Looking for an antidote for the bleakness of winter? Then get outside in the fresh air and explore the snowy playgrounds known as ski slopes. Mount

Holyoke is located in the heart of New England, and skiing is a major part of the traditional experience. There are several ski areas within an hour’s drive from campus, and if you’re willing to travel a little further north, Vermont offers some of the best skiing in the East.

The closest area in Vermont is Mount Snow. Located in the southern end of the state, in the town of West Dover, this mountain is a good day trip destination. Other southern Vermont resorts include Bromley, Okemo, and Stratton. The Mount Holyoke Outing Club recently led an overnight trip up to Stratton after J-Term to have some fun before the start of the new semester.

If you’re looking for something closer to campus, head west to the Berkshire Hills. Here you’ll find Jiminy Peak. It’s not a huge mountain and it will be about an hour and a half drive, but it’s well worth it when you ski on a well groomed run from the top past spinning blades harvesting energy of the future-Jiminy is the first ski area in North America to install a wind turbine.Environmentally friendly, relatively inexpensive (an adult day ticket is $56) and not too distant from campus, Jiminy Peak is definitely worth checking out. I was there on my first full day home for Winter Break and it snowed the entire time. Conditions were beautiful!

Berkshire East, located in Charlemont, MA, can be reached in under an hour’s drive from Amherst and is probably the mountain closest to campus. Students can purchase a weekend day pass for under $50. That will give you access to excellent terrain to explore on skis or boards. An avid skier shouldn’t be limited to the local areas. Some of the best skiing in the country can be found in the western mountains of Colorado and Utah. I was fortunate to be able to spend the past week discovering why Utah is known to have “the greatest snow on Earth.” I skied four days at Alta, a charming resort nestled in Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon. Snowboards are not allowed here, but it’s heaven on earth for the ski enthusiast. It snowed every day I was there – not surprising for a place that averages over 500 inches of snow a year. I never heard the scraping noise of icy runs characteristic of Northeastern skiing. There were almost no lift lines and the mountain was not heavily marked with trail signs, meaning you can ski where you want. I capped off my Utah experience with a day at Park City’s Deer Valley Resort, known for its exceptional guest service and groomed trails. There are too many lifts and trails there to cover in one day, but there’s not much else to complain about. Utah skiing is fantastic, period.

No matter where you ski you’re bound to have a good time. It’s one of the highlights of winter. So go on and get outside, strap on a pair of skis or a snowboard, and let ‘em rip. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

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