Showing posts with label Skiing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Skiing. Show all posts
Driving in the snow Read Post

Driving in the snow


We left our house in San Francisco at noon. The Sierra Nevada is only about three hours away. We'd be there by late afternoon, right?

We were so wrong. By the time we reached 4,000 feet the rain turned to snow and the traffic came to a dead stop. It took us three hours to travel 30 minutes. The cars were inching along painfully slow.

Thankfully when we woke up the next morning in our cabin in Tahoe-Donner, fluffy white powder was glistening underneath clear skies.

Sometimes it's worth driving in the snow....
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2:46 PM No Comments
Hooray! There's snow in the Sierra Nevada Read Post

Hooray! There's snow in the Sierra Nevada

With hardly a flake falling in December, Californians (and Nevadans) are absolutely elated about the recent snow storms hitting the Sierra Nevada. This means there will be plenty of the white stuff over the President's Weekend.

Our family is hoping to head for the mountains this weekend for at least one night and I was just on the Best Western site looking for rooms. There are still a few left—book now!

Here are a few places to check out if you'd like to escape to the mountains this weekend:

Best Western Station House Inn, South Lake Tahoe
Best Western Plus Airport Plaza, Reno
Best Western Stagecoach Inn, Pollock Pines
Best Western Gold Country Inn, Grass Valley
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12:10 PM No Comments
Kids and ski helmets: My how things have changed Read Post

Kids and ski helmets: My how things have changed

Last weekend, I stepped foot on a downhill ski resort for the first time in over 20 years. Watching the skiers line up for the lift I noticed all sorts of differences. Skis are a lot wider than they once were. Everyone under age 40 snowboards. And kids wear helmets. All of the children, even many adults, were sporting a hard shell.

When I rented my kids ski gear, helmets were included in the cost. I worried that they might find them cumbersome, but they seemed entirely unphased.

According to the Denver Post:
In 2008-09, the National Ski Areas Association counted 39 deaths in 57.4 million skier days in the United States. That annual tally hasn't varied much in any year in the past decade.

Among those '08-09 deaths, 31 skiers were not wearing helmets. That same season, the association counted 44 serious injuries; 32 of those skiers were not wearing helmets.

In a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in February this year, researchers found that skiers' risk of head injury fell by 35 percent with helmet use. The same study found no connection between helmet use and neck injury, a common concern among the dwindling number of helmet opponents.

Even without the threat of laws and fines, helmet use climbs roughly 5 percent every year. Half of all skiers and snowboarders in America wear helmets, up from 25 percent in 2002-03. Helmets are on 90 percent of Colorado's skiers 9 years old and younger...
Do you wear a helmet when you ski?
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10:09 PM 3 comments
Kids and ski school: Lessons learned Read Post

Kids and ski school: Lessons learned


As a child, my winter weekends were spent in ski school. My parents would drop me with a group of kids sporting puffy snow suits and a teacher who looked no older than 13, and they'd take off to ski black diamond runs while I struggled on the bunny slopes.

Later in the day, they'd pick me up and take me up an intermediate lift, hoping to watch their little girl race down the hill. Usually, I'd disappoint them, stiffly holding my skis in snowplough position the entire way down, usually taking several falls, and typically ending up in tears. I hated downhill skiing.

And so when my two kids got to be about 4 and 5, I decided that we'd try cross-country skiing instead of downhill. I quickly fell in love with the sport--the quiet, the gently rolling hills, the deserted runs. And I enjoyed skiing along side my family. The kids also enjoyed it, but this year they started asking about downhill. There friends at school were going downhill skiing and they wanted to try it too.

And so last weekend, we drove to California's Bear Valley Ski resort, south of Tahoe, and put them in downhill ski school while my husband and I went cross country skiing.

It had been 20 years since I'd stepped foot in a downhill resort and things have changed.

First of all, you don't just show up on Saturday morning and stick your kids in a ski class. At many resorts the ski school classes fill up weeks in advance and you need to call ahead to book.

Luckily, a friend forewarned me of this and so I called a week ahead, and actually all of the lessons were full. But I called back a day later, and the resort added an additional class.

We made another big mistake by showing up 10 minutes late on the second day of class. We were staying a half-hour from the resort but it started snowing and we had to put on chains. It ended up taking us over an hour to get there. When we showed up, they wouldn't let the kids into the morning class. They bumped us to a later afternoon class. Lesson learned: Show up on time, even better 15 minutes early.
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9:44 PM 4 comments
Truckee, Calif.: A snowy spot for families Read Post

Truckee, Calif.: A snowy spot for families

Truckee was once a place you stopped to fill up your car with gas on the way to one of the many ski resorts that circle Lake Tahoe. But now skiers are staying over night in this small town, located about 30 minutes from Reno.

With a handful of great places to bed down, a happening restaurant scene, and a main drag lined with old Western facades, Truckee offers more charming delights than you'll find at any of the ski resort villages.

My family recently spent two days in Truckee, and we discovered a great places were travelers can stay, play, and eat.

Stay: With feather beds, an outdoor hot tub, and free hot breakfast, the Best Western Truckee Tahoe Lodge provides comfort and value. At the front desk you can buy discounted lift tickets for nearby resorts such as North Star and Squaw Valley.

Play: Twenty minutes south in Soda Springs, Royal Gorge Cross-Country Ski Resort offers some 200 miles of trails that spread across 10,000 acres of mountain, forest and meadow. For families, it's a great alternative to the nearby downhill resorts that are spendy and often crowded. The kids camp is only $75 and includes a full day of instruction, lunch and rentals. Access to the trails are free for children 10 and under.

Eat: Downtown's Donner Pass Road is chockablock with restaurants but Moody's Bistro is the rowdiest and most refined of them all. The nightly changing menu features dishes such as homemade gnocchi drizzled with truffle oil and roasted Fulton Valley chicken, and the food is so good that it got a write-up in The New York Times. But peope aren't only coming here to eat. They're also pouring into this former hotel to hear live music; Paul McCartney has played here not once, but twice. And on Sunday, this is a hot spot for families as dinner is served family-style--$30 per adult; $15 for kids 12 and under.
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9:55 PM 4 comments
A few tips on kids and ski gear Read Post

A few tips on kids and ski gear


We're in the midst of our second trip to the snow this year, and I've learned a few things when it comes to kids and ski gear:

1) Dress kids in layers: Children are miserable when they're cold--and when they're hot. Dress them in layers. On the top, put them in a long underwear top, a wool sweater or fleece shirt, and a waterproof, well-insulated ski jacket. On the bottom, they need waterproof pants or bib tops, and likely a pair of long underwear.

2) Wool socks are a must: Tiny toes freeze without them. Soft, thin wool socks are most comfortable. Never double up with two pairs, or else they'll end up with blisters.

3) Pack two hats per kid: Wool ski hats get lost--on the trail, during lunch at the lodge--and you don't want little heads going uncovered.

4) Gloves, not mittens: This is one of the most important purchases. Buy your kids a quality glove that's well-insulated and fits well so they can easily hold onto their poles. You want a glove that's big enough so they can easily slide their hands in without mom and dad's help, but you don't want it so big that it falls off on a steep downhill. Wool mittens don't do the job.

5) Don't forget sunglasses and sunscreen: You need this stuff at the beach, and on the slopes. Sun reflecting off the snow is bright and powerful.
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4:01 AM 4 comments
Do you remember the first time you saw snow? Read Post

Do you remember the first time you saw snow?

I don't remember the first time I saw snow, but I have seen the photographs of my parents pulling me around in a sled when I was about 1 year old.

But I will never forget my first trip to the snow with my kids. My daughter, Paris, was 4 and my son, Dante, 3. We were in Idaho and drove the kids to Galena Lodge, a community center outside Ketchum where you can rent cross-country skis and sleds, or sit inside sipping hot chocolate by a roaring fire.

Paris loved the snow. She rolled around in it like a frisky cat. She stuffed her mouth with snow, made snow angels, and happily tried sliding around on a pair of mini skis.

My son hated it. We set him down in the snow and he screamed. He didn't like the crunching sound his feet made when he walked. And he was miserably cold.

This weekend we watched another child see snow for the first time. We were in Truckee, Calif., just outside the famous Squaw Valley ski resort, for the weekend with a classmate from Paris's class.

When Lily first spotted the white stuff from the car she said, "It looks like there's whip cream everywhere outside."

Lily was so excited to run outside and touch the cold snow. She put a huge handful in her mouth. The kids built snowmen and had a snow ball fight, and the parents took lots of photos so it's a day they can remember.

Do you remember your first time in the snow? Or your children's first visit?

Image: UtahValley.org
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3:49 AM 4 comments
How to pack for a family ski trip Read Post

How to pack for a family ski trip

A recent story in the NY Times tackles the stressful, overwhelming experience of packing for a family ski trip--which usually occurs when mom and dad are in a frenzied state trying to hit the road on Friday afternoon before traffic gets too bad.

Bill Pennington, who claims to have performed the pack/unpack/pack operation maybe 150 times with his wife and three kids, offers up a handful of tips. I read this story with great interest since our family is planning to go to the snow several times this winter.

Here are few tips pulled from Pennington's article.
  • Train each person to be responsible for his snow gear. Give each member of the family a bag for their ski clothes and a list of what they need to bring: boots, hat, goggles, gloves, sunglasses, helmet, and so on. "The key to this is getting young children — and doddering adults — accustomed to the idea that all the ski/snowboard-specific items go in this one bag," Pennington advises. (I have always packed for my kids who are now ages 5 and 6, but when we head for the snow next weekend I'm going to put them on the task of packing their own gear. Creating a list seems like a tedious, time-intensive task but I'm willing to try. We'll see how it goes.)
  • Rent equipment--boots, poles, and skis--before you leave so you avoid lines at the resort. (This seems like wise advice if you're down-hill skiing. The cross-country ski resorts typically don't have any lines.)
  • Bring two sets of gloves "because the ones used for skiing might get wet and need to be dried by the radiator or fireplace. You will be happy to have additional warm gloves for walking around at night," Pennington writes. (We just spent nearly $200 on outfitting the kids in snow gear so I'm not sure I'm ready to pop for a second pair of gloves.)
  • Stuff instant oatmeal in your suitcase. "With a dozen instant oatmeal packets, which cost about $4, you can feed the whole family a breakfast on Saturday morning and be on the slopes while everyone else is still ordering in the hotel restaurant," Pennington writes. "Use the coffee maker that probably comes with your room to heat up the water for the oatmeal, bring along some paper bowls and plastic spoons, and everyone gets a nice hot meal that will last until lunch....Yes, it’s not fine cuisine, but who cares if it means you get four runs on unoccupied trails before the hefty morning lift lines build." (This is one tip I definitely won't be following...instant oatmeal is the equivalent of wallpaper paste. It seems easy enough to set the alarm for 7 a.m. and eat a quick breakfast at the hotel, which in many cases is free and included in the rate, and then hit the slopes.)
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10:20 AM 5 comments
Cross-country skiing: Cheap, easy, and fun for kids Read Post

Cross-country skiing: Cheap, easy, and fun for kids

My memories of downhill skiing with my parents as a child are full of embarrassing moments. There's the time I skied into a tree. The end of my pole hit my eye and I had a shiner the rest of the trip.

There's the time I wet my pants on the chair lift. And the time I fell off the chairlift and a boy from my high school happened to be in the chair behind me. Ugh!

I never took to the sport. I hated the cold, the scary downhills, the long lift lines, the crowded slopes. Yet, I was frequently dragged to the snow because my parents and brother loved to ski and they were good at it.

I decided to introduce my kids to the snow through a different activity: cross-country skiing. It's mellower, less-intimidating, and a much friendlier sport for kids (and I like it).

This past weekend, we made our first big trip to the snow. We rented a cabin with some friends in the Tahoe area that's only four hours from our home in San Francisco. And we planned to spend a full day cross-country skiing.

We opted to ski at Kirkwood, south of Lake Tahoe, because they have a cross-country center with 50 kilometers of groomed trails, equipment rentals, and lessons.

For $48, adults get an hour introductory lesson, a trail pass for the day, and ski, boots, and poles. The price for kids is $25. For our family of four, the total came to $150. If we skied at Kirkwood's nearby down hill resort and put the kids in half-day lessons, we would have spent $330.

Our family started the day with a one-hour lesson. We had the instructor to ourselves. She taught us how to hold the poles, glide across the snow, snowplough down a hill. Simple stuff. My husband and I had skied five years ago so the class was a refresher. The was the kids first lesson and after an hour they could cross-country ski.

After the lesson, a little practicing, and lunch, we skiied the 5-kilometer trail that circles a giant meadow. We glided over gently rolling hills through a snowy expanse surrounded by mountains. "Is this a winter wonderland?" my daughter asked.

The kids easily made it around the trail and near the end my daughter said, "I think I might like to try that downhill kind of skiing, Mommy."
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2:30 PM 4 comments
Affordable family ski vacations Read Post

Affordable family ski vacations


Three bargain ski resorts
At these three resorts you’ll find plenty of beginner terrain, deals on children’s lift tickets, and ski schools that teach kids to love the snow.

1) Okemo Mountain Resort, Vt.
Okemo calls itself a "family ski resort," and it certainly deserves the title with gentle beginner and long intermediate slopes and an excellent ski school that will put kids as young as 2 on skis. You’ll also find an ice skating rink, sledding hills, and a daycare center that stays open until 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays so parents can enjoy some time off and ski under the stars. What’s more, kids 6 and under ski free, and lift tickets for children ages 7 to 18 are considerably less than adult tickets.
Lodging: The Best Western Ludlow Colonial Motel offers special Ski & Stay packages that include lift tickets, shuttle service to the mountain, and complimentary breakfast.

2) Northstar-at-Tahoe, Calif.
For parents that want to be right there with their children as they make their first turns, this resort offers free Mommy, Daddy & Me lessons for children ages 3 and 4. The instructor will also give parents tips on teaching their kids. Other perks include a snowboard park designed just for little ones, designated “mellow yellow” zones on the ski slopes for beginners, and plenty of snow parks where kids can kick off their skis and build a snowman or throw snow balls. What’s more, kids 4 and under ski free and kids 5 to 12 pay only $30 for two days of skiing.
Lodging: The Best Western Truckee Tahoe Lodge is only five minutes from the ski resort and offers ski packages.

3) Winter Park Ski Area, Colo.
This unpretentious resort is best known for huge snowfalls, but it’s gaining a reputation for its stellar ski school that takes kids as young as 3, as long as they’re potty-trained. Families also appreciate the large number of green and blue slopes and Discovery Park, a 20-acre ski area designed especially for beginners, complete with warming huts. Kids want a break from skiing? They might enjoy ice skating, sledding, tubing, or snowshoeing. Children 5 and under ski free.
Lodging: The Best Western Alpenglo Lodge is minutes from the mountain. After a day on the runs, the family can return to the hotel to soak in the hot tub that fits 14 people.

Three ways to save on family ski vacations
With a little planning you can go on a ski vacation that won’t break the bank.

1) Ski at off-peak times. It is usually less expensive (and less crowded) to ski during the week. Avoid holidays—such as President’s and Martin Luther King weekends. Early January, right after New Year’s Eve when kids are returning to school is one of the best times for deals. Another time to score deals is in the spring, just before the snow melts.

2) Go for freebies. Many resorts offer deals where kids ski free. Buy an adult ski lift ticket for five or more days at Steamboat Springs in the Colorado Rockies and you'll get a free 12-and-under child's lift ticket for the same number of days. Look for similar deals at Oregon’s Mt. Bachelor and New Mexico’s Red River.

3) Save on equipment rental. Price out equipment rental on your resort's Web site in advance of your trip. By pre-booking online you can sometimes save up to 20 percent or more off the overall rental cost. Also, look for discounts on SkiCoupons.com and RentSkis.com.
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8:21 PM 14 comments
High peaks at low prices Read Post

High peaks at low prices


Last week, the New York Times published a guide to affordable ski areas throughout the country--and the paper reports that resorts are skiers with "special deals, cheaper flights and other enticements to lure skiers back." They claim that last year in the midst of the recession, everyone skied mountains in their own backyard--i.e., close to home. But this year things are looking "sunnier" and people are bound to travel again, especially with so many deals.

The paper reports on affordable skiing at Alta, Utah; Aspen, Colo.; Jackson Hole, Wyo., Jay Peak, Vt.; Revelstoke, B.C.; South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Sunday River, Maine; Whistler, B.C.; Winter Park, Colo.; Wolf Creek, Colo. To read up on these places, click here.

Are you making plans to go on a skiing vacation this winter?
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10:59 PM 5 comments
Winter getaways: $200 a day Read Post

Winter getaways: $200 a day

Gatlinburg, Tenn.
Thousands of twinkling lights, a parade and decorated trees bring plenty of cheer to this snowy town that celebrates the cold weather with an annual Winterfest, running throughout November and December. Play: At nearby Smoky Mountains National Park (pictured), you can hike in the snow or cross-country ski on Clingmans Dome Road, which is closed to traffic for recreation. Eat: At Desserts & More, start with a healthy homemade quiche and then choose from the amazing array of pies ($4.99 a slice): from almond joy to peanut butter. Stay: On Main Street, the Best Western Zoder’s Inn offers a fireplace in the lobby, mountain views, an indoor swimming pool with a waterfall, and milk and cookies at bedtime.

Scottsdale, Ariz.
This town enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year. In the winter, the average temperature hovers in the high 60’s, but you can also get 80-degree days. Play: For sweeping views of the desert landscape, hike up the sheer sandstone cliffs of Camelback Mountain. It’s a strenuous climb but worth it on a clear winter day. Eat: The Mission in Old Town is one of the hottest restaurants around, but it can be expensive. If you belly up to the bar and order the guacamole ($12; they make it in front of you) and a margarita ($7), you can still sample the happening scene without emptying your wallet. Still hungry? Try the grilled street corn ($5). Stay: Swimming outside in winter? Yes, you can dive into the outdoor heated swimming pool at the Best Western Sundial Resort right in Old Town.

San Francisco, Calif.
California’s city known for its hills, Bay views and cable cars has some of its best weather in the winter. Yes, rain falls, but it’s not unusual to have a beautiful crystal clear day when you can comfortably walk about in a T-shirt. Play: The Golden Gate Bridge is the city’s most iconic landmark and it’s free to stroll across its 1.7-mile span. Eat: The Ferry Plaza is a foodie haven with dozens of stalls selling everything from homemade sausage to fresh-baked bread. At Taylor’s Automatic Refresher, known for its big burgers and sweet potato fries, you can easily eat for $10 a person. Stay: Only a few blocks from Union Square, the Best Western Carriage Inn sits in the heart of the city, and if you’re a AAA member you can often book a room for a little under $100.

Lake Placid, N.Y.
This little lakeside village surrounded by the Adirondacks has hosted two winter Olympics. It’s a great spot for sledding, ice skating, and skiing at the nearby Whiteface Mountain, where you can hit the slopes for $35 on select Sundays and $38 on certain Wednesdays. Play: At the Olympic Center, skate around the Olympic Speed Skating Oval where Eric Heiden won a record five gold medals in the 1980 Winter Games—costs only $5 for adults, plus a $3 skate rental. Eat: At the Lake Placid Pub & Brewery, the onion soup ($6), made with Moose Island Ale, is sure to warm you up. Also, try the steak salad ($11), and fish and chips ($10). Stay: The Best Western Adirondacks has an indoor hot tub and heated pool.
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9:25 PM 5 comments
Spring skiiing: Hit the slopes before the snow melts! Read Post

Spring skiiing: Hit the slopes before the snow melts!

Winter is coming to a close, but there's still plenty of snow. Actually, spring can be one of the best times to hit the slopes because the weather's warmer, the prices often lower, and the lines shorter. A recent Associated Press story pegs Vermont and Colorado as two of the best states for spring skiing.

Vermont
Nearly 85% of the state's ski trails have been open for the entire month of March over the last three seasons, according to Ski Vermont. It's also a way to save money, because lift ticket prices are lower. More than 10 ski areas offer tickets for $39 or less. Details on March deals at SkiVermont.com

Colorado
March and April offer sunshine, blue skies and lots of snow, along with plenty of special events on the slope. Among the events: Powderhorn hosts "Young At Heart" parties for skiers and riders 50 and over, March 5, 12 and 19. Telluride has free concerts March 5, 12 and 19, 3-5 p.m. at Heritage Plaza. On March 14, Copper Mountain hosts a resort street party, the O'Fuego & St. Patrick's Day Celebration, with entertainment, a parade and fireworks. End-of-season events include Springalicious at Steamboat, April 11-12, Sunsation at Copper, April 11-12 and 18-19, and an Easter egg hunt at Arapahoe Basin, April 12.
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5:21 PM No Comments
Planning an affordable ski trip Read Post

Planning an affordable ski trip

You know whose house you're going to for Thanksgiving. You have your flight for Christmas and a hotel for New Year's Eve. Your winter travel plans are set. Well, sort of. Typically you also make it to the mountains for a snowy vacation. But this year, you're holding off uncertain if you can afford it? With some careful planning, you probably can. Here are a few tips to help make it happen:

Go in the off season. The holidays are going to be the busiest and most expensive time. If you're on a budget don't even considering visiting a ski resort area between December 25 and January 2. The weeks of the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday and Presidents' Day are other dates to avoid. The best time for winter travel is in the dead of winter, after New Year's and before Presidents' Day. Kids are in school, and people are staying home because their wallets are empty after the holidays. Hotel rates during this hidden low season can be as much as 20 percent less than during the peak time. Another option: March, which can be a beautiful time to be in the snow, especially if you get a spring storm.

Opt for low-key ski resorts. Food, lodging, lift tickets, everything is going to be pricier at a ritzy ski resort. Instead check out of some of the more laid-back ones such as Colorado's Copper Mountain, Utah's Brian Head, Idaho's Schweitzer Mountain Resort, New Mexico's Taos Ski Valley, British Columbia's Fernie, and Vermont's Ludlow.

Save on lift tickets. Before you book your vacation, check on the price of lift tickets, which can cost up to $90 for an adult these days. This might determine where you want to go. You can call the resort's toll-free number ask if local grocery stores or ski rental shops sell discounted lift tickets for their resort. Also you can often save by buying tickets online. Another option: check the ski association's Web site for the state you plan to visit and you'll find all sorts of deals. For example, on the Colorado Ski Country USA Web site you can order a free card that will allow you to save at nine of the state's resorts (some of these savings include free ski days) and you can apply for free lift tickets for kids in fifth and sixth grade. The Utah Ski Association site offers the same deal for fifth and sixth graders.

Photo credit: Colorado Ski Country
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10:06 PM 3 comments