SPF: Skiers Prep for Fun

Spring skiing, particularly in the East, asks us to adjust our ski and ride details little bit, and for all the best reasons.

The warmer sun, softer snow and longer light of day means we may need to dress, plan and actually ski a bit differently from time to time.

We all love it.

Of course, the challenge of New England spring skiing is it’s a little bit like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates: You never really know what you are going to get until you bite into that ski day.

That means planning and being ready for just about anything to be thrown our way is part of or ski day/ski trip preparations.

Here’s how I get myself – and my family – ready for spring skiing days.

Repack your pockets: True, you are wearing a mask at almost all times this season, but the UV rays of the sun reflected on the gazillion little mirrors we call snow can find a way to burn you almost any spring day – even when it’s a little overcast, and even through fabric.

In each jacket that stays on (or ski pants; those tend to stay on!) no matter the warmth that day, place a high UV lip product and an easy-to-apply general sunscreen in a pocket that’s easy to access.

I’m a huge fan of two brands: Dermatone (www.dermatone.com), the classic ski and outdoor activity sunscreen I’ve been using on my lips for as long as I can recall, is the first. I’m a fan of their lip balm, their spot protection stick (super easy to apply, even on the lift!) and their “Original Tin,” which I find keeps my face warm on windy and cold days, and has enough staying power for me to only need to reapply during a quick mid-day break.

The other brand I have fallen in love with and always have on hand is Supergoop (https://supergoop. com) a womanfounded company with a diverse line of products that protect the skin and lips of men, women and children in a multitude of ways.

I don’t ski without one of their Play Lip Shields or Lip Balms on hand. They apply with ease and stay on for a long time. Their Sunny Screen Stick is great for applying sunscreen on the fly as well.

Things to remember: Your ears can burn on a spring ski day – protect them before you head out and reapply there a few times throughout the day. And should you shed your jacket, remember your neck may need a little help as well. Goggle tans are the best: but protecting ourselves and our skin is a must as well.

Warm day ski demos: I discovered a little magical something when skiing on one of those super warm spring days when we’re all just so happy, though our skis may stick in mushy spots from time to time. Fatter skis solve that problem. If you’re shopping for new skis for the coming season, or even if you’re just curious to try out some new gear, it’s a great idea to reserve a demo package for a spring ski day. Why? You can test out different skis, and that means you can use wider ones as the snow gets softer.

Wider skis tend to “surf” the top of the snow better, and on a slushier day (or even a day when the bottom third of the mountain has a different snow texture, they can be the perfect “correction” to keep you gliding along. (Plus, it’s fun to try new gear).

Want to up the ante? Invest in a one-hour private lesson and ask the pro to help you learn to ski on that softer and variable snow, as well as suggest skis to demo and waxes to apply for a warmer day. It’s a learning experience that will pay off for all your ski years to come.

Dress for Success: If only we knew just how it’s going to feel on the hill, and then that feeling stayed the same all day. But hey: that would be too easy, right?

Spring skiing is all about the layers. Depending on the forecast, I sometimes ditch one layer, but I always have back-up with me (or within easy access) just in case, and dress in a way that makes removing layers (and adding them back alter) easy.

The only time I ever ditch the long johns is on super warm day. Most other days, I always stick to that bottom layer and my ski pants, and seldom am I too warm.

For the top layer, I like a super-thin but effective long john base layer choice. This year I discovered the Artilect brand (https:// artilect.studio). It’s thin and soft, but made of a material combo that both keeps you warm breathes when you need it to and wicks well.

It’s also cute enough that, should I be really warm I can go to just that layer and look good and feel great.

Above it I wear a wicking turtleneck with a zip collar. I can keep it zipped or zip it down a bit should I get warm. Over that, I add a thin quality vest and then my ski jacket. Each layer can be removed as the day heats up, and each can be easily put back on should things suddenly cool down.

While dressing, do not forget your eyes. Light burn in the eyes is a painful and serious thing. And while the rest of the season you may have been able to get by with a squint, don’t risk it now. UV protection goggles or sun glasses are a must for everyone. Don’t forget to bring them along.

They may seem like simple things, but on a varied spring ski day, those simple things are what make the day the success it should be. Bring on the sun and the warm: our pockets are packed and we’re ready to shine.