Everything you need to know about having a great ski day, you can learn at the Deer Valley Resort Celebrity Skifest. Here’s what I found out when I chatted with some of the competitors in Deer Valley’s annual opening weekend event to benefit the Waterkeeper Alliance.

Remember to smile. Sometimes, the stress of pulling together a ski day can get the best of us. But, if you remember my mantra, “There’s no such thing as a bad day on the mountain,” it’ll help you keep your head in the game. Walking in to check-in for Skifest is one of my first experiences of the season every year, and there are always tons of smiling faces to help set a great tone for the day and the season.

Remember why you ski. Whether you’re bonding with family and friends, or supporting a great cause, skiing is a community endeavor. “The people are great,” singer Taylor Hicks, a Deer Valley regular, told me. “The Waterkeeper Alliance couldn’t be a more positive organization. So I’m very excited about being a part of this particular ski race to benefit the Waterkeeper Alliance.”

Keep your sense of humor “We suck! Our team sucks,” Steve Mahre announced to me with a laugh. “We don’t really—we’re a good team, but we didn’t advance in the race, so therefore we suck.”

Be ready for changing terrain “This year, you got out of the start, and the course went a little straighter, and about three turns out, they put a couple of tricky turns in,” Steve said. “That caught a lot of people off guard—including me—but that’s part of the game.”

Fuel up—whether you’re snacking on an apple before you warm up, or making sure you have enough energy to keep racing with a nice Deer Valley lunch, eating is crucial to a successful ski day.

Visualize success. Every year, I look forward to Rob Morrow’s inspirational take on skiing, and this year he did not disappoint, cracking wise about his race-day secret weapon, “Visualization,” he announced. And, you know, he’s not wrong. “Act as if—and you will ski well.”
Ask for snow. “It’s an el Nino year, so I’m hoping we get a lot of snow,” Steve told me. And, within a week, Utah was gifted some incredible storms! Thanks, Steve.