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Which university for geology and skiing?

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Samp20
Posts: 95 - Karma: 429
I'm pretty keen on an overseas exchange for a semester through my university in New Zealand to go to the USA or Canada either next year or 2022 (provided COVID fucks off). I'm studying engineering geology minoring in Geographical Information Systems. My university is partnered with both UBC in Vancouver and CU boulder in Colorado, which would I get the best skiing at? I equally enjoy park, powder and all mountain. I see UBC is close to grouse cypress and seymour, and 2 hours from whistler. But CU boulder looks like its close to some good spots as well, what do you guys reckon?
Sep 10 2020 1:15AM
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bgr55
Posts: 10 - Karma: 42
UBC would be pretty good - even better if you could get a car too. You can get a mountain collective pass which gives you access to a lot of mountains in BC but also there’s some good stuff closer to Vancouver Vancouver has some sick street spots and hills with good parks aren’t too far away
Sep 10 2020 3:18AM
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gravel
Posts: 5520 - Karma: 42,295
Could look at School of Mines in Colorado. Prob one of the best geology programs in the western US. About 30-40 min closer to skiing than CU. Social life is all there, just microscopic by most college standards, especially compared with CU. But it is easy to make friends who are into skiing and stuff. Still have to deal with I-70 traffic, which is getting to be more of a dealbreaker each year.
Sep 10 2020 10:43AM
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nolaan
Posts: 1462 - Karma: 3,684
CU Boulder is 40 minutes from Eldora Mtn, which is small hill on the Front Range of the Rockies that is not a huge resort. They have been seriously stepping up their park after they started collaborating with Woodward. Starting mid-November last year they had a 30+ ft jump, along with a handful of rails (I know that is a big claim). Eldora is a great hill/mountain and perfect for an afternoon of shredding if you have classes in the morning or slept in. Then 1-2hrs into the mountains provides access to Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, Copper and Breckenridge, but the highway getting there can definitely get destroyed by traffic.

My recommendation would be to go CU and buy the Ikon pass. Talk to the CU Freestyle Ski Team and reach out to them on the internet. They are great people and would be a good source of friends and initially meeting fellow skiers that will help you get on the mountain faster and easier.
Sep 10 2020 10:51AM
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snowfinder
Posts: 2884 - Karma: 34,215
on the topic of geology, what do you think of randall carlson?
Sep 10 2020 10:58AM
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ASSholebomber22
Posts: 6677 - Karma: 70,631
gravelCould look at School of Mines in Colorado. Social life is all there

Don't lie to the kid
Sep 10 2020 11:46AM
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elm.
Posts: 1505 - Karma: 13,573
Western Washington University.
Baker is 1.5hrs away and their geology program stands out because of the landscape around Bellingham
Sep 10 2020 11:58AM
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gravel
Posts: 5520 - Karma: 42,295
BiffbarfDon't lie to the kid


it ain’t a lie, there’s plenty more going on than the stereotype. it’s just that culture is dwarfed by schools like CU.
Sep 10 2020 12:25PM
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ASSholebomber22
Posts: 6677 - Karma: 70,631
gravelit ain’t a lie, there’s plenty more going on than the stereotype. it’s just that culture is dwarfed by schools like CU.


2.4 guys to every girl isn't quite a stereotype, it just is lmao

But aside from that, you're right in that mines is an excellent school and should be considered if education is valued more than partying.
Sep 10 2020 12:45PM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9217 - Karma: 5,399
Biffbarf2.4 guys to every girl isn't quite a stereotype, it just is lmao

If you pick any major that involves math, this is going to happen in all of your classes anyway.
Sep 10 2020 1:08PM
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ASSholebomber22
Posts: 6677 - Karma: 70,631
a_pla5tic_bagIf you pick any major that involves math, this is going to happen in all of your classes anyway.


If you're an engineer and you don't party with the business majors you're doing it wrong
Sep 10 2020 1:29PM
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gravel
Posts: 5520 - Karma: 42,295
Biffbarf2.4 guys to every girl isn't quite a stereotype, it just is lmao

But aside from that, you're right in that mines is an excellent school and should be considered if education is valued more than partying.


nah i'm not denying the ratio i'm saying that there are way more kids that fuck off and party than you'd realize that go to school there.
Sep 10 2020 1:42PM
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eheath
Posts: 61645 - Karma: 123,444
gravelnah i'm not denying the ratio i'm saying that there are way more kids that fuck off and party than you'd realize that go to school there.


College is what you make it, you can have fun at a small college or big college, regardless of ratio/location. Anyone who chooses to not go to school somewhere cause of the "party scene" is just silly.
Sep 10 2020 1:48PM
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_money
Posts: 186 - Karma: 1,384
Western University in Gunnison, Colorado. Decent geology program, small but fun college life, and you're only 30 minutes from crested butte. I know a girl who is a vvery good skier and she is in in their geology program and absolutely loves it
Sep 10 2020 2:38PM
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gravel
Posts: 5520 - Karma: 42,295
i misread the OP, thought you were looking at doing all of your schooling in the USA. i probably wouldn't recommend school of mines for just a semester, then. some of these other answers would probably be a better fit
Sep 10 2020 3:53PM
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ReturnToMonkey
Posts: 6416 - Karma: 69,669
_moneyWestern University in Gunnison, Colorado. Decent geology program, small but fun college life, and you're only 30 minutes from crested butte. I know a girl who is a vvery good skier and she is in in their geology program and absolutely loves it


Second this. The geology around Gunnison is amazing and it's really close from CB, one of my top 3 favorite mountains. Plus you have nearby access to loads of mountains to hike/bike/camp, rivers to fish or raft/kayak, and it's pretty affordable. The Freeski team is awesome, too. One of them came up here to Bozeman last spring and landed his first backflip attempt on a big bc jump I was attempting dubs on lmao. Gunni/CB is an awesome place

**This post was edited on Sep 10th 2020 at 4:08:08pm
Sep 10 2020 4:06PM
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abar.
Posts: 1062 - Karma: 6,889
I'm in my first year at ubc and there's a 75% chance I go into geology or geoeng, this year is all online so I can't tell you much, but imo better skiing and better school than cu (not by crazy far tho)
Sep 10 2020 5:06PM
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Samp20
Posts: 95 - Karma: 429
Holy shit did not expect this many replies cheers guys, and western uni sounds awesome too, i’ve heard awesome things about CB from the guys at blister however it’s not one of my university’s partners which means I’d be paying full international tuition fees as opposed to my $8k for a semester here
Sep 10 2020 5:18PM
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broken_skier0
Posts: 132 - Karma: 287
Samp20I'm pretty keen on an overseas exchange for a semester through my university in New Zealand to go to the USA or Canada either next year or 2022 (provided COVID fucks off). I'm studying engineering geology minoring in Geographical Information Systems. My university is partnered with both UBC in Vancouver and CU boulder in Colorado, which would I get the best skiing at? I equally enjoy park, powder and all mountain. I see UBC is close to grouse cypress and seymour, and 2 hours from whistler. But CU boulder looks like its close to some good spots as well, what do you guys reckon?

Go to UBC in Vancouver, assuming they let you in. Whistler has some of the most challenging big mountain terrain in North America and the most powder almost anywhere in the world other than Japan. Plus, Whistler has a sick nightlife, or at least it did before COVID. When you can't make it up to Whistler, Grouse has night skiing.

Canada > US

**This post was edited on Sep 10th 2020 at 6:34:56pm

**This post was edited on Sep 10th 2020 at 6:36:00pm

**This post was edited on Sep 10th 2020 at 6:47:14pm
Sep 10 2020 6:32PM
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Samp20
Posts: 95 - Karma: 429
So from what I gather UBC might be a better option and I think their geology program is better as well, if that was where I went what would I do in terms of ski passes? I’d probably ski locally during the week and do weekend trips to whistler
Sep 11 2020 2:25AM
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srekem
Posts: 42 - Karma: 1,133
University of Calgary is also worth looking into. They have a decent geology program (I think) and half a dozen quality resorts in the rockies within 1-3 hours of the city. Also COP has a solid park and is less than 15 minutes from campus.

The resorts are generally less busy than whis on the weekends too.
Sep 11 2020 9:11AM
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