I woke up to snow—light, fluffy snow. It danced about my window, teasing me to skip school and head for the hills. Unfortunately I could not.

Trust me, I’ve bailed on class many times—too many times—to ski, but things are different now. I’m no longer taking skippable classes like I was during my freshman and sophomore year (WRIT, Italian and other relatively unimportant aspects of my college career), and the harsh reality I’ve had to face is that I might not get as many days on snow as I’d like now that I have more pressing responsibilities than in the past.

So I went to class. And I continued to watch the snow dance about from the wrong side of windows all day. But despite all of this dancing and teasing, the snowflakes did not get the best of me. At the end of the day, I was going to Ruby Hill Rail Yard. Try and say that ten times quickly.

Ruby Hill Rail Yard serves as a haven for skiers, snowboarders and even sledders to get their winter sports fix right in the heart of Denver. The concept is simple: It’s a patch of snow in Ruby Hill Park, which is just three miles from DU, that has a variety of rails and boxes to go ride on. For those who aren’t familiar with those terms, rails and boxes are what make up the terrain parks you usually find high up in the mountains.

In 2007, Winter Park Resort and Denver Parks and Recreation teamed up to make this project happen. Winter Park brought in some rails and boxes, as well as snow guns to blow a sufficient amount of snow, and Denver Parks and Rec managed the whole operation with a fantastic group of volunteers. Several sponsors have come into play throughout the years due to the project’s huge success, but the concept remains the same: let Denverites play in the snow for free when they can’t make it to the mountains.

That’s right, it’s free, too. This is not only convenient for college students without much in their wallets, but is also hugely helpful for families in the area who want to teach their kids how to ski and snowboard. This way, they don’t have to buy a full day pass at an expensive resort to take their child on one small run. There’s an area on the side of the rails and out of harm’s way to take beginners, and this serves as a great learning space for both young and old members the Denver community.

The next time you feel the need to get some time on snow but can’t make it up to the mountains, head to Ruby Hill Rail Yard. It’s a wonderful place that our community is fortunate to have, and it should be fully utilized. The space is open to the public from dawn to 9 p.m. everyday, accommodating to any schedule, and they use lights at night to keep everything safe and visible. For me, just the simple ability to buckle up my boots in a major U.S. city is a truly satisfying feeling. No matter how stressed I am, or teased by those dancing snowflakes, I will always have a place to go escape and do what I love. And I think that’s pretty darn cool.