Ski, snowboard season on the horizon

The nights are getting chilly, and we’ve fallen back an hour, which means days of playing in the snow lie ahead for everyone willing to make the drive.

Yes, ski and snowboard season is upon us again and the shops are gearing up, anticipating this year’s first snow.

Temperatures at some of the more distant popular resorts have already prompted them to blast some of the man-made stuff, including at Mammoth Mountain, which cranked up the chairlift on one run Thursday.

Local resorts such as Big Bear Mountain and Snow Summit haven’t been so lucky. Staffers usually try to open before Thanksgiving weekend, but it’s a waiting game until temperatures dip, the skies open up and they can start up their snow machines.

During the last few months, shops have been stocking up on the winter essentials, including skis, snowboards, gloves and boots.

Some shops cater to the outdoor adventurist, others have repair shops, and a few have deals that won’t drain the bank account.

With more than 30 years of business in Costa Mesa, Phil’s Ski and Snowboard shop may be the oldest rental and repair shop in Newport-Mesa. Its 22-year tenure on McClintock Way — before that it was in Mesa Verde for about 10 years — has solidified its spot as a reliable place to take the family to rent gear or to get a preseason wax or tuneup. The shop carries a limited supply of other accessories like gloves, leashes and goggles. The shop falls off the radar for half the year since it’s only open November through May, but during that time it can get busy, said Scott Graham who has worked at Phil’s for about 25 years.

Newport’s upscale Stefan Kaelin Ski and Golf Shop is not all about fashion. It has an extensive repair shop run by certified professionals, said owner Stascha Kaelin. The shop on West Coast Highway serves skiers and snowboarders, and, like Phil’s, the store offers ski and snowboard rentals. Customers can rent by the day or opt to pick up their hardware package for an entire season. The store can also make sure ski and snowboard boots fit properly and will create a form-fitting insole for each customer.

Surfside Sports’ co-owner Duke Edukas hopes his shop’s new digs on 17th Street will be open next weekend, just in time for Thanksgiving romps to the mountains. The store will offer a full-service repair shop for snowboarders. The huge new setup also features expanded snowboarding hardware and clothing sections.

For now, the Balboa Peninsula shop is still open and will continue to carry all the boarding apparel until the store makes the move official. Be on the lookout for the doors to open because with that comes the store’s annual snowboarding carnival at which customers can take advantage of some sweet deals on boards, lift tickets and other goodies. There’s usually some good grub too.

The Camp shopping center on Bristol Street in Costa Mesa is known for its down-to-earth shopping options, and it didn’t forget the snow lovers. The Active Ride Shop and Patagonia at Adventure 16 offer two takes on snow sports.

Active is snowboarder heaven, offering a huge inventory of clothes and hardware that have nothing to do with skiing. They carry only brands that are exclusively associated with snowboarding, manager Kevin Runstuck said.

Adventure 16 is in a different league, catering to the true outdoor enthusiast. It’s not cheap, but it has items many shops just don’t carry, like snow shoes. They are also the only store Orange County that carries Patagonia outerwear, and 1% of all the Patagonia sales go to a nonprofit grass-roots environmental group, manager Brian Cameron said.

The holidays are coming up and money can be tight, so anyone in the market for something a little less expensive can head over to Play It Again Sports on Harbor Boulevard, which offers new and used skis, snowboards, boots and bindings.

A complete snowboard, including bindings, can run from $60 to $200 — a steal. The shop mainly deals in snowboards but will carry skis if someone comes to sell them. The store will also take old gear off your hands and will generally pay from one-third to one-half of what they’ll sell it for, owner Kevin Schultz said.

Anyone who’s been on the slopes knows that the sports are only part of the game. The snowboard or skis are important, but it’s the clothes, gloves and other apparel that can catch the eye.

From Stefan Kaelin’s faux and real furs to the hip gear for the snow bunnies on the mountain found at virtually every retail shop, there’s something for every skier or boarder who wants to look good barreling down the hill.

Fashion forward shops have all the popular brands, including Pucci at Stefan Kaelin and Burton at all the shops. All the shops emphasize functionality along with fashion.

“I absolutely won’t buy anything that isn’t functional,” said Stascha Kaelin.

The shops’ busy season is approaching quickly, so get in early to beat the crowds.

Skiing and snowboarding “are just some of the coolest sports in the world,” said Graham of Phil’s Ski and Snowboard Shop. “It’s one of the funnest, and when it starts getting cold out, people start getting antsy.”

MOUNTAIN OF MOVIES

So you’re still bummed summer is over and the cold weather is taking over? No worries. Get amped for the upcoming winter season by watching some of the best videos around. Pick these up before the season starts to make the 5 a.m. wake-up call a bit more palatable and get stoked for riding the white stuff! And don’t worry, we haven’t left out the skiers.

“Decade” released by Mack Dawg Productions, 1998: Just about any flick made by Mack Dawg is worth watching. This particular movie celebrates the production company’s 10th anniversary and features Forum riders, including rippers JP Walker, Peter Line and Devun Walsh. Also featuring Terje Haakonsen and Blaise Rosenthal.

“Escramble” released by Volcom, 2006: This is the newest flick put out by the Costa Mesa-based company. “Escramble” premiered last month to thousands of spectators at the Costa Mesa warehouse. Haakonsen shows up on this one, along with Bjorn Leines, Shaun White and Jamie Lynn.

“Subjekt Haakonsen” released by Volcom, 2003: Haakonsen’s ability is beyond words. Get a glimpse of what it’s like to be in Haakonsen’s world, from the early days. Bonus features on the DVD include footage from the 2003 Warped Tour.

“Nine Lives” released by Wildcat Alliance, 2002: This is a video to watch not only for its snowboarding but also for its riders’ extracurricular activities — the antics of riders, like Mark Frank Montoya, as they use hand-held cameras to document their year of snowboarding and partying all over the world.

“The Hit List” released by Matchstick Productions, 2005: Matchstick Productions has a pretty good reputation for skiing and action sports videos. In this one, as the company describes it, pro skiers travel around the world to the places they love to ski or always wanted to ski, as well as tricks they’ve wanted to nail — in other words, their hit list.

“Snowboarding Old School: The Very First Contest”: This is not a shredder film, and it’s almost funny to watch unfold, but it shows snowboarding pioneers Tom Sims and Jake Burton circa 1980 as they try surfing on the snow with their buddies. With their boots strapped to a board with bungee cords, they hardly land anything on their feet, but it’s nice to see the roots of boarding. It can be tough to find; search the Web or check out DVD Planet’s bargain bins.

— Amanda Pennington