Skis Get Degrees

A group of Humboldt State students load up their cars with warm clothes, snowboards, skis, and sleds as they head 40 minutes out of Arcata to hit the fresh snow. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman

Skis and snowboards loaded in the bed of a pickup truck early Saturday morning. Horse Mountain, according to Six Rivers National Forest, hasn’t had a significant amount of snow in a several years, but this year there is about 3 feet of snow. That’s enough to cover rocks and small trees, and allow Humboldt residents to safely play in the snow. | Photo by Ali Osgood

Environmental engineering senior, Derek Roelle, gears up to walk a quarter mile down the snowy road to the open slopes. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman

Clayton Kelley, a senior recreation administration, tries out a new line. He has been skiing since he was five and visits Horse Mountain a few times a month in the winter. | photo by Ryan Wiegman

Recreation administration senior Sara Schneider values escaping into nature between her busy weekdays. “Skis get degrees,” Schneider said as she looked back at her roommate who just face planted in the snow. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman

HSU alumnus Harry Ward carves into the fresh snow on Saturday. He drove up from Lake Tahoe and was surprised by the quality of snow in Humboldt County. “I thought it was gonna be way worse,” Ward said. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman

Dylan Fluet attempts to ‘Mary Poppins’ his way off the cliff. “It didn’t work” Fluet admitted. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman

Marina Marcroft and Jake Campbell watch as Fluet and Roelle try sledding over a drop off into a small creek. | Photo by Ali Osgood

After sledding out of control into the freezing creek, Fluet poses for a Snapchat. “If you didn’t get a picture, it didn’t happen,” Fluet said. | Photo by Ali Osgood

Kelley sends a front flip off a jump he built earlier that week. He’s been skiing since he was five and is always looking to push his limits. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman

Marina Marcroft sleds down a short slope while her friends took a break. The sun came out for about 30 minutes between heavy snowfall. | Photo by Ali Osgood

(From left) Jake Campbell, Derek Roelle, Marina Marcroft, and Dylan Fluet enjoy a hot meal and a cold beer after a long day in the snow. | Photo by Ali Osgood

Clayton Kelley hikes up a cliff on Titlow Hill in the Horse Mountain Botanical Area. “Being able to see the ocean and ski is pretty incredible,” Kelley said. “It’s one of the few places in California where it is even possible.” | Photo by Ryan Wiegman