Heading out to the snowy slopes every season for a nice ski excursion with your friends and family can be something you’re really looking forward to EVERY year – but what happens if your gang cannot make it? Will you have to make the trip solo?
While some prefer to ski alone, being in the middle of a company and sharing a common adrenaline-filled experience can be really fun and can give you lasting memories for the years to come.
So if your pals bailed on you at the last minute, or if you suddenly decided to head out to the slopes and your gang cannot make it, this article will show you some quick and easy ways on how to find ski buddies willing to make the trip with you.
How Do I Find Friends For Skiing?
Here are 7 great ways to find a ski partner or even a gang for your next ski trip:
Also check out our list of recommended ski resorts for beginners.
Facebook Groups
There are Facebook groups for EVERYTHING these days, and by joining a group for skiers, you will be able to get in contact with people who are heading out to the slopes soon, and ones who are going to the same resort as you do.
Get in touch with such people, and you will even find opportunities for carpooling, and maybe even find a good ski instructor who can mentor you and a few others.
However, be careful because there are creeps and scams and a whole lot of other issues. So if you find a ski partner willing to go with you, check out their online profiles and see what kind of people they are and if you are going to be comfortable with them.
I would personally never go with someone with an almost empty profile with very little friends because it might be a fake profile.
Facebook groups can also lead you to other prominent ski clubs where people meet physically as well. So keep venturing till you find something you’re comfortable with.
Websites And Online Apps
There are multiple websites online where you can find ski buddies, one of which is Meetup.com, which is a site that is tailored to help people with common interests meet. You can head there and find other ski enthusiasts who will join you on your ski excursions.
There are also apps made specifically for ski enthusiasts to meet and get to know each other – like SkiBuds. Simply download the app and start connecting with other skiers and you’ll have a circle of friends to head out to the slopes in no time.
Again, be careful and check out their online profiles.
While Getting Lessons
This is ideal if you’re a novice skier. Getting lessons at a ski resort with a good instructor can help you meet a lot of new people, who are most likely to be on the SAME skill level.
This will help you join a group that will stick together and assist one another in learning and improving ski techniques.
After the lessons are done with, don’t forget to take your new gang out for a cup of hot chocolate and have a bit of fun out in the resort town!
At The Local Restaurants
Another place you can find buddies for skiing is the local town close to the resort. Here you will find a number of good pubs and restaurants full of skiers who are new to town.
Just casually stroll over to the bar and strike up a conversation, and the best part is you ALREADY have something in common – Skiing!
Get a few drinks, join larger groups and get yourself acquainted with everyone there, and voila – you have yourself some new ski buddies for the entire stay.
Also read our guide on skiing on spring break.
Ski Clubs
These clubs can be found in almost every town. All you have to do is either join a few Facebook groups and ask around for ski clubs you can join, OR, just ask the management at the ski resort you’re staying in (if you’ve already made it to the locale, that is).
They will tell you all about the clubs and meetings at the resort, so you can walk in and introduce yourself to the club.
Being at the same resort is definitely going to be a plus, since you’re in the same place and will possibly be hitting the same slopes. It’s a great place to find ski buddies who are on your same skill level.
Carpooling Up To The Location
One popular way of meeting people is carpooling to the skiing resort. This will get you into a group of people who also love skiing, and will be with you for the next few days as well.
You can get some extra good points by bringing food and snacks for the journey (and it’ll help if you also lend a hand with paying for fuel on the trip).
This is a slightly risky way of getting to know people, but you can always find carpooling opportunities on Facebook groups and websites, and if they’re really popular – you’re good to go!
Going Solo Till You Find Ski Buddies
The other option, if ALL of these fail, is to simply head out to the slopes alone, and find your pals there. You can strike up a casual conversation with another group of skiers and join their gang for the rest of the stay.
Also read our guide on if skiing alone dangerous.
I’ve done this many times and I think this is the best way to find ski buddies and avoid any weirdos and creeps online.
The slopes are a friendly place and people are always ready to help you out with tips, techniques, and recommendations for terrain, and all you have to do is simply ask.
And within a few minutes, you’ll find yourself surrounded by a bunch of awesome ski friends and you can definitely go with them the next time you ski.
Bottom Line
Never ever cancel your trip just because your friends won’t be able to make it. Finding some decent ski buddies is not going to be hard at all.
If you can’t find people on the app or Facebook groups, don’t worry – you’ll definitely find people at the resort or the local town. Just do it and you’ll love the experience.
