Ten Tips for AWESOME Spring Skiing
Spring is my favourite time to go skiing for warm weather, sunny days spent on the hill with no frozen fingers or toes, and for the abundant patio opportunities. It can also be a challenging time though with unpredictable snow (often changing by the hour) and temperatures that make us overheat just trying to carry gear from the parking lot to the day lodge.
Check out my ten simple tips below and discover how to fully make the most of your days on the hill this spring season.
- Be prepared for multiple wardrobe changes. We’ve already had a couple of warm ski days this season where I was sweating just trying to pack our skis over to the day lodge. We’d always cool off on the chair lift ride up the hill but then I’d be sweating again on the ski down. The biggest tip here is layering so that you have options for dealing with changing temperatures. Add a sweater, remove a shirt, ski with just a warm base layer and your ski pants, or take the lining out of your 3-in-1 ski jacket. I also recommend having some extra clothing options stored in a duffel bag in the day lodge (or in your vehicle) so that you can do a quick wardrobe change mid-day if you need.
- Fight thirst without breaking the bank. Unless you’re prepared to pay at least $3 for a beverage or even a bottle of water when the sun starts beating down on you, make sure you pack some water bottles in your day pack to leave in the lodge. You can always fill your own water bottle in the lodge (for free) so skip buying drinks and bring Gatorade crystals, flavor drops, or even lemonade powder.
- A spring sunburn is not a fashion statement. While a lot of people like to pull out their “funky fun clothing” for spring skiing, don’t think you’re going to look cool trying to accessorize with a sun burn after spending hours on the hill, snow reflecting the sun on to your skin. Sun’s out, Sunblock’s out!
- Get first tracks for the best spring snow. Get on the hill at 9am and you’ll have at least three hours before the snow starts getting slushy. By noon, if you have a seasons pass, you can always call it quits for the day if the snow deteriorates too badly and head over to Kananaskis Village for a walk, a skate on the pond, or even just a visit to the playground.
- Ski high for the best snow. The lower mountain will always get slushy before the runs off the gold chair will. Ski the lower slopes in the morning but move your way up the hill when the snow starts getting soft.
- Be prepared for all kinds of conditions (in the same day!) You might start skiing on iced corduroy for the first hour, move on to soft snow that resembles mashed potatoes for the next hour or so, and then slowly move into slushier conditions by noon. That’s the reality of spring skiing! My best suggestion is to send a strong skier out to try new areas on the mountain first before taking the kids up a new lift and discovering the runs to be icy or in a condition that your children can’t ski.
- Join in the fun of a spring festival. Nakiska (and most other resorts) will be holding Spring Festival weekends throughout April. Have fun with some spring skiing and fun spring events. Check our event calendars on resort website for schedules.
- Stay local and enjoy a mini-ski vacation. Book your ski vacation through Resorts of the Canadian Rockies for great family deals on ski passes and accommodations at the The Kananaskis Lodge or Stoney Nakoda Lodge. For an affordable ski vacation, the HI Kananaskis Hostel has four private rooms and a fully stocked kitchen so you can make your own meals.
- Try something new this spring! Warmer days, sunshine, and bluebird skies call for new experiences and fun adventures. Try some family tubing at Nakiska, take a snowboard lesson, book a family coaching session and learn some new skills in a private ski or snowboarding class, register the kids in a spring break camp, or book a private lesson to get an introduction to doing tricks in the terrain park.
- Always have a backup plan for spring ski weekends. With unpredictable spring weather and snow conditions, it’s always good to have a few backup plans (especially if you’re staying at Kananaskis Village for a weekend and are only skiing half days.) Take a fat bike tour with Kananaskis Outfitters at the nearby Village, rent snowshoes or cross country skis from the Outfitters and check out the trails around the village, or take a hike to nearby Troll Falls and see if you can find some of the hidden trolls along the trail.
See you on the slopes this spring!
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2017 Ladies Days
Valentine’s Day is coming up – treat the lady in your life to a Ladies’ Day at Nakiska! Ladies’ Ski & Snowboard Days are scheduled this season for February 9th, March 1st, 9th & 29th and April 6th (potential date). Ladies day programs all include lift pass, instruction, transportation, gourmet lunch and (of course) pampering.
Purchase your program (or one for your lady) and get more information from our purchase link.
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Why YOU Should Start Skiing NOW
I sat down with Kirsten, instructor extraordinaire from our Winter Sports School and asked her why she thinks everyone can ski and why everyone should start skiing;
1) Many think skiing is hard who have never tried it- but we know different- why?
Skiing is easy and fun if you learn the right way, it’s a lot easier then it looks to pick up and master, once you have the basics behind you, all you need is mileage and some good encouragement, once you start you cant stop.
2) Why would you say new Canadians should try skiing?
Simply because you have the biggest playground in your backyard, winters in Canada can be long and cold, but when your skiing, those long cold days are something you can look forward to, it’s a great winter activity that the whole family can take part in and enjoy.
3) What does skiing provide guests who try it?
Fun, accomplishment, laughs and a great experience you can take with you for the rest of your life, yes some guests may not enjoy skiing as much as others, but at least you can say you have tried it. It also opens your eyes to a whole new world and a whole new winter activity, you get to see things from a different perspective and the views from the top of the lift are always worth it 😀
4) What is the first timer experience like? Can you break it down- teaching steps, dealing with weather, how to dress etc.
The first tier experience can be a bit daunting to some non the less the end result is almost always a good one, when you have your first ski lesson you will be shown how to handle the equipment (skis, poles, boots etc ). You will learn how to get around on your skis, how to move and how to stop… stopping is an important one, once you start feeling comfortable with all of that, you will be introduced to turning, once you are turning comfortably and are in control, the terrain will be adjusted and you will be taught how to get down various terrain safely while enjoying it.
There are many factors that go into a first time ski lesson, you will want to dress appropriately for the weather, generally you would want some good snow pants and a good snow jacket, under layers are important to, and the amount of layers will change depending on the weather, socks are another important one, you would want to get a good pair of ski socks, and one pair is enough, your toes will be nice and toasty. There are a ton of other options for those extra cold days to when it comes to keeping those feet nice and warm. I would advise wearing a helmet and having a good pair of goggles, gloves and a face mask will come in handy to, all of this is very important especially if its your first time, because you may fall over a few times while learning, it doesn’t hurt to fall over on your skis, I promise 😀
The more prepared and comfortable you are, the easier it will be to focus on your lesson and get skiing faster.
5) What made it special about teaching these two (new Canadians)?
They had never been skiing before, it was a new adventure for both of them. They were really excited and enthusiastic from the get go, they listened well and progressed quickly, they had tons of fun learning and wanted to keep going. It’s always a pleasure to introduce someone into skiing and seeing the joy it brings them.
Check out the video of Kirsten teaching two new Canadians to ski earlier this season, produced in partnership with Go Ski Alberta and Snowseekers on our YouTube channel;
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