Wow, that's unfortunate about your son's board! When you go to the mountain, it is a bit of an escape. You are there to just have fun, so you really don't think about things such as security so much. I guess thieves know that and try to take advantage of that kind of situation. For that reason, I think it is best to either lock the board, use board/ski check (if available), or what I do is have someone be a lookout guard. If going in the lodge for an extended period of time, I set my board by the window where I am going to be sitting. Most thieves are NOT going to target a board that has eyeballs on it. But if it is not your style to play Homeland Security with your gear, a board lock is a good option.
