Got Olympic fever? Think you could be the next Alex Bilodeau, Dara Howell, or Mark McMorris? It’s a perfect winter to check out the Dalhousie Ski and Snowboard Society.
Led by president and fourth-year management student Michael Hardy, the DSSS is in the business of bringing students together on the hills of Nova Scotia, Maine, and Vermont.
Michael, along with the president of Acadia’s Ski and Snowboard Society, started taking students from Atlantic and Ontario universities on ski trips to Sugarloaf in Maine (Sugarloaf) and Vermont (Jay Peak) four years ago, organized by a company they founded called Roxbur. They’ve since added Jay Peak in Vermont to the mix.
Last month the DSSS went to Sugarloaf with a total of four buses and 76 people from Dal. The Sugarloaf trips leave on Thursday nights and get back early Monday mornings in time for classes. So the lucky ones who go get in three full days of skiing and snowboarding.
“We’ll be on the hill from opening at 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., depending on the conditions, and stop for lunch at the restaurant halfway down,” says Michael.
The society also hits the local slopes. For the last couple of years, it’s taken groups to Wentworth for Robbie Burns Day. Anyone who dressed in a kilt could ride for free.
If you’re interested in a ski/snowboard day trip while there’s still snow on the ground, Dalplex is offering rentals, instruction, and transportation to Wentworth for $60 on February 23 and March 17 (St. Patrick's Day). Register online or at the customer service desk in Dalplex.
For more information on what the DSSS is up to, visit the society’s Facebook page.