Time to hit the slopes

It’s midweek, you’re at work and you’re staring at your computer monitor; only you’re not viewing those TPS reports. Your browser is set to the National Weather Service Web site, and the weekend mountain forecast looks good – clear and sunny, not too cold. Nothing is planned for Saturday. Your friends aren’t busy, either.

Time for a ski trip! Which means… it’s Miller time!

No, not the beer. I’m talking about Miller, as in Warren Miller, the famous American ski & snowboarding filmmaker. The first step to having an awesome day of skiing is to get pumped up the night before. Think of it as foreplay. Go rent a Warren Miller film, throw some meat on the grill and invite your ski buds over. There’s no better way to get pumped up for a day on the slopes.

Maximize your time on the slopes

Regardless of how long you sleep the night before, make sure to get up early on the day you’re going skiing. Don’t worry if you only get a few hours of sleep. The rush and excitement will give you plenty of energy. Leaving early is critical because you want to beat traffic and get good parking at the lodge. You also want to get your lift tickets (and ski rentals, if you need skis) before the lifts open for the day. What’s the point of buying a lift ticket if you’re spending the first quarter of the ski day standing in line?

Another way to maximize your time on the slopes is to rent skis the day before you leave. Most cities have shops where you can rent skis and boots for a decent price. That way, you only need to get a lift ticket when you arrive at your destination.

Gear tip: Renting from mountain shops in the city can sometimes be better if the mountain shop has newer equipment. Back in the 1990s, skis were a lot longer and straighter than they are now. Since then, skis have been built shorter and with a more curvature. Skis nowadays are faster than the skis of old, and they’re far more maneuverable, too. If you have a choice between a resort rental shop and a mountain shop, call around to see which place offers more advanced gear.

Ski for as long as you can, and cover as many runs as possible – it’s good for maintaining the excitement of the day, and the obstacles of each run will keep things fresh. I always enjoy taking a nice, hour-long break for lunch, to be rested for the second half of the day. Most lodges have cafeterias, and I always aim for a burger, fries and a hot chocolate. My favorite resort is Timberline Lodge on Oregon’s Mt. Hood, and my favorite burger there is the locally famous “Magic Mile Burger,” named after the mountain’s “Magic Mile” ski run.

Some people like to hang out at the lodge at the end of a long day. If you have the money, I’d recommend getting a room overnight. Most lodges have a bard, fancy dining, movie rooms, pools and hot tubs. A night at the lodge can also make for a nice date! As for me, my friends and I usually leave the resort to beat the flow of traffic, and then we gather together at a pub or restaurant down the hill. A day spent skiing is always a good time.

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