As soon as the snow starts to fall over Oregon’s mountains, the University’s Outdoor Program will help penny-pinching college students get to the slopes.
Whether a student is a die-hard skier or a beginning snow camper, the OP will provide trips for as little as $6, OP co-director Dan Geiger said.
“We provide a pretty inexpensive way to get to the mountains,” he said. “Our vans are safe, good snow rigs. It’s just a safer way to go.”
The trips to the mountains will take place every weekend, including Friday day trips, as soon as the ski areas open, Geiger said. Skiing, snowboarding, telemarking, snowshoeing and snow camping are among the activities the OP supports during the winter season. Geiger said the OP also provides information about ski conditions and cabin rentals.
“Our traditional trips are usually to Mount Bachelor,” he said. “But we also take trips to back-country cabins in Bend and Tilly Jane.”
Back-country trips are better for cross-country skiing and telemarking, OP trips facility manager Ed Fredette said, but have also attracted students wanting to try snowshoeing.
“Last year, snowshoeing was really popular,” Fredette said. “There are groups who will go to Diamond Peak and climb with their snowshoes and then snowboard down.”
Another popular back-country excursion is snow camping. This entails digging snow caves and spending the night, Geiger said.
OP associate coordinator Suzanne Hanlon said student-initiated trips usually occur during the holiday season.
“The trips can include skiers of all ability and skill levels,” Hanlon said.
The OP also offers several clinics, including one on snow camping and another on avalanche awareness.
For students who want to ski for college credit, the University offers a physical education class each winter that takes students to Mount Bachelor for recreational and instructional skiing and snowboarding.
“The main focus of the class is skill development that will allow students to enjoy outdoor activity,” OP co-director Michael Strong said.
The OP rents out vans and equipment, excluding skis, for students going on OP-sponsored trips and their own adventures.
Safety equipment is free to any student through the OP Safety Library, Fredette said. There are several Eugene businesses that rent ski and snowboarding equipment, and the OP will be hosting an equipment swap meet Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the EMU Ballroom.
“We’ll just open the doors and move out of the way,” Fredette said.
The Lane County Fairgrounds will also host a ski swap Oct. 27 starting at 6 p.m.