Mariana Illarramendi, Reporter
@Marianaillarra3
For many individuals in New Canaan, skiing is not just an activity but a way of life. It has the capacity to create friendships and provide time away from everyday stressors. Though the mountains are not the same this year, COVID-19 is not stopping the fun.
Sophomore Natalie Plosker has been skiing since she was only four years old. “It is an integral part of my family life and something that has both shaped my relationship with my father and strengthened it,” Natalie said.
Hannah Smick, who was a freshman at NCHS last year, recently transferred to Gould Academy in New Hampshire to sharpen her skiing skills. The experienced skier shared similar thoughts. “It has been a great way for me to make new friends. Even before attending Gould, I created countless bonds with skiers who participated in my weekend competitions. It’s awesome to share a common hobby,” Hannah said.
To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, mountain resorts have made some changes in day-to-day operations. “While riding the chairlift, you can no longer ride with other skiers, you ride with who you came with,” Natalie said. “Masks are required, but that isn’t a problem because people usually wear face coverings to prevent the cold anyway. The most limiting change is the number of people allowed at the mountains per time, you need to buy tickets in advance.”
Skiers have found ways to adapt to these limits. “To avoid the spread of the virus, our family has held off on traveling west and staying at resorts. Instead, we have traveled east and even bought a van to stay in during ski weekends,” said Hannah.
Natalie also said her family has been staying on the east coast. “To be honest with you, skiing in the west is incomparable. The runs are different, and so is the steepness of the terrain. Instead, we’ve planned trips to more local mountains in New York and Vermont,” she said. These more localized trips have proved nonetheless beneficial for skiers who are able to take them.“After being stuck in the house for so long during quarantine, skiing was a great outlet, and my appreciation for it grew so much,” said Hannah.
“I really came to be more grateful. In past years I assumed I’d get to go to Beaver Creek and have an awesome time every year, but this pandemic put things in perspective. It’s evident how truly lucky I am to be able to ski,” said Natalie.
