10 Reasons to take a school ski trip to USA!

There is no arguing that the USA is home to some of the most incredible cities, skiing conditions and resorts in world....

Both West and East coasts of this vast country boast some of the biggest snowfalls of the ski season and are well set up to look after UK school groups on their ski adventures. There’s nothing quite like flying into a major US city and then hopping on a transfer out into the American mountains, being able to almost feel the winter winds in your hair already! As if you need them, here are 10 reasons to take your next school ski group to North America and the gorgeous pistes and resorts it has to offer…

1) Stopover cities!

Love NYC, Boston or San Francisco? As you’ll need to fly in and out of one of these iconic cities, a stopover night is the perfect opportunity to experience a different culture altogether.

• Visit the Statue of Liberty or Times Square in New York City. Note the midnight moment art program, where between 11.57pm and 12am, Times Square's bright advertisements instead showcase featured work of contemporary artists.
• In Boston there are plenty of culture opportunities, with the Museum of Fine Arts and Institute of Contemporary Arts. Students could also explore the Freedom Trail.
• San Francisco is a bustling and beautiful city. Why not visit the Golden Gate Bridge, or take a ferry to Alcatraz Island. Visit the amazing neighbourhood of Haight Ashbury, where hippie culture was born. With amazing food options, and several murals and famous houses.

2) Winter always comes

With some resorts in Colorado reaching up to 392 inches of snow in a year and 380 inches in New York state the whole country's ski resorts see a good level of conditions for some amazing skiing.

3) Howdy y’all!

Unless you’re looking for language immersion for your students (and maybe your fellow teachers!) then the US is a great option because there are no linguistic hurdles to jump over. This means communication is easy for your group ski fit, boot changing, meals etc.

4) High-Quality resorts

Skiing in America is on another level. North American resorts are known for their abundance of great snow and longer, wider slopes. This means they can often be less crowded and therefore groups can take their time and really improve their technique. Colorado and Utah in particular are renowned for their dry powder, which is ideal for those heading to the piste.

5) English speaking ski instructors

This is such an important benefit to skiing with students abroad. Students will be able to understand and explain proper instruction and feedback from instructors. This means huge takeaways from their classes and improvement throughout the week is faster.

6) Great for fussy eaters

European cuisine doesn't always go down a treat with those who are, shall we say, ‘more decerning eaters’ on school trips! Being the land of the burger, there is always something to keep everyone happy at meal times and American resorts are always keen to offer amazing customer service. Why not try an iconic Philly Cheesesteak or enjoy one-pot comfort foods, which the East Coast is known for.

7) Simple pleasures

America is known for its' welcoming hospitality. With a strong emphasis on teamwork and going above and beyond for guests. The hotels we offer at SkiBound are very comfortable and amazing service is always provided. Here at SkiBound, we know the little things make a huge difference. After a big day zooming down the slopes you really need somewhere comfy to retire to and a friendly face to welcome you back!

8) Reach new heights

Denver, Colorado is 1,655m above sea level and therefore higher than most European ski resorts basecamps! The views are breathtaking and so is the way down. Many of the greatest and highest resorts in the world are located in the American mountain regions. The benefit of high-altitude resorts is that they typically offer reliable snow conditions and longer seasons. High-altitude resorts often see their seasons run from November to May.

9) Queues

One struggle skiers often find, is busy queues. However, this isn't usually a problem for American resorts. As expected, resort can become more populated during school half term and winter holidays, but due to the huge ski areas, you hardly notice. Skiers often find they aren't queuing for more than a few minutes, even during peak times!

Queue times are also limited due to the top-notch infrastructure. Many resorts have invested in modern high-speed lifts, meaning even quicker access to the slopes.

10) Location Tracking

A lot of U.S. resorts now have GPS trackers for each student and, apart from the obvious enhancement to safety, parents at home can log on to see where their child is skiing that day. It makes them feel involved and informed. We understand that safety is a vital part when it comes to peace of mind for any trip abroad with young students.

Rachel Finch

Rachel has been ski repping for SkiBound for 7 years and her favorite resorts are Bardonecchia in Italy and Winter Park in Colorado.

Rachel works as SkiBounds Digital Marketing Manager and is passionate about filling our website with useful and helpful information for teachers taking ski trips.