It's no secret that skiing and snowboarding are the best sports in the world. It would be hard to find a better feeling than sailing down a slope on fresh powder snow with a group of your best mates. But there are a few things about our beloved sports that can get on the ol' nerves sometimes. Everybody can relate to the pain of cold, windy days and long lift queues - which is why you'll probably never hear us utter the following phrases.
Sometimes we have no choice, but you have to admit: there is absolutely nothing comfortable about a drag lift. You don't get to sit down and rest your legs after that difficult piste, you risk veering off and losing your grip completely and having to start all over again, you keep putting pressure on those same ski boot pressure points that have been giving you trouble all day... nobody loves a drag lift.
It was blue skies and clear sailing when you boarded the lift at the base station, but out of nowhere a thick mist has fallen over the highest summits, right where the chair is taking you. In fact, you can't seem to even see the top of the chairlift for all the fog. As you reach the top and start skiing, you're forced to go at a snail's pace so you don't miss the junction. There goes your speed record!
One of the biggest downsides to skiing: cold toes. It seems that no matter how thick your socks, cold toes have to be a regular feature on every ski holiday. Sadly, if you can't afford to fork out for heated boots, you'll just have to live with it.
Nobody likes a long queue, and they're even more annoying when they stand between you and some quality time on the slopes. Part of a successful ski holiday consists of being smart about which lift you choose. Even if that means sometimes taking the dreaded drag lift...
What kind of crazy person hates the sun?! All right, we all hope for fresh snow when we go to sleep at night, but nobody actually likes skiing in it.
Après-ski without Schnapps is not après-ski, but there's no denying that Schnapps is... will we say it... disgusting. And yet we keep ordering shots...
Ski boots are a rite of passage and every new skier will go through the phase of "you would have to be CRAZY to willingly put these on!" But we all eventually accept it, because skiing is such a fantastic sport.
When I say a word, say the first thing that comes to your mind. "Ski!" "APRES-SKI!" It's impossible to conceive of an alpine ski holiday without a drink or two (or three or four). What's better than a cold beer after a long morning on the slopes? Nothing. So it's highly unlikely you'll see many people uttering the above phrase.
Snagging first tracks on a freshly groomed piste is one of the best feelings in the world. For all you may love powder snow, there's no denying that this is a great feeling, and it definitely beats the mushy end-of-day snow we often find at lower altitudes. Hey, if so many skiers and snowboarders set their alarms for the crack of dawn just to get first tracks, there has to be something in it.
Don't tell me you don't wake up every day all winter long and check the snow reports before you even get out of bed. As skiers and snowboarders, we pray for fresh snow to come dumping down in our favourite ski resorts. So it's pretty hard to conceive of a situation where someone would be unhappy to see a mound of fresh powder outside their window.
There is no such thing as too much skiing or snowboarding. The amount of time you spend on the slopes is directly proportional to your happiness level, it's a proven fact!
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
