Hit the slopes, Jack
Outdoor Rec hosts ski trips to Wintergreen Resort
Whether a student is an adrenaline junkie who thrives on the thrill of hitting the ski slopes, or if he or she just wants to cross skiing off his or her bucket list, Outdoor Recreation has just
the trip.
Over the last few years, Liberty’s Outdoor Recreation department has offered students a change of scenery with its off-campus ski trips to Wintergreen Resort—and this year is no exception.
Students have three opportunities to glide down the eastern side of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains during the spring semester.
IT’S ALL DOWNHILL — Students can practice their ski skills at Snowflex all year.
Photo Credit: leah Seaver
Outdoor Rec will be hosting two evening ski trips this semester on Jan. 26 and Feb. 2.
In addition to the evening trips, Outdoor Rec will be hosting a full-day ski trip to Wintergreen Feb. 11.
A registration link for all the trips is on the Outdoor Rec webpage.
According to Herring, these ski trips are geared toward students of all ages and skill levels.
“Wintergreen has a wide variety of trails ranging from beginner to more advanced,” Herring said.
Students have the opportunity to practice their winter sports skills prior to the ski trips by utilizing the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre.
The staff at Snowflex partner with Outdoor Rec to provide students with free skiing and snowboarding classes prior to hitting the slopes.
Snowflex also offers $5 gear rentals to students in need of equipment.
Even though Snowflex is an easily-accessible and well-promoted part of Liberty’s campus, Outdoor Rec plans these trips to offer a different type of skiing experience.
“Snowflex is always available,” Herring said.
“But these types of off-campus trips provide a different type of activity and atmosphere for our students.
We should really utilize what we have here in Virginia and show our students what’s right at their backdoor.”
Outdoor Rec student worker Danielle Ledgerwood said the trips offer a break for students from the school routine and offer the added bonus of allowing students to cross paths with new people.
Ledgerwood also pointed out that the $20-30 cost of the ski trips is a significant discount compared to the price of a ski trip not sponsored by Liberty.
Outdoor Rec knows skiing is not for everyone and offers a number of other activities to cater to the entire student body.
Also scheduled for the spring semester are the Artic Rush and Liberty Mountain 5k trail races, the King of the Mountain half-miler at Snowflex, hiking and kayaking trips, Outdoor Rec Fest and a spring break camping trip at North Carolina’s Lake James on the outskirts of Pisgah National Forest.
A calendar of upcoming Outdoor Rec events and their details can be found on the Outdoor Rec webpage.