Rachel Gray, our Executive Director, loves to ski. Read part four of this skiing series below.
If you’ve been following along on my mission to become a downhill skier, you’ll know I took this selfie with shorts on. I’ve been waiting patiently since the summer! If the snow bug has just bitten you, or you’ve developed a winter funk, have no fear, there are plenty of options to get in on the downhill ski action.
One thing that deterred me from downhill skiing both in high school and during my 9-year hiatus was the price. Equipment rental, lift passes, potential hotel stays all cost money. I didn’t even own a pair of snow pants. The first time I skied, I borrowed gear from a friend’s dad. Luckily Carl and I were roughly the same size. When I got into cross country skiing, I wore layers from my old track uniform (you don’t need much because you generate so much heat), used hand-me-down skis, and trail passes were $5 or sometimes even free.
In my job at Hello West Michigan, I get to learn about all of the things that make Michigan great. One of my research discoveries was Discover Michigan Ski Month. As an aspiring skier, this program really excited me because it addressed a big barrier for me: cost.
With the Discover Michigan Ski program, anyone can access:
- Beginner lesson for downhill ski, snowboard, or cross country ski
- Ski or snowboard rental
- Beginner area lift ticket or cross country pass
If you’re interested in taking advantage of the program, make your reservations early because the slots do fill up.
Another great resource for winter gear is GR Outside. It is a gear lending library through Grand Rapids Parks and Rec. The first time I went downhill skiing, I had all of the base clothes to layer because of my time on the track team (despite being a “spring” sport, it frequently snowed at our outdoor track meets), but I didn’t have the outer pieces: a ski jacket, snow pants, or proper gloves. Bill and Paul’s Sporthaus also has rental equipment available by the day, weekend, or full week.
If you’re trying the sport for the first time, borrowing the equipment can be really helpful.