FIRST TIMERS

HI ALL. AS YOU CAN TELL THIS IS MY FIRST TIME WRITING BUT HERE GOES.

MY WIFE AND I ARE GOING TO SOLL IN JANUARY FOR THE FIRST TIME SKIING, AND I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, THE FIRST BEING WHAT IS IT LIKE AS A RESORT, AND WHAT IS THE SKI SCHOOL LIKE, WE HAVE BOOKED WITH THOMPSON WHICH INCLUDES THE LEARN TO SKI PACKAGE. ARE THEY ALL GOOD SCHOOLS THEIR OR ARE SOME BETTER THAN OTHERS. SORRY IF THESE ARE STUPID QUESTIONS.

Can`t offer first hand advice, but I have friends who have been and they loved it. Apparently the only drawback is that the lifts aren`t that close to the actual village, but they said the village was pretty and had a really good atmosphere.

They said that the skiing is good for beginners as there are several cruising runs for you to build your confidence on without terrifying yourself, so you have picked a good resort in that case!!

They had lessons while out there with Soll Hochsoll and they had a really good instructor, and would recommend them. Don`t forget when you learn, if you don`t like your instructor, or feel that you are not gelling with their techniques, then ask to change! I did this when I first started and was flying within 2 hours of being with my new instructor!!

Hope you have a great time, and no doubt you`ll be back on this site at the end of Jan planning your next ski trip!!

Jo

P.S There are NEVER any stupid questions when it comes to skiing, the more you ask, the quicker you learn, and the sooner you get addicted!!

THANX JOBSTER, THAT MAKES ME FEEL MUCH BETTER, THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME FEEL SO WELCOME, AND THANK YPU FOR THE ADVICE IT IS VERY HELPFUL

Any time. Only been skiing for 5 years myself ( although got so addicted don`t have summer holidays anymore, just skiing!), and you will love it. Look through some of the threads as there are some useful tips for beginners on how to deal with your first chairlift experience etc, and this will really help with confidence. Have fun and any questions, just shout!

A personal suggestion would be (if you can). Go to a local dry slope and learn how to 'snow plough'. Nothing else just plough.

When we went skiing the first time a friends uncle taught at a dry slope so we had 2 lessons wiht him for an hour each. The benefit is that when you arrive you don't get put in the complete begineers class. Worked well for us.

Enjoy your holiday and don't be afraid to ask any questions. Like the other person said skiing is very addictive and can end your summer holidays forever. It is worth it though. Snow, cold and 6000 feet (and a bar) is where my heart is.

THANX GWAELOD, WE ARE NOT TO FAR FROM MILTON KEYNES SO WE WILL TRY THAT, WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT WENT.

Hi there. Jobster's right, you will be totally hooked. I don't know about having lessons on a dry ski slope though. I've never been on one but I know people who have and apparently it's quite sore when you fall. My hubby and I went skiing for the first time in Jan '06 to Austria and had no lessons at all but it didn't affect our enjoyment of the holiday - we were on easy parts of red runs the last two days of our lessons. One lady in our class had been skiing the previous year at the same resort but was pushed too quickly the second time and got frightened and so she came back to our beginners class halfway through the week. Might be something to consider if you are thinking about having lessons before you go. Austria is supposed to have some of the best ski schools. If you live near Milton Keynes is there not an indoor real snow slope somewhere in that area? If you would be happier with lessons before you go I think it would be much better on real snow. We go to the one in Glasgow (have been three times now) and although probably no use at all to experienced skiers, it perfectly good for us to "keep our hand in"! Group lessons in resorts are brill fun and remember to laugh at yourself! Jobster right as well about the summer hols - we were totally the sort to lie on sun loungers all day reading but after being skiing - no chance!! If you look up the ifyouski.com and Ski Club of GB website, you'll find reviews of Soll which should be useful. Have a fantastic time!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I WILL LOOK INTO THE MILTON KEYNES SLOPE, BUT DUE TO TIME RESTRICTIONS WILL MORE THAN LIKELY JUST WAIT UNTIL WE GO. WE ARE SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT NOW THANX

I would thoroughly recommend to any first timer to have a few lessons before your holiday.

Before skiing for the first time we had six lessons and that was a lifesaver, because our skiing holiday was so late in the year that ski school had finished, so it was just us and the snow

It may be miserable and hard work, but at least it will be miserable in this country and not on your holiday.
And then being on snow is so much easier.

But whatever you choose, you will have a fantastic time

Hi ,
Heading to Alpbach at the end of Jan. First time for both my wife and I. Staying in the Romantik Hotel Bogleroff.
Basis questions;
1. Do we need snow shoes / boots to commute between hotel and ski area.
2. How many layers do we wear. e.g ski bottoms + long underwear , Ski Jacket + Fleece layer + underwear ...will this suffice ??
3. Apres ski ...Does everyone descend on a pub with their gear ?

Comments / suggestions welcome .
Thanks

Eamonneor,

Quick question answers 1. I would recommend snow boots for sure for all times you are not skiing but still out and about in the village. They are very warm and also provide you with the grip you will need walking around in the snow and ice (on pavement and roads). 2. Thermal underwear such as long johns will do fine and then the ski pants on top. For the upper half I tend to wear a base layer (wicking), a micro fleece type thing and then my jacket. Sometimes if its colder you may need another layer but that usually is fine for. 3. In some Austrian resorts the apres ski starts right after the lifts close, when people will still be in their ski stuff. But i have never been to Alpbach so i am not sure what its like. There is a lot of apres ski to be had in the hotels, so that might be enough for you, if not the town will have bars/clubs/discos, so whatever you like really!

Have fun with your trip and i hope you the skiing bug bites you!!! (i am sure you will love it.

Hope that helps,
Ben

I have to totally agree with Justacey. I remember when I first started skiing a few years ago and before we went (Myself, wife and daughter) we all had about 6 or 7 lessons on the dry slope - it made a huge difference when we got to the snow. When we joined the novice class on the first morning, we were catapulted about two groups ahead once they knew we could snow plough, plough turn and stop. We were skiing from the top on the first afternoon when the novice group didn't get there until day 3. To this day I still use the dry slope at Gloucester regularly in the build up to each season. I think there is a real snobbery about dry slopes. Yes they do hurt a bit when you fall and yes they just aren't the same but they still make a difference. Last year I had a private lesson on the dry and then just skied the whole week in Flaine red and blue without any tuition and the dry lesson really helped. I got more out of a single one to one dry lesson than I did a whole week in a group in Obergurgl. Also if you can learn to turn parallel and carve on dry, you will find it so much easier on snow because you struggle to get your edges to grip on dry as there is nothing to work against the underside of the ski. As for the snow domes, I have a real issue with them. They are great if you have never skied before and want to now how snow feels but I have stopped using Tamworth now as I think it is literally unsafe becasue of the amount of people they literally cram onto the slopes. I have seen so many near nasty collisions there, I'm amazed they haven't had any serious incidents. It really annoys me because it costs a fortune (About £90 for two hours for the 3 of us to ski) and you can hardly ski 10 yards before you bump into someone going much slower. Basically if you are a beginner, the snow domes are great - if you're not they are just as bad as a badly crowded blue at the end of the day in any French major bang in the middle of the French Holidays in Feb - i.e a nightmare.