Tag Archives: family ski trip

Fernie fun for the whole family

Posted on January 2, 2012 | Leave a comment

We just got back from our annual New Year’s family ski trip to Fernie, B.C. The snow wasn’t great this year but that didn’t stop us from making some turns.

A quick rest before the epic cruiser Falling Star.
 
Avery has now been skiing for three years, so she’s good enough to ski with us on greens and most blue runs. We enrolled her in two half day lessons through the Fernie Alpine Resort Telus Learn to Ski Camp. During the lesson she worked on her turns, tucking for speed on cat-tracks, and skating to propel herself forward on flat spots.
 
 

Avery joined her friend Alex for a ski lesson.

 
During the lesson Blake and I hunted for powder stashes in Currie, Lizard and Cedar bowls. It was slim pickings but we enjoyed the child-free time and beautiful sunny Fernie day with mountain views in every direction. After Avery’s ski lesson we ate lunch at Big Bang Bagels in the Snow Creek Lodge and treated Avery to a hot chocolate. Poor Bennett. No skiing for him this trip. He played at the Fernie Resort Kids Daycare and enjoyed a “snow hike” with me one day.
 

A walk along the Elk River is a lovely way to spend a winter morning in Fernie, B.C.

 
We were so busy eating mountains of food with friends at our condo, there was no time to visit our fave Fernie restaurants, like Yamagoya sushi and The Curry Bowl. Next time. Also, the new Polar Peak chair isn’t up and running yet but should be by mid-January, just in time for a return ski trip!
 

Here I am in Currie Bowl, with the new Polar Peak chair behind me. It's scheduled to open Jan. 14th.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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The family ski holiday

Posted on December 12, 2011 | Leave a comment

We are a skiing family. Rephrase: my husband and I love to ski, and are therefore making our children learn the sport. Our daughter likes it:

Avery and I tackle a nice green cruiser at Sunshine Village.

Our son? Not quite ready to embrace slick planks on slippery snow. Maybe next year. At least he likes the gondola:

A cry-free moment during the family ski trip.

Our early forays as a skiing family rated high on hassle and low on satisfaction. On one incredibly long, New Year’s Eve afternoon drive to Fernie, hubby and I contemplated opening the 12-pack of Heineken to help us cope with the crying and whining (and the blaring Barney DVD) coming from the back seat. On another trip, to Sunshine Village, we almost left after one night on the mountain because our son woke up hourly throughout the night and cried inconsolably when we dropped him off at the on-hill daycare. I wrote about the experience, good and bad, for the Calgary Herald. 

Yes, it takes dedication, sweat and many, many tears to make the family ski trip a reality, especially during the early years. In this humorous New York Times Travel story, writer David Carr outlines the numerous obstacles: the gear, the drive, the painful learning curve when young children try new things. He also points out the main benefits: the unbeatable feeling of flying down a mountain on skis and watching your kids do the same with huge smiles. Skiing with kids is a thrill.

There’s also the bonding that takes place over hot chocolate in the day lodge to warm up frozen fingers, and the anticipation of taking off the ski boots and stepping into a hot tub at the end of the day. And of course, there’s the apres ski to ease the pain of sore muscles and the guilt over dumping the bawling son at daycare — and to forget that tomorrow brings a three-hour drive back home.

A bit of apres-ski, Fernie-style.

 We’re already planning a couple of this year’s ski trips, to Fernie over New Year’s and to Marmot Basin in Jasper National Park a week later. Wish us luck, patience, success on the slopes and a happy apres ski. We’ll need it, and a really, really long Barney DVD for both drives.

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