WESTON, Mo. — Last week, Snow Creek Ski Area was one of 161 facilities nationwide joining together to attempt setting a record for the most ski lessons held simultaneously.
Three busloads of children from Basehor-Linwood (Kan.) Middle School unloaded on the morning of Friday, Jan. 8 at Snow Creek near the Iatan power plant north of Weston. Schools in the area commonly plan field trips to the facility, but in this case, the more than 100 students helped make up the 157 people taking lessons starting at 10 a.m. — the specified time for the 161 ski facilities.
Snow Creek marketing director Darin Pond was confident the previous record — 593 — would fall but the final tabulation was not available at The Citizen’s deadline.
“This is the first year the industry has taken the record on,” Pond said. “We will easily break it this year. It will be interesting to see what the total number is.”
Most of those at the event were first-time skiers, getting their first taste of the slopes on a Missouri River bluff. The lesson lasted 90 minutes and provided the basics for the many young skiers to use throughout the day.
The National Ski Areas Association organized the record attempt, part of the organization’s Learn to Ski Month recognized each year by the organization in January.
“Any time you see new people come out for the sport, it’s fantastic,” Pond said. “A lot of them never had the opportunity to experience this, particularly living in Missouri. I love watching the smiles on their face, particularly once they get through their lessons. It’s a unique experience and many of them will come skiing for years and years and years. Many of them wouldn’t have been introduced to it without Snow Creek.”