My experience at Winter Carnival 2022 mirrored that of my freshman year: spontaneous, hectic, certainly not without its challenges and, overall, wildly successful. Winter Carnival, organized by DUPB, is a weekend of tubing, skiing and fun that takes place in Winter Park, CO.
Here’s the blow-by-blow: I was made aware of the Winter Carnival by a few friends, who invited me to stay with them (8 other girls) in a six-person condo. Being in the middle of week 6 of winter quarter as a freshman, the idea of a getaway weekend in a real condo with furniture, a kitchen with a gas stove, a fireplace and beds that were not Twin XL was enticing. Although I love the Centennial Halls dorm life, the communal bathroom and lack of a kitchen and dishwashing sink are major drawbacks.
After signing up for a bus from DU to Winter Park and back ($30 round trip) approximately two days before the actual event was supposed to take place, I was set. The webpage through Crimson Connect made this a simple and efficient task with explicit instructions that weren’t confusing. With lodging and transportation secured, there was no room for potential errors. This is where I was wrong, and where the flaws in the Winter Carnival format became painfully apparent.
Upon arrival at the carnival, we were enveloped in a sea of caffeinated, excited and directionally challenged DU students headed in search of discounted lift passes and fresh pow. Apart from the DUPB tent being—quite literally—as far as it possibly could have been from where we were dropped off, the transition from campus life to a weekend of skiing went smoothly. A one-day lift ticket costs $45. Which was pricey but relatively reasonable considering what it would have been without the DU discount.
By the time we had geared up and been through the long and quite extensive process of renting skis, as well as buying some proper ski gloves and a Buff (one of my friends was new to the skiing scene), we geared up and headed towards the hill, wallets feeling considerably lighter.
The feeling of the brisk wind on the chairlift, surrounded by blue sky and a breathtaking mountain view made the morning’s hassle feel justified. Although at 1 p.m. we had just hit the slopes, the adrenaline rush and feeling of utter satisfaction made the bus ride and morning’s rough start feel obsolete. Laughter, frozen gummy-worms on the chairlift, double-ejections and burning quads after two consecutive mogul runs made up that sunny afternoon in Winter Park. I was, in my head, thanking the DUPB members for providing such a unique opportunity, forcing me to get my sorry back to the mountains—if only for a couple of hours.
In retrospect, this event was an excellent opportunity and one that all DU students should take advantage of. However, such events can be daunting and hard to navigate. Here are a few closing pieces of advice, from a freshman no less, to ensure that Winter Carnival 2023 goes smoothly.
Firstly, plan ahead. This step is essential. Lift tickets, lodging and transportation are significantly cheaper when booked in advance and you can take full advantage of the entire weekend, rather than a few hours.
Next, coordinate with friends. If you are willing/able to split a place to sleep or to organize transportation with someone that has a car. This is another way to reduce costs and maximize fun.
Finally (and pretty obviously), bring warm layers, extra socks and snacks. Although this may seem small and obsolete, I found these to be Winter Carnival essentials. After a long, difficult day of skiing, when your toes are cold and damp, there is nothing better than a warm, dry pair of socks. And if you haven’t tried a frozen gummy bear on the chairlift (they usually freeze in your pocket while skiing), you haven’t lived!!
See you at Winter Carnival 2023!
Sincerely,
A DU freshman
