My first time skiing somewhere other than Tussey Mountain was at a resort in New York about an hour away from Erie, Pennsylvania called Peek’n Peak.
I was in 4th or 5th grade when we went on this trip with another family who skis. We stayed in my friend’s grandparents’ house with her family which was about an hour away from the resort. 
Since the Erie area, where they live, is right off Lake Erie, they get a lot of lake effect snow. The night before we were going skiing, there was about a foot of snow that had piled up. That made the commute to the slopes very difficult and I will never forget slipping and sliding on unplowed roads just to go skiing.
At this point, I was still a pretty beginner skier so I went on all the greens (the easiest runs), and I remember doing some blue (intermediates), but I was pretty uncomfortable on those. 
I don’t remember a whole lot from the trip but there are a few things that really stand out to me.
Something that many bigger resorts have is a “magic carpet.” This is like a conveyor belt for skiers. It’s usually near the most beginner slope because many young kids who are learning are too scared to get on the ski lifts (aka me when I first started). They’re supposed to be really easy for kids to use but a lot of people fall getting on and off of them… I may have been one of those people.
I also distinctly remember one run, I’m not sure if it was green or blue but it was undoubtedly my favorite. It was really long, wide, and it had big rolling bumps the whole way down which added something I’d never experienced at Tussey.
The ski lift that serviced that run was the most popular of the resort and for some reason, people like to carry things with them onto the lift and throw them on the trees next to the bigger lifts. 
If you’ve ever been to any bigger resort, you’ve probably experienced what I’m talking about. As an elementary schooler, I was very confused why there were various “undergarments” and mardi gras beads hanging from trees. I would like to say I understand why it happens now, but I really do not and I don’t know if I ever will.
I also vividly remember that Penn State Behrend was holding an event in one of the lodges and both my mom and my friend’s mom work for Penn State so all of our families were free to enjoy the food and drinks that the event had. 
I remember being really cold from skiing for hours and going into the lodge to get free, hot, baked potato soup. I will also remember that baked potato soup for the rest of my life because it was so good.
I should go back to Peek’n Peak sometime soon and relive my favorite memories!!
Until next time!
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