Pennsylvania Ski Trip / First Time Skiing Tips and More!

When snow doesn’t come to you.. YOU go to the snow!

Hello everyone! It’s been a couple of weeks since this ski trip and a long overdue post! What an exciting trip this was indeed. I recently moved to New York as some of you might know and I’ve never seen snow prior. On the week of my move, I finally got to see snow for the first time BUT only lasted for a couple of hours. I was hoping for snow again but weeks passed and still no sign of snow. Finally, we decided to take a trip, drive two hours to Pennsylvania and go SKIING!

Lets get down to the details. I will go over my experience while trying to share information on what to wear as a first-time skier and if you should or shouldn’t rent your gear.

Attire;

1. Don’t wear cotton;
   Cotton clothing absorbs moisture, which means getting it wet from sweat or snow will cause it to cling to your body and make you cold. Wet clothes in the cold is a big discomfort.
2. First base layer;
   Your winter base layer is super important, a good, moisture-wicking base layer makes a difference in the snow. Wool or synthetic is the best option. I decided to buy thermals which turned out to have 60% cotton but since we didn’t sweat too much it worked out just fine. I got the Duofold Women’s Insulayer (crew shirt and pants – Link attached).
3. Mid layer;
   Your mid layer is your second layer of defense against the cold. A fleece layer is the best option. They are warm, light, breathable and comfortable. Consider a jacket with a zip so you can undo it if you start to get too warm. Because I didn’t buy the ski pants and instead got a ski jumpsuit, I decided to get Under Armour Women’s Fitted Coldgear Shirt to go over my thermal. On top of that, I actually wore regular thin leggings over my thermal pants. As for Ryan, he got the Alpine Men’s Vest which is good for cold temperature and also water resistant. He also wore sweat pants over the thermals which also had cotton and he made out just fine.
4. Last, Outer Layer;
   You will want a waterproof outer layer for both your jacket and pants. Ryan and I had waterproof “down” jackets we got from Eddie Bauer (no longer available online so I linked a similar one). Also, because our down jackets were lightweight and very warm they were ideal but if they weren’t waterproof and got wet, the down will lose their insulating properties which means you could become very cold. However, down jackets are ideal for walking around, which was the reason we got the jackets for the cold winters in New York. While skiing and/or snowboarding it’s not recommended to wear jeans at all so I got the Outdoor Gear Women’s Peak Bib ski jumpsuit. Ryan got the Outdoor Gear Men’s Ski Pants.
5. Socks;
   Thin, warm, long socks made from wool are the best option. Ski/snowboard boots are designed to keep your feet warm and well insulated, so big thick socks aren’t necessary.
6. Gloves;
   Gloves are a must – we got ours from North Face.
7. Goggles;
   No need to spend a fortune, we decided to buy ours from Dick’s Sporting Goods. I got some for around $20 and Ryan’s was on sale for $15. I honestly didn’t wear my goggles at all but Ryan did. It really depends on how sunny it is.
8. Helmet;
   Beginner, you are going to fall over. Most of the time you won’t hurt yourself when you fall because the snow is generally nice and soft. I did manage to fall once while skiing, safety first. We rented our helmets for around $25 each.
9. Last, Rentals;
   I highly recommend you rent ski equipment. Personally, it’s probably better to rent. If you are an experienced skier and get season passes then it makes financial sense to buy. I believe the ski rental might have been between $25-$35 and snowboard was $35-$45 for the entire day.
10. Extra things you should take;
    Sunscreen: to protect from the sun,Neckwarmer: will do wonders in keeping you warm. Wind can make your face very cold very fast, a neckwarmer pulled over your face is a lifesaver.
    Beanie: add a thin beanie under your helmet to keep your head nice and warm (I wouldn’t recommend pom-poms though, not comfortable under a helmet).

Overall, if I would’ve had more time to plan, I would’ve tried to get our ski outfits online for a cheaper price. (Maybe Amazon — FYI the ski pants tend to run small so size up) I didn’t necessarily follow the guide on exactly what to wear since we did wear cotton and we were perfectly fine. Last but not least, skiing is NOT as easy as it looks on TV!

Make sure to check out Jack Frost Big Boulder

Here are some more fun pictures below

Thank for reading!