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Group Trip Advisor

Ski Guide for Groups

Carving around corners, bumping down moguls, breathing in cool mountain air and sweeping views. Ah, the essence of skiing. What a rush. Plus, there's also the company of like-minded ski aficionados. Ski villages offer whatever nightlife you crave, from a quiet family dinner to dance floors for shaking your groove thing with friends.

Sun_valley_group_ski_travelBoarders and skiers put their passion for powder to practice on slopes across North America from mid-November through March (later if snowfall permits). Skiing is an ideal activity for groups, fostering camaraderie and a healthy dose of competition among friends and family. It allows adventure-seekers to vacation together, skiing off on separate runs if desired and meeting up at the lift lines to swap slope stories. At the day’s end, everyone regroups for some après ski activities. Here’s a guide with tips and resources to help you plan your group ski trip with ease.

Planning Ski Trips

  1. Find a mountain and ski resort for your group
  2. Invite friends, family, or team/club members (ski team, church group, school mates, professional organization members)
  3. Discuss trip details with travel companions
  4. Create an event schedule of dinner reservations and other key itinerary details
  5. Shop for flights, hotels, rental cars, activities and attractions and share booking details

Ski Trip Checklist
When planning a group ski trip, there are plenty of factors to keep in mind. Does anyone in the group require child care for their kids? Is anyone interested in taking group ski lessons and how varied are the ski skill levels? Is everyone buying group lift tickets before arriving or while there? Here's a quick list of things to consider before you go:

Top Ski Resorts in North America
Take your pick of ski areas, states, and snow conditions for the upcoming ski season and start planning your ski trip. Since there are simply too many ski areas to list, but here are 10 popular ski resorts for groups for starters (in no particular order):

  1. Vail Ski Resort, Colorado
  2. Breckenridge Ski Resort, Colorado
  3. Heavenly Ski Resort, Lake Tahoe
  4. Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort, British Columbia
  5. Steamboat Ski Resort, Colorado
  6. Mammoth Lakes Ski Resort, California
  7. Killington Ski Resort, Vermont
  8. Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort, Colorado
  9. Park City Ski Resort, Utah
  10. Jackson Hole Ski Resort, Wyoming

Ground Transportation Options
Find out what options are available at the airport and ski resort your group is heading to. If you're on a budget, shuttle services offer group rates. One of the greatest benefits of a group trip is being able to split costs such as transportation to and from venues.

Ski-In, Ski-Out Accommodations
Convenient for those who plan to spend most of their trip skiing, you can save gas and glide right outside your hotel door. Hotels, condos, and resorts can all fall into this category. Examples include Snake River Lodge & Spa in Jackson Hole, Sunshine Inn (Banff's only ski-in/ski-out hotel), and The Loft at the Mountain Village 3-bedroom condo in Park City.

Vacation Rental Homes
One of the best ways to enjoy a group ski trip is by renting an entire house. I've done this several times and it's usually been the best option. Do a Google search for your ski area or look at this worldwide directory for ski area vacation homes.

Aprés Ski
TripHub allows you to discuss, plan, and make decisions on group activities with your trip mates all in one central location, saving you the hassle of sending a zillion emails to coordinate.

Wintry Activities – Numerous ski resorts give snowbirds other ways to play in the snow either before or after they ski (or when taking a day off of the slopes):

Ski Trivia

Best of the Web (Ski Related Links)

Photo: Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau