Every first weekend of December, the Hingham Ski team makes the 4-hour (5 with traffic) journey up to Stowe for a ski-filled weekend. Junior Libby Rogers, who eagerly anticipates the trip, says, “I look forward to this trip all year! Being with everyone and skiing so early in the season is the best part!”
The weekend’s itinerary is packed with activities from Friday through Sunday, ensuring everyone stays busy and engaged.
Friday: The Journey and Team Bonding
Friday is the most tedious day, mainly because it revolves around the journey up to Stowe. The team departs immediately after school to avoid traffic and arrives in time for a team meeting at 8:30 p.m. After the long drive, dinner is up to the individual, but most families stop for food on the way up. The team all went to Picassos, a local pizzeria, where they began the bonding process early. Junior Owen Leary notes, “Picassos is so good, and I love being able to eat and hang out with everyone right off the bat!”
After dinner and the team meeting, the night is yours to either relax or socialize. Some choose to unwind with friends, while others get an early night’s sleep before the fun begins.
Saturday: Skiing, Lessons, and Fun
Saturday is often described as the most tiring day, but it is also the most exhilarating. The day starts with a 6:30 a.m. wake up call to catch the 7:10 shuttle that runs every 15 minutes. While there is no specific time to take them, ski groups begin their lessons at 8:30 a.m. so many want to be there with time to spare. Breakfast is up to the skier, so many take advantage of the hotel’s early shuttle before heading to the mountain.
Once at Stowe and suited up, the ski groups begin their lessons at 9:00 a.m. These sessions, which last until noon, are led by Stowe instructors and include a mix of racing tips, drills, and sometimes, gate practice. This year the group focused on some smaller drills on the side of a larger trail with their instructor.
After the lessons, the team can either continue skiing on their own or head back to the hotel. The lifts are open until 4:00 p.m., but many choose to ski as long as they can, enjoying the freedom to go at their own speed. Since most skiers are around the same ski level, the team often stays together, skiing in larger groups and having fun with friends.
After legs are sore and fingers are cold, the group heads back to the hotel, where they have time to relax before dinner at 6:30 p.m. Many make use of the hotel facilities, such as the pool, sauna, or squash courts.
Evening Activities: Dinner and Team Bonding
Dinner, provided by the hotel, is always a highlight of the trip. The meals are consistently delicious, and the steak is a fan favorite, if you are lucky enough to get some before it runs out! After dinner, the team participates in a series of team bonding activities. This year, the hotel set up a bonfire for everyone to enjoy making s’mores, which turned into a massive snowball fight, an event not unusual for a ski team.
Following the snowball fight, the team continued the bonding with a fun activity, creating slide shows for the captains, filled with memories, teamwork, and plenty of laughter. After that, the kids are free to hang out if they stay safe and at the hotel. Many gathers with friends to play cards, watch movies, or simply chat. The team is so close-knit that everyone tries to spend as much time together as possible.
The official curfew is 11:00 p.m., but by then, most team members are ready for a good night’s rest, exhausted from the day’s adventures.
Sunday: Time To Say Goodbye
After a weekend of fun, Sunday is a half day of skiing with the prior instructors from Saturday. Families then tend to eat lunch and head to the road around 1:00 p.m., to get home in time for dinner and time to catch up on homework and sleep.
The weekend is a team building filled weekend, full of great memories, getting skiers excited for the racing season ahead.
