words by Melissa Fields
Your boards, a full cooler and Spotify’s Skiing All Day playlist. It would seem that the recipe for the best ski road trip ever is as simple as that, right? Well, mostly. While we’ll leave it to you to fill in the blanks with the rest of your ski or snowboard gear, the following are few items that will come in handy while you’re on the road.
Shovel, tire chains or snow socks. Utah’s mountain roads are the real deal. Ideally, you’ll be navigating them with a four-wheel- or all-wheel-drive vehicle outfitted with snow tires. If not, be sure to stash your vehicle with at least one set of tire chains or snow socks, which are required on many mountain roads in Utah when it’s snowing or predicted to do so soon. And since it’s not uncommon for mountain storms to deliver an inch or more of snow per hour, a shovel can come in handy if you need to dig your car out of the parking lot at the end of the day. We like this wide, light and extendable shovel by Hopkins. More on Utah's traction law and safe canyon navigation here.
Folding chairs and portable fire pit. If this unrelenting pandemic has made squeezing into a crowded bar for an après-ski beer not that appealing to you, consider finding space in your rig for folding chairs and a Camp Chef Sequoia or Solo Stove Bon Fire. With either, you’ll be well outfitted for parking lot après-ski sessions in both comfort and style.
Travel-size boot dryer. Nothing can put the kibosh on a winter day outdoors faster than wet boots or socks. This super-sleek DryGuy travel dryer plugs into your car adapter or regular outlet, ensuring your feet will be dry and warm when you hit that first chair.
Waterproof car trash bag. Catch all those hand warmer and energy bar wrappers, coffee cups and napkins with this handy receptacle from Amazon. In fact, this might be the best gift you can give the driver if you are simply along for the ride.
Insulated mug. We love sipping a hot coffee, tea or hot chocolate both on our way to the hill and when we hit the parking lot at the end of a snowy day on the mountain. An insulated, stainless-steel mug by Kleen Canteen, like this one from the Utah Avalanche Center, keeps whatever you pour inside it hot all day long, even on the coldest days, guaranteed. Plus, you're supporting a good cause!
First aid kit. Avoid the pitfall of leaving bandages, ibuprofen or moleskin back in your hotel room inside your dopp kit by stashing a first aid kit, like this compact one from Backcountry.com, into your car. That way you’ll be prepared to take care of any midday blisters or headaches that may pop up while you’re on the mountain.
For safe driving tips in Utah's canyons, finding out about road closures, chain requirements and more visit our Utah Winter Driving Tips page.
