Ski Swap

Autumn holds an annual ritual for many skiers looking for a deal on a pair of skis, or the need to sell off an old pair of boots.  For many, and even for those who do not call themselves skiers, the ski swap is a familiar preseason event.  I have found ski swaps to be useful, allowing me to sell equipment that I no longer need. Many of these swaps have expert sales staff to help with questions about the use of the equipment and its quality, as well as manufacture reps selling new equipment.  I feel that shopping at ski swaps is a great way for people to try skiing, as well as making it affordable for avid skiers to remain enthusiastic.  

PARK CITY 

38^th Annual Park City Ski Team Swap

Nov. 4,5,6

Basin Recreation Field House at New Park

1388 New Main St., Kimball Junction

info@parkcityskiswap.com

SALT LAKE CITY 

Oct. 22, 8 a.m.-noon

Black Diamond Store

2092 East 3900 South, East Millcreek

www.blackdiamondequipment.com

Rowmark Ski Swap

Oct. 21,22

Lincoln Gymnasium, MS Commons

www.rowmark.org

Snowbird Ski and Board Swap

Oct. 1,2

Snowbird Center, Level 2        

www.snowbird.com

It’s that time again, “Ski Movies!”

I have compiled a list of the local showings for the upcoming ski films. Sitting in a theater with other ski enthusiast whooping and hollering is a lot of fun, a great way to get in the mood for the upcoming ski season.  I usually try to make at least a couple of them every year.

Powderwhore Productions: “Breaking Trail”
 a local film company that puts out backcountry skiing, and snowboarding films. 

·    Salt Lake City: Brewvies


            Wed, Sept 28th – 7pm and 9pm

 Thur, Sept 29th – 7pm and 9pm

 Fri, Sept 30th – 7pm and 9pm

More: www.powderwhore.com

Matchstick Productions: “Attack of La Nina”
 A recap of last years ski season, one of the longest and deepest North American winters on record.   

·      Salt Lake City: Jeanne Wagner Theatre

Sat, Oct. 15th Doors 6:30 pm, Show 8pm   

·      Park City: Jim Santy Auditorium

Fri. Oct. 14^th Doors 7pm Show 8pm

Sat. Oct. 15^th Doors 7pm Show 8pm

Sun. Oct. 16^th Doors 7pm Show 8pm

·      Logan: Performance Hall, Utah State University

Thurs. Nov. 10^th 6pm and 9pm


 
More: www.skimovie.com

Teton Gravity Research: “One For The Road” 
One for the Road is an HD ski film that follows some of the world’s most progressive snow sports athletes as it documents their lives on the road and captures some of the most stunning riding to date.

·      Orem: Ragan Theater, Utah Valley University

   Wed. Nov. 2^nd Doors 7pm Show 8pm

·      Salt Lake City: University of Utah


Fri. Nov. 4^th 
Showtime: TBD

·      Park City: Jupiter Bowl

Sat. Nov. 5^th Showtime: TBD

·      Ogden: Wildcat Theater

Wed. Nov. 9^th Showtime: TBD

·      Alta: Our Lady of the Snows

Fri. Nov. 20^th Showtime: TBD

More: www.tetongravity.com

Sweetgrass Productions: “Solitaire” Filmed over two years along the high desert of South America.

·      Salt Lake City: Brewvies

Wed. Oct 5th
 Showtime: TBD

University of Utah:

Wed. Oct 6^th Showtime: TBD

More: http://www.sweetgrass-productions.com/solitaire.html

Telemark Skier Magazine: “Loyalty” 
Loyalty explores the revolutionary youth telemark movement while also introducing some of the most profound telemark skiing on the planet.

·      Salt Lake City: Brewvies

Wed. Oct 12th Show 8pm

More: www.telemarkskier.com

Warren Miller: “Like There’s No Tomorrow” 
Hosted by Jonny Moseley and shot on location in Colorado, Utah, California, New Zealand, Chile, Alaska and British Columbia

·      Salt Lake City:
 Abravanel Hall

Fri. Oct. 14^th Show 8pm

Sat. Oct. 15^th Show 8pm

·      Orem:
 Xango Grand Theater at SCERA

Tues. Oct. 18^th Show 7:30pm

Wed. Oct. 19^th Show 7:30pm

Thurs. Oct. 20^th Show 6pm & 9pm

·      Park City: 
George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles CPA 

Fri. Oct. 21^st Show 8pm

Sat. Oct. 22^nd Show 6pm & 9pm

·      Ogden:
 Peery’s Egyptian Theater

Tues. Oct. 25^th Show 7:30pm

Wed. Oct. 26^th Show 7:30pm

Thurs. Oct. 27^th Show 7:30pm

More: www.skinet.com/warrenmiller

Shaping up with Ski Conditioning

A summer full of lazy days and inactivity has been rearing its ugly head as my body moans from my ski conditioning class. Sprinting forwards and backwards, high knee sprints, and but kick sprints.  Partnering up, and using an inner tube around my waist, I run the same sprints with my partner holding me back. 

The class is only taught at the U during the fall semester, two half-semester classes.  Last year I attended the same class on Mondays and Wednesdays, but only during the last half of the semester. Feeling that I could use a longer and more rigorous experience I decided to take both half-semester classes.

Health and athletic department grad students teach the conditioning classes at the U.  This provides students who attend the classes to be a part of new trends in collegiate sport training.  Take this class for example; the type of ski conditioning exercises we’re learning fits into a training regiment called Plyometrics. Also known as "plyos" it is a type of exercise training designed to produce fast, powerful movements, and improve the functions of the nervous system, generally for the purpose of improving performance in sports. Plyometrics is used to increase the speed or force of muscular contractions, providing explosiveness for a variety of sport-specific activities.

You can find more details about Plyometrics at the following link:

http://www.thespeedschool.com/about3.php

Ski season: is it really on its way?

The heat of summer is finally receding just as the hours of sunlight shorten.  It’s the perfect combination to enjoy an afternoon mountain excursion. Yesterday, I mountain biked the Mid-Mountain Trail at Park City Mountain Resort with a buddy of mine who works for their ski patrol. “The top is a bit thick with trees to get into, it opens up nicely in the middle and then gets narrow at the bottom”, he stated,  “great powder skiing!” It was great to have him as a guide to point out the ski slopes and glades as I visualized these places covered in a blanket of snow.

As we traversed a slope, looking down hill I thought how much steeper it seemed without snow.  Soaring down the same slope on a pair of skis does not seem to challenge my comfort level the same way.  Continuing on my bike ride, with the pull of gravity accelerating my body through the aspen trees, I had a sense of calm reflection, a connection to nature that is both familiar and comforting to me.  I can let go of all of my thoughts and worries when I am in that moment.  I feel that same exhilaration while skiing, though often I reach a greater feeling of flying, with nothing but frozen water and air between the earth and me.

  With the cooler temperatures and the new found thoughts of winter approaching, I am feeling the twinges of excitement for the upcoming ski season.   Now is the time I need to ask myself what I need to prepare for a great season.  Over the course of this semester I’ll start physical conditioning so I am in good shape to handle the demands of the slopes.  It is also time to research the newest equipment (and toss or replace some of the old) offered for the 2011/2012 ski season.