Going Skiing? Skier’s Packing List Reminds You What You Need On-Mountain

Let’s face it: Skiing requires a lot of equipment, many layers of clothing, and some creature comforts to make the day on the mountain a peak experience.

Use this checklist from the back of the gift book LAID-BACK SKIER: AS IN SKIING, SO IN LIFE to help remember your ski essentials—skis, boots, poles—and what you want in your ski jacket pocket. You’ve got room to add your own special items to the list, too.

LAID-BACK SKIER is available in lots of ski resorts, gift shops, and fine boutiques.

Or order the charming book through Amazon.com or your favorite bookstore.

Have fun out there. Wag your ski tails!

Laid-Back Skier: A Gift Book About Life’s Ups & Downs

Laid-Back Skier: As In Skiing, So In Life is a small gift book from a small publisher: Friday Jones Publishing. A valentine to beautiful books, Laid-Back Skier includes a skier’s journal and a skier’s packing list, in addition to 38 original color illustrations of ski bunnies and snowboarders, and artfully magnified snowflakes.

I wrote, art-directed and published Laid-Back Skier as a pure expression of my passion for both printed books and skiing. This book is a pleasure to hold and gives readers the pleasure of turning pages and reading an actual book, cover to cover. Laid-Back Skier is an antidote to the digital age—a lure away from your computer and back to the not-so-distanct past when books were more highly valued by more people. There is no Laid-Back Skier for e-readers, but the sensual quality of the book is part of the experience.

Printed in full-color on high-quality, environmentally responsible paper stock, Laid-Back Skier, an ideal gift for all occasions and ages, reminds readers of the joys of winter and the inevitable ups and downs.

If you’re interested in a charming gift, please consider Laid-Back Skier. I’m happy to fill orders directly if you contact me through fridayjones@me.com or order through Amazon.com or visit one of the stores listed below. My small gift book has lots of small-business retail partners, and you’re sure to enjoy these bricks-and-mortar stores.

Hearth Fire Books – Evergreen, CO

The Bookery Nook – Denver, CO

West Side Books – Denver, CO

Boulder Bookstore – Boulder, CO

Gallagher Books – Denver, CO

Broadway Book Mall – Denver, CO

32nd Avenue Books Toys & Gifts – Denver, CO

The Stationary Company – Denver, CO

Haley’s Heart – Denver, CO

Artemisia &Rue – Denver, CO

Cry Baby Ranch – Denver, CO

Shop Around the Corner – Denver Pavilions

Lionshead General Store – Vail, CO

Colorado Ski Museum – Vail, CO

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens – Alpine Treasures Gift Shop – Vail, CO

The Bookworm of Edwards – Edwards, CO

Sugarlicious – Denver, CO

Georgetown Gateway Visitor Center – Georgetown, CO

Cures ‘n Curiosities – Keystone, CO

Next Page Bookstore – Frisco, CO

The Bookies – Denver, CO

Hammond’s Candies – Denver, CO

Vail Cascade Village Market & Café – Vail, CO

Wishes Toy Store – Avon, CO

Swoozie’s – Denver, CO

Bonnie Brae Drugstore – Denver, CO

Quacker Gift Shop – Denver, CO

Lakewood Heritage Culture & The Arts – Lakewood, CO

Catamount Ski Area – Hillsdale, NY

Tattered Cover Bookstore – Denver, CO

Kids’ Cottage – Edwards, CO

Wild Bill’s Emporium – Vail, CO

Roxy – Vail, CO and Beaver Creek, CO

Breck Kidz – Breckenridge, CO

Djuna – Denver, CO

Blue Skies – Boulder, CO

Museum of Outdoor Arts – Englewood, CO

Warm Up To Winter: Four Stay-Warm Tips

The last three days, in sub-zero conditions, I skied Vail, and lived to tell the tale. On the down side, I suffered: frosty fingers and toe and a wind-blown face–that is, where my ski was exposed to the elements.

On the up side, not many people braved the arctic conditions, so I did not wait in any long lift lines.

Even if you’re not a skier, you might appreciate some tips for warming up to winter:

1) Layer up. Under my down coat, I wore a Patagonia Primaloft layer, a mid-layer, and a base layer.

2) Wear a hat. When I ski, I wear a helmet. And under my helmet, I wear a head sock.

3) Sip a cup of something warm. Hot cocoa or tea or whatever you prefer will warm up your insides, but you also can warm you hands on the cup itself.

4) At the end of a cold day–or whenever possible–slip into a warm bath: the quickest way to warm up on winter’s coldest days.  (LINK to my examiner.com article about plants in the bath)