Strap on your shred boots, it’s time to break down what you need for a totally rad day on the slopes
First Things First. You’ll need to know where to go in NJ:
Mountain Creek Ski Resort, 184 Route 94, Vernon, NJ 07462
Campgaw Mountain Ski Area, 200 Campgaw Road, Mahwah, NJ 07430
Hidden Valley Ski Area, Hidden Valley Road, Vernon, NJ 07462
Crystal Springs Resort, 3621 State Route 94, Hamburg, NJ 07419
High Point Cross Country Ski Center, 1480 NJ-23, Sussex, NJ 07461
Here are some places to go cross-country skiing in NJ
Wawayanda State Park – 885 Warwick Turnpike, Hewitt, NJ 07421
Lewis Morris County Park – 270 Mendham Rd. Rt. 24, Morristown, NJ 07960
Palisades Interstate Park – Alpine, NJ
Stokes State Forest – 1 Coursen Road, Branchville, NJ 07826 (You can also snowmobile and dog sled here!)
Fun heart pumping skiing is closer than you think!
You don’t have to go far for a marvelous ski trip in NJ. Just about 30 miles from NYC, Campgaw Mountain in Mahwah, NJ is the metro area’s closest snow resort—and it covers a titanic 1,300 acres in total with 8 beginner and intermediate trails and over 18 acres of skiable terrain. Perfect for some, heart-pumping, adrenaline thumping skiing this winter season!
OK, so now that you know where to go, let’s talk about what you need to prepare for your adventure!
Here is an in-depth guide for novices as well as advanced skiing aficionados.
The quick list of what you’ll need:
A ski pass or lift ticket to access the slopes – (You got to pay to play unless you do some free croos-country at one of New Jersey’s state parks)
Ski’s or snowboard (duh!) – You can rent these on the slopes if you do not have them.
Ski equipment – Including skis, boots, poles, and bindings.
Helmet – Keeps your brain box intact, dude.
Goggles – To shield your peepers from the pow-pow.
Snow suit or snow pants – Keep your buns toasty.
Ski socks – To keep your feet warm and comfortable.
Waterproof jacket – Highly recommended (staying dry is the name of the game).
Snow gloves – Trust us. This is an absolute must! (coz cold hands are the worst).
Sunscreen and lip balm – To protect your skin from the sun and cold air
A water bottle to stay hydrated – H2o will keep your bod feelin’ fine and your energy levels high!
And most importantly, a gnarly attitude (it’s all about the vibes, man!)
A deeper dive into how to prepare for your Ski trip
Avoid Contact Lenses if possible
While contact lenses may be your eyewear of choice, they’re generally not a good idea when skiing. Skiing temperatures will drop as you go up the mountain, and your contacts will allow the chill to be felt in your eyes. Going indoors won’t help much, either, since that could lead to re-circulated air drying on your contact lenses’ surfaces and cause irritation. Leave the contact lenses at home when you want to go skiing.
Use protective eyewear
When you’re skiing, protective eyewear is a must to guard against two things: photokeratitis and debris. Photokeratitis is when UV rays bounce off the snow’s reflective surface and damage your cornea, causing your eyes to swell and blur. It’s not a condition you want at any time, much less when skiing. You’ll also want to avoid your eyes getting hit by leaves or pebbles as you speed down the slopes. The best solution is wearing polarized sunglasses that protect your vision with lightweight, durable frames and sports performance shades technology that can block UV rays and glare and enhance your skiing prowess. You can try the brand Oakley, which offers a range of dedicated sunglasses and goggles with polarized lenses for snow sports.
Bring a backpack
To cover all your bases, consider packing a backpack with these handy essentials:
- Lip balm to keep your lips from getting chapped.
- Scarves or neck gaiters to keep your neck and face warm.
- Hats to shield your head from the sun and cold.
- An extra dry sweater.
- A medical kit, just in case.
- Small miscellaneous items, like hand warmers or snacks, that can make your day on the slopes more enjoyable.
- Hand and toe warmers or electric bot warmers.
- An extra pair of sweatpants.
- Your credit cards and or cash.
- Prescriptions if needed.
- Hand sanitizer.
- Your phone and keys.
- Hot apple cider in a good quality 12-hour hot thermos.
- Snow trail guidebooks.
- A couple of airplane bottles to warm you up. Heyt why not? But don’t tell them we said so.
Take frequent breaks when Skiing
Many of the NJ ski resorts have plenty of other activities you can do, like sitting and chatting with people at the firepit, grabbing a drink, or eating hot meals at one of the lodge restaurants. Once you warm up and are rejuvenated, you can head back up to the slopes again!
See more places to go skiinng in NJ and beyond.
