The Dos and Don’ts of Après Ski Etiquette

Après ski: it’s the ultimate reward after a hard day spent chasing pow and living the dream. Your legs are Jell-O, you’re dehydrated and – let’s be honest – you don’t smell great. In real life, you’d have to go home, get yourself cleaned up and eat half a jar of peanut butter with a spoon before you could even think about heading out into public. But this is not real life. This is the dream and, as such, there’s a bar full of huge grins and red cheeks, not to mention nachos and cold beer, and they’ve saved you a seat. Here are a few tips and tricks to keep you in the loop on the après ski circuit this winter.

What to Do at Apres Ski

What to do: Drink. Eat. See. Be Seen. If you’re part of an organized group, find your guide and buy them a beer. If you’re all still sitting around gabbing an hour later, buy a round. Better yet, hit the shot ski.

What Not to Do at Apres Ski

What not to do: Mistake après ski on a Tuesday afternoon for your best friend’s bachelor party after which you couldn’t open both eyes at the same time for three days and still can’t tolerate whipping cream. Yes, you’re celebrating what was clearly the most epic of days and, yes, alcohol is delicious. But be cool, man. Just… be cool.

What to Wear to Apres Ski

What to wear: Base layers, ski pants and your best toque (that means hat). This is the one situation in which it is socially acceptable to be wearing underwear in public, so take full advantage and parade around in your long johns with the pride of a Victoria’s Secret model or whatever the male version of that might be. You look great. Seriously.

What Not to Wear to Apres Ski

What not to wear: Don’t shower and change and THEN go to après ski. It’s the equivalent of going to a costume party, sans costume. Keep in mind, however, that while you should take the most direct route from ski slope to bar stool, it’s worth finding two seconds to ditch the transceiver and the goggles. They are not part of it.

What to Say at Apres Ski

What to say: I don’t care what you’re doing – cooking, building a rocket launcher, racing sled dogs across the frozen tundra – there’s always a lingo. Skiing/snowboarding is no exception. Describe the sweet line you found skier’s right of something-or-other. Talk about face shots. You didn’t ski off a cliff, you dropped it or, for the more aggressive and slightly obnoxious, you hucked it. Then, when you failed to nail or stick the landing and subsequently cartwheeled through the snow for 100 m. losing skis, poles, goggles and gloves, you actually tomahawked and it was a full-on yard sale.

What Not to Say at Apres Ski

What not to say: There’s no need to brag or embellish. Everyone had the best day ever. On the other hand, not everyone knows this. Someone will brag and just about everyone will embellish. Don’t call them out on it. Let them have it. The only thing worse than someone who brags and embellishes is someone who calls them out on it.

Of course, the thing about après ski is that it’s fleeting. The late afternoon crowd is all ski boots and goggle tans: a few drinks and an appetizer later, the scene starts to shift. But this is the best thing about it, in my opinion. You can have your good times and still be in bed by 9pm. After all, living the dream requires a good night’s sleep.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is apres ski?

Apres ski is the social tradition of relaxing and celebrating after a day of skiing or snowboarding. It typically involves gathering at a lodge bar or restaurant, still in your ski gear, to share drinks, food, and stories from the day on the mountain.

Q: What should you wear to apres ski?

Base layers and ski pants are the standard apres ski dress code. The tradition is to head straight from the slopes to the bar without changing. Ditch the goggles and transceiver, but otherwise embrace the ski-day look.

Q: Is apres ski part of a heliskiing trip?

Yes. At heliskiing lodges like those operated by Last Frontier Heliskiing in Northern BC, apres ski is built into the experience. After a day of guided heliskiing, guests gather at the lodge to unwind, share stories, and enjoy food and drinks together.

Q: What is the etiquette for buying drinks at apres ski?

If you are part of a guided group, it is customary to buy your guide a drink after a good day. If your group is still going strong after an hour, consider buying a round. The key is generosity and camaraderie, not excess.

Q: What is ski lingo I should know for apres ski?

Common ski terms include face shots (powder hitting your face), dropping or hucking (skiing off a cliff), tomahawking (an end-over-end crash), and yard sale (a crash where you lose all your gear). Using the lingo is part of the fun, but bragging is frowned upon.