The 2026 HGSA ski trip set off from Heanor on an icy Valentine’s Day morning, arriving in the Austrian Alps just over 24 hours later after a very smooth journey. After a big lunch at the hotel, on Sunday afternoon students had their skis, boots and helmets fitted and were given an evening tour of the resort by our knowledgeable tour rep, Simon. Students had five hours of ski lessons a day for the week from qualified, professional instructors, split up by an authentic Austrian lunch (if desired) from a mountain-top restaurant overlooking panoramic views of the Austrian Alps.
The weather would play a big part in the week’s skiing with unprecedented levels of snow at the Axamar Lizum resort meaning that despite conditions under-foot being ski-friendly, visibility was poor throughout the week, with temperatures overnight plummeting to -12C and during the day barely creeping above -4C. The snowflakes could have been taken straight out of a Disney film, much to the delight of many! Monday night saw the annual HGSA Bingo and quiz night, enjoyed by the staff nearly as much as by the students. On Tuesday evening students were able to escape the mountain resort to the nearby town of Innsbruck, where they had free time to soak up local culture through a festival, raid souvenir shops for fridge magnets, and sample local delicacies for dinner. Wednesday night was bowling night in Innsbruck, whilst we finished the week’s evening activities with an old-school disco and karaoke night at the hotel, with some questionable performances on the mic by both staff and students. After a full day of skiing on Friday, bags were packed and the long pilgrimage back to Derbyshire began, where we arrived safely 24 hours later.
This year’s crop of skiers were mostly beginners, most of whom had never skied abroad before but brought plenty of energy and enthusiasm to the slopes. The progress they made throughout the week was commendable, with almost every group progressing from the nursery slopes to the notorious ‘Blue’ run, used in the 1976 Winter Olympics, a tricky, snaking route beginning with many twists and turns, with a long, straight finish leading back to the heart of the resort.
I would like to say a massive thank you to our coach drivers who we had all week, the hotel staff, ski instructors, tour company, the teachers, who gave up their half-term to staff the trip, and not least to our ski rep Simon, who has worked alongside the school for many years. None of this would have been possible without all parties pulling together and cooperating the way they did. A final congratulations should go to the students who showed impeccable behaviour and attitude, which was noted by many people we came across throughout the week. Another successful HGSA ski trip was had by all, and we now look forward to what 2027 has to offer!
