 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
I'm looking for some advice for where would be an appropriate place to take my 5 year old son skiing between Christmas and new year for a couple of days (probably 27th to the 31st December).
We are both at the recreational standard; just looking for somewhere with short transfer times from the airport, easy equipment hire and plenty of food options!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Could be tricky to find accommodation as that falls between the two weeks - Christmas and new year - that chalet/apartment owners make their most money!
I’d first look for flights, then a hotel rather than chalet/apartment. For a 5 year old and 3-4 days skiing, you won’t need a large ski area.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Welcome to Snowheads @riftyboy. It should be possible if you have loads of money and are flexible. Where have you been before? It will be busy everywhere.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'd look for accommodation first. Flights will be available - at a price.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Thanks, Geneva seems to have good cheap flights (I’m talking £100 return) in and out on those dates so just after area recommendations really. I’ve never been before!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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You've never been skiing before?
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Not abroad but have learnt to the recreational standard in the uk.
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What is 'the recreational standard'?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@riftyboy, I would highly recommend doing a “standard” week, I would also highly recommend going with somebody like Esprit. Booking both yourself a week of full day ski school and booking your lad into the sprite lessons and childcare.
If you can go for Christmas week with just the 2 of you, I would expect them to start discounting that week shortly, and you should be able to get a good last minute bargain. New Year you are less likely to get as good a discounts
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Use a lift, link turns, control speed and stop confidently. I thought it was a common phrase, but like I said I’m new!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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+1 for @NickyJ's suggestion.
You might find a trip with one of the short stay companies but there probably won't be any childcare and you need to be careful with location. Buses with a small child+kit can be difficult and/or inconvenient.
For a first ever trip you'll probably need to find some lessons as 'recreational standard' usually means able to make snowplough turns and use the lift. Mountains are less forgiving than the snow dome and it's easy to get disorientated especially in poor visibility.
Children get tired and you'll probably need to entertain him in the afternoon. I can remember skiing off the mountain late afternoon (getting dark when we finally got back) with a very tired 5yo between my legs in a snowplough. Not something I would want to do if I wasn't both an experienced skier and quite fit.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Absolutely endorse those previous points. It would be very dodgy for you to take your son skiing on a mountain He will need to be with an instructor. If you do odd days, rather than a week, you'll have to arrange private lessons and ski schools will be heavily booked in advance for that week.
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I would agree with what others have said that it would be best to go with a family operator on your child's first ski holiday. Have a look at Snowbizz, the Family ski company or Ski Famille as well as Esprit mentioned above. I would also go for a full week and either do the first week of the Easter holidays, Christmas week or consider taking your son out of school in an off peak week. New Year and half term are busy and expensive.
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You know it makes sense.
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@riftyboy, the mainstream ski areas that figure near to Geneva are Les Gets, Morzine, Morillon, Les Carroz that all have gentle slopes easily available for immediate progression of your experience. I'd be reasonably confident of using those at this stage.
Slightly smaller but excellent beginners facilities, Pra d Lys, which is similarly located but much quieter in number of people terms. Has a superb beginners slope right in village centre, excellent places to eat and additional gentle terrain to move onto without significant journey away from village to break up excursions into 5year old manageable chunks. Primarily drag lifts around village area but all right next to piste in the event of bailout etc. Plus gentle blue right from top of domain for more extensive ski from main chairlift.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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If I can use an analogy of driving to you@riftyboy; there’s a reason someone who has just passed their driving test can not supervise a learner for a few years until they have some good experience under their belt.
For exactly that reason there is absolutely no way you should try and teach you lad.
There is a world of difference between skiing in a fridge and on a real mountain.
I would leave teaching your son to the professionals whilst you practice and/or have lessons and then meet up with him in the afternoon and mess around in/on the snow.
As for where/who with; I’d go with one of the tour operators who offer the whole package... possibly even as far as someone like Neilson who I think do half/full day kids clubs (including skiing) I’m sure there are others who do it as well.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks for all of the very good advice that I’ll be heeding.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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try ski2... they do short breaks, transfers,hotels etc, but not flights
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I would agree with others that lessons are the best way to go and you will get more out of it than trying to work out everything yourself. The mountain is different to a snowdome, however, some people are being a little overdramatic. if you both have basic skills (get off lift, link turns, stop) can read a piste map, and are sensible there's no reason why doing it yourself wouldn't be ok.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Morillon is a good suggestion.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@riftyboy, for such a short trip i think DIY is the best option. I started skiing when my son started. He was age 3 and I was age 34. Over the next few years we had more than a few wrong turns, oh poo we are on a black, and getting lost moments. Agony riding anchor/t-bar lifts with the bar behind my knees. It’s tough but try and keep together, and better let him go down first until he can get up, put his skis back on himself in all conditions, as you don’t want to be walking 30 meters back up a hill to help. Book him (and you) in for lessons. Again for a short trip that would probably need to be private lessons, but they are the best, and quickest way to improve.
I’d look first at where you can get good price and time flights. Then resorts nearby ie 1 hour, with transfers available.
I’m biased but I can recommend Scandinavia for families eg Sälen, Trysil (Scandinavian mountains airport), Åre (Östersund airport) etc. DIY is dead easy through the skistar website.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
if you both have basic skills (get off lift, link turns, stop)
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I don't think many indoor centres enable people to know how to use a chairlift - most adults can work that out for themselves, watching others, but getting a 5 year old, with only the most basic skills, on and off is another matter. And linking turns down a short indoor run in good visibility is not the same as a mountain in the fog, possibly with cut up piste, or icy patches, and steeper sections (even on blue runs). And snow plough is not a good way of stopping on a steep slope, for that matter.
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Go for a smaller resort; in the first week you don’t need 100km of piste. Smaller resorts are likely to be cheaper and possibly (?!) less crowded that week.
If you can bring it forward a week to end at Christmas rather than start, you might cut costs and crowds significantly.
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Les Gets is a good shout.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
And linking turns down a short indoor run in good visibility is not the same as a mountain in the fog, possibly with cut up piste, or icy patches, and steeper sections (even on blue runs). And snow plough is not a good way of stopping on a steep slope, for that matter.
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If you have the fundamentals I honestly don't think it's that hard to "get down safely" even in the conditions you mention. In fact the only way to really learn to ski those bad conditions is by practicing in them. Of course it's not going to be particularly stylish or quick, but it's not some kind of life or death extreme situation some posts make it out to be either. Assuming they are going to be sensible and stick to "easier" pistes I don't think an instructor is absolutely necessary - but like I said would probably help them get the most out of their trip.
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Certainly not life and death - but having skied with quite a lot of small kids I know how easy it is to put them off - felt desperately guilty going up a long draglift behind my daughter, in Les Gets. I had been confused and in thick fog got her onto quite a long lift instead of the beginner lift. Luckily she hung on, even when it went round a bit of a dog leg. It took me ages to coax her down a steepish blue section, turn by turn (and she was fairly competent, just freezing cold and terrified). I felt very bad and was glad to buy her the promised hot choc when we both got to the bottom. I was a competent skier and went just in front of her, having her snow-plough turn in my tracks. Had she fallen I could have side-stepped up and got her back on her feet. If I'd been behind her she'd simply have refused to move. It was all fine, and we were never in the slightest danger, but it was a useful lesson to me.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@pam w, +1
The recommendations are based on what will be most enjoyable for both once out there. Even after 5 full days of lessons in resort, on top of a full course on dry ski slope of lessons. That first time we skied as a family on the last day, found my parents making a mistake following the map and is having to go down a short red. Me and my sister made it done fine - but my mum ended up frozen in fear at one point coming down it (think having her two children watching from the bottom helped her get past it), and it certainly left a lasting memory as this was 32yrs or so ago!
Even now we make the odd mistake following maps after years of experience. The difference now is that it doesn’t really matter if we make a mistake as we will be able to get down it, it just may not be where we intended to be.
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