Let’s be real for a second. We’re all absolutely sick of not getting our shred on, aren’t we?. Last season was a write off, the season before it was (mostly) a write off, and it’s just been too long, far too long in fact, since any of us clipped in and slid about on some of mother nature’s white and powdery goodness. This season however, that looks set to change. The ski / snowboard trip is making a big old comeback and, honestly, we couldn’t be more stoked if we turned off the M6 at either junction 15 or 16 and drove down the A500 for a bit (look it up on a map).
To get you hyped on the upcoming ski season, we’ve teamed up with Crystal Ski Holidays to bring you a list of reasons why we’re buzzing to get back amongst it in the high places of the world. Brace yourself. It’s about to get deeply relatable. These are some of the things we’ve missed the most about ski trips
Chairlift Chats
Chairlift chats are pretty much like regular chats but also, in another sense, they’re different in every conceivable way. Firstly, that scenery. You’re not getting that on a park bench at home are you? One minute you’re stuck in the queue, discovering in real-time just how much secondary school French you’ve forgotten, the next… you’re floating high above the slopes soaking up those jaw-dropping mountain vistas that’ll be imprinted on your mind’s eye until the day you die.
Then there’s the chats themselves. The reminiscing over last night’s après shenanigans, the “Duuuuude. Are you going to send it this time or what?” bravado, the nostalgic look backs on previous ski trip hilarity; it’s all gold, solid gold. That random middle-aged guy, with the jacket from 1982, sat awkwardly between you? He’s the icing on the cake, the filling in the sandwich, the pièce de résistance.
Bluebird Days
Sliding down the mountain with nothing but true blue above your head is the one, isn’t it? That contrast between the white snow and the ocean in the sky, the sun so close you feel like you could reach out and pluck it from above like a hot grape, the endless opportunities for panoramic photos; yes, bluebird days are a special kind of magic. We can’t wait to experience them all over again.
Fresh Corduroy
At one stage during the long, arduous, months of lockdown a member of our team (who shall remain anonymous) took to switching his phone into incognito mode and googling ‘corduoroy snow’ when no one was around. And, quite frankly, who can blame them? There’s nothing on earth quite like setting your eyes on an uninterrupted piste right after the resort machines have done their thing. Hang close ups of ‘the cord’ in all the art museums already. That distinct pattern winding its way down a mountain slope really is one of the most beautiful sights on earth. A blank canvas yet to be painted on, fresh corduroy speaks of potential, untapped opportunity, and memories yet to be made. It’s class.
First Lifts
Despite the hangover, despite the ludicrously early wake-up call, you’ve done it. You’ve made it out the door of your chalet. The sun hasn’t even popped its head over the nearest mountain yet but you, you legend, are already making your way to the gondola in town. You’re going to be front of the queue, the first in line, the person who makes that first sweeping turn in the beautiful fresh cord (see above).
Getting to the top of that very first lift and feeling like the mountain is your very own personal playground to be explored, and to be enjoyed to its fullest, is one of the most exciting experiences you can have on a ski trip. It’s a moment well worth getting out of bed for.
