GUIDE TO SOLO SNOWBOARDING HOLIDAYS

 

The alps have seen an explosion of people going on solo snowboarding holidays in recent years. One of the reasons for this is that many people have the flexibility their friends don’t have. These people don’t want to risk not getting their snow-fix by waiting for the off-chance that their regular group of buddies can get away. 

In this guide to solo snowboarding holidays, we will go into why not having a shred crew shouldn’t hold you back.

What Is A Solo Snowboarding Holiday?

Travelling to a ski resort to spend a week or two on your own is fine for some people. However, having people to enjoy it with makes the experience a whole lot better. And if you have an instructor on hand to help improve your skills in a fun environment, you can leave a better snowboarder than when you arrived. Therefore, snowboard camps are the perfect solution for solo snowboarding holidays.

We need to stress that solo snowboarding holidays are not designed for you to find a new life partner! They are the perfect way of finding a ready-made group of snowboarders in a similar situation as you.

During a solo snowboarding holiday in Morzine, you stay in a catered chalet or hotel. You can choose to have a room to yourself or share it with another guest.

There are different types of snowboard camps available to suit your style, ability and goals. For example, if you are a beginner, you can have expert tuition so you can learn to snowboard in a week.

Alternatively, if you are an experienced rider, you can join a snowboard camp to hone your freestyle, technical performance, and backcountry skills. There are even girls-only snowboard camps if you prefer your snowboard holiday with less testosterone. 

Who Goes On A Solo Snowboarding Holiday?

When you go on a snowboard camp, you will come across all sorts of people that see the benefits of going on solo snowboarding holidays. For example: 

People With Different Abilities To Their Regular Group Of Friends

These riders are here because they love the social element of snowboarding. They get to join a ready-made group of snowboarders at a similar level. The experience of everyone exploring and progressing together is very appealing. Often, these people’s regular group of friends consists of people all at different levels. Also, for whatever reason, they can’t go with their usual social group; therefore, they head off on their own to meet a new group of riders.

Riders Focussing On Progression

Many solo snowboarders go on snowboard camps with the sole purpose of progressing. They will either be total beginners or have some experience and want to take their riding to the next level.

Sometimes, they will already be in a group of snowboarding friends, but their skills are not up to scratch. Therefore, they will join an improver snowboard camp to bring them up to speed.

Second Holidayers

Some people go on solo snowboarding holidays to squeeze in a cheeky second holiday. These people have the time, but their friends or family don’t, so they make the trip to the Alps alone. Often, these riders are more experienced, looking to get as much mountain time as possible.

 

 

What Age Groups Go On Them?

Most snowboard camps are aimed at adults, so you will find that ages range from 18 to 80 but with a rough average of mid twenties to early fifties. 

With this in mind, you may be concerned that you will end up in a chalet full of people incompatible with you. Younger riders may worry that they will be stuck with older people wanting to go to bed early every night. While older riders could be concerned about being stuck with a bunch of 18-year-olds wanting to party all night.

You don’t need to be concerned either way, everyone is there to snowboard. You will find that your fellow chalet guests provide an excellent balance of personalities and ages. Accommodation providers will do their best to take care when allocating rooms for those who are sharing rooms.

One of the great things about snowboard camps is meeting and riding with people from all walks of life and age ranges.

 

Is Everyone An Expert Snowboarder?

With the range of different snowboard camps available, you will be able to choose one that suits your level. Also, when you book, you will be given advice on what’s best for you. They will take into account your age, experience and your goals for your trip. For example, there is no point in booking onto a technical performance camp if you are a beginner.

Most snowboard camps consist of 4 to 6 people per coaching group, with several groups running so there is option to move groups should you wish to. So even though the groups are small, it is unlikely that you will be the only person at your level while getting plenty of attention from your instructor.

The Biggest Reasons People Go On A Solo Snowboard Holiday?

Most people follow the same path when entering the snowboarding world. They get invited on a snowboard holiday by family and friends, then get the bug. So a solo snowboarding holiday is the best solution when everyone else can’t make the annual trip to the Alps.

Here are the biggest reasons why people go on a solo snowboard holiday:

Time

Most people go on solo snowboard holidays due to time constraints. The regular people they ride with can’t work their trip around other commitments and work. So people book solo snowboarding holidays to suit their own timetable.

The majority of groups can only manage one snowboarding holiday per winter. But, some people are lucky enough to get away more than once. These people join snowboard camps to maximise their mountain time on solo snowboarding holidays.

Skill Levels

It is common for gaps to develop between the skill levels in groups. This comes from kids growing up, differences in fitness levels and experience. When this happens, some people feel disheartened or pressured when they are always the last one down the mountain. Also, the more skilled riders feel held back.

This is where a solo snowboarder can benefit from joining a snowboard camp. They can use the time to improve their skills for the next group holiday. Alternatively, advanced riders can use it to find a new group of friends at a similar level. 

These solo snowboarding holidays can be used to develop new skills under the watchful eye of a qualified instructor. This makes developing your skills safer, more efficient and fun.

Social Element

Given that snowboarding has a significant social element, it may feel like a strange concept to go snowboarding alone. However, this is just one of the reasons why it is so great. 

On arrival, you will instantly be introduced to a bunch of people with at least one similar interest. By the end of the first evening, you will feel like old mates.

 

Why Book A Solo Snowboarding Holiday To Morzine?

Morzine is an excellent destination for solo snowboarding holidays. It is located in the Portes du Soleil one of the world’s largest ski areas, so there is plenty of terrain to explore. You can easily access world-class backcountry areas and snow parks. But there is plenty for people who want to perfect their piste skills too.

At MINT Snowboarding, we provide a vast range of snowboard camps ideally suited to the solo shredder. Whether you want to make your first turns or abseil into a hidden couloir, we have something for you.

If you want to hit the park, our instructors will coach you to improve all aspects of your freestyle riding. We also have technical camps that focus on developing your skills and style. These give you a strong technical base, so you can maintain a flow and effortless riding style wherever you are on the mountain. 

For riders who prefer the riding to be steep and deep, you can join us on one of our backcountry courses in various destinations around the world. These are fronted by our IFMGA Mountain Guide, David Gladwin. These are the perfect opportunities to experience true backcountry snowboarding and splitboarding.

Final Thoughts

If you want to improve your riding with highly qualified instructors, a snowboard camp is a perfect solution for solo snowboarding holidays. You will spend your trip mastering techniques, no matter what your level is or your goals.

Often the fear of not knowing who you will spend your week with is the daunting part. But, this all adds to the excitement of travelling alone. You will share your mountain experiences with each other during the day and chat about them over an après beer or two.