March 28, 2024

Campus Rec hits the slopes

At around 11:45 a.m. one day, a message popped up on my phone reading
“Snowboarding. Today from 11-1 in the JLSC are sign ups if you would like to go
snowboarding on January 29th! Free, but seats are limited.”

By Malone Moss

At around 11:45 a.m. one day, a message popped up on my phone reading
“Snowboarding. Today from 11-1 in the JLSC are sign ups if you would like to go
snowboarding on January 29th! Free, but seats are limited.”
I dropped what I was doing, hopped onto my scooter and sped down to the
Student Center to get my name on that list. I called my buddies on the way to make
sure they got down there as soon as possible. With my spot secured, I made sure to
gather my gear and wait patiently for Saturday. 
    When Saturday arrived, we met out in front of Campus Rec to get gear and load up.
Kurt Jensen, the event facilitator came prepared with an assortment of snowboards and
snowboarding boots that were available for those that did not already have gear. About
12 students showed up ready for a good day. After everyone selected their gear and
their seats, we were off to the slopes. 
    For those new to the area, the closest thing to an actual ski resort around here is a
small stretch of slopes at the top of Huntington Canyon. It’s often referred to by the
locals as “the run.”
It sits about 39 miles outside of Huntington, right before the descent begins into
Fairview. It takes about 90 minutes to get there from Price. The only caveat? There
aren’t actually any ski lifts to be seen for miles. Instead, a car drops you off at the top of
the slope, right off the road, and you snowboard down the hill to where the road curves
back. There, a car picks you and your gear up and takes you back up to the top to do
the run all over again. 
    I have spent many hours up on that slope falling down, running into trees and getting
cold and wet while learning to snowboard. About half of the students who went on
Saturday faced that same situation. I gave a brief intro to snowboarding, but it was up to
these kids to learn on their own. 
    The day was sunny and warm, too warm for a heavy coat. We spent hours going up
and down the slopes, never once taking the same route. The day can be simply
summed up in the words of Easton Gordon: “Full send or no send.”
By the end of the day, those who came with no knowledge, left with confidence and a
new skill. 
    Jensen brought the ingredients to make hot chocolate, so at the end of the day we
took some time to warm up our cold fingers and laugh about the day’s crashes. 
    Campus Rec has so many fun opportunities for the students at USU Eastern. To put
this opportunity into perspective, an average day pass at a ski resort runs about $130,
plus another $40 to $50 to rent the equipment. This day was totally free for the
students. 
    If you are feeling sad that you missed out on this opportunity, don’t worry. There will
be more opportunities to hit the slopes with friends and roommates. Jensen says they
are hoping to make a trip like this every other week for the rest of the season.
And, if snowboarding is not your cup of hot chocolate, then make a suggestion at
Campus Rec. There are also events with the Campus Rec program in Logan that USUE
students can join. Those events include camping trips to various places in Southern
Utah such as Moab and Escalante.
  Take the opportunity to utilize this great resource offered to students.