It is that time of year again where we outdoor lovers are torn between breaking out our mountain bikes or keeping the ski dream alive and pursue the endless Winter. In my opinion you should do both. There is some great hiking and mountain biking to be had at lower elevations. Often Spring is one of the best times of the year for making ski tracks on the mountain. Lift lines are shorter and Spring storms can bring massive accumulations. In fact, one of my all time best powder days happened at Snowbird in May. It was hard to believe that Springtime was in full effect just a few miles and a few thousand feet lower in the Salt Lake City valley. Yet there I was getting pow face shots and cliff drops with my homies. What a glorious day that was!
In order to have the best day on the hill make sure you layer up as it will likely be cold in the AM and heat up through out the day. A Gore-tex shell is perfect to ski in this time of year. Couple that with a pair of thin gloves, a thin balaclava for sun protection and you will be rolling like a gangster. Outdoor Research (OR) makes some killer gear and is my personal favorite outer wear brand.
A boot dryer is also a must have for anyone that skis regularly. Your ski/snowboard boots will likely be wet after a good day on the mountain and you want to be prepared for the next day with dry warm boots. Even if you don’t plan on going out the next day drying your boots each time you ski is a good habit as it all but eliminates the ski boot funky smell which occurs after numerous wet / dry cycles. Dry Guy makes a really good boot dryer.
Another really important thing to remember is to have your skis or snowboard properly tuned. If you think wax is the most important thing when it comes to proper tuning, you would be incorrect. The most important thing you can do to your skis or snowboard to make them go faster in warm, wet snow is to have a proper base structure. Structure can be done at most major ski shops when they perform a base grind. Like treads on a tire, ski bases need structure to reduce drag. Your skis need to ride on a film of water produced from the friction of your base and edges cutting through the snow. In warm, wet snow structure like a snow tire tread helps dissipate water from under your ski. We have all had that feeling in wet snow where it feels like your ski is being sucked to the ground. That feeling is typically a lack of structure. You can put the most expensive fluorinated (banned) wax in the world on your skis and if it doesn’t have proper structure you will have wasted the mortgage payment you skipped to pay for the ski wax. You will be able to see and feel the structure on your ski similar to Figure 1. You will also feel how fast your ski goes through the wet sludge.
Wax is the final ingredient to a good late season ski day. It is important to get a quality wax that is made for warm temperatures. SWIX is the gold standard for ski wax. Ironically their product is about as expensive as gold but is worth every penny if you are addicted to speed. For warm days I recommend SWIX PS10 (Figure 2.) or PS11.
I am so stoked to ski and snowboard in the Spring. It is my favorite time of year to do both. I have found that if I am prepared ahead of time, I will make the most of my day on the mountain. I hope to see you out there. Have fun and be safe!
FOUNDATION Outdoors, Staff Writer – Sir Scott #317
