Dressing for the mountains can make the difference between a miserable experience and a great day on the hill. Village Ski Loft carries a wide variety of stylish and technical clothing to keep you looking good and feeling good when out and about in Lake Tahoe’s beautiful surroundings. Sometimes the weather turns fowl here; we’re known for our multiple day, multiple foot snowstorms that can pack wind, cold, and precipitation. If you’ve got the appropriate gear though, those fowl days are the best times to ski and snowboard. Below you will find a tried and true guide to dressing for the elements.
Layer #1 – The Baselayer
The layer that sits next to your skin is very important. It keeps you insulated while wicking any moisture or perspiration away from your skin. It is best to start with a thin layer of Icebreaker Merino, Patagonia Capilene, or Helly Hansen Lifa.
Layer #2 – 2nd Layer or Insulating Layer
Once you have chosen a good base layer, you need to back it up with something to trap heat close to your body with an insulating layer. On milder days, a mid-weight fleece layer like a North Face TKA 100, or Icebreaker BodyFit 260 will probably be fine. On the coldest of the cold days, you might want to step up to something a little heavier such as an ArcTeryx Covert Cardigan or even add a Patagonia Down Sweater Vest.
Layer #3 – The Outer Layer
The outer layer keeps the elements away. Now sometimes in Tahoe, the elements can be sunshine, sometimes wind, and sometimes gnarly wet and windy weather. For the nicer days, a windproof, lightly insulated outer layer will suffice. Mountain Hardwear and ArcTeryx make many windproof breathable jackets that work excellent around these parts. For Tahoe’s nastiest days though, you will probably want to wrap yourself in a waterproof hardshell pants and a jacket with a good hood, so that the elements don’t find their way down your collar. ArcTeryx, Helly Hansen, Patagonia, and North Face all make highly waterproof pieces that will keep ma’ nature at bay while you’re ripping storm day KT Laps.
When heading to the peaks surrounding Lake Tahoe, it’s important to have the right array of accessories for changing conditions. Accessories is a pretty broad category, so we’ll break it down into a few bite size chunks:
Eyewear
One most important items of protection for mountain climate is good eyewear. Abundant sunshine and the reflectivity of the sun off snow covered peaks can seriously damage your eyes. That’s why it is imperative to pack UV rated goggles and sunglasses if you plan on spending any time in the sun at all. Sunglasses are great for low impact activities like hiking and snowshoeing. They’re also fine for skiing and snowboarding, but don’t offer the protection of goggles. Goggles keep snow and wind out better than glasses and they offer superior impact and puncture protection.
Gloves
Pick a pair of gloves that are suited to the weather and activity that you’re participating in. For aerobic activities like cross country skiing and snowshoeing, you can generally pick a lighter glove because you are constantly in motion. For skiing and riding, a pair of insulated, waterproof gloves are nice because your often spend 5 to 10 minutes riding a lift between activity.
Helmets
Helmets have quickly become standard equipment for skiers and riders. Almost 80% of the snow sports population wears a helmet these days. We stock a great selection of snow helmets to keep you and your entire family head safe when schussing around the Lake Tahoe basin.
Hydration and Backpacks
You often have to carry an array of gear into the hills with you. The weather is constantly changing, temperature at lake level is often much warmer than at 8000 feet, and there’s always a chance of a storm blowing in. Having a good pack can help make it easier to prepare for the days action, by allowing you to take the essentials with you. For backcountry skiers and riders, we offer packs that allow you take your snow safety tools with you. For the more casual user, a Camelback or fanny pack is nice to pack some water and sunscreen.
