Teaching kids to ski is no easy task. This is especially true for small children, like 3-year-old’s. But at Solitude Mountain Resort, I’ve found getting my little guy, Ridge, on the slopes is remarkably easy. Here’s how I managed to get the kiddo doing his pizza and french fries before his 4th birthday.
Get the Gear
Finding the right gear that will fit a tiny human can be difficult. Especially since ski stuff is expensive your kid will outgrow it in a blink of an eye. I found skis, bindings, boots, helmet, and goggles at Level 9/2nd Tracks Sports in Salt Lake City. They have a huge selection of hand-me-down kids gear. When Ridge outgrows it all, I can bring it back to sell it on consignment and use that money to purchase his next pair of skis.
I also bought ski leashes and an edgie-wedgie. The former allows me to keep Ridge’s speed in check as he dive-bombs down the hill. The latter keeps his skis together and helps avoid him crossing the tips.
Learning at Solitude
So what resort is best to teach your kids how to ski? I chose Solitude for one reason – Easy Street. This “bunny hill” is the perfect length and steepness (or lack thereof) for first-timers. There’s a magic carpet to get those ski legs under them. When they’re ready, the Link lift is a classic, slow double chair that’s easy to get on and off.
I personally appreciate the Link lift for Easy Street’s length and pitch because it’s easier on my back. Other resorts tend to have longer beginner runs. But when I was first holding Ridge between my legs, or when skiing backwards in front of him, my lower back was dying. Easy Street is short enough that I could take more breaks on the chair.
The Moonbeam Lodge is right at the bottom, where kids can have a hot-chocolate and snack break. This is a must to keep those tummys (and therefore attitudes) happy and willing to do more runs.
After a few ski days, Ridge was ready to tackle Moonbeam. There are a few beginner runs like Little Dollie and Same Street. They are both steeper than Easy Street but both give Ridge a chance to ski on the “big boy mountain” and ride a high-speed quad. He even skied a blue square off Apex once.
That’s what’s great about Solitude: the lower mountain has lifts clustered together that allow a natural progression. Start on Link, move up to Moonbeam, and when you’re ready for a little steeper terrain, Apex provides a non-committing chance to tackle an intermediate run.
I also chose Solitude because kids 4-and-under ski free with a paying adult.
Youth Ski and Ride School
Of course if you don’t have the ability or desire to deal with teaching a kid to ski yourself, there’s always lessons. Solitude’s Youth Ski and Ride School offers classes from ages 3-13. For the youngest shredders, the Mini Explorers offers a 2-1 student/teacher ratio. These full or half-day classes are filled with fun games, learning, and time on the snow. Hopefully they will come away with a few new ski skills too.
For more information and pricing, visit solitudemountain.com
At the risk of sounding jaded, I think Solitude is a great mountain for kids under 4. The new policy of charging for kids 5+6 really hurts families. Additionally, their I have to see the kid attitude makes it more difficult for families to get on the mountain.