Growing up in California meant we played at the beach or parks all year long until winter came. Once the snow would stick we would head up to Mammoth Mountain as a family to have some fun on the snow. Every morning at the sound of the avalanche team booming the cannons, my dad religiously would wake us up for pre-mountain stretching. Begrudgingly, we would shuffle to the living room with our eyes half open never understanding the idea behind his exercises. Now, as an adult and a yoga instructor I can appreciate his efforts and can understand the rationale behind them. Unbeknownst to us my dad was doing just what we needed; our muscles were stretched and balanced out for a day of skiing.