How to Start Your Ski Season Right

A successful start means a realistic, cautious approach, knowing your limits, and being realistic about expectations. Here's how to manage yours.

I look down at my watch. 1:57.

The motions start playing out in my head. There are a couple other people in the lift line. If I strap on my snowboard now, I should get to the ticket gate at exactly 2:00, when my pass activates. Then we maximize our runs.

Deciding my calculation is probably about right, I throw my board onto the ground. I get a lot of info…