Ski Day Trip
A full day on the slopes with morning and afternoon skiing sessions, a mountain restaurant lunch, and après-ski. Covers resort logistics, slope recommendations, and equipment management.
How to read this template
This is a real itinerary, not a preview. Everything below is what an operator would send — and what their guides would carry.
- 1 day
- Each day is a segment. Reorder them, drop one, insert a rest day — the rest of the itinerary follows.
- 13 blocks
- Everything inside a day is a block: a transfer, an activity, a meal, a night, a briefing. Blocks carry their own type and colour.
- 28 fields
- Distances, ascent, times, prices and notes are structured fields, not prose — so they total, sort and export instead of only reading well.
- 3 internal notes
- Marked Internal — guides onlybelow. Your guides get them; your clients never see them.
One itinerary, three audiences
The same content exports three ways without being rewritten: a client PDF with the internal notes and cost lines stripped, a guide sheet that keeps them, and an internal ops sheet with margins. Most tools give you the first one and leave the other two to a spreadsheet.
The itinerary, day by day
Check snow report and avalanche bulletin before departure. Confirm lift operating hours, open runs, and any closures due to wind or grooming. Layer clothing appropriately — base layer, insulating mid-layer, waterproof shell. Bring sunscreen and goggles even in overcast conditions.
Check avalanche risk level at 07:00. If risk is 3+ (considerable) on the European scale, restrict the group to on-piste runs only. Verify first aid post locations and mountain rescue phone number for the resort.
Drive to the resort. Snow chains or winter tires mandatory on mountain roads. Arrive before 08:30 for the best parking spots close to the lifts. Allow extra time if road conditions are icy.
Morning session on freshly groomed pistes. Start with blue runs to warm up, then progress to reds. Groomed runs are at their best in the first hours — smooth corduroy surface, minimal crowds. Regroup at the mid-station every 3-4 runs.
Best runs for the group's level: Start on the wide blue run from the top station (gentle gradient, wide turns). Progress to the red run along the north face (steeper, excellent snow quality). Avoid the black couloir unless all participants are confident advanced skiers. Meeting point: the restaurant terrace at the mid-station.
Lunch at the mountain restaurant with terrace views. Self-service is faster than table service if time is limited. Classic mountain fare — hearty soups, pasta, local specialties. Avoid heavy meals that make afternoon skiing sluggish.
Afternoon session exploring different parts of the resort. Snow conditions change through the day — south-facing slopes get softer, north-facing retain their quality. Try different run types: wide cruisers, mogul fields, or tree-lined trails depending on ability.
Wind down at the base area après-ski bar. Hot chocolate, beer, or mulled wine — the group's choice. A good time to share highlights of the day and review photos. Stretch calves and quads while still warm.
Return rental equipment to the hire shop. Check for any damage charges. Retrieve personal belongings from lockers. Change into dry clothes and comfortable shoes for the drive home.
Drive back from the resort. Roads may be icier in the evening — drive cautiously, especially on shaded sections. Allow extra time compared to the morning journey.
A qualified mountain guide for the day, return transfer to the resort, and a route planned around the morning's conditions report rather than a fixed itinerary.
Lift pass, which is bought on the day and is the largest single cost of the trip — budget 55–75 EUR depending on the resort and season. Also excluded: ski or board hire and boots, helmet, lunch on the mountain, drinks, and gratuities.
Lift pass excluded is the number one source of surprise on a ski day. Put the figure in the quote, not the word “excluded” — guests read that and still expect it to be twenty euros.
Winter sports insurance covering on-piste skiing and mountain rescue is required. Standard travel policies frequently exclude winter sports entirely, and those that include them often stop at the piste boundary. Bring photo ID for the lift pass, which is photo-registered at most resorts, and your insurer's emergency number.
Check whether the policy covers rescue as well as medical treatment. Piste rescue is invoiced to the skier in most Alpine resorts and the bill arrives regardless of whether treatment was needed.