By Adrian Carlos |Staff Writer|
Early morning, cool air, freshly waxed boards, and white powdery snow is the perfect setup for a great day of snowboarding.
Snowboarding season is upon us and you may have noticed friends posting about their fun and exciting excursions to places like Big Bear and Mountain High.
Snowboarding is an exciting, thrilling sport that takes you to “the edge” and at the same time still keeps you grounded.
Snowboarding has various skill levels. Anyone from beginners to the most advanced rider are welcome and able to progress at his or her own pace in a fun environment.
Southern California has a reputation for having all four seasons, though winter does not stand out as much.
However, there are mountain resorts, and they are much closer than you might think.
Mountain High and Big Bear are both within an hour from campus.
CSUSB alumni Isaac Miranda is a seasoned snowboarder and has over nine years of riding under his belt.
“Snowboarding is a great stress reliever and an even better way to stay active,” said Miranda.
There are many misconceptions floating around about snowboarding, like high costs.
Since we live in Southern California, the only gear you need is a board and boots. Mountain High has rental options available for only $15 for boots or even better, $35 for both a board and boots.
Mountain High also has various programs and incentives to get out on the slopes for the best price.
College nights will get students in for only $20 with a student ID. Thursday nights offer a complete rental package including boots and board and a 1 hour and 45 minute lesson for only $45.
For the experienced riders and season pass holders, Bear Mountain offers 50 percent off their lift tickets with proof of season membership from any neighboring mountain.
Bottom line, snowboarding is a great well-rounded sport with all the avenues to get started available. January is National Learn to Ski and Snowboard month, making it the perfect time to get out there to try something new with friends.
Miranda describes it best, “Basically boarding just comes down to two things, friends and good times.”
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