Snowboarding: Climate Conditions what to expect.?

Question

This will be my first time snowboarding. And not having been in the cold snow for a long period of time for quite some time I'm wondering how cold can it get on the mountain.

The weather forcast for when I'll be going says it'll be 37 high and 23 low partly cloudy.

Can it get warm on the slopes b/c of the sunshine?

Although the body warms up when it's active....as a newbie I may find myself more in the "stand still" mode than others. How concerned should I be about getting cold...I have all the layers necessary but still concerned I won't be warm enough...

Answer 1

you are way more likely to get hot than cold. which means you will sweat which will make you cold. just make sure you keep your head covered at all times and dont take it off because that is where the majority of your body heat is released.

Answer 2

That's a pretty normal temperature range for snowboarding.  I'd recommend wearing at least three layers.

Inner layer: something non-cotton and long sleeved/legged.  Long underwear works but you want to make sure it's not cotton because when cotton gets wet (from sweat or snow) it's heavy and won't insulate.  It'll make you colder.

Middle layer: this one is for warmth.  Fleece is great.  Wool works too.  Again, not cotton if you can swing it.  

Outer layer: waterproof!  Windproof!  Tuck your middle upper body layer into your pants to make a nice barrier.  Gloves and a hat are important too.

Sometimes I wear two middle layers, sometimes not.  The great thing about layering rather than just wearing a parka is that if you get a bit warmer you can take one thing off and you can easily add one thing.  What I usually wear is:

Legs: underwear, polypro pants, thin fleece pants, snow pants.

Upper body: polypro long sleeve shirt, tshirt, fleece jacket, winter jacket.

Answer 3

Yes, the sun can warm you up on the slopes. If you are spending a lot of time on your butt you will get cold and wet. Or if you get hot and sweat you will get wet. Either way, it is very important that you do NOT wear cotton - especially against the skin. If it gets wet you will be cold and miserable.

Wear synthetic underwear - at least on the top and you will be more comfortable in cold or warm conditions.

Good Luck

Answer 4

You'll be surprised at how warm 37 can be on the mountain.  Although you are a noob, you'll be using your upper body a lot pushing yourself off the ground.  You'll also be using your core muscles a lot to keep your balance, sit up, etc.  Wear a helmet, that's enough head-covering to keep you warm, and it's also good protection.

You should be fine if you have all of the necessary layers.  Just make sure that they're waterproof.  If it gets wet, it'll get cold really fast and easily.

Your layers should be fine as long as it's warm.  You don't want to overdress though.  37 is pretty warm on the mountain.  And if you feel yourself getting hot, you could always unzip for a while and let the cold air in.  Then zip back up when you're done.

Answer 5

The temp range you mention is about normal for riding in good conditions. If you are chilling down, move around a bit until you get warm.  Learning to board or ski, you will be fairly active during the lessons, wear a hat or helmet that covers your ears, drink water, a hydra pac or camelback is great.  If you are really concerned, get some chemical hand warmers, put one next to your chest under your jacket and vest.  This will really warm you quickly.  Also a one in each glove (that's what the hidden pocket is for) will keep your hands warm.