Taking your kids skiing for the first time?

Is the idea of taking your kids skiing for the first time overwhelming? It was for me!

Skiing is an activity I always loved before having kids but the thought of managing all the gear and clothes for growing boys was overwhelming to me. So I waited, and waited.

I know many people put their kids on skis at age 3. I don't know how they do it. I don't have that kind of energy.

My criteria for taking them skiing was this: Can all 3 of them carry their own equipment and not complain about it? Once I could say yes to this question with confidence, I started booking the trip. They were 15, 14 and 12.

Then I broke it down into smaller pieces that I could manage.

Step 1 -

I took my 15 year old skiing in March 2024 for his 15th birthday. I lowered my expectations and decided it was an experiment. He might love it or hate it and whatever the outcome, I would have to accept that.

So we booked a room at the YotelPad at The Canyons. I scheduled him for a 1/2 day ski lessons. It was a perfect spring like day at The Canyons. While he was taught how to ski, I was able to get a few runs in myself and explore the mountain.

The next day a big winter storm blew through with winds exceeding 30-40 mph which closed down the gondolas at The Canyons and pushed us over to Park City Mountain. There was a city shuttle bus transporting people over but the line was long so we opted for a faster route via Uber. A quick 5-10 min Uber ride later and we were at Park City Mountain.

This shift from Canyons to Park City Mountain was a huge blessing. The winds and winter storm were no joke, especially on the Bonanza lift but the long green runs really gave him the confidence he needed as.a first time skier!

So while I loved the Canyons as an intermediate skier, the longer green run options were so much better for him at Park City Mountain.

We took the PayDay lift to Bonanza lift then rode Bonzana (green) to Home Run (green). After a day of this, he was able to start venturing onto some blue runs.

Three days of skiing with him one on one in March of 2024 was just not enough! He was hooked. He loved skiing as much as I did and we started planning the next trip. I wished we had 1 more days. But alas, we had to head back home and get him back for school and me to work.

Step 2 -

Fast forward to December 2024 and step 2 of getting the other two boys on skis and seeing if they will love it too.

Again, I had zero expectations that all 3 would love this sport. They are all so different in personalities and what they like and don't like. One HATES rollercoasters (Mark) and the other LOVES rollercoasters (Luke). I fully expected at least 1 of them to NOT enjoy it.

This trip was a big risk though. I booked the trip for 6 full days of skiing so if they did not love it, I was gonna be in trouble and it would be a LONG week.

I booked a full day of lessons for these two boys as they were a little younger (12 and 14) and selfishly I wanted a full days of skiing with Chris and Michael while Luke and Mark were in ski school.

When I went to pick them up at 3:00 pm from ski school and I saw the big, beaming smiles on their faces, my shoulders relaxed. They had a great day in ski school and were excited about the next day of skiing with the whole family.

That night I did not sleep a wink. (Anxiety much? Yup).

I was anxious about ALL THE THINGS.

• How would they do getting off the ski lifts?

• Do they have the endurance for these longer runs?

• What if they get injured?

• How close should I remain behind them in case they need help?

So we ventured to the top of Bonanza as a family of 5 and set off for Bonanza to Home Run all green runs. Mark struggled a bit and had a few falls on the way back down to the Pay Day lift but he never gave up. Chris and I traded riding behind him to help if he fell (which he did).

Managing my energy levels of skiing behind him was something I had to figure out quickly. If I rode too closely it was not good but too far away and he was out of sight, which was not good either.

By the next day though, I was telling all of them to slow down because I couldn't keep up and my frustration shifted to the crowds (PC Ski Patrol Union Strike was in full effect). By the end of the week, Michael and Luke were skiing blues and they even ventured on a few black runs. Mark is a solid blue run skier.

We also learned that 6 full days of skiing was too much. We were all pretty exhausted after 6 full days. We decided that 4 full days is probably our sweet spot.

I am happy to report that it was a huge success. All three boys LOVE skiing and we are now trying to decide where to go next December! We will definitely try to avoid the holidays from Dec 27-New Years. Crowds were a LOT. If the snow is good, we decided that going the week BEFORE Christmas might be a better option or heading east to Europe to hit the Alps. What do you think?

Key points to takeaway -

• Ski school is worth EVERY PENNY! Make the investment so you don't have regrets.

• Pack your patience as they are learning in the beginning.

• Be flexible and open - they may not love it like you do and that is OK.

Have you taken your family skiing for the first time? What tips and tricks would you add?