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.
