Ski Holidays

When you start thinking about ski vacations, you will
find a lot of information about various resorts and
packages. Finding terrific vacation spots isn’t difficult,
however, finding ski vacations that fit into your budget
can be a challenge.

To save money, look for lesser known resorts. This
doesn’t mean that these resorts won’t provide you
with a fun vacation – it simply means that they aren’t
quite as well known as other resorts, and therefore,
the prices may be a great cheaper. Also look for ski
vacation packages that will include your lodging, lift
tickets, lessons, rentals, and possibly even some
meals.

Be willing to make some sacrifices if money is a real
issue. For instance, instead of eating in an expensive
restaurant each night, eat cheaper fast food, or make
sandwiches in your room. Borrow equipment from
friends instead of renting it. Join a group for lessons
instead of taking private lessons. Don’t stay at a
lodge, stay at a motel farther away from the slopes
if necessary. There are numerous ways that you can
cut down on the expense of your ski trip. It is all about
the powder after all!

If your family wants to go skiing on your next
vacation, but you don’t know how to ski, go ahead
and plan that ski vacation anyway! You can learn
how to ski, and you will have a great time doing it.
You don’t even need to know the first thing about
skiing before you arrive at the resort – all of the
knowledge you will need is there waiting for you,
and you can literally be skiing down a mountain
after an hour of instruction.

Learning to ski is really quite easy. Most resorts
have a ski school on the premises, and lessons are
reasonably priced. Group and private lessons are
usually available. It is a good idea, however, to
schedule an appointment before you arrive at the
resort. This will ensure that you can start learning
to ski the very first hour of your vacation.

Most ski instructors start by showing you how to
maneuver around with your equipment. When you
are wearing ski boots, you will be inclined slightly
forward – there is a reason for this…when you are
skiing down a mountain, you will be inclined
forward! Walking in ski boots the first time is a bit
difficult – but it works just fine if you learn to walk
with your knees slightly bent.

The first maneuver you will learn is called the plow,
or snow plow. This is a technique that is done by
literally using your skis as a snow plow. You make
the back of the skis slowing move outwards, away
from your body by applying pressure – and this stops
you. You guide yourself on skies by bending your
knees and leaning in one direction or another,
depending on which way you want to go. All of these
techniques can be learned in one hour, even if you
have never been on a pair of skis in your life.

The beauty of skiing is that after you have learned
how to snow plow, and how to guide yourself on the
skis, you are ready to ski! Get on the lift, head up the
mountain, and give it a try. Control your speed by
snow plowing – go slow at first. When you want to
pick up some speed, draw your skis back in to pick
up a little speed, then push them back out into the
plow position to control that speed.

As a beginner, you should stick to the trails that are
designed for beginners. At most resorts, these trails
are marked with a green emblem. Blue trails are for
intermediate skiers, and after one day of skiing the
beginner trails, you may be ready for those trails.
The black trails are for experts. These trails can be
dangerous for people who don’t have the skill level
to handle them! Avoid black trails until you have
had a great deal of ski instruction and experience.
You will know when you are ready!

If you are looking for the ultimate Utah ski vacation,
Solitude Mountain Resort has everything that you
could want or need. During the early 1900’s, the
area was full of silver miners, who gave the area its
famous name. Today, the area is covered with
skiers – but the crowds are rather light.

The area became a skier’s paradise in 1957. It was
developed by Robert Barrett, who made his fortune
as a uranium miner. He basically started developing
the resort because he was denied restroom privileges
at the ski area in Alta – because he was not a guest.

Now owned by a different family, the resort features
1200 acres of 63 runs for beginners, intermediate
skiers, and experts. There are eight lifts, including
seven chair lifts and one surface lift. The top
elevation at Solitude Mountain is 10036 feet, with
a vertical drop of 2048 feet.

There are five lodging options for guests, and
activities and events take place all throughout the
year. The resort looks like a Tom Kincaide painting,
and one can’t help but wonder if this is where some
of his inspiration came from!

Red River, New Mexico is home to one of the most
popular ski resorts in the United States, and has
been for many decades. The resort offers six chair
lifts and one surface lift, and the trails are equally
divided for beginners, intermediates, and experts.

Top elevation at Red River is 10354 feet, and the
vertical drop down the face of the mountain is 1601
feet. Unfortunately, it doesn’t snow much, and about
85% of the powder is man made. There are 58 trails
scattered over 247 acres. Red River is called the ‘ski
town of the Southwest.’

The resort has three restaurants, all of which offer
fabulous fare. Lodging can be obtained in cabins,
chalets, inns, or private condominiums in the area,
and many lodging packages, as well as ski packages
are available through Red River Central Reservations.
Red River also offers snow pass rates which allow
children to ski for free, and teens to ski at reduced
rates. This is a great way to save money on your
family ski vacation.

Red River also has a ski school, and group lessons
and private lessons are available. Even if you’ve never
skied before, you will quickly be on the slopes after
your lessons. There are even lessons for
snowboarders, who are welcome on the Red River
slopes. You can also rent all of your ski and
snowboarding equipment for very reasonable rates.

The nightlife in Red River is also great. After a day
on the slopes, you can kick back and relax at the
lodge, or visit one of the taverns in the area. For the
younger crowd, there is a great game room located
right in the center of the town. One of the great things
about Red River is that everything is within walking
distance of the lodging areas, and shuttles are
provided for transportation to and from the slopes.

You can also enjoy taking scenic chairlift rides,
hiking, biking, horseback riding, camping,
snow-mobiling, and hunting. You can even take one
of the jeep tours to go see the abandoned gold mines
in the area. So, even if you don’t ski, there is still
plenty of fun to be had at Red River Ski Resort.

Childcare is available while you spend your day on
the slopes. Your child will be well tended at the Li’l
Buckaroos Child Care Facility, and the center
provides lunch for your child as well. At Red River,
everything has been thought of and taken care of to
ensure that your ski vacation is as enjoyable as
possible.

It’s time to plan the family vacation – and everyone
wants to go skiing. Don’t worry, skiing isn’t as
expensive as you might think, and there are
numerous resorts that cater to families, offering a
variety of packages designed to save you money.
The problem will be choosing the destination.

Most ski resorts have websites. Start the planning
process by accessing these websites to determine
where you and your family might want to go for your
family ski vacation. There are many different things to
look for when choosing a resort. The absolute most
important thing to look for is a ski school if someone
in your family will need instruction. While most
resorts do have ski schools, some don’t. Don’t
make the mistake of choosing a destination where
one or more of your family members won’t have fun,
simply because they don’t know how to ski.

Next, take a look at the slopes, lifts, and trails. You
want to make sure that the resort has something to
offer everyone in your family. If the resort only caters
to beginners, an expert skier will become quickly
bored. If you have a snowboarder in your group, and
there is no snowboarding park or terrain, that
snowboarder will not be happy. There are resorts
that serve all winter sports – so make sure that your
families interests are covered.

Lodging is the next thing to look at. You want to be
comfortable, so where you will sleep at night matters
a great deal. In most cases, there is a hotel right at
the base of the slopes – but this isn’t necessarily the
best or most affordable place to stay. Find out what
your lodging options are for the area, and choose
the one that is right for your family and your budget.
If you will be staying farther away from the slopes,
make sure that there is transportation to and from
the slopes each day!

Your family will have many more interests that you
will need to search for before deciding on a particular
destination and resort. Some of those interests may
be dog sledding, sleigh rides, snowmobiling,
snowshoeing, or horseback riding. Resorts do offer
these activities, but some don’t – so be sure to ask
about the winter activities, as well as the planned
events during the time that you will be at the resort.
This will help you plan a ski vacation that your family
will enjoy and remember for the rest of their lives.

Oregon is famous for the ski slopes found around the
state, and if you are planning a ski vacation, you
should definitely consider Timberline Lodge, located
near Mt. Hood in Oregon. There is quite a bit of
history in the area, starting with the lodge that was
built during the Great Depression by a master
craftsman. The Timberline Lodge also has a bit of
more recent history attached to it. Part of the movie,
The Shining, was filmed here. Many of the ‘outside’
shots were done at Timberline Lodge.

The lodge is entirely hand made, and well preserved.
The hand woven draperies and the hand hewn beams
add to the rustic charm and history of the place. The
lodge sits in the middle of 1400 acres consisting of
35 trails. The trails are perfect for beginners,
intermediates, and experts. The top elevation at
Timberline Lodge is 8504 with a vertical drop of 2501.
There are six chair lifts to accommodate skiers.

One of the most unique things about Timberline is
that it is the one place in the United States that offers
year-round snow skiing. Palmer Snowfield is part of
the Timberline Resort, and it is permanently covered
with snow. Beginners are not always allowed on
Palmer snowfield – the conditions are considered
each day when making this determination.

Skiing, snowboarding, hiking, snowshoeing, and
lodge tours are the main attractions at Timberline.
Here, it is all about the powder! Mt. Hood is an active
volcano which is considered to be dormant.
Occasionally, tremors are felt, and steam vents are
often visible. The Cascade Dining Room is open for
breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day, but the hours
do change with the seasons. Other fare can be found
at the Ram’s Head Bar, the Blue Ox bar, the Wy’East
Kitchen Cafeteria, the Market Café, and the Mt. Hood
Brewing Company.

Rental equipment is not available at Timberline. You
must bring your own equipment. However, smaller
items such as gloves and goggles can be purchased
at the lodge, along with some clothing items. There is
a snowboard and ski school on the premises, and
private and group lessons are available.

If the idea of a ‘rustic’ ski vacation appeals to you,
as opposed to trips with accommodations that are a
bit fancier, then Timberline Lodge in Oregon is the
place to be! Again, it is definitely all about the history
and the powder here. However, whether you ski or not,
you must not miss the Magic Mile, which offers a
panoramic view of the Cascade mountains that cannot
be matched!

Okanagan is a mountain range that runs through
valleys close to three mountain ranges.During the
summer this is the perfect place to do some camping,
but when winter hits you will have great skiing
weather and conditions. There are small resorts that
are scattered throughout the area. The climate here
will make for great skiing down the slopes and through
the trails.

These scattered resorts are very quiet and peaceful.
Lifts are available, but they are limited to specific
times and dates. These resorts have great skiing
around them, even though they are small. This area
of mountains offers the most consistent
weather conditions, and the resort offers lodging for
everyone that cares to stay – at a reasonable price.

The mountain ranges offer different trails and skill
levels, but most of all they provide you with the
skiing vacation of your dreams. During the winter,
temperatures in the Okanogan range often drop to
zero degrees. The items you bring will need to keep
you warm at all times and safe no matter which trail
you may choose to ski.

If you will be in Michigan, you should definitely visit
Nub’s Nob Ski Resort. Nub’s Nob has what is
considered to be the Midwest’s best snow, and the
resort has a reputation for being a family friendly
mountain. Generations of families have brought their
children here for their very first ski run.

The mountain layout is fairly simple with an elevation
of 1338 feet and a vertical drop of 427 feet. There are
43 trails serviced by eight chair lifts. Boasting one of
the best skiing and snowboarding schools in the
country, both private and group lessons are available.
If you are brand new to the sport, you can even learn
to ski free, and take advantage of Nub’s Cubs
Childcare Center while you learn.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that intermediate
or expert skiers won’t find any challenges waiting for
them at Nub’s Nob! The terrain is varied, and you will
find challenges. Night Skiing is also available. The
Ski School offers training programs for advanced
skiers who are interested in racing, and many racing
events are held at the resort. You can signup for race
leagues at the resort, and many league events are
planned each season.

Equipment rental is available, and there is a General
Store right inside the lodge, where you can purchase
gloves, hats, and neck warmers among a variety of
other items. You should also visit the technology
center to have your ski’s tuned or repaired.

You won’t go hungry either! Nub’s Nob Cafeteria is
open for breakfast and lunch, and if you brought your
own lunch, you can eat in the ‘brown bag’ room.
Nub’s Winter Garden serves grilled burgers when the
weather allows. Pintail Peak Warming Hut is located
at the top of the Black Lift. Here, you can enjoy
amazing views while enjoying home made soups and
sandwiches.

Nub’s Nob is the place to go if you want to have a
great family ski vacation – or if you are already an
expert skier interested in racing and skill events.
There is plenty to do and see. In fact, you may find
that you have a problem deciding which activity to
participate in first! Don’t worry about missing
anything, though – if you want to ski now and board
later, you can do that. Most events are planned for
the weekends, so arrange your schedule so that you
are able to attend or participate in the planned events.

Mount Snow, located in Vermont, is the one of the
largest ski resorts in the Eastern United States.
Featuring 26 lifts and more than 135 trails, the top
elevation at Mount Snow is 3600 feet, with a vertical
drop of 1700 feet. There are 20 chair lifts and six
surface lifts available.

Snowboarders are welcome at Mount Snow, and
there is a ‘kids only’ terrain park as well as a special
tubing park. The Grand Summit Hotel and Crown Club
sits right off the slopes, and guests enjoy a heated
outdoor pool and ski in/ski out accommodations. There
is something to suit everyone at Mount Snow.

Many different winter ski vacation packages are
available. Many of these packages are really great
deals designed to save families money. Child care is
available at Mount Snow, and the youngsters will be
well cared for, and learn to ski as well. The adults
aren’t left out of the learning process either! Both group
and private lessons are available.

Mount Snow is very family oriented. At Mount Snow
a unique ‘back-to-base’ trail system is used that
keeps everyone in your family from getting lost. Kids
under six ski and ride for free. When an adult buys a
3 – 5 day ticket during mid-week, their kid receives a
free ticket for that same time period as well. During
January, the Kids Ski & Learn Free weeks seem to
be the most popular family deals.

Mount Snow features a full service health spa that
you should take full advantage of. A variety of
massages are offered, as well as various skin
treatments. Spa packages are also available, and the
spa caters to couples as well, and wedding parties are
also welcome. There is also a fully equipped health
club and fitness classes are offered. There is always
something to do at Mount Snow – even if doing
nothing but relaxing is on your agenda!

Winter activities at Mount Snow also include
snowmobiling, snowshoeing, tubing, cross country
skiing, and sleigh rides. There is a ski shop on the
premises and rental equipment is available. There are
several restaurants and bars on the mountain to
choose from as well. Again, Mount Snow is family
oriented. You will find that this is a very safe environment
for your entire family, where you can relax and have fun
– without any worry. Be sure to ask about the family deals
when you call for reservations or information.