(Note: if you have other questions, you can contact the club officers directly. See our WhoWeAre/Contact page.
How do I join the Snow Club?
The Snow Club is sponsored by FITSA and membership is open to all FIT students. Simply come to any of our meetings
to join. Check out our Calendar page for dates.
What does it cost to join the Snow Club?
There is a small registration fee (around $30) for the whole academic year.
How many trips do we take?
We usually take one day-trip per month during the winter. The first trip is
in early December. We also take overnight trips for active club members
in the spring. Check out our Calendar page for dates.
How much do the trips cost?
Since the Snow Club is sponsored by FITSA, the costs are low. Day trips cost
around $25; the overnight trips around $75.
What is included in each trip?
Each trip includes R/T transportation and lift tickets. The overnight trip
also includes a room (shared). It does not include food or rentals.
Can I rent equipment? How much does it cost?
For a day trip, it's probably better to rent at the resort. Costs are about
$30 for the equipment (not the clothing). You will need a credit card.
If you come to an overnight trip, you may consider renting here in NYC or by
your home (Paragon, Princeton Ski Shop, etc.). The costs are comparable, though,
if you look around, you can get a good deal.
If you are going to ski/snowboard a few times, it may make sense to rent for the
season. This is a good choice if you have gone a few times and are improving
quickly.
If I work for the club doing community service,
fundraisers, etc., do I get a discount on trips?
Yes, active club members pay less for trips. We keep track of activities
that active members perform. These activities not only reduce trip costs, they
also qualify members for very popular trips. Click here
to see our POINTS SYSTEM that explains how we track your contribution to the
SnowClub.
Can I bring along a friend/relative?
Yes, but under four conditions: only if over 18 years old, only for the day
trips, only if there is room in the vans, and only if she/he pays the entire
(group rate) lift ticket price. That is, the Snow Club will not absorb any
additional cost for non-FIT students. In addition, she/he will have to sign the
standard FIT liability waiver.
Where do we meet for trips?
We leave from FIT, front door of C Building. And, we leave promptly at the
designated time.
I’ve never skied/snowboarded before, can I go?
Yes, one of the purposes of the Snow Club is to encourage students to try
skiing/boarding. There is a special BEGINNER package just for you. You get a
lesson from qualified instructors, rental equipment, and lift ticket to the
lower part of the mountain (it’s enough!). All of this and the ride to and
from the mountain is about $25. We only offer this on day-trips.
What clothing to I need?
You should dress in layers.
Inner layer: thermal underwear made of material that
wicks moisture away from the body.
Dress layer: sweater, shirt/t-shirt (so you can remove your sweater), ski
socks
Outwear: ski hat, jacket (parka), pants, ski gloves, goggles, sun-screen,
lip-gloss, scarf. Face mask, if very cold.
Safety stuff: helmet, wrist-guards for snowboarding.
First-time snowboarding: padding for your butt. Minimum 4 pairs of shorts, worn
under your boarding/skiing pants. Don’t forget the wrist-guards! The BEGINNER
package includes these, but if you roller-blade, these wrist-guards work as
well.
I do not have all of the clothing needed, can I borrow
some?
We may be able to help with jacket, pants, socks, and goggles. Check with
the club officers.
What skies/board should I buy?
If you are new to the sport, do not buy anything! even if it's ON
SALE. The wrong gear, on sale or not, is no bargain. It's best to rent from the
ski area until you get an idea of what's for you.
If you are experienced, here are some of the things to keep
in mind when considering a snowboard:
Softer boards are better for tricks and bumps, stiffer boards are better for carving and hard snow riding like
we have here in the northeast.
Wider stance (how close your feet are to each other) is better for tricks, narrower stance is better for
carving/free riding (you can flex the board better).
Binding angles on the board: 0° (straight across the board) is better for tricks,
increased angles are better for riding/carving. Often people have 5° on
the front foot and a little less on the back foot. If you go 25 or more, you can carve better (and get less toe-drag!!).
Weight is also important: light weight should go for softer board, more weight can flex board more readily so a stiffer board is better.
And, of course, longer boards are more stable at speed that shorter ones.
You should also think about the merits/demerits of step-in bindings vs.
traditional ones.
When choosing a board, remember that Burton uses a three screw system (they call it 3D) while everybody else uses 4x4. So, if your current
set-up is Burton, you will need to get a set of 4x4 inserts for your bindings if
your new board if not a Burton.
How do I become a Club officer? What are the officer's
responsibilities?
We hold club elections late in the Spring Semester. Check our Calendar Page
for dates. If you plan to run for office, please take a look at description of
officer roles by clicking here.