The world of skiing can be an intimidating one to crack into for anyone new to the game and there are certain things that everyone should know before they start. Firstly, where and when are the best places and times to go for learners? Once you’ve decided that, you want to know what you need to book; aside from the flights, transfer and accommodation to worry about, there’s ski hire, lift passes, insurance and lessons to worry about. Once all of that’s out the way, you can concentrate on the fun stuff, like choosing a nice new skiing jacket and looking at an essentials kit list. Finally, there’s the learning itself, starting with leg-strengthening exercises to make sure you’re prepared to make the most out of your skiing holiday. With all of this to bear in mind, wouldn’t it be useful to have a book that could take you through the planning as well as giving you tips on how to ski? Welcome to the top five books for beginner skiers:

The Essential Guide to Skiing: 201 things Every Skier Must Know by Ron LeMaster

This comprehensive, easy-to-read guide tells you absolutely everything you might want to know about skiing. Each of the 201 gems of skiing knowledge is set out in a suitably-sized paragraph so it shouldn’t take you long to find the information that you need. It can tell you how to save money on your trip, how to behave in a queue for the lift, how to take the perfect photograph of fellow skiers and, of course, general skiing techniques. The only downside is that it may not be specialised enough for those beginners just wanting to learn how to ski.

The New Guide to Skiing: A Step-by-Step Guide in Color by Martin Heckelman

A great book for those who are at a loss on where to start when it comes to the skiing itself, Heckelman’s guide has step-by-step pictures to demonstrate the movements explained in the text. While some have found this guide to be a little dry and old-fashioned, it undoubtedly provides useful information on how to get going and what you should be aiming for with two pieces of fibre-glass attached to your boots.

Skiing for Dummies by Allen St. John

Another book providing you with information from what to wear to how to ski, it covers the basics and some of the more complicated matters, such as choosing the skis. Some have found it frustrating that it generally advises you to book a lesson, but I should think that few skiing experts would tell you you didn’t need one. This book also provides you with advice on skiing etiquette and finding the best powder, all with the familiar style of the For Dummies range.

The Essentials of Skiing by Harald Harb

One of the best books on skiing to be found, The Essentials of Skiing is one that will stick with you and provide you with helpful instruction from the earliest steps of learning to ski to the development of your skills to a more advanced level. Harb has a background in racing and coaching and is therefore an authority on the most effective ways to learn. His writing is clear and helpful, working well with the pictures and diagrams to provide a more comprehensive manual. This edition comes with a DVD for even greater understanding of Harb’s techniques, so helping you to visualise what you should be doing on the slopes. Highly recommended as an investment if you are sure you would like to continue with skiing past the early stages.

Beginning Skiing Handbook (ebook) by Jack Earl

Only available as an ebook, the Beginning Skiing Handbook is the perfect size to take away with you as a reference book while you’re in the resort. It has clearly titled chapters to make it easy to navigate your way around, finding the exact information that you want, when you want it. The early chapters provide information on the basics of skiing for beginners and finding the right skis, and they then progress onto specialised chapters for different types of skiing, such as cross-country and downhill, so you can choose the one you prefer once you’ve started learning. Later chapters provide information on the holiday itself, such as where to go, information on skiing with the family and what to wear. The final chapters give you information on safety, and if you’ve really done well, the last chapter is entitled So you wan to race? While the book may be a little dry, it has all the information you need set out in a clear format, and is relatively inexpensive (if you have a device on which to read it).

About the Author: Dee is a freelance writer and has been skiing for seven years, and most seasons she can be found taking advantages of the many ski deals Canada has to offer. She spends the rest of the year writing on all aspects of travel and bringing up her family.