Whether you are an Idaho winter veteran, a new transplant, or a planning a road trip, winters in Idaho bring with them a seasonal preparation. Just like our other animal friends, preparing for winter is something that is in our minds all year around and although building a nest is not on our lists there are more things to pass the time between raking leaves and ripping turns. Since we don’t hibernate here in Sun Valley, here is a whole list of stuff to not only reduce your season opener stress, but to also set you up for a successful and safe season of shredding pow!
Avalanche Knowledge
- Take and avalanche course
- Brush up on skills with these videos
- Get the gear
- Freshen up your beacon batteries
- Do a beacon search in your backyard under the leaves.
- Test your probe and shovel deployment times
- Deploy your air bag and top of your air tank or fresh batteries
Go through your gear
- Tune your skis or get them tuned here
- Shake the rats nest out of your boots and try them on to remind yourself of the plentiful comfort. Then wear them around the house while digging for your other gear to break in your feet.
- Find all your gear and get it in a designated place to ease your season opener stress.
- That beanie that lived on your head all last winter…? Maybe toss it in the laundry to have a fresh start or go get a new one here.
- Go through all your pockets and clean out all the old granola wrappers and recipes for overpriced beers. You might even find some spare change to put towards an avy course or ski wax.
Prepare your Chariot
- New Tires? Maybe a rotation and alignment?
- A fresh battery? Nothing worse then a dead rig on the way to a powder day.
- Stash some water, snacks, and a blanket just in case you need to spend a little extra time in your rig while unexpectedly stationary.
- A good hefty tow strap and some jumper cables.
- Possibly some sand bags for added weight/traction and to pour out for traction if stuck.
Research the Road ahead
- Gone are the days of tossing some camping gear in the back and going on a carefree quarantine road trip. Winter in Idaho is no gentle mistress and should be taken seriously.
- Check road reports and conditions for even the shortest trip
- Check the avalanche forecast
- Check road webcams here
- While your at it why not add the resort webcams to your bookmarks so that you can day dream of your next turns.
This season is sure to be full of adventure and uncharted territory so be sure to prepare yourself to best enjoy it safely.
