Local company Ski Travel organizes a yearly “Snow Escape” trip to Canada, which is available to juniors and seniors attending Montgomery County Public Schools. The trip, popular amongst students here, is advertised to be a four-day trip to Mt. Tremblant, Quebec, Canada. There is disagreement among students about whether or not the trip is actually worth its costly expenses.

The weekend getaway costs $560, which includes transportation and lodging. For students who wish to ski, rentals cost $100 but if you are unwilling to pay the extra expense, the option of bringing your own skis is given. Students recall the trip to be a fun and unforgettable experience, but claim that by the end of the trip, their wallets were cleaned out completely. “For me, Canada was an amazing experience and skiing there was so much fun. The price of the trip is expensive but it’s nothing compared to the memories you will make with your friends,” junior Hope Rosner said.

The bus ride to Canada is about 15 hours long, which some may find daunting. The trip is advertised as a four-day vacation, but when you add up being on a bus for 15 hours to get to Canada and 15 hours to get home, it takes away over a whole day of the trip. Senior Seamus Barrett felt that the bus ride to Canada was too long and uncomfortable, so he ended up buying a flight back to Maryland with a friend. “I thought the bus ride was unfortunate and I couldn’t do it again so I got a cheap flight home, which cut a 15-hour bus ride home into a two-hour plane ride,” Barrett said.

On the other hand, some of the students on the trip didn’t mind the long bus ride. “I had no problem with the bus ride there or home. It was long, which was kind of annoying but I got to bond with my friends, which made me feel closer to them. I definitely want to go on the trip again next year; I just wish that we had more time in Canada since we spent almost two days on the bus,” junior Hannah Johnston said.

The Ski Travel “Snow Escape” trip to Canada was a memorable experience for all who attended. It gave students the opportunity to travel to another country with their friends, try new things, experience the Canadian culture and meet people from other schools on the trip. For students who went this year, if they go next year they can sign up to be a representative and take the trip for free, excluding expenses for food, skiing and shopping.

“I thought the trip was worth the money and it was so fun that there’s no doubt I’d recommend it to others. I would advise anyone going on the trip in the future to bring extra cash but to spend it wisely,” senior Joseph Brailovsky said.

Amy Weintraub

Staff Writer