Had enough snow yet?
Andy Arbital, President of the Camillus Ski Association, has not – he says keep it coming. “Some people say, ‘I hate the snow,’ but we love the snow,” said Arbital, “because that’s our business.” This year’s record-breaking snowfall has been great for the Camillus Ski Association, which lacks the finances to make its own snow. “East Hill,” located at Blackmore Road next to East Hill Elementary in Camillus, usually has to wait for January to have enough snow to open. This year it opened in mid-December, and Arbital doesn’t expect it to close anytime soon. “We’ll stay open as long as there’s enough snow on the ground to ski safely,” Arbital said. The only times they’ve closed were on holidays, when volunteers took rare days off. The hill is run on the support of about 40 volunteers. Families of volunteers ski free of charge. Arbital says the club is in need of more volunteers, and welcomes newcomers. To become involved, call Arbital at 569-5566. A family affair
Ann Schmutzler has been volunteering since the 1960s, when her son, Tom, started the ski hill. She assists with the ski instruction program and runs the kitchen, which sells beverages, pizza, hot dogs and other snacks. “[I volunteer] because my children learned here, my grandchildren learned here and became instructors, and I just like to volunteer my services for the community,” she said. “Volunteer” might not be right the word for what so many put into the Camillus Ski Association. Chelsea Quinell started skiing there when she was 5 and now, at 21, runs the association’s ski school. Her dad, Walt, is an active volunteer. “This is his life,” Quinell said. “He’s here everyday.”
Currently, 126 students are learning to ski or snowboard at East Hill.
“That’s our main push is to teach young people to ski,” said Vern Kauffman, who runs the used ski shop. “That’s really the reason for our existence.” Oftentimes, people who learn to ski at Easthill return as instructors, which can be their first job. Unlike the volunteers, instructors are paid — though two of the hill’s 17 instructors this year refused to be compensated. The hill provides group lesson to students as young as 4-years-old, and offers private lessons for adults. For beginners, Quinell said the most difficult part isn’t so much going down the hill as getting to the top. “The tow rope is the biggest challenge,” she said. “A lot of kids this year are admitting that they have a fear of the tow rope.” So what’s the trick?
She says it’s really about hanging onto the rope without pushing down to hard on it and losing your balance. “I try and tell the kids, but the more you tell them, the more clouded their heads get,” she said. “They really just have to feel it.” Thanks to volunteers, the Camillus Ski Association can keep its admission prices at a minimum. Day passes are $7 dollars on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, when the hill is open from 6 to 9 p.m., and weekend day passes are $10. On Saturdays and Sundays, the hill is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. And if you’re just starting, the on site ski shop, also called the “Used Ski Kellar,” has the equipment you’ll need at a reasonable price. Boots, skis, snowboards, poles, cross-country equipment, helmets – you name it. “It’s a good deal for families with children,” Kauffman said.
If you’re tired of the snow keeping you inside, you might want to consider a trip to the Easthill ski facility. There will be plenty of optimism to go around, and hot chocolate to keep you warm. “Obviously a lot of snow, nobody likes,” Arbital said. “But we do.”