Ski Vacations – Learning How To Ski

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!

Okanagan Mountain Range Ski Vacations

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.

Lost Valley Ski Vacations

If you will be traveling to the North East, you must not miss Lost Valley Ski Resort. Located on 300 acres in the middle of Maine, the resort offers many different types of terrain, hills, streams, bridges, and fifteen well maintained trail systems.

The Lost Valley Resort is best suited to beginners and intermediate skiers, but there are more thrilling trails available for expert skiers as well. There are three lifts to accommodate skiers, including two chair lifts and one surface lift.

Equipment can be rented for all sports that are catered to at Lost Valley Resort, including ski equipment, snowboarding equipment, mountain bikes, and paintball equipment. Ski and snowboarding lessons are also available for private parties and groups.

At the lodge, you will experience a warm family environment with outstanding food and beverages. This is an absolutely wonderful place to bring a family. There are training programs, adaptive ski programs, racing events, a snowboard terrain park, mountain biking, and a huge twenty acre paintball park. Lost Valley Resort is also a great place to hold meetings, family reunions, weddings, and other special events. Catering is available.

Fun Valley Ski Vacations

If you are looking for a great place to go for your family ski vacation, Fun Valley, Iowa is the place to go. This resort caters to families and beginner level skiers, but it is also great for intermediate and expert skiers as well. There is something to suit all levels at Fun Valley.

The top elevation at Fun Valley is 1201 feet, with a vertical drop of 200 feet. There are six lifts, including three chair lifts and three surface lifts. The new learning center is something to see – and experience if you are a beginner. Tubers and snowboarders are welcome, and there is an excellent terrain park available. Rental equipment, including tubes and boards, is available.

Fun Valley offers outstanding group rates for groups of ten or more. Birthday packages are also outstanding for kids twelve and under. Every Wednesday and Thursday night, the resort offers a student night, with greatly reduced rates. Buddy Pass Friday’s are also popular – bring your friends and you will all save on lift tickets. Coca-Cola sponsors Sprite Saturday’s at Fun Valley, where you can participate in three activities for one flat affordable fee. Sundays are Family Four Pack Day.

Alaska Ski Vacations

Alaska, which has always been a source of awe and mystery, has some of the best skiing in the world, and the Alyeska Resort is one of the finest resorts in the state. With a top elevation of 2751 feet and a 2501 vertical drop, the area gets an average of 631 inches of snow annually.

Although this is some of the best skiing in the world, you won’t find the slopes overly crowded, and there are no long lift lines. There are nine lifts, including six chair lifts and two surface lifts, and one cable car line. There are 68 trails for beginners, intermediates, and experts, with the majority of the trails designed for intermediate skiers.

Night time skiing is allowed, which makes your ski experience more adventurous and thrilling. You will see snow capped mountains, hanging glaciers, and of course, the famous Northern Lights. This resort is ranked number nine of the top twenty-five killer ski trips by Skiing Magazine.

The season begins at the Alyeska Resort in mid November, and runs through mid April. This area of Alaska boasts the longest daytime areas in the United States, with approximately sixteen hours of daylight each day during April. During December, however, there are only about seven hours of daylight – which makes night time skiing necessary if you are going to get in the time that you want to spend on the slopes.

The Alyeska Prince Hotel is the place to stay! Here you will enjoy elegant rooms and fine dining. Nightly entertainment is available as well. There are other nightlife spots in the area as well, that are not associated with the Hotel.

If tubing interests you, then visiting the Glacier Tubing Park is an absolute must! Featuring two lanes of terrain and a surface lift, everyone in the family will enjoy spending time at the tubing park. The Alyeska Terrain Park is a must for snowboarding enthusiasts. Other winter activities that can be enjoyed in and around the Alyeska Resort include flight seeing, helisking, ocean cruising tours, dog sledding, ice climbing, back country skiing, mountaineering, and polar bear viewing.

At the Alyeska Resort, the ultimate winter vacation can be experienced. Brave the elements, then return to the Hotel for some pampering. Get a taste of what Alaska is really like, and what skiing is meant to be! There are activities for the entire family to enjoy, and there are many area sights and attractions to be enjoyed as well. This really is an awesome winter family ski vacation!

Crystal Mountain Ski Vacations

If you are in or near Washington State, you should definitely check out Crystal Mountain. With an elevation of 7004 feet and a vertical drop of 3102 feet, Crystal Mountain actually sits below Mount Rainier, which has a top elevation of 14,408 feet. Between the months of November and April, several feet of fresh powder falls on Crystal Mountain, due to the cold Cascade storms common to the area

This is rough terrain, and there is little offered to beginners as far as the ease of the trails go. But lessons are available, as well as rentals for ski’s and other equipment. At Crystal Mountain, there are morethan 2300 acres and fifty trails, making this the largest ski area in the state of Washington. There are ten lifts available: 2 high speed six passenger lifts, 2 high speed quads, 2 triple chairs, 3 double chairs, and 1 children’s surface lift.

The season runs from the middle of November to the middle of April, when the most snow fall is experienced. There are several places to choose for lodging, meals, and nightly entertainment, but the biggest attraction is the skiing, of course.

The Crystal Mountain Express Buss service runs on weekends from the middle of December to the middle of March. You will be picked up from your lodge and dropped off at the base plaza – where you can begin a full day of fun on the slopes. After a day of skiing, you should definitely head over to East Peak Massage & Fitness to take advantage of the hot tub, sauna, showers, and even the game room. Massages are also available, with a reservation.

If your kids aren’t quite ready for the black diamond trails – but you are – you can register them in the Kid’s Club. The Kid’s Club is open from 8am to 4pm each day for children aged four to eleven years old. The kid’s aged 4 – 11 will be supervised while they ski on a ‘kid appropriate’ slope, and snowboarding is also available for children aged 7 – 11 years old. Your child will have fun, while being supervised and taught. The cost of the care includes a four hour lesson, a lift ticket, lunch, and supervision. Rental equipment is available for the kids for an additional fee.

Everyone has fun at Crystal Mountain. It is a great place for a family vacation, but again, the slopes are more for intermediate skiers and expert skiers – although beginners will have fun as well. Just use good sense, and avoid trails that you don’t feel like your ready for.