IENCES
R
E
P
X
E
AZING ERS OF ALL
M
A
S
E
D
PROVI SNOWBOARD
S
K
A
E
P
PAOLI R SKIERS AND
FO
“WINTERTIME ACTIVITIES in the Midwest are
limited,” said Tom Nash, ski instructor at Paoli
Peaks. “Coming up here, you can get out on
the snow, make some turns and have some fun
when it’s cold outside.”
Indeed, Paoli Peaks – a veritable ski resort
located in Paoli, Indiana – is one of Southern
Indiana’s most unique treasures as it makes the
adventures of hitting the slopes easily accessible.
On a recent Saturday, I made the short trip up
to Paoli with my boyfriend and some friends, all
of whom were at different levels of ability. Let
me emphasize this now: As a seasoned skier, not
only did Paoli Peaks not disappoint, but it proved
to be an absolutely spectacular retreat where all
five of us in my party had plenty of fun while also
enjoying a vigorous workout and discovering new
skills and abilities.
The first thing you need to know is that, the
drive is quick and easy wherever you are in
Southern Indiana and takes you through the quaint
roundabouts of downtown Paoli. Conversation and
coffee made the drive fly by, and as we pulled up
after less than an hour of travel from New Albany
(our starting point), I was ready to see just what
Paoli had to offer for the five of us.
As I mentioned, I grew up skiing. My dad would
take a ski trip over a beach trip any day.
My friend, Michael, also is a practiced skier, so
he and I knew we’d be able to get in some good
runs while the others were getting acquainted
with the admittedly strange sensation of having
two long objects attached to your feet and using
them to slide down snow.
My boyfriend, Charlie, and my friend, Whitten,
started working with ski instructor Tom Nash
while another friend, Sara, started to familiarize
herself with snowboarding, an activity she last
enjoyed five years ago.
Fortunately for Charlie and Whitten, Paoli
is fairly geared toward beginners with several
options for those who aren’t yet comfortable with
the more advanced slopes.
“Paoli Peaks has a great variety of terrain to
accommodate everyone, from the first time slider
to the experienced skier to those who enjoy the
thrill of terrain parks,” said General Manager
Rick McMullen. “Our terrain is largely beginner-
focused, but we also have two terrain parks, a glade
and several runs with steeper pitches.”
After going through the extraordinarily easy
process of getting our rental boots and skis (or
snowboard), it was time to get on the snow.
While Charlie and Whitten stuck with the
instructor and Sara took some easy hills on her
snowboard, Michael and I decided to seek out the
tougher slopes. We started in Pioneer Park, a steep
descent with various ramps and jumps. While
neither of us were quite ready to take to the air, we
watched as several other skiers and snowboarders
leapt with confidence off the jumps, proving that
even the most advanced winter sportsman can
find nonstop thrills at Paoli Peaks.
21