Westbound Boarder

Thanks to the Snow Gods, a record-breaking snow year hit Utah this winter which means only one thing for the spring riding. Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort is aiming to extend weekend winter operations through the Fourth of July, conditions permitting (of course). This would mark the third time in the resort’s history the season has closed on July 4, matching the 1995 and 2005 record. The extension would also mark 202 days of skiing at Snowbird this season, surpassing the 2005 record of 201 ski days.

The resort has received a year-to-date total of over 760 inches of snowfall, beating the average annual snowfall by well over 250 inches, and breaking the previous snowfall record set in 1984 by 72 inches. Daaaaang.

Only downside is lift tickets are not cheap, as the resort is still charging $64 bucks a pop, but in my opinion, well worth the winter fix when it comes to being able to ride in June! I have taken full advantage of the extended season and plan to ride all the way through the 4th, hope to see you there!

Contributing Writer Rochelle shreddin Mineral Basin at the Bird May 21st

After a somewhat extended winter season, with many mountains out west receiving several feet of fresh pow in the middle of April, spring riding conditions have finally snuck up on us.  Personally, spring is my favorite time to ride.  As people begin to trade their boots for booties, the resorts are much less crowded, the vibe is super fun and chill, and the weather is great!  But there is one thing to always remember while shedding your outer layers and heading up to the slopes on a 60 degree SoCal day – sunblock.

Now, I always like to add a personal touch to my stories here on Westbound Boarder, so in an attempt to pepper some personal experience into this post I decided to embark on a mission of great detail – to head to Mammoth Mountain on a sunny, 60-degree spring day… sans sunscreen.  It was purely research! (Ok, so I simply forgot… so what?)  Hence… the photo to your right.  That’s right, I got goggle burn.

Yes, I’m sure you have read it many times in magazines, books and blogs; while sun is great and goggle burn is sorta cool, it does, in fact, cause damage to your skin, and the rays dispersed on the slopes can be much worse because they are reflected off the snow, actually magnifying the damaging effect.  This is why it is vital to always wear sunblock when you ride, especially on sunny spring days.

Despite my advice above and thousands of reports proving that the sun’s effect on skin is, in fact, damaging, many of you will probably ignore my advice and attempt to attain the infamous goggle tan anyway.  After all, we all know only legit riders rock the goggle tan, right?  So if you really feel like you must sport the goggle tan, below are some do’s and don’ts for achieving the perfect goggle tan:

DO

• Wear at least some form of sun protection to protect from UV rays and skin damage. SPF 15 will do just fine. Even better if sunscreen is already infused in your daily moisturizer. I really like Aveno Positively Radiant daily moisturizer (but beware, it’s SPF 30 – aka, not great if you’re going for the dark, defined goggle tan, as this will slightly lengthen the time it takes to achieve goggle tan perfection).
• Sport your goggles while eating lunch, without your hat and helmet on. This will prevent strange shapes and strap lines from appearing on funky places on your face, ultimately creating a nice, clean, and smooth goggle tan.
• Wear goggles, not sungasses.  Goggle tan = cool; 80′s Sunglasses tan = WTHWYT (What the heck were you thinking?!)

DON’T

• Wear your goggles in a tanning bed. That’s pretty lame. Okay, no, it’s really lame. Tanning bed goggle tan = way not hardcore.
• Use sunless tanner to half-ass your goggle tan.  Not only is it not hardcore, its also kind of weird.  Fake face tan = NOT a real goggle tan!
• Take a photo and photoshop in a goggle tan.  If you’re going to go that route, you may as well photoshop in Shaun White, while you’re at it.  If people don’t believe you and Shaun are shred friends, they probably won’t believe your photoshopped goggle tan either.
• Use a magic marker to draw on a goggle tan.  Hate to break it to ya, but I think people will notice.  And stare.  And possibly laugh.  Hey, if you pass out and wake up the next morning with a magic marker goggle tan (can we call it a mmgt?) that’s a different story.  But a mmgt on purpose?  Leave it to the 3-year-olds.
• Take goggles from kids. That’s just wrong; bring your own damn goggles.

In most places we have wet snow and in other places we have dry snow snow. However quite frequently we have corn snow? We’re not talkin’ edible snow or yellow snow. We are talking Corn Snow. You know, that crunchy, slippery, slushy phenomenon most commonly experienced on sunny spring days. Corn Snow: large-grained, rounded crystals formed from repeated melting and freezing of the snow. Either way you shred it, no torn corns, okay?

It’s that time of year again, and well, the timing could not be better! Mt. Hood Meadows is bringing you, yet again, their Unlimited Spring Season Pass! For only $99 bucks you can take advantage of the rest of Mt. Hoods season, as it has really only just begun. This week mother nature brought the PacNW quite the storm, as over 5 feet of light, fresh powder has decided to finally grace Mt. Hood!

So just when you thought it was too late to take advantage of the ski season, think again! Purchase your Unlimited Spring Pass online and receive $10 bucks of added resort value and your pass will be valid as of tomorrw. So what are you waiting for? Get online, get your pass and get to the hill; because the fresh pow is calling your name…