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Five Ways to Take a Digital Detox on the Mountain

by Kirsten Dobroth | October 23, 2017

I remember my first friend who had a smart phone; it was 2009, and I was rocking one of those slide Nokia phones that would unveil a numerical typing pad for texting purposes (the cell phone equivalent to the rotary dial). At the time, I remember thinking, “I will never get one of those,” and yet, here we are in 2017, at this strange point in human civilization when “Instagram celebrity” is somehow a job title, and the addiction to our smart devices is actually changing the way we think. Some things, however, should remain sacred, like time spent on the mountain, and while we get it, you can’t necessarily give up your device (although, that sometimes sounds pretty appealing), we’ve got some ideas on how give yourself a digital detox when you hit the slopes this winter (because skiing and snowboarding is still pretty rad even if no one else “likes” it).

Take a social media break while you hit the mountain.

  1.  Unless you’re trying to meet up with people on the mountain, consider putting your phone on silent – or better yet, airplane mode – so you don’t feel the pull of checking your phone every time you get a notification. Or, if you need to see who’s checking in (especially on that “sick day” that coincided with 10 inches at your closest resort), keep your device check-ins to emails, and have scheduled times that you do so, like a water break at the lodge.
  2. Time on the lift with friends and family is priceless, so keep it that way! Make a rule that your phone stays in your pocket while you’re on the lift, and have your crew hold each other accountable.
  3. Put the selfie-stick down. Sure, we’re all about getting some sweet shots of some serious pow-slaying on your last vacation, but recognize when is (and is not) a good time to bust out the recording device. Case in point – that line you’ve been eyeing all day: do it! The crowded cat-track you took to get there: not so much.
  4. Consider those around you. If you ride by yourself and find yourself watching all your snapchats on the lift ride with a chair full of strangers, maybe take a moment to consider that they might not be interested in also listening to all your videos. Shocking, right? As funny as your feed might be, the guy next to you might be more into taking in the surrounding views and silence, not your daily dose of social media, and it might even curb your use (see number one)!
  5. If you’ve conquered 1 through 4 and you’re feeling really ambitious, try turning your phone off. There was a time that people used to have to hope for the best when meeting up with friends on the mountain, and relive the days’ epicness over beers at the local watering hole.

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