By Heather Burke
Vermont is tapping into more than the sweet sap in their trees. This
skiers’ state recognizes the importance of luring families to their
snow capped mountains. Ski resorts in the Green Mountains are not just
good at catering to families; some are award winning, right down to
the fuzzy mascots and money back guarantees. Whether your family is
black diamond bound or completely green at snow sliding, Vermont is
worth a family ski trip.
Where
better to go with your kids than a family-owned and operated ski
resort? The Mueller family of Okemo has first hand knowledge as a
skiing family, and they have run their mountain resort for 21 years
with a goal of making ski families comfortable and happy.
Kids stay free at Okemo with parents renting one of the many slopeside
condos, and kids six and under ski free. That allows you to budget for
their premium Snowstars ski camp, a well-choreographed day of on snow
fun and instruction for kids.
Okemo is well known for blowing tons of snow, and grooming to near
perfection. This year, the further expansion in Jackson Gore means
seven new trails and another high-speed quad, to provide more routes
for intermediate families. Okemo’s package prices are a bit steeper
than the mountain, but the service and snow conditions are assured if
you want your family’s experience to be top shelf.
Bromley, neighbor to glitzier Stratton, is a gem for young families.
Perhaps it’s the valet parking that scores big with overburdened
parents, maybe it’s the ingenious mascot PigDog, or perhaps it’s just
a slightly smaller resort that personally accommodates the needs of
young families.
This southern exposed ski area is sunny and mild mannered. If you are
looking for a convenient self-contained ski hill with a high-speed
summit quad to keep you busy while the kids are in ski camp with Bruce
the Moose – Bromley is worth a day.
The
state that brings you delicious cheese has a resident mouse named
Cheddar to amuse kids through Happy Hour at Ascutney, if they aren’t
already exhausted from their ski day. Ascutney is another small-scale
resort with big plans and quality facilities for your little kids.
Ascutney offers nicely packaged deals for families, like free DUCKS
daycare or Olympian ski camp for kids with the purchase of four nights
lodging.
Smugglers Notch is the family cruise ship of ski resorts. The
activities for kids from tykes to teens are super-extensive and the
employees are ultra-enthusiastic at this northern Vermont condo ski
village.
Smuggs is so certain that every member of your family will have fun on
snow and off, that they guarantee it – have been for years. And I
don’t get the impression they have given many refunds. There is a cast
of Disney-like characters to keep your kids happy day and night, for a
week.
Family fun aside, with good natural snow Smuggs has some of New
England’s most challenging terrain for the thrill seekers in your
posse. Smuggs has loads of condos, from passé to posh, so inquiring
about slopeside location and Club Smugglers’ package inclusions are
important.
Stowe
is another resort with legendary ski terrain, but there is lack of
slopeside lodging until the master plan at Spruce occurs. The Inn on
the Mountain is the only ski in/ski out for now, and you still have to
take a shuttle to get to Spruce Peak where the beginner terrain and
kids’ ski camps are headquartered.
Stowe has an excellent ski school, more geared toward learning than
just fun and games. When your kids get a bit older, Stowe may be the
ticket. Certain nights include a pizza party, gondola rides and night
skiing on Mt. Mansfield’s lit trails, plus a movie at the Midway
lodge. Sounds like good wholesome fun for teens and tweens. And the
village of Stowe is very pleasurable for Moms and Dads.
Sugarbush has extensive ski and ride lesson programs for
three-year-old Micro-Bears on up to teenage Grizzly Bears. Parents can
jump on the learning curve at the ‘Bush with racing clinics hosted by
former U.S. Ski Team member and Olympian Doug Lewis, or discover the
secrets to great skiing and riding with Warren Miller film star John
Egan. If you don’t want your kids leaving you in the dust in a few
years, these clinics may be just the thing to keep you sharp.
And make time to explore Sugarbush’s wide variety of terrain, 115
trails on three connected mountain peaks. Plus the beautiful Mad River
Valley is a fantastic ski community with all the entertaining
distraction of fine food, shopping, and sightseeing.
Bolton Valley is not oft mentioned as a world-class ski resort, but
there are slopeside condos at affordable rates, and un-crowded slopes
with superb views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.
Kids meet at Bolton’s Explorer Clubhouse for lesson programs, while
little ones can go to Honey Bear daycare. Class sizes are small, and
the facilities are humble but pleasant. Après ski, you can bring a
board game or head to the pool, the condo hotel is not exactly
bustling. The lively city of Burlington is just a half hour away if
you need a cultural fix. Bolton is a bit retro, but so are the prices
and the pleasant unhurried atmosphere, which families may appreciate.
Killington is the flipside; it’s a multi-mountain complex that
requires a map to navigate, and a month to explore. The Rams Head
Family Center however is one stop shopping for learning families. Big
improvements at the BigK include a new Poma lift to serve the
designated kids’ learning terrain, which will be twice the size this
season, plus added beginner glades.
Rams Head hosts everything under own roof from their well-staffed
Friendly Penguin Day Care, to First Tracks for 2-3 year olds, to
Ministars or Lowriders half day and full-day camps, plus everything
parents (and kids) might need from reservations, to rentals, a retail
shop and a food court – all a short walk from the slopeside Grand
Resort Hotel, or a few chair rides from the rest of the sprawling ski
resort.
These are a few of Vermont’s peak family ski spots. Keep in mind
all-day ski camps can run close to $100 per child per day, so look for
lodging packages that include learn to ski programs.
This is part one of a series by the author profiling family ski
resorts in the New England states.
This story was Published in
The New England Ski Journal