing you want to do is make a wrong turn and end up on a steep slope which you are not prepared to go down.
Skiing is a taxing sport on your legs making stretching one of the most important activities you should do both before and after your day on the slopes. Before you put on your gear, do a couple of active stretches to make sure your legs are warmed up. After a long day of skiing, you will want to perform some static stretches to stretch out your quads, hamstrings, and calves. If you have a foam roller, you can use that to help massage your muscles. This will help prevent soreness the next day and allow you to keep skiing for multiple days.
Going to a ski resort for the first time can be an intimidating experience but it doesn't have to be. Try to make sure there are other beginners in your group so you will have companions accompanying you throughout the day. Skiing can be one of the most fun winter activities to undertake and the best way to fall in love with it is to have a great first day. Make sure you're prepared, dressed warmly, and plan to take a lesson or two, and you'll be sure to have a good time.