Get Off the Sidelines
This Weekend….We’re Back!
Opening back up this Friday at 3:00 PM (more info here) – with more terrain open, more lifts running, and longer operating hours, I want to take a moment to speak to a very specific group of people — maybe you.
The parents who watch from the base area.
The adults who keep saying “next year.”
The folks who bundle up the kids, bring them to Buck Hill, and then… stay on the sidelines.
The ones who wonder whether skiing, snowboarding, or even tubing might be for them too.
This message is for you.
I didn’t grow up skiing or snowboarding. I played basketball my entire life. I didn’t pick up skiing until I was 28. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned since being on snow, it’s this: Winter changes entirely the moment you choose to be part of it.
What These Sports Actually Do For You
Skiing, snowboarding, and even snow tubing aren’t just activities — they’re gateways. They spark joy, euphoria, confidence, and a surprising sense of well-being. They nudge you out of your comfort zone just enough to remind you that you’re still capable of learning something new… and loving it.
When you’re on the snow, life’s noises disappear — it’s like the gates to your own Neverland quietly open, a place where the real world loosens its grip and you get to breathe again.
There’s no script.
No tasks calling your name.
No deadlines chasing you.
No weight on your shoulders.
Just you and a blanket of snow beneath your feet — guiding you downhill one turn at a time. And when the day ends, that feeling stays with you — a gentle reminder that life doesn’t always need to be so rigid.
The Magic Isn’t Age-Restricted
Over the past two seasons, I’ve watched my wife (36) and my mother-in-law (61) go from sitting on the sidelines to learning how to ski — and it’s been life-changing for them. I’ve watched them fall, laugh uncontrollably, get back up, and keep going — and in those moments, you could see the stress of life lift right off their shoulders. What started as “maybe I’ll try it someday” turned into Wednesday-night mother-daughter ski nights, capped off with a cocktail at Buck ’54 (the best après bar ever… I might be a little biased!).
You’re not too old.
You’re never too young.
Your journey doesn’t need to look like theirs — but it can start the same way: by simply saying yes.
This Winter… Just Go
Don’t wait.
Don’t overthink it.
Don’t convince yourself you’re too old, too busy, or “not outdoorsy enough.”
Go because you can.
Health isn’t an infinite resource.
Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.
I promise the minute you get on the hill (get a couple ski or snowboard lessons under your feet) you will find yourself smiling without even knowing you were.
So This Weekend… Get In the Game
If you’ve been watching from the sidelines, this is your invitation — your nudge per se — to jump in:
Take a ski or snowboard lesson.
Buy a snow tubing ticket.
Come experience winter in a way that might just change your life.
Snow has a way of giving back more joy than you expect.
It fills your soul, creates memories you’ll carry forever, and helps you find purpose, clarity, and so much more.
And who knows… maybe this weekend is where your story shifts.
Where winter becomes the season you actually look forward to.
Where you stop just getting through it — and start truly loving it.
See you this weekend.
Stay Rad,
Nate Birr
President | COO