Typical Ski Week and Weekend

Can a weekend with the Swiss Ski Club really be "typical?" No way. But here's how it generally goes...

BUS TRIPS

Travel day

Board the bus in Long Island, Manhattan, or NJ, and enjoy meeting members and other first timers on our ride to Vermont! We’ll enjoy gourmet sandwiches, wine and snacks on the way to the lodge. On the bus, expect jobs and rooms to be assigned - volunteerism is the heartbeat of the club! If you don’t know what job to pick, just ask. Meal prep is a great way to meet a group of people, but we have something for everyone! The hut master is in charge of organizing the weekend and can answer your questions. We stop half way to stretch our legs and grab any more sustenance you’ll need for the rest of the ride. Once we arrive, it’s a quick unpack, members grab their stored items from the attic and heading to bed for an early morning! (Though there are always a handful of folks who stay up to have a celebratory drink once we arrive!)

First day of skiing/riding

Breakfast is early, exact time will be announced the night before, don't be late. The breakfast crew has already been up preparing a smorgasbord to fuel you for the long day ahead! As for you, you'll be gently awakened by someone ringing the Swiss cowbell down your hallway! Dress quickly and head out to the dining room. Announcements will be made at breakfast including plans made for skiers, boarders, snowshoers, cross country skiers and any other activities people may be open to! Discounted lift tickets to our local mountain will be arranged just after breakfast. Hustle to your room and get ready to hit the slopes after breakfast! On the bus to the mountain we will sort out who needs rentals for the weekend and let you know the meetup times for end of day depending on where you are skiing.

Some weekends feature an organized ski activity. If it's a club race, it's just within our club, so there's no pressure. Everyone is encouraged to participate, it's about having a good time on the mountain.

Lunch and dinner

For lunch, make plans to meet up with the group at base camp or do your own thing! We’ll see you back at the bus in time to make it home for après ski drinks, snacks and the heavenly sauna at the lodge! Feel free to rest up, or join your fellow skiers for happy hour before dinner! One person serves as the bartender, and everybody has a great get-together while the dinner crew prepares a delicious dinner.  After dinner (including wine and dessert), we get to know our newest friends a little better, and then turn up the music and clear the floor for dancing. Some weekends have party themes. As we said, every weekend is different, but if there's a party-er in you, the SSC will bring it out.

Last day of skiing/riding

The next day, we do it all again until it’s time to head home. A quick clean up after skiing and it’s back on the bus! Sandwiches and wine will be served on our journey back to reality. We’ll all settle up with the cashier for the weekend on the ride back and make plans to see each other on the next one!

Non-Bus Trip Lodge Stays

Travel Day

Upon arrival to the lodge everyone chooses a room/bed and sets of their space.  Most stay up for a while in the living room, waiting for friends to arrive and getting acquainted with new ones. Then it's a good night's sleep before a great day on the mountain.

Ski Days

If you went to bed early, you might be surprised to see how many people showed up overnight! Some weeks/weekends have a dozen people, some have three dozen. Be sure to introduce yourself to the trip leader/host for the weekend.  They will also help outline the weekend, sort out who's going skiing where in whose car, who needs to rent skis or snowboards locally, etc. You'll also learn what household task you've been assigned to (doing some of the chores ourselves helps us keep costs down and helps everyone get to know each other even better). And of course, there's the breakfast itself, which varies from day to day, weekend to weekend.

Some people ski or snowboard at Sugarbush or Bolton Valley, some go to Mad River Glen (no snowboarding here), some venture further to Stowe or do one day of each. Conditions permitting, a few people go cross-country skiing. We’ve even had people skip the mountains and head to Burlington for a day of shopping! One thing is for sure, you always have plenty of options!

Do we need to tell you what a day on the slopes is like? Well, if you've skied New England before, you know we can't possibly predict everything. And if you're new to it, let the trip leader/host know. Club members pride themselves in getting new skiers and boarders acquainted with the local recreational facilities.

After skiing, and maybe a little recreational shopping in the village, we all trickle back to the lodge where the fireplace is waiting. Some might elect to put together après-ski treats and tell of their skiing adventures. Pull up a chair to read, play pool or foosball, take a walk, enjoy the sauna, whatever. Meanwhile, some of us are ready for a well-deserved nap after a day of turns. Depending on what the group decides, some may head into town together for dinner, or you could be enjoying a home cooked meal at the lodge. After dinner, feel free to retire to your room, head downstairs for more pool, or stay up and dance the night away!

About Waitsfield

Sitting at the center of the Mad River Valley along scenic Route 100, Waitsfield provides visitors with a romantic vision of small town America set against the backdrop of snowy mountain peaks. The Mad River Glen Ski Area has been providing powdery downhill adventures for over sixty years, and the area is equally popular with hikers in warmer months. The town of Waitsfield also hosts several theater companies and arts facilities, organizing everything from opera festivals to photo exhibits.