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10 New Year’s Resolutions For Skiers And Snowboarders

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10 New Year’s Resolutions For Skiers And Snowboarders

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Can you believe that 2020 is only days away? While many are writing down resolutions of eating right and exercising more, we’re using this time to day dream about all of the things we can achieve while in the mountains. And the first thing that comes to mind is more skiing and snowboarding! But we can do better than that. From getting up earlier to branching out to other ski resorts, here are 10 New Year’s resolutions for skiers and snowboarders.

Wake Up For Powder Days

If only there were endless powder days. Since there are only limited amount per season, we’re going to commit to waking up and enjoying every single one that we can!

Ski Your Bucket List

Life’s too short and so is the ski season. Make the time to get out and experience other resorts.

Get Fit For Skiing And Snowboarding

Hit the gym and train for your sport. Trust us, your legs will thank you and you’ll find it much easier to break new ground on the mountain.

Go Heli Skiing

Get a group of experienced skiers or snowboarders together and fly to untouched snow for jaw-dropping views from the sky and once in a lifetime descents.

Take An Avalanche Course

You really can never be too prepared when it comes to being in the mountains. Acquire the knowledge to go further and be safe while you’re at it by taking an avalanche course.

Try Something New

If you’re a skier, why not spend a day snowboarding and vice versa?

Buy Locally

Your equipment, gear, meals… Support the local communities that make ski resorts the places we love. Look out for independent shops and try the small restaurant round the corner that you’ve never heard of.

Improve Your Technique

Take a lesson and make this the year to boost your technique and ride the terrain you’ve always imagined.

Be More Sustainable

This year, try to change some of the small things like packing your lunch in a reusable bag or bringing your own water bottle to help protect the mountains we know and love.

Take A Snow Cat

Experience the Whistler backcountry with a guided cat-ski adventure. This adventure is generally cheaper than heli skiing but equally as amazing. With a few operations close to town, you’ll be driven by snow-cat to mountain tops for breathtaking descents.

New Year’s is a chance to start fresh and to dedicate yourself to working on some things that you’ve wanted to tackle. And really, what’s better than trying to ski and snowboard more often? To help get started, stop by McCoo’s, your one stop shop for adventure.

The Legends of Gaper Day

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The Legends of Gaper Day

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In typical Whistler fashion, any reason to celebrate is, well, a reason to celebrate. And that goes without saying, that the end of the ski season is a time to revel in all the powder days, the close calls, and the domination of lines that occurred over the course of the winter. The celebration goes hand in hand with costumes, and general tomfoolery… otherwise known as Gaper Day!

According to the Whistler Museum, Gaper Day has been around almost as long as McCoo’s, since 1996 in fact. It started out as “Ski In Jeans Day” and was an opportunity to unleash your on-hill style that has been confined to functional clothing since the snow began to fall. Over the years, jeans turned into more unique style choices like retro snow gear, bikinis, and more recently, animal onesies.

The chance to let loose on the hill and partake in fancy dress fast became a tradition. Since its incarnation in the 90’s, Gaper Day, celebrated on closing day, has evolved to be a local event of sorts. It might not be official, but everyone knows about it and plans ahead. This means booking the day off work and preparing a worthy outfit. So you maximize the season, right until the very last day, here’s a quick list of McCoo’s must-haves for Gaper Day:

  • Herschel Fanny Pack
  • Sunbum sunscreen
  • RipCurl Bikini
  • Oakley Prizm Goggles
  • Smith Chromapop Sunglasses
  • Oakley T-shirt for après
  • S’well Water Bottle to stay hydrated
  • GoPro Hero 7
  • Outdoor Tech portable stereo

Another part of Gaper Day is the celebration that follows skiing. After spending the day in the sunshine on your snow blades, head out for one last après with all your closest ski buddies. Visiting your local watering hole and dancing into the evening is just as much a part of the season send off as the retro ski suits.

Gaper Day is a chance to go out with a bang. Grab your best friends and shred the spring snow, dragging out the season as long as possible. If you find yourself stuck for Gaper Day apparel ideas, come stop by McCoo’s. We’ve been around since before Gaper Day, so we’ve seen it all!

How To Save Phone Battery Life On The Mountain

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How To Save Phone Battery Life On The Mountain

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We’ve all been there. Your phone dies just when you need it the most. It could be right before you’re supposed to meet a friend or worse case, an emergency. No matter when it turns off, it’s an inconvenience. While it’s not possible to completely stop your battery from draining, you can substantially decrease how fast it depletes. Here are some tips to help you save phone battery life while on the mountain.

Avoid Extreme Temperatures

According to Apple, extreme temperatures can play a role in draining your phone’s battery while on the hill and can even cause permanent damage. To prevent your phone from being exposed to cold temperatures, refrain from taking it out while on the chair and keep it close to your body for heat.

Use Airplane Mode

Switch your phone into airplane mode to prevent it from constantly searching for a signal. Whistler Blackcomb does have good service range but there are some areas where your phone might work extra hard for that one bar.

Turn on Low Battery Mode

Turning your phone to low battery mode reduces the amount of power that it uses when the battery gets low. This should prolong what little power you have left.

Dim Your Screen

Adjusting the brightness of your screen can have a huge effect on your phone’s battery life. Dim it when you know you’re going to be away from a charger for an extended period of time.

Be Smart About Your Battery Usage

Uploading that photo to Instagram might have to wait. Many apps drain battery life. You can check which apps are the culprits under settings and in the battery section. If some are worse than others, it might be time to delete them.

Turn off Push Notifications

Push notifications are an apps way of waving at you and also a huge power drain. Stop your home screen or lock screen from lighting up every few minutes by turning off push notifications.

Stop Location Services

Once again, those pesky apps are stealing your battery life. You can optimize your battery life by turning off location services in your apps.

Turn off Push Notifications

Stop your home screen or lock screen from lighting up every few minutes by turning off push notifications.

Know Your Charge Stations

Whistler Blackcomb has many charging stations that can provide you with a little boost should you be running low. Guest Services at Skiers Plaza and the Roundhouse are just to name a few.

Power Up

If you’re planning on spending the day on the mountain and know you’re going to be using your phone, bring up a battery pack. We would suggest one of Outdoor Technologies many battery packs that come with multi-function options such as a speaker or flashlight.

If you have any questions about using your phone on the mountain and related gear, come in and speak to the experts at McCoo’s. Your one-stop shop for adventures.