Ski Down
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
THE 2023 SKI-DOWN WILL BE HELD ON CAMPUS AT MIDDLEBURY CHAPEL HILL
Due to extreme and dangerous windchill predictions at the Middlebury Snowbowl, this year’s Ski-Down has been moved from the Snowbowl to the Middlebury Chapel hill, allowing for a safer, shorter run near warm buildings. At the scheduled time of the Ski-Down, windchill temperatures at the Snowbowl are forecast to be minus 22 degrees, posing a serious threat of frostbite and hypothermia.
Following the Saturday ceremony, we invite the Feb class to gather for a class photo in Middlebury Chapel, followed by a Ski-Down on our storied sledding hill next to the chapel. The hill has hosted many Middlebury skiers, sledders, hikers, and snowshoers in the past, and we are delighted that we can take up that tradition again in new ways. It will be a shorter, safer run, and convenient to warm locations and the luncheon afterward. Thank you to the students and Snowbowl Manager Mike Hussey who offered this suggestion, and who will work overtime to make this a successful and celebratory run.
Families will gather in McCullough Student Center before the Ski-Down, which is set to begin around noon. There will be a viewing area outside McCullough with fire pits, but please dress warmly, as temperatures will be near zero degrees, far colder with the wind chill. Middlebury staff members will let families know when the students are ready to start, so they can head outside to watch.
We will provide buses to transport families from the field house to McCullough. Because parking is very limited on the central campus, we encourage you to take the bus rather than drive. Buses will transport students to the Middlebury Chapel first, then return to pick up families in front of the Peterson Athletic Center lobby. Staff members will be available to assist. Buses will drop families off in front of McCullough Student Center, where they can get hot chocolate and hand warmers.
After the Ski-Down, families may join their students for lunch in Ross or Proctor dining halls. There will be two shuttle buses stationed on Hepburn Road near Proctor. These will be available to transport families back to the parking lots at Virtue Field House and Mahaney Center for the Arts. The shuttles will run from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Remember, even on campus it will be extremely cold, so bundle up in many layers and cover any exposed skin when you’re outside.
This solution is the safest, most inclusive, and hospitable for all Feb graduates and their families wanting to celebrate together. We look forward to seeing you this weekend to honor the many achievements of the Class of 2022.5!
Rental Equipment
Students planning to rent equipment for the Ski-Down will receive separate instructions on where to pick it up. Rental equipment will brought to campus.