Ski School QA Part 1

The blog at TakingTheKids.com did a Q&A with our editors, focused on common parent
questions regarding ski school and other family ski topics. Here is Part 1 of that
interview:

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1) When is the best age to start kids with ski lessons? Is it best to start with
skiing or with snowboarding, if they're interested?

Starting children with ski lessons anytime after age 4 is standard. 4 and 5 year olds will
typically have the leg and ankle strength to adapt to the basic motion of skiing with
relative success, especially if they have participated in other sports requiring balance
such as skating, gymnastics, or dance. The focus at that age will be on turning and
stopping (something that many adults could use a brush-up on). While this is a good
age to begin lessons, parents shouldn’t expect too much progress at first – children at
that age just don’t have the coordination to really grasp intermediate techniques. Those
skills come around ages 7 to 11, when coordination is improving and children have
more control of their center of gravity.

If your family budget can handle it, it is a good idea to continue with some form of ski
school until your child is in their teens. They will experience spurts in both physical
ability as well as interest, so it is good to incrementally add the new skills as they are
ready throughout their growing phase. There is really never a bad time to learn how to
ski -- I know several people who didn’t even see a ski slope until they were 20, took a
few lessons and began doing it regularly, and are now excellent skiers in their 40’s.
It is generally recognized that younger children should start out with ski lessons
instead of snowboard. Snowboarding takes a different level of coordination than skiing,
and so much of the early skiing learnings simply involve the etiquette of the slopes –
how to stop, how to get on and off of a lift, etc. Most ski resorts actually set different
minimum age limits on the ski vs. snowboard school. Solitude in Utah, for example,
allows 5 and up into the ski school, but you need to be 7 to take snowboard lessons.
Big Sky starts the ski school at 3 years old, but requires snowboard students to be at
least 5. Call specific resorts for more information.

A good skill base in skiing is important, as at least four major North American resorts,
in addition to several European ski areas, do not allow snowboarding. You never know
when your family might find themselves at a ski-only area.

2) How can parents minimize the expenses involved with skiing (equipment,
lift tickets, travel, etc.) Is ski in/out lodging worth the added expense?

We list several ideas for saving money on ski vacations in the “Where to Skimp, Where
to Splurge” column. The two single biggest determinants of cost will be the airfares (if
applicable) and the resort you choose. Some high-end resorts, such as Deer Valley in
Utah or the Aspen area, are more expensive in nearly every category (lodging, meals,
lift tickets, etc.) than smaller or more remote resorts, but you are rewarded by having
world-class ski runs and amenities.

Once you’ve settled on a location, a few ideas for saving money include:
• Renting ski equipment at a non-resort location. Many ski towns have rental
businesses away from the ski resorts which may charge less for the equipment. Weigh
the savings, however, with the convenience of being able to store the equipment at the
resort-based location each evening. On the ski rental topic, don’t splurge on the “high
performance” skis. Most beginners or intermediates won’t notice the difference. Going
with the “beginner” or slightly better “sport” option will suffice for 90% of us.
• Utilizing public transportation. Many Western Ski Towns, such as Aspen and
Steamboat Springs, offer free shuttle transit around the main lodging, skiing,
shopping, and dining areas, alleviating the need to rent a car.
• Make sure you have a condo with a kitchen so you can make some meals without
going out. Given how draining a day of skiing can be, your family just may be content
making a quick pasta at the condo and settling in for an evening of TV or reading.
• Package deals. Nearly every major ski resort today offers some form of skiing /
lodging deal which can shave a few hundred dollars of the total cost of the vacation. A
common deal is a three days skiing / three nights lodging package where you may
experience some significant cost saving. These deals can fluctuate throughout the ski
season, so it pays to call around.

Just as importantly as where to save money is where not to! There are things that you
should really think twice about skimping on, such as lodging and ski school. More than
one horror story exists of a family finding bargain-basement lodging, only to realize it
was three miles from the slopes while they could have been 100 yards from a lift by
spending $10 more per night. It is also important to stay away from lodging that might
attract large groups of partiers who try to cram 10 people in a room (they typically go
for the budget accommodations). Use the online hotel review sites to ensure people
have had good experiences at particular hotels or condos, and don’t be afraid to move
up from the economy lodging category.

Ski-In, Ski-Out lodging is often a great benefit in terms of convenience. It is nice to
take a 30 minute break from skiing and then be right back on the slopes. However, at
many resorts, the Ski-In, Ski-Out lodging is becoming dated, and newer, quieter
lodging can be found just steps (maybe 200 yards or less) from the ski village. This is
another area to research particular locations prior to booking your lodging. As a general
rule, if you can find Ski-In, Ski-Out lodging for the same price or just a few dollars per
night more than off-slope lodging, you want to seriously consider it.
are two other smaller resorts which can provide a nice family experience, among
others.

For rankings of favorite ski areas, our 20 Best Family Ski Resorts lists major ski resorts
that have particular merit as family destinations. Keep in mind that the resorts I’ve
named here as well as those listed in the Top 20 list represent only a partial list of the
North American ski resorts that make great family destinations. We are fortunate to
have such good skiing all around us.