ski vacation planning - Pitstops for Kids

Ski travel hack: How to afford skiing as a family

November 30, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

If you read this travel website regularly, you know we’re a big ski family. I grew up skiing and wanted to make sure my kids grew up skiing, too. We’ve made ski vacations a priority, but it hasn’t been easy. Skiing is expensive, and getting more so every year.

How to afford skiing as a family:

In early January, my family and I enjoyed a perfect ski weekend at Mt. Bachelor Ski Area, one of our all-time favorite mountains. Mt. Bachelor, located in Central Oregon, is within driving distance for us, but lodging in and around Bend isn’t cheap, and lift tickets at Mt. Bachelor are on par with most resorts (though cheaper than some), listed at nearly $100 per day for adults, $78 for teens, and $54 for kids. Lunch on the mountain for our family of five with teens is at least $60 per day (and that’s with our ski lunch hacks…below!), and then there’s additional food expenses and gas. If we needed rentals or lessons, we’d nearly double our cost.

However, we skied at the resort with multi-mountain pass. Therefore, what could have been a very expensive weekend for us was affordable. We could have also saved money by planning ahead, utilizing early season deals or lodging partnerships, or by purchasing season passes. Here’s how to go about saving money on a ski trip:

Get a pass!

In our opinion, the number one way to afford skiing as a family is to purchase season passes. The type of pass to get depends on the type of ski vacation you plan to enjoy. If you want to take multiple trips to resorts across the US and Canada, and plan to spend just a few days at each, your best option is a multi-resort pass, such as The Mountain Collective, Epic, or Ikon pass. You’ll enjoy access to as many as 40+ mountains with one pass!

If you plan to enjoy one long ski vacation at one location (for example, Vail Colorado at spring break), opt for the season pass for the specific resort you need. In almost all cases, a season pass will be cheaper than multiple-day lift tickets (though always do the math, of course). Buying season passes also include other perks, such as discounts at other resorts, discounts on dining and merchandise, and sometimes discounts on ski tuning or lessons.

Look for early season deals.

Planning ahead will save you money on your ski season. Start looking for deals as early as September (yes, it will be a gamble, deciding so early where the snow will fall, but worth it in savings). Look for lodging deals in late November and early December, before the holidays, and book before the snow flies.

Buy your lift tickets online before your trip.

If your trip is only a few days in length (and therefore, buying season passes aren’t a savings), be sure to buy your lift tickets online, ahead of time. Almost all resorts offer discounts for purchasing beforehand instead of at the ticket window, and it helps with your trip budgeting too, to have some of your trip cost spread out.

Join a local ski club or ski team.

If you’re lucky enough to live near a ski resort, even a small one, as we do, sign your kids up for their local ski team. Not only will your children become expert skiers and snowboarders, but these programs, though costly, can take the place of more expensive destination ski trips. Your family will be on the snow every weekend!

Participate in ski after-school programs or kids ski free promotions.

Look for kids ski free promotions, which are run by specific resorts as well as by state ski programs, such as the 5th and 6th grade passport offered by Ski Utah. Find out if lodging on-site will grant you free lift tickets for the kids, then do the math to see if the savings are there. Even if you only break even, staying close to the lifts will save your sanity, as well. Many schools in mountain areas offer after-school ski programs that are a huge savings to parent as well.

Once on the mountain, save a bit more by:

carrying bottled water for everyone in the family in a ski backpack
buying treats such as candy bars ahead of time to avoid buying dessert (or drinks) at lunch
staying in a condo or rental with laundry facilities and kitchens for making your own meals
taking a ski shuttle from the airport instead of renting a 4×4 car
bringing gear from home (or renting from home) if driving to your resort

Do you have money saving tips for ski trips? Share them!

Best Ski Towns: Luxury Vail ski vacation

November 25, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

It’s impossible to have a ‘best ski towns’ series and not include Vail, Colorado. There’s a reason Vail has been absent from our list thus far…it’s already on everyone else’s list. That said, Vail deserves a place on ours as well, because with perhaps the exception of Deer Valley Utah, Vail and its neighbor and Vail Resorts partner, Beaver Creek, offer up the most luxurious ski vacation experience we’ve tried. If you’re looking to book a luxury Vail ski vacation, here’s how to do it.

Luxury Vail ski vacation planning:

Start by setting the tone for your vacation by staying at The Sonnenalp. This Leading Hotels of the World-classified hotel delivers that coveted and rare combination: it’s both luxurious and comfortable. It’s right in the heart of the Vail Village, and the Sonnenalp ski concierge service ensures you never have to carry your own gear anywhere (plus you get a private ski locker and changing area directly across from Gondola One). I love the amenities at a hotel, but still want the space of a rental during a ski vacation, and at the Sonnenalp, almost all the rooms are suites. Vail Resorts-owned Arrabelle is also a home run, located in the Lionshead Village (a very short shuttle ride from Vail Village).

At Vail, the skiing and snowboarding can be fantastic, thanks to its sheer size and diversity of terrain, but a vacation here is also about the overall experience. To that end, when planning a luxury Vail ski vacation, take as much time to plan your dining reservations as you do your ski days. (Yes, it almost hurts me to write this, as an avid ‘go all day long’ skier, but when in Rome…)

With kids, definitely make at least one reservation at Swiss Chalet, located in The Sonnenalp. They’ll love the authentic Alpine cuisine, and fondue is fast to the table and fun to eat, keeping kids entertained. Other sure bets in Vail with kids: Bully Ranch, with casual burgers and to-die-for tater tots, and Blue Moose Pizza (a crowd-pleaser for sure).

If you and your partner or spouse can get away for a long lunch on the mountain, head to The 10th, Vail’s premiere on-mountain option (in my opinion). There’s just something so luxurious about a sit-down lunch during the heart of the day. Plus, the views are amazing, so even if you’re not skiing, it’s worth booking (you can take Gondola One up without ski gear).

Additional must-do’s for the grown ups: La Tour on East Meadow Drive for French cuisine in the heart of the village and Tavern on the Square in Lionshead Village. If you’re in the mood to stay out late, head to the Red Lion in Vail Village for the best live music (and a very local scene), then finish your evening out with a nightcap at King’s Club in Sonnenalp.

In addition to skiing, hotels and ski rental shops alike will rent or lend you snowshoes, which families can take on their own around the villages or up the nearby summit passes (if you have a car), or guided snowshoe trips are offered at Sonnenalp and other luxury properties.

Plan an evening in which you simply window shop (or productively shop…your choice) in Vail Village, Beaver Creek Village, or Lionshead Village, where you’ll find the top stores in outdoor gear, lifestyle wear and more, and then go ice skating on one of the many outdoor rinks (we counted three in Vail and one in Beaver Creek, but there are probably more). If interested, look to time your visit around world-class ski and board competitions: Vail and Beaver Creek host many, including the Burton cup and the Birds of Prey stop on the World Cup downhill tour. Best of all, viewing these competitions is often free.

Kids’ ski lessons are among the best quality in the world at both Vail and Beaver Creek (BC especially often wins awards and recognition for theirs), and as an added incentive (if you need it), near Vail’s ski school learning areas in Lionshead, a full ropes adventure course is on offer…tempt your kids to try this after their lessons are over for the day!

What do you love to do as part of a luxury Vail ski vacation?

Ways to elevate your ski day: backcountry ski excursions, clinics and more

January 14, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

If you generally ski lift-served terrain (hopefully with your family!) but find yourself routinely wanting to elevate your ski day with a little more adventure, there are some very obtainable and accessible ways to do so! Whether you’ve already skied everything you can in the front-country (on-piste terrain) at your favorite ski resort or simply want to learn more about ways to maximize your ski experience, backcountry ski excursions, clinics and resort programs can get you into the side-country for new challenges.

Sidecountry and Backcountry ski excursions:

If you find yourself looking with longing at Warren Miller (RIP) films or drooling over brochures featuring fresh tracks cutting through powery landscapes, look into backcountry ski excursions. It’s important to start with guided programs, so you can learn what you need to know about avalanche and snow safety (if you get hooked, you’ll need to invest in your own gear and take an avalanche safety course at home).

Start with sidecountry trips, which simply means skiing the off-piste but still ski-patrolled areas of a resort. A few great ways to do this: try a Homewood Snowcat Adventure with the folks at this Tahoe ski resort with a hometown feel, or pay a few bucks to access Keystone Mountain’s cat-accessed terrain.

If you’re visiting a new-to-you resort, see if they have a Hidden Tracks program, like Solitude Mountain Resort’s: this private, guided program grants you access to the best side country and gated terrain the resort has to offer, and you get a lesson in skiing off-piste while you’re at it. Read more about my Hidden Tracks experience.

If you feel ready for an all-day backcountry adventure, check out Ski Utah’s Interconnect. The backcountry ski excursions the Interconnect offers are quite truly amazing. While you need to be an advanced skier to participate, you don’t have to be experienced in the backcountry. The trained guides will carry all the avi gear you need and will provide the expertise.

Depending on the excursion you choose, you ski up to six Utah ski resorts in one day, connecting them via backcountry. Along the way, you’ll ski side and backcountry, boot pack a few times, and side slip (side step on your skis) at a few key points, too. While challenging physically, the Interconnect offers some of the back fresh powder in the Wasatach, takes you to points you might have only seen on postcards, and will get you hooked on skiing off the beaten path. A day with the Interconnect folks includes lunch and access to all the resorts you’ll be passing through.

Know before you book: As noted, you’ll need to be an advanced skier. Because several of the resorts on the tour do not permit snowboards, it’s a skier-only excursion. While it’s important to be able to ski a variety of terrain, it’s equally important to be fit enough to hike through snow (carrying your skis) and side slip. It also helps to not fear moderate heights. You’ll need to bring a small backpack (a hydration pack size is perfect) to stow extra gloves, a face mask, some snacks, and water.

In California, try at backcountry experience with Alpenglow Expeditions. Alpenglow operates out of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows and tours in the backcountry past Granite Chief lift to access out-of-boundary terrain via boot packing and skinning. Alpenglow will outfit you in AT (Alpine Touring) skis, boots, skins and backpack with avi gear if you need it. Tours are all day, and can include up to 2-3 laps of National Geographic Bowl.

Read more about my experiences with both Ski Utah Interconnect and Alpenglow Expeditions here.

Ongoing ski clinics ski camps:

If you’re lucky enough to live near a ski resort, consider signing yourself up for an ongoing adult ski clinic. You probably already have the kids in ski lessons, too! Ski clinics are often gender-specific (nice for women who want to learn without pressure from their husbands and vice versa) and the regular nature of them means you can improve over the season. Look for a clinic that utilizes the same instructor for the entire session for consistency of instruction, and it helps to have a later start time (like 9:30 or 10 am) so you have time to drop off kids at their own lessons (or at school) beforehand. Look for clinic options under ‘specialty lessons’ on most resort websites. Solitude’s Women on Wednesdays are an excellent example.

Ski camps are a great way to feel like a kid again while enjoying some adult time and improving your ski ability by leaps and bounds. Alta Lodge’s women’s camps are a great example: bunk with a ski buddy, enjoy meals at the lodge and nice long ski days filled with instruction, then relax each evening in the hot tub and at the bar with new friends. Yes, please!

If you can’t quite carve out a whole week, Northstar California plays host to Her Mountain retreats, a two-day event held several times per ski season (then again several times per summer for mountain bike enthusiasts). During Her Mountain, women receive two days of specialized lessons by a female instructor, guided yoga, apres-ski events, and even the Platinum tōst experience on the mountain. This experience is an elevated version of the 2 pm tōst (where every Northstar guest can enjoy complimentary champagne or sparkling cider). Platinum Tōst is at 1 pm and includes a dedicated seating area with fire pit, a s’mores kit, a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, and a picnic of charcuterie that is hearty enough to be a full lunch. Her Mountain doesn’t include lodging, so you can pick your level of luxury to economic accommodations.

First Tracks programs:

Ditch the family sleeping soundly at the ski condo and head out for first tracks! These programs are offered at many resorts and allow you to hop on the first chair at 8:15 am instead of 9 am. Often, First Tracks is free to guests staying at certain resort properties or come with a low cost. The key is to sign up early, because there are only a few spots each day offered. You’ll get to track up that perfect corduroy first, and enjoy a nice breakfast afterward.

How do you like to elevate your ski day experience?

What to expect from a ski vacation during COVID

November 9, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

Skiing and snowboarding families should expect some differences at ski resorts this year. Ready to try a ski vacation during COVID? Read on!

Ski vacation during COVID: what to expect!

The good news: ski vacations are inherently safe, since they’re outdoors with plenty of fresh air and exercise. Families can pod together easily at ski resorts, and many resorts are expects a La Nina year! Here’s what to expect from a ski vacation during COVID:

Masks in lift lines and in lodges:

This is easy…you and your family are probably already wearing Buffs or other face coverings. If not, outfit your family with any type of balaclava, buff, bandana, or ski mask. If it’s a warm day, simply wear your face covering around your neck when you’re on the slopes. And be sure to check out ski and snowboard in Idaho for fantastic vacation ideas.

Chair lift rides with your crew only:

Again, no big deal, since most chairs seat 4-6 people, and you probably ride up the slopes with your family anyway. Could this mean longer than usual lift lines, as lifties are required to load some chairs with fewer people on them? Yes, so be prepared to rest your legs a bit longer than you might like.

Some lodges closed for the season:

This one can be seen as a bummer, or as an opportunity: some ski resorts will be limiting lodge services. For instance, Mt. Ashland Ski Area‘s historic lodge will be closed for warming, lift ticket purchases, and food services, and will only be open for families to pick up rentals or meet for lessons.

This means that skiing and snowboarding may remind parents of the slopes of their childhoods, when a ski day did not include a $15 burger or ramen bar at lunch. Families will need to tailgate, bring packed sandwiches to eat on the chair, or plan more half-day experiences.

Walk-up ticket sales will be limited:

Most resorts, such as Squaw Valley, will limit walk-up tickets, in order to better control how many guests are on the slopes any given day. Day tickets will still be available, but they will need to be purchased in advance on the website. If day-of tickets are still available online, they may still be purchased.

fOther resorts, such as most Vail Resorts, plan to use a reservation system directly limiting the number of guests per day. This reservation system may be lifted later in the season. At Northstar California, for example, day passes won’t be sold at all until after a soft start for season passholders from opening day until mid-December.

This is the year to splurge on that annual pass:

Because of reservation systems and limits on walk-up sales, the best way to ensure your ski vacation during COVID–and the best way to plan in advance–is to purchase annual passes at your favorite resort. Annual passholders will be granted the most access and receive the most perks this ski season.

Are you ready for the 2020-21 ski season? Prep now by waxing and tuning your own skis with our DIY guide!

Skiing in Utah: Eagle Point ski vacation planning

January 16, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

When planning a ski vacation in Utah, families are spoiled for choice. There are over a dozen major resorts in the Salt Lake City area alone, and many of them are probably on your radar. We love Salt Lake ski resorts, but before you make the decision to head to one of the big destination resorts of Utah, consider a little gem in the southern end of the state.

What is Eagle Point, where is it, and why should we go there?

Ready to get your Eagle Point ski vacation planning on? Eagle Point is a small, boutique ski resort just outside of Beaver, Utah. It’s about three hours’ drive from Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, depending on which way you’re coming on I-15, followed by a winding, steep access road that you’ll want to ascend in the daylight. I’m using the word ‘boutique’ in the sense that Eagle Point is small, personalized, and niche, not that it’s upscale…because it’s not. In fact, it’s delightfully rustic, with a rough-around-the-edges feel that makes me think of my childhood ski trips.

Why bring your family all the way to Eagle Point? The easy answer would be, price. Families can still ski Eagle Point for under $50 for an adult lift ticket (around $30 for kids), and the resort’s ski-in, ski-out condos are incredibly affordable. You could spend a week at Eagle Point for a fraction of the cost of a week at a larger ski resort. But an affordable price is not the full story.

Eagle Point is a resort that still retains the friendly, everyone-knows-each-other, hey-welcome-back atmosphere that’s been lost in many places. When you arrive at the check in desk at Canyonside Lodge, you might just be checked in by one of the resort’s enthusiastic owners, and the friendly waitress at the bar just might be your ski instructor the next day. The relatively small staff all know each other and seem to interact like family, and the small size of the resort means your kids will feel right at home in no time.

Lodging at Eagle Point:

I stayed at a condo in Wooded Ridge, which is one of the condo development options at Eagle Point. There are a few full houses to rent, but otherwise, Eagle Point is all condos, many of which are ski-in, ski-out, or close to it. A free shuttle goes back and forth between condos and both base areas every 20 minutes.

My condo slept at least five; we had a bedroom downstairs and a loft with bunk beds for three. It also had a full kitchen and living room with dining space, and ample storage space for ski gear. I loved the views of aspen trees from the outdoor balconies, and the fact that the kitchen was fully stocked with spices, cooking oil, all the pots and pans needed, a crock pot, a dishwasher with detergent, and a full-sized washer and dryer (also with detergent).

Tip: If you want to be close to Canyonside Lodge and its dining options and hot tubs, book a Canyonside area condo. You’ll be ski-in, ski-out on the Canyonside part of the resort. If anyone in your family is a beginner, however, you’ll want to start at Skyline, which will require a shuttle ride (this is explained in more depth below).

At Eagle Point, you’ll cook in your condo most of the time, so definitely stop in Beaver to buy groceries before coming up the mountain. There’s not much in the way of provisions once you’re at Eagle Point, with the exception of a small mercantile and a few dining venues (more on that in a minute). Condo renters have access to two hot tubs, which are outside behind Canyonside Lodge. There are bathrooms to change there, and a fireplace in the dining area where you can warm up after soaking.

Note: There is very limited cell service and no wifi at Eagle Point. I am told wifi is coming in 2018, but for now, plan to be off-line during your stay. Time to get out the board games!

Skiing at Eagle Point:

Eagle Point, like many Utah ski resorts, has two distinct sections, each with its own base area. The Canyonside Lodge, where you check in to your lodging, is the gateway to the expert terrain, served by Lookout lift, and a few miles up the road, the Skyline Lodge is where you’ll find the beginner and intermediate terrain, as well as the ski rentals and lessons. You’ll use the Skyline chair and Monarch chair on that side.

A ski tunnel connects the two sides, and there is a small amount of intermediate runs off Lookout chair, though not as many as we’d like. Everyone in your family really needs to be an expert skier or rider to have fun together for more than a few runs on Lookout. Gates off Lookout lead to backcountry terrain, in cooperation with the forest service, so that’s an option for expert skiers who are prepared to go outside the resort boundary.

Because the Skyline Lodge is at the TOP of the Skyline area and the Canyonside Lodge is at the bottom of the Canyonside area, getting from Canyonside to Skyline requires a shuttle ride. (You can, however, get from Skyline to the Canyonside Lodge on intermediate terrain, through the tunnel followed by a lift.) This would come in handy if the family divided up in the morning and wanted to meet for lunch.) From the Skyline side, it’s possible to ski down to most condos in the resort.

Note: Eagle Point is conservative about grooming runs. The Skyline area with beginner and intermediate terrain will all be groomed, but during my visit, only a few runs were groomed on Canyonside. This makes for a lot of non-groomed black diamonds.

Dining at Eagle Point:

For ski lunches and even breakfast, if you don’t prepare it in your condo, Skyline Lodge has the Skyline Cafe, which serves your basic ski fare. We found three options on the breakfast menu, plus coffee and drinks, and another handful of options at lunch. It’s counter service only. At Canyonside Lodge, the Outpost Grill has a full bar and dining room, with moderate pricing for burgers, wraps, and pizza, and slightly higher prices for steaks, salmon, and pasta dishes. It’s open both lunch and dinner. The food was good here, and I recommend eating out for dinner at least once during your trip, to save on the hassle of cooking in your condo.

Note: if you come back to Canyonside for dinner, remember that the free ‘mountain taxi’ shuttle only runs until 5 pm. You’ll need to drive your car or walk the short distance.

What you sacrifice in the name of low lift ticket prices at Eagle Point:

Great value in pricing comes at a cost, of course. It’s important that parents know what they WON’T find at Eagle Point, so they can make an educated decision for their family. Eagle Point does not have:

Wifi or much cell service: you can get a cell signal at Skyline Lodge area, but that’s it for most carriers. Bring DVDs to watch in the condo, because you won’t have Netflix. You may not even be able to make a call or send a text, so plan accordingly.
Fine dining: the Outpost Grill is friendly and has decently good food, but it is not gourmet.
Convenient access to hot tubs or any access to a health center: the hot tubs at Canyonside Lodge are stand-alone tubs in the snow out back of the building, with a fun, low-key atmosphere. Close to your condo they are probably not.
Terrain for advanced-intermediate skiers and riders. This is a biggie: Eagle Point has a wonderful array of beginner and easy intermediate terrain at Skyline and incredibly steep, ungroomed expert terrain at Canyonside…but not too much in-between.
Easy access from lodge to lodge. (See explanation above.)

What you WILL get is challenging skiing at a great price, with comfortable, mostly convenient lodging and a down-to-earth vibe.

Getting here:

Eagle Point is located 18 windy, steep miles off I-15 past Beaver. Take the access road slowly, as it can be difficult in ice and snow. The commute on I-15 is easy from both Las Vegas and SLC.

I was a guest of Eagle Point for the purpose of review. All opinion remains my own.

Photo credit: Amy Whitley and Paul Marshall/Ski Utah

Where to ski in Utah: Brighton Resort

January 2, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

If you just read my post reviewing Utah skiing at Solitude Mountain Resort, you know that Brighton Resort is its closest neighbor, nestled right next door in Big Cottonwood Canyon outside of Salt Lake City. Both resorts offer incredible ski terrain for experts and backcountry skiers and snowboarders, both offer a friendly, local vibe, and both have enough skiable terrain for a family to be happy for days.

Brighton Resort differs in that it does not offer on-site lodging, apart from private home rentals. There’s a big base area with a day lodge and a separate lodge with gear rentals and a snow sports shop, and a smaller lodge at an adjacent base area on the other end of the parking area. The resorts are only five minutes’ drive apart, so families can certainly stay in the Solitude village if they’re looking to stay in the canyon, and can even ski between the resorts with a resort hopper pass.

So who is Brighton Resort for?

Take a look at the Brighton mountain map, and you’ll see a sea of black diamonds. Like Solitude, Brighton is big and bold, with incredible pitches, glades, bowls, and backcountry for serious, expert skiers and riders. If you’re looking for challenge and seemingly endless skiable terrain during big snow years like 2017 has proven to be, you’ve found your place. But what if you’re a beginner or intermediate skier? The good news is that there are green circle runs even at the top of the resort, a nice touch for those who get tired of always being at or near the base while they’re learning. You’ll find green runs off the Snake Creek chair, and even off the Milly chair, which also has some of the steepest, deepest runs in the resort. Intermediate skiers and riders will want to focus on the blue-friendly Crest and Majestic chairs; this is also where you’ll find a surprisingly big selection of terrain park features.

If you’re an expert skier or rider:

Trust us, you could do laps all day on the Milly Express chair, and never get tired of the terrain. Your legs will, however, get tired. This chair was our favorite, with double-blacks on both sides of the chair, hike-to terrain along the ridge, and back bowls accessible for backcountry skiers with touring skis. Of course, all of this is dependent on conditions, and it’s essential to look at signage to see what’s open. This is big avalanche country, and the mountains should be respected.

Over on the Great Western chair, some of the steepest pitches take you down wide, mogul-filled black diamonds, and there are more tree glades with powder stashes along the far end of the resort. However, some of my favorite skiing all day at Brighton was found in what I deemed the ‘peaceful powder forest’, located near the top of Snake Creek and Crest. The woods here seemed to go on and on, with lots of powder between the trees and a more relaxing pitch.

If there’s less snow, you’ll definitely find less variety, but even then, the groomers along Crest and Big Western and Milly proved excellent. I loved the rollers and gentle curves to these runs, which got great sun throughout the day. We opted to break for lunch at the base of Milly, where the newest lodge of Brighton was far less crowded and offered excellent burgers and soups.

Planning your day at Brighton Resort:

As noted above, there is no overnight lodging at Brighton, so it will probably be a day trip for you. If you’re driving up Big Cottonwood Canyon (i.e., not staying at Solitude or in a nearby home rental), plan at least 25 minutes on an average day, and up to an hour on a holiday weekend…the traffic goes slowly on really great ski days.

Tip: Big Cottonwood Canyon is 15 miles of pretty curvy, mountainous roadway, and 4×4 drive or chains ARE required fairly regularly. You can opt to take a bus from the base of the canyon, where there’s a convenient park and ride parking lot for your car.

Because Brighton Resort is a day use resort, the parking lot does fill up on busy days. We skied Brighton on a holiday weekend after a big dump of snow, and were glad we arrived just after 9 am…by 11 am, the parking lot was completely full and people were parking on the road.

Lift tickets are under $80 per day per adult, which is relatively reasonable, by ski resort standards. Better yet, you can ‘reload’ your day pass the next day for $10 less. Kids 10 and under are FREE at Brighton, which is a fantastic perk. To save money, consider a Brighton pass if you plan to ski regularly there, because it includes free ski bus access, or, if you have a pass elsewhere, see if it’s a M.A.X. Pass resort and do a M.A.X. Pass add-on for the best value. You can get a Solitude-Brighton ticket for under $100, and ski between the two resorts, but I bet you’ll have enough to keep you busy right at Brighton.

Pin it for later!

Disclosure: I visited Brighton as a guest of the resort for the purpose of reviewing M.A.X. Pass resorts. All opinions are my own.

Keystone Resort vacation for families: Why ski Keystone with kids

January 17, 2014 By Amy Hagstrom

Almost all major ski resorts offer family-friendly amenities. However, only a handful are truly family-focused. A Keystone Resort vacation in Dillon Colorado ranks in our top three family-friendly ski resorts (along with sister property Northstar California and Big White Ski Resort). What makes Keystone kid-focused? A combination of programs, conveniences, and amenities, which, when offered in tandem, make for a dream ski trip for kids. Want a taste? Check out our Keystone Resort for kids video! You might find a few of the following kid-friendly features at any resort, but they only exist ‘under one roof’ at Keystone!

1. Ski-in, ski-out village lodging:

Yes, nearly all large resorts offer ski-in, ski-out lodging. But do they include heated outdoor pools with water slides? How about condos with game rooms, media rooms, and toddler play rooms? Everyone offers ski lockers, but at River Run Village, ski rentals, Kidtopia events (more on this below), dining, and daycare are all within easy walking distance as well. We’ve stayed in ski-in or walk-to-slopes lodging in multiple resort areas, and my nine-year-old ranked Keystone’s The Springs as the best for pool and hot tub fun, gondola access, and village access.

2. Kids ski free:

When staying two or more nights in any Keystone lodging, kids 12 and under ski free. No blackout dates, no exceptions, no kidding. We always recommend staying on-site in convenient resort lodging anyway; now, families can save lift ticket cash for a fun night out, a day with demo skis, or a special souvenir. Learn more at Kids Ski Free.

3. Weekly Kidtopia programming:

Kidtopia is a ton of fun, but many families don’t realize it’s on offer. Here’s what you need to know: when you check in at Keystone Resort, look for a weekly Kidtopia schedule. Kidtopia offers various events free to kids, based out of Kidtopia headquarters in Expedition Station in River Run Village. Kidtopia events range from face painting to cocoa with Riperoo (the Keystone mascot) to the weekly Kidtopia parade through River Run Village (every Saturday). Kidtopia headquarters also houses Ready, Paint, Fire, an art studio where kids can paint on canvas or create (and fire) their own pottery. This is a great indoor option for kids not skiing (or when poor weather brings families indoors).

4. Kidtopia snow castle and on-slope ski features:

No kid (or parent) can resist the amazing snow castle at the top of Dercum Peak! Pop off your skis and explore this multi-story snow castle, where kids can crawl through tunnels, slide down tubes, and walk through mazes made of ice and snow. The castle is a great place to take a 10 minute break from the slopes, or if you don’t want to stop, look for the School Yard features along green run School Marm, where kids can ski through Riperoo’s dog house in Riperoo’s Forest, try out small terrain features, and look for short, easy ski trails. For intermediate skiers, our favorite ski feature is the H&H mine, located off blue run Santa Fe.

5. Kamp Keystone ski and ride lessons for all abilities:

Keystone offers multiple Ski and Ride learning options, but kids will want to base their ski school experience from Kamp Keystone, the main ski school center located in Mountain House. Kamp Keystone is unique in that it offers evening activities (for a fee) and—this is a biggie—guarantees your child the same instructor every day (if booking lessons for at least three days). Consistency is key with resort ski lessons (and hard to come by) so enrolling in Kamp Keystone definitely gives kids an edge. Inside Kamp Keystone, kids can play on a replica ski kat or snowmobile while waiting to be registered, and if they need rental equipment, it’s fitted for them in-house (no carrying and confusion required). Abilities from ‘never evers’ to advanced and expert skiers are accommodated; my expert nine-year-old had a great group lesson with kids of his own age and ability. And because Keystone is a Vail Resort, it offers EpicMix Academy, an online record of your child’s daily lesson report, complete with current level (making it easy to migrate to other Vail Resort ski schools throughout the season).

6. Adventure Center and additional activities:

Kids taking an afternoon or morning off from the slopes can go tubing at Adventure Point, take a gondola ride to The Outpost (at over 11,000 feet) for a fondue dinner, take a sleigh ride to a historic ranch, or ice skate on either the Dercum rink in River Run Village or the lake in Lakeside Village (largest Zamboni-served ice skating rink in the nation). All the above activities can be booked directly from Keystone (call the Adventure Center in Lakeside Village), making Keystone a great resort for families with kids of many ages and ski abilities.

Read our Keystone Resort overview for families for dining picks, lodging descriptions, and on-mountain reviews!