 Poster: A snowHead
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Howdy All
Looking for some advice for a suitable resort in either the States or Canada.
We're thinking about going for 10 days during the last week of March and first week of Easter. Will be me, my wife and our 4yr old. My wife and I are pretty much go anywhere skiers although she really doesn't like off piste and our son had his first ski school in Austria this January.
We would normally do lots of km during the day and like variety, but would need to be back to meet our son at lunch time and end of lessons, so I guess what we're looking for is...
* Decent ski school for our son
* Lots of pisted runs with some easy off piste
* Decent sized accessable area so we don't get bored in the 10 days
* Good snow / weather conditions in late March / early April
* And as we're travelling with a 4 year old, as short a flight and transfer as poss 
I'd thought about Whistler, Heavenly and Tremblant, but not sure which would be best and never having skied the US/Canada I wasn't sure what the conditions would be like and wondered if there was somewhere else we should look at?
Thanx
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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mauddib, I would have a look at Panorama.Easy off piste, ski in ski out, Good ski school. Might be a bit small on piste But with the off piste areas there is loads to keep you busy. Also Helliskiing.
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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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| skid & slide wrote: |
| mauddib, I would have a look at Panorama.Easy off piste, ski in ski out, Good ski school. Might be a bit small on piste But with the off piste areas there is loads to keep you busy. Also Helliskiing. |
Panorama is a great place, but it doesn't have a lot of pisted runs. To spend 10 days there, you really need to be willing to explore the more expert terrain - Taynton and the Extreme Dream Zone - and they can be pretty challenging to someone who 'really doesn't like off-piste'. Having said that, the so-called intermediate stuff there - Sun Bowl, Founder's Ridge - passes the 'easy off-piste' test. I would be a little worried about conditions on the lower mountain in early April, although a local might be along soon to say that it would be fine. Also, although there are direct flights to Calgary from the UK, Panorama is a 4 hour drive from the airport. It's a stunningly beautiful trip, though, and the journey could be broken up for a kid by stopping for a snowball fight in the Kootenay National Park and for an outdoor swim in the Radium Hot Springs. The ski-school is fantastic there, and the village is small enough to return to the hotel / condo at lunchtime for the little'un to have a break. There's also a fun outdoor swimming pool that a 4-year-old would enjoy after skiing that I believe is available for anyone staying in resort-managed accommodation.
I'd say it's worth the effort, but it doesn't completely meet the OP's criteria. I don't know anywhere that does, though, myself. Big Sky hits all the resort criteria, but it's a heck of a journey with a young child as you normally need two changes of aircraft to get there.
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Don't go to Tremblant at Easter - packed with weekenders from New York and the queues for the lifts are epic (c.45mins-1hr!) and you'll do well to get 4 top-to-bottom runs in in a day. Also the food's universally terrible, and it's $75 per day for a pass.
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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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| mauddib wrote: |
| a suitable resort in either the States or Canada. |
and
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| as short a flight and transfer as poss |
are something of a contradiction!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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None of the resorts local to Alberta will keep you satisfied on these two criteria.
* Lots of pisted runs with some easy off piste
* Decent sized accessable area so we don't get bored in the 10 days
I would echo sd2010 that a nice two resort holiday with what you're looking for would be big white and panorama; the only fly in the ointment being the 8 hour drive between them...
So would suggest Big White and Silver star although I've never been to Silver Star so can't add much on that. Plus you're looking for a connection via Calgary or Vancouver to Kelowna before you even start driving.
If you're willing to do a bit of travelling then Panorama and then Banff (skiing Sunshine / Louise) would make a nice two resort holiday and plenty of snow in Sunshine / Louise early April.
Look up some of the other threads about skiing in North America though as it is different. The statement "My wife and I are pretty much go anywhere skiers although she really doesn't like off piste" could mean that your restricted in North America (how do you like skiing in trees?; what about steep un-groomed terrain?)
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Do check the closing dates of the resorts prior to making a final decision. Big White/Silver Star always used to close on Easter Monday - not sure if that's still the case this year. But note they close because the locals are all by then going sailing instead - it's not for lack of snow!
Last edited by After all it is free  on Tue 21-02-12 22:42; edited 1 time in total
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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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Silver Star and Big White are under the same ownership - so for a family you can buy an early bird season pass which is valid at both for less than the cost of the normal passes if you were to do a week at each (obviously too late for that for 2012!). They're each about an hour from Kelowna airport - so easy to combine for a week at each.
Yes the journey is a bit longer - but once you're there everything is ski-in/ski-out so no messing about with buses etc each day. And there are free/low cost kids evening activities laid on too.
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This year? Western Canada is really the only game in town for snowfall so far at least where the TOs touch. Why not go back to Europe as there's lots of mega resorts with extensive groomers and this year is a banner year for snow so unlikely conditions won't be half reasonable.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wouldnt go to Colorado with 4 year old - altitude can affect them badly sometimes, headaches etc
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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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Tough one this. Whistler would probably best meet your skiing needs. However it's a long flight. Heavenly is good but a small skiing area for 10 days. Only worth going to Lake Tahoe area if you could take advantage of the other resorts around the lake, eg Squaw Valley. That wouldn't be feasible if you had to meet your 4 year old each lunchtime and early afternoon. Eastern Canada and USA generally too icy for my liking. Personally I'd struggle to justify going as far as west coast of N. America just to ski, especially with a 4 year old. That said, a big plus for USA is the quality of ski school, especially for kids.
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Pretty much as above. For your criteria, esp. on-piste kms, and short flight, I'd go somewhere in Europe (that's assuming you are living in Europe?).
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You know it makes sense.
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intermediate, it wouldn't matter about meeting the child at lunch time - you can't leave a child in ski school at one resort and go and ski somewhere else (except now at Squaw/Alpine). Ski a different resort in Tahoe each day, and use a different ski school each day - they all teach pretty much the same way and in a group lesson situation you're not sure of getting the same instructor each day anyway.
Freefall, just got back from CO after skiing with a 4 year old who lives at sea level, absolutely no problem with the altitude but we all drank lots of water........
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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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skinanny - the OP said they would need to be back to meet their son at lunchtime and end of lessons. My posting said that wouldn't be feasible if they wanted to ski different areas. Using a different ski school each day at a different Tahoe resort would, I agree, be possible for a child. From my own experieince though, a 4 year old would usually enjoy the familiarity of one instructor and becoming used to the same surroundings. Also possibly the friends they would make from being in the same class for several days. I'm sure mauddib can decide on that issue.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We haven't skied Whistler at Easter only February and Christmas so can't comment on Easter snow or weather. Until the children went to secondary school and term time holidays were out of the question we skied two weeks in Whistler every year even taking the children as babies. The flight is long but direct and the transfer is a couple to 3 hours since the Olympic road improvements. Jet lag can take a few days to get over especially for the children. Accommodation can be at any level you like - would recommend staying at Blackcomb Base and using the ski school there. It means you can meet and ski as a family at the end of the day. The ski school at Whistler is brilliant, I can't praise it highly enough. Our children used it from age 3 - 11 reaching the top class and are brilliant skiers. The teachers are excellent and the facilities superb. At 4 I think your son would start the day indoors and ski in several sessions during the day. Our children joined the Mon-Fri camps keeping the same friends and teachers for the week - no break at lunch time 9 -3.30pm. The week ends with a parade, mini race and goody bag for all. They cater very well to the level of each child, by the second week of a two week holiday at age 4 ours were confident blue run skiers and were taken all over the mountain stopping for hot chocolate and waffles in the mountain restaurants. They loved all the instructors that they had over the years and classes are small, usually about 6 children. Pick up from ski school is in time for the last lift back up the mountain so everyone can have a run down together, usually through the baby terrain park on the way.
Whistler has masses of pisted runs for all abilities as well as loads of inbounds off piste at varying levels from the intermediate Symphony Bowl to the very scary Couloir Extreme. Blackcomb base is quieter and has more ski in/out accommodation. Top end, The Fairmont or The Four Seasons hotels. Or use a website like Alluradirect and rent a condo direct from the owner and stay at something like the Aspens or the Woodrun. There is masses of choice.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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intermediate, in a group lesson situation the child is unlikely to have the same instructor every day. In the US it's also unlikely, except at Christmas and President's week, that the same children would be in the class all week - most Americans only do short breaks, basically long weekends. Also, a full-day program at ski school includes lunch, and usually the child is expected to eat with the class.... Of course it's possible to do a half day and then ski with Mummy and Daddy. Most 4 year olds would benefit more from a half-day private lesson, lunch and ski with Mummy and Daddy for an hour or so, and then a nap - but I'm sure there are those with more experience of these things that will advise differently......
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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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In my experience, few ski schools would expect a 4-year old to ski all day. Most would offer some kind of club for the afternoon; although the option to ski again might be there, most children simply wouldn't be strong enough. As skinanny, says, ski school in the States normally includes lunch, and the group will be mixed up every day as week-long bookings are unusual over there.
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skinanny, Useful information there thanks. When our son was 4 years old we did 3 consecutive weeks (Mon-Fri) in Park City, Steamboat and Durango. In each place he had the same instructor for 5 consecutive days. That comprised morning lesson, lunch and afternoon lesson. My views are based mostly on that experience. I accept that may not have been typical though for the American ski school market. We were very impressed with the attitude, standard of instruction and fun atmosphere each of the instructors offered. Compared with my view of variable European instruction, America offers a consistently high standard. I agree private lessons more effective but have found group lessons good, provided they don't cram too many kids in. Lots of fun, although learning is perhaps a bit slower. I don't know where mauddib is based. I still think that from my UK base it's really not worth trekking half way across the world just to ski. Europe offers more of the things I want from skiing, without the long flight and jet lag afterwards. Fortunately lots of people think differently, which helps keep the lift queues lighter in my favourite areas.
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FAQ
Easy off piste to more advanced and easy to ski back into the village as well if want to/need to check on child. Prob my first choice with kids (tubing slope is cracking!) then Panorama or Silver Star or Sun Peaks.
) Whistler used to run Ski Esprit package, basically guiding round mountain with bit of instruction thrown in, that me and missus used to find solved any issues about us wanting to ski different slopes.
