This Is Exactly Why We Did This: A School Ski Trip to Remember in Sugarloaf

Was there a moment during the trip where you thought, “This is exactly why we did this”? 

Emer McNeela says: ‘Seeing the complete beginners improve so much over the week. The first day for these students was a complete disaster in their eyes; they were constantly falling and sliding off into areas it was difficult to get out of. The ski instructor they were assigned was excellent, patient and informative. It was wonderful when the two girls ran up to me after their second morning, informing me that they had not fallen over once! Given the amount of time they had spent collapsed on the snow the day before, this was a great achievement. Considering how despondent they were after the first day, I was delighted that they persevered and were able to go to the top of the mountain and ski all the way down by the end of the week. Fantastic confidence-building progress over a few days. 

I also loved the way the students interacted and were able to form new friendships with others on the trip; some students went without any of their friendship group and were able to make new friends across the different year groups.’

John Mccan shares: ‘From start to finish really… the students navigating themselves through airports, staying in hotels, coping with new conditions, working with others with respect & consideration.

A key element was witnessing the quick progress the students made on the mountain, which is clearly facilitated by the quality of the snow, the quiet queues & slopes and the friendliness & knowledge of the instructors.’ 

Amanda Mullen states: ’This ski trip away offered groups of people a powerful mix of social, physical, and mental benefits; it fostered community cohesion, improved health, and taught valuable life skills.

My favourite moment was videoing my group jumping crazy high ‘air features,’ their enthusiasm to encourage each other and the group dynamic meant that everyone improved over the week, to the point that they were unrecognisable from when they started. Some of the high-energy personalities in the group don’t always fit well into our education system, but here they were in their element.’

Why would you recommend this destination to other schools?

Emer McNeela notes: ‘The hotel is very comfortable, and the rooms are spacious. It is wonderful to be so close to the mountain, so you can get the students up and skiing quickly each day. The resort is compact and so feels very safe, and Java Joe’s serves great coffee to kept us going through the week!’ 

John Mccan says: ‘The destination is remote, but the slopes are much quieter than closer destinations – this is a huge benefit for beginners and advanced skiers alike.’ 

Amanda Mullan shares: ‘The positives of this destination are that it is beautifully contained for après-ski, also the pistes are so well maintained that even in poor snow conditions they are so well groomed (snow is extensively artificially made) that skiing is always possible. Due to the grooming, the snow is very consistent, and this makes it possible for all levels to ski well. The locals call it ‘Hero snow!’ and I couldn’t agree more.

Should there be an injury issue, which is highly unlikely as the instructors are excellent, the medical team with snow sledges were super timely and very keen to help. In Europe, you are heavily charged separately for a medical sledge; here, they are highly accessible.’

How did Rayburn Tours support you on the trip?