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firebanex

Making fresh tracks
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Joined
Apr 16, 2018
Posts
1,090
Location
Fairbanks, Alaska
At the risk of sounding a bit course, I find that skiing more makes skiing easier.

If you want to use money to do better, good boots that fit and high quality ski clothing. I have found it amazing at how much easier and enjoyable skiing can be when warm, comfy, and dry.
 

Started at 53

Making fresh tracks
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Joined
Mar 26, 2017
Posts
2,129
Location
Not Ikon, UT
Moved from Florida to Heber City... That should aid skiing a wee bit :)

As for heated items? I have a heated vest, and gloves, but I have yet to be cold enough to turn them on.

As for AWD vehicles???? YEP, will my skis fit in it? NOPE! That is what a roof rack is for :) Truth be told, I will lay a towel down (so edges don’t cut leather) on the front center console/armrest and lay the skis inside the car... But it is only 1.4 miles to the gondola and they have ski storage there anyway, and being mine are treated with Phantom wax there is no need to take them home except to tune the edges.

1BA6FB78-B3AC-4E87-8BCE-BB64CC987873.jpeg


Buying a midweek ski pass AND a Local 5 ski pass in case there are any weekend days I can’t live without
 

Gentry

Booting up
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Jan 23, 2018
Posts
102
- Pack dehydrated meal, instant coffee and Jetboil stove in the vehicle to skip the usual lunch madness and get back on the slopes quickly
 

Philpug

Notorious P.U.G.
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Reno, eNVy
Truth be told, I will lay a towel down (so edges don’t cut leather) on the front center console/armrest and lay the skis inside the car...
View attachment 55199
this is my car "hack", velcro on the back of the seat to protect the leather (or my my case naugahyde).
PwSf0s5pTSSEACWItirMag.jpg
sYFnWCiUTiy9ZHXlhM4g0Q.jpg
 

JFB

Out on the slopes
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Nov 11, 2016
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I will second (third?) the boot heaters and add a boot drier, without which my boots get very funky.
 

SSSdave

life is short precious ...don't waste it
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Sep 12, 2017
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2,516
Location
Silicon Valley
Read through all the responses and a major one not yet mentioned is online Internet WWW weather information. Ever since becoming a skier decades ago, I've developed a keen understanding of weather that greatly affects whether or not I choose to go skiing. As someone that lives and works in the SF Bay Area, it has never been trivial to drive 4 to 6 monotonous boring hours to Tahoe slopes and lodging costs plus gas and all is expensive for a peon. In this era, there is vastly more advanced weather information plus snow quality information likely on slopes available that makes pulling the trigger so much more reliable. That noted, I did turn around and went back home after driving 120 miles one weekend and stopping at a McDonalds whence I got on their wifi and noted the potential fresh powder storm fizzled.
 

4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
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Nov 12, 2015
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7,219
Location
Sierra & Wasatch
I don't know if these are hacks or even make skiing easier but they certainly make skiing more enjoyable...

Hitting the right clothing combination for the weather, temperature & conditions I will be skiing.
Snow angel GCH Day 7 Finale 042.JPG


I remove my boot liners & dry them every night.
Spare goggles, poles (maybe even skis), gloves, socks, balaclava etc. stashed in the car or at some convenient location. Especially if it is WET!
Pocket lunch & refillable bottle, flask or other fluid container.
 
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David Chaus

Beyond Help
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Nov 12, 2015
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5,529
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Stanwood, WA
My favorite hack is to plug my boot heaters (insert into the boot) into my subie’s rear DC power port, with my boots in my boot bag, while driving to the mountain. When I arrive, just unplug, coil the power cord into the bag, grab my gear and walk to the lodge, and boot up in the comfort of a heated locker room or day lodge. My feet start out nice and warm. I also have heated socks, so my feet start out nice and warm, and stay nice and warm all day.

It was much, much cheaper to get the portable boot heaters than to buy a heated boot bag. I might splurge on one in the future, but for now, this works.
 
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TS
Andy Mink

Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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Read through all the responses and a major one not yet mentioned is online Internet WWW weather information. Ever since becoming a skier decades ago, I've developed a keen understanding of weather that greatly affects whether or not I choose to go skiing. As someone that lives and works in the SF Bay Area, it has never been trivial to drive 4 to 6 monotonous boring hours to Tahoe slopes and lodging costs plus gas and all is expensive for a peon. In this era, there is vastly more advanced weather information plus snow quality information likely on slopes available that makes pulling the trigger so much more reliable. That noted, I did turn around and went back home after driving 120 miles one weekend and stopping at a McDonalds whence I got on their wifi and noted the potential fresh powder storm fizzled.
Luckily I'm a 35-40 minute drive to several ski areas. I check the weather the day before, the night before, and the morning of, plus the early morning condition reports of the area. Sure, they're a little self-serving but at least it's a baseline. Also, check the lift report. If the main lifts are on wind hold there's no use in driving up the mountain.
 

wallyk

Would rather be ski'n
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Joined
Feb 2, 2018
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505
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The MinnieApple
Very simple.....organization and repetition. Military level of precision and attention to detail is THE hack, if there is one.........I have two little girls and am proud to write that we are a well oiled machine and NEVER forget anything. The older one races which requires us being at the mountain at a certain time on Sat and Sun. In each boot bag there are 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of goggles, 2 pairs of gloves and multiple hand warmers on the ready. Those boot bags get checked on Friday evening and rechecked Saturday evening. Boots, outerwear and gloves dry in the same place. Skis never come of the box on the weekends. The ski pants and jackets are different from clothes worn to the local so before we depart for either the ski area or the house all outerwear and boot bag contents are both checked and verified. Two sets of eyes verify the contents of the boot bags so there are never oversights.
 

Plai

Paul Lai
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Cool Mint Chocolate Clif

Just found the protein versions of these at Costco a month or so ago. They're now my gotos for biking and after the gym workouts. Hadn't considered them for skiing as we usually eat at the lodge. (It's nice to go to a smaller ski area ;) Thanks for course correction.
 

wallyk

Would rather be ski'n
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The MinnieApple
Do you lay the gear out in a "square" like at basic training? It works though.

At the beginning of the season yes. During the season we verify by pulling out items and visually verifying at home. At the local, I monitor what goes in the bags at the end of the day and we always do a spot check of the area before we leave. Each of my daughters is responsible for verifying....Like I wrote......have NEVER lost or forgot an item. At the cost of kids ski/race gear, I'm pretty happy to brag/post/write about that accomplishment!!!!
 

Fishbowl

A Parallel Universe
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Joined
Apr 29, 2017
Posts
514
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Lost
At the beginning of the season yes. During the season we verify by pulling out items and visually verifying at home. At the local, I monitor what goes in the bags at the end of the day and we always do a spot check of the area before we leave. Each of my daughters is responsible for verifying....Like I wrote......have NEVER lost or forgot an item. At the cost of kids ski/race gear, I'm pretty happy to brag/post/write about that accomplishment!!!!

My OCD loves this post. Just don’t interrupt my routine and I will never leave anything behind.
 

dbostedo

Asst. Gathermeister
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75% Virginia, 25% Colorado
Very simple.....organization and repetition. Military level of precision and attention to detail is THE hack, if there is one.........I have two little girls and am proud to write that we are a well oiled machine and NEVER forget anything. The older one races which requires us being at the mountain at a certain time on Sat and Sun. In each boot bag there are 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of goggles, 2 pairs of gloves and multiple hand warmers on the ready. Those boot bags get checked on Friday evening and rechecked Saturday evening. Boots, outerwear and gloves dry in the same place. Skis never come of the box on the weekends. The ski pants and jackets are different from clothes worn to the local so before we depart for either the ski area or the house all outerwear and boot bag contents are both checked and verified. Two sets of eyes verify the contents of the boot bags so there are never oversights.

Wow. I think I might have just quit skiing as a kid with that level of rigor. :eek: :P And I'm now an engineer and it's right up my alley! :D

Of course, I didn't actually ski as a kid... but I was forever losing my baseball cap or uniform socks or glove...
 

RuleMiHa

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Sep 2, 2017
Posts
576
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Very simple.....organization and repetition. Military level of precision and attention to detail is THE hack, if there is one.........I have two little girls and am proud to write that we are a well oiled machine and NEVER forget anything. The older one races which requires us being at the mountain at a certain time on Sat and Sun. In each boot bag there are 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of goggles, 2 pairs of gloves and multiple hand warmers on the ready. Those boot bags get checked on Friday evening and rechecked Saturday evening. Boots, outerwear and gloves dry in the same place. Skis never come of the box on the weekends. The ski pants and jackets are different from clothes worn to the local so before we depart for either the ski area or the house all outerwear and boot bag contents are both checked and verified. Two sets of eyes verify the contents of the boot bags so there are never oversights.
This just revealed the true extent of my personal mental illness because all I want to do is sneak into your house and re-arrange all your carefully prepared ski gear. Sigh.
 

bbinder

Making fresh tracks
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Nov 12, 2015
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Massachusetts
Putting my bottle of bourbon inside my foam roller when I fly somewhere - protects the bottle so the luggage handlers don’t break it
 

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