Snowboarding at the University of Nevada, Reno
With the 2015–2016 snowboarding season coming to a close, the students at the University of Nevada, Reno need to start thinking about what the 2016-2017 snowboarding season has to offer.
The University of Nevada, Reno is in an area that provides many different options for students who like to snowboard, like Squaw Valley, Boreal, and Mt. Rose. There are also clubs on campus that can help students get involved in snowboarding.
Snowboarding on Campus
The Winter Sports Club and Outdoor Adventures Club are clubs on campus that deal with snowboarding and other outdoor activities. The clubs update their students on different information and opportunities in regards to snowboarding, the club presidents said. The clubs also allow students the opportunity to arrange group trips to the mountain as well as compete in competitions.
The Outdoor Adventures Club does not arrange trips to the mountain as a club because they are expensive individualized, Elizabeth Phillips, President of the Outdoor Adventure Club, said. The club provides information for students about snowboarding. Phillips said she is able to keep her members updated by posting about the different opportunities students can take advantage of on the club’s message board.
“Even though the club does not put together specific events, members still get together to go snowboarding,” Phillips said.
The UNR Winter Sports Club also provides opportunities for students who are interested in snowboarding.
“We do our best to work with the local resorts to get our members the best discount on season passes”, Brian Biersdorff, president of the Winter Sports Club, said.
The club worked with Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows in the past and got the members a discount on the college pass offered by the mountain. A goal of the club is bringing students together who can share rides to the mountain, Biersdorff said. Another goal is providing students with the opportunity to ski and snowboard with each other.
Snowboarding on the Mountains
Mt. Rose is a mountain that appeals to college students at the University of Nevada, Reno because of its proximity to the campus, 27.1 miles. Although the mountain does not offer any specific deals for college students, it does offer a young adult pass. The resort created the pass with the idea of high school and college students in mind.
“What we found was when we had college passes and student Wednesdays, years ago, we weren’t getting lots of traction from a college point of view,” Mike Pierce, Marketing Director for Mt. Rose, said in reference to why the college student-specific deals and discounts were discontinued.
The mountain has a higher altitude than others do, which makes Mt. Rose more desirable, Pierce said. The higher altitude allows the mountain to stay open later in the year because the snow stays for a longer amount of time. Ladies Day Thursdays and Two for Tuesday’s are other deals that Mt. Rose offers.
Boreal, 42.2 miles from campus, is a mountain that offers a special deal for college students, called $15 Fridays. This deal applies to students at the University of Nevada, Reno as well as active duty military. On Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., students show their wolf card when buying a ticket to receive the $15 Friday deal. This is a promotion they used in the past to appeal to college students and they are continuing on with it because of its success. The mountain also offers the lowest holiday prices according to their website.
Squaw Valley, 44.5 miles from campus, offers a special deal to college students called the Tahoe Super Pass College.
“(The) pass is priced lower than any other pass to encourage college students to come up and enjoy the snow with us. It has no blackout dates, which is a huge bonus,” Liesl Kenney, Public Relations Manger for Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, said.
Kenney also pointed out some perks to snowboarding at Squaw Valley. When students choose to snowboard at Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows, they gain access to 6,000 acres of skiing and snowboarding. The pass-holders also have the ability to ride at two mountains, Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. There are currently 9 different parks operating, including a 13-inch half pipe and a Cross Course.
