Setting goals during the ski season

Last winter, I set goals for myself that I wanted to reach during the ski season. It's strange, but the need to be on the mountain as many days as possible, reaching my maximum potential for vertical feet gained, and participating in Beaver Creek's Talons Challenge and Keystone Ski Resort's Slush Cup meant a lot to me. EpicMix made it easier to prove these goals. The documentation of my accomplishments was epic in its own right.

I got a bit of heat from friends and co-workers about wanting to reach my goals during the season. Most felt that snowboarding was beyond setting goals. I heard time and time again that the true essence of snowboarding was to get out on the mountains, find some powder spots, and just let day unfold. To them, the true essence of snowboarding was what was experienced, not what was accomplished.

My response can easily be summed up in two words, BUMP THAT!!!

While I agree with how they felt to  an extent, if I didn't set goals for myself, I wouldn't have pushed my riding to another level, and I wouldn't have experienced one of the most amazing seasons that I did. In a weird way, setting goals defined my season.

In my book, skiing/snowboarding is all about pushing yourself to new levels. Whether it's setting personal goals or goals that can be tracked on EpicMix, anything that pushes you your out of your comfort zone is a plus in my book.

Below are five goals that I want to achieve during this ski season. Who cares to join me?

1. Improve my vertical feet gained
If you see someone on a chairlift or gondola feverishly looking at their phone, it's most likely me tracking my vertical feet.

2. Double my days on the mountain
Last season, I had 21 days on the mountain. This put me out and on the slopes at least once a week (usually the weekend) and confirmed my weekend warrior status. This season, I'm making it to 42 days on the mountain.

3. Complete Beaver Creek Mountain's Talons Challenge
On my last attempt, I came up one run short on the 24,000 vertical feet of Black Diamond and Double Black Diamond competition. This year, that last run is mine.

4. Survive Keystone Ski Resort's Slush Cup
I didn't quite get over the pond last year. I did however make a lot of noise and quite a splash. I'm not getting wet this year.

5. Snowboard at Heavenly Ski Resort and Northstar California
This goal isn't so much about endurance and pushing myself as it is just using my Epic Pass to its full potential. Here I come Nevada and California.

I'll see you on the slopes.

-- James Gardiner