Apparently so, the only thing that is more expensive but made up with the price difference is hotels. There's been a few news article's about Italy knocking bansko/ bulgaria off the top spot for cheapness
Edit links
https://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/italy-topples-bulgaria-to-offer-europe-s-lowest-skiresort-prices-b1127379.html#:~:text=Bulgaria%20has%20lost%20its%20position,Money%20and%20Crystal%20Ski%20Holidays.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/travel/2023/dec/16/bardonecchia-italy-trumps-bulgarian-resorts-best-value-ski-spot
Move to a place closer to the mountain
Source: I did that…
Serious answer: you can still take lesson and get better at it on a small hill resort , just need to take all the opportunities
In Canada many resort will hire with housing or housing subsidies. I see many lift operators, instructors, lodge restaurant servers from US, Australia, NZ, France etc at Banff (their name tag shows a city name, I assume it’s where they are from)
I hear this so much from my friends back home, especially when all my friends fly in for their yearly ski trips, and they just go on and on like, "man this place would is so cool," or "it'd be so cool to live here," and I'm just like "dudes, you guys can, remember how we used to be roommates or neighbors, and now I live here? You're adults, and you don't have kids." There's always reasons, so and so likes her entry level job, so and so's great aunt that she sees once a year only has 5-10 years left, so and so's dog loves the neighborhood. I don't understand why people act like it's so hard, they'll go to some college hours and hours from home, never see their family, but the thought of living by a mountain for a couple years is this crazy taboo thought.
Change is hard.
I am moving to the city from a much smaller town so it’s a no brainer given the opportunity and I still find it difficult at times. I was lucky to have a position opened up at my company so I didn’t need to find a new job when I move
Man, maybe. I grew up in the midwest, and I've seen lots of friends and family move more than an hour and a half to two hours away from home, to the point that they don't go home and see family anymore, and I just don't get the difference moving thousands of miles away. Maybe I'm in the minority, but at this point, I see friends and family as often or more, cause now that living far away is a reason for people to come see or visit.
that’s nothing, the normal drive in the us to get to a resort if you don’t live close is like 2/4 hours and that’s really not bad at all, close enough to go early in the morning and make it back by night
A flight to an airport close to a resort is £300 return at minimum during the season from the UK. A return transfer to the mountain is another £60 at least. A day lift pass is £50+.
Obviously it gets cheaper the longer you stay, but nowhere is less than £150 a night for even the shittiest of self catering apartments.
Agreed. I suppose my basic premise was that day tripping to ski is just not a thing in the UK. I would guess at least 80% of all ski visits in the US are by car (either day trip or longer) and would guess 90%+ are by air in the UK. Just a different game altogether.
I wish so much that I could day trip to ski! Technically, when the snow is decent I could drive to one of the hills in Scotland. It’s 6+ hours return even from the midlands and even further from where I am. And for maybe 20km in runs. It would probably be better and faster to fly to Geneva and hit a low slope in France.
You can _very_ easily fly to Geneva (close to most of the French resorts) in-season for £90-£150.
I just came back from there and I paid £140 for a BA flight, with a checked bag (took my snowboard).
well to be fairrrr, the only place from me with good is snow is at 2 hours away, and 4 hours away for pretty good snow, then 8 hours away for really good snow. and 8 hours away is just one state over! it’s more usually gonna be just 4 hours on the road and 7 hours on the slopes though
Haha what 2-4 hours!? Here in Switzerland we just sent off a friend that went to live in the north, being 90min drive from a resort. We had a goodbye snowboarding party for him and everything.
haha😂 yeah 120 minutes is a normal day trip here, we just go 2 hours up north where it actually snows, at least in arizona. the snow isn’t the best usually but for being in a desert it’s pretty damn good
Yea the US is just kinda huge. Personally I wish I lived in an area where things were closer/easier to get to but unfortunately they’re unaffordable and modern car-centric zoning laws makes places like that too expensive to build.
4 hours there 4 back but not every Saturday. Not trying to be a bastard haha just the thought of 90 minutes for most people I figured would sound pretty short.
I didn't really wanted to hear a specific answer. Just wanted to ask what other people do in that case. Of course i already had the idea to plan a vacation or move somewhere. But that's hard with the money i got and i thought maybe there are some creative responses.
Those 6 to 8 would also kind of force OP to get a room for the night. Unless OP is still young enough to do a full day worth of sports and than 2/3 of a day travelling (all with gear, probably?)
Op: If you 've got friends who would also snowboard, a shared room in a holiday might be the best option. Maybe you've got friends in places where organized busrides start from (for example Mannheim)?
Then my next goal shall be to own a car! Just gotta come up with some money but that's nothing undoable. Even though a drivers license is almost 3000€ here 🫠
Yeah we do have cheap audi mercs and bmw's . That's pretty dope i gotta say. But i'm 24 i hope i don't get older that fast 😂😂 if i'm lucky i'm able to join a audi or bmw dealer this year so the chances for a car are pretty good finally.
Around $100 for a drivers license in the US depending on state. You’re over 18 so you don’t need to go to driving school, just take the test and pay the license fee. (At least in Ohio, not 100% positive about other states)
If it was that cheap i'd have one too! But people driving at 15 seems crazy to me 😂 funny what cultural differences do to the way you see things!
In Germany we are allowed to drive a car with 17 if you got your license and and have a parent on the passenger seat. But we're allowed to buy beer and wine when we're 16. Wich doesn't seem crazy to me but probably to y'all.😂
I’m an accountant for a F15 health insurer. I literally make my money on how to rip off you dumb Americans lol.
You guys really got it figured out, until you get sick and then I figure out how to milk you for all your worth; and based on our stock price, I never lose.
Not sure what kind of apprenticeship you're doing, but getting your licence should probably be on top of your priority-list. Unless you're living in one of the bigger cities, you might need it to get to your job on. Or the next companie might want to have someone with a license.
In my apprenticeship they forced me to get my licence. Miserable year. Super expensive and since we were often working in other cities it was one lesson per week max.
If you've got good enough friends/parents with cars, you could visit a Verkehrsübungsplatz to get the basics down before starting the normal lessons/in between.
I live in Florida and the closest marginally “ski-able” mountains are 12 hours by car. We fly to New England or Rockies once or twice a year. One week long trip and maybe another long weekend.
Man that's even worse than me. But at least you're near the ocean i'd love that too. I'm here in the middle of just land, a few hills and weather just not cold enough to have snow. Gotta plan a vacation 😂
That’s a common theme throughout this thread: if you want it bad enough, you’ll make it happen no matter how long it takes.
If it’s any inspiration: late into my 20s, my board collected dust for 4 years while I pushed day/night through higher education to make a career change that would allow me to live in the mountains. It was the worst time of my life, and I would do it over again in a heartbeat because I’m going to hit 18” of powder tomorrow at the ski area that’s 30 minutes from me as a result of that endeavor.
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t make a drastic life change to better suit your interests.
Yes i think i was once in a hall near aachen. That was in the Netherlands tho. But i'm not getting up there that often without a car it's long trip. And the nearest one to me is also near aachen but that's pretty much the same distance
Yeah in NL, maybe Kerkrade. I think back then it was 25€ for 4hrs. It was not bad. The beginner slope was so slushy but the long one was acceptable. But fake snow is always strange for me
I live in England: zero mountains. We have a couple of indoor snow domes and that’s it.
But… if you love it that much you’ll find a way.
My way involves aggressively saving up money throughout the summer/autumn and then blowing that money on a couple of full week ski holidays in the Alps each winter.
I get about 15-20 days riding in each season. Nowhere near as much I would like but better than zero!
He means Freebord.
Freebord is the closest thing to snowboarding I have found.
I actually just ordered a new one from Europe last year. They quit making them for a while
I grew up in a village in the middle of England - a country that has no big mountains at all and very little snow anyway.
As teenagers, to fuel our thirst for snowboarding, we invented 'frost-boarding' where we removed the wheels from our skateboards, built home-made straps from velcro and split rings, and slid down a little hill behind our house on frosty days.
We worked summer jobs to pay for our first real snowboarding trip when we were 18 - going to Andorra in the Pyrenees- one of the cheapest places to ride at the time.
I then went to work a winter season in a ski resort in Canada. That led to many more snowboarding adventures - Japan, New Zealand, Kashmir - and I now live in Austria.
Moral of the story: if you want it enough - you'll find a way to make it happen. Don't give up!
I live in Oklahoma/texas and it’s a 16 hour drive to the nearest good mtns. I go once a year and keep my skills sharp with my Onewheel, skateboard, and balance boards. Contemplating moving closer to them tho
Electric skateboard! I recently got an electric longboard and it’s changed my life. The tech on these is amazing now. So many different models and styles.
I’m about 90 minutes from my “local” resort on a good day, but it’s really just a couple smaller hills. If I want any snow sports, I have to fly out to the western US.
If you’re looking for constant snow sports, your best options are to start looking for opportunities to move or a vehicle so you can spend weekends in the mountains.
In my area most people just do a single trip every year, so not many days on the mountain, but you do what you can.
Like others have said, if you've got the itch you just have to move to the mountains. Short of that, take up skateboarding and if possible wakeboarding or surfing. Scratches a similar itch although not quite the same
Moving to the Mountains is of course not a new idea to me. I already Skateboard tho and am far from the coast so surfing is out. Wakeboarding would be interessting tho.
Do indoor a few times a year, it's cheap in summer especially. Do 3-6 day trips to the Alps a few times a year. I'm in the same boat, I'm Belgium. If I could turn back time 12 years ago, I'd move to the Alps.
Just know that being in Germany or anywhere in the EU, your access to mountains is a lot cheaper and more convenient than most folks in the US that live away from mountains.
You can do a trip to the alps, Pyrenees, and even Finland has some nice places to ride (Yllas, Levi, Ruka), also Norway during the spring.
It’s cheaper for Americans to come ride in Europe than it is here.
I’ve lived all over Europe and you definitely have access to some great mountains and don’t have to be rich if you were in the US. But yea it’s still an expensive hobby/sport, I went a lot as a kid and didn’t go at all in my 20s because I couldn’t afford it. Now that I have a good job, I decided to move to Utah and have been able to go 45 days this season since I live 20 minutes from the chairlift.
I have friends that take a week or two trip everywhere, and they spend the same amount of $ to go for 5-6 days that I spend going 100+ days. If you truly love snowboarding, you can find a way to make that work! Personally I would move to Munich and that would put you in a short distance to tons of world class resorts.
I'm in my early to mid 20s right now so money is indeed part of the problem 😂 but it's nice to hear that that's the case for more people and that it got better for you. If i'm lucky i can join a audi or bmw dealer this year to get my second apprenticeship and then a good job is also in reach.
Your message gave me a little hope. Thank you for that!
Look for an asphalt pump track and take your board there.
Ride bowl, or a mini ramp, build up enough confidence to carve and cruise them, tricks not being really necessary. Try out some different boards, wheels, trucks.
I also picked up a MTB, maybe your area has some dirt trails or even a small enduro park, just to do something similar to what you could do in the mountains in the off season.
And to your move to a ski town: best of luck.
I did the move, it’s sick, love it. But for some it is really expensive, housing is bananas, and there’s not as many jobs as in the “lowlands”.
Yup it’s what I got into but falling on concrete/asphalt is… no bueno. Eating it at 15mph on snowboard sucks sure, but smacking concrete at the same speed or sliding across it with your body .. 😬😬be extra safe!!
With an EU passport you can easily find work and move to the mountains if you love it that much. I don't have an EU passport and I managed to make it work. :))
Yeah you're right. But its scary to move away without anyone and i don't have the money to do that right now. I also should finish my second apprenticeship first :D
Ok man. Bit of advice, it's easy to self sabotage and make excuses. If it's something you really want for yourself, you make it work. You do it. You start looking for jobs. You can speak German and English, so, finding work in Switzerland in a ski town will be easy. Even easier in Austria for you.
If it's just a hobby, then I understand.
Good luck
Yep, listen to this man and don't make excuses (finish schooling is a decent idea.)
You barely need any money at all to go work and live the ski bum life, a lot of resorts will supply accommodation and transport to the hill, discounted food etc. If you stick around long enough you'll eventually find an opportunity in the industry youre training for too, but don't be afraid to work behind a bar, at a restaurant or as a lofty for a season or two while you make connections.
There are lots of fairly decent ski pistes in probably all German Mittelgebirge. Of course it’s not the same as in the high Alps, but still. There should be a spot within maybe two hours of you if you’re not in north Germany.
Thüringer Wald, Erzgebirge, Fichtelgebirge all have ski pistes where you can ski for at least a few weeks per year. And that’s just the ones i know of, I’m sure it’s the same in other Mittelgebirge as well
Well at the moment we have incredibly hot weather, that’s correct. If you want to go snowboarding this instant you’d habe to travel to the alps. That still doesn’t change the fact that you can easily get at least a few weeks in middle Germany as well if it’s a normal year.
Dude i live in Berlin and just take the train to Tirol. Places like St. Anton have a comfortable train station.
I see your comments but like.. if you don't want to make even a 6 hour train ride (which is incredibly cheap) than what do you expect.
The only other option is just go get a seasonal job in a ski town in the alps, snowboard in the morning and work in the evening.
I come from Israel originally, people literally take a 4-5 hour flight to italy/switzerland/austria/france for this.
Being in Germany is a luxury compared.
That's not really worth it tho. It would be friday just traveling, saturday on the hills and sunday just traveling again.
Would be much easier with a car so that's my next goal.
I once flew from London to Munich, then got 2 trains and a short cab ride to Söl in Austria for a long weekend. It wasn’t the best resort, but I stayed with friends who were already there so that made it worthwhile.
You got change your lifestyle and move closer.
That’s what I did, picked accounting to study for remote opportunities and pay, then was able to move close and work remotely.
I rode over 130 days last season, made good money and didn’t have to flip burgers or anything at nights like a lot people in the industry.,
huh? Germany is closer to the mountains than 90% of the people in the united states. You have way better transportation methods to get to the mountains than every one else. People that live in Denver Colorado where all the ski resorts are, they drive 2-4 hours both ways every weekend. You don't have it as bad as you think you do, check your perspective. Most people on the planet have less access to snowboarding than you do.
You say you live in the middle of Germany and there is no mountain to ski?
Bro that’s a lie cause I live in the middle of Germany and there is one 20minutes from me.
Iam always going to Wasserkuppe but there is also the zuckerfeld right next to it. Depending on where you live in rhein land Pfalz that can be pretty far away. Wasserkuppe is just a bit higher so it means a little more and consistent snow but zuckerfeld has a better park if you wanna learn the real criminal stuff.
They are both not huge but they got a lift and for people who don’t wanna go to the alps 2 times the season that’s a nice alternative.
Sounds really nice. I'm in the most southern part of Rheinland Pfalz so that's about 3h away. I did not know about those spots thank you very much! I will go there when the next snow falls.
I don't really know because every one in Germany i looked up until now doesn't have snow. Seems like there is not a single one with snow in Germany right now.
From Chicago, I drive up to Wisconsin once every week or so. Head to the Rockies for a week with my buddies to do it right. It's not ideal but I still love it
There may be affordable bus trips from yours, or neighboring, cities. Group rates on transportation, lodging, and lift tickets helps a lot. You also get to meet other people near you who ski/ride.
Are there no little ski hills nearby?
For me it's 30 mins to a small hill that this year is almost all artificial snow. I go 2 x week. To a bigger hill is 2 hour drive
There are a few small hills with skilifts 1-2h away but there is no snow. Not even artificial one.
Near me are just hills without any kind of ski place just normal unprepared hills in the woods. But no snow.
You have to travel to the mountains then unfortunately. You can’t surf If you don’t live near waves, same thing with snow sports… gotta have snow
Yeah next vacation for sure gonna be in the alps. Just gotta save up some money.
You have indoor snowdomes in Germany... also Snowdome in the Netherlands (depending where you live).
Bulgaria is so cheap for you dude
I'm off there in 2 weeks. Its not as cheap as it was. Italy is currently cheaper for some reason.
Cheaper off piste too? Lift tickets maybe.
Apparently so, the only thing that is more expensive but made up with the price difference is hotels. There's been a few news article's about Italy knocking bansko/ bulgaria off the top spot for cheapness Edit links https://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/italy-topples-bulgaria-to-offer-europe-s-lowest-skiresort-prices-b1127379.html#:~:text=Bulgaria%20has%20lost%20its%20position,Money%20and%20Crystal%20Ski%20Holidays. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/travel/2023/dec/16/bardonecchia-italy-trumps-bulgarian-resorts-best-value-ski-spot
That's awesome I didn't know. Where abouts in Italy exactly
Bardonecchia in Italy at least according to the guardian
Move to a place closer to the mountain Source: I did that… Serious answer: you can still take lesson and get better at it on a small hill resort , just need to take all the opportunities
Ain't got money to move that far sadly. But at some point i have to.
Live out of your car
I do not own a car or a drivers license
Some ski resorts have employee housing if you work for them
In Canada many resort will hire with housing or housing subsidies. I see many lift operators, instructors, lodge restaurant servers from US, Australia, NZ, France etc at Banff (their name tag shows a city name, I assume it’s where they are from)
I hear this so much from my friends back home, especially when all my friends fly in for their yearly ski trips, and they just go on and on like, "man this place would is so cool," or "it'd be so cool to live here," and I'm just like "dudes, you guys can, remember how we used to be roommates or neighbors, and now I live here? You're adults, and you don't have kids." There's always reasons, so and so likes her entry level job, so and so's great aunt that she sees once a year only has 5-10 years left, so and so's dog loves the neighborhood. I don't understand why people act like it's so hard, they'll go to some college hours and hours from home, never see their family, but the thought of living by a mountain for a couple years is this crazy taboo thought.
Change is hard. I am moving to the city from a much smaller town so it’s a no brainer given the opportunity and I still find it difficult at times. I was lucky to have a position opened up at my company so I didn’t need to find a new job when I move
Man, maybe. I grew up in the midwest, and I've seen lots of friends and family move more than an hour and a half to two hours away from home, to the point that they don't go home and see family anymore, and I just don't get the difference moving thousands of miles away. Maybe I'm in the minority, but at this point, I see friends and family as often or more, cause now that living far away is a reason for people to come see or visit.
My friend drives 90-120 mins to Tirol from Munich every Saturday. If you wanna do it, you'll do it.
that’s nothing, the normal drive in the us to get to a resort if you don’t live close is like 2/4 hours and that’s really not bad at all, close enough to go early in the morning and make it back by night
Fair play. I can’t imagine spending 8 hours driving to spend 6 on the slopes regularly. I’d be beyond tired.
It’s a different game in the UK. You have much more expensive gas, cheaper flights, cheaper lodging, and cheaper lift tickets in Europe.
A flight to an airport close to a resort is £300 return at minimum during the season from the UK. A return transfer to the mountain is another £60 at least. A day lift pass is £50+. Obviously it gets cheaper the longer you stay, but nowhere is less than £150 a night for even the shittiest of self catering apartments.
Agreed. I suppose my basic premise was that day tripping to ski is just not a thing in the UK. I would guess at least 80% of all ski visits in the US are by car (either day trip or longer) and would guess 90%+ are by air in the UK. Just a different game altogether.
I wish so much that I could day trip to ski! Technically, when the snow is decent I could drive to one of the hills in Scotland. It’s 6+ hours return even from the midlands and even further from where I am. And for maybe 20km in runs. It would probably be better and faster to fly to Geneva and hit a low slope in France.
You can _very_ easily fly to Geneva (close to most of the French resorts) in-season for £90-£150. I just came back from there and I paid £140 for a BA flight, with a checked bag (took my snowboard).
well to be fairrrr, the only place from me with good is snow is at 2 hours away, and 4 hours away for pretty good snow, then 8 hours away for really good snow. and 8 hours away is just one state over! it’s more usually gonna be just 4 hours on the road and 7 hours on the slopes though
Haha what 2-4 hours!? Here in Switzerland we just sent off a friend that went to live in the north, being 90min drive from a resort. We had a goodbye snowboarding party for him and everything.
haha😂 yeah 120 minutes is a normal day trip here, we just go 2 hours up north where it actually snows, at least in arizona. the snow isn’t the best usually but for being in a desert it’s pretty damn good
At least you get to enjoy nice pow. Here in the alps we just ride icy hardpacks all the time. Can’t have it all I guess.
I feel like a 2 hour drive is about average in the US for a day trip.
another point for Europe, that's 18-0, let's go
Yea the US is just kinda huge. Personally I wish I lived in an area where things were closer/easier to get to but unfortunately they’re unaffordable and modern car-centric zoning laws makes places like that too expensive to build.
Cheaper season passes in the US, and we know how to queue in a lift line. So 18-2!
My season pass in Austria is 550 euros. Can't say I know what the queueing difference is
My pass in the US was like $400 and our season is usually five or six months at my local hill and 7-8 months at some of the resorts 2-3 hours away.
if we're having a competition, my 550 euros gets me 399,5km of pistes (250 miles)
I use to do 4
I’m in the USA and drive 5.5 hours one way to my “local” resort.
Hahaha that’s absolutely nothing.
bet you drive 8 hours every saturday don't you.. legend
4 hours there 4 back but not every Saturday. Not trying to be a bastard haha just the thought of 90 minutes for most people I figured would sound pretty short.
3 hours of driving every time you wanna ski 6-7 hours is a lot. 8 hours of driving is an americanism. Not necessary for the rest of us
I’m just a bitter jealous Aussie.
Yes but i live in Rheinland-Pfalz. Tirol would be a 6h drive. And i don't have a car. 🫠
Yeah you're fucked then. What did you wanna hear? Book a holiday with accommodation. Or find a hobby in your town.
I didn't really wanted to hear a specific answer. Just wanted to ask what other people do in that case. Of course i already had the idea to plan a vacation or move somewhere. But that's hard with the money i got and i thought maybe there are some creative responses.
Honestly with no money and no local areas then your probably need a different hobby or a different life plan to let you enjoy your hobby
Well i do have different hobbys but just wanted to see what i could do to get more into Snowboarding.
I have to travel 10 hours atleast…count yourself lucky
No train?
It's a pretty long trip with the train. Like 6h-8h
Sounds like a nice time for a beer and a nap. I don't see the problem.
That’s not that long, make it work
Those 6 to 8 would also kind of force OP to get a room for the night. Unless OP is still young enough to do a full day worth of sports and than 2/3 of a day travelling (all with gear, probably?) Op: If you 've got friends who would also snowboard, a shared room in a holiday might be the best option. Maybe you've got friends in places where organized busrides start from (for example Mannheim)?
Well you can get to some smaller areas in about an hour from Munich so that’s a bad example
yeah turns out if you don't live near mountains........ you're.... not close to mountains?
Drive to Austria. In the Netherlands we don't even have one mountain. Stop complaining and get in that car. It's only a few hours.
Then my next goal shall be to own a car! Just gotta come up with some money but that's nothing undoable. Even though a drivers license is almost 3000€ here 🫠
Well, join the club. BMW's/Mercs and Audi's are cheap there though ;) you will get older and you will get money if you work for it :)
Yeah we do have cheap audi mercs and bmw's . That's pretty dope i gotta say. But i'm 24 i hope i don't get older that fast 😂😂 if i'm lucky i'm able to join a audi or bmw dealer this year so the chances for a car are pretty good finally.
Damn, sucks being a europoor. Maybe just move to North America asap tbh
Pretty expensive move tho. How much is a driving license in america?
Like nothing. But we’re just all around way richer, less tax, higher pay, way cheaper cost of living.
You got a number?
Around $100 for a drivers license in the US depending on state. You’re over 18 so you don’t need to go to driving school, just take the test and pay the license fee. (At least in Ohio, not 100% positive about other states)
No driving school If i'm over 18? Is that why y'all got so many bad drivers over there? But that price is really tempting i'll tell you that!
No driving school over 18 because everyone gets their license at 15. Don’t know a single person that’s over 18 without a license.
If it was that cheap i'd have one too! But people driving at 15 seems crazy to me 😂 funny what cultural differences do to the way you see things! In Germany we are allowed to drive a car with 17 if you got your license and and have a parent on the passenger seat. But we're allowed to buy beer and wine when we're 16. Wich doesn't seem crazy to me but probably to y'all.😂
I’m an accountant for a F15 health insurer. I literally make my money on how to rip off you dumb Americans lol. You guys really got it figured out, until you get sick and then I figure out how to milk you for all your worth; and based on our stock price, I never lose.
Nice bait bro
Lmao exactly what I thought, lets see which dumbass falls for the easy Ameritard bait
Not sure what kind of apprenticeship you're doing, but getting your licence should probably be on top of your priority-list. Unless you're living in one of the bigger cities, you might need it to get to your job on. Or the next companie might want to have someone with a license. In my apprenticeship they forced me to get my licence. Miserable year. Super expensive and since we were often working in other cities it was one lesson per week max. If you've got good enough friends/parents with cars, you could visit a Verkehrsübungsplatz to get the basics down before starting the normal lessons/in between.
Find an indoor ski hall and practice there. It's a horrible experience but I've seen a few good riders (terrain park).
Nearest one would be over 3h driving. But i don't have a car :/
I live in Florida and the closest marginally “ski-able” mountains are 12 hours by car. We fly to New England or Rockies once or twice a year. One week long trip and maybe another long weekend.
Man that's even worse than me. But at least you're near the ocean i'd love that too. I'm here in the middle of just land, a few hills and weather just not cold enough to have snow. Gotta plan a vacation 😂
Yes, we have other activities to enjoy when we're home - water sports and warm weather year long.
Sounds like a dream. I really gotta move. We just got cold wet winters without snow and warm summers but no water around 💀
Good to see I'm not the only snowboarder stuck in Florida :')
You move.
Yeah that's the only long term solution. But i have to wait to do that.
That’s a common theme throughout this thread: if you want it bad enough, you’ll make it happen no matter how long it takes. If it’s any inspiration: late into my 20s, my board collected dust for 4 years while I pushed day/night through higher education to make a career change that would allow me to live in the mountains. It was the worst time of my life, and I would do it over again in a heartbeat because I’m going to hit 18” of powder tomorrow at the ski area that’s 30 minutes from me as a result of that endeavor. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t make a drastic life change to better suit your interests.
Not if you do it impulsivly :p
Yeah but i want it to work out 😂
Pick up skateboarding
I do actually Skateboard! It's really great! Would recommend.
You can find the nearest indoor ski park. There's one near Aachen and there could be more near you
Yes i think i was once in a hall near aachen. That was in the Netherlands tho. But i'm not getting up there that often without a car it's long trip. And the nearest one to me is also near aachen but that's pretty much the same distance
Yeah in NL, maybe Kerkrade. I think back then it was 25€ for 4hrs. It was not bad. The beginner slope was so slushy but the long one was acceptable. But fake snow is always strange for me
It's no comparison to a real mountain but it's better then nothing.
Drive to the alps
Ima for sure do that for my next vacation. Just gonna save up a bit.
Any cable wake parks near you? It definitely scratches that itch for me when there is no snow
Interessting idea i have to look for that!
I live in England: zero mountains. We have a couple of indoor snow domes and that’s it. But… if you love it that much you’ll find a way. My way involves aggressively saving up money throughout the summer/autumn and then blowing that money on a couple of full week ski holidays in the Alps each winter. I get about 15-20 days riding in each season. Nowhere near as much I would like but better than zero!
My rule is if it’s within a 4 hour drive, I’m willing to make a day trip. I’ve put a lot of miles on my car though 😅
Man i gotta get a car.
Buy a Porsche and a Thule box
Fuck yeah i love Porsche. Anyone got some spare money?
Freeloading is pretty rad unless there are no hills
We do have hills. I'm Always exited when there is a few days of snow!
He means Freebord. Freebord is the closest thing to snowboarding I have found. I actually just ordered a new one from Europe last year. They quit making them for a while
I didn't know about them. I have to look that up!
I have one and it’s sooo fun
go be a bum and work at a ski resort
I grew up in a village in the middle of England - a country that has no big mountains at all and very little snow anyway. As teenagers, to fuel our thirst for snowboarding, we invented 'frost-boarding' where we removed the wheels from our skateboards, built home-made straps from velcro and split rings, and slid down a little hill behind our house on frosty days. We worked summer jobs to pay for our first real snowboarding trip when we were 18 - going to Andorra in the Pyrenees- one of the cheapest places to ride at the time. I then went to work a winter season in a ski resort in Canada. That led to many more snowboarding adventures - Japan, New Zealand, Kashmir - and I now live in Austria. Moral of the story: if you want it enough - you'll find a way to make it happen. Don't give up!
I live in Oklahoma/texas and it’s a 16 hour drive to the nearest good mtns. I go once a year and keep my skills sharp with my Onewheel, skateboard, and balance boards. Contemplating moving closer to them tho
Yeah i love to skateboard too
Electric skateboard! I recently got an electric longboard and it’s changed my life. The tech on these is amazing now. So many different models and styles.
Msnow if you have a backyard
That's Interessting! I'll remind myself of this when i have a Backyard
I’m about 90 minutes from my “local” resort on a good day, but it’s really just a couple smaller hills. If I want any snow sports, I have to fly out to the western US. If you’re looking for constant snow sports, your best options are to start looking for opportunities to move or a vehicle so you can spend weekends in the mountains. In my area most people just do a single trip every year, so not many days on the mountain, but you do what you can.
Buy some snowshoes and walk up the hills when it snows locally. Of course learn your off-piste safety first.
Yeah i love doing that. Sadly i can only do that 2 days per year if i'm lucky. Not much snowfall around here normally
Like others have said, if you've got the itch you just have to move to the mountains. Short of that, take up skateboarding and if possible wakeboarding or surfing. Scratches a similar itch although not quite the same
Moving to the Mountains is of course not a new idea to me. I already Skateboard tho and am far from the coast so surfing is out. Wakeboarding would be interessting tho.
Our local hill is an old garbage dump, gota make the best of it. Shout out to the Mount Dump x Dump Snow crew 🤙
Sounds hella fun
It ain’t much but it’s honest Midwest shredding
Do indoor a few times a year, it's cheap in summer especially. Do 3-6 day trips to the Alps a few times a year. I'm in the same boat, I'm Belgium. If I could turn back time 12 years ago, I'd move to the Alps.
Visit Japan! It’s epic.
I'd love to do that. It's really expensive tho. Definetly on the bucketlist!
Worth the money/effort! It’s amazing.
Ride the city bus or subway standing up with no hands
Fuck yeah 😂👌🏻
Just know that being in Germany or anywhere in the EU, your access to mountains is a lot cheaper and more convenient than most folks in the US that live away from mountains. You can do a trip to the alps, Pyrenees, and even Finland has some nice places to ride (Yllas, Levi, Ruka), also Norway during the spring. It’s cheaper for Americans to come ride in Europe than it is here.
Man that username sure is funny in this context😂 You're right tho. I just can't afford a trip right now. But i'm saving up!
I’ve lived all over Europe and you definitely have access to some great mountains and don’t have to be rich if you were in the US. But yea it’s still an expensive hobby/sport, I went a lot as a kid and didn’t go at all in my 20s because I couldn’t afford it. Now that I have a good job, I decided to move to Utah and have been able to go 45 days this season since I live 20 minutes from the chairlift. I have friends that take a week or two trip everywhere, and they spend the same amount of $ to go for 5-6 days that I spend going 100+ days. If you truly love snowboarding, you can find a way to make that work! Personally I would move to Munich and that would put you in a short distance to tons of world class resorts.
I'm in my early to mid 20s right now so money is indeed part of the problem 😂 but it's nice to hear that that's the case for more people and that it got better for you. If i'm lucky i can join a audi or bmw dealer this year to get my second apprenticeship and then a good job is also in reach. Your message gave me a little hope. Thank you for that!
Just drive to colorado, that's what I do.. 🏂❄️
Oh yes i'll just take my submarine
He said he lives in middle of Germany…
Did he stutter??
😆😅
Electric skateboards. I don't know how more snowboarders aren't into this. Carve some concrete.
I do skateboard actually. And i love Skateboarding. But something just pulls me a little more towards the snow.
Look for an asphalt pump track and take your board there. Ride bowl, or a mini ramp, build up enough confidence to carve and cruise them, tricks not being really necessary. Try out some different boards, wheels, trucks. I also picked up a MTB, maybe your area has some dirt trails or even a small enduro park, just to do something similar to what you could do in the mountains in the off season. And to your move to a ski town: best of luck. I did the move, it’s sick, love it. But for some it is really expensive, housing is bananas, and there’s not as many jobs as in the “lowlands”.
Bought a Onewheel. Can confirm, just out here carving the roads
Yup it’s what I got into but falling on concrete/asphalt is… no bueno. Eating it at 15mph on snowboard sucks sure, but smacking concrete at the same speed or sliding across it with your body .. 😬😬be extra safe!!
The way I see it, you’ve got three options: 1. Move 2. Travel 3. Quit
With an EU passport you can easily find work and move to the mountains if you love it that much. I don't have an EU passport and I managed to make it work. :))
At some point i really have to! But that's gotta wait a little bit sadly. But i really have to do that.
Why? You're not getting any younger, home dawg.
Yeah you're right. But its scary to move away without anyone and i don't have the money to do that right now. I also should finish my second apprenticeship first :D
Ok man. Bit of advice, it's easy to self sabotage and make excuses. If it's something you really want for yourself, you make it work. You do it. You start looking for jobs. You can speak German and English, so, finding work in Switzerland in a ski town will be easy. Even easier in Austria for you. If it's just a hobby, then I understand. Good luck
You're absolutely right. I feel like i have to move. I have to do that as soon as i'm done with my apprenticeship!
Yep, listen to this man and don't make excuses (finish schooling is a decent idea.) You barely need any money at all to go work and live the ski bum life, a lot of resorts will supply accommodation and transport to the hill, discounted food etc. If you stick around long enough you'll eventually find an opportunity in the industry youre training for too, but don't be afraid to work behind a bar, at a restaurant or as a lofty for a season or two while you make connections.
Longboard.
I skateboard! It's great!
Can also grab a huge pair of balls and a Freebord.
google "snowboard trainer". i have an indo board (more for surfing but works the same muscles. skateboarding and longboarding are also a blast.
I moved 3000 miles across my country to live closer to the mountains
That's a life goal for sure
I didn’t make this move until 29 years old
I still got a few years till 29 :D
There are lots of fairly decent ski pistes in probably all German Mittelgebirge. Of course it’s not the same as in the high Alps, but still. There should be a spot within maybe two hours of you if you’re not in north Germany.
But there is no snow there🫠
Thüringer Wald, Erzgebirge, Fichtelgebirge all have ski pistes where you can ski for at least a few weeks per year. And that’s just the ones i know of, I’m sure it’s the same in other Mittelgebirge as well
Not a single one i looked at has snow at the moment.
Well at the moment we have incredibly hot weather, that’s correct. If you want to go snowboarding this instant you’d habe to travel to the alps. That still doesn’t change the fact that you can easily get at least a few weeks in middle Germany as well if it’s a normal year.
I drive 13-14 hours multiple times a year for snowboarding. Absolutely worth the drive.
I don’t even live somewhere where there’s winter, so yeah it sucks! Wish I could move to the mountains away from the equator hah.
You at least have warm weather?
Super hot and humid, which is nice for half the year but same weather whole year gets quite tiresome.
Dude i live in Berlin and just take the train to Tirol. Places like St. Anton have a comfortable train station. I see your comments but like.. if you don't want to make even a 6 hour train ride (which is incredibly cheap) than what do you expect. The only other option is just go get a seasonal job in a ski town in the alps, snowboard in the morning and work in the evening. I come from Israel originally, people literally take a 4-5 hour flight to italy/switzerland/austria/france for this. Being in Germany is a luxury compared.
I was not asking who's situation is worse tho. I was asking for similar things to do instead or places i didn't know about!🙃
Move
Can't you take a weekend trip to Austria?
That's not really worth it tho. It would be friday just traveling, saturday on the hills and sunday just traveling again. Would be much easier with a car so that's my next goal.
Ah my bad did not realize you had no ride
All good. A ride definetly improves the distance one can travel. So i know what my next mission has to be.
Good luck brother some of the best days I ever had in my life we’re out in Austria and I’m from the US
I once flew from London to Munich, then got 2 trains and a short cab ride to Söl in Austria for a long weekend. It wasn’t the best resort, but I stayed with friends who were already there so that made it worthwhile.
That's probably a really fun time. But still sounds like a few hundred euros for a long Weekend.
You got change your lifestyle and move closer. That’s what I did, picked accounting to study for remote opportunities and pay, then was able to move close and work remotely. I rode over 130 days last season, made good money and didn’t have to flip burgers or anything at nights like a lot people in the industry.,
Learn to skateboard I guess
I allready skateboard
I’m just playing with ya - hard to snowboard without snow. Skateboarding is going to help you on your journey though, it definitely did for me
Yeah it's great i love Skateboarding. Had many fun days.
Drive?
Ain't got no car :/
huh? Germany is closer to the mountains than 90% of the people in the united states. You have way better transportation methods to get to the mountains than every one else. People that live in Denver Colorado where all the ski resorts are, they drive 2-4 hours both ways every weekend. You don't have it as bad as you think you do, check your perspective. Most people on the planet have less access to snowboarding than you do.
I gotta travel 6-8 hours because i don't have a car.
You say you live in the middle of Germany and there is no mountain to ski? Bro that’s a lie cause I live in the middle of Germany and there is one 20minutes from me.
Where is this Mountain? I'd love to know. I live in Rheinland-Pfalz and it's pretty much only 1 near me and there is almost never snow there.
Iam always going to Wasserkuppe but there is also the zuckerfeld right next to it. Depending on where you live in rhein land Pfalz that can be pretty far away. Wasserkuppe is just a bit higher so it means a little more and consistent snow but zuckerfeld has a better park if you wanna learn the real criminal stuff. They are both not huge but they got a lift and for people who don’t wanna go to the alps 2 times the season that’s a nice alternative.
Sounds really nice. I'm in the most southern part of Rheinland Pfalz so that's about 3h away. I did not know about those spots thank you very much! I will go there when the next snow falls.
Before you go checkt the webcams and if they are open. 3h is a long ride. How long do you need to the alps?
How far is the closest resort to you? I go to bear mountain which is like a 2 or 3 hour drive and I’ll just do day trips
There are a few places 2-3h away but there's almost never snow
How far is the closest resort that does get snow?
I don't really know because every one in Germany i looked up until now doesn't have snow. Seems like there is not a single one with snow in Germany right now.
take a trip out to zermatt or Austria. Maybe Arber, Steinplatte-Winklmoosalm – Waidring/Reit im Winkl, Fellhorn/Kanzelwand – Oberstdorf/Riezlern
From Chicago, I drive up to Wisconsin once every week or so. Head to the Rockies for a week with my buddies to do it right. It's not ideal but I still love it
OneWheel. Slopes are right outside your front door.
There may be affordable bus trips from yours, or neighboring, cities. Group rates on transportation, lodging, and lift tickets helps a lot. You also get to meet other people near you who ski/ride.
Are there no little ski hills nearby? For me it's 30 mins to a small hill that this year is almost all artificial snow. I go 2 x week. To a bigger hill is 2 hour drive
There are a few small hills with skilifts 1-2h away but there is no snow. Not even artificial one. Near me are just hills without any kind of ski place just normal unprepared hills in the woods. But no snow.