Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Question: Do you have a spot for me on your [destination] ski trip that leaves in a couple of weeks/days/hours?
Answer: Please contact the trip chair at the email address shown on the upper right corner of the trip description page.
Question: I have emailed and telephoned the trip chair for two days now, but he/she has not responded. What do I do?
Answer: Please be patient. Your trip chair, unfortunately, likely has a day job and may not always be able to respond promptly. Rest assured that the chair wants you on his/her trip. If has been longer than a couple of days, email the VP of Trips at trips@austinskiers.org
Question: I am the only skier in my house and usually go alone for a week. If I joined your club, I'd be going on trips alone so do you make arrangements for "single" members to share condos and so on?
Answer: This is part of what the club is about. You will be with another single person (of the same gender) to share a condo or hotel room. You get the benefit of group rates and share the cost.
Question: I'm single and would like to join the [Destination] trip. Is the price quoted applicable to me if I do not want to share a room?
Answer: The listed price is per person, double occupancy, whether a single or part of a couple. However, if you prefer not to have a roommate at all, and assuming it's possible, then there is an additional "single supplement" charge. Ask your trip chair for the price.
Hotel rooms are priced for double occupancy, and condos typically have a couple in the master bedroom and two singles in the other two-bed bedroom. We usually have four persons per condo, but sometimes we'll have six in a three-bedroom condo. Club rules are no more than two persons per bathroom, regardless.
Question: Does the group stay together on the slopes or do many people go their own way, choose their own slopes to ski on and meet up with the rest of the group later?
Answer: Yes. Whatever you want. There’s the pre-trip party, the welcome party and the mid-week party; and a daily on mountain lunch spot for you to get with other members and see who wants to ski what. You’ll almost always find someone who wants to ski what you want to ski.
Question: Does the club ever take trips that would be appropriate for families with kids?
Answer: Yes. Any trip is appropriate for families with children. Usually, families with kids prefer the Spring Break trip in mid March.
Question: Do all the destinations allow snowboarding?
Answer: To our knowledge, only Alta and Deer Valley prohibit snowboards.
Question: I just joined, but have not received my name badge. How do I get one?
Answer: First of all - Welcome to the Club! The VP of Communications runs a report the first of each month to find out who joined the preceding month. The name tags are ordered from a local vendor. You are encouraged to attend a club event to pick up your name badge e.g. Happy Hour, Membership Meeting or a Special Activity. If you are unable to attend, your name badge will be mailed to you at the address in your profile.
Question: Hi! I just learned about your club and I am very interested in learning more about it. We are a family of six. How does the club work?
Answer: We would love for your family to join us on a trip.
Here's how it works: We are a not-for-profit club primarily for winter sports enthusiasts, but we also do non-ski trips e.g., Wine Country Tours, Scuba Diving, Boat & Bike Trips, etc. To take part in one of our trips, you must be a member. Your family can join as a group. Register for membership and pay online or mail your check to the PO Box at the bottom of the page.
Next, you choose your trip(s). The choices and instructions are on the web site.
Question: I am not sure I understand the price breakdowns (ground only vs full trip).
Answer: Full trip price includes air transportation, ground transportation and lodging. "Ground Only" means that you will not be using the air provided by the club. The Ground Only price is the Full trip price less the amount the club is paying for the air. You might be driving to the destination or on the same flights using frequent flier miles.
Question: We would love to join and go with you guys, but those 7 day trips don't work for us. Are there any short trips?
Answer: Usually no. Too few members want short trips for them to be cost-effective for the club. Check with the trip chair to see if a shorter option is possible.
Question: I was a member last year. My email changed and I didn't send it to you. I need to pay my dues and give you my new email address. Please let me know who I need to send the membership amount to.
Answer: To renew your membership, login using the old email address and your password. Click on profile and update the information. From there you can pay online with a credit card or mail a check to the address listed at the bottom of the page.
Question: I seem to have lost my info on accessing our member directory. How do I get to it?
Answer: If you are an active member, click on the "Members" tab on the navigation menu to find the directory. Only active members can see the "Members" tab and get access to the directory.
Question: What’s the best way to tip the bus driver?
Answer: You already have. Your trip cost included a tip for the bus driver. Your trip chair will take care of the tip.
Question: How much should I tip the guys that lugged all my stuff up to the condo?
Answer: Usually nothing. That work is called “porterage,” and if it is needed, the tip will have been included in your trip cost. Ask your trip chair if you are uncertain.
Question: The trip chair was fantastic. How much should I chip in for a little remembrance?
Answer: Nothing. Your trip costs included a partial reimbursement for the trip chair. If you want to show your appreciation, write the trip leader a nice personal note.
Question: What can I bring to the pre-trip party? The post-trip party?
Answer: Nothing. Your trip fees included these costs. Just show up and have a good time.
Question: We are interested in possibly joining the Austin Skiers organization, but would like to learn more about the organization. Is it possible for us to attend a general meeting or is there a better venue for us to attend to learn more?
Answer: Please do come to our scheduled meeting. We would love to have you. It's the best place to learn more about Austin Skiers. You are welcome to attend as a guest to check us out. We post meetings on our website in addition you can sign-up to get the monthly newsletter, happy hour announcements, meeting reminders and special announcements. Click here to subscribe.
Question: I own a beautiful home in Vail, Colorado. Would you list it in your newsletter?
Answer: Sorry, but our rules prohibit advertising anything that competes with our trips.
Question: Our outdoor club has a skiing expedition planned for the middle of January, and thought your members might want to join up with us. Air fare is not included, but it’s a real bargain. Could you advertise it for us on your web site?
Answer: Regrettably, we do not promote events that compete with our trips.
Question: I'll be visiting Austin in the winter and I wanted to see if there was a place to ski or snowboard somewhere in the vicinity of Austin.
Answer: The closest good skiing is about a 13-hour drive to New Mexico. After that it's take a plane–with Austin Skiers, of course.
General Mail:
Austin Skiers
P.O. Box 9412
Austin, TX 78766