SKI away winter Woes

While students begin planning sunny vacations for that magical week in March, others are still embracing the winter months with North Face jackets, scarves and Ugg boots. Considering Bloomington's unfortunate geographical location, embracing winter has to be limited to accessories and not much action. The occasional winter weekend trip is out of the question, snow-tipped mountains are only a reality in a Geology textbook and The Rocky Mountains is the place where Coors is brewed, not a place to ski. But a weekend trip doesn't have to be so out of reach. \nEven though Indiana isn't the pinnacle of skiing and snowboarding, a few places fake it well. Paoli Peaks, located in Paoli, Ind., is only 42 miles from Bloomington and has everything Aspen and Vail do, except a Colorado zip code. \n"We have something for everyone. Whether you are a beginner or someone that has skied or snowboarded before, there are slopes for everyone's skill levels," said Brandy Ream, director of sales and marketing for Paoli Peaks. "We have two-terrain parks here, a gentle terrain to a steeper terrain and we're also a great place to practice up if you're heading out west for spring break."\nSurprisingly, there is another ski resort close enough to drive from Bloomington. Perfect North, located in Lawrenceburg, Ind., is about two and a half hours from Bloomington. The resort is a family-owned and run business and just celebrated its 25th anniversary this ski season, so they know their stuff. \nPerfect North isn't just a ski resort; it also offers snow tubing, late night skiing until 9:30 p.m. each night and weekend skiing until 3 a.m. The next few months will be busy as they kick off celebrations for the anniversary with different events and deals. \nIt isn't necessary to be an ace or buy hundreds of dollars in equipment to enjoy a weekend on the slopes. Renting can be the name of the game and, for a college student on a tight budget, renting is sometimes a magical word. \n"We have rental equipment, skis or snowboards and we also have clothing rental, which is unique to us because we do cater to the beginner," Ream said of Paoli Peaks. "That way you aren't going to have to go out and purchase clothing and everything just to be able to try and come learn to ski or snowboard for a couple of days."\nMeteorologists are now calling for more snow and frigid temperatures and the calendar shows there are more than 50 days until the first day of spring, so it's safe to say there's plenty of time left for winter fun before breaking out the bathing suits, sunscreen and beach ball. Ream says a quick winter trip could be just the thing students need to beat the winter blues or de-stress and get outside.\n"There's not a lot of physical activity you can really do in the wintertime outdoors. This is a great way to get you up off the couch and out of the dorm to work off the beer, work off all of the food and (have) a lot of fun," Ream said.\nIndiana's corn fields may not seem like they would be so ski-friendly, but Perfect North and Paoli Peaks make their own snow and even groom it themselves. The snow-making begins in a state-of-the-art fan gun system that can produce 12 inches of snow in 24 hours. Translation: even if Mother Nature doesn't give Indiana the perfect winter weather for a good ski and snowboard weekend, these places can make it happen and do so with soft snow and a non-icy feel. Their average base of snow is between 24 and 50 inches and the slopes have mounds for tricks on different terrains between 30 and 40 feet high. \nThe man-made snow mixed with some complements of Mother Nature completes Paoli Peaks' and Perfect North's hills and trails and makes it possible for skiing to exist in the middle of Indiana. For some experienced skiers who have actually skied in states known for skiing and not basketball, their first trip to Paoli Peaks this season was surprisingly pleasant. \n"I've been to a couple really huge resorts in New England and I've also been to a couple smaller ones and I really have to say that the snow conditions are great (here)," said graduate student Mya Frumkin. "You go to some amazing resorts in Vermont and New Hampshire and it's just pure ice, so here it's been a good way to hone your skiing skills because it's a friendly mountain."\nFrumkin and fellow graduate student Krista Ariail took advantage of not having classes on Friday to enjoy the slopes at Paoli Peaks for the day. Ariail said she had been a little skeptical about skiing in Indiana: No large hills and lack of snow posed a problem in her eyes. \n"I've never been skiing in Indiana. I didn't know there was such a thing," Ariail said. "So, I wanted to come and check it out. I wasn't really sure what to expect. I guess I'm more impressed than I thought I would be because I didn't know there were any big enough hills in Indiana to ski on. I have a lot of experience with ski resorts out west, so I'm kind of spoiled in that way that I know good skiing. (Paoli) is good, just for being an hour south of Bloomington. It's good, fun skiing, nothing challenging."\nBut nothing challenging might be just the right medicine. After the syllabi are handed out in class and professors start dishing out the real assignments, Ream says getting out of Bloomington for a day is the perfect way to blow off some steam and that's where skiing can come in. With both Paoli and Perfect North's seasons ending in mid-March there's plenty of time to still hit the slopes as an unconventional way to release tension. \n"I definitely think it provides a benefit for students," Ream said. "It just provides that escape. Even if you just come for a few hours and then you're back at it, back to studying, back to classes. It does take the edge off."\nAnd for Frumkin and Ariail, two busy graduate students, taking a break and getting out is always a treat. Ariail says skiing brings an unconventional allure to exercise and entertainment. Anyone can have a night out at the bars, but a day of skiing is something unique. \n"I think it's good for students because it is only an hour away, it is really convenient, it's an easy drive (to Paoli) and it's something different," Ariail said. "It's out of the norm. It's $60 or so, but that's for the whole day of fun"