Science & Outdoors
Skiing & Snowboarding
The Pointer
jwitt447@uwsp.edu
As threats of snow become more realistic in Wisconsin, Patrick Martin could qualify as one of the most excited students on campus. To him this is the most wonderful time of the year.
“[The first snowfall] makes me really, really happy. I definitely look forward to it,” said Martin, president of the ski and snowboarding club at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. “My girlfriend says she only has two months of the year where I don’t talk about snowboarding and that usually falls during the summer when I’m working too much.”
The ski club is having their most expansive and anticipated trip of the year to Breckenridge, Co. from Jan. 3 to 11. They are also planning more local trips as well, which could happen almost every weekend.
The trip costs $599 for UW-SP students, and guests are welcome to come as well, but for slightly more money. The trip includes six nights lodging, four-day lift pass, discounted ski and snowboard rentals and the fifth day pass at a discounted price. There are also good places to go skiing and snowboarding locally.
“My favorite place so far has been Marquette Mountain. All the hills by the UP are well worth the drive,” said UW-SP junior Amber Hamilton. “They get more snow so it’s just better conditions usually. Although I haven’t been out west yet, I heard nothing is comparable.”
If students are looking for quality, Martin recommends Granite Peak because of its variety of terrain, which gives skiers and snowboarders many different options.
He recommends somewhere different for the less expensive route.
“Nordic Mountain is really cheap; Tuesdays are only $10. Their terrain park is also getting better, it’s a lot smaller terrain [compared to Granite Peak],” said Martin. “If you’re looking to go for the more inexpensive route and you’re just learning, Nordic Mountain is a good place.”
The Farmers’ Almanac, a 192-year-old publication, which claims an accuracy rate of 80 to 85 percent, forecasts a very cold and snowy December. It claims that January will be milder than average, with a good amount of snowfall.
“Every year when I see the first snowflake, I immediately think of snowboarding and get really anxious,” said Hamilton. “I heard we are supposed to get a lot of snow this year, so I’m really stoked.”
Last year, some cities received so much snowfall, the municipalities ran out of salt to keep roads safe and were forced to find alternative choices for salt. The year before, snow didn’t accumulate on the ground until January, giving snowboarders and skiers a shorter season. Although it’s predicted a fairly normal winter in Wisconsin, some other states aren’t as lucky.
“This is going to be catastrophic for millions of people,” said The Farmers’ Almanac Editor Peter Geiger.
The Farmers’ Almanac has predicted cold, harsh and high precipitation in the eastern part of the United States. No matter what kind of winter is in store for Wisconsin, snowboarders and skiers remain adrenalized for the upcoming season.
Martin loves to hit the slopes, but there’s more to snowboarding and skiing than just carving, getting air and hitting rails. Martin enjoys all the friendships he’s made and the peace of mind he gets through snowboarding.
“It’s almost like you’re in tune with everything; it’s just the greatest feeling,” said Martin. “I like the creativity behind [snowboarding] too. I ride a lot of terrain parks. I try and create new, cool and innovative ways to ride.”
Kyle Poncek, vice president of UW-SP’s ski and snowboard club, finds the imaginative side to skiing fun and priceless, although he admits it can sometimes be a costly hobby to get heavily involved with.
“I love the freedom of just being able to do your own thing on the hill and not having anyone telling you what you can’t do on the terrain,” said Poncek. “You can be really creative and try different things and not worry about final exams and other things like that.”
Hamilton, as a college student, agrees that she doesn’t always have a lot of money and that could work against her and her interest in skiing.
“I hate that it’s an expensive sport. Besides buying all the gear, you have to pay each time to use a hill, unless you get a season pass, but that’s expensive too,” said Hamilton.
Although many think of snowboarding as something a person would have to go to a hill, resort or mountain to participate in, Martin believes there is an alternative choice to these options.
“Snowboarding is not a one-track sport. It can be done in your back yard,” said Martin. “You don’t have to snowboard at a resort; you can snowboard with anything. That’s what I think is neat about snowboarding.”
