Seven Springs Ski Trip Report

Friday February 20th, 2009 Hocking College Outdoor Pursuits loaded up for the annual ski trip to Seven Springs resort in PA.
We all met at the student center and went through the usual formalities. After signing waivers, filling out health history, and shooting out a few last minute emails we were on the road.
H.C.O.P. went high tech this year and tossed those old map quest directions out the window (not literally, we're very eco-friendly) and used my trusty GPS navigation system. After about 4 hours of flawless directions we arrived in beautiful confluence PA, then with out warning the tom-tom turned evil and led us into the back country. It started as a two lane paved road, then turned snow covered (causing a slight meet and greet with a ditch), and then eventually devolved into a hellish steep ice-on-gravel bob sled run. Tim brought the van to a stop just in time to see an old white jeep staring up at us about 100 yards down. We got out and trekked down to evaluate the situation and quickly realized the only way out was down. The jeep somehow crawled around us and continued on its way, while we buckled up for .63 miles of terror. Tim somehow held it together and successfully led us out of one seriously hairy situation.

A short while later we arrived at the cabin in immediately chucked the tom-tom into the river (not really, we're very eco-friendly). We settled in, found our beds, and Tim decides it's rockband time, and as soon as Tim started singing everyone else decided it was bed time. The band continued on though for a couple more hours, with Brady and Tim trading duty on the mic hell bent on keeping the other 8 occupants of the house awake.

After finally settling down to bed everyone passed out pretty quick and woke up fairly easily to awesome weather and even better conditions. With about 95% open and blue skies, everyone was pumped to hit the slopes. Everyone got their ticket and went their separate ways, crossing paths occasionally, and meeting up in the lodge to make sure all was well. After Tim and I got our 12 dollar meals, boards waxed, and edges done we headed back out. It was perfect, but only until boss man ate it after attempting a massive kicker on the north face. He stuck the 720 back flip, but caught an edge on the icy landing and biffed it hard. He's still in intensive care as I write this; please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

We headed back to the cabin at the end of the day and everyone hit the sack after watching First Descent. Adding insult to injury, Tim was up all night with the screaming barfies. Poor guy. The trip home was pretty uneventful, most people just slept through, waking up only to complain about being hungry and needing bathroom breaks, but I now live by the motto, don't sweat the petty, pet the sweaty.

All in all it was an awesome trip. Jealous much?