Am taking DD (6) ski-ing (Canada) for first time April 2010...advice please?

[secretsquirrel1]

Just general stuff really....

we will be on our own/well I will be when she's in ski school (unless I decide to join in a class just to meet other people) - actually advice on single mums ski-ing would also be great, please .

How much should I bother buying for DD-advice on where to hire her stuff from (April is obviously a lot 'warmer' than Feb/March which was when I used to always go)

Hotel or S/C?

Would rather plan for this than Christmas...

Any help would be great, thankyou!

[skihorse]

Where in Canada were you planning on going?
When in April?

Quebec: St. Annes, Tremblant etc. - not so great in April - real spring conditions - not so varied terrain - although not such an issue for a learner. You'd be able to combine a city trip - but don't forget, Quebec is francophone - your daughter might find this intimidating.

Alberta: Lake Louise/Banff/Sunshine - early April should be fine. Sunshine is very 'beginner' friendly but the only SC I know of in this area would be renting a condo at Castle Mountain or Seven Sisters/Canmore - which is a heck of a drive every day.

Interior BC: Kicking Horse/Fernie/Red Mountain/Silverstar : KH should be good snow wise, BUT it's a tough mountain and I'd not recommend it to a beginner! As with all these 4 - the transfer is a long one from Calgary or Kelowna. Fernie is quite low and can get rainy this late.

BC: Blackcomb/Whistler - they're having the winter Olympics this season so the prices will be "extraordinary"! These are two massive mountains however they're next to the pacific and in April the snow is melting on the lower slopes... where DD will take her lessons. Lots of rain in the village this time of year too.

On the whole I'm sceptical about going to CA for 2010 and my reasons are thus:
i) Olympics - this is going to push the prices up
ii) El Nino is reckoned to be coming in this winter - this is bad news for both BC and Alberta (mild weather, not much snow)
iii) exchange rates have been very low against $CAD - I've seen much, much cheaper deals to the US

As for clothing - don't H&M do kid's clothing? If not, TK Maxx, Aldi etc., etc.

[secretsquirrel1]

Thanks so much for that - how could I have forgotten the Olympics??

I used to go to Nelson in BC to Whitewater (last time I went though was in 2001 - it's probably been made into a great big Touristy place now!). I've been to Louise/Banff too.
I have a friend who has just bought property...Kelowna, I think, or it may be Revelstoke-trouble is, they may be there themselves....

How did you find out about El Nino??

Never been East but have heard that the runs are very 'short'.

The only reason I was thinking Canada is that I have a good friend in Vancouver so was going to spend time with her & family and maybe just a week's ski-ing which means....Whistler (actually maybe it doesn't have to at all - I could go to Mt Baker in the States....perhaps??). Of course, I'm stuck with the bloody school Easter holidays (1st 2/52 April) regime otherwise believe you me I'd be going for at least 3/52!

I didn't know Aldi did ski clothes....just that I rented the first time and it cost more than I thought that it should, and since there are a lot of cheap new things about (I can't get stressy about all the green ishoos here). And there is always E-Bay .

I don't know if I should risk it or not now....I am desperate to get back onto my ski's. I have been through the divorce from hell this year and this trip was going to be a big fat treat to myself & DD (no it wasn't because I went out in thigh boots and a mini 5 days post birth [manic grin])

[skihorse]

Mt Baker is supposed to have the highest amount of snowfall in the whole of north america! I'm jealous! If you're touring then Vancouver to Revelstoke might be good... Revelstoke has had some big money thrown at it in the last 3 years or so and now has a decent lift system compared to 7 (?) years ago.

You can google anywhere for El Nino - of course nothing is ever set in stone is it? I did 2 weeks in Colorado this year - home to champagne powder and it was terribly dry - and baking hot!

Don't blame you for treating yourself - 2008 was a horrible year for me, I sold my house (bad memories), moved country and so treated myself to 2 weeks in Norway and 2 weeks in Colorado... if I could I'd follow the snow around the globe!

Tbh, I wouldn't do eastern canada unless someone else was footing the bill - god I sound ungrateful!

I'm sure renting clothes can't be worth it - I must admit I don't give a monkey's about the label and we got some really nice trousers in TK Maxx for 20 quid each. I doubt you could rent for cheaper than that!

[secretsquirrel1]

Well that's good news about Mt. Baker - its almost due South from Chillowack (where my mate is). I'd dearly love to go back to Whitewater but my mates sister no longer lives in Nelson .

My only bad memories are of renting gear - I had the most horrible salopettes imaginable, I looked like I was wearing 2 sleeping bags on my legs. And they bloody split when I fell (as you do as a beginner)- luckily I was old enough to PML at the situation. That was one of the best things about learning when you are ancient (I was 36!!)- I certainly didn't take myself seriously.

I need to find out what my other friend is up to....the property queen (lucky thing lives the ex-pat life in Hong Kong, hubby earns so much that they are snapping up lots of property here & in Canada!)

Where are you off to in 2010 then? (Nose )

[skihorse]

2010 will be a tricky one - I've got the chance to ski with the US demo team in california in March - however, I'm TTC - so it's very much dependant on that. I'm gutted actually because it's such an incredible opportunity.

I'm happy to ski until around 4.5-5 months at that level but after that I just can't envisage how my balance would NOT be affected. Plus I don't exactly fancy flying out to CA extremely pregnant.

So, if I get the BFP any time soon then I'll probably just drive to Austria or Switzerland (I live in europe) for a week or something. This season could be pretty pants as far as skiing goes but apparently a baby makes it worth while!

[Toddmummy]

I appreciate this is kind of hijacking the thread but I wouldn't ski at all if i was pregnant, (even if i was a fab skier, which i'm not). Just because say some moron collided with you, and you fell over, and 3 days later something went wrong, the guilt you would feel would be awful, even if it wasn't related.
Pregnancy bestows a terrible feeling of responsibility on anyone, and it's not worth the guilt trip, in my opinion. I know in theory it's safe to ski, and lots of women do ski, but i would be so worried i wouldn't enjoy it anyway.
But you can sit at the bottome of the slopes/ride a gondola/drink hot chocolate a lot

[skihorse]

Everyone's entitled to their opinion.

I am a fab skiier, further more, it's unlikely that anyone would collide with me... don't get too many out of control newbies going 40mph off piste. In the last 28 days I've skiied I've not falled once...

I'll be riding too whilst pregnant.

I guess it depends on your ability and confidence.

[skihorse]

To make my point: as I said above, I'll be skiing with the US demo team... not the idiot crowd! It's a different league!

[secretsquirrel1]

Or put another way....travelling 1st class, not steerage!

I'm mad jealous, wish I discovered skis when I was 6, not 36! I feel like I have missed out so much. Wouldn't have the nerve to go off piste either.

I didn't have that sort of upbringing so I should be grateful that I have the chance to offer my DD the opportunity I didn't have. Bonus if she takes to it, won't be too gutted if she doesn't (it won't stop me going skiing into my dotage!).

[skihorse]

I didn't actually do much as a child either - a trip to the Lecht in Scotland was all. I started as an adult but was lucky enough to have a little time & money to throw at it and I took a lot of lessons. IMO many people don't take enough lessons - they think they can "teach themselves". I took lessons in Canada where the teaching is "awesome" rather zan ze french "you follow me and eef you are good girl you seet on my knee and wee dreenk cafe?"

I was also a rider and ice-skater so had the head start of good balance and lack of fear and I just seemed to pick it up very quickly. It also helps if you don't mind making an arse of yourself as you said in one of your posts, you don't give a flying fuck if you show your arse to the world! Also at first I skiied primarily with guys so took pride in out-classing them - and now I ski with pros - and you have to up your game!

[secretsquirrel1]

Ha ha - at the idea of me on a French Ski Instructors knee with my sleeping bag clad legs....in Courcheval - How Uncool! 'Cos that's where I learnt to ski and you are oh so right about That. Though as a beginner I was v. lucky to get a Scot instructor called Ewan - he was a laugh, but that was cos I was able to keep up with him!

You are so right about having lots and lots of lessons - when I went to Canada for the first time I had solo lessons which were so fab and excellent value for money that I went for 3 week hols thereafter and would have solo lessons for a week, sometimes more.

You meet so many silly-arses who think they know it all, that they are too good for lessons and they are always the ones who go crashing into anything and everything. They are a menace . I would def. continue with lessons, esp. 1 to 1.

What is the Lecht? Is that a resort in Scotland?

[skihorse]

Resort is rather a generous description of a wind-swept hill in the middle of nowhere... but yes! It's kind of between Aberdeen and Inverness and because my family are from that way we would go on occassion. Trouble is, it's one of those places where upon if the snow is any good the drive there is absolutely treacherous and you're not sure if you'll actually get home again at the end of the day.

I really go for the video instruction these days - what I mean is I have my lesson and then get filmed and slagged given advice.

I was at some piss-pot resort in norway this winter - there were only 9 people skiing the whole day . Anyway I was absolutely fascinated by some English chap up there who was trying to teach himself. He couldn't turn at all - you know, the old swinging the shoulders thing that the Brits are so good at - anyway the last I saw of him was his friends loading on to the lift. It would've taken hours for him to get down and quite possibly tears. I wondered if I should offer a few pointers but it's not worth getting shouted at.

Edit: The position this guy had was a bit like... Kevin Spacey's character in "The Usual Suspects"!

Oh btw, if you want to avoid the aforementioned "silly arses" - avoid like the plague the ski club of great britain - never in my life have I met so many jumped-up twats on planks! "Ai've skiied for 25 yaars" ... then only do blue runs... at 5mph! This winter, the classic "I'm on fat skis and you can't carve on them" - he was on 78mm waists.

[secretsquirrel1]

I just have to tell you.....very excited....manic because my friend has just emailed to say that they will be skiing in Canada when we are, and she has invited me to stay with them. Hurrah!!

Now then, the house is in Sun Peaks - have you skied there? If so, would it be ok for my beginner DD? If not, then would you advise that I try her on a dry ski-slope first (though I was advised not to bother with doing that - would there be any benefit for a child other than the obvious of getting on & off lifts, learning how to get kit on & off etc)?

LOL re: shoulder turns....almost as funny are the 'mogul experts' who try doing them going up & down/bending the back but not the knees - don't know the technical term but you will know what I mean (bows to your superior knowledge ).

Agree with you re: Ski Club GB - I asked them about taking DD ski-ing a few years back (to get prepared) and they were useless. MN has been much MUCH better.....(preparing to get flamed now for that comment)

Night night!

[secretsquirrel1]

PS. Am going to be without internet acces until Sunday so will catch up with you then

[skihorse]

I wouldn't worry about too many lessons - the only thing I'd advise any newbie adult to do would be to have ONE lesson so that they know how to put their boots on, how to carry their skis, which way round they go. This stuff all sounds so basic but I know from working with my parents that they found it all quite stressful and intimidating on the first day. But as your daughter is so wee she's going to be (especially in Canada!) properly fitted with her boots and her instructor is going to help her with everything - not as though she's going to be abandoned. I think she'll be fine. I've seen a 6 year old go from never on snow at Lake Louise to doing the odd black run after two weeks. If you're naughty enough to yank her out of school she'll get "private" lessons for the price of group... I'm sure Sun Peaks will be absolutely fine - iirc it's one of those which aims to cater to families.

Oh I am not a fan of moguls... my favourite position on moguls is sat on top of a bump sobbing and throwing my poles at my companions. I'll do them, but I'd rather remove my own teeth with pliers!

[LunarSea]

Sun Peaks would be fine for a beginner. I'd say do start of with a few lessons on a dry slope (do it now - the lessons will have a lot less people in them so you'll get better value) as you'll get better value from you r holiday if she's not having to get fmiliar with the absolute basics once you get there.

[madwomanintheattic]

friends went to sun peaks last year and said it was fab. they didn't have kids with them but said the resort would cater for all abilities (we asked as have 3)

(not in your class skihorse but have a brain damaged dd after a ski fall at 14 weeks - just bad light and powder. probably not a contributary factor (i laughed and dusted myself off) but you can't help wondering. good luck with the ttc)

i'm just about to investigate rcr passes and find a good deal as we are now within driving distance

great adaptive ski instructor at sunshine though, so suspect we will be there a lot!

incidentally, loads of sc in canmore, and only 45 minute drive to lake louise on a good day. banff more problematic for sc, but fab family lodges sc at the lake louise inn. (just in case anyone else looking lol)

oh, and tchibo for kids ski gear

[skihorse]

I like the Lake Louise Inn but I've found that the staff have become ruder and ruder over the years - and the clientele more and more common. Anyone on a budget though should try the hostel at LL - it's absolutely outstanding! I spent 3 weeks there in 2005 (?) and got the accommodation + lift-pass for around 700 quid if I remember right.

I'm sorry to hear about your DD but I do find it hard to believe that a bounce on powder was responsible - you'll not have fallen any harder than tripping over a cup and falling on the sofa, but I suppose you'll always torture yourself - and you SHOULDN'T!

As far as RCR passes go - the earlier in the year you can buy them the cheaper of course.

[madwomanintheattic]

lol at the clientele - maybe i should qualify that i haven't stayed there since 2004? just been around lol, maybe i won't book for this year now! we tend to stay around canmore these days tbh and then we can go where we like, but we always found the sc facilities at the ll inn great - obviously not too much contact with the staff! where's the hostel? i vaguely recall coming across it in the dark on the way from the inn to the station restaurant on the other side of the rail tracks? would that be right?

that's what i like about north america though - loads of sc stuff, and no european stylee drama if you happen to have a family larger than 4!

enjoy sun peaks squirrel!

[madwomanintheattic]

squirrel - just wanted to echo what skihorse said about lessons - we, er, 'yanked them out of school' a few days before half term - we needed to meet up with the adaptive instructor for dd2 (5) and the two eldest (9 and 7) went to ski school. they each had their own instructor and had 1-1 the whole time, sometimes arranging to meet up and ski together, sometimes not.

so 1-1 instruction at normal skischool prices... (the same can't be said of dd2's 1-1 instructor lol, but he was worth every penny, and she is still desperately in love with him now. )

[GetOrfMoiLand]

Skihorse - XP DP took me on a mogul field, I cried and took my ski off and threw it at him .

OP - 6 is a great age to take your dd skiing - my dd was 6 when she first went, she absolutely fell in love and went to St Anton this year with school and went down all the black runs with the teachers.

Ski gear - rent it. There is no pounbt in spending what will amount to well over a hundred quid on something your dd will wear for a week. We used to rent our stuff from a local ski shop in Devon - I am sure there are plently of hire places online.

Do that elastic band thingy that your mum used to do with your winter gloves. DD lost her gloves after 3 days in Austria - they cost a fortune to replace!

Sunglasses are a waste of time for this agegroup I found - DD had goggles instead, they were pretty cheap in small sizes.

I have been to Banff in Canada, tbh I would only recommend you going there if you are staying in the Sunshine Inn at Sunshine Village (at the top of the gondola, so lift passes included in hotel cost). The trip from Banff to Sunshine is 45 mins - so a drive there and back at the end of a long day will knacker your daughter. Added to which you will have a long flight and jet lag to contend with. Plus it can be bitterly cold if you go early in the year.

For her first trip i would go somewhere closer to home, in a ski-in/ski-out place. I really love Austria and Switzerland, just make sure you go to a higher resort to guaratnee snow. I have always stayed in hotels or B&Bs, butI am lucky as DD is a dustbin and eats all sorts, if your dd is more fussy with food it may be better to stay SC so you can cook your own grub.

[madwomanintheattic]

sunshine is 15 minutes from banff, not 45 - you can get to lake louise in 45 (ish)
but the sunshine inn is lovely

[skihorse]

madwoman the hostel in LL is bang opposite the inn, so next to the post hotel. It's absolutely amazing - put it this way - it would put to shame most "hotels" in France!

[GetOrfMoiLand]

Madwoman - it is not 15 minutes from Banff to Sunshine - is about that to Norquay. As I remember (was only a couple of years ago) it was about 45 mins to both Sunshine and LL).

[skihorse]

I'm sure it's quicker in the car, but on the bus from Banff it is indeed a drag... I really can't be bothered with that endless gondola at Sunshine and for me... no matter where I go, Lake Louise just can't be beaten. I like Goat's Eye mountain though I'll admit and the little lodge/tent(!) is a nice little hideaway for lunch.

When I'm next back in that area I'll definitely stay in LL again because I'd rather just bus the 5 minutes up there than the long drag from Banff to either Sunshine or Louise.