Beginner / solo / holidays

[IHE]

I've started learning snowboarding and love it. Not a complete beginner, but not an intermediate yet. Never boarded outdoors.
I want to go on a snowboarding holiday.
I'm recently divorced (why do I feel the need to say that? 😭) and don't know anyone into snowsports who I could easily tag along with.
Having heard what sone people pay for skiing holidays, I'm definitely ant the Budget end.

With no experience of skiing holidays, the whole idea of sorting out a trip on my own scares the crap out of me, but I want to do it anyway.
Suggestions please?

On Facebook there's a group called solo skiers uk or there's a forum called snowheads that organise trips away too.
I think because a lot of people have partners or friends who don't ski it's not so unusual to go solo and meet up with like minded people

I have heard good things about UCPA https://www.ucpa.co.uk/

Sadly it looks like I'm too old for their usual crowd. 😕

Hi OP,

I am looking for beginner-level cross-country solo trips for December 2024.

Solos UK does snowboarding trips and they release their holidays in June.

I've also looked at Exodus but don't want to risk being the only solo amongst couples.

@FoxtrotOscarFoxtrotOscar I did an Exodus holiday to Venabu to do cross country skiing - it was a mix of couples, buddies and people on their own. It seemed like a everyone had a good experience. I agree its a risk though. What about one of the specialists like https://www.gutsygirls.co.uk/cross-country-ski-retreat. If it's all women you're less likely to get coupled up people, though you may still be on your 'own' if there are a lot of tight friendship groups. I think you're more likely to find more solo travellers with the specialist operators.

Edited - if you want to learn to do skate style cross country skiing, it's a bit tougher to find holidays for that, I can recommend Tracks and Trails but cannot say how couple-ey they are likely to be. Holidays that use Venabu for a base are 'classic' cross country only, as that is their main stock of skis. Similar also with Dalseter in Norway.

@kittykarate
Thanks a million for sharing your knowledge & links!

Sorry I couldn't help you out @Inspirationfailure - my specialist subject is cross country skiing.

Based on my experience doing downhill, going to ski lessons is key to making 'ski buddies' if you're not on a group holiday. Couples can quite often have very different skills/confidence levels so they can be split between groups, and you can make a buddy for the daytimes that way.

Do you have a local ski 'club'? For example, I know Manchester Ski Club organises holidays that include snowboarders, but I don't know what their mix of people is like.

I follow an account called "dresslikeamum" on instagram and she organises women's only ski/snowboard trips that look like a lot of fun! Pretty sure it looks higher end of budget but you never know!

Also have a look at Pilaski. Pila is a small resort in the Aosta Valley that's great for beginners and they do ladies only trips too.

Thanks for the pointers.
FWIW I'm really not looking for a women only trip.

Sorry @IHE ! No idea why I assumed women only.

Sorry that was probably my fault - I misunderstood the assignment.

I'm a lazy mare - my first time skiing was part of a package because I don't enjoy chasing round finding out about ski hire, ski schools, transfers. Once I know a region then I'm much more happy to book things myself.

That's exactly where I am. I wouldn't have the faintest idea of how the boot/board hiring thing works or even lift passes. I'm perfectly happy not being pushed into a social group (which in my limited experience is what happens with gendered groups) but I definitely feel the need for sone logistics hand holding.

I don't know snowboarding at all - but I guess the first step is to look at resorts that are good for snowboarders (based on watching them on lifts, I'd be avoiding places with lots of T-bars!).

Do you have any constraints/preferences other than price? E.g. you'd rather punch yourself in the tits than sit on a 3 hour transfer bus.

Ski trips are difficult logistically to organise and it’s much better if you can go for the first time with someone who knows what they are doing. An organised singles group sounds good but I don’t actually know of any. If you do decide to go alone you could go with a tour operator like Crystal so there will be a rep at the accommodation who can advise you where to go and what to do. If you just rock up at an air bnb it would be quite hard to work it all out.

There are companies that will provide the full package that you're looking for. For example, this company:

https://www.theskigathering.com/ski-holidays/snowboard.php

However, I wouldn't personally go with them myself as they don't offer single rooms. If you're travelling alone then you will have to share with a stranger. That's a definite no for me but if you're OK with that then maybe something to look at

Alternatively, Crystal Ski do two trips per year for beginners where they organise everything, snowboard hire, lift pass, lessons etc all as part of the package.

The only thing is that it is for beginners or, as they put it, "You’ve only taken a few hours of lessons on an indoor slope". Prices this year were £845-1095

https://www.crystalski.co.uk/beginner-ski-holidays/slope-starters/

Then there are other companies that specialise in just snowboarding. For example, I have been with this company, Mint, they're based in Morzine in the French Alps. They do a beginner/improver week long camp which includes everything and five whole days of lessons. This year the prices were €1,600 (£1,400). They do everything, from hiring the snowboard, to getting a lift pass to making sure you know where to go for the lessons etc

https://mintsnowboarding.com/camps/beginners-snowboard-camp-avoriaz/

I can really recommend them, if you have a look at their reviews on Trip Advisor, it's not just me either.

Alternatively, if you google something like "snowboard camp" then that should bring up other companies that do something similar, ie arrange everything for you as a package and handhold.

I haven't done the camp with Mint but I highly, highly recommend them for snowboard instruction. One of the few who only do snowboarding. I was lucky to do a few improver lessons with Tammy a few years back and my technique improved massively.

I'm looking at the Mint website and thinking... wow that does look good. Then I give myself a shake because I can't afford any more snow hobbies!