The mission of the Trailside Snowsports Club is to encourage and foster skiing in all forms and to maximize "fun per vertical foot" while taking advantage of the lower costs afforded to groups. Also, to develop year round activities as a means to build and maintain the code membership necessary to perpetuate the existence of the club.

PAST

Trailside Snowsports Club was founded during the summer of 1961. Those first meetings were held at the Westfield YMCA and the weekend trips were to Hunter, Belleayre and Sugarbush ski areas. Trailside's first members were mostly young families with a smattering of singles. Then, as now, Trailside members shared a love of winter, a love of the outdoors and a love of skiing together as a group. 
In 1972, Trailside entered into a long-term lease of a lodge strategically located in the Mad River Valley of Vermont within view of Sugarbush, Mount Ellen (now Sugarbush North) and Mad River Glen. Through the end of 1999-2000 ski season, Trailside had continued to lease a lodge. 
Trailside has gone from leasing a ski lodge for the winter months to homeownership.  In late February 2001, the club began occupying a brand new ski lodge for year round use.  Trailside purchased the land in January 1997 and has raised funds through member loans and has acquired a mortgage to help us realize a long held dream of having our own home in the Sugarbush and Mad River Valley.  This lodge sleeps 32 person in 8 bedrooms, has 5 baths, full kitchen, dining and living rooms, plus ski storage and a recreation room.  It is situated on 3.42 acres off West Hill Road in Warren, Vt. Sadly as a sign of the economic times, we had to sell our Vermont home in February 2009 due to low membership usage.

PRESENT

Today Trailside has become a virtual club utilizing the internet and email to plan and announce activities, events and trips. The club consists of 100+ members. Most are in their 30's, 40's and 50's with a mix of singles, couples and families. Trailside ALWAYS welcomes new faces. The lifeblood of Trailside is its members. The members run the club. Any member may sponsor an activity and/or participate in the management of the club. The result is a good, solid club that meets together, skis together and parties together.

FUTURE

Looking to the future, Trailside hopes to continue the growth and diversification of membership while contributing to the ski community in general (such as assistance in Special Olympics, ASIA and USRSA).

ACTIVITIES

Trailside offers a wide range of year-round activities. Winter activities include ski racing, cross country skiing, ice skating, special "event' weekends, and ski trips out west, Canada and/or to Europe. Additionally, the club offers members instruction for all levels of ability. Summer activities include softball, volleyball, bicycling (road & mountain), canoeing, whitewater rafting, tubing and scuba diving. The highlight of the summer is our annual "Christmas On The Beach" party and every summer ends with a season-ending volleyball tournament.  The club, as a member club of the New Jersey Ski Council, also participates in events organized by our sister clubs.

COMMITTEES

Trailside offers its members a variety of activities throughout the year, and there's lots of planning and organizing to be done. The committees are what make the club function well, and they offer an excellent opportunity for the members to get involved and meet their fellow Trailsiders. It is also the vehicle through which members can influence the direction of the club. Some committees meet regularly and provide a great way to really get to know other skiers. Other committees are designed for short-term projects and offer an easy way to make new friends. Committee work can be almost anything from decorating for a party event to developing a bicycle route to being a time keeper at a ski race.