I have appreciated the apres ski experience for years. Even when my brother and I were young, I remember having the best time dancing on the benches outside of the Schuss Bar in Thredbo while the parental division were enjoying their afternoon beers, (not to worry, they weren't being irresponsible, someone had to look after the skis...and I'm sure they were keeping an eye on us through the window from inside...).
Being allowed into the bar however, does bring a whole new appreciation to the world of apres ski for me, and has since become an important element of my time spent in ski resorts around the world.
The moment I realised how much of a difference a good apres scene could make to a ski holiday, goes back a few years to when I was in Austria. As far as I am concerned, the Austrian Mountains provide some of the craziest and most enjoyable ski boot dancing opportunities of anywhere in the world. My ski school even had a bar within it and we were encouraged to bring our guests back for a beer after lessons, not for a debrief of ski technique...no, no, but with the intention that your clients would then buy you beers for the rest of the night. Such forward thinkers those Austrians!
Behaviours that would be deemed ludicrous in your average Sydney bar are most likely performed on a daily basis in mountain bars around the world. Apres Ski is certainly part of a great ski holiday and let's be honest, there is no better way to finish a great day on the slopes than to sit around with a bunch of mates, an ice cold beer or warm vin chaud in hand, recounting the thrills and spills of the day.
After having spent a few years in various resorts, I'm no expert, but would consider myself 'well seasoned' when it comes to apres ski. So here are a couple of things which I believe to be key when enjoying an apres lemonade...or seven, no matter which country you are in.
'Shot Skis' - Find one if you can. Basically an old ski with bindings removed and 5-6 shot glasses glued on. No matter what your skiing ability on the mountain, everybody is equal when standing in front of a 'shot-ski'. Good times to be had, but I wouldn't wear your best outfit to an establishment that has one.Open you mouth and your ears - during the day, talk to people on the chairlift and get to know the locals or ask you ski instructor where the best places are. (Even better, take your instructor with you!). Chances are, most days, the locals will often got to enjoy a few 'cleansers' after a hard day on the mountain and have more than likely spent many an evening dancing on the bar still in their suits and boots into the wee hours of the morning.
Looks are everything - going home to get changed is lame. True apres ski should be undertaken straight off the slopes in your ski boots (even if you have to unbuckle them and hang loose), and if there is one thing i have learnt in my years of apres shenanigans, it's that for some reason, it always seems much more fun in a retro onesie!Live Music - preferably with an acoustic guitar and some bloke with a cowboy hat singing.... always look for the place where the live music is pumping. Nothing gets you singing louder and up on the bar quicker.
On Mountain Bars - probably the ideal location for apres ski. Most have breathtaking views, and that last shot that the barman always seems to be able to convince you to have because it will 'put you in connection with your skis', just adds that extra thrill and challenge to the day (mainly when trying to put your skis back on again). Then there is always the hilarity that follows when navigating your way to the bottom...Go to the right establishments, and you could find a magical place where Jagermeister is considered a form of medicine, schnapps will fall from the roof when the DJ plays the right song, and the norm is for bouncers to help you UP onto the bars instead of dragging you down and kicking you out of the bar.
From A-Basin to Zell Am Zee, I am under the firm belief that there will always be an epic apres ski bar to reward yourself at after a hard days skiing or riding. So I encourage you to go out an get involved!
What is your most memorable après story?
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