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Growing up in Texas, skiing opportunities were limited and the public education system largely ignored the opportunities of competing in snow sports. Despite my persistence that a practice jump could be built with enough snow cone machines and a small power grid modification, the university chose to focus on other sports. In response, I started the Texas Tech Ski and Snowboard Club during my freshman year at Texas Tech University. We were more than just a drinking club that enjoyed watching The Art of Flight every other weekend while crying into our makeshift pillows woven out of tumbleweed pieces (though this was an enjoyable summer activity). We went to the mountains every chance we got!
We went skiing at Taos, Arapahoe Basin, Loveland, Wolf Creek, Angel Fire, or anywhere we could get inexpensive lift tickets. We would drive up to 10 hours after class on Friday, ski all day Saturday and Sunday, then drive back, usually getting home around 2 AM and somehow making it to class. Being a university-supported organization meant maintaining a certain level of academic excellence after all. Eventually, a competition team was born. We participated in several Ski Cross events through USASA and even at Whiteface in the 2016 NCAA championships. Nobody went to the hospital, so from university liability concerns, it was a win! Well, except for one guy who broke his tailbone and cracked a rib in as many trips to Taos. I could write about the amazing experiences we had at any of the resorts we frequented, but that would dismiss some of the best ski memories I have from our local ski hill, Urbanovsky Park, located in Lubbock, Texas.
Urbanovsky Park Stats:
- Summit: 3,234’
- Base: 3,220’
- Vertical Drop: 14’
- Max Slope Angle: 8°
- Total Runs: 1
- Total Lifts: 0
- Average Snowfall: 7”
Urbanovsky Park does not have any lifts, but it does have convenient access from all of the Texas Tech University student housing. As a result, Urbanovsky was a go-to for the snow-starved Texas Tech students who wished they lived anywhere other than Lubbock. A lung-busting hike up the ridge brought you to the airy summit. Park benches, Texans slipping on the snow-covered sidewalk, and the Giant Texas Tech Snow Penis (a winter storm tradition) created no-fall zone obstacles. With the right imagination, these features also provided countless opportunities for agility training and park features. As a bonus, the sidewalks were essentially a free base grind service. Conditions were always sporty, but the culture was amazing. The few die-hards that hiked to the summit were rewarded with some of the best snow and views Lubbock had to offer. Spirits were always high and there was more than enough Keystone to go around.
Urbanovsky Park was just the start. When big winter storms rolled through, the entirety of Lubbock turned into an extreme, tow-rope ski area. The most memorable day brought nearly a foot of snow overnight, allowing us to ski clear across the city! We dodged fire hydrants, street signs, stranded jacked-up trucks with street tires, etc. Once the snow melted and businesses reopened later that day, we were able to enjoy Lubbock’s après. The number one BBQ spot in Texas is located a few miles away at Evie Mae’s and no Lubbock ski trip is complete without a famous Doctor Pepper (DP) Shootout from Chimy’s. I am a bit sad I never skied Lubbock’s high point—the overpass connecting Marsha Sharp Freeway and South Bound 289, but you can bet I will be there for the next winter storm warning.
Urbanovsky Park may not be winning any awards from Ski Magazine, or be an an actual ski area, but it will always hold a special place in my heart. The great thing about skiing with no standards is learning to have fun with whatever you have. As long as we had snow, we were having a good time. Since I moved to Colorado, it has been easy to get spoiled by the accessibility, incredible terrain, and the quality of snow. Whenever I’m having a bad day in the mountains, I just think back to Urbanovsky and how we managed to have fun skiing in the flattest city in Texas. No matter how bad a day in Colorado is, at least it’s not Lubbock.
Super! I like such stories.