Preparing for the 2024/2025 Ski Season

Written By Karen Hamilton

With snow flurries in the air, I can feel the change from fall to winter! We have less than a week until some resorts open (Brian Head beat us to the punch and has a lift spinning already!), and everyone is chomping at the bit to get some of those early season powder turns. 

If you haven’t kept up to date with resort openings, here’s the latest:

Jake Filarski, founder and owner of Salty Ski Service, tearing up some backcountry slopes in early 2024.

With more snow on the way, I also wanted to share some of the most important things that I do each year to make sure my gear is ready to go.

  1. Get your gear out! Take a good look over your boots, board or skis and poles. Is there rust anywhere? How do the bases of your skis or board look? Often, if your gear was stored where there was any moisture, you may find a few rust spots on the edges. These can be taken care of with a quick edge and wax. 

  2. Check your boot fit! Salt Lake City dwellers are always on the move, and unfortunately that means that we end up with unexpected rolled ankles, jammed toes, and other changes to our feet. Make sure that your boots still fit as expected, and don’t forget to replace your insoles if they’ve been fully packed out.

  3. Test your avy gear! If you venture into the backcountry (or even side country), this is the most important of all. Make sure that your beacon is working, holds a charge, and is relatively new. Beacon technology is changing regularly, and often the newer ones will have more precise navigation for faster rescues. Wasatch Backcountry Alliance is a great resource to check out for more information on beacons.
    Next, check to make sure your probe, shovel, pack (and avy pack) are all in working order. Always go through a few tests prior to entering the backcountry. 

  4. Find your ski buddies! If you’re not sure who you’ll be hitting the slopes with, join some of our upcoming events and find your ski buddy.

  5. Do your snow dance ritual! We believe in sleeping with your pajamas inside out and backwards, running barefoot in the snow, praying to the snow gods, doing a snow dance, and anything else that brings good snow for the 2024/2025 Utah Ski Season!

Karen Hamilton
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