On Jan. 27, the University of Connecticut’s student organization, UConn Outing Club (UCOC) hosted a weekend ski trip at Smugglers’ Notch Resort in Vermont, inviting 305 students.
This is the first time UCOC has hosted the ski trip since the spring of 2020. Last spring, the university made the first two weeks of classes go online which included student club activities.
Conner Caridad, Vice President of the Outing Club, said the weather was in perfect condition for the students to go skiing.
“We are just so beyond lucky with the conditions we got,” Caridad stated. “They were perfect every day.”
Caridad stated that a variety of students signed up for the trip.
“People came who had known how to ski since they were 4 years old,” Caridad said, “people who had never even touched skis.”
In Nov. 2022, the club announced the trip and organized the sign up. Only 310 spots were to be available and about 360 members applied.
Students paid about $255 for two nights at the resort and for the ski lift ticket. Sign-ups for a group lesson on skiing were provided at the resort. Rental ski gear at the resort cost about $42.
UCOC is one of the oldest and largest clubs on campus. About 1,500 members are in the organization. This past semester, an average of about 60-80 students attended the club’s weekly general body meetings.
UCOC is also conscious of their environmental footprint. The club follows the Leave No Trace principles to leave minimal impact on the environment when they go outside.
The seven principles of Leave No Trace are: plan ahead and prepare, travel and camp on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife and be considerate of others.
UCOC also tried to minimize the impact of the people around them at the resort as Smugglers’ Notch Resort is a family resort.
“We are not cavalier about bringing 300 people to Vermont,” Caridad stated. “We take it very seriously and we want to make sure we are not wasting anyone else’s time.”
Caridad is in his seventh semester at UConn and is majoring in natural resources. Caridad joined the club in his freshman year in 2019 where he also attended the ski trip in the following spring.
The Outing Club focuses on outdoor activities such as bridge jumping, downhill mountain biking, surfing and exploring the UConn Forest. Elected Board members lead most of the activities, but members are welcomed and encouraged to also lead their own trips.
Upcoming events for the spring semester include more skiing, ice climbing and white water rafting. The club’s weekly general body meetings are on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. in room 154 at the George Stafford Torrey Life Science Building.
For more information, contact the UConn Outing Club’s email, uconnoutingclub@gmail.com.
