When we think of a local ski club some of us think it’s just a bunch of friends hitting up the local slopes via a bus for the day and back home at night. Not the case with the Hoboken Ski Club. As I write this story on the most comfy couch in Vail, Colorado I can assure all of you that if you are a slopes lover and want to try something local and lots of fun, look into joining the Hoboken Ski club.
The club whose motto is "Think Snow" holds over a dozen trips each season to all points of the world. This year the club will be visiting St. Anton in Austria and Lake Tahoe to close out the season. I was able to join the club for just $35 and was even able to get on the trip to Vail thanks to someone that backed out just before.
The club is made up of local NYC area people. You do not need to be from Hoboken to join. On this particular Vail trip there are about 30 members. The members on this trip are all mid 20′s to 40’s which is great because it allows for everyone to interact with each other and enjoy the trip together. This trip was for 5 days and 4 nights for just $1,025. The trip included non stop airfare from Newark to Denver, bus transfer from Denver to Vail, hotel room (people sleep 2 to a room), all breakfast, 1 group dinner, all lift tickets and a variety of welcome and good bye parties.
For the trip the entire group met at Newark Airport and we all took the same flight (direct) to Denver. We hopped on a passenger bus and made the 2 hour drive from Denver to Vail together as well. We made a pit stop at a local liquor store which suddenly made the bus trip a lot more fun. The awesome hotel we stayed in was called the Evergreen Lodge in Vail. When we arrived we got our lift tickets for Friday, Saturday and Sunday to hit the slopes. Two thirds of the group were skiers and the other 1/3 were snowboarders, many of the group broke up and headed to different parts of Vail on their own. The conditions here in Vail were the most amazing i’ve ever had the chance to ride. All fresh powder, no ice. The lines to the lifts were not that bad and I got in lots of awesome snowboarding.
After each night of hitting the mountain (which closes at 4pm daily) the group would meet at a local pub and have some drinks and laughs and then head back to the resort to enjoy a 104 degree hot tub and heated outdoor pool. Each night members would go out in groups in to Lionshead Village and Vail Village and dine on the local fare or go dancing. Sunday night many of us bunkered down in the resort tavern and watched the Jets battle the Patriots. Oddly, there was maybe 10 Jets fans vs. 90 Patriots fans here.
It is now 5:30am on Monday morning and in a few hours we are getting on a bus and making the trip to Denver to board our flight and then head home. Personally, I had the time of my life and met so many really great people and made some new friends. I am sad that the trip is about to end but there are more trips to come this season and I will make sure I am on at least 1 of them.
The remainder of the season is loaded with great trips. Weekend getaways to places like, Killington and Stowe can be purchased for $400-$500. You can visit www.HobokenSkiClub.com for more information on these trips. Please note that you must register as a member before you can go on any trip the club offers. The club is going to St. Anton Austria in February and ending their season with a trip to Lake Tahoe in March.
If you are a local area resident and love to ski or snowboard visit their website and become a member. Joining the club and attending this trip was one of the best things I have done since moving to Hoboken 2 years ago. The club holds weekly meetings at Willie McBrides so those interested in learning more can ask members in person at the bar on a weekly basis.
Think Snow!!!
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