Skiing With Kids in Colorado
National Geographic Traveler columnist Heather Greenwood Davis is the magazine’s family travel advocate, guru, and soothsayer.
Here’s her latest advice:
Reader Question: We are planning a ski trip to Colorado with young kids. Which ski areas are good for beginners?
My Answer: Most of the Colorado resorts will have beginner hills (green), but choose carefully.
“At Copper Mountain, a lot of the green terrain is up high on the mountain,” says Jennifer Rudolph of Colorado Ski Country. The views are gorgeous, but if your kids are nervous about heights, choose a different property like Ski Granby Ranch, where beginner runs can be seen top to bottom from the base area.
Pick lodging that will limit how far you have to carry gear. Ski in/ski out options (or good shuttle bus service) and proximity to the hills you’ll use most are key considerations.
Beware of unexpected costs: Some lessons include a lift ticket; others don’t. Aspen-Snowmass (its “Buttermilk” mountain is perfect for novice skiers and has a new kids’ ski center) and Crested Butte provide free lift tickets to kids six and under.
Take advantage of off-mountain activities. Spend an off-slope day in the soaking pools at the Old Town Hot Springs in Steamboat Springs. Beaver Creek hosts the 2015 Alpine World Ski Championships (February), giving kids plenty to watch while they sip a hot chocolate between runs.
Heather Greenwood Davis pens the “Traveling With Kids” column for National Geographic Traveler. Follow Heather on Twitter @GreenwoodDavis.
> More From Heather Greenwood Davis:
- How to Raise a Museum-Loving Kid
- Tips for Taking Your Kids on Safari
- Family Time: Raising the Bar on Adventure
Related Topics
You May Also Like
Go Further
Animals
- Cougar travels 1,000 miles in one of longest recorded treksCougar travels 1,000 miles in one of longest recorded treks
- Rare gray whale spotted in the Atlantic—and it's only the beginningRare gray whale spotted in the Atlantic—and it's only the beginning
- Why 'funga' is just as important as flora and faunaWhy 'funga' is just as important as flora and fauna
- Termite fossils prove mating hasn't changed in 38 million yearsTermite fossils prove mating hasn't changed in 38 million years
Environment
- Why the 2024 hurricane season could be especially activeWhy the 2024 hurricane season could be especially active
- Mushroom leather? The future of fashion is closer than you think.Mushroom leather? The future of fashion is closer than you think.
- This deadly fungus is hitchhiking its way across the worldThis deadly fungus is hitchhiking its way across the world
- Why 'funga' is just as important as flora and faunaWhy 'funga' is just as important as flora and fauna
- This exploding mine holds a treasure that may change the worldThis exploding mine holds a treasure that may change the world
History & Culture
- See the story of Jonah and the whale like never beforeSee the story of Jonah and the whale like never before
- This ancient mosaic offers extraordinary insights into the pastThis ancient mosaic offers extraordinary insights into the past
- These are the real dunes that inspired Dune—and you can visit themThese are the real dunes that inspired Dune—and you can visit them
- Meet the only woman privy to the plot to kill Julius CaesarMeet the only woman privy to the plot to kill Julius Caesar
Science
- Women’s bodies are understudied—but that’s starting to changeWomen’s bodies are understudied—but that’s starting to change
- Hundreds of tiny arachnids are likely on your face right nowHundreds of tiny arachnids are likely on your face right now
- What's worse than a hangover? Hangxiety. Here's why it happens.What's worse than a hangover? Hangxiety. Here's why it happens.
Travel
- A guide to Gdansk, Poland's regenerated maritime cityA guide to Gdansk, Poland's regenerated maritime city
- A taste of West Bengal, from curries to Kolkata street foodA taste of West Bengal, from curries to Kolkata street food