Ongoing Kid Stoke [2011 and on...]

[undertow2]

Not sure if this is a new thread or what, but I have a "traveling with kids" question for the collective. I am looking for a non-Wasatch, non-California Mt. Collective family trip in April (non Wasatch b/c we are already hitting that in Jan. Non CA b/c that's where we live already). Requirements:
1) Something with terrain worth flying for (so that disqualifies Sun Valley and its ilk, as far as I can tell).
2) Something where my wife (intermediate), my daughter (6-yr old intermediate skier in ski school), my son (3-yr old. Can ski but prob won't be potty trained enough for ski school) and I can all be relatively close to each other for ski school pickups and the like (So Aspen is out, from what I understand, insofar as Buttermilk and Highlands are separate mountains and none of the 4 seem like they have terrain appropriate for all).
3) Relatively accessible to a decent airport.
4) Ideally a somewhat interesting town that kids will enjoy hanging around.

I originally was thinking Jackson, but kids' terrain seems lacking.
Then I was thinking Big Sky, which I love, but I don't recall how good the setup is for kids or whether there is anything going on there in town.
The last time I was at either of the above was pre-kids with a house full of rippers.

So here's my off-the-run idea: What about flying into Calgary and hitting Lake Louise and Sunshine? Any Canuckistani family-having mags have an idea of how that may measure up?

mogul5480,

I know it is not on your list, but I have traveled a ton to diff ski destinations and by far to me Steamboat is tops for a family ski vacation... Great town, fun and varied terrain for all levels and not a stuffy feel... We fly into Steam boat and the shuttle service is second to none...

The only question I could not answer is the ski conditions in April...

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[Ottime]

^^^ I was going to say Steamboat. It hits all the marks except steeps. But trees are damn fun. Also not sure about April.

[Danno]

Steamboat is lower elevation so April is questionable, not sure how early they close. And for an expert skier, it doesn't have terrain worth flying to. But otherwise it hits the mark, and has hot springs.

[Ottime]

^^^^^not on MC Pass. Looks like Steamboat no longer is either.

I imagine you already have plans to use the Mammoth days. Otherwise that would fit the bill. And you could drive.

Aspen looks like it is only Snowmass. Which has a little bit of everything.

If it were me (and had money to spend) I’d choose Banff/Sunshine. Don’t know about the town feel, but the park is beautiful.

[montanaskier]

My little dude has turned into such a ripper. Skis anywhere I do now. We spend all day looking for stuff to jump off. It’s awesome! 7 years old.

[detrusor]

Take the kids to big sky.

April will be warm and fun. Reasonable chance of new snow.

You can go into Yellowstone and do stuff, down the road to Bozeman hot springs etc.


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[Rob D!]

X2 for big sky in April. Went late year with the kids and got 36" fresh throughout the week (not typical, though, per my understanding). Awesome mountain. Town is Meh, but nice brewery (Beehive Basin).
Maybe Crested Butte. Awesome town. Awesome dad train and enough kid/intermediate wife terrain. They close for the elk migration after the first week of April though, so gotta be early April trip. Also, they had a kids-ski-free closing week when we were there 2 years ago.

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[mogul5480]

This is great advice - thanks, team!

1) Steamboat not on pass. I concur awesome kid spot. We know someone who goes there all the time and will get there at some point.
2) The idea of Bridger having good kids' terrain makes Big Sky more attractive, b/c can get a bonus day at Bridger on the way in or out.
3) Sunshine just looks freakin' awesome, but more research needed to see if I want to schlep up to the Great White North with two kids under 7.

[funkendrenchman]

Went up to a hut last night to celebrate Mackenzie’s 2nd B-day.

[Woodsy]

Went up to a hut last night to celebrate Mackenzie’s 2nd B-day.

strong parenting, she on your back?
Strong skinning

[Woodsy]

didnt get pics but 4 yr old hit his first legit jump Sunday ( some snowboard kids had built a lil kicker next to the trail we watched from the lift)
first time not enough speed, slid back and fell
Second time, hella speed & he totally Jamie Pierred the landing with a back slap and skied out and away. I hollared, Ski patroller skied up and was less than impressed

[funkendrenchman]

strong parenting, she on your back?
Strong skinning

Thanks. Yep backpack. Shoulders were crushed on the way up.

[Woodsy]

Thanks. Yep backpack. Shoulders were crushed on the way up.

its good training, after skiing Sunday with my little dood my legs were fine but shoulders and chest were sore from pulling him around the flats

[getoutside]

missed the thanksgiving wkd storm for the las vegas invitational, but watching the 12-yr-old play is a blast. down 2-0 early in the final, the boys stormed back and tied it at 2, and again at 3 with 10 left, and won in pks. the 12-yr-old had 2 goals in the final and 5 goals in the tournament. pretty resilient group.

[Dantheman]

Loving the Gotama Jrs

[Norseman]

Loving the Gotama Jrs

Yeah!

[~mikey b]

this popped up in my wife's Facebook feed this morning...



18 months old at Beaver Creek

[cravenmorhead]

My kid's first day of ski school (3 yr. o.) on Saturday. Got to go ski trees for 5 hours, and when I picked her up and asked her how it went her first response was "fantastic!" Teacher said she was the group's morale booster. Pretty stoked.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

My boy turned 4 a month ago. Started him skiing at two. First couple years he was just to small to exert any influence over skis. Wherever they pointed he followed. Yesterday was the first day out this year. After one run with leashes he was ready to go. He skied for 3 hours straight, ate some lunch and then skied another hour. I'm not sure which of us had more fun. Watching him how to learn how to use his edges is awesome.

[EWG]

Enjoy it. Once they are off the leash, it literally gets more fun every single day.

[alias_rice]

Loving the Gotama Jrs

Nice. Looks like he’s getting after it.

Sunday was too cold for action shots, but it was fun to cruise with the minion.

[GAPERsauraus REX]

Awesome work for a 4 year old!

I'm going through the same thing right now with my just turned 3 year-old. Second season just started and he's not quite ready to exert much pressure on his edges. We work on "hands on knees" to keep him forward and balanced and playing with the fall line. Pretty much just heads the direction his skis are pointing, so we do a lot of zig-zagging across the hill.

[el hefe]

First day out for these 2. Can't wait until 3yr old learns how to stop, she likes to go fast. FYI I had nothing to do with helmets.

[mn_teleswede]

6 yr olds reaction to first day out this season

[tmokes]

Have you thought of whistler for your kids vacation? Ski school is in the middle of the mountain and seems like a fun place kids on and off snow.

Banff and sunshine would be another solid option. Again ski school in the middle of mountain. Town of banff will have just as much Xmas lights as whistler.


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