Advantages to Skiing and Snowboarding Smaller Resorts

By: Brad McNally

Our modern world often leads us to think that bigger is always better. It can be enticing to plan your snowboarding trip for multiple days at a time and at a large resort/mountain, but there are some very good reasons why you may want to check out smaller snowboard areas. From price considerations to distance from home, there are also some very nice smaller places that are worth the day trip. Here are some reasons why you may want to avoid the larger resorts this year.

(1) Price

Depending on where you stay, a trip to a large resort could set you back a small fortune. If you are able to drive to a smaller ski area for a day pass and get back home a few times during the season this may be enough to influence your decision. Often, a smaller ski area has less overhead and therefore can charge less for everything. From food to a lift ticket, expect it to cost a little less.

(2) Convenience

For a large number of people, the convenience factor is pretty important. If a smaller ski area is close enough that you can head over after work and pick up a pass for the evening, it might be a better option than saving up your vacation days to hit the slopes somewhere further away. Being smaller, these areas often are overlooked by serious snowboarders, but they can be a convenient option for a quick getaway.

(3) The Crowd

With many people heading to larger resorts, there is a good chance you can get to a smaller area when there are less people there and have more of the slopes to yourself. An argument against this may be that at a ridiculously large location there is a larger area to accommodate all the people, but generally the crowds (and staff) at smaller places are pretty accommodating as it is. A lot of people use these spots to try out snowboarding for the first time. Others are weekend warriors or stopping by after work to get a few runs in.

(4) The People

In my own thoughts, visiting a smaller ski/snowboard area is much like visiting a small town. Nothing against the city, but there is a difference in how people treat each other when they are in little towns. Staff, locals, and generally everyone else at a smaller ski area can embody that idea. From impromptu lessons in the terrain park to conversations in the lodge, these interactions can make your trip out seem entirely different. This seems to be an opinion shared elsewhere as well.

Before you pack all your gear into an airline-approved Sportube snowboard case and head cross country for a week on the slopes, see if there is a local joint you can hit within a few hours drive. If you are dead set on travelling further for your snow fun, take an afternoon when you get there and head to something a bit smaller. You just might find that it has the best run, or least crowded views, after all.

6 Tips to Avoid Ski Lift Lines | Timing is Everything

By Mike Ryan

You could always get up earlier, as if we don’t get up early enough as it is. Of course, if you can ski weekdays you avoid the lines, but we’re not talking to you.

Ski Weekend Guide to Steamboat Springs

By: Maya Silver

What if you could ski during the day and then rest your weary bones in a natural hot spring? If that sounds like paradise, a trip to Steamboat Springs might be in order.

Roughly a three-hour drive from Denver, Steamboat Springs is a charming town with a main street alight with wild, wild Western history. In the summer, it's a mecca of hiking and mountain biking. Come winter, it's a powder-magnet offering fantastic tree skiing and family fun on the mountain. Year-round, it's one of the best places to soak in Colorado.

7 Tips for Dealing with the Wind Skiing and Snowboarding

By: Maya Silver

If you love to ski, you know that not everyday will be a bluebird one. Sometimes, temperatures sink into the teens, single digits, or even negatives. Other times, clouds with silver linings bring heavy snow that means super fun powder but also difficult visibility and tired legs. And then there's my least favorite element of them all: wind.

view from atop Loveland

Recently, my friend and I arrived at the top of Lift 9 at Loveland--already nervous about the line we were going to take—and robust gusts greeted us from all directions. As I tightened my boots, I wondered how anyone was supposed to ski in wind this strong! We made our way to the top of the run we were planning to take and covered our faces as the wind blew icy snow onto our faces. I noticed a few people bailing, sidestepping up the run, and wondered if we should do the same. Between the steepness of the pitch below, and the swirls of snow blown up by the wind, I couldn't see the run below at all. But rather than bail, we set our focus to making turns and it ended up being the best run of the day.

Skiing and Snowboarding on a Budget | Money Saving Mountain Tips

By: Brad McNally

Snowboarding and skiing are great hobbies to get into but they suffer from one big drawback: cost. Similar to other action sports, the cost of equipment can add up quickly if you aren’t careful, and then you have to add travel and resort/lift costs. While there is very little chance of you getting to go out and board for free, there are many ways to save a bit here and there to make it a little easier on your wallet.

image: buckeyeline.org

Ski Tips for Tackling Steeps | Mastering the Mountain

By: Ryan Centioli

Progression as a rider is everything, you want to go higher, go faster, have more style, learn more tricks, and simply continue to improve.

One part of progression that is often not talked about is how to get more comfortable tackling steeper parts of the mountain.

Whether it's backcountry, moguls, a treeline, or simply a steep face on your favorite mountain there are a few simple tips that with a little practice, can drastically improve your comfort on steels and riding all together!

Skiing After Fifty | A Weathered Perspective on the Slopes

By Michael Ryan

You may not be there yet, but hopefully you’ll make it. I’ve been skiing after fifty for, well, a few years now and here’s what you have to look forward to.

Lessons for Moving to a Ski Town

By: Claire Botsy

Are you considering moving to a ski town and becoming a ski bum for a season (or longer)?  There are some ski bum steps you should take to prep yourself for the transition and some things to think about before you make the move, like what’s it like to live as a lifty or what job you should get on the slopes.  In addition to all that info, here are 5 more things to think about if you’re moving to a ski town.

5 Reasons to Ski or Snowboard Solo

By: Brooke Edwards Staggs

When we plan a day on the slopes, one of the first things we often do is enlist friends or family to come along for the ride.

Some of my best memories are of snowboarding with a group of friends, singing songs as we rode on the lift and challenging each other to hit that new jump.

Riding alone is a different experience. It can be a liberating one, though, and something I’d recommend every solid skier and snowboarder consider. Here are five reasons why.

How to Make the Best of Poor Ski and Snowboard Conditions

By: Ryan Centioli

It's a sad reality that unless you live on a mountain, you are going to have to deal with poor conditions from time to time.

Over the last 15 years, being from the northwest, I have had to learn to make the best of poor conditions. Northwest winters are either very good, or very bad. This year is shaping up to be the latter as two of our three primary resorts just had their opening days and the third with less than five inches of snow, is yet to open. Bad conditions are bad for everyone, including the organization that is operating the mountain.

How to Survive Teaching a Friend or Loved One to Ski (or Snowboard)

By Maya Silver

How exciting! Your friend or loved one just asked if you'd show them the ropes on the slope this winter and you said yes. If the person in question happens to just be a local buddy who's just never gotten around to learning, then you may only be facing one manageable day of playing teacher. But if we're talking a friend who's planned to fly in from out of town—perhaps with a virgin pair of boots they just eagerly bought in tow in your ski bag —for the inaugural ski trip of their life, you've got your work cut out for you.

I know firsthand how difficult it is to teach a friend or loved one to ski—you see, I’ve been both the student and the teacher in that situation within the past seven years. When I moved out to Colorado from the East Coast, I didn’t even really understand what skiing was—I’d never seen anyone do it, I’d never watched a ski movie, I had no friends that skied. My boyfriend at the time became so frustrated with my lack of progress that he handed me off to my friend. She was new to skiing herself and thankfully had the patience to get me down a green on a powder day without a freak out.

5 Easy Ways to Stay Warm on the Mountain

By: Cortney Nichols

Most of us spend months waiting for the first snow or first cold snap when the ski areas can make snow.  Spending a day on the mountain skiing and riding can be one of the best experiences or one of the most miserable.  These 5 tips will help you stay toasty all day and make for a much more fun and comfortable day.

Carrying a Ski or Snowboard Multitool on the Mountain

By: Brad McNally

A multitool can be a very useful thing to carry with you on a regular basis. Some people have a Leatherman or a Gerber tool that they use as part of their EDC (every day carry). There are multiple reasons to carry one along when you are skiing or snowboarding (or during any outdoor activity, actually). “Be Prepared” is more than just the boy scout motto -- it is great advice for any athlete that is going to be out on their board. Here are a few reasons you may want to consider carrying a multitool with you.

7 Ways to Beat Ski Traffic...and How to Keep Your Cool When You Don't

By Maya Silver

Are you a victim of ski traffic? If you're a skier or rider living in a city who works the Monday-Friday grind, chances are the answer is a big, sad YES. While there's no magic bullet solution (besides owning your own private jet, that is), there is a better way—at least I'm determined to find one.

I'll never forget the time that I woke up at the ungodly hour of 5am to beat the traffic to Winter Park. I really thought I was outsmarting all the other powder hounds that day! Who else would be crazy enough to rise in the dark on a bitterly cold and snowy Saturday morning? Apparently, everyone else in Denver.

Ski and Snowboard Goggle Care | Cleaning Your Goggles

By: Ryan Centioli

Whether you ski or snowboard, your goggles are one of the most important pieces of equipment for your day at the mountain. Your goggles protect your eyes, allow you to see better in poor visibility, and take a lot of abuse. Plus, they're often very expensive. So it makes sense to take care of your goggles, so they can take care of you! Here's how to care and clean your goggles.


How many times have you seen this? Goggles hanging in the rear view mirror of someones car. Some of you may be thinking, "I keep my goggles like that." While the "rear view mirror goggle hang" might look cool, and let everyone know how much you love to hit mountain, it's ruining your goggles! When ski and snowboard goggles hang from rear view mirrors it allows UV rays to shine through, and heat up the inner side of your lens! This can cause lens blur, lens warping, the breakdown of anti-fog coating, and can cloud the lens making your goggles difficult to see out of!

Preparing for Ski Season | Pick Out the Right Ski Gear

by: Lauren Fry 
Do you suffer from summertime sadness? Post-snow depression? Off-season anxiety? You are not alone in the long wait for the return of the powder, this corgi also suffers from these very serious disorders. There however are things to do, so quit laying around and get shopping!

Now is the time to gear up and get ready, The off season is the best time to buy new gear, especially before Halloween! While that sounds so far away, it is sneaking up on us. Retailers are getting rid of their stock in preparation for their new inventory that comes in just in time for season! 

Tips for Spring Skiing | Shred the Slush

by: Lauren Fry

The snow on the mountain can only last so long, and summer is fast approaching.  Skiers and snowboarders everywhere are battling the slush to squeeze in ski days before the end of the season. Here are just a few tips to make sure you do not get slowed down by the slush.

Ski Tips for Saving Money on Meals | Cheap Eats on the Mountain

By Jake Walnut

Last week we took a look at how to find cheap lift tickets when you’re planning a trip this winter. This week we’re going to show you how to save even more money on your next ski or snowboard adventure by eating cheap on the mountain.

There is no denying that snowboarding and skiing are expensive sports. After you get past the price of equipment there are still lift tickets, travel fees (gasoline, etc), and, of course, the cost of eating. Though many people opt to eat meals at the lodge or a restaurant in the resort village, there are far more effective and affordable ways to fuel up on tasty food while you’re at the mountain.

Photo: www.ski-bums.org

Beginner Skiers and Snowboarders | 3 Tips to Move Past the Bunny Slopes

By: Brad McNally

Although your snowboard may look great on display in its snowboard mount, it was built for going downhill and you are probably hoping to take it out soon. If you’ve never made it off the bunny slopes yet and are looking to head to bigger hills for the first time, these few tips will help make that transition much easier.

Mastering the Moguls | Ski Mogul Techniques and Tips

By: Lauren Fry

A common misconception I have noticed with skiers, is that they don’t realize their ticket/pass is good for the WHOLE Mountain! No, not just the groomers, the moguls and back bowls too! Too many skiers are scared or intimidated by a long steep mogul field. Even I get intimidated standing at the top when you can’t even see the moguls below because how steep and large they are.