If You’re New to Boise, This Hobby is Your Saving Grace

I’ll admit, even though I’ve grown up in the Treasure Valley, most of my life I have dreaded the winter season. 

It’s cold, it’s wet, it’s dark, and the people drive like absolute maniacs on these slick roads. Every time winter came around, I’d hibernate in my home and impatiently count down the days until it was spring, like an angry little mole. 

It wasn't until a few years ago, when I finally began learning how to snowboard, that my entire disposition completely changed. I’m not even exaggerating – I now look forward to winter and I’m sad to see it go.

So with the abundance of newcomers migrating to Boise, especially from warmer climates like California, I felt it was pertinent to pass along my vast knowledge to you cool cats who are wondering, “Why in the world did I move to somewhere that is so freaking cold?”

Trust me, if you get a winter hobby, it will absolutely change your life. At least, while you’re living in a place that is graced with all four seasons.

Why snowboarding or skiing?

There is a multitude of winter hobbies that you can adopt (snowshoeing, snow tubing, sight-seeing, snowboarding, skiing, etc.), and some are obviously more convenient, affordable, and/or family-friendly than others. However, I personally love both the active aspects of snowboarding and the sense of community that you find on the mountain.

“Once you start getting involved, you meet a bunch of people, you find a sense of community, and it makes it feel more homey. It’s a domino effect.” – Brennan Condie, Bogus Basin Terrain Park Crew 

Also, snowboarding and skiing can be extremely feasible, if you know where to look. The biggest piece of advice that Condie had was to, “dip your toe in the water before you dive head-first into it.” What he meant by this is that new equipment is not the cheapest thing in the world – in fact, it can be kind of spendy. But it’s not so bad if you know where to look. You don’t have to break your bank before you know if you’ll even like it.