1. Transportation
2. Accommodations
3. Eats
4. Gear

Transportation

Are you driving or flying?

If you’re driving:

• Consider gas prices
• Consider storage for gear and luggage
• Consider travel time and possible overnight accommodations during travel – this comes to a surprise extra cost for some travellers

If you’re flying:

• Consider additional costs your airline will charge to check your luggage
• Bring a carry on bag to keep on you at all times. Recommended items to pack are a toothbrush and other daily hygiene items you use, a set of clothes top to bottom, a few pairs of underwear and a water bottle. If your checked luggage gets lost, you’re able to live comfortably until you get it back
• Download the booking.com app to help you plan your trip

TIP: Lots of people are placing an Apple Air Tag with their checked luggage to have the opportunity to track their belongings in case the airline misplaces them! Amazon has Air Tag dupes but I haven’t personally used them yet.

Accommodations

How many people are travelling? Here’s how to stay the most cost efficient:

1-3 people : consider booking hostels. Download the Hostelworld app to help you find the cheapest and best options

4-8 people : consider hotel rooms or renting condos

9+ people : consider renting a cabin – some areas have ski in, ski out cabins to save you from having to transport your riding gear to and from the mountain. Instead, you strap in right outside the cabin doors and you’re already on the hill!

TIP: Download the AllTrails app to help you find easy to advanced hiking trails in the area you’re exploring

Eats

Consider how many people need to be fed and what your budget is.

• Are you wanting hot meals or peanut butter sandwiches? If you need a fridge, a cabin, condo, or hotel is your best bet, hostels don’t provide fridge space. If you’re staying at a hotel, phone to confirm they provide a fridge in the room before booking
• Condos and cabins would provide both a fridge and a stovetop and oven to give you the tools needed to cook warm meals
• Staying in hostels or hotels might mean you will end up eating out for some or all meals. Consider this when you’re decided on accommodations. Paying a little more per night for a cabin and cooking meals in house might end up being more cost efficient than staying in a hostel or hotel and eating out
• Make a menu. If you are planning on cooking in house, make a menu of snack, lunch, and supper ideas to make grocery shopping simple and cost efficient

Gear

Is this your first ski or snowboarding trip? If so, you might not have your own gear, that’s okay! Resorts size you up and rent out equipment.

If you are wanting to go on a ski or snowboarding trip annually, consider buying gear as it will save you money in the long term and likely be better quality than what you would rent. Check out our other blog posts for the gear list for riders and skiers.

If you’re bringing your own gear, considering storage. Some riders use car tops to store riding gear and luggage. Be sure that the dimensions are long enough for your skis or boards!

Leave a comment if you have any tips for first time travellers or if you have any hot spot locations you suggest they check out!

The finals include the top 12 riders after qualifiers yesterday. Here’s the standings from qualifiers (rider : score)

1. Zoi Sadowski-Synnott : 86.75
2. Kokomo Murase : 81.45
3. Enni Rukajarvi : 78.83
4. Anna Gasser : 75.00
5. Jamie Anderson : 74.35
6. Julia Marino : 71.78
7. Laurie Blouin : 71.55
8. Tess Coady : 71.13
9. Hailey Langland : 68.71
10. Annika Morgan : 67.63
11. Reira Iwabuchi : 67.00
12. Ariane Burri : 65.55

Click here to watch the women’s slopestyle finals on cbc.ca at 7:20 CST.

Were cheering for out Canadian rider, Laurie Blouin!

Cheers,

Jo

Day 2 of the Natural Selection Tour begins soon! 

1:30am Tokyo
6:30am Honolulu
8:30am PST
9:30am MST
10:30am CST
11:30am EST
5:30 pm Paris

Click here to watch live on the Natural Selection Tour website!

This tour is where the top backcountry riders in the World have the opportunity to ride head to head against other riders. This years snow and feature conditions are perfect.

Day 2 in Jackson Hole means we’ll watch the riders compete head to head dropping in from stop #1, Temple of Stoke. One rider in the women’s and men’s category will earn the win in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA.

Next, riders will head to stop #2 at Baldface Lodge in Nelson, BC, Canada.

Tune into the Natural Selection Tour website to watch live.

When: January 21 – January 23, 2022
Where: Aspen, Colorado, USA

Events:

• Slopestyle
• Big Air
• SuperPipe
• Knuckle Huck

Here’s some boarders we’re excited to watch.

JEEP WOMEN’S SNOWBOARD SLOPESTYLE

• Laurie Blouin (CAD)
• Jamie Anderson (USA)
• Anna Gasser (AUT)
• Kokomo Murase (JAP)
• Hailey Langland (USA)

JEEP MEN’S SNOWBOARD SLOPESTYLE

• Mark McMorris (CAD)
• Darcy Sharpe (CAD)
• Marcus Kleveland (NOR)
• Red Gerard (USA)
• Dusty Henricksen (USA)

WENDY’S SNOWBOARD KNUCKLE HUCK – Click here to watch live on YouTube

I’m expecting Marcus Kleveland to throw down at this event. He’s won it in the past and he puts on a great show. Jamie Anderson was the first woman to compete in this event and she put down some solid runs. I hope we see more female representation this year; perhaps Anna Gasser, Laurie Blouin, or Zoi Sadowski-Synnott?

Click here to see the full schedule on the X Games website
Click here to watch the recordings of the events that have already been completed

Cheers!
Jo

Finals are January 15, 2022

Slopestyle finals @ 10:30AM Central Standard Time
Halfpipe finals @ 2:30 PM Central Standard Time

How to watch: Red Bull TV Livestream

Tune in to watch some of the top snowboarders in the World compete to help them qualify for the Winter Olympics in February!

Let us know in the comments which event you’re tuning into and if you have a favourite rider! We’re rooting for our fellow Canadians, but this is likely Shaun White’s last season so we’re hoping he finishes his career strong.

Happy streaming!
Jo

What it is

An exclusive competition where the World’s top snowboarders compete on natural terrain and features. Participants attempt their best tricks in hopes of impressing the judges and receiving the top score.

When and Where

January 24 – 30, 2022 at Jackson Hole

February 21 – 27, 2022 at Baldface Lodge

March 21 – 27, 2022 in the Tordrillo Mountains

Where to watch

Red Bull TV – online or Apple TV

Check out the Natural Selection website for more info!

Where: Beijing, China
When: February 4-20, 2022

Snowboarding Info:

• Dates: February 5-15
• Event location: Genting Snow Park & Shougang Industrial Park
• Events: Parallel Giant Slalom, Snowboardcross, Mixed Team Snowboardcross, Slopestyle, Halfpipe and Big Air

As someone who enjoys the Winter Olympics every four years, I’m always excited to see what athletes will bring to the table. This time around, I’m really excited to watch the snowboarding events.

I’m rooting for some of my fellow Canadians like Mark McMorris and Sebastien Toutant in the Slopestyle event. When it comes to the Halfpipe competition, I’ll be hoping Elizabeth Hosking and Brooke D’Hondt qualify and bring their A-game. Who are your favourite riders?

Be sure to tune in to follow the events! Once the Games have started you can click the link below to view live events on the official Olympics website!

If you’re interested in snowboarding but haven’t decided if you should start, let me share a few reasons for why you should.

1. The challenge

Snowboarding is both mentally and physically challenging. With an endless amount of tricks, you can always get better, you just have to choose to not give up on yourself. Snowboarding allows you to develop your own style by pairing up your choice of tricks and allowing your personality to shine through while performing them. You are capable of It’s never too late to reach your snowboarding potential. 

2. The fresh air

Snowboarding is typically an outdoor sport. Spending your time outdoors can give you a clear mind and reduce symptoms of depression. Even as a beginner, snowboarding can easily get your heart rate up and make you sweat. Snowboarding is a fun activity that can offer you many health benefits. 

3. The people 

Snowboarding is an individual sport, but it is easy to surround yourself with friends. Chairlifts are a hotspot for having a good laugh and chatting with buddies or strangers. Snowboarding gives you the opportunity to build stronger bonds with your friends or make new ones. If you’re more of a lone wolf, you can ride by yourself. If you enjoy being supported by others and supporting others, it’s super easy to find riding buddies that would be great company.

Once you start snowboarding, you’ll wish you had started sooner. This is me telling you to get your hands on some gear, get on the hill and be patient with yourself. Good things take time.

Hope to see you out there,

Jo

Here’s my tip → Be focused on protein intake with the foods you eat.

Why? 

Protein keeps you full longer

How? 

Protein = satisfaction. Protein lowers secretion of the hormone that makes you feel hungry & increases the hormone that makes you feel full

Protein is one of the three macronutrients (the other two being carbohydrates and fat). It’s necessary for a large number of bodily functions including repairing tissue and bone, muscle growth and the immune system. Basically, it’s the building block of everything that our cells need. The plant based protein sources are also very high in fibre.

Without adequate protein, you could experience symptoms such as fatigue and muscle weakness, two things that could potentially ruin a great day on the hill. Protein is found in a wide variety of foods, I hope the list of foods I include helps you out! 

Foods high in protein:

• Oatmeal
• Nuts & seeds
• Legumes & beans
• Beef burgers (everyone knows lodge burgers are unmatched)
• Chicken
• Eggs 
• Fish
• Firm tofu

Here’s a more extensive list of high protein foods:

NUTS & SEEDS

Pistachios
Almonds
Peanuts
Walnuts
Cashews
Pine nuts
Brazil nuts
Hazelnuts
Chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Flax seeds

LEGUMES

Kidney beans
Lima beans
Split peas
Lentils
Soybeans
Black beans

* handfuls of these in a Ziploc make a perfect snack for the chairlift
*Dry foods are ideal to pack (they won’t leak or freeze in your backpack)

Protein is essential for your diet. Protein keeps you full and your energy high. It helps your body heal, grow, and maintain muscle. Load up on protein during breakfast and lunch to have the best possible day on your board!

Cheers,

Jo