Men's Journal

Your perfect weekend kicks off long before the Super Bowl begins. The day before the big game, it’s all about finding some competition of your own. Hit Vermont’s backcountry powder in a randonnee ski race, or tear up the single track in Texas for 12 hours of mountain biking. Either way, the beer and the dip will taste that much better on Sunday.

By Chase Scheinbaum

Mountain Hardwear Ski Mountaineering Race, January 6

Mad River Valley, Vermont

Blast into the Vermont backcountry this weekend at the Mountain Hardwear Ski Mountaineering Race. Starting at the base of Mad River Glen Ski Area, skiers skin and shred their way off piste via the famous Long Trail, ending at Sugarbush resort. Click here for a race map.

Lodging & Accommodation

Stay at Sugarbush Inn and ski from the race’s end almost directly to your digs for the night and into the hands of a massage therapist operating out of the inn. If you’re too sore to leave the building the next day, no sweat. Use the inn’s sauna and catch the Super Bowl from your room. Otherwise, book a ticket now to catch the game at Burlington’s 156 Bistro.

Mad River Glen is about an hour from Burlington International Airport, your best best if traveling by air.

The Dirty Dozen Mountain Bike Race, January 6

Warda, Texas

The Dirty Dozen Mountain Bike Race is another great way to get some exercise before game day. Go it alone, or grab some buddies and head to Bluff Creek Ranch where you’ll find eight miles of blissful single track to ride in this relay race. Teams of one to five can enter the 12-hour endurance smackdown, or the six-hour version of the race.

Lodging & Accommodation

The Bluff Creek Ranch offers rooms with queen-size beds and jacuzzis for $50 per night. Tent and RV camping is available on the ranch, too. Watch the game on Sunday at Champions in Austin.

The ranch is about an hour-and-a-half by car from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, or two-and-a-half hours from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.