Destination: Mountains

Majestic peaks, thin air, unspoiled nature

Most of my life, I’ve been able to see mountains from my deck, and they are the centerpiece of every dream destination for me. My parents were ski bums in their early twenties. To support their outdoor adventures, they ran a small plumbing and heating business – Hot Rod and Yox – in Park City, Utah.

I was born there, and from the time I could walk, my dad took me out on service calls and I played nearby as my mom gave ski lessons at the slopes. At the time, I was more into sledding and building monster snow forts with the help of my dad on his skid-steer loader.

Everyday life in a ski town

Retracing the ski bum footsteps of my parents, I spent five years in Silverthorne, Colorado, covering mountain town territory with a hydronics manufacturer’s rep firm. In between appointments, I enjoyed people watching at the local coffee shops. One of my favorites was Yeti’s Grind at The Shops at Solaris in Vail Village. I’d pull out my tablet and prepare for my next appointment. Hearing other customers tell tales of the day’s conquests and defeats on the mountain is one of my favorite things, because the opinions are often so polarized. "I hated it, I'm never skiing again, falling down on ice isn't a sport, everything about this day is stupid!" to "Maybe we should just quit our jobs and just, like jump our snowboards off cliffs and live in a camper, man!"

At home on the slopes

The trick to skiing in Colorado is to have a friend who lives close to the ski area, so you don't have to fight through Denver traffic to ski on a weekend. For those unfamiliar with I-70 west of Denver, it is the most scenic traffic jam you will ever see on a Saturday morning. In exchange for breakfast burritos, my place became a rent-free, weekend ski condo for my friends from the Denver area. They’d drag me around the mountains, often to the top of slopes that were well above my skill level, so I would look like an injured deer sliding out of the trees behind the group. It was there that I finally learned to love skiing. For me, it is the perfect extrovert-introvert sport: Loud and social at the base and on the way up; serene and independent as I make my way back down. It is a great disconnect, requiring me to clear my thoughts and give myself fully to the task.

“The perfect day of skiing starts before the crowds get there and ends before you get the raccoon-like goggle tan on your face.”

Mountain essentials

Water (your body needs to produce more red blood cells at high altitude, so you need to drink a lot more than you think)
Sunscreen (mountain locals know you’re a tourist if your chin and neck are sunburnt; snow is reflective)
Layers (there is no single perfect jacket for a day in the mountains; bring a lot of light- and medium-weight layers that you can pull on and off during the day)
Avoid denim and pack an extra pair of socks (the longest day of your life will probably involve wet jeans or socks on a mountain)

That jarring first breath

I love the cold. As a temperature nerd, I like the ability to dial in my comfort with the amount of clothes I’m wearing. Taking that first deep breath of thin, dry, frigid air seems to trigger a fight-or-flight response along with a burst of energy, like when you accidentally make the coffee too strong.

"There are no friends on a powder day"

That is the phrase dedicated skiers will use to justify not waiting for their buddies to start the day. It is no fun to be hours late to get to the chairlift, because one of your buddies has to swing by the bank first. Best case, you are early enough to get "first chair", which means you get to ski down at least once before anyone else. Worst case, you are late and have to wait in long lift lines and then have to dodge a hundred people on the way down.

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Summit without a view

I did one of my favorite hikes with my wife, Jules, during our honeymoon in South Africa. Above Cape Town, Table Mountain creates its own microclimate, often forming clouds around the top. The hike to the top was very steep and challenging, and Jules didn’t kill me for suggesting the activity, which probably means a successful honeymoon was had. Switchback after switchback, we made our way up the dirt staircase as a team, until we found ourselves wrapped in a blanket of clouds at the top.

“When I feel I’ve seen an uncrowded piece of nature and can take a cool photo, that’s an A+ day.”

A great day in the mountains

Everyone has their own idea of what makes a great day in the mountains. For me, whether I’m hiking, snowshoeing or skiing, I want to feel I left all I had on the mountain.

I return to a warm space and carefully hang up my socks (there’s nothing worse than wet socks in the morning). After downing a huge plate of pasta with pesto, I might summon a bit of energy for some board games or a cliché-off with my trip mates. Quick, come up with a cliché or you’re out. For example, 'let's circle back to that", "It was a home run", "could you unpack that for me?"

An all-season adventure

My favorite thing about mountains is that they’re an all-season activity. I went to college at University of Utah’s Salt Lake City campus, which backs up to wilderness. I had many opportunities to hike and run through those mountains, mostly solo. I learned to pay attention to my surroundings.

Lacing up my virtual hiking boots

With my family, I escape to the mountains every chance I get. Last year, Squaw Valley. The year before, Seattle’s Mt. Rainier. My next dream destination, Baxter State Park (Maine). My bucket list: Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego (South America). My planning always begins with a virtual tour on Google Earth. I spend hours exploring topographic maps to get a sense of the terrain. I choose the peaks; Jules chooses the cool hotels and restaurants. We’re looking forward to the day when we can introduce our two-month-old daughter, Lucca, to her first A+ day in the mountains – maybe snowshoeing next winter with her.

Max Rohr, Building Solutions Marketing and Academy Manager, oversees marketing and customer training for REHAU Americas. He loves to eat carbs and fixate on heating and cooling systems when traveling. Often seen, in a Patagonia jacket with camera in hand, buried in a map.

My favorite mountains:

Mt. Olympus, Utah

Mt. Ruapehu, New Zealand

Buffalo Mountain, Colorado

Denali, Alaska

My favorite mountain projects:

Solaris Town Center | Vail, CO

Radiant systems help keep town center safe and warm.

BlackBirch Residence | Haliburton, ON

Dramatic lake views with year-round comfort

ROAM Furniture and Lighting

Stylish solutions for your mountain home.

Steamboat Springs Promenade & Plaza | Steamboat Springs, CO

Snow and ice melting system clears the way for ski resort fun.