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We have moved to Family Ski Vacations blog to provide you more ski news, the latest reviews from the best family ski resort destinations and tips on teaching your kids to ski and planning your next family ski vacation.

Visit our Family Ski Vacation blog here http://familyskitrips.com/family-ski-vacations/

See our recent blog on Storing your ski Gear away properly for summer!

Read about Warren Miller's 65 Ski Movies including this year's ne No Turning Back!

Looking for the best ski resorts in the East, the finest ski resort hotels in the Western Rockies, the most luxurious ski hotels in Canada and the top ski resorts in Europe, visit our Luxury Ski Vacation blog before planning the best luxury ski vacation ever.

Thanks! See you on the slopes!
Family Ski Trips & Luxury Ski Trips

Things are hot in Park City, The Canyons and Vail...

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The snow has melted, and things are heated in Utah's Park City. After months of deliberation, and years of an ongoing dispute between Talisker and Park City Mountain Resort, a Utah  judge ruled May 21, 2014 that Park City Mountain Resort missed its ski terrain lease renewal in 2011, and the three subsequent years.

The judge also ruled that Park City Mountain Resort ’s owner, Powdr Corp, was not denied the first right of refusal to operate Canyons Resort prior to Talisker reaching their deal with Vail Resorts. Talisker owns much of Park City Mountain Resort 's ski terrain,  and operates the abutting Canyons Resorts  which they recently leased to Vail Resorts.

According to Ski Area Management, CEO of Powdr John Cumming said in response to this court decision “Even if Vail ultimately prevails in this litigation, it cannot possibly operate a resort on the leased property. They do not own the adjacent lands and facilities that are essential for ski operations to take place. And they are not for sale.”

There is no dispute that Park City Mountain Resort does own the base facilities where Park City Mountain Resort 's ski lifts emanate from. But as a result of this ruling, it cannot operate on the majority of the ski terrain - for which a $150,000 a year lease was offered in 2011 but not renewed by Park City Mountain Resort. Therefore any rate, term or right of access has expired according to the judgment. In an open letter in March of 2014 by Robert Katz ,Vail Resort CEO, Vail Resorts had been "willing to purchase the base and parking facilities from Park City Mountain Resort " at fair market value. Powdr Corp continues to appear to have no interest in this. Re: Powdr, that's not a typo- that's how the corporation name is spelled - not Powder.

Powdr and Park City Mountain Resort have referenced Vail as a bully, saying Vail was looking for a "steal of a deal" and that Vail would monopolize this Utah ski region if they operated two of Park City’s three ski resorts.

Powdr and Park City Mountain Resort will appeal, and say they plan to operate this season as usual. Meanwhile Vail Resorts and Talisker are looking for a negotiated settlement and back rent for the unpaid lease of terrain dating back to 2011. While Vail owns and operates 10 ski resorts - Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado ski country, and Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in California, Powdr owns 9 from Mt Bachelor in Oregon to Pak City Mountain Resort, Ski Las Vegas, and Killington/Pico in Vermont. Ian Cumming, founder of Powdr, recently bought majority share of Snowbird Utah in May from Dick Bass... but that deal reportedly will not be part of Powdr's ski resort conglomerate...

As for future plans at Park City Mountain Resort, Vail Resorts expressed full support of One Wasatch, Ski Utah's proposal to interconnect  seven Utah ski resorts,  Snowbird, Alta, Solitude, Brighton, Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort, and Canyons using six lifts, all on private land and with private funding, on one ski pass. ONE Wasatch if approved by public and state permitting would be European like in its vast ski connection of unique resorts, to include 18,000 skiable acres, 700 trails, and 100 lifts connecting Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons and Park City.

Currently, Deer Valley and Alta, while willing participants in the Wasatch interconnect, do not allow snowboarders. But that's another pending lawsuit  in Utah - snowboarders claiming that Alta's snowboard ban is discrimination on US Forest Service land. Wow, can't everyone in Utah get along? Do we need a ski group hug?

For the latest ski news you can use, be sure to check our websites, Family Ski Trips and Luxury Ski Trips till snow flies again.

Longest ski season in the East and West!

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Bragging rights are earned in the ski biz by claiming the longest ski season. A serious commitment to snowmaking and man power are required to ski from Halloween to Memorial Day, Mother Nature's cold support helps too.

Killington has stepped up to the plate the past few seasons. This winter, Killington hosted the most skiing in New England, 199 days from October 24, 2013 to May 18, 2014. The Beast of the East had an even longer season the previous year, October 14, 2012- Memorial Day May 27, 2013.

For other late spring skiing resorts in the East, Jay Peak stayed open for Mother's Day skiing closing May 11, 2014. Sugarloaf closed May 4, Sunday River's last day of skiing was April 20 and Bretton Woods gave free skiing on Patriots day April 21. The good news for New England skiers and riders is that Killington, Sunday River, and now Jay Peak and Sugarloaf are all vying for longest ski season bragging rights. The winners - skiers!

2013-14 was a super cold and snowy winter for much of the North East. The Weather Channel exhausted its A-Z snowstorm names across the country starting with Atlas, to #26 Zephyr that dumped 43 inches of snow in Colorado May 10-13. That became rain that wiped out the East remaining skiing.

Still skiing out west is Arapahoe Basin in Colorado, Mt Hood Timberline and Mt Bachelor in Oregon, Mammoth in California, and Snowbird Utah. Aspen's Ajax will reopen for Memorial Day weekend skiing since they have so much snow.

After those last sweet spring corn snow turns, pack your snowboard and ski gear away properly, clean & dry, so you are ready to ski next October. Halloween skiing is just a few months away!

While you are waiting for next winter, check out our Family Ski Resort Vacation Guide and our latest Luxury Ski Vacation recommendations to plan your next ski vacation.

Storing your ski gear for summer

Mt Bachelor Oregon

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Ski season is over for most of us. We at Family Ski Trips ended with 50 ski days, 26 ski resorts in 3 countries. That made for well over 1.3 million vertical feet skied and some amazing adventures - no bad days as they say. We are grateful and we are packing it in... How about you?

Yes, there are a few ski resorts still spring skiing this May - Killington and Jay Peak in the East, and in The West - Mammoth California, Arapahoe Basin and Loveland Colorado, Snowbird in Utah and Mt Bachelor in Oregon will keep going into May at least. In Canada Whistler Blackcomb and Lake Louise are still skiing. In Europe you can keep skiing in Zermatt, Saas Fee, Adelboden, Davos, Ischgl, Gstaad Glacier 3000, and Solden, and Val D'Isere.

Only the most intrepid skier are still carving turns or hiking to ski Tuckerman Ravine - earning their ski turns. Most skiers and riders got their fill of snow and skiing during this epic snow witner and have turned the page to warm weather activities of golfing, biking, boating....

Switzerland's Jungfrau - Murren Schilthorn

But before you fast forward to summer sports, don't forget to store your ski gear properly. You don't want to toss everything in the basement in May only to find rust on your ski edges and mold on your ski clothing come fall. See our helpful ski storage tips and how to pack your ski gear away properly to prevent damage and protect your prized ski possessions.

See you on the high seas, until I see you on the slopes next winter! We have big plans for next year's Luxury Ski Vacations to ski Idaho's Schweitzer and Silver,  Whitewater and Red Mountain in BC next ski season, as well as exploring more of Europe skiing the Swiss Alps of St Moritz, Davos Klosters, Laax and Lenzerheide.  Cheers!

By Heather Burke Editor of www.familyskitrips.com  & www.luxuryskitrips.com

Ski season continues through Easter & Patriots Day

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If you were prepping your taxes or raking your yard last weekend, you missed some of the best skiing all year. Sunshine, soft snow, spring parties and pond skimming, and then it snowed on Sunday in the higher elevation mountains. So have no fear, there is still more New England skiing on tap. 14 ski resorts are still spinning in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Last year  on Tax Day there were only 9 ski resorts remaining in the game.

Easter Sunday will be the grand finale for most, although given the quaintly of snow, a few ski areas have pledged to keep going beyond Patriots Day Monday April 21.

In Maine, Sugarloaf, Sunday River and Saddleback are all open and planning fun events for Easter Sunday.  Sugarloaf has East Coast Pond Skimming next Saturday, and $59 lift ticket for the remainder of the season.  Sunday River will have free skiing Patriots Day Monday April 21 as their season finale.

For New Hampshire ski areas, Bretton Woods is closed midweek, but will reopen for April 19-21 with special Patriots Day ticket prices of $17.76 on Monday April 21 including a bonus voucher for early season next winter.  Cannon and Loon are both 61% open this week through Easter weekend. Wildcat vows to keep going, but will close Tuesday April 15 given the forecast, reopening Wednesday with $40 midweek tickets.

In Vermont ski country, Jay Peak, Mount Snow, Smugglers Notch, Sugarbush, Stowe and Stratton are still skiing on more than 50% of their terrain. Stowe will host its 60th Easter Sunrise Service, and lift tickets through April 20 are just $49 - a steal for Stowe. Killington  is on ski day 174, and plans to keep going as late as snow allows, with Nor'Beaster Pond Skimming this Saturday and Easter services Sunday.

Be sure you know before you go, as conditions and operating hours change unexpectedly in spring. These are the bonus days of winter, especially when the snow softens to creamy corn and you shed layers and feel the sun shine in. Watch the forecast, as the right temperatures and clear skies make or break a spring ski day. 

See you on the slopes. As published on www.Boston.com/ski 

by Heather Burke www.familyskitrips.com  & www.luxuryskitrips.com 

Skiing the Ravine - Tuckerman's Spring Ski Ritual

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Now's the time of year more and more skiers head into Tuckerman's Ravine on Mt Washington to enjoy true spring skiing, au natural, no lifts, no grooming, just the great White Mountains under a blanket of winter's snow. The sun comes out, the partyers do too. Trekking the 2 mile ascent up from Pinkham Notch into the bowl to be surrounded by snow, like minded skiers, and folks who are eager to celebrate the essence and the end of the sport of skiing for the winter.  Tuckerman's is an Eastern skiers rite of passage, certainly the passage from winter to spring.
Tuckerman's has been attracting skiers since the 1930s, the first Inferno race was held on these Mt Washington south slopes in 1933. Tony Matt made it famous tucking the headwall in 1939. Today you see other crazy stunts, costumes and hard core skiers attempt the snowfield, the headwall and Hillman's Highway.

Me, I prefer riding the high speed Wildcat Express across the valley, enjoying my cushy quad ride, resting my quads and doing 2,100' vertical laps on groomed snow that softens to perfect corn in the spring. Why hike when I can ride a 6 minute lift? I get the allure of Tucks, I did it as a teenager. Its a lot of ski gear to carry up the Fire Trail for those few runs. The party is fun, but its kind of a freak show on weekends these days. With as many as 4,000 people on a sunny spring Saturday, dare I say some don't know what they are doing up there, which scares me.

I urge folks to know before the go... check the avalanche danger, be prepared for the natural elements, changing weather, and don't put yourself or other skiers and riders at risk. PS: remember that you have to carry your empty beer cans and yourself out at the end of the party.

See more on Skiing Mt Washington's Tuckerman's' Ravine and skiing at Wildcat at Family Ski Trips!

What a ski winter! Ready for spring skiing?

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What an amazing snowy winter for skiers. Like pennies from heaven, snow storms have been very kind to New England ski resorts, and much of the west. The big winner for snow out west is Big Sky Resort -planning to keep skiing through Easter April 20! Snow season started late for Lake Tahoe, Mammoth, Colorado and Utah, but now they are catching up and catching fresh tracks. with more frequent snow

In New England, cold temps and continuous snow fall has assured skiers of a great ski season. I am at day 44, counting well over a 1,200,000 vertical feet!  And I am not done skiing... could make 50 days! Ironically I have not enjoyed some of the best skiing in New England, travelling from The Alps to Oregon's snowy volcano. And still to come  is my favorite part of ski season - Spring!

How did I miss out on much of New England's snowy winter? Let's see, we skied Big Sky Montana in January- enjoying the new Big Sky Moonlight ownership for the biggest skiing in America.

Early February we hit Western Canada to discover new ski resorts Kicking Horse and Revelstoke - both steep scenic exciting mountains in British Columbia. We also had the adrenaline fix of heli skiing inthe Purcell Mountains with Purcell Heli Skiing and the legendary heli ski terrain of the Monashees with Eagle Pass Heli Skiing.

March we made the epic trip to the Swiss Alps, our second visit there in two years! Skiing the Jungfrau Region was amazing, we'll not soon forget the White Hare off piste run at Wengen, racing down the Lauberhorn or fresh snow of the SchilthornPiz Gloria - very James Bond 007! Gstaad was a surprise - the ski region is spread out over 14 villages, and seven ski sectors - here we stayed at the best Swiss ski hotels - 5 star and fabulous. Two unexpectedly great ski resorts we enjoyed were Engelberg Titlis and Haslital - both incredibly scenic and not yet on most skiers lists...but they should be.

Last but not least, we skied a volcano! Mt Bachelor Oregon delivered fantastic skiing - you can ski all 360-degrees of this conical dormant peak. We had sunshine and superb views two days then got dumped on with 8 inches of dense powder the last two. Staying in the cool town of Bend kept us amused après ski - this great town has the most breweries per capita of any! Cheers to beers after skiing Bachelor's volcano !

So I will see you on the slopes. Sunday River still has all their trails open, 800 acres of springs skiing. Sugarloaf is the King of Spring - Reggaefest and Easter skiing are the Loaf's most loved events of the entire season. Killington has brought the Beast of the East back to life, indicating they will keep lifts spinning as long as they can to reclaim their longest ski season title.

How many days of skiing have you had this winter? Can you calculate your vertical feet accumulation? Or are you just grateful for any and every day on the snowy ski slopes? 

Sochi ski success for US Ski and Snowboard Teams

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The most expensive Olympics ever is over. The Sochi experiment paid off with the motherload of medals for Mother Russia. Vladimir's Russian athletes won 33 medals -13 of them Golds. While the US was tied for a while, we ended up fourth behind Norway and Canada. Of the 28 US medals, 8 of the 9 Golds were earned in skiing and snowboarding. 

Sage Kotsenburg kicked it off for the US winning the first Gold of the Games, in the first Olympic Snowboard Slopestyle, going huge after Shaun White had second thoughts and withdrew.  Jamie Anderson won Sochi's Snowboard Slopestyle first for the females.

The highlight for me was Joss Christensen, Gus Kenworthy and Nick Goepper sweeping the Men's

Slopestyle Skiing for the US in the first ever Olympic ski venue. Devin Logan won Silver on the ladies side. David Wise and Maddie Bowman won Ski Halfpipe for the US, and  Kaitlyn Farrington grabbed Gold in Snowboard Halfpipe. Alex Deibold won Bronze in Snowboard Cross. Mogul Skier Hannah Kearney took Bronze. No US aerial or ski cross medals this time around.

Ted Ligety and Mikaela Shiffrin won Alpine skiing Golds in GS and Slalom. Mikaela filled Lindsey Vonn's fast and fabulous boots with beauty and poise. Andrew Weibrecht took Silver in Super G. Bode Miller got Bronze,gained the the title "oldest Olympic Alpine medalist" at 36, and became the most talked about for his about post race emotions as Christin Cooper probed about his passed brother Chilly. Julia Mancuso brought home Bronze in Combined Slalom.

In my opinion, Ralph Lauren redeemed the US athletes at the Closing Ceremony, the navy pea coat with red stripe was more patriotic and less ugly Christmas sweater party than the Opening outfits. NBC's coverage was trying at times, too many ads - we nicknamed the Games "The Adlympics, and too much talk of Bob Costa's pink eye. To top it off, last night's ludicrous 90-minute rehash of the Tonya Harding Nancy Kerrigan scandal should have been iced, and never aired on Primetime. Really?! to quote Seth Myers.

Russia's $50 billion venues host the Paralympics at Sochi this week. Then the thousands of expensive hotel rooms at Sochi, the ski slopes and gondola cars at Rosa Khutor Ski Resort are wide open. Can you say ski trip to Sochi? Not me... not just yet. More friendly Swiss Alps to ski  first...

See more reviews and news at Family Ski Trips and Luxury Ski Trips

US Ski and Snowboard events at Sochi win most medals

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Freestyle skiing and snowboarding now account for 12 of the 26 Olympic medals at Sochi - putting Americans in the lead for now, with US alpine racing contributing five more to the medal count with Ted Ligety & Mikaela Shiffrin's Gold in GS and Slalom respectively, Andrew Weibrecht's Silver, Bode Miller and Julia Mancuso's Bronze.

 

David Wise and Maddie Bownman won the first ever Olympic Skiing Halfpipe Gold for the US. Joss Christensen, Gus Kenworthy and Nick Goepper swept the podium in Men's Ski Slopestyle, while Devin Logan won Silver - also the first ever Winters Game to allow Ski Slopestyle as an official medal sport. Sage Kotsenberg won Snowboard Slopestyle, while Kaitlyn Farrington won Snowboard Halfpipe, Kelly Clark grabbed Bronze.

 

The ski and snowboard events at Rosa Khutor have been a stage of sunshine an soft snow with 60 degree temps to start the games, then fog and freezing rain which delayed certain alpine and free skiing events. Some athletes criticized the Extreme Park halfpipe and skier cross courses as dangerous. But the overall medal haul has been worthy!

 

Go Team USA. See more on Family Ski Trips and Luxury Ski Trips

 

Can snowboarders sue Alta Ski Area, seriously?

 
 
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Three ski resorts remain in the US that ban boarding, Mad River Glen, Deer Valley and Alta. Taos New Mexico lifted their snowboard ban in 2009. Now Alta's boarding ban is up for litigation grabs.
Alta is being sued for unlawfully prohibiting snowboarders on US Forest Service land. The January 15 2014 lawsuit filed by Wasatch Equality, a non-profit group formed solely for this purpose, states Alta's snowboard prohibition violates the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.
Jonathan Schofield Wasatch Equity's Attorney, said “Alta is one of only three ski resorts in the US that does not allow snowboarding, and Alta is the only one that is operated on public land controlled by the Forest Service. Alta’s actions must comply with the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. Alta’s prohibition against snowboarders excludes a particular class of individuals from use and enjoyment of public land based on irrational discrimination against snowboarders, which denies them equal protection under the law as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.”
Alta Ski Area has guarded their  Ski Area moniker and snowboarding  ban since the 1980s. Alta is interconnected to Snowbird, which allows both skiers and snowboarders, but signs at the resorts' shared border turn away unwelcome boarders - back to The 'Bird. 
"Are people still snowboarding? I hear that sport is dying," said Mad River Glen marketing director Eric Friedman.  "I don't think they have a leg to stand on with this Alta lawsuit, but I am not a lawyer. What's awesome about our situation at Mad River Glen is we are on private land, and our snowboarding ban is up to the co-op (since 1995). If our owners, the shareholders, wanted to allow snowboarding, they could tomorrow. The attitude was waning at one point, but after Burton did their poach challenge in 2008, that turned everyone off." Vermont's  Mad River Glen first allowed snowboarders in 1986, then banned boards beginning in 1991.
There are 486 snow sports areas in the US that allow snowboarding, 197 are on US Forest Service land. Does the Alta snowboard lawsuit have merit or is it mere frivolity clogging the US court system?  Is it irrational discrimination to prevent them from riding on US Forest slopes? Can snowboarders argue that they are a "protected class" within the meaning of the Constitution? Besides, isn't there enough terrain in Utah for snowboarders that they don't need to sue this last skiers' vertical vestige - a ski area that expressly doesn't welcome or want their presence or their purses? I'm going skiing... maybe Mad River Glen - there slogan "ski it if you can" has a wonderful double entendre.

Aspen X Games are over, exit to Sochi!

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The Winter XGames from Aspen are wrapped for another year. ESPN has continued the contract to the coveted Ski, Snowboard and Snowmobile Games til 2019! Sweet gig for Aspen's Buttermilk, the smallest of Aspen's four ski mountains including Ajax, Highlands and Snowmass. This season, skiing and snowboarding's best athletes brought big tricks to a boisterous Colorado crowd. For many athletes, this year's XGames were  stepping platform to the performance in the Sochi Olympics February 8 2014. The XGames are like the MTV Awards to winter sports, edgier than the Olympics or the Grammy's -which aired simultaneously with the XGames last night.  We you channel flipping from ESPN in Aspen to ABC's Grammy coverage from Hollywood?

Big winner at Winter X include Kelly Clark, the 30-year old snowboarder from Vermont won her fourth X Games Gold in Snowboard SuperPipe. Clark is going to Sochi to compete in Olympic Halfpipe with teammates Kaitlyn Farrington - who took XGames Silver at Aspen, and Vermont's Hannah Teter.

In Men's Snowboard SuperPipe, Danny Davis won Gold, with Louie Vito earning silver and Greg Bretz bronze. Gold medal winner 6x Shaun White did not ride in the XGames, saving his snowboard strength for Sochi. You will see White compete against his teammates Danny Davis and Greg Betz at Sochi's Rosa Khutor on Feb 11 in Olympic Superpipe. Shaun White will also perform in the first ever Olympic Snowboard Slopestyle on Feb 8.

In Men's Ski Slopestyle, Nick Goepper won his 2nd X Games Gold. He'll compete at Sochi  in the first ever Olympics ski slopestyle, along with teammates Gus Kenworthy, Joss Christensen and Bobby Brown. If you have been to the Dumont Cup at Sunday River, you have seen these guys compete alongside Simon Dumont. Unfortunately, Dumont injured his ACL, sidelining him from both the XGames and Olympics.

In Men's Ski Halfpipe, David Wise won his 3rd XGames Gold, he'll head to Olympic Ski Halfpipe's debut along with Torin Yater-Wallace - the 18 year old super skier from Aspen. In Women's Ski Halfpipe Maddie Bowman won Gold, she is competing in Sochi's first Women's Olympic Ski Halfpipe, along with Andover, Mass. teammate Annalisa Drew.

In Men's Snowboard Cross, Nate Holland won his 6th Gold, beating fellow Olympic bound SBX Alex Diebold and Trevor Jacob. In a surprising twist, Sugarloafer Seth Wescott was eliminated early at Aspen, and unfortunately did not secure a spot on the Olympic Snowboard Cross team to defend his two Gold medals. Nick Baumgartner will go to Sochi as the 4th man instead.

In Women's Snowboard Cross Lindsey Jacobellis won her 8th Winter X Games Gold. Jacobellis is going to Sochi, you may remember she hit a gate and was disqualified at Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and missed Gold at the 2006 Olympics when she led the pack but went for a victory grab on the final jump and fell, grabbing silver instead. Next up Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia...this should be very interesting! I think these USA athletes and the  US Alpine Ski Team should haul some serious medals at Rosa Khutor. Game on Team USA...

Where is the snow this ski season?

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This winter season started out powdery and plentiful in New England, but a post holiday thaw and several rain events have dramatically reduced trail counts in New England, Much of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are at 50% open as we enter MLK weekend. Snowmaking resumes when it is cold enough.... but the real snow is out west at a few select northern ski resorts.

Big Sky Resort in Montana has base depths of  up to 67'' and growing - among the best snow conditions in the country right now along with Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole in Wyoming, Alta/Snowbird in Utah, and Steamboat in Colorado. With Big Sky's recent acquisition of neighboring Moonlight Basin and Spanish Peaks ski areas, Big Sky now delivers 5,750-acres of ski terrain - the biggest skiing in America - on one ticket. You should be considering at trip to Big Sky this winter!  Or Grand Targhee...  get out and ski! 

Photos of Big Sky Montana, January 2014 courtesy of Family Ski Trips and Luxury Ski Trips

Biggest Skiing in America - BOOM!

I have loved skiing at Big Sky Montana since 2004 when I first visited this beautiful part of the world and skied this amazing ski terrain. The Lone Peak Tram takes you to 11,166' of wide open wild bowl skiing - Liberty Bowl, The Dictator Chutes, The Big Couloir, and The North Summit snowfields to Moonlight Basin.  Big Sky rivals all the big boys, Vail, Jackson Hole, Whistler, Alta/Snowbird! But Big Sky isn't all crazy steep high elevation terrain. The Montana ski resort also boasts beautiful groomed runs off the Swift Current and Ram Charger quads, and gentle wonderful slopes in the sun on Southern Comfort - with amazing views of the grand mountain mansions at Yellowstone Club. When the sun is out, Lone Peak resembles the Matterhorn, a tall impressive peak...

Then there's the Moonlight Basin - a 10 year old resort started by Montana ranchers, managed in and out of bankruptcy by Leeman Brothers, and now owned by Big Sky Resorts, thanks to investment by Sam Byrne the CFO of Yellowstone Club. Now Big Sky offers the biggest skiing in America, over 5,700 acres, 33 lifts, and 4,350' vertical.

If you haven't heard of Big Sky yet, you will, and if you haven't skied Big Sky yet...you should!

Learn to ski & snowboard - January 2014

Friends shouldn't teach friends to ski! It's a recipe for trouble... teaching your friend to ski or snowboard can send your relationship downhill, fast! Haven't you seen the boyfriend teaching his gal to ski and she's crying? How about the snowboarder dude watching his buddy flounder and fall on the bunny slopes without a clue about what to do?

The best-friend thing to do is to get your friend into a proper lesson, therefore reducing the risk of injury, shortening their learning curve, and improving their enjoyment of the snow sport. Side benefit for friends -  keeping your friendship intact. January  2014 is "Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month", now in year 6 thanks to the National Ski Areas Association, the Professional Ski Instructors of America and the National Ski Patrol. Ski resorts across the country are offering great incentives for discounted first time ski and snowboard packages, plus lift ticket deals and rewards for sharing skiing and snowboarding with friends.
Throughout New England ski resorts and the Western Rocky mountains are many Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month ski and snowboard lesson specials. If you introduce a friend to snowsports - or two or three, you can enter to win prizes as the ambassador at Bring a Friend that brings new friends to the sport.

So don't break your friendship with a bad intro to the sport you love, bring a friend to a ski or snowboard lesson in January and you will both win. Meet up for apres ski stories and hot tubs, still friends, after their lesson and your laps on the high speed quad! For more ski resorts with Bring a Friend deals in January, check out www.SkiAndSnowboardMonth.org
For tips on what to pack for skiing and how to dress properly for a day of skiing, see our Family Ski Trips guide to skiing and snowboarding!

Happy Trails in 2014!

A few of my favorite ski things!

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Like Oprah has her favorite things, here are my must-haves, winter warmers, ski niceties on the mountain, to enhance your ski day, ski vacation and vertical time!

Skiing comfort starts from the inside out. I love Hot Chillys as a base layer bottom -  great technical fabric with a seamless finish. SmartWool ski socks are a favorite too. Make sure your layers are smooth from your long undies to outer layers, no gaps or wrinkles - which get worse throughout the ski day. I just discovered adea, a Shrewsbury Mass company, they make beautiful base layer tops with Italian style and quality. Their tops are silky soft, but offer moisture wicking and  UV protection, and the microfiber doesn't pill, fade or lose its shape. The base layers are super light, perfect for travel as they are stylish enough to wear to après ski, and you can hand-wash them and they dry in an hour (read: less packing).

My Sugarloaf friend Julie Swain invented the warmest bra on the planet, really! I challenge you to find a warmer boulder holder on the mountain than this Polartec fleece bra. Leave it to a Loafer to come up with this, but its wicked warm, 100% fleece, soft and fuzzy on your skin too. You can find the Fleece Sports Bra on Amazon or Etsy.

For the cheap but thoughtful date, I still swear by disposable pocket hand warmers and toe warmers. HotHands  fire up heat inside your gloves and boots for 8 hours, great ski value at a buck a pair, even cheaper by the case, saving you potentially costly trips inside the lodge between runs. I admit I have a pack a day habit.

The Serius Snowdana is my security blanket neck warmer, it looks as stylish as possible and provides important face protection, lightweight cover from the wind and cold, and SPF. It's easy to wash and pack. 

For your ski man:

The Ski Bumper is a magnetic strip that you place on your car to keep your gear upright when you are unloading and packing. Haven't we all watched our skis slide along our car, scratching the paint job before hitting the ground?  Bo from Colorado's ski Bumper is $16, magnetic, totally detachable and eliminates that problem. All about the snow Bo also invented the Prep Pad for $13 for you to stand on in the parking lot while putting on your skis boots- keeping your ski sox, boots and your car carpet clean - priceless.  

For the Kids in your ski car:

My kids loved skiing Legos and wicky stix, bendable ski figures that take up minimal room in the car, ski bag, condo, but allow the kids to use their big imagination. My ski kids are grown up now but they would have loved Shredz, pose-able snowboarding action figures with their own detachable helmet, snowboard, and ID card. Shredz start at $10. You can takethe snowboard action toys inside or out on the snow, and they have free ride dud handles like Brody, Chase, Luke, and Shane.

Enjoy your family skiing, stay warm stay happy & healthy! 

Early December snow, ski fests and ski racing wins!

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What a great early December ski weekend across the US, with snow, unseasonable cold, and victory for our US Ski Team.

In New England skiing, 210 Santas took to the ski slopes at Sunday River Maine, part of the 14th annual Santa Sunday - a local fundraiser that brings out skiing and riding Santas dressed all jolly and jovial. The Santas ski free with a donation to the local rotary, and get a 2nd free lift to use before Christmas after they participate in an 11am photo shoot. If you have never seen 200 Santas schussing the snowy slopes... well, it's a White Christmas sight! Sunday River also launched their new T72 Trail this weekend, the longest jumpline in the East. This terrain park trail is the brainchild of Simon Dumont, X-Games freeskier from Sunday River, who is on his way to compete in the first ever skiing halfpipe at Sochi Olympics 2014.

Out West, snow and cold swept through Colorado, Utah and Montana. The US Ski Team men made a brilliant showing at Beaver Creek's Audi Birds of Prey World Cup - with Ted Ligety winning the GS, and teammate Bode Miller a second behind for silver.

In Utah, a snowy Deer Valley Celebrity Classic brought snow and celebs like Dr Oz sporting cool OSBE Italian made ski helmets. Sponsors of this great Celebrity Skifest, televised on CBS, include Montage Deer Valley, Paul Mitchell, OSBE and Southwest Airlines. Highlights include watching TV stars on skis and witnessing the brother rivalry of  Phil and Steve Mahre in the race gates.

Meanwhile, in beautiful Lake Louise Canada, US Ski Team sweetheart Lindsey Vonn was back in the gates, just weeks after re-injuring her knee at Copper Colorado, and 10 months after her huge Schladming Austria crash. Vonn managed to place 5th in Super GS in at Lake Louise, she's vowing that she's back and better and gunning for Gold at Sochi!

The US women's ski team is bound for St Moritz Switzerland, while the men's alpine World Cup tour heads to Val D'Isère France next. The Road to Russia, and the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics looms ever closer...game on!

Stay tuned to Family Ski Trips and Luxury Ski Trips for all the ski resort and ski racing news you can use!

A Sunday River Snowmaker's DNA...

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Words from Sunday River's snowmakers:

"It's a sickness. Anyone who makes snow is ill..."
"It takes a lot of Red Bull."
"There's always Plan B"
"If we're shut down, the mountain is shut down."
"We call it the war zone."
"This is not a job for the weak of mind or the weak of the body"
"It's part of our DNA."

"That's why this is the best mountain in America, we don't give up."
"I don't know why I am drinking coffee, I am going home to have a beer" at 6am...

See more of Man vs. Weather in Rory Strunk's video featuring Sunday River's snowmakers.... and the legendary White Heat trail turning white with 10 millions gallons of water in a 24 hour, 3 shift snowmaking day.

Thanksgiving Skiing!

Feels like winter. I don't know about you, but I am thinking Black Friday should be redubbed White Friday!

Cold temperatures and snow are sweeping across the nation, predicted to continue this Thanksgiving week. Mother Nature has obviously flipped the weather switch to winter. Skiers can give thanks this year as Turkey Day will be particularly chilly, and Black Friday more and more ski resort in the East & West are open for skiing and riding. 

18 New England ski resorts have already opened for skiing and riding this November, compared to only 9 at this time last season. Out west, Grand Targhee Wyoming is wide open with fresh snow, as is Wolf Creek Colorado. Big Sky Montana already has significant base and opens Thanksgiving day, ahead of schedule.

In New England, Killington has the most trails open (29), Sunday River and Sugarloaf in Minae are skiing on 21 and 22 trails each. New Hampshire's Bretton Woods, Loon, Waterville Valley, Wildcat are all open, Cranmore will reopen Friday. Vermont has the most ski resorts currently spinning lifts: Killington, Stowe, Okemo, Mount Snow, Stratton, Smugglers Notch and Sugarbush. Bromley and Jay Peak will re open Friday. Wachusett in Massachusetts is open, Jiminy Peak will reopen Friday.

Wouldn't you rather celebrate White Friday in the mountains on fresh snow and fresh air, than the BlackFriday rat race?! Burn calories from over stuffing yourself on Thanksgiving day.

Stay tuned for Black Friday lift ticket deals, call 'em White Sales, in your inbox in the next few days as ski resorts lure away from the shopping mall blow outs to their snowy alpine slopes!

Happy snowy Holidays!   See you on the slopes. Heather @ FamilySkiTrips & LuxurySkiTrips

Lindsey Vonn's ski verdict twists in the knee

Our Family Ski Vacation and Luxury Skiing Vacation blogs have moved, follow us at Luxury Ski Vacations and Family Ski Vacations! Thanks!

Nov 19, 2013 at Copper Mountain in Colorado, Lindsey Vonn left the ski slopes in a ski patrol sled. Hardly the exit she has been training for. Vonn was training downhill and had just tweeted a great photo catching air on her Head skis. @lindseyvonn Catching some air today in Downhill training @gopro #headwhatsyourlimit.

The next day's ski training she crashed. Vonn was seen standing after the fall, non weight bearing and with support from coaches under both shoulders before being loaded into the patrol sled to be sent for a diagnostic MRI.


Lindsey Vonn, our great girl hope for the U.S. Ski Team, had successfully returned to the slopes a few months ago,  following extensive rehab and recovery from her dramatic knee injury (MCL, ACL, fractured tibia, etc) on February 5, 2013 at Schladming Austria. After that horrific accident, Vonn was medevac'd off the mountain, then flown home on Tiger Wood's private jet to the Sports Medicine Ortho Clinic in Vail, Colorado- her hometown.

Tom Kelly, US Ski Team spokesperson, said the ski patrol toboggan was standard procedure. 29-year-old Vonn saw her Vail doctor and a statement was issued today, Wednesday, that she partially tore her ACL and  strained a  ligament in that same right knee, in addition to shoulder contusions and mild facial abrasions.

Lindsey Vonn was expected to make a return to World Cup ski racing next week at Beaver Creek, with further plans to compete in Sochi Olympic Winter Games in February 2014, defending her Downhill Gold Medal. Now that is all a big question mark.

Sunday night Lindsey Vonn was spotted with boyfriend Tiger Woods at the Chiefs-Broncos game. Last week Woods and Vonn were seen skiing at Breckenridge Colorado.

Stay tuned for word on what Lindsey's ski future is... and her dating status...we still contend she should dump Tiger the cheater, and focus on not dumping on the slopes.. ouch!

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Ticket To Ride & Ski this November

Typically November is my least favorite month, its dark, no leaves left on the trees, and daylight savings doesn't really SAVE any daylight - it just takes it away from 4pm and moves it to 6am..whatever.  And then there's the #NoShaveNovember trend... I am all for men's health awareness but not a big fan of facial hair, scraggly beards, macho mustaches, goat t's - not for me! Skin to win is my motto.  Grooming is the new social media. Even the Red Sox knew when to shave off their beards.


The one promising aspect of November is that ski season is coming. November means ski resort openings, Warren Miller movie showings, Ski Shows in major cities (my personal favorite is the Boston Ski Show Nov 14-17)  where ski resort reps give out swag, lift tickets and you get to meet your ski icons like Seth Wescott, Dan & John Egan, Wayne Wong, and US Freestyle, Snowboard and US Ski Team racers on their road to Sochi Russia's Winter Games. Cool!  

This year's Warren Miller movie Ticket to Ride looks like just the ticket to get stoked for ski season with ski celebrities and pro snowboarders like Maine snowboarder Seth Wescott, freeskier Colby West, US Ski Team's Ted Ligety and Julia Mancuso, legendary ski mountaineer Chris Davenport, and the beautiful Gretchen Bleiler. This 64th Warren Miller Entertainment film takes you to exotic ski locales like  Valdez Alaska, Montana’s Big Sky, Switzerland's Eiger in theJungfrau, and the remote mountains of  Kazakhstan, Iceland and Greenland.

For November skiing, make tracks next weekend at Killington, Sunday River and Loon. In the Western Rockies,  you can ski at Loveland, Arapahoe Basin, Copper, and  Keystone. Europe has skiing at Solden Austria, Zermatt and Saas Fee Switzerland and Tignes France.

Instead of NoShaveNovember, how about GoSkiNovember?! See you on the slopes.