Just because we say “stoked” a lot doesn’t mean we don’t read.
You know how skiing powder kind of tickles your synapses? Well, thoughtfully strung words can do the same. Crazy, we know. To get us through the summer doldrums and these long, long days without skiing, we’ve updated our Skier’s Reading List with our favorite books for skiers, plus some current and classic news, stories, and ski industry happenings.
A Skier’s Reading List for a Long Summer
Books for Skiers
Long Distance by Bill McKibben
You’ve probably heard of Bill McKibben in a slightly different context. The prolific writer often focuses on environmental issues and our relationship with politics. Radio Free Vermont and The End of Nature are titles you may have heard of (The End of Nature came up often during my environmental classes in college), but Long Distance is a personal story of McKibben’s foray into endurance sport as he trains hard in cross-country skiing. It’s maybe not about core skiing and downhill shredding, but his experience of getting out of a middle-aged rut and confronting the pain of hard training is relatable to all of us who play hard in the mountains.
Freedom Found: My Life Story by Warren Miller
You know the Warren Miller movies, but do you know much about the man himself? Miller’s memoir tells his story about his early days ski bumming and how he broke into the industry at the right place at the right time. Not only an adventure story about skiing, but an American entrepreneurial inspiration.
Powder Days: Ski Bums, Ski Towns, and the Future of Chasing Snow by Heather Hansman
Hansman dives deep into the history of skiing in the United States, ski town lifestyles, and how “ski bums” make it work. If building your life centered around snow is something you’re interested in, or already do, Powder Days is required reading. Hansman doesn’t just scratch the surface. She goes into the economics of ski resorts and real estate developers, the social dynamics of ski bums, and the sexism that permeates that culture.
Higher Love: Skiing the Seven Summits by Kit DesLauriers
For the adventure junkie, Higher Love tells the story of Kit DesLauriers’ mission to ski the seven summits (the tallest peaks on every continent) around the world. The twist? She climbed every single one, rather than hitching a ride to the top of the hill. The second twist? She was the first person to do that. With different challenges and skill sets required for each peak, the things DesLauriers overcomes and endures is inspriring and will help you look to new adventures in your own life.
How to Stay Alive in Avalanche Terrain by Bruce Tremper
A must-have staple on your bookshelf if you travel in the backcountry, Staying Alive provides all the fundamentals and more you should be familiar with. It’s the perfect compliment to your AAIRE 1 course, and for years to come to stay sharp and remember the little things.
Magazines and Other Page Turners/Scollers
The Mountain Gazette
The Mountain Gazette is an old-school magazine revamped for modern life. It’s large, colorful, and filled with stunning photography, stories, and cartoons. It’s not just about skiing, but about living outdoor lifestyles and the athletic pursuits we take on. Issued twice a year (spring and fall), you get a bi-annual treat that tickles those synapses for inspiration for months on end. #201 just came out, and it’s been my favorite yet. Not down to subscribe right now? You can sign up for their newsletter, which features snippets of stories, interviews, and cool links.
The Storm Skiing Journal
A joint podcast/newsletter, Stuart Winchester focuses on diving into the business brains in the ski industry. If there’s one place to get your skiing industry news, the Storm Skiing Journal is a great pick. Covering all the news from changes in multipass access, to a new lift at a family-run hill in the Midwest, you can find all the information you need to be plugged into the latest ski industry changes. The podcast features interviews with general managers and operaters of ski resorts, from Arapahoe Basin to Mount Bohemia in Michigan.
