You will face your fear of heights
This should have been obvious, but for me it was not. I did not consider that I would need to face my fear of heights on a ski trip. To get to the top of the mountain you must ride a gondola or lift. While the views to the top are stunning, realizing how high you actually are, and that only a cable is carrying the lift is quite anxiety inducing. I am definitely not an adrenaline seeker. Picking up speed as you zoom down from the top of a mountain on skis, was a challenge for me. I found the most helpful way to tackle the mountain and to get over the anxiety, was to think about skiing across the mountain instead of down. I am proud that I faced my fears and can check skiing off my bucket list.
Ski trips require planning
Intending to take a ski trip is entirely different than taking a quick hop to Miami or New York. Ski trips require planning. I recommend planning a ski trip at least 6 months in advance. This is because there are so many things you need to consider like your gear, accommodation, lift passes, and travel time.
Most of the activities and things you need should or will be paid for in advance of the trip. This can be helpful because you can schedule your savings for expenses and spending money throughout the months leading up to the vacation.
Due to flight schedules from Bermuda, we had to overnight in Denver to and from Keystone. This is definitely a detail you need to know in advance. The last thing you’d want is to be stranded or accrue an unexpected expense, because you didn’t realize you would be stuck in the city the night before traveling to the mountain. You will also need to plan for the weather. We monitored the weather weeks in advance of the trip.
Lastly, research the mountain. I had no idea until we arrived that one mountain run was 3.2 miles to the bottom, that the mountains were so steep and that the green runs on that particular mountain were basically like a blue run on other mountains. If you have a goal of making it down the mountain, are not a thrill seeker and are a first-time skier, I do not recommend Keystone Resort for your ski trip. Keystone Resort can accommodate first time skiers. However, I personally would not recommend it for such individuals. If I ever go skiing again, it’ll be nice that I have experienced such a challenge first. In hindsight, if I had that information beforehand, perhaps I would’ve chosen another location for my ski trip.
The not so little details
There’s a list of things you need to consider and remember when planning a ski trip. You will need to pack layers for each day. I am not a huge fan of the cold. Ironic, being that I planned to be in the snow for my birthday. I found it extremely helpful to bundle up each day. That way, I could focus on the activity of the day instead of on being cold. Check out a suggested packing list below.
As mentioned earlier, many of the ski trip expenses will be paid ahead of time. This includes your Epic Pass or lift pass. I am grateful to have had friends on the trip that had been on a ski trip previously. I’m not sure I would have considered the need for a lift pass if it wasn’t for them. Epic Passes go off sale on a certain date and get increasingly more expensive leading up to the end of purchase date. So, it is imperative that you make sure to purchase it on time and in advance of the trip. If not, you could find yourself paying quite a bit of money to get up the mountain each day. Epic Passes also grant you discounts on ski gear rental, lessons and food at the resort. This was extremely helpful and allowed us to save money on the trip.
I would recommend renting your gear in advance. We rented from Breeze Ski Rentals in Keystone. The staff were friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The process of picking up and dropping off was super quick and easy. It was literally a minute away from Keystone Ski Resort. Renting in advance allows you to secure exactly what you need without the risk of the equipment not being available, checks this task off your to-do list, and allows you to apply your Epic Pass discount. We were also able to pick up our gear the day before our first ski day after 3pm for no extra charge. Therefore, we didn’t have to waste time the morning of, worrying about gear.
Be prepared to have a medium to high budget
If you are looking for an inexpensive holiday, skiing is not the option. If you do not have the gear or clothes already, you will spend a good bit of money making sure you have the right jacket, boots, goggles, layers and renting the ski equipment. The food around the ski resort is priced relatively high for what you would typically find in America. For example, I spent about $15 for 3 chicken tenders and an order of fries with my Epic Pass discount on the mountain. Other expenses include lodging, (we stayed in an Airbnb), car rental (optional), snowmobiling, a full day ski lesson, 2-night hotel stay in Denver, private chef dinner at the Airbnb, and air travel. Please do not ask how much I spent altogether on the ski trip. I don’t even want to tally it up. A ski trip is not the option if you’d like to travel on a tight budget.
Extreme soreness
You will be sore and likely have multiple bruises from skiing. Unless you are an avid and frequent skier, your body will be moving in an unusual way than normal. I am a trained dancer, and skiing goes against everything I have ever been taught as a dancer. I believe this made it more difficult for me to grasp the concept quickly. Additionally, be prepared to walk throughout the ski resort in heavy and uncomfortable snow boots. This caused bruising and soreness on my ankles, shins and calf muscles. You will also be carrying around your skies and poles. They have resting areas for the equipment. However, the walk from the parking lot to the gondola was quite far considering you were carrying/wearing heavy equipment. I found hot showers and hand massages to be useful in tackling the soreness. I did not prepare for it, so this is something I would highly recommend preparing for.
Embrace the falls
If like me, it is your first time skiing, you will more than likely fall multiple times. So, embrace the falls! I think the multiple layers and being aware of when I was going to fall, made the falls easier. Most of the time I knew mentally that I was going to fall before physically doing so. Therefore, I was able to prepare my body for the fall. That is not always the case. Sometimes it happens fast. Don’t be embarrassed, as there are many learners and first-timers on the mountain with you. Falling is almost inevitable so use it as a learning lesson and embrace it.
Skiing can be dangerous
This tip is perhaps the most important one if you have never been skiing before. Take a lesson! Skiing can be dangerous. I do not believe it to be an activity that you can figure out on the fly. There is a technique to skiing. You must apply it while moving fast down a mountain alongside other people, who sometimes aren’t looking out for you. We did a full day group lesson, and I found this extremely useful. We were the only ones in our group who signed up for a full day lesson. Luckily, it basically turned into a private lesson in the afternoon since we were the only ones left. Having that extra time allowed the instructor to work with us one-on-one, give tips specifically to what he noticed we weren’t doing correctly and relieved some of the pressure of being left behind by the group. By the lunchtime mark, I definitely felt like I wanted to cry, give up and was questioning why I ever wanted to go skiing in the first place. I was upset that I was excited for a whole year to go skiing and it was nothing like I expected. However, it was in the second half of the lesson that I was able to build up the skills and confidence to continue skiing for the remainder of our time. I certainly enjoyed my time skiing on the mountain once I got it down. I am glad that I was able to have this experience. Between you and I, I’m not in any rush to go again though.
Memories to last a lifetime
Lastly, be prepared to make lasting memories. Whether you’re facing your fear of heights, trying something new for the first time, experiencing an adrenalin rush you’ve never felt before, or navigating dynamics of a group trip, you’ll never forget proudly skiing all the way down the bunny slope on your 30th birthday while snow falls gently on your face.
