Hello peeps

Is it too late in the season to have a go at Ski-ing/Snowboarding for the first time!??

My fiance and I moved here a week ago, and I reckon one of the things we should do as part of our Swiss-ification is have a go at this winter sports lark...

So... any tips? Any volunteers to show us the ropes? What kind of costs are involved with a beginners' day on the slopes? what kit will I need???
We have a car - is it easier to drive or just get the train from Thalwil or wherever?

Sorry for all the questions - but you see, I'm new here ;-)

Cheers
Simon



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Zurich lay before me like a great shoe with its lights on...

Its not too late, hell you can even go skiing/boarding during the summer if you really want to.

Search on the forum, there is a load of information available which might get you started. I would recommend trying to get a private lesson on your first attempt and then take it from there. You just need to pick a resort.

We are trying to organise a ski/snowboard get together for all expats this month. Check in on this thread for more details.

My advice is if you have done boardsports before you might enjoy snowboarding, otherwise skiing is probably a bit easier.

I'm sure Salsa Lover will be along shortly to tell you all you never wanted to know about skiing!

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This message is a natural product. The variations in spelling and grammar enhance it's individual character. (Ski/Snowboard/Mountain Bike in CH)

I can second that.... before I finish writing this post... you will surely be loaded with info Just joking!


It is never too late to start skiing my friend! Some of the resort are even open till end of May (although the snow quality might not be the best ever).

My Swissification kicked in only late during this season, after having spent full year here, and from complete beginner who was hardly able to stand (save turn) on skis, within weeks of regular practice I became black slopes enthusiast. It is all mental and depending on your physical predisposition sooner or later you should be able to learn! If you have done other sports before, it is even easier. So go there and dont waste your time

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Having cooled down in snowy CH, I miss sunny SA again!

Plenty of time, I didn't start until late March last year.

You could do a taster course in Flumserberg - 1 1/2 hours tuition including rental of boots, skis for CHF70 which I think is reasonable.

http://www.flumserberg.ch/sssf/en/ski/testing.htm

You could drive up to Tannenboden Flumserberg, or just drive to Unterterzen and take a gondola up from there (quicker).

(Flumserberg is best avoided at weekends when the weather is good - it's one of the closest resorts to Zurich)

Hi there,

I can only confirm that Flumserberg is a great place to start on the slopes.
We were there last week-end and there was still plenty of snow.
One thing I would recommend: on a sunny day the snow tends to get pretty squishy in the afternoons and it wont make skiing any easier for you... So I would advice you to be there early (slopes open at 8AM). That way you can also beat traffic on the way there and back. There can be quite a lot of traffic jams in the late afternoon.

In any case: good luck on the slopes!!!!

Now is actually probably a better time to start, with the February school holiday rush over and the slopes a little quieter. Also, the weather will be getting warmer and the days longer, which makes the experience far more enjoyable than those cold December days where your nostril hairs start freezing.

It can be expensive if you opt for all new outerwear and buying equipment over renting before you know if you like it. Also remember to take lots of warm clothes. If you're too warm, you can always take a layer off, but if you're too cold, it's really not fun at all.

And *don't* wear two pairs of socks!

Good luck with it - I hope you find it as enjoyable as so many of us do.

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Life in the French Alps: http://www.lefrancophoney.com

True, but on the other hand this is the best ( and last ) time to buy ski/warm equipement.

The shops will be removing it soon and then you'd have to get it next year at a higher price.

Check out Sport-Fabrik in Volketswil or Regensdorf that have quite a good selection of reduced priced equipement.