October 25, 2016
Ellie Colpitts
One appeal of Colorado universities is the access to the many slopes that natives and visitors love to visit each ski season.
Since the first snowfall on Pikes Peak this fall, many students are ready to pack up their snow boots and shred some snow with their skis or snowboard.
At UCCS, the Ski and Ride Club hopes to provide the opportunity for students to go skiing or snowboarding with students who share the same passion.
While the club’s Facebook group has 548, the Ski and Ride Club has around 100 active members who participate in club events, according to Renee Swartz, club president.
“Certain people come to certain events that they’re attracted to, so there’s a variety,” said Swartz, a senior criminal justice and psychology major.
Members must be UCCS students and have some experience skiing or snowboarding. Members should also be able to keep up and have a good time without hurting themselves, according to Swartz.
No club member has been injured, which is a record the club hopes to keep. The club was recently revamped by Swartz with the addition of numerous trips that have drawn in more members each year.
“Our club is really for people who already know how to ski or board, and most members invest in a season pass because they know they’ll be up there using it enough. But we don’t want to single people out,” said Swartz.
Triple the amount of participants attended the club’s first meeting this semester, according to Charles Frankenberger, event coordinator.
The club usually does not hold meetings because their focus is on events that engage club members, said Swartz.
“We don’t sit inside and talk about going to the mountain, we actually go. It’s not ‘when’s your next meeting’ it’s more like ‘when’s your next event,’ because that’s what we do,” said Swartz.
The club holds an average of 10 events per year, some of which coordinate with the SOLE Center.
Ski and Ride also organizes smaller, informal day trips through their Facebook page. Students travel by bus to local ski areas for day and overnight trips.
One of the club’s largest trips is a four-day, three-night trip to Breckinridge Ski Resort before the spring semester starts. The club’s favorite place to ski is Keystone Resort because of the parks and powder.
The club also enjoys Crested Butte because of its terrain and short lines.
These events are funded by the club’s annual silent auction, which took place on Oct. 11. Before the auction, the club co-hosted a rail jam with Teton Gravity Research and Barrel Brewing, which brought in a significant amount of money in comparison to last year, according to Frankenberger.
To help pay for any extra expenses that aren’t covered by the fundraisers, there is an annual $10 membership fee to join the Ski and Ride Club.
More information on the ski and ride club can be found on their Facebook page at facebook.com/groups/ skiandrideclubatuccs/.