Join a Ski/Snowboard Club for Great Deals & to Meet Freinds

By Iseult Devlin

Ski and snowboard clubs are a great way to get involved with winter sports. And, there are hundreds of ski clubs around the country so it’s easy to get started.

First, it doesn’t cost much to join one. Annual dues run around $30. Some clubs may charge more if they provide lodging as part of the membership fee. Second, trips are cheap –you can go to a resort for under $50 a day including your lift ticket and bus. Third, you can’t beat the company.

“Where else can you develop friends from all walks of life? You can’t put a price tag on that,” says Lynda Heaney, a board member with the Out of Control ski club in Albany, which has over 2000 members.

The best way to find a club is to look on the Internet and search. But you can also go to your local ski and snowboard shop and ask the employees about clubs in the area. Find out when there is a meeting and attend it. Become a volunteer so you’re not sitting on the sidelines. Sign up for a trip so you can meet people and get started with a winter sport.

Think everyone will be better than you? Think again: Albany’s Out of Control club welcomes beginners and runs a “Never-Evers” weekend at Okemo Mountain in Vermont each year. The club has its ski school so certified instructors can reinforce the ski resorts’ lessons.

Most clubs organize a variety of trips throughout the season. In addition to short weekend or day trips to nearby ski resorts, there is usually an annual trip to a destination resort—either in the West or Europe. Some clubs own their own houses in the mountains. For instance, the Skimos Club in Jackson, New Hampshire has a house that can sleep about 60 people in dorm-style rooms. During the season, the club hires cooks to make breakfast and dinner. The club is part of a group of 30 clubs in the area that socialize and compete together with inter-club parties and races throughout the season.

It’s fun to be part of a club. There is a wide range of social and outdoor activities. There are Happy Hour buses, family activities, fun events, and year-round activities (canoe trips, bicycling, picnics, etc.). Whether you want to meet the love of your life or hit the slopes this winter, ski and snowboard clubs are a great resource for either.