By: Haley Eckman

     With snow blowing in, ski season has started for many students attending Eisenhower. Holiday Valley in Ellicottville, New York, officially opened on December 3, debuting their new high-speed lift. Employees at Holiday Valley have been working hard to install this lift at their hill, Yodeler.

     The Squire interviewed snowboarder, Brooke Andersen, to find out more about her opinion of the lift. She explained, “I am very excited about the new Yodeler lift because we go to the Yodeler Lodge, and the old one was slow.” Many, including Andersen, find the high-speed lifts to be cold, but it’s worth it to spend more time on the slopes. The lift features a brand-new golden chair, like the one on the old Yodeler lift.

     The golden chairs represent Holiday Valleys’ 50th anniversary of operation. Skiers and snowboarders race to board the illusive number 50 chairs. Many bring sharpies and stickers to leave their mark on the lift. Since this is technically vandalism, The Squire would not recommend participating.

     The season started on December 3 with the lifts Yodeler, Creekside, and Tannenbaum running. The slopes these lifts serve have gotten enough snow for skiing and snowboarding. In the past few years, the snow hasn’t been the best. Andersen explained that there is a possibility that this may not be the best snow season, “because it’s starting off bad right now.” However, it is still early in the season, and Holiday Valley’s Instagram page seems to believe it is off to a great start.

    At the beginning of the season, many people decide to buy a pass instead of having to pay every time they go. Andersen has a white pass, which allows you to ski for eight hours either during the day or at night. Anderson snowboards at night saying, “it adds a little more danger to it.” There are less hills open at night because of a lack of lighting but missing out on those hills is worth it for Andersen. For more details regarding which type of pass might be best for you, check out Holiday Valley’s website.

     A big attraction at Holiday Valley is their Waffle Cabin, which sells mainly waffles, as the name suggests. The waffles are sugar waffles, and you can opt to get chocolate sauce on them or leave them plain. The Waffle Cabin also sells drinks such as pop, hot chocolate, coffee, etc. The cabin is a popular spot for skiers to stop for a sweet treat, or stock up on Waffle Cabin merch with their logo on it.  Andersen had a waffle there for the first-time last season and is looking forward to enjoying more this year.

     You can check out more about Holiday Valley on their website http://www.holidayvalley.com. The Squire hopes to see you on the slopes this winter season!

Picture courtesy of Holiday Valley