Let’s talk about the importance of people when planning for any kind of trip.
Personally, I believe this is one of the most crucial aspect when playing in the outdoors; the importance of WHO is going to accompany you on your exploration!
Of course, you’re going to want to experience it with friends, a significant other, or family, and that’s exactly how it should be!
Another importance? Being able to ask yourself who you trust the most to (for example) unbury you after being sucked in by an avalanche, spot you while you’re bouldering a sketchy route, being in your raft while paddling through roaring white waters… those may be “extremes”, but that’s how you have to think when playing in Mother Nature.
When you’re chatting amongst a group that is interested in going on a certain trip, that’s killer!
That’s exactly how it starts to form and configure.
As you keep talking, you get a feel for what everyone else wants to do, right?
Well, there’s probably certain people you might consider or reconsider for specific trips, such as camping, strenuous hikes, bouldering, rafting, skiing/riding, you name it.
Let me take a second to relate your considerations, replaced with my own, during the ski season!
Alright. It’s 8pm. Thick snow chunks have been heavily falling for the past three hours, and the forecast shows it to continue throughout the night. There’s no time to waste. You know what that means. As you sit around the living room with your best mates, you’re itching to get the answers to: The pow day plan.
What should we keep in mind?
what time are we leaving?
where on the mountain do we want to go?
who’s coming along?
what’s the temperature looking like?
and what do we need to pack for the next day?
I’m tellin’ ya….us ski bums don’t mess around on pow days!
Yeah, so these questions might seem a tad obvious to ask, but it’s the importance of the safety behind them that makes them crucial. ALWAYS put Safety #1 in these situations!
And no, I won’t stop bringing up safety, IT COULD MAKE OR BREAK A TRIP PEOPLE.
I’m going to answer the questions up top, and answer them below as if I were planning on going out with a crew on a pow day! They aren’t going to be perfect, because you never really know how the day will be until it comes, so these are general answers.
(you guys have no idea how badly I wish I were reliving a pow day as I’m writing this!)
Q&A:
What’s the most important thing to keep in mind?
Safety fool!!
What time are we leaving?
Preferably around the time of first chair, duh.
Otherwise known to be 8am. Or you know, at least be arriving there at 8.
Where on the mountain do we want to go?
THE BACK SIDE.
THE TREES.
WE NEED FRESH POW REFILLS PEOPLE!!
We’d probably hit a favorite blue or green run (the easiest and moderate level runs) to warm up our muscles. After that, we’d start conversing on the chair lift about heading to a more difficult area of the mountain. This would include black runs (which are “most” difficult) with a combo of trees, bowls, and cliffs.
Who’s coming along?
Aim for your buddies that are the same level as you, or at least the ones you wouldn’t have to worry about stopping to wait for (unless you’re all dropping a cliff, you stop, video, and cheer for that shit)
What’s the forecast looking like?
The forecast is your best friend. If it’s the dead of winter, with a regular temperature falling between -15 to 20 degrees, LAYER UP.
Even if it’s 20-30 degrees, LAYER UP.
If it were spring skiing where it’s sunny, with a temperature around 35+ degrees?
Bring your layers, but that’s a personal decision based on how your body regulates.
(Later on in these blogs, I plan to spend some time explaining the different gear Seth and I use, and why we like it- or don’t like it!)
What do we need to bring in our packs?
Alright, this question has some various answers, I’ll go ahead by explaining it from an “easy” pow day, to an “extreme” pow day.
Say it was a smaller group, one not planning on pushing it and/or checking out the backcountry. For starters, our packs would probably stay in the car, rather than coming with us. In that case, I’d fill my pockets with snacks, ski pass, inhaler, cell phone/music, as well as making sure Seth (whomever that close person is for you, who might not be with you that day) knows a general idea of my whereabouts on the mountain for the day. Safety is essential!
Now say it’s a more advanced group.
Maybe two to four people, and you’re preparing to incorporate some skinning, normal hiking up, or crazy backcountry skiing.
And no, this response isn’t going to be for every situation, more or less an example for being out of bounds; out of Ski Patrols help.
You know, when you go beyond the signs that say “YOU COULD DIE”- that’s the extreme I want to grasp here!
So, there’s a couple ways you could start.
If you want a better verification of the conditions beyond those limits, or a good direction to head towards for some mean turns, talk to Ski Patrol. They’re always willing to help winter enthusiasts; just be conscious that your skiing/riding matches the terrain you want to play in.
If you’re okay there, make sure your pack could help you survive in the result of a “worst case scenario”. That could be anything from spending a night out in the woods, to getting caught in an avalanche.
A pack in this sense would ALWAYS obtain a probe, a shovel, and a beacon.
Not just your own pack either! The equipment you’re carrying on yours?
That’s to save your best friends life if they were to get caught in an avalanche, and vise verse. See the importance of who you want with you during “special” trips?
If you’re confident that your partner has the knowledge, the gear, and the ability to save YOUR life, then you’re well on your way.
Something else that should be know is general avalanche education.
What’s the snowpack like? Is it dry, wet?
What direction is the side of the mountain you want to ski facing? How does the sun affect the snow, the wind?
Those are only a few questions to scratch the surface of safe backcountry skiing, but I think you get the point! When all those safety measures have been evaluated, your pack should carry other items such as food, water, a mini first aid kit, an inhaler (personal need), extra layers, sunglasses, sunscreen, hot hands, a whistle, and certainly a few others all based on the extent of your day.
Big tip- let someone know where you’re going, before you go, always!
That step is crazy important in these situations. If you happen to not come back at the time you estimated, or don’t have any way of contacting someone, then someone would know you might be needing some help.
Get what I mean by the importance of who you bring now?
Whether you’re going on a week long camping trip, headed into the backcountry, or going out for an intense weekend of white water rafting, being overly prepared is never silly.
Don’t get caught up in being too embarrassed about asking someone what to bring if you’re not sure either! Seriously, just ASK. You can even Google it these days!
To be prepared means to have some kind of knowledge, even if it’s merely asking a mate.
I promise, it’s better to make sure you bring that puffy jacket to the desert, rather than assuming it’ll be too warm to wear. Trust me- you will wear it.
See you guys next blog-
Xo, Bug