Hidden Valley Ski Trip by Sara

Glenridge Ski Trip

On January 12th, 2017 5th graders at Glenridge Elementary School got on a bus at 8:15 A.M. to go to Hidden Valley to go skiing. Some people went skiing for the first time in their lives and others went skiing to improve their skills.

When the 5th graders entered Hidden Valley, all of them were amazed. One 5th grader named Sara was amazed by how they could fit so much fake snow in a huge area. After the 5th graders got their skis, they were able to go out and head towards station one. Most 5th graders were wearing a long sleeve shirt and a winter jacket plus warm pants and snow pants. A 5th grader Ava says, “The ski boots were easy to put on and they were very comfortable because I have been skiing before.” One 5th grader says the ski boots feel like high heels with your toes squished up in the boot. After students go through station one, they go to the next station which shows you how to put on your skis. The 5th graders would put their foot parallel to the skis, move their body weight to their foot, wait for the  click, and one ski would be on. Skiers would do the same process for the next ski, and then they would be ready to go to station three.

Station three was learning about how to go up a hill without falling down. Skiers would point their skis sideways and slowly start inching up a small hill. Once they made it up the hill they would go on to station four.

Station four was about learning how to go down hill. Skiers would wait in a line with their skis still sideways. Once they made it to the top, they slowly skied down the hill they just climbed. They learned how to do the pizza wedge, where the skier points their skis towards each other making what looked like a pizza slice. This skill would slow them down if they went down the hill too fast. If skiers did not know how to do the pizza wedge, they would fall when going down hill. After skiers learned how to go down hill, they would go on to station five.

Station five taught you how to go up the magic carpet. Skiers would put their skis where the shoveled snow was, shuffle forward a bit, then the magic carpet would take them on a ride up the hill. Skiers would have to lean forward on the magic carpet so if the carpet stopped at any time because someone might have fell, the skiers will not fall over. When the skiers made it to the top, there was a small hill they would go down to make sure the person behind them does not crash into them. Then they would go on to the next station, station six.

At station six, skiers would practice going down a slightly steeper hill than station four. They would practice using the pizza wedge to slow down, and also learn how to turn. After skiers practiced the pizza wedge a couple of times, they would ski to the right side of the hill where skiers would practice turning. Orange cones were set up in a straight line down the hill. Skiers would wait in a line until it was their turn to practice. If they got around all the cones at a normal speed, one of the instructors would tell them to go to station seven.

Station seven was the last station before skiers graduated ski school. To make sure you were ready to free ski and go down steeper hills, station seven was a test to make sure you knew how to do all the skills. Skiers would ski down a steep hill with cones set up. Skiers would ski down the hill a bit more faster than station six and have to go around all the cones. Once skiers mastered station seven, they would get a mark on their ski lift ticket saying they have graduated from ski school. After ski school, skiers would be allowed to ski on steeper hills, go on the rope tow, and the ski lift.

In between skiing, there was lunch. Skiers would take off their skis and put them on a ski rack. A special number was put on their ski lift ticket that matched their skis so after lunch skiers would not get mixed up about which skis were theirs. After skiers put their skis on the rack, they would go inside to get lunch. Lunch was a slice of pizza and a cup of water or sprite.

After skiing was over, most 5th graders got back on the bus to leave to go back to Glenridge. The other group of people stayed with their parents and skied some more. A lot of people had a fabulous time at Hidden Valley. For the beginner skiers, it was a rough time. In the end though, everyone liked skiing and most would want to come back for another great time.