As anyone who has ever considered skiing in November and early December on the East Coast knows, getting early-season turns in can mean limited terrain, changing weather, and a variable snow surface.

For ski racers, this typically means rolling the dice of New England weather or traveling to the Rockies for more consistent conditions and space needed to train gates. 

With the first races taking place in early December, early on-snow training is essential for athletes looking to compete at a high level right from the start of the season. But what exactly should racers focus on during those first days back on snow? We’ve compiled some tips to make the most out of that training, so that racers are ready when it comes time to open the first start wand. 

 Tip #1: Have Fun! 

If you’re not having fun, what are you doing? You can train and still have fun. The fun is likely why you continued skiing in the first place! Laugh on the lift, smile when you carve your skis, and enjoy the feeling you missed over the off-season. 

When you let yourself have fun, your movements relax, your confidence grows, and your best skiing naturally follows. You must embrace the early-season snow challenges or long lift lines; you are not the only one who wants to get on snow early.  

 Tip #2 - No Wasted Turns 

With limited terrain and varying conditions, always be prepared to take advantage of whatever snow space you have. This means focus on the cat tracks that connect trails or even the flattest parts of the mountain. 

Maintaining a balanced and technically sound body position in the varying conditions will help you more than you think once you have the space available to train gates. Time on SNOW is value gained. 

 Tip #3: Set Intentional Goals 

Athletes should arrive on the hill with purpose. If your objective for the day is unclear, ask your coach! Typically, coaches will focus on a specific skill during the first few days to get used to being on snow again. Once an athlete resumes gate training, they will typically have group goals or drills and an individual focus.

Pro tip: This usually involves proper body alignment and balance!

 Tip #4: Sleep! 

Getting enough uninterrupted sleep is crucial not only to maintaining energy throughout a training session, it’s also important for recovery from a training session. Inadequate sleep can result in impaired muscular strength and physical performance, increase the risk of injury, poorly affect your memory, decision making, and learning ability, have a negative effect on an athlete's mental health, and slow down recovery after physical exertion or injury.1

Pro tip: For those traveling to a higher altitude and/or time zone than home, this difference can affect your sleep pattern and quality. You may need to adjust your bedtime accordingly.

 Tip #5: Fuel Your Body 

It is easy while traveling to give in to “easy” foods. It’s important to give your body the nutrients it needs to perform athletically, recover from activity, and be ready for the next day–especially if you are training at a higher altitude. 

A mix of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats is essential for athletic performance and recovery. Think grilled chicken, eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, sweet potatoes, beans, leafy greens, bananas, chia seeds, pasta, and whole grains.

Good options for on-the-hill snacks are:

• Dried fruit
• Simple ingredient bars such as GoMacro, RXBars, and LaraBar.
• Trail Mix
• Cheese stick with an apple

Pro-tip: Don’t forget to hydrate!

The altitude change will require more hydration due to the increased rate of water loss in the body compared to lower elevations. Water is king, but if your training session is 60 minutes or longer, you should consider an electrolyte replacement to add to your water. 

 Tip #6: Give Your Gear Attention 

It’s no use showing up to training with dull skis. Do yourself a favor and make sure your skis are sharp, your goggle lenses aren’t scratched, your boots fit properly, and you have the right layers either worn or in your bag. Being cold distracts from your brain's ability to focus and results in poor performance. 

Pro-tip: Pack extra of everything–lenses for light changes or another pair of goggles, gloves or mittens, ski socks, and a neckwarmer (if you wear one).

 Tip #7: Do the Warm-Up and Cool Down 

Maybe you love the warm-up and cool down, that’s great! If you don’t, you are more likely to skip it or fight your way through doing it. Your muscles do not like going from couch to maximum exertion. Think of it like this–would you like to be woken up by an alarm and 10 seconds later have to write a 10-page paper or take a test? The answer is likely no. Well, your muscles don’t like that either. 

A good warm-up and cool-down are essential for preventing injury, aids in muscle recovery, and enhances performance. 

Pro-tip: If you’re able, listen to music, a podcast, or an audiobook while you warm up or cool down. Make sure you ask your coach, and that you can still hear them if they’re guiding you.

 Build the Foundation for a Strong Season 

Early-season training comes with challenges–unpredictable weather, limited terrain, variable snow—but it also offers one of the most valuable training periods of the entire ski season. These first weeks or days on snow set the foundation for everything that follows. By fueling your body well, staying intentional with your goals, caring for your equipment, prioritizing sleep and recovery, and remembering to enjoy the process, you set yourself up for confident skiing for the rest of the season.

Ski racing rewards the athletes who prepare with purpose. So embrace the early season, trust the work you’re putting in, and carry that momentum forward. The turns you make in November are the ones that help shape your best performances in January—and your proudest moments in March.

Learn more about ski racing at Holderness

About the Author

Ben Drummond
Director of Snow Sports

Ben Drummond joined Holderness School in 2019 and currently serves as the Snow Sports Director and Head Baseball Coach. With more than 20 years of experience in the ski and snow sport industry, Ben brings deep expertise and passion to his work on the slopes and on the field.

Before Holderness, he worked extensively in alpine coaching and leadership, earning Alpine Level 200 Coaching and Alpine Level 3 TD certifications. Ben is a 1999 graduate of Gould Academy and holds a B.S. in Kinesiology–Sport Studies from the University of New Hampshire.