How To Make The Most Of Night Skiing

Feb 9

Feb 9 How To Make The Most Of Night Skiing

For a long time, Night Skiing had been near the top of my bucket list. Although I have been snowboarding for a while now, I had never made it to a resort that offered some after hour laps! When looking to visit the Hakuba Valley in Japan it became evident that this was going to be my opportunity. With Night Skiing available at Happo One, Tsugaike Kogen and Hakuba Goryu I was spoilt for choice and was bound to make this finally happen.

More recently I was able to back up that experience by night skiing at Coronet Peak in New Zealand. Both experiences were really cool and helped me to realise some key tips to make the most out of night skiing.

Check out the videos below from my night skiing experiences

Considering Night Skiing? Take a look at my tips below

Wrap Up Warm - It should go without saying but when the sun goes down it gets colder outside. Adding an extra warm layer will help you stay comfortable during your nighttime session, especially when sat on those night time chair lift rides.

Lens Choice - Wearing goggles with a high VLT (visible light transmission) will really help clarity when night skiing. Try to avoid dark lenses or those designed for sunny conditions. A clear lens would be perfect but any storm lens should provide enough visibility.

Take It Easy - When the sun goes down the ground hardens up. It can be better to ride at lower speeds until you are familiar and confident with the conditions.

Focus On A skill - Depending on where you are night skiing you may have more options. At Happo we were limited to one slope which can make it quite a repetitive process. I chose to focus on a skill, this helped me to get the most out of being restricted to a small area and made the experience useful and enjoyable.

Get There Early - Most night skiing will open when the sun is still shining. This a great opportunity to get some laps in whilst the snow is still a little softer.

Pay Attention To Daytime Temps - If it has been warm during the day it is likely the top layer of snow will have melted and will refreeze as the sun goes down. This will make the surface for night skiing more prone to icy spots and you should ensure your board or ski’s have had a recent edge tune.

Check The Forecast - If there is a storm incoming, Night Skiing could just be your chance to get some fresh turns before everyone else in the morning. Night Skiing tends to be quieter so offers less competitions for those powder turns.