With Davis just two hours away from the winter wonderland of Lake Tahoe, the idea of taking a trip to the mountains has definitely crossed through every UCD student’s mind. Why not make that dream a reality? Coordinating a ski trip might seem daunting, but here are some helpful tips to get you organized.
1) Figure out everyone’s availability.
This is definitely the hardest part, but with the help of survey apps/sites like Survey Monkey, Polldaddy or Doodle, it is easy have everyone’s ability stored in the same place. Set a RSVP deadline, and hold everyone accountable by creating a group chat on Facebook or through texts. Make sure in the weeks leading up to trip that everyone who wants to go is still on board and is reminded about the date, and potential costs of the trip.
2) Book lodging and tickets for activities.
The sooner you get this done, the cheaper it will be. Set up a Venmo account and have everyone pay up within a week; for those friends who need a subtle push to respond promptly, you might want to assign the trip’s dish duties to late due-payers. Use sites like Expedia.com, TripAdvisor.com, Kayak.com, GoTahoenorth.com to compare and find the best prices.
3) Create an itinerary.
Figure out what you want to do. Whether it be skiing, ice skating, or hiking, make sure to create a schedule for each day. It doesn’t have to planned to the hour but have a general idea of how many activities you would like to do, where your meals will be, etc. That way you won’t be stuck in the cabin trying to decide on a place to eat, when you could have been having a snowball fight.
4) Create a packing list.
If you’re going with a group of friends, chances are, someone is going to forget something important. Make sure everyone is on the same page in terms of what they each need to bring and collaborate on items that might make your trip more fun and enjoyable.
5. Don’t forget to document everything.
After all that planning, you and your friends are definitely going to have an amazing time. Make sure to take lots of pictures so that you can always look back and remember the good times you had when you were young and adventurous. Apps like Photo-Sort, Photo Manager Pro, and Photo Time are all picture apps that will organize your photos for you, and to have all photos accessible in one app for everyone on the trip, make sure to download PhotoCircle.