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If you’ve followed the Winter Olympics, you might have caught some ski racing in between the figure skating competitions and curling matches. While you may not look like Johannes Klæbo or Mikaela Shiffrin flying down the course, you would fit right in on one—or both—of Whitman College’s club ski teams. Plus, Whitman has a new Outdoor Recreation Scholarship for students who have a passion for being outdoors.

Skiing is a constant in my life. Growing up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado—also known as “Ski Town, U.S.A.”—meant that having a college ski club or team was a requirement for me. Spending a day out on the snow is one of my life’s greatest pleasures. It allows me to disconnect from reality for a bit and immerse myself in nature. It’s been something that I have a deep and profound love for because of what it’s given to me, whether it’s friends, memories or just brightening up my day.

At Whitman, our ski teams spend many winter weekends in the mountains during the first few months of the spring semester. But the truth is, skiers are made during the offseason. While the highlights may happen on the snow, many of the best memories come from dry-land training, road trips and evenings at the hotel after long days on the mountain.

One of the best things about Whitman’s ski teams is that they’re open to everyone. No matter your skill level or experience, there’s a place for you. This year, our Nordic Ski Team had nine members—four of whom had never skied before joining. By the end of the season, those four all completed a 20K race. While these teams may seem small, that’s part of the magic of these sports. It’s a place where you can make life-long friends, even with people from other schools that you compete against.

The skiing community at Whitman isn’t intimidating—it’s welcoming. The teams are a great place to make friends while doing something you love, or to try something new and build a community in the process. I’ve made connections with people I would’ve never met otherwise, and had the chance to reconnect with people that I hadn’t seen since orientation week.

You might be surprised that you don’t actually spend the whole day shredding it on the slopes. On a race day, you spend only around two to three minutes actually racing. The rest of the day is spent doing free runs, maybe skiing through the trees if there’s enough snow and helping around the course or taking down coats for other racers. While the qualifier races are always a good time, the real highlight of the season is regionals, which takes place over the course of five days.

If you’ve never been on skis before or you have a bit of cross-country skiing experience or maybe you just want to experience some classic “Type II fun” while spending time in the snow, join the Nordic Ski Team. Plus, it’s a great way to stay active during the winter.

If you already know how to downhill ski and want an excuse to spend your weekends racing at different mountains and improve your skills along the way, the Alpine Ski Team might be for you.

The unusual warm and dry winter meant that the Nordic Team only had one race this year. The Spokane Loppet is one of our annual races, offering 10k, 20k, 30k and 50k. This year, we had at least one racer competing in each distance. We ended up with 10 racers this year, including two last-minute additions who had never skied before the day of the race.

The night before a race is where the magic happens. The car ride is spent planning dinner, then it’s off to the grocery store to make sure everyone has the energy for the next day on the slopes!

Even if racing isn’t your thing, Whitman still makes it easy to get out on the snow. Take a beginning ski course or go on an Outdoor Program trip. Borrow gear from the rental shop, hop on the ski bus to Bluewood and spend a day enjoying the mountains with friends.

Quinn Skinner ’29 (she/her) is a first-year from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, interested in pursuing Biophysics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Whitman. Skiing has been a consistent part of Quinn’s life, including ski racing in high school, making joining club ski teams the obvious choice for her.