Photo Series: Night on the Slopes
Photo taken by Henry Anderson.
February 21, 2023
Night on the Slopes is an event that is hosted by UWL and the REC in collaboration with Mt. La Crosse, the local ski hill. Taking place this semester on Feb. 17 between 3 and 8 p.m., Night on the Slopes gave the opportunity to 220 UWL students to purchase lift tickets and rent equipment from Mt. La Crosse at discounted rates. Additionally, free lessons were provided to students who were new to either skiing or snowboarding between 4 and 5 p.m.
“Night on the Slopes is an opportunity for UWL students and guests to ski or snowboard at Mt. La Crosse for a reduced rate,” said Hannah Grabow, the events and marketing coordinator for REC sports at UWL. Grabow continued, “This Mt. La Crosse partnership coupled with our partnership with UWL Campus Activities boards, helps remove the cost barrier to students. We are so grateful to the UWL Campus Activities Board for their willingness to partner with us.”
“I am trying to learn snowboarding,” said Owen Bates. Bates, who is a 2nd-year marketing major at UWL, continued by saying, “I have been doing it as an ESS (exercise and sports science) class through UWL and I just want to get better at it.” When asked how he learned about the event, Bates said, “I go to the REC almost every single day. So, I saw it through the advertisements.” Bates continued, “Also, some of my friends saw it through an email, and we all said, ‘Hey, let’s do it. It sounds like a lot of fun!’”
A friend of Bates that attended Night on the Slopes was Justin Mangan, a 2nd-year biology major with a microbiology minor. “I have been skiing for most of my childhood,” said Mangan. “I like being outside and spending time with my friends, which is something that I am doing tonight.” Mangan continued, “I got probably 10 to 15 friends out here tonight, so it is pretty exciting…It is a pretty good price as well.”
The price of a regular lift ticket to Mt. La Crosse averages around $50, not including rentals; this price varies based on which day someone would go and what time somebody starts using the lifts. So, only spending $12 with an additional $10 for rental equipment is considerably less than the usual cost.
“The discounted price, that was the key,” said Nick Bell, a 2nd-year biology major, about why he came out to Night on the Slopes.
“Skiing and snowboarding can be expensive, so for students to have the opportunity to see if it is for them, attend free lessons, and spend five hours on the hill for a small cost, is very cool,” said Grabow.
“Night on the Slopes has become a tradition for REC sports to continue each year.” Grabow continued, “It is important to collaborate with Mt. La Crosse to provide students an opportunity to participate in activities that are not available on campus.”
Grabow said, “It is wonderful to see on event day how excited students and guests are to have this opportunity to try something new or continue enjoying the sport they love!” Night on the Slopes is one of the events offered by the REC that allows students to spend time doing leisure activities.
To stay caught up with these events, visit the REC webpage on the UWL website. There are different types of activities to get involved in including outdoor activities like cross-country skiing and ice climbing, and indoor activities like gaming tournaments in the E-Zone or intramural sports.
