Following the ceremony in Virtue Field House, festivities will move up the mountain to the Middlebury College Snowbowl, where members of the class will ski or snowboard down the mountain – dressed in their caps and gowns – in the annual event known as the Feb Ski Down. Non-skiers will also join the fun, hiking down the mountain with their classmates. The official February class photo will also be taken at the Snowbowl.
Graduates are bussed to the Snowbowl. Families and guests must park at the Bread Loaf campus, where you will board shuttle buses to take you to the Snowbowl. Middlebury staff will be on hand to guide you. The drive to Bread Loaf takes 20 to 30 minutes. Allow 10-15 minutes extra to ride the shuttle bus to the Snowbowl.
Accessible parking is available at the Snowbowl on a first-come, first-served basis for those with a state-issued ADA placard. Guests with mobility challenges may experience difficulty navigating the snowy and uneven terrain. Guests with mobility challenges and those susceptible to the cold may consider watching the live stream from the Redfield Proctor Room in Proctor Dining Hall, their lodging accommodation, or from their vehicle.
Please note that the ski-down is not visible from the lodge. Lodge restrooms will be available, but space in the lodge is limited. There will also be portable restrooms outside. Click here for a detailed map of the Feb class photo and Ski Down location at the Snowbowl.
Please dress in layers. The morning ceremony can be warm in Virtue Field House but cold at the Snowbowl’s higher altitude. We recommend warm hats, gloves, and boots!
The Ski Down is voluntary. Grads who do not plan to ski may hike down any portion of the hill. Those who only wish to be in the class photo are free to join their fellow grads in the photo area and watch them descend the mountain.
Febs who need to rent equipment for the Ski Down should complete an equipment rental form. The equipment rental form for the 2026 Ski Down will be available in mid-fall 2025.