For some people, talking about the “W” word in the middle of summer is slightly offensive. The addicting white flakes typically stop falling in May and we get a few months to enjoy some heat, while preparing ourselves for November. Some of us dawn the shorts and while our mind are frozen in time of cooler days, while others pack away their feelings until we get wind of the new arrivals at our local ski shop. The owner of MagicBus Tours actually never stops thinking of winter (shocking!). When he’s at home or tinkering in his shop, he thinks about dropping over the edge of Cornice at Marmot Basin in Jasper. When he walks around his house or into the office, it’s surrounded by used ski gear and themed décor. In the middle of summer, he will share with me that his workout routine the night prior had him working on his thighs and knees to help keep him limber for when he’s able to make first tracks when ski resorts reopen. This may seem odd to someone who hasn’t been riding the slopes for decades, but for him, this is just what comes natural.
I can see why people would think about the skiing or boarding outside of the subzero season. You can see some benefit to your wallet, health and your own sanity. So here are my top 5 reason to get ready for winter in the off season:
Maintenance:
This is the best time to give your gear a bit of love that it surely deserves. You may have ridden a lot last season, and your equipment is due for a tune; your pants, gloves, jacket and toque could finally get tossed into the wash and you can mend the fraying gear to give it new life. To keep yourself moving, you should learn what kind of attention your skis and board require, and don’t be afraid to get it waxed more than once a year.
New Gear:
New equipment is great, but some of it can be expensive. Use the off season to start researching what might need to be replaced, what you are looking for based on your skills and even to start saving up to purchase it. It’s important to find equipment that is best for your abilities and style and if you are looking to invest, do it right. Also, new gear doesn’t necessarily need to be brand new, you can find gently used items that may be newer than what you currently have.
Your Health
Skiing and snowboarding is an active sport that is physically demanding and requires quick movements. To prevent injuries to our bodies, especially as we get older, we need to work these muscles to stay agile. Keeping active all year long and stretching often will help strengthen the joints and ensure that when its time to move our awkward gear over slippery surfaces, carve through deep powder, or make that daring exit off the chair lift, that you can do so with ease.
Pre-Season Discounts:
To get ahead of the quick switch into winter when the snow falls, or in advance of the holiday season spending, companies will offer pre-season discounts for their products. This helps everyone from those avid riders who buy a companies goods and services and will get it at a discounted price for doing it in advance, to the seasonal company who requires cash flow to stay in business. It’s a win/win! View MagicBus pre-season deals.
Planning Group Trips
If you are planning a ski trip with friends, family, co-workers, or your group, organizing it in the off season makes a huge different to the success of the trip. By starting the process months before the snow begins to fall gives you the most availability for transportation, accommodations and group needs (lessons, meeting spaces, reservations, etc.). This means you get the dates you want, at your first pick resort and hotel, with vastly less stress. Book your group now!
There are definite perks to thinking ahead to next season even when it’s 30°C and there is no snow to be found. The owner of MagicBus has definitely learned a lot about dreaming of winter in the off season, which is why the company continues to go strong even as we enter our 30th season. If you take advantage of any or all of these tips to get ready for winter, you’ll set yourself up for success when the snow starts to fall. Which always surprises everyone when it does.
