The Northwestern University Ski Trip isn't called the biggest college ski trip in the country for nothing.
About 900 NU students will leave campus Dec. 15 for the NU Ski Club's annual Ski Trip. This year's destination is Steamboat Springs, Colo. The trip runs from the first week of Winter Break to Dec. 21. The trip's reputation draws hundreds of underclassmen, such as Communication sophomore Gabe Cooper, who said he's heard great stories about the experience.
"I've heard this is the best thing you can do at Northwestern," Cooper said. "One thousand NU kids take over a ski hill."
Participating skiers and snowboarders paid $389 for six nights of lodging and a four-day ski pass. Students are responsible for their transportation to and from the resort. Ski Trip Executive Board President Ema Pasic said most students will travel by plane to Colorado, though busing is available and some students will drive. The Weinberg senior said most trip participants are sophomores or seniors, because many freshmen don't know about it and many juniors are abroad.
The ski trip is organized through Echo Tours, a Wheaton, Ill.-based company. Echo Tours sets up the trip arrangements, including lodging and contract, while the ski trip executive board provides a liaison to NU and chooses the trip location and rooming arrangements.
The Steamboat ski resort offers 164 trails among its six mountain peaks. NU students went to the resort two years ago. Pasic said the board chose Steamboat for its nightlife, accommodations and good skiing conditions.
"Steamboat has great snow early in the season and a variety of different ski levels," Pasic said.
Weinberg sophomore Jennifer Long said the ski trip is a great way to spend time with friends without the worries of school. The trip will be her second time skiing.
"Hopefully I won't embarrass myself too much," Long said.
Echo Tours representative Dave Vanderveen said ski trip participants also will have the opportunity to participate in many other activities besides skiing. Each night, students can go to events such as a pub crawl, a tubing night, an après-ski party and a concert.
At the Nov. 14 trip informational meeting, participants learned more about their destination and made housing requests.
McCormick junior Allison Weil was ecstatic after she won a free pair of skis at the meeting. Weil said she has never skied before, but her friends who had gone on the trip in past years convinced her to give it a try.
The NU Ski Club has led students to top-rated Colorado skiing resorts in Aspen and Breckenridge, as well as Park City, Utah. Last year's trip took 920 student-skiiers to Big Sky, Mont.
For some trip participants, such as transfer junior Eric Anicich, the social aspect of the trip is a big draw.
"It's a great opportunity to meet new people since I'm new to the university," Anicich said.
Reach Christina Salter at christinasalter2007@u.northwestern.edu.
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