Mountain adventurers are a tough lot to shop for. As much as they'd welcome a new tent or pair of alpine-touring boots, their gear is usually already as well established as their powder day routines. Still, there are plenty of peripheral conveniences to zero in on during the holiday season, the things skiers and snowboarders would love to have but never seem to get around to buying for themselves.
YETI STAINLESS STEEL COLSTER (a)
No day on the slopes would be complete without a beer or three. But those cans really numb the hand, and a koozie is just about the easiest thing to forget on a powder morning. So toss a YETI colster under the Christmas tree. This insulated screw-top can holder will probably kick around the car all winter long, traveling from one après-ski party to another as it keeps your favorite rider's beer cold and their hand warm. $25 • Sportsman's Warehouse
FOURHEART CHARGER/HANDWARMER (b)
Skiers and snowboarders tend to take environmental consciousness very seriously, for obvious reasons. And those disposable hand warmers, while a slopeside staple, create a lot of waste. Fourheart's electronic hand warmers will not only make the rider on your Christmas list feel greener, they also heat up fast and have four different temperature settings. As an added bonus, they'll even recharge a smartphone. $26 • Various outlets
DRYGUY TRAVEL DRY BOOT DRYER (c)
Powder days come with one major drawback: boot stink. It's a stoke-killer for driver and passengers alike, and left unchecked can linger in a car all season long. The only solution is to keep those boots dry. A pair of DryGuy's portable boot dryers can plug into a car charger or wall socket, pumping heat into every sweat-drenched inch of liner. $39 • Alpine Haus
DAKINE ADJUSTABLE TUNING IRON (d)
Mountain people tend to be fairly stubborn when it comes to maintaining their own gear. They also have a difficult time justifying spending money on the fancy when the cheap and practical will do. So this Christmas, consider treating the skier or snowboarder on your list with an iron tailor-made for waxing planks. Unlike that battered old clothes iron left over from college, Dakine's tuning iron has temperature control settings designed to achieve the smooth, even finish a rider needs for an epic day on the slopes. $50 • Ski Shack
AVALANCHE AWARENESS COURSE
Wading into mountain culture is neither easy nor cheap, and settling on a gift for a mountain newbie is no different. Perhaps the best place to start is a little lesson in snow savvy. REI offers exactly that with a free hour-long avalanche awareness course Jan. 16 alongside the Northwest Avalanche Center. Sign your giftee up online and they'll get a crash course in the basics, from where avalanches typically occur to how to get the latest scoop on backcountry conditions. Space is limited, so get on it soon. Free • REI
BACKCOUNTRY SNOW STUDY KIT (e)
Some people aren't content with just hitting the backcountry on the weekends. They desire a deeper understanding of winter's ever-shifting landscape, and Backcountry Access has the tools for them to reach it. With a digital thermometer, slope meter and more, this handy kit makes for a perfect gift for anyone on your list looking to enhance their snow science know-how. $100 • Mountain Gear
U-TURN ULTRALIGHT TITANIUM WOOD STOVE (f)
For some, winter adventure isn't restricted to that narrow slice of daylight hours. The truly hardcore among us yearn for their blankets of snow to come complete with a starlit sky. If you've made it your holiday mission to help keep them warm, look no further than Colorado-based Seek Outside and its slick line of lightweight collapsible wood stoves. These titanium stoves come in a variety of sizes and double as a cooking surface, ideal for any backcountry trek or just a weekend car camp close to the slopes. $295-$679 • seekoutside.com
SKI3 LIFT TICKETS
There's really no telling exactly when the powder will fall during a given season. But when it does, it's always good to be prepared, and that's where Schweitzer's Ski3 lift tickets come in. Each day pass in this three-pass bundle can be used on any given day of the 2019/20 season. There are no blackout dates, meaning that special someone you're buying for can hold onto them until that first major dump finally comes. The passes are completely transferable, too, so your giftee doesn't have to ride alone. $217 through Dec. 24 • schweitzer.com ♦
