Making friends as an adult is hard, but lately, I’ve been lucky to have an “in.” My boyfriend, Chris, has friends to introduce me to. All I have to do is be my charming self, he assures me, and they’ll become my friends, too.
If that’s not terrifying enough, Chris recently planned a triple date — that’s three couples — to go night skiing at the Camden Snow Bowl. Mind you, I’m a beginner skier. I’d never skied under lights before. And I’d never skied at the Snow Bowl, day or night. What could go wrong?
As it turns out, nothing went wrong. I had a lovely time. But I certainly was nervous leading up to the date.
The Camden Snow Bowl’s history stretches back to 1936, when it opened during the Great Depression and was operated solely by volunteers using donated materials. Located on the east side of Ragged Mountain, with a view of the nearby ocean, the ski area is owned by the town of Camden and operated by full-time town staff.
I’d been to the Camden Snow Bowl before, but not to ski. The ski area is home to the U.S. National Toboggan Championships each February, and I’ve competed in the event a few times. Just for fun. It’s a thrill to fly down the 400-foot-long wooden toboggan chute, and anyone can sign up.
I’ve also hiked up the steep west side of Ragged Mountain on trails owned and managed by Coastal Mountains Land Trust. So I’m no stranger to the area. Nevertheless, I was worried that night skiing on unfamiliar slopes — while attempting to forge friendships — was stretching my abilities to the max.
We arrived just before 3 p.m., when night skiing officially begins. The cost was $34, with the mountain staying open until 7 p.m. In comparison, full day tickets are $51 for adults — so night skiing is a good deal, especially if you only want to spend a few hours skiing.
Lucky for me, we started skiing with plenty of daylight left, so I could get used to the trails before the darkness made things like bumps, ice patches and dips in the terrain harder to spot. As usual, I was cautious. I have no interest in hurting myself by skiing something beyond my skill level.
We started by riding a double chairlift less than halfway up the mountain, then skied down a short, easy trail (marked with green). Right away, I knew I could challenge myself a bit more. So, we hopped on the mountain’s triple chairlift, which carried us all the way to the summit — or close to it.
From there, we skied down blue trails, which are considered moderately challenging. A few sections were pretty darn steep (for me, at least), but I managed to make turns and stay in control. I kept asking Chris to give me advice on how to improve my form, but he told me to just keep skiing and get used to the feel of it.
Perhaps you’re more interested in my performance socially. Did I make any friends? I think so. A great way to get to know someone — whether it’s a prospective friend or love interest — is by riding a chairlift together. You have to talk to one another, otherwise it’s awkward to sit side by side on a bench, suspended from a cable, slowly creeping up a snowy mountain.
Whoever you sit with on a chairlift, you’re able to chat with for a few uninterrupted minutes. But there’s a time limit. When you get to the top of the lift, you have to disembark. So, in a way, chairlifts are like those speed dating events where people move from table to table on a timer.
In our group of three couples, we made a point to switch chairlift companions so we’d all get a chance to speak with one another. We had just enough time to ask each other about our careers and share a few laughs.
Through these mini conversations, I learned that the other two women in the group were also beginner skiers. We bonded over our shared worries, and I felt better about skiing slowly and cautiously.
As the sun set, overhead lamps blinked to life along the edges of the trails, casting large white circles of light onto the snow. In between the pools of light, moonlight illuminated the snow, but I still found it challenging to discern details in the landscape. Fortunately, the trails were wide and fairly smooth. And if I had any doubts, I could be sure the general direction of travel was down.
With the sun below the horizon, the temperature quickly dropped from cold to frigid. After a few runs under the lights, we retreated into the cozy base lodge to purchase hot chocolate and shake some feeling back into our frozen fingers. Just outside the base lodge door, string lights criss-crossed overhead, lighting the ski racks with a warm glow.
The base lodge offers a varied menu that includes hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken fingers, poutine, sandwiches, salad bowls and breakfast wraps, plus a variety of beverages (including the adult kind). I would have been content to eat dinner there, but we had reservations at Long Grain restaurant in downtown Camden, and their Asian cuisine, made with local ingredients, was worth the short drive.
So, if your ski date goes well at Camden Snow Bowl, the night doesn’t have to end when the lights turn off at the ski area. Many wonderful restaurants are just a few miles away. This combination of exciting outdoor activity, chairlift conversations and yummy food is perfect for an evening out with a significant other or love interest — or a few new friends.
