Lets talk about skiing

[campermom]

Someone on here has kids who ski regularly...who was it?! I have so many questions for you.

So, my parents used to take us for one week to this amazing gem of a resort in Quebec and it was the best memories of my life. We would go with other families each year and the kids would go to a week of ski school and then have a big race on Friday. No nighttime skiing but at the big house we would play board games and have s'mores and hot cocoa and all that amazing stuff. Because it was in Canada the value was so much more affordable than the US plus it was just cheaper anyway.

I went a lot locally (one hour away) in high school through ski club and with friends after I could drive, usually on Friday nights and with a student discount card. Then I'm college I was a ski instructor for a year. So much fun and a free pass!! (I spent most of my non-working work hours studying in the lodge though-regrets!)

The Olympics have me so inspired and reminiscent. I planned to go Monday since I have off and my toddler can go to daycare. Even just talking about it Friday my coworker said I had a twinkle in my eye she had never seen before. I begged my husband and he was sticker shocked and not happy about the price but we went last night. We paid a ridiculous amount for night skiing, rentals, and childcare for my little one.

It was my first time on skis in 16 years! I loved it! I want to go back!! My big kids did fantastic! My H and son got a lesson with their package but my DD was too young for that package. So I taught her in the learning area and used the magic carpet to go up a small incline and practice. We skied for maybe 4.5 hours and we all got to the point of using the chairlift and doing the bunny hill 5-6 times.

Now I am researching options for next year to do leasing for the kids so we could skip the rental experience (almost an hour) and a package deal so we can save money. And looking up ski and play options for my little one who will be 3 next year. In PA, 4th and 5th graders ski free with a special pass so I'll need to look into that for my oldest next year.

So WPs, do you ski? Have you skied? Did you love it? What kind of trips do you do, one long away away, or do you love close enough that you go often and come home?

[sunbutter]

I grew up in PA and skied on Friday nights at the little resort in my hometown. My skills never really grew as it was a social thing for me.
Then in grad school, I began going to scientific conferences in the West, Utah, Colorado, Banff, etc. The difference between here and there is mind blowing. I still continue to go every few years and always love it.
DH loves to snowboard and I think our kids would really love it. We are tossing around the idea of going next winter but the cost really can be prohibitive.

[twinmomma]

I love skiing! Growing up, family friends owned a small resort so I grew up skiing every weekend and we all worked there too. Went to college in a ski town so that was awesome too! DH snowboards, so we used to go together.
I haven't skiied much since then. It's expensive and life got in the way.
My kids have skis and boots and did some lessons last year at age 4. They loved it! Haven't gotten back out there yet this year. Our free weekends haven't lined up with good weather. But my parents live in ski country now so I'm sure as my kids get older we'll get back into it more.
For kid gear (and adults) watch for ski swaps! You can get used stuff super cheap.

[waverly]

I grew up cross country skiing. I did a downhill ski lesson and weekend in MI at Boyne when DS was 1.

We did ski lessons for the kids 4 times last year. The last lesson was cancelled because it got up to 60. This is a local hill with just a tow rope.

We planned another ski trip but they both were cancelled one when the heat went out and one when the rescheduled date didn't have the kids camp available.

DH wants to do more but he keeps wanting to do this trip that got cancelled, so this year was his planning and it failed. We did do ski lessons once and we tried snowboarding. Snowboarding was really really hard and I wouldn't recommend it.

Next year who knows what we will do. But the season is pretty much over locally because it's supposed to do a mini warm up to around 60 this week.

I feel like for us going to the local hill makes sense. DH disagrees but you see how his plan worked out- it didn't. I should probably look into equipment if we go 4 times a year. It is super expensive for rentals, lift and lessons. For us to basically fall 15 million times during our snowboarding lesson. My kids are 5 and 7, so I feel like the big trip would be better when they are older.

[ruby2shoes]

We lease skis for the kids each year from a local ski shop. Return and get fitted for new season in August, pick up in October for $120/year. We usually put the kids in ski school at Stowe for 2-3 days then have them ski with us for the last 1-2 days depending on length of trip. Then we try and hit the local hills (suburbs of Boston) if the weather and weekend schedule is good. Mt Tremblant is awesome - lucky if that’s the resort you are referring to!

My oldest is 8 and we may just do quick private lessons to refine her skills going forward. It is an expensive hobby but the fresh winter air is good for the spirit! I can’t wait for our younger kid (5) to be ready for a ski trip in the Canadian or American Rockies.

[akafred]

That is awesome!!!! I have only been skiing once in 7th grade on a church trip, and I got SO freaking sick so I only did the bunny hill maybe twice before my fever was so high I had to go back to the lodge and was sick the rest of the trip.

I think my DD would love it but I will never ski with my bad back, so I need an aunt or uncle to take her.

[sandandsea]

DH and I used to snowboard a few weekends a year before kids. Now, DS has ski week every year so we head up to Tahoe for half of it. He’s loved ski lessons (started at age 4). Ds2 is too young for lessons (1.5) so last year I stayed with him but this year we are taking him to the daycare at the lodge and dh and I are doing ski lessons. I skied about 27 years ago and have only snowboarded since but I don’t see myself as a 40+ year old snowboarder so I figured I’d do an adult ski lesson this time. I think our long term plan is to go one week a year.

[k3am]

We haven't done it yet, but this year we're planning to go poor putting DD in to ski school and DS in to daycare at the mountain for a few days so we can both snowboard. We'll see how it goes...

Last year I hurt my knee snowboarding, so I have a lot of trepidation about this. (Honestly, the first thought in my head was. HOW CAN I DO DAYCARE PICKUP IF I'M ON CRUTCHES."

[freezorburn]

I did not grow up skiing, but tagged along on a couple of trips during college with friends who insisted it was easy to learn. I had a great time but didn't really have enough consistency to learn good technique.

We lived in northern Alberta during the recession, so for two winters I made a point of taking lessons at the local ski hill and I got a lot more confident with my technique. And I felt good enough about it to acquire my own equipment around that time.

Wasn't able to ski at all during pregnancy, and couldn't carve out time during DS's early years -- by then we were living in the UK and it would have been an endeavor to travel to a good ski resort. So I was off my skis for maybe 3-4 years. But it was easy to get back into it, a couple of winters ago I made a point of carving out time here and there to ski. I've only been able to average 2 days per winter, though. I haven't been able to convince DS to try it, so I can only go when he is with his dad. This winter I managed to ski on New Year's Eve, and I had a trip planned in January that got cancelled so that turned into just skiing locally for a day.

Locally we have 3 places within 1-2 hours' drive of the city. I really wish I could go more often but it has been hard to find the time.

[traveltheworld]

We ski somewhat regularly. DH and I both learned to ski as teenagers and neither of us were really that into it, so we only skied once or twice a year. But last year we put DS (he was 4) in a few private lessons when we went to a ski resort with friends for a long week and he loved it, so we put him in a few group lessons afterwards and skied with him ourselves. His enthusiasm made us love the sport again, so we bought ski gear for the whole family at a ski swap last fall - it was super cheap. I'd highly recommend that if you have a ski swap where you are.

So far this year we've done a long weekend trip with friends and a few ski days at a "local" hill that's about 90 minutes away. We've taken DD, who's is 2.5, each time and DH and I just took turns with her on the bunny hill. She loves it too. I foresee a lot more skiing next year when she is over 3.

[campermom]

Feb 18, 2018 12:22:16 GMT -5 k3am said:

Last year I hurt my knee snowboarding, so I have a lot of trepidation about this. (Honestly, the first thought in my head was. HOW CAN I DO DAYCARE PICKUP IF I'M ON CRUTCHES."

That was my exact thought the moment I put on roller skates! I lasted a few hours, then DD took me down with her and I took them off.

waverly I agree snowboarding was really hard and lots of falling. I don't have it in me to fall so much. We had to swap (skiers and snowboarders) when we had instructor training and take a day to give the opposites their lessons. So I had a day of lessons as a snowboarder but really no desire to ever do it again. Skier for life!

[leap]

I learned to snowboard in my early 20s and a few years ago DH and I learned to ski so we would know something about it and be able to help the girls as they learned to ski. Now we do both depending on what we feel like and what the snow is like. Our local slope is about a 40 min drive from our house so it's pretty easy for us to do for even part of a day.

The girls started ski lessons when they were 4 and 6 (they are now 6 and 8 so this is their third season). We do a month of lessons - every Sunday from 2-4. We all get season passes and we lease the kids equipment (I think it was $100 per kid). We have to go at least 5 times to make our season passes worth the money. But when the kids are doing 4 weeks of lessons it makes it pretty easy to get in at least 5 trips. My 6 year old is a pretty good skier. It amazes me how she will just keep on going and how she is game to pretty much try anything. My 8 year old decided to try snowboarding this year and is doing so, so good. Yesterday we did a few blue runs and she did great - made beautiful turns all the way down.

For us, it has really become a fun family activity.

* Wanted to add the our local slope is an actual ski mountain slope with 8 lifts and 3 magic carpets. 

[186momx]

I didn't grow up skiing and actually don't like the snow. That said DH loves the snow so it is slowing growing on me. I really like snowshoeing as it is just walking and I could do it with DD in a pack. I also bought stuff to cross country ski and as long as it is groomed tracts and I don't go with DH it is okay. I fall a ton and can only go for an hour or so.
Friends who live in Mt Bachelor area have been doing a season rental from a local ski shop for their 10 year old. It is a couple hundred a year but they have been sticking with snowshoe/cross country which is free if it is a good snow year. I know for us valley folk Berg's Ski shop does a bunch of packages where you can rent gear/lease gear and they do a bus to the mountains so no driving. Also the smaller ski lodges do a lot of kids ski free with adult lift ticket and all offer an array of ski lessons/school.

If you did multiple short weekend trips then I would think by the 3rd time going the kids may have figured it out and then could just ski the rest of the season. Also popular here are buying tickets early for the season. So a 4 day pass of lift tickets in August is cheaper than buying it when you want to go in December.

We got DD a pair of cute skis that work with any snow boot a couple years ago. They work as cross country or down hill. Got them at the ski swap for $5.