travel

november 2002

From the time they were seven and five years old respectively, my sons were at home on the ski slopes. Since we lived near great skiing in California, it was easy to encourage the sport, and we frequently found ourselves planning a family ski trip for the week between Christmas and New Year's. Lake Tahoe was where they honed their skills in five days of Northstar's excellent ski school. What they learned there would serve them well in the years to come at ski resorts in Utah, Colorado, Vermont, Massachusetts, and finally, the ultimate test, the Olympic slopes in the European Alps. Every time our sons skied a new resort, we insisted that they take a lesson or more (even when they were expert skiers) to get to know the ski runs, snow conditions, and other "ski secrets" from the local experts.

Last year we ran a quick look at family-friendly resorts. With "what shall we do this Christmas" on my mind as I'm planning a week between Christmas and New Year's with my 7-year old granddaughter who is more than ready for her first ski lesson, I decided an update was in order. You, too, may want to take a family ski trip anytime from Christmas until the spring thaw. Here's what I found. Bargains abound on the Internet. We suggest you "surf" and get your reservations early. When you come to book your airline reservations, we have two great (cheap tickets) reservations services posted in this section. Use them and this site earns a sponsor-fee that will help us to keep this site alive for years to come. Beaver Creek, Colorado (www.beavercreek.com): A vacation at Beaver Creek means fun for the whole family from the minute you arrive. Whether it's your first time on the slopes or you're an expert, there are activities and ski runs for everyone. For kids there are beginner, intermediate, and advance ski instruction for ages 3 to 14 with group or private lessons. Ski school also offers snow games, mountain adventures, nature tour, and treasure hunts. Children's Center offers a full line of children's ski, snowboard, and helmet rentals. They also store ski/snowboards overnight for free. Northstar at Tahoe, Nevada - where my sons really learned to ski (www.skinorthstar.com): Paw Parks built just for kids with everything just their size, including moguls, bumps, jumps, and secret hideouts. No getting lost in a five-foot mogul. The kids' runs are built right off mainstream runs, never far away from where their folks can ski. There are also special snow play areas where they can kick off their skis and snowboards and just have fun in the snow. Northstar's ski patrol and mountain safety staff patrol Paw Parks. Minors' Camp offers full or afternoon only child care with no skiing involved. Ski Clubs offers child care with ski lessons for beginner and experienced ski levels. If you want to experience the "firsts" your child will make on the slopes, there's a free Mommy, Daddy & Me program every afternoon, except Saturdays, for parents of children ages 3 to 5. Trained coaches will give you some tips on how to teach your kids some important first steps in skiing such as icing awareness and skiing a wedge. Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado - named #1 family resort by Child Magazine (www.aspensnowmass.com): Snow Clubs from 8 weeks to 3 1/2 years with state-licensed daycare centers for infants and toddlers. 3-year-olds can learn to ski on a contoured slope with Magic Carpet rides back up the hill. Big Burn Bears for 3 1/2 to 4 years learn to ski under specially trained pros at their own beginner area with obstacle courses, a Magic Carpet rides, and immediate access to the rest of the mountain. Grizzlies programs for 5 and 6 years offers small group ski lessons from beginner to accomplished skiers. Bears/Pandas on Boards teaches snowboarding. Night Hawks for 3 to 10 years offers evening childcare where children and play games, do art and crafts, and watch movies with fun, qualified adults. The Family Zone offers twilight snow cat rides, followed by dinner; dog-sled rides; ice skating; tubing; and sledding. Steamboat, Colorado (www.steamboat.com): One of the first resorts to offer the "Kids Ski Free - one child 12 and under per parent can ski free for same number of days when parents purchase a 5-day or longer lift ticket. Proof of age required for 11- and 12-year olds and children who look much older than their age. Five kids-only lifts and 2 special beginner-teaching areas have Magic Carpet conveyor lifts. More advanced kids can access the entire mountain, including a "kids-only" ski terrain at Rough Rider Basin, with its own lift plus Indian Teepees, a frontier-style fort, and a kid's terrain park called Beehive on Giggle Gulch. Kids' ski instruction program begins at age 3 and goes through age 15; snowboard instruction, ages 6 through 15. Stowe, Vermont (www.stowe.com): Cubs program offers licensed day care from 6 weeks to 6 years. Children's ski School from age 3 with Mountain Adventure program for ski or snowboard lessons from ages 6 through 12. Extreme Adventure program for advanced skiers and snowboarders 11 to 14 years who want to have fun with peers and a guide from the Stowe Ski and Snowboard School. Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico (www.taosskivalley.com): Kinderkäfig is a state-of-the-art children's ski school and daycare facility with a creative learning environment complete with its own lifts, terrain, and sports accessories shop. Kindercare from 6 weeks to 2 years old available full day and half-day. Ski instruction from children 3 years to 15 years old with full-day and a.m. half-day lessons for ability levels. Vail, Colorado (www.vail.com): Ski program for ages 3-6 includes lessons, lift access, with a nutritious lunch, and before and after class entertainment -- games, coloring, or free play with adult supervision. Children age 7-14 lessons, grouped by age and ability level offers race days, bump and bash, and adventures through on-mountain terrain parks with supervised lunches at on-mountain or village restaurants. SKE-Cologyä program offers environmental education where kids lean about the resort's ecology while exploring designated on-mountain trails that are named for plants and animals. Kids collect information and button for each trail they complete in their ski or snowboard lesson. A great way to collect information for a future school report. Sugarbush, Vermont (www.sugarbush.com): Group lessons for ages 3 to 12. Snowboarding lessons for kids age 7 and up. Great challenge runs for more experienced skiers and an excellent family environment. Where did I decide to take my granddaughter? Ohio, her home state, is not exactly known for its ski resorts - my son and daughter-in-law usually travel to upstate New York or even Canada for serious skiing, but I'm just interested in her having her first ski lesson. A new baby will have just been born, so that further necessitates that I pick a very local resort so that this adventure can be a one-day event. I chose Alpine Valley, Chesterfield, Ohio (www.alpinevalleyohio.com), which says on its website that it's "Ohio's Premier Snow Fun Area." We'll see! At least it's less than an hour away from her home and it is situated in the middle of Ohio's snow belt. And, the last time I was in Cleveland during a winter month, it snowed every day and most every night. To offer the best snow conditions, the resort will have turned on its state-of-the-art snowmaking machines after Thanksgiving, giving the best chance for adequate snow conditions for a beginner's lesson. I made a big mistake with our sons early on, thinking they should have their own skis and ski boots. Never again. When I moved to Texas, I donated no less than four pairs of skis with bindings, and six pairs of ski boots to the local Wilton Schools ski swap meet. Since Megan is still growing "like a weed," we'll be renting her ski equipment, which the resort has just today assured me will be the latest in safety and in excellent condition. Ski outfits are also a waste of money for children. She'll do fine in heavy jeans, a pullover sweater or sweatshirt, maybe some cotton long underwear, and the usual complement of ski jacket, warm hat, and water-proof gloves, all of which she already has and wears to school. Now that you have some idea as to where to take your family skiing, here are some precautions to take before and during the trip for any person in the family who's diabetic. Make sure than anyone who has diabetes gets their doctor's O.K. to take a trip that involves strenuous exercise like skiing (burning 55 to 95 carbo grams per hour, depending on body weight); also make sure that person is wearing a emergency medical identification (bracelet or neck medallion) imprinted with their specific medical condition(s) so that should an accident occur, the attending medical team has quick access to the medical records. Some cautions and Items for the adult to carry in their survival kit: Snacks to avoid hypoglycemia: it's good to have snacks that will raise your blood sugar slowly if you feel your blood sugar dropping as well as snacks that will raise your sugars quickly if needed. For quick carbos you can carry B-D glucose tablets, Smartie ® Rolls (in cellophane), Sweet Tart ® packets (3 tabs/packet), Pixy Stix, Smarties ® (3/4" diameter rolls), Life Savers ®, jelly beans, or gumdrops. To raise your blood sugars slowly so you can get to a rest stop to check your blood, carry a small apple, home-made peanut butter filled crackers, home-made skim milk cheese-filled crackers, home-made trail mix, etc. Ask you dietitian for some more suggestions to take care of your specific needs. If you child is diabetic, give you child's snacks to their ski instructor and make sure the instructor is trained in recognizing and treating low blood sugars. You might prepare a list of signs as to how your child reacts during a low blood sugar episode. Snacks might include small tubes (1/2 ounce) of cake icing, boxes of fruit juice with attached straw, fig bars, marshmallows, dried fruits, skim milk cheese and crackers, or Smarties ® (3/4" diameter roll). Be sure to tell the ski instructor where you will be while your child is in their care so you can be reached quickly by ski patrol, etc. Always check your (or your child's) blood sugar before skiing. Don't ski if the blood sugar is below 70 mg/dl or is likely to drop below that level while skiing without first eating a snack. It's a good idea to again check blood sugar levels when you stop for a rest and/or a meal. This is where some pre-skiing hypoglycemia awareness training with your diabetes care team BEFORE YOU TAKE THE TRIP would be beneficial. Even small children can be trained to recognize the signs of low blood sugars. Carry any medication/insulin that you'll need during the day and your test kit in your fanny pack, leaving the rest of your supplies (always pack double the amount you think you'll need for the whole trip) at the hotel, lodge, or condo. Discuss with your doctor if you and/or your child will have need of Diamox, a prescription drug for people who suffer from altitude sickness. NEVER ALLOW ANYONE WITH DIABETES TO SKI ALONE. Low blood sugar can occur rapidly, and since it usually causes the release of stress hormones, others around you may become aware of the onset of hypoglycemia before you. The most common daytime reactions include: confusion, silliness, numbness of lips, blurred vision, sweating, shaking, headache, tiredness, nausea, irritability, and fast heart rate. Extra caution to anyone taking insulin: Studies show that one reaction predisposes you to have another and that second reaction will be harder to recognize. If you have low blood sugar, treatment MUST begin immediately. Some other items that are helpful for anyone skiing: toenail clippers: make sure toenails are clipped short to avoid black-toe syndrome, which results from slamming your toes into the front of your ski boot. moleskin: for padding sore spots in ski boots and around poor-fitting ski goggles lip balm which contains sunscreen waterproof sunscreen, SPF 30 to shield all exposed skin areas from the sun's brutal high-altitude rays moisturizing lotion with aloe vera (high altitude skiing really dries out skin, especially in young children) ibuprofen and/or children's ibuprofen: for aches and pains band-aids and antibacterial ointment Have a great ski vacation -- and remember, when it's 3 o'clock, the conditions are still great, and the lifts won't stop for another hour, it's probably time for you to stop! It's that "just one more run" that's likely to lead to an accident! Be sure you and your children know it's better to stop early so you'll have the energy for another day. You might get several inches of fresh powder during the night, and you wouldn't want be stuck back in the lodge on crutches (or worse, attending your injured child). FTG