Ski season is upon us so if you’re hitting the slopes for the first time it’s worth doing some research and planning in advance of your trip. There’s plenty to know about gear and how to get to and from ski fields so it’s easy and comfortable. If you drive a cute city car like most of us, it’s definitely worth looking at hiring a more hardy vehicle for a winter or ski holiday. Here are five reasons why:
Access
Many ski fields have unsealed or steep, snow-covered access roads so it can get a bit tricky in an underpowered city car. A decent-sized four wheel drive will make it much easier to navigate difficult roads safely. This is especially important if it’s the first time you’re driving in snowy conditions.
Room for gear
If you’ve never skied or snowboarded before you might be surprised at exactly how much gear is involved. Aside from yourselves and your layers of thermals and sweatshirts there’s an array of jackets, backpacks, boots, skis and boards of varying awkward shapes to fit it to your vehicle before heading up the hill. A bigger vehicle will definitely make the tetris-style packing a lot easier and many will come with racks to make it even simpler.
Cost
Some rental car suppliers team up with ski fields so you get a discount on your passes when you rent with them. Every little bit counts with winter sports being a relatively expensive excursion. Check out our deals page to find such winter savings.
Convenience
It is possible to use bus services to get up and down the mountain and this can be great when you’re bright eyed and bushy tailed first thing in the morning, but by the end of the day the convenience of having your own vehicle and leaving when you want comes into its own. This is particularly important if you are traveling with younger kids who can get cold and tired well before the last run and just need to go back to warm accommodation as soon as possible.
Assistance
If you’re new to winter sports, rental car suppliers can be a wealth of information and can give you all the top tips on how to drive in these different conditions, fit racks, find the right sized chains, fit those chains and anything else that you might need to know if driving in the snow for the first time.
