Each time my family departs for a ski trip to Tahoe, we enter the highway expecting a smooth ride. However, I always find myself suddenly screaming, “I forgot something!” My parents groan as they reluctantly turn the car around.
I have certain Tahoe essentials that I can never leave behind. I write a packing list one week in advance to let my mind work its way through everything I need: clothing, personal items and toiletries. This ensures that if we get too far on the highway before a spark of memory hits me, at least I didn’t forget these key items.
First, I bring my neon orange journal. It might seem silly to take notes on a ski trip, but writing down my thoughts in real time helps me preserve memories of the trip. As my time in high school comes to an end and family trips grow less frequent, I know that one day I will be looking back on these journal entries to reminisce about our annual family Tahoe trips.
In the past, I have documented everything in my journal, including what time we stopped for a bathroom break and how many ice cream cones my mom let my brothers order at McDonald’s. I probably don’t need to remember that we got off Highway 280 at exactly 11:34 a.m., but it might come in useful one day if I find out I was a witness at a crime scene.
An essential for the car ride is chewing gum, which helps pop my ears when we drive through the curved high-altitude mountain roads. If I don’t have gum, eating other snacks like potato chips also helps equalize the pressure in my ears, but tasting a minty fresh flavor as I watch the beautiful hills and pine trees outside my frosted window is an unmatched experience.
Another car ride essential is slippers. I always have the urge to take off my shoes during a 5-hour car ride, but my brothers adamantly protest that it will make the car stinky. They’re obviously being dramatic, but bringing comfy slippers prevents my brothers from creating a riot while allowing me to sleep comfortably in the backseat.
At the ski resort, I find a ski mask essential to prevent harsh wind from biting my cheeks and flying snow from entering my nose. To anyone who doesn’t use a ski mask: I admire you, but I don’t know how you do it. My face feels like a slab of dehydrated concrete after skiing without a mask. But if you are okay with having cracked skin, you do you!
In addition to keeping my skin hydrated, I can’t forget about my lips. No matter how much water I drink at Tahoe, my lips become dryer than the Sahara desert, so I like to bring a travel-sized container of Vaseline. I will always believe that Vaseline is superior to lip balm because it’s a thick layer of pure petroleum jelly that locks in moisture, without any of the extra fragrances or dyes.
As you can probably tell, whole-body hydration is one of my biggest priorities for Tahoe. I always carry a small bottle of water in my ski coat pocket to ensure I never get into a situation where I’m so thirsty I have to consume snow (which is extremely dirty). After I race to the bottom of the slope and have to wait for my younger brother or parents to catch up, I sit down and enjoy a crisp, Tahoe-temperature swig of water while gazing at the beautiful mountain I just conquered.
Going to Tahoe each year is a memorable experience, and arriving prepared for the car ride and ski resort is key to enjoying yourself to the fullest. Each person may have different things they always bring, but these are items I must turn around the car for!