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Thread: Skiing with offspring

  1. #1
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    Skiing with offspring

    Knee surgery for me in a week so no skiing this season. I was able to get in two powder days last year with my 8 yr. old daughter (awesome). She's 9 now, and turning into quite a little athelete. My youngest is 4, has never skied, but she's finally ready to learn. Mrs. Babar is with child. No skiing for her either. I don't want the little ones to miss out on skiing this season. How? Does anyone have any info on kids programs, camps, etc. or any suggestions on how I convince the missus to take a ski vacation when only the kids can ski, and it's unknown whether they'll really enjoy it without us. I need some outside of the box thinking. We live in the east.
    "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!"

  2. #2
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    Babar,

    Of course you can go to a place like Killington, where the ministars program is great (no doubt the kids will have a great time...and I'm sure you & the missus can find stuff to do while they are occupied).

    However, have you considered the possibility of visiting a smaller mtn closer to home on a regular basis as opposed to investing a lot of time and money in long weekends/vacations away (esp. if you guys can't ski anyway)?

    For example, Ski Sundown and Mohawk (both in CT) have very excellent ski/riding instruction programs for children. The mountains are easy to get to, and not intimidating at all. They have nice little lodges where you can hang out with a good book. Plus they are cheaper than the big places.

    I am not sure your location, but for me these littler hills are about 1.5 hr drive. That's not bad at all for a day trip, and I'd be willing to drive my kid every Sat. for lessons and make it home by 2 or 3pm.

    I am sure whereever you are in the EC there are some "home" mountains you can consider. I feel that the children's programs at many of these places are excellent because (a) they are not as crowded and (b) the mountain is less intimidating for beginners so they actually advance to better terrain more rapidly.

    Hope that perspective helps!
    Sprite
    "I call it reveling in natures finest element. Water in its pristine form. Straight from the heavens. We bathe in it, rejoicing in the fullest." --BZ

  3. #3
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    Oh, and Babar...let me add that even if your 8 yr old is a pretty good skier, I still believe the programs in the smaller places can challenge her to improve her technique, speed, and learn stuff like jumping and tricks.

    They had some neat terrain features at Ski Sundown last season and I had as much fun on them as I did at Timberline at Ram's head area in Killington...for a fraction of the cost and drive time!

    Sprite
    "I call it reveling in natures finest element. Water in its pristine form. Straight from the heavens. We bathe in it, rejoicing in the fullest." --BZ

  4. #4
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    Thanks, Sprite. I'll surely take her over to Sundown a few times, it's not even an hour away, and a nice lodge. Kmart's a great place to party, but it's not my choice for family fun. I'm worried about my youngest skiing for the first time without me (might be a good thing, actually). Too often my daughter can't wait for the lesson to be over so she can just ski w/ me. I'm hoping to find a progam/group she likes so much, she'd rather stick with it all day.
    "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!"

  5. #5
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    Smuggler's Notch is generally recognized as having one of the two or three best kids' programs in the country, and is a pretty (i.e. very) low-key place overall. Might be worth a try.

  6. #6
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    My family has a standing ski time on Sunday afternoons at my home area, Ober Gatlinburg. We pack up in the mornings, go to church and then head to the hill afterwards. For the kids its not about skiing a big mtn or deep pow, its about just getting out and having fun. I think a lot of us on the board need to step back and look at the sport that way. Your local hill can be like a home away from home, I can't wait to get back out to see everyone this season. The people I know from skiing I rarely if ever see during the off season, but I know that every December I'll be right back there and so will the same crew. Whether it's a trash heap in Wisconsin or Alta, there is something special about having a mtn that you can call home.

    Edit: Not that that answered your question, but it's still a good thought.
    I should probably change my username to IReallyDon'tTeleMuchAnymoreDave.

  7. #7
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    If you DID want to head out west, Winter Park has an awesome kids program for the 4 year old with a huge kiddie area (I think it is called Discovery Park). They also have pretty reasonable rates. The rest of the mountian has plenty of stuff for the 9 year old. Lotsa fun stuff and the ski school is pretty good with kids there, I've heard. You could give her a chance to see a fairly large mountain in the west. It would probably drive you crazy though, being there and not able to ski... You could try a chair ski...
    "Have fun, get a flyrod, and give the worm dunkers the finger when you start double hauling." ~Lumpy

  8. #8
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    Great suggestions. Keep 'em coming. Great childhood memories of Smuggs, Ice, thanks for the reminder. Some of the better restaurants in VT up there, too, if I remember. My goals: to keep the kids skiing and enrich their experience with the sport, not lose my sanity completely, get out of the house and away from home, not break the bank.
    "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!"

  9. #9
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    And here I thought you meant you were going skiing with http://www.music4u.ru/jpeg/offspring1.jpg

    Deep in my fuzzy memory, I'd agree with everyone about Smuggler's Notch. I'd also say Stowe is a good second....

  10. #10
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    It sounds like your daughter enjoys skiing, but would rather ski with you than with some random kids in a lesson. Maybe if you found a program where she could ski with the same kids every time, then she would be more stoked about taking lessons. I know a lot of mountains have programs where the skis go skiing once or twice a week with the same instructor and same group. Your daughter would probably enjoy that a lot, since she would end up going skiing every weekend with a bunch of friends. Definitely ask around at your local ski hills to see if they have a program like this (you probably wouldn't want to do this somewhere like Killington because the cost and driving would kill you). Ask your daughter and see what she thinks.

    I'd save money though and not bother with a big trip out West. Most kids can have just as much fun skiing a trash heap as they can skiing some big mountain out west.

  11. #11
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    I'll back up what ASC says. I'll bet Sundown has a kids program on weekends or nights, and there might be something for the youngest, too. Also, I know your mom used to ski; she might be into helping with rides, etc. if you do get her into a weekly deal.

  12. #12
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    You know his mom?

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by iceman
    You know his mom?
    Gotta thing for elephants, probably from living in Gunnison Co. for so many years.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by AntiSoCalSkier
    I know a lot of mountains have programs where the skis go skiing once or twice a week with the same instructor and same group.
    I know if my skis would just learn how to ski it would save me a whole lot of busting my ass! What a great new concept in instruction!
    I should probably change my username to IReallyDon'tTeleMuchAnymoreDave.

  15. #15
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    You can always drop them off at the mountain and just tell them to yell "change for a nickle" at the top of their lungs. Maybe not the best idea but it is AN idea
    "Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die tomorrow"

    Moment skis

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by KevinDineen
    I'll back up what ASC says. I'll bet Sundown has a kids program on weekends or nights, and there might be something for the youngest, too. Also, I know your mom used to ski; she might be into helping with rides, etc. if you do get her into a weekly deal.
    There's a suggestion made by someone with an entire continent between him and mother Babar If I let my kids spend too much time with my mom, I run the risk of them becoming as fucked up as me . I'll handle the Sundown shuttle myself, thanks. What about resort locations with top notch kid programs? Is she still to young for that Fisher program at Okemo?
    "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!"

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by kush1
    You can always drop them off at the mountain and just tell them to yell "change for a nickle" at the top of their lungs. Maybe not the best idea but it is AN idea
    It takes a village, right? Why not a village of Maggots. Couldn't be worse than having my mom drive them to Sundown evry week, trust me.
    "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!"

  18. #18
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    [QUOTE=teledave]My family has a standing ski time on Sunday afternoons at my home area, Ober Gatlinburg. We pack up in the mornings, go to church and then head to the hill afterwards.

    Can I substitute strip club, for church. That way Mrs. Babar could earn the kid's pass/lesson money, and I could get a peak at some strange
    "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!"

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