Point6 Blog

Just when I was about to re-post our tips for depressing safe “early season” skiing, it happened, it snowed!  I believe a collective “AHHHHH” could be heard throughout the state of Colorado on Monday as a potent, blinding storm dropped a thick blanket of snow across our favorite resorts and mountain tops.  We woke up to 11” at Steamboat Ski Area and -11 degrees to accompany it.  Frigid yes, but were we going to let this lung-burning, nose-frosting air prevent us from executing our first powder clause of the season?  A resounding “Hell No” was the locals’ answer!  Wearing as many warm, wooly layers as possible under my biggest and fluffiest down and a super cozy pair of Ski Medium Free Falls, I made it to the Gondola line for a few minutes of waiting before the 8:30 opening.  And I was sweating.  Happy, smiling faces greeted us in the line along with BIG, FAT skis that haven’t seen the light of day outside the garage since they were mounted back in November.  Yay for powder boards!  A beautiful morning of crisp, bluebird skiing awaited.  It’s amazing how frozen moisture crystals stacked peacefully on top of each other on the maintained mountain slopes can create such pure, unadulterated joy.  I’m pretty sure that every single freshly fallen snowflake was completely shredded, ripped apart and annihilated by 10:15.  And then the locals left.  Like a pack of honey badgers taking what they want, because everyone knows that nothing can stop a honey badger when it’s hungry.  And right now, the locals are hungry for snow; light, fluffy, and deep, please.  With winter storm warnings in effect, it’s time to be stoked, happy, hungry, and it’s time to spend more than an hour and a half on the mountain before going in for beers.  GAME ON!

Every once in a while a new idea comes along that changes the rules of the game.

Point6 proudly introduces Enciel, the world’s first truly white merino wool. For generations wool producers have tried in vain to produce white wool. Now using Enciel, Point6 has created a brilliantly white sock range that will change the merino wool game forever.

Enciel was created by The Merino Company through years of research and development using its SpectraWool technology. With a whiteness value of 161 on the CIE Gantz whiteness scale, Enciel has achieved a level of white, whiter than optically white cotton. It is a white that does not fade in sunlight and laundering. It is a white that makes all other merino wool look dull by comparison. It is a white the world has been waiting for.

White wool offers the opportunity to bring a whole new color palette to wool garments. Not only can the white wool be used as the final yarn color, the white yarns can also be dyed vibrant rich colors and clean pastel shades, which have never been available before, thus making Enciel a revolutionary technology that will change the wool industry forever.

“Color is key and many consumers prefer crisp, classic, pure white. This is especially important in our active, running and lifestyle categories“ stated Patty Duke, design director and co-founder of Point6. “Merino wool is the best choice to keep feet dry and comfortable. Now those who prefer white socks don’t have to compromise function,” she added.

Tis the season…for man-made snow, fast furious groomers, and rock skis.  Let’s be honest, the snow is thin right now.  We’ve all gotten a bit spoiled by the last couple years’ epic amounts of deep, fluffy, sick, glorious, blower, record breaking, copious powder and the early season expectations are off the charts.  We MUST ski.  But it also MUST snow.  And it will, we have to be patient.  So here are 10 tips for surviving early season skiing:

1.       Remember:  the snow is not deep, nor soft. 

2.       Do not ski the trees.

3.       In the morning, ski the edge of the white ribbon where the swooshers and sliders in the middle have sprayed an extra “powder” coating.  In the afternoon, ski the middle because the swooshers caught on to how smart you were in the morning and have all herded to the sides.

4.       If you stop half way down a run, don’t forget to look up and wait for the straighlining gapers a gap in the chaos before merging back into traffic. 

5.       If you see someone screaming down the mountain without making a turn, do not attempt to keep up with this person even though you are most likely a faster and better skier.  They will self-destruct and that’s when you can ski around them and point and laugh make sure they don't need ski patrol.  See tip #4.

6.       If you see a “caution” sign at the top of a blind roll over, assume that means the run is completely bare below.  As in No Snow, you will be skiing on rocks.  Stop.  Go around.

7.       Careful walking back to your skis after stopping for a mid-mountain beverage.  The deck that you typically have to step up and out of mid-winter is actually about 12 feet off the ground now.  That first step could be a doozy.

8.       You might start feeling a little swell of confidence build up after crushing groomers all day.  Even so, this is not the time to try a back flip in the park.  See tip #1.

9.       You can successfully ski over weeds that are sticking up out of the snow, but do not attempt to ski thru bushes.  Especially if you are trying to look good.  It’s impossible to look cool navigating your way out of a bush.  See tip #2.

10.   When all else fails just breathe deeply, have patience, and soak up some vitamin D because you’ll be up in the bowls and chutes and trees and pow stashes with your bros soon enough.  See tip #7.

Keep praying to the snow gods and have a great season!