September 2, 2009 Full-Time MBA Classes of 2010 and 2011 The University of Chicago Booth School of Business 5807 S Woodlawn Ave Chicago, IL 60637 Ski & Snowboard Club The University of Chicago Booth School of Business 5807 South Woodlawn Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60637 Co Chairs: Bart Bruckert 10 Alex Campbell 10 Suzanne Harvey 10 Dear classmates: Welcome to the start of a brand new year at Chicago Booth! We hope everyone s had a great summer, whether that means the perfect internship or a well-deserved break prior to an exciting new chapter in life. Now that many of you have returned to the Midwest from Random Walks and personal travels, we d like to get you thinking about one of the most anticipated events of the year the 2009 Chicago Booth Ski & Snowboard Trip, to be held this year in Steamboat Springs, CO from December 13-20. Over the last several months, your co-chairs have put a great deal of time and thought into making this a groundbreaking year for a club and trip that are already an unforgettable part of the Booth experience. In addition to an awesome main event, the following changes and efforts are new for 2009-10: Snowboards welcome! We felt an update was long overdue we re now officially the Chicago Booth Ski & Snowboard Club. Goal #1: Expand the scope of the Ski & Snowboard Club, beyond the annual trip. We plan to accomplish this through pursuit of corporate sponsorship, reinstatement of modest club dues, and a significantly expanded calendar that will add monthly social events and two official weekend trips. Goal #2: Increase Ski & Snowboard Trip attendance by 25%, solidifying our claim to the second-largest event among top U.S. business schools and increasing our options and leverage for future years. To do this, we want to grow attendance among beginning skiers and first-year students. Don t ski or snowboard? We ll be leading a group to Wisconsin beforehand to help you find those snow legs. The week is at least as much social as it is sport, with events held every day and night of the trip, so you ll have a great time regardless of ability level. http://student.chicagobooth.edu/group/ski/
Goal #3: Place in the top 5 at the 2010 Tuck Winter Carnival. We know you re an extremely talented bunch, and if those talents include downhill ski or snowboard racing, competitive hot dog eating, or racing boats (Dartmouth style), we want you for Booth s 2010 Winter Carnival team! Mark your calendar now for February 19-21. Of course, reaching these new goals would mean little without yet another tremendous weeklong trip to end fall quarter, and those of you who head to Colorado will look back on it as one of the highlights of your time at Booth. With reduced signing bonuses an unfortunate reality for most, we ve cut almost $300 from the base price of last year s trip, and this time credit cards will be accepted for $1,225, you ll get: Roundtrip travel from Chicago to Steamboat Springs 1 7 nights at The Lodge at Steamboat 4-day lift ticket good at Steamboat Resort Access to complimentary social events, parties, food, and party favors All taxes included Please take a look through the following pages for more details, including a full description of the itinerary and various options. You can sign up for Steamboat at: http://trips.skigroup.net/chicago09 Space is limited, and there are incentives for signing up early, including: Access to the flights of your choice, including potential savings of $75 to $160 25% to 50% off club dues, entitling you to attend events from the point of signup Chance to win your choice of 4 days FREE lift pass or equipment rental. Two names will be drawn from those who have signed up by 11:59 PM on September 15. It promises to be another great year at Booth, and we hope you ll take advantage of the good times and great networking opportunities provided by the Ski & Snowboard Club you won t be disappointed! All the best, Bart Bruckert 10 Alex Campbell 10 Suzanne Harvey 10 1Note that the base trip price assumes the middle of three flight options one is $85 cheaper, the other is $75 additional.
WELCOME TO THE 2009 CHICAGO BOOTH SKI & SNOWBOARD TRIP Finish Fall Quarter off right with fantastic skiing and snowboarding and great social events at the annual University of Chicago Booth School of Business Ski & Snowboard Trip! With over 120 attendees in 2008, this is one of the most anticipated events of the year. One of Colorado s authentic Old West towns, Steamboat is over 100 years old but modern in every amenity. With nearly 3,000 skiable acres, including Steamboat's famous Champagne Powder snowfall (an average of 343 inches a year) and legendary tree skiing, a trip to Steamboat offers terrain for all levels of skier and snowboarder, from first-timer to expert. And it s all easy to reach by a vast lift system, including an eight-passenger gondola and six high-speed chairlifts. The Chicago Booth Ski & Snowboard Trip is open to Full-Time Booth MBA students of all abilities, as well as their non-student significant others. Included in the base trip price of $1,225: Roundtrip travel from Chicago to Steamboat Springs 7 nights at The Lodge at Steamboat 4-day lift ticket good at Steamboat Resort Access to complimentary social events, parties, food, and party favors All taxes included This guide includes information on: Airfare & Transfers The Lodge at Steamboat Lift Tickets & Equipment Rental Frequently Asked Questions
AIRFARE & TRANSFERS Participants will have three group options for air travel to Steamboat, in addition to the ability to secure their own air travel. Note that outbound flights are destined for either Denver, CO (3 hours from Steamboat) or Hayden, CO (20 minutes from Steamboat), while return flights all depart from Hayden. Transfers between the airports and Steamboat Resort (both ways) are included for all options. 1. American Airlines [Bus Transfer, -$85] Date Depart Arrive Note 12/13 ORD, 11:55P DEN, 1:40P AA313 12/13 DEN STEAMBOAT BUS* 12/20 HAY, 12:40P ORD, 4:30P AA2318 *Note that the American flight option involves a group bus transfer from Denver International Airport to Steamboat Springs. The return flight is direct from Hayden to Chicago O Hare. 2. United Airlines I Date Depart Arrive Note 12/13 ORD, 6:00P DEN, 7:33P UA253 12/13 DEN, 8:45P HAY, 9:34P UA6651 12/20 HAY, 1:00P ORD, 4:46P UA658 3. United Airlines II [Early, +$75] Date Depart Arrive Note 12/13 ORD, 9:00A DEN, 10:34A UA245 12/13 DEN, 12:15P HAY, 1:03P UA6573 12/20 HAY, 1:00P ORD, 4:46P UA658 4. Arrange your own flights [-$385] Note that while participants who arrange their own flights are eligible to use the group transfers, this is available on a first-come, first-served basis. In particular, extra space on the bus from Denver on the 13 th may be limited to only 6 spots, as those taking the American Airlines flight option will have precedence. If you are arranging your own flights and wish to utilize the group airport transfers to / from Steamboat Springs, you must indicate this on the Transfer tab of the trip signup website. Because of the space situation, there is no option to sign up for the Denver-Steamboat transfer we recommend that you contact a co-chair and confirm space before booking an outbound flight to Denver. Frequently Asked Questions Why are there different prices for different flights? Unfortunately, even when booking this far in advance, the airlines do not have enough baselevel inventory for a group of our size, so we were forced to reserve seats at three different price points. We hope the alternative options - to save money (or fulfill any pre-booth allegiance to AA) through the bus transfer, or pay a modest premium to arrive earlier in Steamboat will allow everyone to have the best combination for them. Ultimately though, it s first-come, firstserved, so use this as an incentive to book early! How might I occupy myself on the bus from DEN? Fear not after much debate, Aspen Extreme has been selected as the feature film for the festive Denver-Steamboat bus transfer. If Dexter Rutecki isn t enough to pass the time, feel free to get creative. I see the return flights all leave directly from Hayden, which is conveniently 20 minutes away from Steamboat Springs, but the outbound flights all go through Denver why can t we just fly to Hayden in the first place? Unfortunately, both United and American begin flying larger jets direct between Hayden and Chicago in the middle of our trip. These flights are not yet available on December 13. Can I change my flight later? If there is space on another flight option when you request the change, we will be able to move your flight. The cost for this would be the airline / skigroup.net change fee plus any difference in price between your original and new flight choices. Can I use miles to get on one of the flight options with the group? Can I upgrade to First Class? If you choose the option to arrange your own flights, and seats are available with the airline, you may be able to use miles to secure a spot. Seats purchased through the group are not eligible for upgrade.
THE LODGE AT STEAMBOAT Accommodations The Lodge at Steamboat offers 2- and 3-bedroom condominiums at the base of Mt. Werner, only 200 yards from the Gondola, shops, and restaurants. Units feature fully-equipped kitchens, fireplaces, color cable TVs, private balconies, and bathrooms adjoining each bedroom. Property amenities include a private shuttle, outdoor hot tubs and heated pool, and complimentary ski valet service and storage. Packages Condo Occupancy Price 2-Bedroom 6 -$35/person 2-Bedroom 5 (Base) 2-Bedroom 4 +$65/person 3-Bedroom* 7 (Base) *Note that 3-bedroom condos are extremely limited and are first-come, first-served. We will be tracking signups for these units on a weekly basis to ensure they are fully utilized please do not reserve a 3- bedroom unit until your whole group is ready to sign up. If you sign up for a 3-bedroom unit but do not fully occupy it, and another group requests one, you will be moved to a 2-bedroom! Amenities & Services Complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access in every unit 200 yards from the Steamboat gondola Outdoor heated pool, 4 outdoor hot tubs, and 1 indoor hot tub Private guest shuttle to skiing, dining, and entertainment Complimentary morning coffee & doughnuts Complimentary ski valet & storage On-site guest laundry facilities More Information http://www.steamboatresorts.com/lodging/lodging. lodgeatsteamboat.asp Frequently Asked Questions I don t see a place to select my roommates how does this work? We encourage you to work out a tentative rooming situation before signing up, but we will be finalizing the rooming list as the trip gets closer. The exceptions to this are the 3-bedroom condos if you sign up for one of these, please have one member of your group send an email to Suzanne Harvey listing all seven people. Anyone signed up for a partially-utilized 3-bedroom at 5PM each Friday may be moved to a 2-bedroom. Can I change my rooming package prior to the trip? Condo and occupancy changes are not guaranteed, but we ll work with you on any necessary changes up until the point of roommate assignment. Any increase in cost will need to be paid at the time of the change. Are all condos the same? Condos at The Lodge are privately owned and therefore vary in décor from unit to unit. 2-Bedroom: 3-Bedroom: The Lodge at Steamboat 2700 Village Drive Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
LIFT TICKETS & EQUIPMENT RENTAL The base price for the Ski & Snowboard Trip includes a 4-of-5 day lift pass valid at Steamboat Resort. Participants can purchase fewer or additional lift days according to the following prices: Package In Advance Save No Lift Pass -$140 N/A 4-of-5 Day Lift Pass Base $164 5-of-7 Day Lift Pass +$45 $195 6-of-8 Day Lift Pass +$85 $183 Additionally, participants who do not own ski or snowboard equipment are able to take advantage of reduced group rental rates at the time of signup. Four rental packages are available: Package In Advance Save* Beginner Ski +$31/day $4/day Beginner Snowboard +$31/day $4/day Demo Ski +$46/day $8/day Demo Snowboard +$35/day $5/day Frequently Asked Questions What if I change my mind and later want more / fewer rental or lift ticket days? Ski and snowboard rental packages, as well as lift tickets, are only available at the time of signup no adjustments can be made later for reduced rental days. If you would like to increase the number of rental days prior to the trip, please contact our travel agent, skigroup.net. Contact information is listed on your emailed trip registration receipt. What if I take a day off from skiing / boarding? Will that affect the cost of my equipment rental? The cost is based on continuous rental days, so if you ski 4 out of 5 days, for example, rather than 4 continuous days, you will need to pay for 5 days of rental. *Note that the amount saved is based on 2008-2009 walk-up prices from our vendor, Christy Sports. 2009-2010 walk-up prices, and thus savings, may vary. Ski packages include: Skis Boots Poles Snowboard packages include: Snowboard Boots More Information Helmets, wrist guards, and other equipment are also available for rental once onsite at Steamboat. For information on additional equipment, as well as more detail on Ski and Snowboard rental packages, please review the website of our vendor, Christy Sports: http://rental.christysports.com/index.php
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Why Steamboat? As you can imagine, there was a lot of debate on this topic. In the end, Steamboat was chosen due to a number of factors: 1. Variety. Because this would have been the third consecutive trip to Whistler, we wanted to mix things up we did not want the trip to become Whistler-based, and Booth has had successful trips to Steamboat in the past. 2. Terrain. With the broad cross section of abilities on the trip, we needed to choose a mountain that had something for everyone. Hardcore skiers / boarders, look for a different feel for the spring weekend trip (Jackson Hole, etc.) 3. Town. The Ski & Snowboard Trip is about much more than skiing and snowboarding it s a chance to relax after fall finals and socialize / network with classmates in a way that is difficult to do in Chicago. Steamboat is just the right size for a group of 150 we ll be the main show in town that week, but we won t be cramped. 4. Cost. With the current economy, we understand the need to reduce costs, and going to Colorado rather than Canada is simply much cheaper and easier. This year s trip is nearly $300 less than last year s and includes more sponsored events, not to mention improved hotel amenities and the use of your cell phone. 5. Track Record. Many of you are already familiar with Steamboat and have mentioned it as a place you d like to go, and despite our friendly rivalry with the purple school on the north side, we certainly respect their opinion when it comes to hosting big ski trips. Kellogg s 2008 trip to Steamboat received rave reviews, and we expect to match it in quality (if not size). I ve never skied or snowboarded a day in my life can I still come on the Ski & Snowboard Trip? Absolutely. First, there are many things to do off-mountain during our trip to Steamboat, including shopping, dining, and just plain relaxing with your classmates. Second, many brand-new skiers and snowboarders attend the trip each year, and if you re ready to take the plunge, Steamboat offers a number of ski and snowboard lesson options, and your co-chairs will be leading a Ski 101 weekend in Wisconsin prior to the big trip. You re going to have a great week, regardless of skiing / snowboarding ability. I m a first-year student what will the Ski & Snowboard Trip be like for me? For a number of reasons, the Ski & Snowboard Trip has been historically more popular with second-year students. This year, we re actively seeking more first-year students whose recruiting situation allows them to attend. Not only will you have a blast, you re likely to return to Chicago with a significantly expanded network of both first- and secondyear friends, some of whom may be vital in your career search. If you re recruiting for an area in which a Career Trek is virtually required, we recommend that you speak to your career advisor before committing to the Ski & Snowboard Trip. Can I bring my non-student significant other? What special steps do I need to take? Yes, non-student significant others are more than welcome on the Ski & Snowboard Trip. When your NSSO signs up online, please have him / her select the appropriate participant type, then email Suzanne with both names. I see there are dues this year what s up with that? One of our goals is to expand the scope of the club to include more social activities and smaller outings, not just one or two big trips a year. Despite charging some of the lowest dues of any group on campus, we re doubling the number of trips and adding monthly, partially-sponsored social events around Chicago. Your dues go to support these events as well as the club s yearly donations (e.g. Booth Charity Auction). I have more questions who can I talk to? Your friendly co-chairs, of course: Bart Bruckert 10 bart.bruckert@chicagobooth.edu Alex Campbell 10 alexander.campbell@chicagobooth.edu Suzanne Harvey 10 suzanne.harvey@chicagobooth.edu