[Article by contributing writer and Snoqualmie resident, Amanda Rich]
It’s not too late to enjoy some skiing before the end of this season. My personal favorite skiing all year is usually in Spring!
My husband is a very good skier. He skied before he ran. He raced before he started school. He lives for great snow days. While I can’t meet his level of passion (not many people can), we are trying to teach our young daughter to ski and instill a love for the sport. We have already learned a lot about having fun as a family on the hill and picked up really great advice from other parents.
Snacks
During our recent outing, I popped a gummy bear into my daughter’s mouth at the end of her run. (No judgement please – they are organic!) No matter your nutritional spirit animal, treats make for a positive experience for some kids. We have established that the gummy bears are something we only enjoy while skiing – it makes them special. I always pack water and snacks with fuel in addition to the treats!
Grab gear they like
My husband can talk up anything and make it cool! Skiing is an expensive sport, but it’s not hard to find gently used gear to outfit kids from head to toe. My husband borrowed some skis from a friend and I was sure that my tutu-wearing lover of all things pink and sparkly would turn her nose up at the skeleton sticker. But, after my husband talked up these skis as the best, fastest skis that ever were, she loves them. And just in case I snagged some unicorn stickers online. My daughter also loves her ski outfit, too, and it wasn’t expensive. I picked up a pair of bibs for $10 and a jacket for $20 (new with tags on) through consignment sales. Her gloves were a Christmas gift and her helmet a hand-me-down from a friend. Now is a great time to save on gear that is still in-stock
Wait for good conditions
Recently, we had an unsuccessful outing that ended in tears – #momfail. It was sunny, but cold, and we didn’t anticipate that it would be too windy, but it was. As soon as we got up on the lift we were chilled and that zapped the fun from that outing for the little one. The next weekend, we tried again and had a great time!
Leave when it’s still fun
The most important rule we picked up from friends of ours – always keep them wanting more. Don’t wait until your kid is melting down and begging to go home to head out. Recently, my little one wanted to keep going, but we could tell she was getting physically tired. After enjoying some hot chocolate by the outside fireplaces at Alpental, we headed home.
The Summit at Snoqualmie still has a long list of events throughout Spring, including an Easter Egg Hunt at Alpental. Later this month, the Summit will offer advanced sales on 2019-20 season passes. Check out the web for discounts on tickets when you buy online.
