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By RACHEL PERRY
(TPRING Break. Ah yes, the time of legendary
Carolina mass exodus to Ft. Lauderdale for fun
in the sun.
"However, more and more Carolina students are
seeking alternatives to the Florida scene. Bermuda, the
Bahamas, North Carolina and Vermont ski slopes,
and last but not least home, for a well-deserved
rest are some options students are considering this,
year. .
"A lot more people are going down to the Bahamas
and Bermuda than ever before," said senior John
Mitchener"Sailing down there is really an adventure.
It's an exciting alternative to Ft. Lauderdale," he said.
Mark Fisher of Small World Travel Agency said,
"We've had quite a few students sign up for our
Bahamas cruise. We've had much better response a?
compared to last year. They seem to be seniors,
mostly."
We've signed up a lot of individual trips to the
Bahamas, and a few to Bermuda" said a Continental
Travel Agency spokesperson. "Quite a few students
are going skiing up in Vermont or out West, too."
Most NC ski resorts expect a good turnout for skiing
if the cold weather holds over. "Most skiers usually go
out to Colorado for Spring Break, but the West didn't
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Spring Creak indecisiveness ctaounds et Carolina
. Tcr Heels choose between the lure of sun or snow
get a lot of snow this year, so we're expecting a good
crowd," said Greg Confer of Beech Mountain. "Also,
the high gas prices are keeping a lot of students closer
to home for skiing this year," he said.
But Grady Moretz, general manger of Appalachian "
Ski Mountain expects only the most dedicated skiiers
to show up. "A lot of people are getting tired of winter
about now, that's why so many students head down to
Ft. Lauderdale, to escape the cold," he said. "March is
getting pretty mild, so only the hard-core skiiers know
that we still have man-made snow then," Moretz said.
"I think it's a great time for skiing," said Confer. "It's
not nearly as crowded as other times, and you can get
a. gdod tan while you're skiing too," he said.
ND where do Carolina students themselves
kplan to go for Spring Break? The Da7y Tar Heet
asked students what they had in mind. Senior
Lee McAllister said, "I'm not sure yet I'm either going
skiing in Vale or down to the Keys with a bunch ot
friends."
Pickle Robinson, junior, said "I'm going down to
Haiti with some students and teachers associated with
the Chapel of the Cross. They have a diocese down
there. I'm excited; it is going to be great."
Senior Tom Moore said, "Spring Break? I'm having
my teeth pulled out."
Lisa Banks, sophomore, said, "If it stays warm, I'm
going down to the beach.-1 plan to watch the sunset
every night at Emerald Isle."
Junior Elizabeth Dunne said, "I'm just going home
to see my family in New York."
Senior Dwight Roseman said, "I'm just going home. I
guess that sounds pretty dull. I've had to spend past
Spring Breaks hunting for summer jobs, though."
One sophomore said, "If I go somewhere all
depends on how fast my income tax returns come
back, because I won't be able to afford anything
otherwise. I want to go down to Miami, but I may end
up just going home and working."
For those students with an adventurous spirit and
money to spend, local travel agencies and clubs have a
dazzling array of package trips planned. -
Small World Travel Agency has its annual Bahamas
cruise priced at $366 for four days to Nassau and
Freeport. "The price includes all meals, tips and port
taxes, along with the cruise itself," said Mark Fisher.
The cruise leaves Miami on Monday, March 8 until
Friday, March 13.
Viking Travel also has a trip to Nassau planned.
With the 28 available seats booked, students are
paying about $225 for a week long cruise from Miami.
"Ifs about the cheapest thing you can do," said Lorrie
Basnight of Viking. "This cruise is almost cheaper than
going to Florida," she said.
A private chartered cruise, the Flavia, and a ski trip
to Killington, Vt are among the package deals offered
by Circle Travel, said Circle Travel consultant Carolyn
Darby. - "We've booked 73 people for the Flavia
already," she said. The cruise, priced at $373, includes
meals, tips and taxes, but students have to find their
own rides to Miami, Darby said.
One enterprising Carolina student has sponsored his
own cruise to the Bahamas, complete with
transportation to and from' Chapel Hill and Miami, 16
professionally captained 44 foot sailboats and all the
beer, liquor, steaks and oysters students can consume.
The cruise costs $399. "I've booked 130 people so far,
including the UNC Sailing Club," he said. Mitchener
said the sailboats will be going down to Bimini in the
Bahamas. "They're like little condominiums on the
water," he said.
Mitchener said that out of the 130 seats he has
booked, most were Carolina upperclassmen. "I think
people get tired of Ft. Lauderdale after their freshman
or sophomore year," he said. ' -
JOUT not all Carolina students are sun
i Q) worshippers.
"This is probably our last chance to get one
last ski trip in," said UNC Ski Club President Kyle
Shatterly.
The SkiClub is organizing a trip to Sugar Bush, Vt.
for that last bit of snow skiing before spring. "It will
still be snowing in Vermont, and it should not be
crowded at all," Shatterly said. For about $135-$140, a
student can get lodging and lift ticket for SVS days at
Sugar Bush. 'We'll probably be carpooling up there.
Anybody is welcome to come," he said.
Circle Travel's Killington, Vt. ski trip costs about
$318, Carolyn Darby said. "That includes the bus trip,
dinners and breakfasts, rooms and lift tickets," she
said. Lunches, ski lessons and equipment rentals are
not included, she said.
"We have 25 people signed up for the ski trip now,"
Darby said. "The response has not been as good as for
the Bahamas trip, but we still have space on it."
Now for the local slope report. Only Sugar and
Beech Mountains will be open for skiing throughout
Spring Break. Appalachian Ski Mountain will close on
the first weekend of Spring Break, and Seven Devil's,
will tenatively remain open until March 15.
The most economical time to ski Sugar Mountain is
during the week, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. or at
night (Monday-Saturday, 6-10 p.m.). For weekdays, the
price of a lift ticket is $9. A lift ticket and a ski lesson
cost $14, as do a lift ticket and equipment rental. For
$19, one can rent equipment, get a lesson and or lift
ticket. At night, the liftlesson equipment cost is $15,
$11 for lift and equipment, $10 for lift and lesson, and
$6 for the lift ticket only.
Weekend rates are more than double at Sugar. The
prices are: $36 for lift, equipment and lesson, $28 for
lift and equipment, $26 for lift and lesson, and $18 for
the lift ticket only.
Accommodations run from $24 to $45 a night for
four, said Ski School Director Mike Lamb. Also, a
group of 25 gets one free lift ticket. "Sugar Mountain is
very popular because it's accessible. We have both
beginner and intermediate slopes," Lamb said.
Beech Mountain offers half price skiing after March
9 (tenatively March 1), Greg Confer said. "Lift tickets
will be $4, equipment rental will be $2," he said.
"Lessons won't be reduced, though."
Beech's usual students discount (half price with
student I.D. on weekdays) will not be good after March
9 either, he said. Accommodations run about $50 a
night for two people. "We have a better variety of
slopes and better lift capacity than Sugar Mountain,"
Confer said. 0
Rachel Perry is a staff writer for The Daily Tar Heel.
4 Wcexcnacr. February 26, 1981