As winter approaches, over 100 members count down until the start of Foran’s Ski and Snowboarding Club for the much-anticipated trips to the mountains. 

          The Ski and Snowboarding Club started in 2000 by class of 2004 student James Malaney along with the club’s original advisor, Mr. Todd Williams. This year, the club was taken over by Mr. Jeff Blude and Miss Chelsea Green to allow Williams more time to ski with family.

          Green has been skiing for many years and although she claims to not be the best, she enjoys leisure skiing frequently every winter. As for Blude, he also has been skiing for many years and says, “I’ve tried snowboarding once…..let’s just say it didn’t go very well!”

          This year, the Ski and Snowboarding Club planned to have two day trips along with the first overnight trip since the start of the pandemic. 

          February 4 was originally set to kick off the season with a trip to Pico Mountain located in Killington, Vermont, however, due to cold weather conditions the mountain shut down resulting in a cancellation for the trip. The trip to Pico Mountain has now been rescheduled to March 4 for students to spend the day skiing and snowboarding on 58 various trials and 468 acres of snow. 

          Sophomore Lila Tarczali says, “It’s a really big mountain with long trails which are my favorite because you have a perfect view the whole way down.”      

          On February 11, the club planned to spend the day at Burke Mountain located in East Burke, Vermont with 55 different trails and 260 acres of snow; however due to lack of students, the trip was canceled. 

          Junior Erin Schmitt is returning to Ski and Snowboarding Club for her third year and says, “I loved Burke because there were also a lot of different slopes and I was able to try out new tricks! We spent a lot of time on the Terrain Park and even though we have never been on one before it was really cool to try new things!”

          The biggest trip of the season was set to occur from March 3 to the 5, where members would experience an overnight trip in New Hampshire. Members would get the opportunity to try out both Black Mountain and Waterville Valley. Both mountains have over 45 trials and 143 acres of snow allowing for members to enjoy the slopes all weekend. 

          Unfortunately, similarly to the trip to Burke Mountain, the overnight trip was also canceled due to not being able to fill the trips student requirement. 

          Sophomore Isabella Salai is going into her second year in the Ski and Snowboarding Club. 

          She says, “The trips last year were so much fun but I’m looking forward to this year even more. We get a lot of freedom at the mountains which is really nice and the different trails are always so much fun.” 

          Ski and Snowboarding Club is a “great way to make new friends and strengthen current friendships. Plus you get to travel all over New England and experience new mountains,” says Williams. If interested in attending the newly rescheduled trip to Pico Mountain, permission slips are due by February 16 by the end of the day to Green in room 259. Students that did not sign up for the previous trip are still eligible to attend. Talk to Mr. Blude or Ms. Green for further information.