Beginners are welcome on the trips, and the local resorts provide good terrain for those learning to ski or snowboard. Smith also pointed to less frequented spots like the Homestead in Virginia or Hidden Valley Resort in Pennsylvania, where beginners might feel more comfortable. Some resorts also have good deals for beginners, like Whitetail, where new skiers can find all-inclusive packages under $50 that include lift ticket, rentals and lessons.
Davis did not specify a date for the cross-country ski trip, which will lead a smaller group of students to New Germany in western Maryland. For cross-country skiers interested in planning their own trip, Smith also said the White Grass Touring Center in the scenic Canaan Valley, W.V., offers some of the best conditions in the area. The Mall even makes for an excellent spot in the neighborhood, provided one has the equipment and Washington sees a significant snowfall.
Senior Antonio Cutlatsakes founded a different kind of snowboard and ski club last year, the GW Snowboard and Ski Clan. He said the idea stemmed from a conversation with friends sophomore year dying to escape the city and hit the slopes. He registered the group his junior year with the Student Activities Center and used his Web site, www.concretewall.net, and the Facebook to promote it and expand its membership this year.
"(The club) isn't a way to just get to the slopes. It's more," Cutlatsakes said. "It's getting together with people of similar interests and becoming part of the ski and snowboard scene on campus."
Rather than taking one-day excursions to the mountain, the group plans weekend long trips. He said the first event is on Friday to Camelback Mountain in Pennsylvania. The group is renting out two cabins for about 20 people at a nearby resort. Cutlasakes said the trip costs $150 per person, covering lift tickets, lodging and transportation from D.C. They'll return Sunday.
Anyone interested in becoming involved can visit Cutlatsakes's Web site, concretewall.net, or sign up on his thefacebook.com group to receive e-mails about future trips. Cutlatsakes hopes to take another group on a similar trip in February or March to a location further north, maybe Vermont, he said.
Davis did not specify a date for the cross-country ski trip, which will lead a smaller group of students to New Germany in western Maryland. For cross-country skiers interested in planning their own trip, Smith also said the White Grass Touring Center in the scenic Canaan Valley, W.V., offers some of the best conditions in the area. The Mall even makes for an excellent spot in the neighborhood, provided one has the equipment and Washington sees a significant snowfall.
Senior Antonio Cutlatsakes founded a different kind of snowboard and ski club last year, the GW Snowboard and Ski Clan. He said the idea stemmed from a conversation with friends sophomore year dying to escape the city and hit the slopes. He registered the group his junior year with the Student Activities Center and used his Web site, www.concretewall.net, and the Facebook to promote it and expand its membership this year.
"(The club) isn't a way to just get to the slopes. It's more," Cutlatsakes said. "It's getting together with people of similar interests and becoming part of the ski and snowboard scene on campus."
Rather than taking one-day excursions to the mountain, the group plans weekend long trips. He said the first event is on Friday to Camelback Mountain in Pennsylvania. The group is renting out two cabins for about 20 people at a nearby resort. Cutlasakes said the trip costs $150 per person, covering lift tickets, lodging and transportation from D.C. They'll return Sunday.
Anyone interested in becoming involved can visit Cutlatsakes's Web site, concretewall.net, or sign up on his thefacebook.com group to receive e-mails about future trips. Cutlatsakes hopes to take another group on a similar trip in February or March to a location further north, maybe Vermont, he said.
