Category: Snowsports

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Meet Jake White

Jake White – Alpine Shop Snow & Bike Retail and Service Manager

Name: Jake White
Nickname: jahweez
Date Started at Alpine Shop: 08-10-2009
Which Alpine Shop location do you work at?  Kirkwood
Official Title: Snow & Bike retail and service manager

What do you do at Alpine Shop?
Manage the retail and service shops for the snow and bike departments….. And have a ton of fun doing so while helping our outstanding customers and working with our great outfitters.

Where are you from?
I was born in Daytona Beach, lived in Sturgeon and Green Bay Wisconsin as well as a suburb of Milwaukee. I graduated from high school in Homewood, Ill., and then moved to Arizona – Phoenix for eight years and Flagstaff for about two.

I-17 from Phoenix to Flagstaff is my favorite stretch of highway in the country. Driving up it to go skiing or snowboarding at one of the most underrated ski resorts in the country, Arizona Snowbowl, is where some of my fondest memories come from.

What is your passion?
Skiing, snowboarding and cycling top the list. My uncle bought me a snowboard before I had ever hit the slopes because he knew I would love it as I grew up skateboarding. A life changing gift that I will never forget. I rode bicycles as a kid like everyone else, but got back in to it heavily when I started at the Alpine Shop

Where is your favorite place to “Get Outside Yourself”?
Right now it’s riding a trail with my family around a wetlands area with beautiful scenery that includes turtles and frogs among other beautiful features.

I can be really happy anywhere in Summit County Colorado, Jackson Hole Wyoming and Southern California. Flagstaff is probably my favorite place I’ve ever lived though

What is your dream adventure?
I could be happy on a killer ski trip to a number of resorts, taking a long gravel bike ride camping along the way, or catching waves just about anywhere. (That is quite a loaded question and I could definitely go deeper.)

Favorite product/brand that we sell?
Specialized Diverge (bike)
Any Mervin or Never Summer (board)
Nordica Enforcer (ski)
Salomon X-Pro 120 (ski boot)

However there are many life changing products that we sell here. Undergarments in particular with specific regard to ExOficcio and Saxx Underwear, Smartwool and Fits socks, and anything with merino wool in it.

What do you enjoy doing that doesn’t relate to the outdoors?
Reading, watching movies and television, watching and following sports. Coloring, reading, playing with my 6 year old daughter in any facet and spending time with my family in general. Cooking and culinary arts are another passion of mine

Favorite Book?
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

Anything else you would like to share about yourself?
My daughter and girlfriend are my world, and wouldn’t have gotten this far in life without the example of my mother’s and grandmother’s strength

Do you have an outdoor related blog or website you would like to share?
Blotto Photography

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A Gear & Beer Event: Snowsports!

Join us for the first “Gear & Beer” of 2019 for a look at what’s new in skiing and snowboarding equipment this season on Thursday, January 17 at 6:30 pm! (And if you wouldn’t mind, please RSVP here so we know how much beer to bring.)

Beginners and Experts alike are invited to an informal class/discussion led by Alpine Shop staff while you relax with a beverage from Urban Chestnut Brewing Company.

Part information session and part social hour, “Gear & Beer” nights are dedicated to sharing our love and passion for a sport, while making sure we’re helping newcomers find out just what they need to succeed.

Specifically, we’ll guide discussions this week about the different styles of skis, boards, boots, and bindings and what each style’s purpose is on the mountain-side. We’ll also talk about the latest and greatest features on today’s equipment and what it actually means to you. The idea isn’t to try to sell you on anything in particular; it’s to try to help you make the most educated decisions for your next trip to Hidden Valley or to anywhere in the country.

This is a chance for skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels to chime in with information. So, please join us for some free beer and a chance to talk “shop” with some like-minded people.

Gear & Beer: Snowsports
Thursday, January 17 – 6:30–8 pm
Alpine Shop Kirkwood
RSVP Here

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2018 Women’s Ski & Board Night Is November 16

Women's Ski & Board Night

Alpine Shop invites you to join us on Friday, November 16 at our Kirkwood location to help us kick off the 2018-19 winter season and get ready for another season on the slopes.

We’re hosting a party with this-night-only-specials, complimentary wine, chocolates, snacks, a fashion show and a chance to win over $2000 in prizes – including gear and apparel from Burton, Smartwool socks and apparel, Hidden Valley lift tickets and more.

We’re also helping to kick off Hidden Valley Ski Resort’s “Women’s Wednesdays” group ski program and will have representatives of the event on hand to give you more information.

Event Schedule:
6 pm: Event Begins! Drinks, Snacks & Drawing Entry forms are all available.

6:15 pm: Complimentary Custom Fit Appointments Available. While you’re here, get sized for your next pair of boots or for the perfect outfit.

6:45 – 7:30 pm: Alpine Shop Roving Fashion Show.

7 pm: Hidden Valley Ski Resort Instructor will introduce the Hidden Valley Women’s program for 2019 with a brief presentation and Q&A session

8 pm: Prize Drawings! Custom fits continue.

9 pm Time to go home!

It’s the 2018 Women’s Ski & Board Night and it’s only at Alpine Shop Kirkwood on November 16, 2018!

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Ski & Snowboard Service: Protect your gear and perfect your ride

Keeping your skis and snowboards tuned is one of the two most important things* you can do to ensure you have a great time on the slopes every time you make a run. Why? Because without a tune, your gear does two things: it sticks to the snow, making it harder for you to move and it reduces your maneuverability in turns, making it harder for you to go where you want to go. Now, if this still sounds fun, proceed to your nearest slope without taking care of your ride. However, if you want to actually enjoy your time on the snow, read on.

There are two different ways to keep your skis and snowboards tuned: you can do it yourself or you can bring them in to us at Alpine Shop and let us take care of it for you.

Some repairs, though, are beyond the equipment you’ll have in your basement. And some people would just rather have an experienced technician do the work. For those jobs, Alpine Shop is proud to offer you one of the top ski and snowboard service centers in the country. Completely stocked with top-of-the-line Wintersteiger equipment and manned by certified techs, we’ll make sure your gear is perfectly tuned for your particular style.

Here’s some examples of what we do:

An example of a board needing a custom tune from Alpine Shop's service center
A perfect example of something needing a Custom Tune. If the customer does the Basic Tune, all those scratch lines will still be there, the edges won’t be perfect and the base would be dry.

Precision Ski or Snowboard Tune:

Our highest level of service in package form. Stone grind, Base beveling/flattening, base and side edge beveling/sharpening, ptex and a race/hot wax and race polish.

And just what does all this mean?

Stone grinding: This process flattens the ski base, removes damaged base material and gives skis and boards a better surface for wax to adhere to for a smoother, faster ride.

Base beveling/flattening: This means we’re shaping the bottom of your gear to work perfectly for your personal style on the slopes.

Side edge beveling/sharpening: The most important thing for maneuverability is for your ski or snowboard edges to be smooth – like a fine knife – not the serrated kind. We make sure your edges are smooth, sharp and angled precisely to match your riding style.

Ptex: We use ptex to repair gouges or other damage done to the base of your gear. Without the repairs done, your skis or board can’t perform the way they’re meant to on the slopes.

Is your base drying out? Alpine Shop's hot wax treatment can take care of that.
See the white lines in the base? That’s the base drying out. This board needs a tune with a HOT WAX.

Hot Wax: The difference between hot wax and machine wax is like deciding between an economy set of new tires or a performance rated set of tires. Both will have your car performing better, but there is a noticeable difference in the quality of the ride. The same holds true here. A hot wax treatment will be customized to the type and temperature of the conditions you’ll ski in. It will also protect your base better and be more durable than a machine wax. For this reason, if your gear’s base appears to be drying out (see pic on the right) we will recommend a hot wax treatment. A machine wax, meanwhile, is much better than nothing at all, but we can’t give you the best ride possible with it.

The Precision Tune is for the customer who wants the ultimate experience on his gear at all time. This tune makes skis and boards as close to new as possible. Guaranteed to be fast and sharp.

Sharpen & Wax Package:

Our best value: Base beveling/flattening, base and side edge beveling/sharpening, and machine wax.
For the customer who want to save bank but needs that next level of service. This tune will cleanup and polish the base while flattening it and make those edges sharp, sharp, sharp. If the base looks dry (see pic above) we will recommend you upgrade to a Hot Wax.

Alpine Shop's Service Center can handle Ptex & epoxy repairs
An example of a ptex repair. If the gouge/scratch is down to the core it will need epoxy.


Ptex/Epoxy Base or Topsheet Repair:

For those times when the snow isn’t perfect and you smoke a rock/rail or fellow skier. This service starts at $15 and goes up depending on what is needed to completely repair your ski or snowboard.

Have other questions? Give us a call at 314-962-7715. We’ll be happy to help you out however we can.

*Oh and the other most important thing you can do to ensure a good experience on the slopes: Get a good, professionally fit pair of boots.

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All New Tune Shop for 2017

 

Alpine Shop Tuning Shop
Alpine Shop’s brand new Wintersteiger tuning machines for 2017-18

For the 2017-18 Winter Season, Alpine Shop has completely revamped our Ski and Snowboard Tune Shop, bringing in all-new tuning machines to make sure we can continue to give you the professional tunes you’ve come to expect from one of the top ski shops in the country.

Featuring a full complement of Wintersteiger machines dedicated to making it easier than ever to perfect the edge or bevel on your skis or board, Alpine Shop can handle any type of service your gear may need.

Wintersteiger Base Grinder Omega S 350
The Wintersteiger Omega S 350 Base Grinder allows customized programs to give your skis or boards the perfect base for our staff to work with whatever conditions you’ll face.

So what does that mean to you? Faster skis, better turns and more enjoyable days on the slopes.

Our trained technicians  are ready to help you take advantage of what’s looking to be one of the best winter seasons in a long time – especially out west, where snow has already been falling in the Rockies for the past couple of weeks.

Drop in to our Kirkwood location with your gear and let us show you just how much fun you can have on the slopes this year. Or, drop off your skis or board at one of our other locations. We’ll take care of the transportation to our Kirkwood store at no charge to you.

Find out more about our services and pricing here.

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Up to $50 Back with Yakima Product Purchase

Yakima-Rebate-Offer-webSpend $300 or more on any Yakima product from April 27, 2013 through May 27, 2013 and qualify to receive a rebate.

You can take advantage of this deal at any Alpine Shop location or on-line at alpineshop.com. The specifics are below:

 

Purchase Yakima gear for the following amounts to qualify for a rebate:

$500 purchase (receives a $50 rebate)

$400 purchase (receives a $40 rebate)

$300 purchase (receives a $30 rebate)

 

More specifics:

Rebates cannot be instantly redeemed at the time of purchase.

Rebates can be completed online at www.yakima.com/promotions or mailed in.

To mail in your rebate, please print and use the official rebate form and mail by May 27, 2013.

Rebates are issued in the form of a Visa debit card.

Rebates will be sent via mail within 6-8 weeks of completion and submission of rebate form and proof of purchase.

 

 

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Smith Variant Brim Helmet Sets Standard for Snowsport Helmet in 2011

Looking to protect your noggin while heading down the slopes this year? Alpine Shop‘s snowsport buyer, Jake White, wanted to give you a look at one of the best options out there for you in 2011.

I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about one of the best-fitting ski or snowboard helmets on the market this year, the Smith Variant Brim. When shopping for protective headwear designated for alpine conditions certain features give you peace of mind and this helmet has all of them. First and foremost, it needs to be extremely comfortable. If it’s not, you’ll take it off at every opportunity. The helmet also needs to have a great adjustment system to be able to custom-fit to your head, as it needs to fit as tight as it can without creating pressure points. Another important feature is venting. Helmets in most cases replace any type of hat you would use to keep your head warm and being able to let some air in without taking it off can be a beautiful thing.

The Variant has one of the best “out of the box” fits I’ve ever experienced. It uses Smith’s hybrid shell construction which has proven to be the best way to fuse the inner and outer materials of the helmet together. (It is not an easy thing for these companies to do without compromising the feel of the helmet.)

The company has also contracted Boa Cable Technologies for the sizing/adjustment system. This gives the fit system greater capabilities to adapt to your noggin by increasing the number of contact points the size-ring draws from, not to mention it’s hard to get more durable than a Boa Cable.

The air flow/venting system for this helmet is outstanding and one of a kind.  The vents are on the tops and sides of the helmet with a switch for each of the two regions that operate individually.  Each side has three positions:  open, half-way and closed. That equals a ton of cooling/warming options for you while you’re on the slopes.

By integrating these features, Smith has, in my opinion, mastered the equation involved in making a helmet. Whether its replacing that old one that doesn’t fit like you want it to, or buying your first helmet, Smith has made it an easy choice.

–Jake White

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Free $52 Gift Certificate with Purchase of $148 of The North Face Through 11/6

The first six days of November will bring some great deals to fans of The North Face brand at Alpine Shop. From the first to the sixth, any purchase total of $148 made up entirely of The North Face merchandise will receive a $52 gift certificate good for anything in a future purchase at Alpine Shop.

The North Face Denali Jacket, Cat's Meow BX Sleeping Bag
Either one of these items from The North Face, the Denali Jacket (for men and women) and the Cat's Meow BX Sleeping Bag, will earn you a Free Gift Certificate.

So, whether you earn that FREE gift certificate with one TNF Denali Jacket or a Cat’s Meow BX Sleeping Bag;

The North Face Peruvian Corded Beanie, Half Dome Hoodie, Etip Gloves and 100 TKA Microvelour Pants
Add these items up (The North Face Peruvian Corded Beanie, Half Dome Hoodie, Etip Gloves and 100 TKA Microvelour Pants) and you hit your $148 target to a Free $52 Gift Certificate.

or maybe you spread the TNF joy out a little and grab a hat, pants, gloves and hoodie like this Peruvian Cable Beanie Cap, these TKA 100 Microvelour Women’s Pants, a pair of these Etip Gloves that enable you to use your touchscreen phone while still wearing your gloves, and finally this Half Dome Hoodie to fill out our bill and grab yourself a $52 gift certificate for later on this holiday season.

A few notes on this promotion: Deal good through Sunday, 11/6/11. Limit 4 gift certificates per customer. $148 equals pre-tax total on The North Face brand clothing and gear. Gift card only good for future purchases. Previous purchases not eligible for deal. Return of goods purchased in order to receive certificate will result in forfeiture of certificate. Gift Certificate expires on 12/31/11.

See you in the Shop – or online at alpineshop.com.

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Ski Like a Girl Weekend Will Be Rescheduled

The best laid plans and all of that… Due to Cardinal Circumstances beyond our control (and evidently beyond the Rangers’ control as well), we have decided to reschedule the entire slate of the Ski Like a Girl Weekend activities. If you already signed up for a custom fit with us this weekend, our Certified Pedorthist Angie Bono would love to take care of you at your scheduled time – as she does for hundreds of other customers – according to the same principles of Jeannie Thoren’s Thoren Theory.

Thanks for your understanding.

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Ski Like a Girl! – Jeannie Thoren Visits Alpine Shop

NOTE: Friday Night’s Reception has been canceled due to the Cardinals’ miraculous comeback that has forced Game 7 of the World Series. Refund information will be updated Friday morning. Custom fits during the weekend are all still on schedule.

Ladies, does this sound like you?
Do your skis wander or cross? Do your heels lift up in your boots? Do your feet move in your boots? Do you lean back on your skis? Do you fatigue easily? Do your feet get cold or tired? Do you ski “Knock-kneed?”

Guess what? It’s not you. It’s your equipment!

Jeannie Thoren's Ski Like a Girl Weekend at Alpine Shop
Known throughout the skiing world, Jeannie Thoren is one of the world's foremost experts when it comes to women's ski equipment.

Women’s ski expert Jeannie Thoren will be on hand for Alpine Shop’s Ski Like a Girl Weekend beginning with our reception and program Friday night October 28 at 6:30 pm to help you find answers to your skiing questions.

Thoren is a living legend of the women’s ski movement. A competitive skier herself back in the late 1960s and 70s, Thoren was one of the first to notice that the physical differences between men and women required completely different ski equipment. Over 40 years of work in the field have finally seen Thoren’s expertise adopted by the ski world; but it still requires experts in the field that understand the principles of the Thoren Theory to make sure your equipment works perfectly for you. On Friday, Oct. 28, she’ll explain exactly what you need to make sure you’re ready for the ski season ahead of you.

Letter from happy customer.
Letter from a satisfied customer from one of Jeannie's previous visits.

Thoren is no stranger to Alpine Shop, either. She has made the trip to St. Louis to work with our customers numerous times. And she has helped hundreds of them go on to be more confident and more comfortable skiers.

Find out more about the Ski Like a Girl Weekend at Alpine Shop here!

 

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