Category Archives: Mountain School

You Get a Car! You Get a Car!

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By SkiMum Paula

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Oprah had the world on its feet at the Golden Globes.  The excitement on the morning news shows the following day was infectious.  Even my teenage daughter was howling in a voice an octave lower than her own, “You get a car! You get a car!” while devouring her pancakes.  She was a newborn when the giveaway aired in 2004, but still understands the magic and joy it inspired.  “That must have made the car maker famous,” she continued.  I cocked my head and smiled.  Like other childhood beliefs, I didn’t have the heart to tell her that Pontiac (awesome trivia/HQ question, by the way) went bust just a few years later.  Sometimes, the delight is more important than the detail.

What does this have to do with SkiMums?  Well, some would claim that many Wednesday mornings with fellow Mums feel like an episode of Oprah’s eponymous show.  Smart, active women sharing the slopes with other fascinating (and often, very funny) women.  It’s unclear whether it’s a girl power vibe, an adrenaline rush or the feeling of playing hooky, but Mums describe feeling electrified, inspired or just themselves on Wednesdays. “Ski therapy”?  Perhaps.  More likely, Mums are giving themselves a moment to recharge in order to charge ahead.

SkiMums also get FREE stuff.  Sadly, not cars.  The Bird, in particular, does this not because Mums are cheap (although we do love a great deal); it recognizes how important and influential we are.  Mums buy a lot of season passes, lessons, camps, ski team equipment, condos, spa packages, dinners and more.  We post pictures on social media influencing more people all over the world to discover the fun in our backyard.  When some suggested several years ago that Snowbird was too advanced and not as appealing to women, it started providing SkiMums group lessons to make sure we felt confident on the front and back of Hidden Peak.  Mountain School still sends its best women instructors each January to get intermediate-to-advanced SkiMums skiers — and, for the first time, snowboarders — to tackle different aspects of this unique terrain.  The Bird has also invited some daring Mums (read: pretty fast skiers on pretty dark runs) to ski Fresh Tracks, going up the Tram with Ski Patrol at 7:30am to do laps before the public opening.  In the summer, SkiMums have had the best deals on Snowbird’s All-Women Mountain Bike Camp which, we like to believe, they created because of clamoring by the Mums (“Teach us how to ride The Wasatch Crest and Big Mountain Trail!”).

This is what I know is true: SkiMums started as and remains a community, not a club, made up of incredible Wasatch Women who share a passion for the outdoors and want to share that feeling with others.  We laugh and cheer and, often, discover something new.  Such delight will get you much farther than any car.

 

Don’t Spend a Bundle to Bundle Up

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Get great gear without blowing the budget. Photo by SkiMum Richelle

There’s an unspoken rule in Utah that locals never pay retail. Actually, we pay retail on a lot of things, a little less on others, and rent a storage locker to hold it all. Everyone is a professional shopper here. It’s not that we forego buying gear at slopeside stores. We just know what to purchase where and when.

  • Rental “demo” skis and boots begin to go on sale in late-March (ski clothing a bit later giving you another reason to visit Utah in summer). Resorts and stores turn over their entire inventory every season or two. Make an offer if you really like your rentals, especially if it’s late-season. I bought a pair of Rossignol Soul 7 skis with bindings for under $200 one July.  Pro Shopping Tip: The shortest “men’s” skis (same ski, different design, i.e., Soul 7 = Savory 7) are often in mint condition making them a great deal for petite women.
  • Reserve rental gear in advance online at local stores, such as Christy Sports or Ski ‘n See. They almost always offer discounts for doing so and even have slopeside stores if you need adjustments or want to swap them out.
  • Consignment stores are plentiful, especially in Salt Lake City, and it is where all the locals buy their gear. I think 2nd Tracks Sports is my hubby’s favorite store; mine is still Tiffany’s, I’m afraid (which might explain why his is the discount shop). The Gear Room is another. Just Google for more. I know folks who buy consignment gear when visiting and consign it back before they leave.
  • Outlet stores, such as Columbia in Park City, are fantastic for quality ski clothing at an affordable price.
  • Buying ski gear in person from people who know it and know how you’ll use it is the best.  Test: If you don’t know what a DIN setting is, then you probably shouldn’t buy skis and bindings online.  However, online stores from Backcountry to Sierra Trading Post to Ebay to Amazon are fantastic places to shop if you know your size and what you want.  Pro Shopping Tip: Backcountry.com has its warehouse retail store minutes from the airport allowing you to talk to the experts and pick up everything your heart desires for a great price on your way to the slopes.
  • In December, Costco in Salt Lake City is another great place to pick up gloves, ski pants, snow boots, hand warmers and other items for a fraction of the price in specialty stores. Last time I looked, kids ski pants were $16. Wal-Mart is another one to check.  This is not a secret around here though, and the gear flies off the shelves. Call first to check.
  • High-priced long underwear for kids is a waste of money, I’ve concluded. Buy them cheaper, long underwear-style pajamas instead. Even if they’re cotton, the kids are usually fine. They usually don’t ski hard enough to really sweat and get cold. They’re heading for the hot chocolate long before that. The dual use is a bonus. Pro Shopping Tip: Lululemon capri tights on sale, of course are my new dual-use favorite under ski pants. I like the compression, and the shorter length doesn’t interfere with my boots (no, don’t put long underwear or anything else other than your socks inside your boots) while keeping me toasty.

SkiMums constantly chat about where to find the deals while riding on the lifts. Big surprise!  Feel free to share your favorite haunts below.

 

Lift Tix for Less

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Red Lens at Snowbird by SkiMum Margit

Lift ticket deals area available at Utah ski resorts if you know where to look. Locals ski dozens (some hundreds!) of days a year, and most snowboarders do it without having a job. Just joking, just joking! For the rest of us, here’s how—

  • For 5th and 6th graders, there is NO BETTER DEAL than the SkiUtah Passport, which gives 3 lifts tickets PER RESORT (42 days!) to 5th graders and 1 lift ticket per resort (14 days) to each 6th grader for just $45 (even less before January 31st). You must purchase this online in advance. Allow a couple weeks depending on time of year.
  • Buy a season pass. Before you scoff, check out the early bird deals at various resorts and SkiMum Richelle’s post about economies of scale. For example, the Family 4-Pack at Snowbird (2 Adults, 2 K-12 kids) purchased in early August 2016 was $1999 and came with great lodging deals, Wasatch Benefits, which included Mountain Collective (half-off at a list of resorts worldwide; I use it at Jackson Hole), 3 lift tickets for Alta AND 3 lift tickets for Deer Valley for all four people plus other goodies like rental, clothing and food discounts. If Alta is typically $96/day (adults and kids over 12) and Deer Valley is $128/day (adults), the math looks pretty good for a week long trip and makes it easy to come back for a quick weekend or two! Note that there are some blackout dates on the Wasatch Benefits lift tickets (but you’re not skiing during those pricey times anyway, right?). The Epic Pass is another unlimited, very budget friendly option that will put an adult on the slopes of Park City resort and all other Vail-owned resorts for just over $800. No, you don’t need to create a spreadsheet to figure all this out, but it’s a great way to get the hubby involved, I’ve learned.
  • If you have a friend skiing the same resort another time during the season, consider doubling up on transferrable pass or punch card. You can buy a transferable 10-to-Share Card at Snowbird (there are others available at other resorts), use a few days and leave it for another friend or relative to when she visits. At $589 (chairs only; $689 with tram), this worked out to $59/day. It’s even cheaper during early bird pricing. Just make sure it’s a transferrable pass.
  • There are no, none, nada discount lift ticket in Park City stores. So, find them elsewhere. Salt Lake City ski shops – even grocery stores – have discounts on lift tickets but not always for all resorts. Call ahead or look online to check on discounts for Park City and Deer Valley resorts, in particular. Locals Tip: REI is on the way to Park City from the SLC Airport, has discount lift tickets, ski rentals and great gear, and all the money you spend goes toward your co-op rebate. Cha-ching!
  • Some resorts, including Snowbird, have great advance purchase deals online, and if you’re visiting someone who has a season pass, they likely can get a Friends & Family discount at the lift ticket counter for you. Locals Tip: Deer Valley, which caps the sale of tickets, will offer advance purchase (but no discount) the day before. On a powder day, this is key.
  • Package lift ticket deals are around, including the Salt Lake Super Pass, that gives adults lift tickets for 7 out of 14 days for all four Cottonwood Canyon resorts (Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude) for $540 ($78/day). It also comes with a number of other lodging and rental discounts.
  • Liftopia has discount lift tickets for the resorts, but you have to choose your dates (guaranteeing that your kid will be sick or winds will close lifts on that day). Great deals, but choose carefully.

Any other deals? Feel free to share them in the comments section.

Top 5 Things to Splurge on at Snowbird

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If I found some spare change in the bottom of the dryer, what would I do with it? Hmmm, that’s a tough one. Something ski-related, definitely.  Let’s put aside a shopping spree at Cliff Sports (I do love my Arc’teryx coat and fringed Astis mittens) or opening a great Bordeaux at Aerie. Here are five. Some I’ve done, some are on my Snowbird Bucket List—

  • A day on the Snowcat Skiing for Nature – hands down. At $395 for a half-day adventure, I still think it’s the best bang for the buck anywhere on the mountain. Starting with breakfast at The Forklift (included), Snowbird Ski Patrol prepares you for your side-country outing, straps you with a beacon and takes you up and over into Mineral Basin where you catch your ride. The rest is a blur and the most fun, best skiing ever. I’ve compared it to skiing in a snow globe – quiet, magical. A half-day is plenty. Your legs will be shot. Your memories will last forever.
  • Mountain School Women’s Camp with Mermer Blakeslee. Mountain School does several ski camps designed for women, but this is the one I’ve always wanted to attend (hint, hint). It’s a four-day camp led by professional skier and author, Mermer Blakeslee. She focuses on fear, the type that keeps us from accomplishing things on and off the mountain and fun, the type that brings us back. At $784 for four entire days, it’s cheaper than therapy and much more pleasurable. The time off from work, family, life is the big price but one I know would be worth it.
  • A day with a Backcountry Guide. I once tried buying all the gear necessary for my hubby to backcountry ski (shovel, probe, beacon, avalanche airbag, etc.) and scared myself so badly that I put it all back on the shelves. The avalanche dangers in the backcountry are real, but they are greatly reduced by going with someone who understands the terrain and risks. If you’ve ever skied a powder day, you get the bug and want more, especially if it comes with fresh tracks all the way down. That’s the appeal of backcountry. Prices vary but, for this exercise, I’m not concerned.
  • A weekend stay on the Spa Level of Cliff Lodge. For a modest upgrade, you can enjoy a spacious room and spa access on the top floor of the Cliff Lodge at Snowbird. If a day in Mineral Basin wasn’t enough, then adding a massage and then a dip in the roof top hot top will satisfy the pickiest guest. It’s one of the best views at any ski resort, and if the full moon is out, you won’t be the only one to howl. Prices vary depending on room and services.
  • Ok, I have to admit that my Preferred Parking Pass is definitely a splurge that I have come to love. Front row parking at the Bird means I can save my legs for the mountain and almost ski into my car at the end of the day. $249

MumLove

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Photo by SkiMum Margit

It’s Valentine’s Month!  Yes, SkiMums are going big on February.  Reserve the 14th for your sweetie, but spend the rest of the month showing your friends, family, mankind and especially YOURSELF that you care.  It should take 28 days — maybe 29 some years — to get it done.

If you’re a little behind, then start this Wednesday with some SkiMums Sun & Ski Therapy.  Wasatch Women have been spending the last six Wednesdays tearing up the slopes at Snowbird in some of the best ski conditions seen in years.  This Wednesday marks the halfway point with sunny skies in the forecast.  Grab your sunscreen and chocolate kisses and go.

This is our playground

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It’s time to ski! Starting January 6th, Intermediate-Advanced women skiers will head to Snowbird on Wednesdays at 9:30am. For the first time this season, however, we’ll start with the super-popular FOUR FREE GROUP LESSONS by Susi and The Mountain School.  Then, in February, we’ll just meet and ski. No agenda. We ski until we have to leave. For some, that’s 10:30am, others it’s 3:30pm.  If the weather is crummy (winds 20+mph or sketchy viz), then we pass. It’s just not fun to ski in those conditions, and WE LIVE HERE.  There is no scheduled end date.  Last season, we just took off our ski boots and put on our hiking boots and played throughout the summer.

As mentioned, The Mountain School will start off the season with FOUR FREE* GROUP LESSONS for Skimums.  These have been very popular (sometimes, too popular).  The Mountain School doesn’t mind, but it wants to have enough instructors there.  So, we’re going to ask Mums to RSVP EACH WEEK through Evite.  (*Suggested gratuity of $10-20 per lesson)
IF YOU ARE A SNOWBOARDER, please leave a comment on your RSVP.  If there are enough BoardMums (we need a better name), we’ll ask very nicely whether The Mountain School can get an instructor.
IF YOU ARE A BEGINNER, The Mountain School REALLY wants you to get on the slopes and has terrific and affordable LEARNER’S PERMIT 
IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT OR AREN’T SURE HOW TO START, contact Susi Muecke at The Mountain School, our incredible Instructor, Sherpa and Friend to see what you need to reach whatever goals you have.
Happy Holidays, Skimums!  See you on the slopes.

Good Skiing Part 3

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By Susi, Instructor at Snowbird Mountain School

5 Secrets to Managing Powder Gracefully

The Powder came right on time for our Wednesday morning coaching session.  The Skimums ventured out to lower Old Ladies (don’t read anything into the name; we don’t judge the guys when they ski Baldy) then to Hoop’s and found some nice creamy powder to play in!  Skimums found 5 simple rules to turned them into serious powder hounds.

1.  It’s all about the flow: Think about flowing down the mountain in a smooth line making round turns with little edge angle. Create a rhythm!
2.  Patience is key: In powder it takes more time for the skis to react to skier input. Steer your legs to create open round C-shaped turns, so that the skis keep flowing. Z-turns are harder to manage and interrupt the flow.
3.  Speed is your friend: The skis are buried in the snow which creates more friction compared to groomed terrain. Powder slows you down and you need speed to keep moving!
4.  Stay balanced over your feet: Contrary to common belief, you don’t lean back in powder. Ski in a balanced position (think “crouching tiger”).  Conditions change with every turn, so you have to work constantly to stay in balance!  Backseat skiing is not healthy for the knees and way too tiring!!
5.  Build a platform:  It is very helpful to narrow your stance, so that the skis build somewhat a single platform and are easier to turn.  Most importantly, to become great in powder you have to keep skiing powder!Hopefully, we get another powder opportunity this week and we can even explore other secret places on the mountain!!

Come out and join us for the last coaching session for the Skimums this season!!  RSVP by Tuesday afternoon so we can have plenty of Mountain School instructors there.
If you did not have a chance to join us, check out this video: http://youtu.be/SavrnMGIhzg
Sources: www.thesnowpros.org
PSIA Alpine Technical Manual

Good Skiing Part 2

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RSVP TODAY FOR FREE GROUP LESSON #3 THIS WEDNESDAY.  Powder?!?

By Susi, Instructor at Snowbird Mountain School

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Skimum Nicole gains greater control by pointing that Belly button downhill, getting the weight on the outside ski and “schmearing”

 Leg rotation and skiing bumps efficiently  

Our technical focus in our second coaching session was turning our legs more than our upper body… What??? Yes, it is the truth: a turn starts with the body parts closest to the snow: the feet and the legs. Often times we use our shoulders or our hips to start a turn, we are twisting shoulders and arms uphill at the end of a turn, we flail with our arms to help us stay in balance… These movements are not very efficient and not always graceful  😉.

The Skimums worked hard to keep their upper bodies disciplined, rotate their feet and legs to steer their skis through the turn, while keeping their belly buttons – and other body parts – directed towards the tip of the outside (or downhill) ski. We realized that the release of the energy created by twisting the lower half against the upper half of the body made it much easier to start a turn and to point the skis in the opposite direction.

We also put our “schmearing” skills to use.  We’re not carving into the turn.  As Skimum Denice visualized, “It’s like spreading cream cheese on a bagel — the schmear.”  As we release energy placing weight on that outside ski, gravity allows the entire bottom of the ski to coast downhill. More contact means more control over our direction and speed.

To apply the new skills we found some crusty and then soft bumps, where we POINTED our belly buttons into the direction of travel, rotated our legs on TOP of the bump, SCHMEARED down the back side of the bump to control our speed, then GLIDED up the next bump!  Like magic, Skimums found they had total control.  Turning and shmearing, turning and shmearing… In control, with grace and efficiency!!

If you did not have a chance to be with us or you want to review turning the legs under a stable upper body and bump technique check out these videos

Good Skiing: Pro Tips for Skimums

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RSVP BY TUESDAY FOR FREE GROUP LESSON #2 ON WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28TH

By Susi, Instructor for Snowbird Mountain School

DSC02112What is good skiing? The definition of good skiing is different for everybody. I like this one from David Oliver, PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) Alpine team member: “…. The idea of good skiing is about the ability to make a choice about where you want to go at any moment – whether its forwards or backwards or in the air, or moving down a race course at 70 miles per hour…”

Whatever the intended and desired outcomes are: skiing is based on a common set of fundamentals that can be universally applied.

What does that mean for the Skimums? During our ski lessons at Snowbird we are working on improving our skiing to enjoy this beautiful mountain and all it has to offer even more! In session 1 last Wednesday, we focused on directing our balance toward the outside (or downhill) ski. Why? The outside ski is our workhorse. With the outside ski we get stability and we control the shape of the turn.

If you did not have a chance to join us on Wednesday or if you want to review the one footed drills check out the video with Katie Fry and Nick Herrin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSRk9dB8adk

Join us next Wednesday for more tips and tricks to improve your game!!  To make sure Mountain School sends enough instructors, please RSVP by Tuesday for the January 28th FREE Group Lesson (gratuity suggested) by sending comment below.  

IMG_2026Sources: www.thesnowpros.org, PSIA Alpine Technical Manual