Helmets. We know that they’re important, and we are told we should always wear one when skiing or snowboarding. But how many of us actually listen and make sure to wear one 100% of the time? Although most people I know do regularly wear helmets, there are those times when we’re rushing to get out of the house before dawn on a Saturday morning (to make it up to the mountains before first chair!) and we forget to bring it with us in the car. And ultimately, as the confident women we are, we decide it’s OK to venture out on the mountain without a helmet because we’ve “done it a million times” or “nothing’s going to happen.” Although having that type of confidence is an awesome trait (go, you!), skiing or snowboarding without a helmet is a risk that is NOT worthy of taking. Helmets protect your head- and can save your life- when partaking in an already risky sport, like skiing or snowboarding.

Womens snowboard helmets are a necessity on the mountain because they are made to protect you. Whether you’ve taken a light fall on the bunny hill or you swerve and take a tumble to avoid colliding with a tree, having a women snowboard helmet helps prevent major head injury when falling. Women snowboard helmets are designed to fit and protect a woman’s head. Specifically designed for women skiers and riders, womens snowboarding helmets are made to fit and protect specific areas of the head. Snowboarding helmets women are available in different sizes, which means you’re guaranteed to find a helmet that fits the size of your head well enough to protect you if you fall. There are several different manufacturers of womens snowboarding helmets, including Smith and R.E.D. There are also many different colors of snowboard helmets women available. If you’re into more of a sleek and sophisticated mountain look (or you want your bright goggles to stand out!), you’ll find plain black and white snowboarding helmet women available. If you’re feeling extra colorful this season and want to spice up your mountain look, you can find a safe and high-quality womens snowboard helmet in fun and bright colors, like neon green, hot pink, and yellow!

One of the most important things before heading out on the mountain to ski or snowboard is making sure you have a sturdy and high-quality womens snowboarding helmet. Snowboard helmets women are made to look fashionable and complement your ski or snowboard outfit- not to make it any less stylish! Snowboard helmet women help keep us safe on the mountain, and protect our head from falls or collisions. Wearing a womens snowboarding helmet can save your life. Don’t take the risk next season- buy your women’s ski or snowboard helmet today!

NOTE: It is very important to make sure you have a sturdy and safe helmet. If your helmet is showing visible signs of damage or wear (like your helmet is cracked from already protecting you from a fall), it is important to remember to NOT wear that helmet again, and to go out and purchase a new one.

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Just in time for you to showcase your new gear from the holidays, January celebrated Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month.   This nationwide initiative was intended to encourage and motivate newcomers to make their way to the slopes. As this month comes to a close, we are encouraging everyone to extend the learning season, and the spreading of the passion we posses to others.  We can make the entire season about sharing our love and appreciation for the sports to everyone. You may want to make just this one more addition to you list of New Year’s resolutions.  Or, if one of your resolutions was to spend more time with family and friends, this is perfect.

If you are going to be the one helping a new little shredder learn, then you will be stoked for the recent partnership that has evolved between WinterKids.com, Kinderlift, and the National Ski Council Federation.  The Kinderlift vests, which help the ski/snowboard learning process for the little ones, are going to be branded with all three logos, and a portion of the sales will go back to supporting NSCF.  These vests provide additional safety for children between the ages of 3-7.   With the bright colors, children become easily detectable in a swarm of movement, and the back strap makes for easy assistance by adults and instructors.  Make sure to check out our colorful collection of the Kinderlift vests!  They are now used internationally, and instructors can assure you, the impact on the ease of instruction, and safety, has been incredible.  This is just one of the ways that WinterKids.com and WinterWomen.com contributed to the success of this month.  We spread the passion every day by helping our customers pick out exceptional quality products that make the sports doable and enjoyable.

As part of Ski and Snowboard month, skiers and snowboarders around the globe made a contribution through the “Bring a Friend Challenge.”  Through this program, many new individuals were introduced to our sports and will hopefully continue through this season, and for many more to come.  If you are as passionate as we are about the winter sports, this activity really is no challenge at all, and can be done all season long.  Make it your own personal challenge to take new people to the slopes all the time.  Share your knowledge with others about different resorts, helpful instructions, or helpful instructors.  If you are a newcomer, who may be slightly terrified of the cold, do not let that be a barrier.  If you have any questions on how to stay warm, dry, and comfortable on the slopes, feel free to give us a call for information.  We are always here to help.

We would love for you to share with us how you took part in Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month (and how you plan to continue it all season long)! We would especially love to see pictures of everyone getting out on the slopes so, feel free to send them to us!

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Ladies, it’s that time of the year again…time for the Winter X Games! The X Games are coming back to Aspen this Thursday, January 24th, through this Sunday, January 27th. This action-packed weekend is guaranteed to bring a whole lot of fun, excitement, and energy to the Roaring Fork Valley. If you’re a first-timer headed to Aspen this weekend to take part in the excitement that is X Games, take note of these tips and recommendations we have for you to ensure that you have the best time possible:

1. Dress WARM!

Although the X Games take place in January in the snowy mountains, we still feel as though we should remind attendees to dress warm (in case there’s a few ladies who would rather dress to impress than dress to stay warm). If you’re headed to watch the events, you will be standing outside in the freezing cold for hours at a time – and once the sun goes behind the mountains, the temps drop even more. We recommend bundling up with warm under layers, a cute hat, gloves or mittens, cozy socks, a winter jacket, warm snow boots (check out these adorable Sorel snow boots!), and hand and feet warmers to stick in your gloves and socks. You’ll absolutely want to wear snow boots, as the snowy base of the mountain gets icy with all of the people walking on it throughout the day. Snow boots will keep your feet warm, and prevent you from losing traction!

2. Plan Ahead

The actual events for the X Games take place on Buttermilk Mountain and not on Aspen Mountain, which is walking distance from anywhere downtown. Buttermilk Mountain is a 10-minute drive outside of downtown Aspen, and there is no parking at Buttermilk during X Games. We recommend taking the bus to Buttermilk if you are staying in Aspen, as this is the easiest way to get directly where you want to be for the events. The buses run frequently throughout the day, so you can come and go as you please from Aspen to the events at Buttermilk; however, if you do leave something you need at your hotel or condo in Aspen, it will take about an hour out of your day to take the bus back and forth.

 3. Eat Before Heading Out

The last thing you want to do is get to Buttermilk to watch the SuperPipe Final and realize you are hungry and need to eat! There is tasty food at Buttermilk, but it is your typical ski lodge meal (french fries, burger, you name it!). If you’re trying to watch a certain event, the last thing you want is to be indoors eating and missing all of the action outside. Eat a satisfying meal before heading to Buttermilk so you can enjoy watching the events you want, from start to finish.

 4. Go With The Flow- And Remember To Have Fun!

Like every other trip or vacation, things may not go as planned when you’re up in Aspen for the X Games. The best thing to remember for a trip up to the valley is to go with the flow and always have fun! Don’t be too stressed about this weekend going as perfectly as planned- because spending time in the mountains is fun no matter what!

Do you have any advice to give first timers heading to Aspen this weekend for the X Games, or are you heading up this weekend for the first time and have any other questions? Let us know! Be sure to check out the Winter X Games Schedule to make sure you’ll be there for all of your favorite events.

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You have just finished indulging in all the delicious treats from the holiday season, and it is time to set some resolutions for the New Year.  The first challenge is determining what goals you want accomplish.  The second, more difficult challenge is figuring out how to keep up your motivation and stick to your goals, although they may be challenging.  To set you in the mood, we thought we would share some of our resolutions and also offer some suggestions for sticking to your plans.  It is very important when making your list, to set realistic goals, that you can really look forward to accomplishing.  The only ball that should be dropped this year, is in Times Square at midnight!

Spend more quality time with family and friends.  With how busy our lives get, especially around this time of the year, quality time spent with family and friends can simply not be enough.  Get creative and fun with your ideas on how to dedicate more time to your favorite people.  Try to set a certain date, once a month, where your group of friends and family can get together and have a dinner party.  Have everyone bring a dish or drink to share so that one person does not have to dedicate all their time to preparation.  If you repeat the same day each time, more people should be able to plan their schedules accordingly to attend.  When distance makes it impossible to see your loved ones very often, take advantage of modern technology and turn your regular phone calls into video chats!  Also, we love the idea of sending snail mail (letter, pictures, cards, etc.).  It seems to be a lost art which makes the receipt of it even more special.

 Be more adventurous.  This resolution can be custom fit to your ambitions.  Whether the adventure you have in mind is large or small, draft a plan to execute, conquer your fears, and go for it. Some adventures, depending on what you decide to do, can be costly, with hired instruction, equipment, and travel expenses to new destinations.  We suggest starting an adventure pot, where you can collect your loose change, and start saving for the trip you have in mind.  Asking friends and family for contributions on special occasions can be another a great way to bulk up your kitty.

 Must put down the chocolate!  Do you have a voice inside calling you to seek out all chocolate, all the time?  The holiday season is really great for helping you control that desire, not!  You make dozens of home baked cookies, then you try to avoid them every time you walk through the kitchen. “There are no cookies in the cupboard, there are no cookies in the cupboard.”  Unfortunately, putting the sweet treats behind closed doors does not keep you from them.  I do not think the “out of sight, out of mind” saying was ever intended for a chocoholic.  If you need some help getting motivated to get to the gym, and put down the sugar, recruit a friend with the same goal and help to encourage and motivate one another.  Set goals with one another that you would like to accomplish and push each other to reach them.  On those mornings you just do not feel like getting up and being active, hopefully your counterpart will help you kick it into gear, to look fabulous for the New Year.  In addition to setting goals, set rewards…perhaps if you go to the gym 4 times in one week, you can make a date for your favorite dessert.

 New Year, new hobby.  With the start of the New Year, start a new hobby that you can enjoy.  Either start up a new hobby, totally your own, or share in a hobby that one of your family members or friends enjoys (another great way to increase your quality time).  For the addition of a social hobby, think about joining a yoga or fitness studio that offers a multitude of different classes, with varying size, and meet new people.  Joining a community that is dedicated to physical and mental strength is a great way to start off the New Year.

Celebrate the conclusion of a great year, and the beginning of an even better one, by giving back to your community.  When the current year comes to a close, we all start to think about all of the memories that made the year exceptional.  We all have our list of things that we can be incredibly grateful for.  To start off the New Year in the right direction, pay it forward.  Take all of your thanks and happiness and do something special for your community at the start of 2013, that will help to carry your spirit of giving and generosity into the New Year.

We hope you all have a safe and happy New Year’s celebration.  We would love for you share your resolutions, your goals, and the rewards you are setting in place for when you get there!

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When it is cold outside, it makes it a lot easier for all of us to hibernate.  On those days when we just feel like taking a break from the slopes, there are countless winter activities that everyone can enjoy.  Being one of the busiest time of the year, having ideas stashed in your back pocket before the house arrest days is a great idea. Check out our ideas below for recommendations of fun wintertime family activities, and a few for just the ladies:

Motivational movie night. Indoor hibernation does not have to mean lack of motivation.  One of the best ways to get inspired to ride, while lounging on the couch (yes, that is possible!), is to watch documentaries of professionals on the mountain.  You will get excited for the fresh powder days and gain some extra confidence to work on your skills.  A couple of our recommendations:

• Warren Miller’s: Bloopers, Blunders, and Bailouts. This particular film highlights the resilience of the human body.  Even if you are a pro, you are going to have wipe outs.  In this Miller film, he showcases that not all moments on the mountain are beautiful and graceful, but that we can bounce back, and keep moving down the mountain. Watching this helps will definitely help your mentality on the slopes, especially your first day mentality. It is okay to crack a smile at yourself when you fall, as we can all experience the rusty feeling  that first day out.

• The Art of Flight. This Red Bull  sponsored documentary that was released last fall, will show you artful gracefulness to aspire to.  Snowboarder Travis Rice tests the boundaries of possibility, and showcases what can be accomplished on the mountain.  After this one, the entire family will be dreaming about the next time they get to hit the slopes.

• Also, be sure to check out Peep Show Films.  They have a collaboration video series with Roxy and the best part, the filming is centered on female riders.  Their mission is to give a “fresh perspective on female snowboarding.”  The riders that participate are passionate about the sport, and passionate about sharing their love and talent with others.

Baking a friendly and delicious competition. If you are a family full of active skiers, or snowboards, it is okay to eat all of the holiday cookies (at least that is how we justify it).  Take the friendly competition to the kitchen and have each family member try their hand at making a different winter sweet treat.  Of course we are partial to these adorable ski cookie recipes.  When it’s cold, but there is no snow on the ground, this can be a great indoor activity.  And just like the movies, cookies can help push you to the slopes.  Perhaps the winner of the friendly family bake off will get to select the first run of the day down the mountain! Or perhaps they get to pick which ski/snowboard trip the family is going to take next!

Go shopping for the small stuff.  It is hard to forget the large items when you are preparing for a winter trip: jacket, pants, boots, helmet, socks, hat, and gloves/mittens.  If is much easier to forget the tiny necessary essentials.  Make a trip with the girls and make sure to get all the small stuff and pack your pockets before a trip: face moisturizer, small snacks, travel size sunscreen, lotion, pocket tissues,  HeatMax toasti toes and hot hands.  One more thing, that I always seem to forget, sunglasses!  Put an extra pair in the visor of your car so you are never without.  This season, we are carrying a variety of Smith’s Suncloud Sunglasses, that are perfect for exactly that.  If you have to come up with any white elephant gifts for parties this coming season, they make a great one.

Mountain Jams.  Another thing to do, put on the music while you are around, and share amongst family and friends your favorite slope songs.  For a fun idea, have a dinner party, with some food and drinks (or do it over hot chocolate!), and make the music exchange an event. You can place notepads at each persons seat, so they can make a note of their favorites while listening.  Take turns selecting music that you groove to on the mountain to get some new ideas for your iPod.

Walking in a lighted wonderland.  Around this time of year, most town centers are full of lights and decorations for the holiday season.  Put some delicious hot chocolate in a travel mug, and take the family down to walk though the sparkly center.  Our favorite time to take these walks is at night, when there is snowfall, and all of the snow is illuminated by the lights.  We know that when one person gets cold, walking around outside is no longer fun.  So, make sure that everyone is bundled up appropriately for the weather. Oh, and be sure to take a camera, because we know we all look good in our favorite winter hats!  This is also a great time to test out the warmth and functionality of your new winter gear.  Layer up with your new base layers, fleeces, and jackets to find the perfect combination of clothing for the perfect day on the mountain.  A lot of towns also offer fun winter activities such as ice skating, both outdoor and indoor.  That way you can also test out your gear while being active.  We would love to hear about your winter activities, especially the ones that take our minds to the mountains!

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If you are anything like us, you have a drawer full of beanies that you are just dying to start wearing as soon as the cold weather rolls in.  Your drawer probably grows season after season, and then overflows into multiple drawers.  There is really no way to prevent that from happening.  Every year, brands play around with the classic beanie and make new introductions in color, style, fit, and detailing.  The beanie is defined as “a small round tight-fitting skullcap.”  But those of us that are hat enthusiasts know that the classic beanie has evolved a tremendous amount. Not only are there much larger, slouchier beanies, we have beanies adorned with baseball sized pom-poms.  Aside from just keeping your head warm, they speak directly to your style and personality.

The Kate Beanie in Creme

Pretty in Pom-Poms This season, Coal got really playful with the pom-poms, especially with the Kate beanie.  It is one of our favorites for the season.  When looking up the history of the pom-pom as a hat adornment, I realized that not everyone appreciates this design advancement as much as we do.  If this guy saw the Kate beanie, with it’s baseball sized bobble, he might fall out of his chair. Well, we love it, and we are confident that this beanie will get far more compliments than laughs.  You can also unroll the cuff of the beanie, to give it a comfy slouch, and push the pom a little towards the back.  You might laugh experimenting in the mirror with the different ways to wear, but once you find a fit you like, you’ll never want to take it off.

Beautiful Brims Another one of our favorite beanie details is the brim.  Since they come in so many sizes, we suggest testing them all out.  It can be fun to play around with the brim placement and figure out which way looks best on you.  One of our favorites this season is the Spyder Sibyl Hand Knit hat.  This hat has it all: slouch, a pom-pom, sparkle, and a brim.

Fabulous Ear Flaps There are also a number of beanies that are adorned with ear flaps, which are the best for keeping your ears nice and toasty.  Especially when they are lined with a nice soft fleece like in the Salomon Women’s Maya beanie.  Not only are the ear flaps functional, they are adorable.  For extra warmth, a number of the beanies with ear flaps also have knitted strings hanging from them so you can tie up your hat under your chin for ultimate warmth.  You could also leave the braids down for some added style.

The Volcom Prime Reversible Headband in Black

Holiday Headbands  Another variation of the beanie, that is really coming back into style, is the winter headband.  On chilly days, when you need a little extra warmth, but don’t quite need full head coverage, winter headbands are the perfect choice.  They give you the feel of a cozy beanie while having the low profile of a standard headband. Our favorite part about them, they are so easy to make uniquely yours, both in the way they are worn, and the details that complete them.  They are so easy and fun to jazz up. If you get the Coal Greer Headband in white, the possibilities are endless.  You can also purchase flower sweater pins (or make your own!) and attach them to the headband to completely change the look.  You can change the color of the pin depending on the color of your outfit.  These headbands come in a variety of different thicknesses so, it is also fun to play around with different ones and see which you like best.

We would love for you to share which pieces of winter head wear are your personal favorite.  If you have any questions and would like some help building those collections, do not hesitate to give us a call.

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Are you searching for the perfect holiday gift for your wife, mother, sister, or best friend, but have no clue what to get her? No matter how much you know- or love- somebody, shopping for a gift for them sometimes isn’t as easy as we think. That’s why we’ve created a gift guide, to help those of us who need a little guidance in picking out something she’ll love. We’ve gathered items like slippers, fleece jackets, chunky scarves, and cozy gloves to guide you in finding the best gift for her this holiday season!

Shop our 2012 Holiday Gift Guide

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Being a winter woman, working in a warehouse full of incredible, fashionable gear to outfit you for the upcoming season, is not such a bad gig.  It is especially fun in the fall season in our warehouse, which is like a holiday every day with all of the cute snow jackets for women!  Thousands of boxes are delivered and unpacked with extreme excitement.  For the first time, we all get to see and feel the product that our team worked so hard to select.  In addition to being fashionistas (and picking out all of the cutest pieces!), we are gear geeks.  We all become experts about our new pieces by talking about the new technologies, and all of the details and features that make our products fashionable, functional, and of incredible quality.  In this winter wonderland of women’s gear, we all find our favorites, and of course, try them on, buy them, and test them out in our Rocky Mountains.  We have to do that, right?

Meet our winter women and check out their hand selected winter favorites:

Acadia is our Director of Shipping and Logistics, and she has been a working winter woman for years now.  Her product knowledge is nothing short of incredible, with an arguable photographic memory of our entire warehouse.  After overseeing the unpacking of every last box, I would let her hand pick my winter wardrobe with no hesitation.  What will Acadia be rocking on the slopes this season?  The Spyder Women’s Menage A Trois Jacket with the matching Echo pants.  What does she love most about these pieces?  “Spyder so perfectly combines fashion, femininity, and functionality.  I get to wear a ski pant that is as flattering on my body shape as my favorite pair of jeans, and constructed with the best fabrics, and insulation you can buy.”  Our favorite detailing on the Echo pants is the high back waistline.  The design team at Spyder absolutely kept typical female wardrobe malfunctions in mind when crafting this product.  They are equipped with a higher back waistband so that when you bend down to snag that glove your dropped, your pants will not go with you. Also, they have incredible 360 stretch fabrication for easy movement down the mountain.  Marked with the Acadia seal of approval, these are a must have for the coming season.

The Obermeyer Camille Jacket

Mateya has worked in our warehouse as a team member for over two years now.  She is a mountain girl that makes sure when she heads out for the season, she is warm and dry, looks cute, and represents a brand that she loves.  What better brand for a Colorado mountain girl to rock than a brand that was inspired by, and born, in the heart of our mountains–Obermeyer.  Klaus Obermeyer founded the company over 60 years ago in Aspen, CO, where the company is still operated today.  What did Mateya love from this years collection? The Camille Jacket and the Birmingham Pant.  What is it that Mateya loves so much about these pieces? “I like the jacket because it is fashionable and functional. It looks great and is tailored really nicely for a flattering fit but you still have a full range of motion because of the articulated shoulders. It’s also very warm, windproof, and had a lot of great details. The Birmingham Pant is another fashionable yet functional piece that is warm because it has fleece lining. The fabric matches back to the jacket for a very sophisticated look.”  Additionally, Mateya commented “I also just like Obermeyer in general because I think they only make really good products that they can stand behind. Plus I am happy to support a Colorado business.”  You can find Mateya, and Klaus, hitting the Rocky slopes this season in stylish gear that is rich with heritage, and full of custom details.

Sadie, a member of our warehouse and customer service team, is another Colorado mountain girl with a passion for the snow, the slopes, and the stylish gear she rocks while shredding.  What will Sadie be wearing this season? The Bonfire Taylor Jacket with the Radiant Pant.  What’s to love? “I love this combo because with all the cool features and sleek style, these pieces are easy to wear on the mountain and on the street!”  The Taylor jacket draws inspiration from the pea coat and vintage military wear, but through its fabrication it has extreme functionality.  You can have that cute street look while staying warm and dry in a jacket with an incredible waterproof and breathability rating of 20,000mm/15,000g.

The North Face Amore Down Jacket

Christine also works in the warehouse and with our customer service team.  She is our resident fashionista, and also the winter woman who fears the cold the most.  So, if it does not look good, feel good, and keep you nice and toasty, Christine will not even consider it.  What will you find Christine wearing this coming season?  The North Face Women’s Amore Down Jacket.  Why was it amore at first sight?  “The jacket fits extremely well. It is form fitting, and very figure flattering.  I absolutely hate being cold, so the down insulation is exactly what I need to stay cozy and warm.  The solid black is nice too so I can match it with any one of my adorable winter hats.”

As for me, a transplant to Colorado, winter in the mountains here is reason enough to never move.  I have been skiing since I was in the 7th grade and nothing has compared to the countless fresh powder days that our winter brings.  I have had a number of jackets throughout the years, but I have to say, the Salomon Speed II Jacket is a clear winter winner.  I am an adventurer at heart, and I like to be able to brave all kinds of weather in my gear.  What I love about the Speed II jacket is the combination of style, incredible fabrication, and durability.  This jacket is fully equipped with Salomon’s ClimPro Storm® technology, which gives the jacket a waterproof and breathability rating of 20,000mm/20,000g. It is also equipped with Primaloft insulation which makes the jacket super light, and so toasty warm. I am confident that in this jacket the coming winter will be full of warm, dry, amazing explorations of the outdoors.

From left to right: The Menage A Trois Jacket, Amore Down Jacket, Taylor Jacket, Camille Jacket, and Speed II Jacket.

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After a summer full of barbecues, pool parties, and vacations, and with opening days coming up soon (A-Basin may be opening up as early as next month!), it is time to start shaping up for the slopes.  We all know that “First Day Feeling” when you hit the mountain for the first time in the season, and your legs are talking about it for days after.  That is why it is so important to start working those legs long before they take to the mountains. There are studio classes, charity events, community events, and free outdoor activities, which provide excellent preparation for the 2013 season.

In anticipation of lots of our locals preparing for Rocky Mountain riding, we have selected a number of suggested events located around the beautiful city of Denver, CO.

Take advantage of the late-summer terrain. The same mountains that we can now climb in shorts and hiking shoes will soon be covered in inches of fresh powder.   Before the winter rushes in, set aside some time to hike the Hanging Lakes Trail.  For a rigorous 1.2 mile hike, you’ll be going up the slope instead of down (trust us, your legs will save the thank you for the winter).  Besides the incredible beauty, this will give you the chance to experience aerobic exercising at high altitudes.  That way, when you head downhill, you will shred with speed and avoid fatigue. Another great part about hiking this time of year is the changing color of the leaves. The Rocky Mountains are already turning beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow!

Work on your strength and endurance with Health on the Hill at Ruby Hill Park.  The rigorous 8-week program, beginning on September 8th, will have you working with qualified trainers to kick it into high gear before you head to the high country.  The goal is to pack as many runs as possible into one day, and not feel it the next so, building on your endurance is key to having a successful day on the mountain.

Give Kundalini Yoga a try at the beautiful Denver Botanic Gardens every Monday at 6:00 pm. With a strong emphasis on meditation and the awakening of energy, this will give you the strength to fight the winter cold hibernation mentality.

Give yourself a little rest, and get the little ones in shape to ride alongside this coming winter.  Iyengary Yoga Center offers youth yoga classes that combine an introductory level yoga class with a creative art project at the end.  Perhaps at this point you’ll have time to sneak a little chocolate in.

We also know that everyone will be shredding it up on all different mountains throughout the country, so….

With locations in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington, CorePower Yoga is a great way for a lot of our snow bunnies to get somewhere close!   Yoga is a wonderful way to gain both physical and emotional nourishment for braving the upcoming winter and the cold weather that is sure to come. We highly recommend the Yoga Sculpt class, which incorporates hand weights, cardio, core, and of course, yoga. You’ll be seeing results in the mirror- and on the mountain- in no time.

Get in shape and give back with Yoga Rocks the Parks.  With groups throughout the country, Yoga Rocks the Parks provides weekly gatherings, in favorites parks, that combine yoga and music in a festival-like event.  Denver, with all of our incredible parks, is a great place to explore this fun program.  But luckily, there are chapters in Boulder, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Omaha, and Phoenix!  As an organization, they donate over 50% of net profits to selected national and local charities, and well that’s amazing.  With social events like this, shaping up doesn’t have to be such a tremendous drag.  Hooray for parties not ending with the conclusion of the summer (although, you may need to set down the margaritas for this one)!

No matter what the activity, the most important thing is to get moving!—because being a stiff snow bunny is painful and dangerous. How do you prepare for your coming winter journeys? If you have any ideas to help your fellow snow bunnies shape up, we would love for you to share.

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As we roast in the heat during this unusually hot and dry summer, we’re all doing our best to stay cool- like blasting the AC in our cars on the way home after work, and keeping the shades drawn during the day to prevent our homes and offices from becoming a sauna. As much as we look forward to summer once mud season begins, it’s always a disappointment when we feel forced to stay indoors when it’s sunny outside. Let’s face it though- summer will be over soon, and before we know it we’ll be pulling our hats and scarves out of storage and scraping the ice off our windshields in the morning. As much as we may feel forced to stay indoors because of the summer heat, we still encourage all of our fans and readers to get outside and enjoy the outdoors (because who wants to look back in a few months and regret not making the most out of summer?!). Getting out of the house and on a trail for a hike in the early morning is a great way to stay active- and stay cool. If you have dogs, we recommend taking them to a trail that runs along a river- that way when it gets too hot, the pets can cool down in the water- and so can you. If you have kids, an afternoon at the local rec center pool is a great way to have fun and enjoy the outdoors.

When you’re active in the sun and heat during the summer, it is important to remember to protect yourself and stay hydrated. That’s why we are giving away sunscreen, a water bottle, and a hat from The North Face to one lucky winner! Tell us why you need to stay hydrated this summer (are you attempting your first Fourteener next month, or maintaining an awesome garden in your backyard?) in a comment below, and one random winner will be chosen from the comments. Contest ends Monday, July 30th. Prizes will be shipped for free within the U.S. only.

Good luck to all of our readers and fans!

Win this GTD Endurance Hat from The North Face!

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