Ski Club: Winter Adventure & Mountain Memories

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During the cold New York winters, one of the most popular outlets on campus has always been the Colgate Ski & Snowboard Club (CSSC). Once the spring semester begins, numerous students are excited throughout the weeks of January, February and early March to spend part of the weekend skiing. The club has been running for years, and its current co-presidents, seniors Alli Carpenter and Yiwen Xu, have been instrumental in its growing popularity.

Carpenter was introduced to skiing when she was young, but only became a consistent skier once she arrived at Colgate. 

“My aunt used to invite [my family] skiing and I had a few lessons when I was eight,” Carpenter said. “But I wasn’t a big skier until going to Colgate. I heard about ski club during [my first year] and I picked it back up like riding a bike. I love the exercise and challenge that skiing provides. When it comes to skiing, I just love the whole experience!”

In contrast, Xu had skied consistently since high school and was drawn to Colgate because of the prominence of the ski club and the general outdoorsy nature of Colgate students during the winter.

“I’ve been skiing since my sophomore year of high school, so for about six years now,” Xu said. “I have been a member of the ski club since my [first year] and had heard about the club from my tour guide while I was visiting the University. It was actually one of the major reasons why I decided to attend Colgate.”

Both Xu and Carpenter found themselves consistently attending CSSC outings throughout their time at Colgate and attended many trips together across mountains such as nearby Greek Peak Mountain and Labrador Mountain, both of which are popular destinations for trips in the club. While enjoying their time at the ski club, the two became members of the ski club’s executive board, and as of this current academic year, became the co-presidents of the club, where they plan and manage trips that the club members go on.

“The ski trips start out the first week of class in the second semester and are every Friday and Saturday until March,” Xu explained. “We usually do two trips every weekend. Most of our trips are usually in high demand so we send out forms that are filled out on a first come first serve basis, and usually take fifty-five people per trip.”

Ski & Snowboard Club’s trips have become a prominent social outlet for Colgate students and are enjoyed by many students and their friends. One member who enjoys going on the trips is sophomore Dylan Gutterman.

“I’ve been skiing since I was really little, and figured if I was at Colgate, where ski club is very popular, that I might as well continue skiing here.” Gutterman said. “It’s really great going on the trips. The club pays for everything, including equipment, and it’s a really fun activity to do with your friends on the weekends.”

Gutterman not only recommended the club to other Colgate students but to students who have never skied before as well.

“Most of my friends that I ski with at Colgate had never skied before going on the trips that ski club offers. The club offers free beginner skiing packages that are offered by the resorts we go to. There, you can learn how to ski for the first hour or so of the trip, and afterwards can spend the remaining hours of the trip skiing with your friends.”

Xu and Carpenter encourage this sentiment that the ski club truly is a club for all students, even those who currently do not ski.

“Ski club is a club for everyone,” said Xu. “In fact, I highly encourage bringing friends who have never skied before to learn to ski/snowboard with you! We have a very supportive leadership team. The trip coordinators and executives on the trips are very caring, and I would be happy to ski with you!”