development of a little ripper

[oftpiste]

Great thread. Looking through pics of my sprouts all those little mini-racers seem like yesterday!

Here's what you can expect in a few years if you're lucky:

13 yrs old


11 yrs old

[~mikey b]

you guys will be very happy to know that he just sharted in his pants - a true Maggot

he farts, then looks at me and says "Uh oh. I better check that one. It was pretty wet. I think I pooped a little bit." I say "That's gonna itch when it dries..."

currently pooping while the shower warms up

so proud

[~mikey b]

and let's not forget that most of the credit should go to Owen's mama Krystal Kartwright

pregnant lady ski patrolling























with Grammy

[~mikey b]

everything looks deep when you're 5' tall







sftc

[~mikey b]

.....................

[awedor]

Awesome thread! Thanks for sharing. So amped to get out and slide with my little man.

[meggers]

I'm pretty sure that on my first backcountry trip to Sonora, you gave my dad advice on telemark tips and we went up and got to see your son killing it there. It was pretty impressive.

[scarlet begonias]

Hey Mike, I recognize some of those locations .

Time for some 2012 - 2013 KIDDIE STOKE!!!

My just turned 4 year old has been SHREDDING!! At 23 days away from having baby #2, my ski days this year have been spent skiing with him (he's at 12 total so far). I think I've done well by him The little maniac won't stay out of the powder and trees and always finds the most fun way down the hill. No issues skiing off the summit of Eaglecrest, killing the blues. Wish I could ski harder with him, but not for a few more weeks.

We got a helmet cam from the grandparents for Christmas (something tells me they miss skiing with him and are hoping I make them lots of videos). Here's the first go around with it yesterday. Sorry if it's a bit shaky (or too long). A last minute decision to film and I carried the camera vs. mounting it on my goggles. Lesson learned.

[~mikey b]

little ripper has been down sick and out of the game

tiny tele rig ready for his return

[oftpiste]

yeah, I know, my kids are too old for this thread, but goddammit, it really does seem like yesterday - no matter what you think when people say that to you - and you really do have some serious fun to look forward to when they kick your ass all over the hill. Just keep them out there, no matter how much whining they do when they're little. It'll pay off. Oh yeah, professional instruction and race training rules.

I have no idea what the future will hold for them, except that they rip and love to ski, have their own posse for the rest of their lives and probably always will. Who knows what happens after that?

edit: I've heard many, many parents over the years say things like, "they didn't really want to come up today so I didn't make them...." when they were 7 or 8. Bullshit. Make them go. You're the parent.

Last weekend in a jr comp:

at 18 it's his last year as a jr.... he says he wants to get on the big boys show.....


at 14 it's his last year in the 12-14 age group....


at 12....well....can I humbly say I think he's going to kill it over the next few years....?

[~mikey b]

Not too old for this thread.

This is all about getting parents stoked and keeping them stoked.

They are only too old for this thread when they start posting and telling us to shut the fuck up about them.

SKI THE BABIES!

[MCH]

Have my 7 enrolled in the Loveland Explorer program this year. I think it will be good for him not to have to chase dad and older brother around and developer skills with other kids his own age. Anybody else here have any thought on the Loveland Explorers program?

[~mikey b]

Little Ripper back in action.

First day on telemark gear.



Thanks to Hestra for cheap gloves.



Proud papa!



Thanks to DaHeel and MiniHeel for the tiny tele gear. This stuff will some day be free to another family.

[~mikey b]

With a new little ripper. Our buddy Avery, age 2. He's got a couple dozen runs under his belt.

and he can ride a bike like a mofo

[~mikey b]

...........

[flyman683]

Maybe too much of a thread jack, but our local ski bump has a little kid program for 4-5 year olds. They find it normal to have a group of 4 or 5 with one instructor and a triple chair.

4 year olds on lifts by themselves? I'm firmly in the hell no category and let the place know. My kid is good at skiing, not at safely riding a lift.

Apparently I'm the only one who complained to the place that it's crazy to send 4 year olds up by themselves.

What did your little rippers do?

[~mikey b]

very appropriate to this thread - thanks!



my 6 year old ripper wears a harness for loading (and other things) and is only allowed to ride solo on 2 chairs

our ski school and race team have rules about the littles riding on lifts

4 year old solo = no way




National Ski Areas Association has a new info program called Kid on Lifts.

http://www.kidsonlifts.org/

[flyman683]

4 year old solo = no way

That's what I thought, but none of the other (mostly non-skier) parents said anything so wasn't sure if we were being nuts.

I'll gladly let him ski terrain where he can rocket off into the woods at 100 mph if I'm nearby, but putting 4 year olds up on lifts alone is a whole different thing. Honestly I was amazed that's this places' routine way of doing things.

Apparently my wife wanted to slap the smile off the girl behind the counters face when she reached down and pulled out a "Due to class sizes your children may ride the lift without an instructor" sign when she complained...

[Hugh Conway]

Cool thead telemike

[Bluebird]

That's what I thought, but none of the other (mostly non-skier) parents said anything so wasn't sure if we were being nuts.

I'll gladly let him ski terrain where he can rocket off into the woods at 100 mph if I'm nearby, but putting 4 year olds up on lifts alone is a whole different thing. Honestly I was amazed that's this places' routine way of doing things.

Apparently my wife wanted to slap the smile off the girl behind the counters face when she reached down and pulled out a "Due to class sizes your children may ride the lift without an instructor" sign when she complained...

When my then 3.5 year old told me he road with another kid I was shocked, but ultimately was ok with it. I've watched from afar and he actually does really well. Sits calmly, looks forward, etc. The ski school tries to get them adult riders, but the beginner area is 90% little kids and without paying private lesson fees it is what it is. Our lift was designed intentionally low to the ground, but still a fall could be bad. Scary, but we've come to grips with it.

[~mikey b]

CHEEEEZE

[~mikey b]

Screaming Eagle!

[The Tortoise]

"Due to class sizes your children may ride the lift without an instructor"

I don't give a shit if my kid isn't with an instructor. Hopefully though the instructor has enough foresight to put him on the lift with someone who appears competent. That's what I did when coaching the little ones.

Our three year old got his first pair of skis for Christmas and is totally hooked. I built a hill in the front lawn with snow I had to shovel from the driveway. He could easily spend an hour a night going up and down that 6 foot hill and LOVED the crush the snowman game.

So much fun.

[Ottime]

I know my guy is way younger than 4 (he is almost 21 months), but he could never be left on a lift alone. I can recall at least twice when he wiggled himself off the seat. If not for the harness and my grip he would have been on the ground. I don't think it was intentional on his part. He just has such short legs and wants to sit with his knees bent like the adults.

Speaking I which, how did y'all get your little ones to sit in the chair? All the way back with legs straight? Or knees bent and on the edge of the seat? Good news is my guy loves the safety bar and signs for "more" when ever the lift stops. Told him he needs to ramp up and get off the bunny lift if he does not like it stopping all the time. Things are going well as he has skied 2700 vertical so far in his life.

[The Tortoise]

He sits either like an adult or with his legs straight.

When he's sitting like an adult we put ski poles in front of him wedged against the support for the safety bar. And I never let go of the harness.

But he's 3. At 21 months I'd probably have it so his feet stick straight out.