In a few weeks, the temperatures will drop and the streets will be covered with snow.
And if you visit the mountains soon, you will see the first signs of winter coming.
Along with the winter season comes ski season.
And at this time, some are dreaming about the first ride up on the gondola, fresh snow and the first run down the mountain.
Here’s a few tips for new skiers from senior Scott Greacen, president of the Ski and Snowboard Club.
Join ski and snowboard club:
Along with a discount on ski passes, a free t-shirt and bus rides to the mountains on the weekend, a Ski and Snowboard club membership has a whole lot to offer.
“We send trips to Jackson Hole during winter break, Whistler during spring break and Mont Tremblant in the spring,” Greacen said.
“We host huge Rail Jams on campus, film premiers, a student edit contest in the spring, barbeques and even ‘Learn to Ski & Ride’ days to bring more people into the community at super affordable costs,” he said.
Choose a Mountain:
Vermont is nicknamed the Green Mountain State and has a reputation for some of the best skiing on the East Coast.
There is a plethora of options for where to buy passes and spend your winter days skiing, which can become daunting for those unfamiliar with Vermont’s mountains.
“There is no one best mountain in Vermont, nor is there one pass that can get you to all of them.
“So, you’ll have to make some choices,” Greacen said.
“The most important thing when buying a pass is to have you and all of your friends go to the same resort.”
Each mountain varies in price, terrain and crowd, he said.
“Even the iciest or wettest days can be made amazing with the right crew and a powder day is only so fun unless you have people to hi-five at the end,” Greacen said.
Buy a pass:
Being a student skier when has its perks for those on a budget.
Buying a mountain pass in time is one of the most important parts of getting out there. But it also can be one of the most confusing parts because of the many options and varying prices.
There are a lot of resources to help make this process easier.
“Ski and Snowboard Club Officers put in tons of work to make this as simple and easy as possible,” Greacen said.
“Head in [the Ski and Snowboard Club Haus] any day before the sales deadline Nov. 4 and you can buy them at the lowest possible price.”
“On Nov. 16, all the resorts will come to campus for ‘Pass Pickup Night’ where they take your picture and give you your pass right then and there,” Greacen said.
“All you have to do then is get out and shred.”
Get out there:
Skiers old and new are encouraged by the club to get out and get their shred on, since there are opportunities for every skill set.
“I don’t think you can find a better community of people than the winter sports community in Burlington,” Greacen said.
“We truly appreciate the good days because we’ve seen the bad ones.”
“We encourage everyone to get to the mountains regardless of ability, what terrain you like to ride or the number or wooden planks attached to your feet,” Greacen said.
“Above all, we have more hi-fives per capita than any other state in the country.”