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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 3, 1982)
I This type of skiwear can break the pocketbooks of begin ning skiers. There are cheaper ways of keeping warm on the slopes. rsav> North is the j meet Yankee. Hitting the slopes on a small budget If you're going skiing for the first time and don't have a com plete color-coordinated ski out fit, don't worry. It's best to ex- E erience skiing first to see if you ke it and will keep it up before pouring out the money on clothes and equipment. For skiing, keeping warm is the main thing to remember. Here are some tips on low- budget dressing for a day on the slopes. — Dress in layers for max imum insulation and warmth. Air gets trapped between the layers and is warmed by the body's heat. — The first layer should be a foundation of natural fibers like cotton long johns, wool socks and a cotton turtleneck. Nylon and synthetics actually absorb moisture which can cause a chill. — Overalls or blue jeans are a good choice for the second layer. Make sure they are water proof by Scotchgarding them. — For the third layer, wear a heavy wool sweater. For colder temperatures a down vest or jacket also may be necessary. — Nylon wind breakers are fine for not-so-cold tempera tures. A cotton bandana tied around the neck can be raised to protect the face and lips from wind. — A hat that covers the ears, waterproof gloves and sunglas ses or goggles for eye protection complete the layers needed for keeping warm on the slopes. — Since the sun is more in tense at higher elevations and it is also reflected by the snow, a sunscreen is also a good idea. Cold weather is what Yankees can skiiers dream about and something like us aren't really accustomed to. We may have our Blue Northers e\ in a while but our stagnant weather c; pare with the freezing temperature top half of the country. (Example: th the temperature reached 80 degrees A Yankee has never known the sweating or wearing shorts and halte December. And since Texans are unfamiliar meaning of cold in cold weather, so tc with winterwear. Legwarmers are worn by som women — not to help combat shin fro to keep snow from coming inside boc for the reason that they're fashional warmers can even be seen worn 1 women with miniskirts — a cruel j shivering Yankee. Long underwear is something els< may find it hard to identify with, models in mail-order catalogues, brings laughter to Texans and wonde Beginning skiers can have a fun but cheap time by Susan Dittman Battalion Staff Icy cold air whipping against the face, bright blurs of people in a world of whiteness, faster and faster — it's almost like flying. That's snow skiing. From the bare-bones beginner to the advanced skier, skiing on snow can become addicting. More and more people are taking their Christmas and New Year's holi days, as well as spring break, on the slopes and are experiencing the thrill of snow skiing on beautiful, snow- covered mountains. -Although they can be expensive, ski vacations don't have to clean out the pocketbook. Inexpensive rates can be found by making arrangements through travel agencies and other organizations than often can negotiate with airlines, buses and resorts for lower rates. Package deals that put travel fares, lodging, lift tickets and sometimes food into one plainly-stated price also save money, aggravation and time. D. Searcy, advisor for the MSC Travel Committee, said that when planning a ski vacation, it's important to compare the packages offered by different travel agencies and organi zations. "Be a good shopper," she said. "One package may appear to be a lower price, but in the long run it isn't." Besides skiing, Searcy said, there are other activities to do at ski resorts. "There's always the night life," - she said. "Some places offer sleigh rides with dinner cooked outside," she said. Ice skating, snow mobiling and snow tubing are also available in most ski areas, Searcy said. Searcy said going on a group ski trip is sometimes less expensive than going with just one or two other people. But for people who want to plan their own trip, she said, most ski re sorts have toll-free telephone num bers to call for information. "You can get good information without spending a fortune," Searcy said. Several local travel agencies and Texas A&M University student orga nizations are offering group ski trips for the Christmas and spring breaks. Although it may be too late to join one of the Christmas trips, it's not too early to think about spring break skiing. The Texas A&M Snow Ski club offers a ski trip each Christmas and spring. Terry Gerber, president of the ski club, said this year's Christmas trip to Breckenridge, Colo, has been full for over a month. A spring ski trip to Steamboat Springs, Colo, is also being planned and sign-ups will be held next semes ter, she said. The Breckenridge group trip costs $335 per person and includes bus transportation, lodging in condomi niums, a four-day lift ticket and spe cial parties. The price does not include lessons, Gerber said, but the people on the trip can decide whether they want to take lessons at the resort. "We are bringing ski instructors who teach the P.E. skiing classes here (at Texas A&M) to act as guides and help the beginners," she said. For beginners, sometimes the har dest part of skiing is managing to get on and off the ski lifts. Gerber said the best way to con quer the lifts is to follow the instruc tions of the people working the lift. "Watch the people in front of you and tell the workers you've never been on a lift," she said. D. Searcy, advisor for MSC Travel, said their organization has two Janu ary ski trips planned. "Both of the trips are full," Searcy said, "but we are still taking names on the waiting lists." One of the trips, four days in Pur gatory, Colo., is $449 and includes lodging, transporation, breakfast and dinner and lift tickets. Ski rental is an extra $35, she sail "We usually have a maximum of ■ people on our trips but sometim we'll have less," Searcy said. "On 30 people are going on the Purgato trip since we are flying." The other trip to Winter Park, Col includes the same package, she sail but the price per person varies wi the type of lodging chosen. The prices for the five-day trip a: $399, $409 and $419. Transportatic for the Winter Park trip will be by bu Searcy said. The MSC Travel Committee is als planning a couple of trips for sprin break, she said. The trips to Telluride, Colo, an Crested Butte, Colo, will both lea\ on March 11 and return on March 1! Searcy said. Prices for the trips are not definit yet, she said, but Telluride will be maximum of $320 and Crested Butt will be around $400. _ — ■' « i - - i r < -ra vm.