Wicked Travels Winter 2015 | Page 29

Solo Ski Trips

As the ski season begins, many snow-sport lovers are faced with a dilemma – love of the slopes inspires them to book a holiday to the mountains, but perhaps friends or family don’t share the same passion. Maybe this is a problem you’ve faced yourself; should you miss another year on the snow or should you brave the slopes by yourself?

Any kind of holiday can be intimidating when you’re alone, but a ski or snowboarding trip can be particularly intense. Here are our thoughts on what makes a solo ski trip great, what might be stopping you from booking, and our top tips for overcoming these concerns and having a great trip to the slopes.

The benefits of skiing solo:

There are countless ways that a solo trip can be just as good, if not better, than a group skiing holiday. For example:

* Are you an early riser? Like to be ready to take the first lift in the morning? Or perhaps you like a lie in and would rather not push yourself too much each morning? Either way, you won’t need to fight your friends each day to make it to the slopes as and when you’d like.

* You’re free to ski at your own pace, without having to wait for others to catch up or worry that you’re slowing them down. If you want to spend time taking an amazing photograph or simply catching your breath, then you’re free to do that without holding others up

* You have the freedom to meet new friends, whether it’s chatting on the ski lifts or during après ski in the evenings

* Maybe you don’t like the buzzing après ski club that all your friends loved, or perhaps they prefer to chill while you’re keen to party. When you travel alone you’re free to take part in whatever activities you like without concerning yourself with other people’s plans

Can You Go It Alone?