UMD Ski and Snowboard Club heading to Wyoming
Copper Mountain, the destination of the club’s trip last year, sits under cloudy skies.
Image: Cole Ehresmann
The mountains are calling, and The University of Minnesota Duluth’s Ski and Snowboard Club president Cole Ehresmann is more than ready to answer.
“We are bringing about 40 people with to Jackson this year,” Ehresmann said. “We’re going to all pack into passenger vans and send it out to Wyoming.”
The Ski and Snowboard Club’s destination this year is Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR), situated in the shadow of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming’s Grand Tetons.
“I can’t wait to experience the powder and mountain riding again, last year we went to Copper Mountain in Colorado and we all had a blast,” Ehresmann said.
This year’s trip will include five nights in Teton Village, the resort town situated in the valley below JHMR, where they will be snowboarding and skiing.
“We will be there January 2 through 7, and I’m very excited to be able to ride for four days,” Ehresmann said.
With 130 inches of snow by Dec. 1, Jackson Hole is second to Canada’s Whistler Blackcomb in terms of current snowfall levels.
“The snow and the slopes truly make Jackson a special place to go and ride. Plain and simple, it is one of the top resorts in the U.S.,” Ehresmann said.
Members of the Ski and Snowboard Club look for direction on the summit of Copper Mountain. Image: Joey Robinson
JHMR is notorious for having some of the most treacherous slopes in the country, and Ehresmann is proceeding with caution.
“Hopefully none of the soldiers go down while we’re out there ripping,” Ehresmann said. “Altitude and elevation is something you definitely have to plan for as well.”
Ehresmann has had to make some tough calls with group members who have not prepared for the altitude.
“I have had to send others away just so they can get relief from altitude sickness,” Ehresmann said, “It is no fun for all parties involved.”
Fun is something Ehresmann wants to maximize, and coming prepared can go a long way.
“Drinking water and staying hydrated before travelling out there is key, as well as packing lunches so you don’t have to leave the slopes to take lunch,” Ehresmann said.
Another way to have fun is to save money, an essential task given that JHMR charges $135 for a single day lift ticket.
“The trip ended up being less than $600 per rider which is exceptional for lodging and lift tickets in Jackson,” Ehresmann said.
Cole Ehresmann takes a picture of his reflection in his friend’s goggles. Image: Cole Ehresmann
This is a chance for Bulldogs such as Ehresmann to get out and experience something they haven’t done.
“I have always wanted to go to Jackson Hole and to finally get the chance, well it’s something very, very special,” said Ehresmann.