With lots of snow (hopefully) around the corner, people are excited to get on the slopes. Whether that means skiing or snowboarding, there are a couple of things those planning a snow-based excursion should know.
The first thing is gear. Though renting the basic gear at the mountain seems most efficient, there are better ways. One method is to rent your gear for a season. At ski stores such as Sun & Ski Sports located in Falls Church, Virginia, you can rent gear for as long as you need. By renting beforehand, you can skip the rental lines in the morning and get straight to the slopes to maximize your ski time.
The second way to skip the lines and get your gear ahead of time is to buy them secondhand. Sun & Ski Sports also has a vast selection of nice secondhand gear for a lot cheaper than new ones. When you rent gear at the mountain, it is often overused, making it more uncomfortable and less functional during your time on the slopes. When you rent for a season or buy secondhand, your gear is nicer and the hassle of needing to rent gear every time you want to go skiing is eliminated.
The next thing to tend to is your ski passes. The obvious option is to buy a day pass. A pass at ski resorts like Liberty or Whitetail will set you back around $60 for a day of skiing. Another option is the Epic or Ikon passes, which are season long passes to a variety of different mountains. These are best if you plan to do a lot of skiing or plan to ski at different mountains. The price of such passes are always changing but usually around $1000, which in many cases can be cheaper than buying all of your passes at the window day of. The Ikon and Epic passes are different because they serve two distinct mountains, and the closest mountains to us, Liberty and Whitetail, are Epic.
There is no end as to what you can bring to make your experience nicer, but you should definitely have the essentials. It can get very windy on the peak, so it is important to be warm. Long underwear, gloves, snow jackets, and a ski mask are pretty basic musts, but if you want to step it up, you can purchase foot and hand warmers. Slip them into your boots and gloves and you are sure to be toasty.
As far as safety on the slope, a helmet and a good pair of goggles are crucial. Every year, accidents happen on the ski slopes and result in serious injuries, which could have been avoided if helmets were worn. Goggles are also a necessity as they protect your eyes from snow and wind, as well as helping you see where you are heading.
With all these tips and tricks, I hope to see you out there! •
