Winter is coming. The squirrels are busily gathering nuts and dropping pine cones. Six-thousand-dollar ski leases are being filled with dozens of J1s. Weed trimmers are shifting from the farm to the mountains, looking to continue their spiritual journey for Alterra, with lifted bank accounts and high spirits. If you’ve been around Tahoe for a while, you might know how to prepare for what could be a gnarly winter. I’m talking about power outages, food shortages, mudslides, avalanches, icy roads of destruction, and traffic jams. A lot of us have a few tricks up our sleeves for dealing with Mother Winter, but some do not. For those of us less schooled in that respect, I’ve compiled a small list of hacks to help you live to see the summer.
    HOBBIT HOLE from Savannah Hanslovan

    HACK 1:
    If you hear a horn behind you on an icy day, don’t assume you are doing something wrong. Assume someone behind you is about to crash into you and get out of the way. Although you are probably driving like an asshat, don’t just assume that’s the reason for the honking. And, please don’t tailgate. It’s scary.
    GORE-TEX WHAT? from Rose Wescamp

    HACK 2:
    If you want first chair on a powder day, be committed; not to your partner, but to waking up at 5 in the morning and skipping breakfast. Unless you live next to the mountain, you will not make it on time if you try any later. You will stand in line. If you leave after 7, there is a chance you will not find parking.
    WAIST DEEP from Kelly Thayer
    HACK 3: Stock up on groceries before the weekend. DO NOT try to go grocery shopping between the hours of 5 and 7 p.m. If you can’t go at any other time, just don’t go. It’s seriously frustrating standing in line for 30 minutes for Cheez-Its and beer. Intermittent fasting is good for you. All the pros do it. You already think you’re the best on the mountain, so eat like it. KING OF THE HILL from Michael Hunter
    HACK 4: Wear sunscreen and drink water, but most of all, get a good night’s sleep. The sun goes down at 3 p.m., so you don’t have an excuse to stay up late. You will probably be done partying around 8 p.m. anyway. While this isn’t exactly a hack, it is something that most people apparently neglect to do. TALLER THAN ME? from John Richard
    HACK 5: Don’t forget to always have alternative sources of power and light in case of an outage. Sometimes, when it rains, it pours — with avalanches, mudslides, and fallen power lines being the source of a major pain in the butt. Keep candles nearby. Acquire headlamps with charged batteries. Have a propane stove and extra gas on hand. Not only will you have the tools to see at night and eat food, but there is a small chance your house could smell less of stinky ski boots and more like a pumpkin-spiced latte. YAKIMA BOX from David Muther

    Author

    • Wade Snider

      Wade Snider is a traveler who's seen many worlds. He digs the backcountry and thrives in the worlds of surfing, travel, mountain biking, to name a few, and has many photography his medium. And given all that, quite possibly this photographer's favorite universe is the one where he's at home, snuggling with his cat.

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      Email: wade (at) moonshineink.com

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