Children skiing alone - what age?

[sharksarecool]

Just wondering what age people consider letting their childrengo up a lift or ski down a run without them? DS has more energy than the rest of us and wanting to get in another run or two at the end of the day. So far we have been taking it in turns going with him, as I'm just not sure about letting him go alone yet. He is 14. I remember being allowed by 17. What age do others on here let their DCs ski alone?

I think mine were by 11 ish, but they were both very good skiers and in tiny resort that they knew extremely well and basically couldn't get lost in! They had phones, and we also made sure they had memorised our phone numbers. They would also get up and go get croissants and bread in the morning which involved skiiing down to the village, up on a lift and down the lowest run to the chalet!

I don't think anyone, even adults, should ski by themselves. Particularly at the end of the day when there might not be so many people around.

My Ds is 14 and no way would we allow him to ski on his own unless it was a really short run and we could see it all from the bottom.

I agree, no one should ski alone.

We’re planning to let 2 very capable (ski wise) 13 year olds do some runs by themselves next week.
Small resort and we’ll have skied them together first.

We’ll all have phones.

Ah! Sorry yes, I agree in terms of skiing completely alone, sorry - mine skied the two of them together, just them, from about 10-11.

Thanks for replies. I agree end of the day creates added risks, as does being alone.

I wouldn't let mine ski alone, alone in case anything happened. We go with a group of friends and the teens have been going off to do a few pistes by themselves since about 14. This year they're all 16/17 so will let them go off for a morning or afternoon.. obviously they'll want parents to pay for lunch. My DS is like a duracell bunny, has asked if he can ski all day with a sandwich in his pocket to eat on the lifts but I'm not sure his mates will be up for that!

I let my 8 year old ski alone on our local ski hill (only a few runs and they all come down to the same place) so yes I would definitely let a 14 year old ski alone, but I'd make sure he has a phone to contact you on in case anything happens, and I'd probably station myself at a cafe beside the piste for the first couple of days so he could check in after each run.

I'm really surprised people say they don't even ski alone as adults, but I might have a different point of view having lived in a ski resort.

Skiing alone no. Skiing with friends yes. Also with find my iPhone on their phone.

I would at 14yo if a competent skier, strict itinerary or which runs he’s doing. He has a phone with him. It’s a run with other people about. Worst case he has an accident there’s other people about.

For a green/blue run I can see them coming down easily from the bottom - 10 but mine are good skiers.

For difficult runs - up in a mountain out of sight - much older!

Skiing alone at 14 last runs of the day probably not.

Skiing with friends in the daytime with loads of other skiers around, sure!

My mum let me ski alone around 11/12 but this was a local ski village with gentle blue runs.

I reckon no problem as a 14 year old. P
Our neighbours send their DC (12 & 13) to Kitzbühel skiing (on the Skibus from Munich) they always seem to come back alive. Mind you last weekend the eldest came back with a broken binding and only one skiboot....🙄

Depends on resort / conditions / time of day / ability :

Yes in good weather , busy ish resort / reds/blues / not getting dark!

I love skiing alone ! Only in busy ish runs - never at the end of the day where I could be the last one out

@firstchopanonion

I let my 8 year old ski alone on our local ski hill (only a few runs and they all come down to the same place) so yes I would definitely let a 14 year old ski alone, but I'd make sure he has a phone to contact you on in case anything happens, and I'd probably station myself at a cafe beside the piste for the first couple of days so he could check in after each run.

I'm really surprised people say they don't even ski alone as adults, but I might have a different point of view having lived in a ski resort.

I think when you live there and know the area really well is a totally different scenario to someone visiting for a week on holiday.

Oh, we don’t live there any more (sadly). But I think because we did, and so I have spent many days of my life skiing alone, both on and off piste, I’m quite relaxed about it.

Local ski hill is local to where we live now, and is very small, so I suspect most would be comfortable with their kids skiing it alone. If they didn’t come down within 10 minutes you would know something had happened!

My 5 year old goes up and down the small hill on his own (drag lift) at our village resort (Switzerland), although we can see him all the times. He’s in the ski team and we live there though, so he’s very familiar with it.

However, I think a foreign teenager on an annual holiday who doesn’t really know the resort and can’t speak the language if they get into difficulties, is more risky.