While some may find themselves warming up in a cabin and sipping hot chocolate during winter getaways, several Diamond Bar High School students spend their mountain trips sliding through the snow. 

Sophomore Alexandros Kam has been skiing recreationally with his father since he was five, going to local mountains and skiing down just to have fun. He said that he strives to ski once per year, though was unable to go last year due to the pandemic.

“It’s fun to go down big mountains and test your skill,” Kam said via Instagram. “Though [turning] well so you can go down steeper slopes is difficult.”

Like Kam, senior Amanda Blossom skis casually. She said that the uniqueness of the seasonal sport gives her an incentive to practice it.

Blossom has been skiing since seventh grade, after her father suggested it as a hobby they could bond over. She said that she maintains her skills by practicing often in mountains in her area, accompanied by her sister, and is attempting to improve her backwards skiing. However, she said that she has found it difficult to practice sometimes.

“I tend to stay within my comfort zone to avoid embarrassment because everyone’s eyes are on you,” she said via Instagram.

Once when practicing, Blossom had suffered a tailbone injury when attempting a box jump in a resort that she wasn’t used to. Dut to this, she prefers to ski in areas that she is familiar with.

“I usually ski at Mountain High due to it being closer but I prefer Big Bear because it’s typically less crowded,” she said.

Sophomore Ethan Barbieto has been skiing for fun since he was eight, but has recently taken up snowboarding. The latter has been a bit of a challenge for him, as the skill of carving–using the sidecut of the board to turn–has been a difficult one for him to master.

Barbieto said that snowboarding was an appealing hobby to him because it was reminiscent of skateboarding, another activity that he has shown interest in. He also said that it simply looked fun, which is why he started practicing the sport.

Barbieto goes skiing with his family at  Mammoth and Big Bear, and skies a couple of times per year.

“It’s fun going down mountains, and it’s hard to get sweaty,” Barbieto said via Instagram. 

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Photo courtesy of AMANDA BLOSSOMS