The PE Skiers of Berkshire East
By Henry Saito ‘25
Photo by Eliza Krotinger
PE Skiing has returned for the 2024 winter season. PE Skiing has largely increased in sign-ups and has had a waiting list for the past two years due to its highly anticipated return to school after COVID. The mountain the students ski on, Berkshire East, has a variety of trails and offers all kinds of food and drinks in the lodge. Every Wednesday, about 200 people visit Berkshire East to either take skiing lessons, have fun with friends, or watch NMH skiers dominate in competitive alpine ski racing. The lodge has a spacious, two-floor seating area and a conveniently large window space that directly faces the trail where the schools compete. Paolo Rodriguez ‘24 looks forward to skiing at Berkshire East. “Recreational skiing while school is in session is a great privilege we have as students at NMH. Watching my alpine ski team friends compete in the races every Wednesday is also fun. It’s definitely one of the highlights of my winter season.”
PE Skiing is available to students with all levels of experience. Whether you’re a beginner, experienced, or an advanced skier, you can sign up for this PE offering and take advantage of the mountain’s versatility. For every visit to the mountain, a 1-hour lesson with a certified ski or snowboard instructor is mandatory. Based on skill level, students are grouped with various instructors to explore helpful skills and tips to improve their skiing. Damon Tung ‘25, a beginner at skiing, has improved over just a few lessons. “The first week was a struggle for me; I fell pretty hard during the first two lessons. However, on the third day, I was paired with my personal ski instructor, who explained and demonstrated the basics of skiing very well. I’m going into this next week much more confident than before, thanks to the lessons.”
This season, the weather at Berkshire East Mountain has been especially unpredictable. On some days, it’s extremely windy and snowy; on other days, it’s foggy and slushy. Since Massachusetts weather is naturally difficult to interpret, the mountain managers have a hard time deciding if they can facilitate the school’s PE offering on any given day. Out of the six days of skiing so far, three were canceled due to weather conditions and the mountain’s overpopulation of skiers. Although it's unfortunate for students to be unable to ski on certain days, the staff at Berkshire East have worked hard to keep NMH’s PE offering available to a bus full of students. It’s important to recognize the work people do at the rental shop, lodge, and lift services to keep the mountain running smoothly. Consider taking NMH’s PE Skiing next school year!
