Most ski resorts have websites. Start the planning
process by accessing these websites to determine
where you and your family might want to go for your
family ski vacation. There are many different things to
look for when choosing a resort. The absolute most
important thing to look for is a ski school if someone
in your family will need instruction. While most
resorts do have ski schools, some don’t.  Don’t
make the mistake of choosing a destination where
one or more of your family members won’t have fun,
simply because they don’t know how to ski.

Next, take a look at the slopes, lifts, and trails. You
want to make sure that the resort has something to
offer everyone in your family. If the resort only caters
to beginners, an expert skier will become quickly
bored. If you have a snowboarder in your group, and
there is no snowboarding park or terrain, that
snowboarder will not be happy. There are resorts
that serve all winter sports – so make sure that your
families interests are covered.

Lodging is the next thing to look at. You want to be
comfortable, so where you will sleep at night matters
a great deal. In most cases, there is a hotel right at
the base of the slopes – but this isn’t necessarily the
best or most affordable place to stay. Find out what
your lodging options are for the area, and choose
the one that is right for your family and your budget.
If you will be staying farther away from the slopes,
make sure that there is transportation to and from
the slopes each day!

Your family will have many more interests that you
will need to search for before deciding on a particular
destination and resort. Some of those interests may
be dog sledding, sleigh rides, snowmobiling,
snowshoeing, or horseback riding. Resorts do offer
these activities, but some don’t – so be sure to ask
about the winter activities, as well as the planned
events during the time that you will be at the resort.
This will help you plan a ski vacation that your family
will enjoy and remember for the rest of their lives.

Learning to ski is really quite easy. Most resorts
have a ski school on the premises, and lessons are
reasonably priced. Group and private lessons are
usually available. It is a good idea, however, to
schedule an appointment before you arrive at the
resort. This will ensure that you can start learning
to ski the very first hour of your vacation.

Most ski instructors start by showing you how to
maneuver around with your equipment. When you
are wearing ski boots, you will be inclined slightly
forward – there is a reason for this…when you are
skiing down a mountain, you will be inclined
forward! Walking in ski boots the first time is a bit
difficult – but it works just fine if you learn to walk
with your knees slightly bent.

The first maneuver you will learn is called the plow,
or snow plow. This is a technique that is done by
literally using your skis as a snow plow. You make
the back of the skis slowing move outwards, away
from your body by applying pressure – and this stops
you. You guide yourself on skies by bending your
knees and leaning in one direction or another,
depending on which way you want to go. All of these
techniques can be learned in one hour, even if you
have never been on a pair of skis in your life.

The beauty of skiing is that after you have learned
how to snow plow, and how to guide yourself on the
skis, you are ready to ski! Get on the lift, head up the
mountain, and give it a try. Control your speed by
snow plowing – go slow at first. When you want to
pick up some speed, draw your skis back in to pick
up a little speed, then push them back out into the
plow position to control that speed.

As a beginner, you should stick to the trails that are
designed for beginners. At most resorts, these trails
are marked with a green emblem. Blue trails are for
intermediate skiers, and after one day of skiing the
beginner trails, you may be ready for those trails.
The black trails are for experts. These trails can be
dangerous for people who don’t have the skill level
to handle them! Avoid black trails until you have
had a great deal of ski instruction and experience.
You will know when you are ready!

To save money, look for lesser known resorts. This
doesn’t mean that these resorts won’t provide you
with a fun vacation – it simply means that they aren’t
quite as well known as other resorts, and therefore,
the prices may be a great cheaper. Also look for ski
vacation packages that will include your lodging, lift
tickets, lessons, rentals, and possibly even some
meals.

Be willing to make some sacrifices if money is a real
issue. For instance, instead of eating in an expensive
restaurant each night, eat cheaper fast food, or make
sandwiches in your room. Borrow equipment from
friends instead of renting it. Join a group for lessons
instead of taking private lessons. Don’t stay at a
lodge, stay at a motel farther away from the slopes
if necessary. There are numerous ways that you can
cut down on the expense of your ski trip. It is all about
the powder after all!

Start by knowing what is available at your destination.
Is there a rental shop? How much are the rental fees
for skis, boots, and poles. If it is reasonable, and you
don’t mind skiing with rented equipment, this is a
viable option – and it makes packing and traveling
much easier.

If you don’t care for rented equipment, there is
another option. Find out if there are any ski shops in
the area. There usually are. Get prices on skis, poles,
and boots, and then ask if they buy used equipment.
If they don’t, ask if there is anyone near by that does
purchase used equipment. Call that place to get an
estimate on how much you could get for barely
used ski equipment. Figure the difference in the
money you will spend on the ski equipment, and the
money you will get for the used equipment when you
are finished with it. If it isn’t much more than what it
would cost you to rent the equipment, go for it!

Ski suits, ski jackets, and sweaters can be very
bulky, and hard to pack. These items will take up a
lot of room in your suitcase, and leave less room for
other clothing and essentials. If you are trying to
pack for a two week ski vacation, it will be impossible
to fit everything you need into one suitcase.

There is a way to solve this. Call the lodge or resort
where you will be staying. Tell them that you need
to ship a package, for yourself, to them, and that
you need that package to be there when you arrive.
Ask them if they will hold it for you at the desk. In
most cases, they will. Next, get a box, put all of
your ski suits, your ski jacket, and any other
bulky items in the box, and ship it to yourself, in
care of the lodge or resort. Shipping can be
overnight, two day, or three day depending on
how far it must travel. Depending on how much
the box weighs, you will usually pay less than
fifty dollars to ship a package in the continental
United States….which is a lot less than you
would pay an airline for extra baggage!

Everyone has different learning styles. Broadly, there are watchers, analyzers, and doers. While most of us incorporate a blend of these three styles, one will be dominant. It’s important to know which works best for you when learning to ski. A good ski instructor should be able to tell, but don’t expect that your instructor is good just because he’s got a patch on his arm. So, if you learn by watching, watch your instructor do the exercises. If you learn by analyzing, you may want to ask questions and listen to the metaphors and ski techniques designed to help one visualize downhill skiing. If you’re a doer, then you’ll likely just want to head on down the hill and figure it out along the way. No one way is better than the other, but knowing which way you learn best will help you learn to ski faster.

Stopping and turning will be the primary focus of your first lesson. You’re instructor can teach you stop and turn techniques quickly and easily. Learning to ski is not rocket science. It should be taught with simplicity and clarity. In short, at end of your first day you should be able to stop and turn left and right. With just these skills, many want to rush to the top of the mountain to practice. This is a mistake. It is one thing to turn and stop on soft snow, but quite another on the steep icy terrain one can encounter at the higher elevations. Stay in the beginner area, on gentle terrain with soft snow. Nail down the basics of your first lesson.

Finally, save some money. Most ski resorts have beginner packages at reasonable rates to get you started. Pack a nice lunch, as the food can be quite expensive and not very good or healthy. Also, pack a positive attitude. Negativity and playing the victim don’t work well on skis. You will fall – that’s ok. Know your learning style and use it to your advantage to learn to ski great. Have fun and don’t make the mistake of stopping after just one ski lesson. Lessons, taught well, are where you’ll learn the core skills of downhill skiing.

Sadly, for many people heading for the snow this year, their long awaited ski holiday will end in disaster as sports injury abruptly ends their plans.

All skiers should pay attention to some basic tips for sports injury prevention when they are on the slopes.

Knee injuries are very common amongst skiers because in the event of a fall, if the ski bindings do not release, it is the knee joint that takes the strain and is very likely to be damaged as a result.

At worst, this could even be a complete knee dislocation although meniscus tears and tears to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are actually far more common.

Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to help injury prevention and make sure that your ski holiday is everything you hoped it would be and that it is not marred by sports injury.

First and foremost, make absolutely sure that your ski equipment and boots fit properly. It is always tempting to borrow ski kit from a friend – but if you do, you are more likely to have an accident and sports injury! Is it really worth the risk? Instead, have your own ski equipment or double check that the equipment from the hire shop really does fit you properly. Your boots should be a nice snug fit, without your ankle moving around at all inside.

And don’t be tempted to say that you have more experience than you do to the assistant in the hire shop. If you are given skis that are too long, you will find them harder to turn and if the bindings are set too high for your ability level, this could easily lead to sports injury.

Secondly, as with all sports, it is vital to warm up and cool down before ski-ing. Take just a few minutes to stretch your thighs, hamstrings, calves and hip muscles before you hit the slopes in the morning and make sure you hold each stretch for 30 seconds.

Thirdly, don’t try to miss out on professional instruction – you really do need to learn how to ski properly and avoid picking up bad habits that could lead to sports injury.

Fourthly, don’t try to keep up with more experienced friends. A lot of sports injuries happen because someone is trying to ski faster or on more difficult pistes than is safe for their ability level.

If you are a more advanced skier, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are a particular risk for you, as an unfortunate result of twisting whilst falling. To avoid these, keep your knees flexed at all times, and if you are going to fall, always aim to fall forwards, not backwards.

Meanwhile, for beginners, the risk of medial collateral ligament (MCL) damage is greater as these ligaments are put under strain by the snowplough manoeuvre that beginners and intermediates use to stop. Avoid flexing any further than is comfortable and again, always fall forwards not backwards.

Our fifth tip is to use knee supports to provide extra stability. A knee support or knee brace is comfortable to wear and if you wear one on each knee, you will be doing everything you can to help keep your knees safe from injury.

Next, make sure you have at least basic knowledge about first aid and specifically sports first aid. Should there be an accident, you need to know how to deal with emergencies and avoid making a bad situation worse.

And lastly, always quit while you are ahead! It can be tempting to try to fit in just one more last ski – but this can be a mistake! Don’t ever ski when you are feeling tired as accidents are most frequent at the end of the day.

Follow these simple tips and they will help you avoid knee injury and other sports injuries. Happy Skiing!