Wonders of Winter

There is nothing so beautiful as a shimmering hillside encrusted with brilliant white gems of snow. There you stand, at the top of the mountain, on top of the world, gazing down at the tips of your skis and the long hillside of unexplored snow. Suddenly you push off and with one mighty swoosh, you feel yourself flying downwards like an eagle diving for prey. Nothing can compare with that total feeling of freedom.

With each twist and turn of your body, you feel the stress and anxiety of city life ebbing away. Your nostrils are tingling with the good sting that cold mountain air creates. Your knees are like shocks as you bounce from one side to the next, sending up giant plumes of snow into the trees as you pass by.

“Nothing I have ever experienced gives me as much of a thrill as carving a mountain on a perfect winter’s day,” said Josh Bunter, head ski instructor at Willamette Pass Resort. “I spend each summer just counting the days until ski season begins.”

Each winter, thousands of people like Josh travel to Willamette Pass Resort to embark on their own thrilling ride down the mountain. This wintertime escape attracts people of all ages and skill levels. From the tottering 2-year-old to the seasoned snow veteran, girls and boys alike will brave the frosty bite of winter for a much-anticipated romp in the snow.

People come from all walks of life to lose themselves in the powdery wonderland of Willamette Pass Resort. With 29 alpine trails, snow tubing, snowshoeing, and 20 km of Nordic trails, there is something for everyone. After a cold day exposed to the elements, kids can trample up to the Willamette Pass lodge, peel off their mittens and boots, and gather around the stone fireplace with a piping mug of sweet cider while the older folks indulge in the tangy bite of an Irish coffee and a basket of toasty fries.

“I find that people taking my classes come from all backgrounds,” said Josh Bunter. “Snow sports appeal to all sorts of people, no matter what town, city, state or country they may come from. When you’re here on the mountain, no one cares where you’re from or what you do for a living. It’s all about enjoying what’s here.”

Visitors can arrive when the mountain opens at 9 a.m. and stay until 9 p.m. from Thursday through Sunday and on all holidays. With a full-service restaurant and bar, Willamette Pass is a retreat where skiers and boarders can thaw out and rest their weary legs. Visitors can also find anything they need for their day on the slopes at the lodge’s gear rental and gift shops.

Willamette Pass Resort offers six chair lifts, giving it the ability to lift 10,200 guests per hour. “Willamette has more than enough room for

everyone and never feels cramped or crowded,” said Josh Bunter. Only an hour’s drive away from Eugene, and two hours from Bend, Willamette is one of Oregon’s most desired destinations during ski season. Willamette gives guests an easy way to escape the chaos of city life, if only for a day. Here they can reunite with family, share time with friends, and leave their cares behind in a snowy burst of speed.

Elizabeth Harney is a student at the University of Oregon studying public relations.

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I created this writing sample for class. The information is not meant to represent the organization described. It is for academic purposes only.