Tips on how to make skiing or snowboarding fun for the whole family.

By Alex Miller
PHOTO: BYRON HETZLER

Standing at the base of a ski mountain, 9,000 feet above sea level, it becomes clear that you’re not at Disneyland.

Skiing and snowboarding are active sports, and the only “ride” is when you get on the chairlift.

A ski vacation is very different from other getaways, which can involve sightseeing and sitting on a beach—but does not involve mastering a new skill.

It makes sense, then, before embarking on a ski trip, to learn as much as you can about the activity of gliding down a hill with one or two boards strapped to your feet.

If you—or your children—are first-timers, there’s lots you can learn beforehand that will make your ski vacation a positive experience.

First, you’ll want to make sure everyone has warm, weatherproof clothes. Bob Barnes, director of Ski & Ride School at Colorado’s Winter Park Resort, recommends steering clear of cotton—and that means that first-timer giveaway: jeans. Newer materials, such as polypropylene, stay warm even when wet, so go for them for both your base and outer layers.

“The biggest mistake people make is they put on too many pairs of socks,” Barnes says. “You just need one pair of wool or polypro socks that’s fairly light.”

Don’t forget a good pair of goggles or sunglasses, gloves (or mittens if you’re more susceptible to cold), a hat, long underwear and sunscreen. And if you’re out in the colder months between December and February, wear a neck gator or ski mask.

Barnes’ other advice takes a little more planning and commitment, but it can pay off in many ways: Get in shape. If you live at a lower elevation and don’t do much physical activity, try to get some cardiovascular exercises into your routine and some weight training as well.

“Start at least 60 days in advance of your trip,” Barnes says. “Any health club can help you set up a program to do some circuit training with weights.” Adding cardio, he says, will help a lot when you’re suddenly at 10,000 feet trying to learn a new sport and breathe at the same time.

ONE WORD: LESSONS!

While you’re planning your trip, budget some money for lessons. It may seem a little expensive, but think of it as an investment in vacation happiness.

“Lessons not only give people the opportunity to learn skills that will help them to further enjoy the mountain, but the instructor is like a ski ambassador, someone that will teach a first-timer about the entire slope experience,” says Pat Campbell, chief operating officer at Keystone Resort in Colorado. A former ski-school director and instructor, Campbell says getting involved with a ski school is critical to making the most of the vacation.

“You don’t have to figure everything out on your own,” she says. “There’s a lot to know, and when people spend all this money to come out here, the extra expense of ski school really adds value.”

Most ski resorts have packages that include lift tickets and lessons, like Winter Park Resort’s “Easy Start” adult program that includes lift, lesson and rentals for $59 per day. And January is “Learn to Ski or Ride” month in Colorado, so it’s a great time to find affordable lessons and packages at many of the resorts. Since you’re new to the sport, the pros suggest waiting to buy equipment until you see how you like it. During your first time out, the way to go is renting, and you can usually include gear with the lift ticket and lesson package.

Lessons come in a variety of configurations, from group to semi-private to one-on-one. If you can afford it, private lessons offer the most teacher-student contact time, but groups are nice because you’ve got other people in the same boat with whom you can share triumphs and tribulations.

Barnes says the biggest thing you’ll need to learn right up front is a sense of control. He compares being on a ski hill for the first time to losing your footing while walking on a roof: Your instinct is to grab anything you can to slow down and avoid falling.

“We work to get people to a place where they can stop grabbing on, glide more and use [their] skeleton for support rather than [their] muscles,” he says. “We want to get people pretty quickly to this happy place where they feel comfortable and confident in this really strange environment.”

If you still think lessons are too pricey or just plain unnecessary, give it a try on your own. Barnes admits that a healthy, athletic person can pick up the basics of skiing relatively quickly—but even then a lesson or two can cut the learning process in half, making the sport more fun faster.

As Barnes puts it, “People who try the sport and like it will have something they can enjoy over a whole lifetime.”

GETTING KIDS STARTED

TALK TO THE KIDS ABOUT what the experience will be like before you leave. Look at maps and videos, try on the clothes, the helmet—even the equipment if you have it.

EXPLAIN THAT THIS IS NOT DISNEYLAND and that everyone won’t always be together. If you plan to put them in ski school, explain how that will work.

MAKE SURE THEY EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST before heading out to ski school. They should be hydrated as well.

LET THE INSTRUCTORS KNOW what your child’s learning style is like. Are they more visual, do they need to be drawn out a little, etc.

SET KIDS UP FOR SUCCESS by talking about skiing and the vacation in positive ways. Don’t talk about “scary steeps” or joke about falling.

DO AS MUCH UP-FRONT WORK AS YOU CAN. Register kids for ski school, line up the equipment, etc. There is a lot of paperwork to fill out and details to take care of, so it’s better to have it done before you leave for vacation.

THE INSTRUCTOR WILL BE A STRANGER, so let kids know they are there to help. Tell them they can ask the instructor questions or let them know if they’re cold, nervous, need to go to the bathroom, etc.

“GIVING A KID AT LEAST TWO OR THREE LESSONS is the best way to make them successful,” Casey says. “They’ll have that base down for the next vacation, and you’ll be surprised how fast kids can progress in just a couple of days.”

RENTAL GUIDE

As a rule, packages include boots and skis/snowboard only. Most rental shops carry ski boots up to size 16 and snowboard boots up to size 15, but they go fast, so be sure to reserve in advance. A few locations do have some clothing for rent, but the sizes and quantities are very limited and reservations are usually not accepted. For inquiries on availability, contact the appropriate store directly. (Prices are per day.)