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!

Probably Banff to the top of Sunshine is 45 mins plus, but thats bus and gondola.

Last year we stayed in Banff and the bus journey was a killer with 3 kids and all their stuff.

Previous year stayed up in Sunshine, but found the rooms way to small for 5, the new rooms weren't built, so we transferred to Banff (Fox Suites - can sort of self cater if you want - microwave, fridge, sink). Think staying in Sunshine would drive me stir crazy after about 5 days, although the skiing and lessons are excellent.

Once your dd has picked up the basics you could try doing some private lessons with her - dh and the old 2 ds do this and always have a blast. Probably started when ds2 was 6, but had a couple of years skiing. Now they amuse themselves making daddy ski trees and bumps with instructors yelling at him to be more flexible in the knees. I'll probably do this with ds3 in a few years, if I can still keep up with him - last year at 4 he did the easier blacks at Sunshine - with me trailing nervously behind!

I am so sure it took that long. Mind you, we were staying between Canmore and Banff so perhaps that was it.

However long it takes, it's too long! The bus is a complete fag, actually ski buses wherever in the world you are are to be avoided, especially with kids.

getorf... we've got a house in canmore maybe it's 20 minutes from banff then? we can do it in 30 from canmore and it takes about ten minutes to get past the banff exits? i never really do it straight from banff but it can't take that long to get up banff avenue?

i've never actually timed it lol, but we've done it pretty regularly for the last 9 years or so.

i am going to time it next time though lol, i'm starting to doubt my own guesstimates! - although just had a peek at the sunshine website and that also says 15 minutes from town lol - i know they will exaggerate a bit! never had the kids whinge though, and dd1 was only 11 months when we first started doing the trip... we used to go up to ll a lot then though as the daycare was better for teenies. we use sunshine now more as that's where the adaptive instructor is for dd2. is it maybe longer using the ski bus because of all the stops?

(lol at total irrelevance to thread though - no idea how far it is to sun peaks...

skihorse - i'll keep my eyes peeled for the hostel and have a google too. it might be handy to know!

I was probably hungover on all those bus trips, that may be why they were so interminible.

They did take absolutely ages, but yes it was a ski bus which stopped at every damn stop on the way, of course with people putting their skis in the hold etc it would have taken time. So that must be why it took 45 mins or so, and yes if you were in your own car it would be a lot less time.

Glad we got that one sorted out!!!

Ski buses - hell.

Thank you all so much - esp. the tip about gloves & goggles!! The only reason we're going to Sun Peaks is because my friend has property there - I have no idea what it's like there to ski so I'm latching on to all the comments!

I've been to LL, Sunshine etc. as we did that bus from Banff thing - I can only imagine what it's like trying to marshall tired kids on & off that coach. And that's the other thing.....this will be the first time I'm going 'late' and during the school hols. Hmmmm.

Yes, I will either get off ebay or rent gear for DD.

What I meant to say was since OP the offer to stay at my mates place has changed things a little bit - but all advice gratefully received cos there may be someone else who wants to ask the same things??

I know this is old, but just did a search on Lake Louise and found this. We're headed there on Friday. My husband and I have been the past two years during the Easter hols and loved it and are taking our sons (12yo and 8yo) this year. They were with my inlaws the previous two years - by their (my inlaws) request, I don't stay! Everyone happy all round.

There are cheap(ish) private lessons available in the morning at Lake Louise before the official opening time. So you get to get on the snow before anyone else and it's much less expensive. We're doing that again this year. My previous instructor is arranging it all for us. I might have talked about my sons just a little bit last year. He named his son after mine! Well, his wife liked the name when she heard it and took it. My son's chuffed to bits as am I!

I have a v good friend who lives in Whistler, is a mum and a ski instructor. their season is soooo quiet because of the olympics but the snow conditions are FANTASTIC! Most of the mountains are open but no one is there.

Wish I could go.