Making Slopeside Memories    This winter ski resorts are more eager than ever to capture their share of the family travel dollar. Choose your favorite high altitude getaway and you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that deals abound for everything from lodging to lift tickets.   Here are five resorts where the snow is falling:     1.      Telluride, CO. Tucked in a beautiful and majestic box canyon, this extraordinary resort opened Revelation Bowl this year, news that will put smiles on the faces of your family’s powder hounds.  Beginners and intermediates love the mountain for wide expansive runs and access to terrain and views typically reserved for the experts.   800-778-8581; www.TellurideSkiResort.com.   2.      Snowmass, CO.  Already popular with families, Snowmass kicked it up a notch with last year’s debut of their $17 million Tree house Kids' Adventure Center and the mid-mountain Elk Camp Meadows Learning Area. The creatively designed center makes it easy for parents to check in for ski or snow board school, and take care of rentals or last minute slope- side needs.  Children from eight weeks and older are welcome at the Center. Snowmass is just nine miles from Aspen. www.AspenSnowmass.com   3.      Smugglers Notch.  Tucked in Vermont’s Green Mountains, and surrounded by 3000 acres of forest, this resort literally “guarantees” your family will have a good time. With a slew of special programs for children from six weeks to late teens, “Smuggs”, as its known among regulars, has focused on the family market with intensity.  Their Snow Sport University promises to take your skills to the next level. There are terrain parks, fun zones, game nights, fire works, sleigh rides, cross country ski trails and teen centers.  www.Smuggs.com ; 800-419-4615.   .   4. Beaver Creek, CO. A favorite for our family, Vail’s sister resort, Beaver Creek is modern, yet cozy.  With the ambience of an Alpine village, après ski, families enjoy strolling through the square or joining in the ice skating parties on the outdoor rink. New last year : the eight-passenger Buckaroo Express Gondola  whisks beginners to their own manicured terrain.  After a day on the mountain (there are more than 146 trails) you’ll be mesmerized by the sweet smell of hot cookies offered slope side by smiling mountain hosts. Don’t miss McCoy’s for après ski music appropriate for all ages. www.beavercreek.com; 800-900-5949.   5. Big Sky, MT.  You’ll never fight the crowds at Big Sky Resort. Take advantage of the Lone Peak Pass (free for kids under 10) and you’ll also have access to the trails at neighboring Moonlight Basin. By doubling the resort fun, you’ll enjoy the largest single ticket expanse of ski terrain in the United States. Located near Yellowstone National Park and 45 miles from Bozeman, the combined lift ticket provides access to more than 5500 acres of powder possibilities, magnificent views and very few lift lines.  Both resorts have family packages, ski and board schools for all ages and a range of child care and family activities.  www.BigSkyResort.com; 800.548.4486.  For the latest deals and specials visit www.Ski.com.    "Terrific Tahoe Terrain!" Fly to California for skiing? Isn’t Colorado or Utah the place to go for snow? A recent trip to Lake Tahoe sure changed my view. Do you like glorious sun, gorgeous scenery, lots of ski areas and tons of snow? Turns out Lake Tahoe’s got all that, 300-days of sunshine, the largest concentration of ski resorts in North America, and snow measured in feet not inches, and it keeps coming – 7-feet of snow in 7-days just last week. But my reason for loving Lake Tahoe is Lake Tahoe itself, the brilliant blue centerpiece at the heart of all this sun and snow-soaked peaks. Read More!     Colorado Ski Country Offers Great Deals For This Ski Season   The snow is falling and it's already a great year  on the slopes. Famous around the globe for their nearly perfect powder, the Colorado resorts have put together some great packages to take the pain ( sore muscles not included ) out paying for your ski holiday.   Find the right deal for your family here Arapahoe Basin, Aspen/Snowmass, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Keystone, Loveland, Monarch Mountain, Powderhorn, Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, Ski Cooper, SolVista Basin, Steamboat, Sunlight, Telluride, Vail, Winter Park, Wolf Creek Kids Stay and Ski Free in Sun Valley!         Kids 15 and under stay free in a hotel or condo when staying with a parent, and ski free with the purchase of an adult lift ticket. Good November 22 - December 16, 2007; January 1 - January 28, 2008;  and March 2, 2008 through the end of Season 2008.  For complete information go to www.visitsunvalley.com/hotdeals    Sun Valley Continues To Shine   America's first destination resort, and where the world's first chairlift was engineered, Sun Valley, ID was built to enchant the nobility and celebrity of the day. Today the patina of old world charm blends with the modern amenities. Sun Valley staked its claim to greatness more than 70 years ago when it became the first ski resort in America. Since then it has built upon its acclaimed status by continuing to change with the times while maintaining the setting, service and amenities which made it so popular and an "American Original." Unsung Heroes At British Columbia  Ski Resorts   They don't call working at a ski resort a lifestyle choice for nothing. Getting up at dawn to perform avalanche duty, keeping tabs on one of the resort’s resident bears or training man’s best friend for on-slope duty – these are not get-rich-quick schemes.    But these people are the very essence of what it means to be a skier, or mountain man (or woman). They're the kind of folks whose alarm clocks go off in the middle of the night, who find a way to work even if their car doesn't start, and who often don't knock off until long after the sun has set and they're dead beat.  read more Kids Fly Free to Beaver Creek   Families who choose Beaver Creek can take advantage of free airfare for kids when flying into the Vail/Eagle County Airport (EGE). Each paying adult (18+) may bring one free child, aged two to 12. Reservation must include lodging to redeem this special offer. Offer is valid for both non-stop and connecting jet service into EGE. A two-night minimum stay is required. American Airlines’ promotion is valid from Jan. 6-Feb.15, 2008, for travel to EGE Sunday-Wednesday, and departing from EGE Tuesday-Friday. United Airlines’ promotion is valid Jan. 4-Feb.14, 2008, for travel to EGE Sunday-Thursday, and departing from EGE Tuesday-Friday. Restrictions apply.  Call 800-587-4560 or visit www.beavercreek.com.   Ski Free, Stay Free at Beaver Creek   Buy three nights of lodging and three days of skiing in Beaver Creek and get a fourth night and ski day free. Price starts at $393 per person based on quad occupancy in a two-bedroom condominium with a four-night minimum stay.  Offer is valid Nov. 17–Dec. 14, 2007.  Buy four nights of lodging and four days of skiing in Beaver Creek and get a fifth night and ski day free. Price starts at $533 per person based upon quad occupancy in a two-bedroom condominium with a five-night minimum stay.  Offer is valid Jan. 6–Feb. 15, 2008.  Beaver Creek opens for skiing and snowboarding on Nov. 21, 2007.  Taxes, surcharge and gratuity not included. Offer based upon availability. Other restrictions may apply. Other dates, rates and properties available.  Call (800) 404-3535 or visit www.beavercreek.com for reservations and more information.   Powder Perfect!    Lynn O'Rourke Hayes   “That was so easy!”, I remarked to my son Ted as we slipped onto the chairlift just after noon. We had left our home in Phoenix just that morning, with a vague notion that we might be able to fit in a half day of skiing. And we did!   The skiing options out of Salt Lake City are so numerous it is difficult to choose a final destination. With only a weekend ahead we decided to try out Alta and Snowbird, two resorts that came wildly recommended by our snow loving friends. And of course , the dynamic combo has been ranked the No. 1 resort in the country by SKIING Magazine for four years running.   After an easy flight on Southwest, we collected our bags and had only to walk ten paces to make our final arrangements to head up the canyon. We had secured reservations with Canyon Transportation before our departure and were quickly loaded in a van and on our way. The chatty driver was well armed with the lowdown on Utah skiing and restaurant suggestions that came in handy later in the day.   read more     SKI FREE AFTER THREE!   Among the great deals we learned about during a recent weekend skiing Alta and Snowbird, was Alta's "Free Skiing after 3 p.m" program. Ideal for beginners and those just learning to ski, the option is available on the Sunnyside lift everyday of the ski season. The lift provides access to long gentle slopes in the Albion Basin as well as shorter intermediate trails through the trees. For more: www.alta.com      So many slopes, so little time! Ted is perhaps the most avid skier of my three sons. So it is fitting that he and I will set out to sample a few powder proud ski areas so that we may report back on the latest offerings for families - from toddlers to teens. Because we live in Phoenix, we have the good fortune to be able to hop on Southwest Airlines flights to many of the west's great ski destinations. We are making our list and checking it twice. And the best news this traveler has heard in a while? Southwest has begun serving Denver's International Airport as of January 3, 2006. That's a boon for those of us eager to experience the Rocky Mountain high country at a fair and reasonable price! We'll be there before the season ends.  Our first stop was the Wasatch Range via Salt Lake City. See our report below. And, read on for some ideas that may entice you to plan ahead! Let it snow! -- Lynn O'Rourke Hayes Denver  bound? Click here!   Ski Utah Interconnect Tour Now  Offers up to SIX Resorts in a Day  Pushing the limits...six ways! With last year’s addition of Deer Valley Resort to the Ski Utah Interconnect Adventure Tour, participants can now ski as many as six world-class Utah resorts in a single day. Seasoned, well trained guides offer guests a mix of great backcountry, resort skiing, and incredible views.   The tour operates daily through late April, weather and conditions permitting, and is open to advanced skiers in good physical condition. Tours depart four days a week from Deer Valley Resort (Mon., Wed., Fri. & Sun.) for the six-area tour and three days a week from Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort (Tues., Thurs. & Sat.) for a four-area tour beginning and ending at Snowbird The group is led by professional backcountry guides through as many as six resorts, including Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort, Solitude Mountain Resort, Brighton Ski Resort, Alta Ski Area and Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort. The cost, $175 per person, includes guide service, lift access, lunch, transportation back to point of origin and a special-edition finisher’s pin. Click here for other great adventure ideas!     Snowshoeing anyone? Snowshoeing has become an increasingly popular way to enjoy Traverse City, Michigan's winter wonders. The largest snowshoe race in the state is the Bigfoot Snowshoe Race at the Timber Ridge Nordic Center just southeast of town. The race draws over 200 participants who compete on 5K and 10K trails and is a qualifying event for the national snowshoe races in Salt Lake City. A slightly less intense alternative is the Taste the Passion Snowshoe Stomp,held by the wineries of the nearby Leelanau Peninsula Vineyards. Participants can choose from a 4-mile competitive run or a 2-mile fun run or hike through vineyards,woods and orchards overlooking West Grand Traverse Bay. For more:  www.mytraversecity.com Jackson Hole -- Luxury for Less Spring Creek Ranch, a top Jackson Hole resort is giving families an extra reason to head to the Teton Range Range. The resort has teamed with Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Grand Targhee - two of the world's most challenging downhill ski areas to offer Ski Free packages. Enticing for families or groups of friends, Spring Creek Ranch offers one-, two- or three-bedroom condos or a four-bedroom house. Prices range from $250 per room per night for a condo or from $1,600 per night for a house - a savings of over 50% - and includes deluxe accommodations (condo prices vary with number of bedrooms) with fireplace, breakfast for two daily at The Granary restaurant, lift tickets to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort or Grand Targhee (limit two per day for one- or two-bedroom condo or four per day for three- bedroom condo/four-bedroom house) . Tired muscles at the end of the day? Check out Spring Creek's full-service Wilderness Adventure Spa for a treatments including après ski massages, cozy mud wraps, hot stone massages and sunrise facials. For more information....             Snowmobiling Makes For Great Family Fun Snowmobiling is a treasured Whistler activity that's fun for everyone especially families. You can ride solo or as a passenger. (It can be less expensive riding as a passenger.) If you aren't a skier or just need a break from the mountain, check out this fun-filled alternative! Your day begins with a safety lesson. Learn the basics, get comfortable and then off you go. Trained, professional and friendly tour guides can take you through backcountry areas, along hidden, snow-covered path ways, and into beautiful winter environments. Each tour operator specializes in different areas and terrain in and around the Whistler valley. Ask about the tours they offer and their duration. Expect hours of uninterupted and high-powered snowmobiling fun that can't be compared. It's the best time you'll have all winter! The Whistler Activity Centre Call toll free for more information: 1-877-991-9988 or 1-604-938-2769 (locally)  Family Skiing from Montana to Quebec  Heather Burke photos Greg Burke         Big Sky Big on Families Montana is not usually lead conversation in skiing circles. It is more of a fly-fishing, bison chasing, bighorn sheep-spotting kind of state. We told friends we were taking the family skiing in Montana, and they gave us that peculiar cocked-head puppy look. read more... Quebec Awaits Families Ready to explore beyond New England’s ski areas with your family? But less than enthused about putting your family on a plane? A visit to Canada’s nearest province, Quebec, can satisfy your lust for international ski adventure – without the expense or hassle of flying, passports and baggage checks.  read more...   SkiArea Daycare Isn't Such a Scare I have heard the patent parent line too many times. “We haven’t skied in three years, we had a baby,” is their confession. “We’ll get back out there soon, when we can ski as a family.”  read more...     Of Mice and Moose on the Slope Name two creatures with webbed feet and large orange bills that love snow, eat small fish, but would never eat small kids making French fries. Stumped? “Okie” of Okemo and “C-more” from Cranmore, the powder loving Penguin mascots, is the correct answer.       The Colorado Challenge By Heather Burke We don’t recommend you try this. Our mission was to ski the best of the Colorado Rockies in one week. 126 ski runs for 235,030 total vertical feet of skiing and 24 pillows (4 heads x 6 resorts) later, we were supremely rewarded (and exhausted) from a phenomenal week. more... Family Skiing Critics take to the Slopes By Heather Burke We are the skiing critics. During our family’s commute to the slopes every weekend, the four of us pass the hours discussing the highs and lows of all the New England ski resorts we have visited. We range in age and experience (though even our youngest has skied 35 different resorts), which makes our judging as unpredictable and varied as the terrain we encounter in a New England winter. Unlike most contests, you needn’t be eighteen to enter; kids count since their opinions can make our break a ski day. more...   Getting Schooled in Snow Science at BC's Whitewater    Skiing the steep and deep is what snow riding at Whitewater Resort near Nelson, BC is all about. To keep skiers and riders sampling its extensive out of bounds terrain safely, the resort offers avalanche seminars and courses on an ongoing basis throughout the winter. One day avalanche awareness courses ($45) start in the classroom and then move into the backcountry, and include basic transceiver usage and how to dig and understand snowpack layers in a snowpit.   more.....     Five Reasons To Take A Family Nordic Trip WINCHESTER, N.H. A family ski trip evokes an image of fun and togetherness on the snow along with travel concerns about time, distance and affordability. A Nordic (also known as cross-country) ski trip is a fun, enjoyable recreation for families, especially those with infants, toddlers and school age children. A Nordic ski trip eases family travel concerns. Cross Country Ski Areas Association (http://www.xcski.org), an organization of over 200 North American Nordic centers, lists five reasons to take a family Nordic trip. read more...    Ski Camp Checklist               By Heather Burke               1. Call the ski resort in advance to reserve ski camp, as programs tend to fill up on holidays and weekends. 2. Ask exactly what is included in the price (lessons, equipment, snacks, lunch, etc.). 3. Reserve ski equipment* if needed. more... Scouting Out Ski Camps For Kids By Heather Burke The ski resort brochure depicts the smiling family skiing side by side. What they don’t show is your little one pitching a hissy-fit while you carry them down the hill, equipment flailing, nose running and tears streaming. more... How to Pack For a Family Ski Vacation By Heather Burke The thought of a family ski vacation is completely wonderful. Then the reality of having to pack all your gear sets in! The excitement of a ski getaway should not turn into stress of what to bring, what you might forget, and how will you manage. Follow these helpful hints to get organized and be prepared for all sorts of activities and weather. more...

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