Whiteface Mountain and the surrounding town of Lake Placid, New York, is an American snowsports mecca.

The town hosted the 1932 and the 1980 Winter Olympics and was the site of the “Miracle on Ice,” where the United States men’s hockey team took down the heavily favored Soviet Union to win a historic gold medal.

More recently, Whiteface hosted the United States Collegiate Skiing and Snowboarding Association (USCSA) National Championship.

Among the 30 teams competing at this year’s event was the Penn State Club Ski Team. Founded in 1934 and re-established in its current format in 1973, the club competes in the USCSA circuit’s Allegheny Conference. The conference is comprised of six schools that compete in four race weekends before heading to regionals, where the top three teams from each conference vie for a spot at nationals.

Each regular-season race is comprised of five different disciplines: men’s and women’s alpine, men’s and women’s freestyle, and a snowboard division. For the alpine competition, with events like slalom and giant slalom, each team selects its top five athletes for the “A” team. The top three of those five racers’ times are counted in the official team score.

For the Penn State team, making it out of the conference and qualifying for nationals is expected. Former president Lea Zmurko said the trip to nationals over spring break is “preplanned” because of the team’s historical dominance. Even so, the team understands anything can happen.

“When we get to regionals, we do have to lock in because there’s a little strategy to it,” Zmurko said. “However, every year you go in a little nervous. You’re not sure what other teams are made of and if they have three great athletes like we do.”

One of the reasons for the team’s continued success is its proximity to Tussey Mountain, where the team holds practices twice a week. Under the supervision of three coaches, Penn State’s skiers attack a race course during the two-hour session. The training gives the team a leg up in the conference with many schools having to travel for practice or simply don’t practice at all. Along with the competitive advantage practice creates, it’s a good time.

“You’re just out there skiing with your buddies twice a week,” Eric Mole, an at-large member, said. “It’s a great way to get outside and forget about homework for two hours.”

The camaraderie inside the team also contributes to its success. All 45 dues-paying members are eligible to go to every race, and with the team staying in rental properties around any given mountain, they get to know each other pretty well.

While the practice and friendships of the team help it get through the regular season, nationals are a different animal. Penn State’s ski team is a club sport and not an officially recognized varsity sport. The national competition, however, is considered a Division II championship with some of the teams competing as recognized varsity sports. Along with the varsity designation comes recruiting, increased funding, and increased access to resources. In short, the teams at nationals are tough.

Amplifying the difficulty at this year’s nationals were the conditions. The first few days of the competition featured rain and heavy fog, making the giant slalom and Lake Placid’s infamous “Draper’s Drop” tough to navigate. Once the fog lifted, Zmurko said, the mountain provided great spring skiing.

“Lake Placid was beautiful,” Zmurko said. “It was nice and warm. Perfect for watching and competing in races all day.”

The Nittany Lion alpine teams both finished 20th at this year’s event, and the freestyle teams and the club’s resident snowboarder all finished inside the top 10.

Both Mole and Zmurko, who compete in the slalom and giant slalom, believed the runs themselves aren’t what’s worth remembering, though. The people they met and the memories they made with fellow racers at a historic venue are.

“I’ve met some of my best friends on this team,” Mole said. “It’s nice to be around people that love skiing like I do and share that passion with them.”

“It’s the best team at Penn State,” Zmurko agreed.