I don’t know about you, but my ski season is over.
Yeah, it was pretty great. Seventy-nine ski days spanning five months — November 8 through April 8. And though I didn’t make it out west, I enjoyed lots of great skiing here in the east: Mount Snow, Okemo, Killington, Pico, Sugarbush, Smugglers Notch, Burke, Wildcat, Cannon, Bretton Woods. So really, I can’t complain.
Or can I?
Of course I can. Because it’s D–O–N–E.
See, I’m one of those people who’d ski year ‘round, if I could. I actually fall into a depression when my season ends. Sort of like those people who have problems when winter begins, but in reverse. The way I see it, a veritable Sahara of no skiing stretches out before me, with no oasis in sight. May. June. July, August. September. October. No wonder I’m in a funk.
What’s a skier to do?
Good question. To help me — and you — get through the no-skiing drought, I’ve put together a list of things to do that might make the off season a bit more palatable. Who knows. It might help.
• There’s always South America. (See the picture from Chile above.) Or New Zealand. Or Mount Bachelor. If you can afford it, and you really, really, really want to go, why not?
• Start training for next season. It’s never too early. There are lots of things you can do that can improve your stamina, strength, balance, and flexibility. I’m no personal trainer, so I can’t give you any specific recommendations. But I bike, swim, and lift weights, and I like to think it helps. Another suggestion: the SkiA Sweetspot Trainer, a dryland trainer that helps you hone your balance skills to improve your skiing. I reviewed the Sweetspot here. Even better: there’s a special discount on the Trainer for Ski Divas. Go here to find out more.
• Take some ski lessons. Yes, you can do this. Sort of. Watch some ski instruction DVDs and imagine how you’ll put those lessons to work next time you’re on the hill.
• Organize your ski photos and videos. If you’re one of those people who turns on your GoPro the first chair ride up and keeps it running all day, you have your work cut out for you. No one — and I mean no one — wants to sit through your ski day in real time.
• Join an internet ski community like TheSkiDiva.com. Trust me, there are a lot of us ski fanatics out there. You’ll find someone to talk to about skiing, even when temperatures are in the 90’s.
• Watch some ski porn. There’s always Warren Miller. Meathead Films, Matchstick, Sweetgrass, Or TGR. Live vicariously through someone else’s powder shots. Or just watch some movies with skiing in them. The Spy Who Loved Me. Hot Dog. Downhill Racer. Frozen. Just some good old mind-numbing fun.
• Try a little retail therapy. The off season is when prices for ski gear are at their lowest. Had your eye on a particular jacket or a pair of skis? You can get some fantastic deals on just about anything. So pull out your credit card and start shopping.
• Plan next season’s trip. Start investigating that trip to [insert name here]. It’ll give you something to look forward to.
• Buy your season pass for next year. Some mountains increase their prices in the fall. So, as they say, act now and save!
Of course, there’s always this (but I think that’s gotta hurt, if you fall down). Anyone here have any experience sand skiing?: