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Showing posts with label snowboarding lessons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snowboarding lessons. Show all posts

Friday, February 24, 2017

Snowboarding: Bristol Mountain


Extended weekends are great for one major thing in my life: visiting home and spending time with my Niece, Nevaeh. During my most recent trip home I took the opportunity to hit the slopes at the Mountain I grew up with, Bristol. While most NYC dwellers tend to go to Mountain Creek or Hunter for their convenient proximity to the city, it is time to venture a little further north.


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For the trill seekers, Bristol has 35 slopes of 138 shredable acres 1200’ high. Brush up your skills with a Private Ski orSnowboard Package, which includes a 4-hour lift ticket and rentals, along with a 2-hour lesson. Just need a lift ticket and gear? Lift tickets start at $60 and the rental crew offers demos in addition to rentals to give you a feel before you commit to the purchase.






My Gear of Choice:
   
Burton Wylie GORE-TEX® Jacket in Infinite Tie-dye: This is by far my favorite I have ever owned. To start, it has lifetime warranty so if anything goes wrong with this jacket Burton will either mend or replace it. Winning! This jacket includes:

  • ·      bluesign® Approved Product: True Black Colorway Only
  • ·      Removable Magic Stitch Stretch Woven Wrist Gaiters
  • ·      Bottom Center Front Stormflap™
  • ·      Removable Zip-Out Waist Gaiter
  • ·      Jacket-to-Pant Interface
  • ·      Mapped with 40% Recycled Content THERMOLITE® Insulation (80G Body / Sleeves) and Soft Taffeta Lining
  • ·      Zipper underarm ventilation
  • ·      Fully Taped Seams
  • ·      GORE-SEAM® Tape
  • ·      Water-Resistant Screen Grab® Media Holster
  • ·      Magnetic Handwarmer Pocket Flaps
  • ·      Fulltime Contour™ Hood with Removable Faux Fur Trim


L.A.M.B. Burton Johnny Pant in Stout White/Gold: I’m obsessed with these pants and I can only thank Gwen Stefani for being amazing enough to convince Burton to make them. One can never go wrong with a bit of gold to have fun on the mountain. These pants include:

  • ·      Draw Cord Adjustable Waist
  • ·      Removable Suspenders and Back Skirt Panel
  • ·      Shell with Taffeta Lining
  • ·      Fully Taped Seams
  • ·      Zippered Cargo and Handwarmer Pockets
  • ·      Mesh-Lined Thigh Vents
  • ·      Year Warranty





Bristol has your usual two person lift to get you up the slopes with a birds-eye view of the mountain full of the daring practicing their tricks. Tagging along, but don’t like to ski or snowboard? Bristol also has a 5K ft. zipline canopy tour with epic views of the valley.


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While slope side lodging is always fun, I recommend taking the 30 minute drive to Woodcliff Hotel and Spa in Fairport. They have a heated indoor/outdoor pool, Jacuzzi, fitness center, golf course (for the warmer months), spa and salon, restaurant, high thread count sheets, and towel service. I love this hotel so much, that my mother and I frequently have staycation spa days! Treat yourself to a Jacuzzi soak and a deep tissue massage after a long day of eating it on the slopes, then have a romantic dinner for two with your ride or die.







xx
Nicolette Rivera


Friday, January 20, 2017

Events: Burton Mountain Festival



This past weekend, Burton threw an amazing Mountain Fest with their sponsors at Mountain Creek, NJ. They provided the gear to demo and all they asked in return was your enthusiasm to continue to get up after you inevitably eat it... a lot. While Burton doesn't throw such an awesome bash on the regular; here is my inside look of the event, along with a few tips from a beginner's point of view.  


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Packing:
Obviously, you will need an appropriate winter jacket. I recommend the Burton Wyle GORE-TEX®, because not only is it super warm and comfy, but Burton will back this product with lifetime warranty. Bring your own goggles or you will be stuck either paying for a pair at the resort or going without (both options suck). You may also want to pack a change of clothes (shirt, pants, and socks), as you will most likely sweat through your initial outfit. I added a Cliff Bar and Gatorade out of habit, but didn't end up touching them so use your own judgement. 






Transportation:
While the locals can simply get in the car and drive to the resort, us city dwellers will need to rely on a shuttle bus (unless you don't mind paying Uber $340). Thankfully, NYC Snow Bus has round trip packages for everything you need. They have three main pick-up/drop-off stops: Brooklyn, Union Square, and Times Square. Allegedly they will expand to Upper West Side, but we shall see. Bonus feature: Free Bagels and Beer. 




Mountain Creek:
The bus will drop you off and pick you up in front of the Red Tail Lodge. This is where you will pick-up any gear you reserved and check-in for any lessons you may have booked. If you have a backpack full of necessities you wish to stow, they have lockers you can rent for $10. This is also the main hub for food and catching the Lift. If you attend a future festival, I recommend checking out what kind of gear you can demo first to then determine what you will need to rent. 





Demo:
This was basically a free candy shop for all snowboarders. Burton supplied their latest fleet of boards and hardware to demo all day... for free. 




Board of Choice:
I'm not remotely close to being a pro, but I would definitely recommend the Feather for anyone still learning. She had a super waxy glide in the snow making the transitions easier; but be careful with breaking, as she likes to keep moving. 




Burton Girls Ride Day:
Burton has an awesome ambassador program that empowers young women to come together and not only shred the slopes (which they slay at), but also have a voice in a space that has historically been dominated by the boys. Luckily on Saturday they had "Ride Day", which allowed girls of all ages to hang with these awesome ladies on the slopes and base all day.





Relax:
After hours of enduring many inevitable wipeouts, take a minute to relax before heading back to the bus. Grab a brew of your choosing and park your very sore bum by the fire pit. You won't regret it. 



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Until next time Mountain Fest!

xx Nicolette