I’ve been here in Tahoe since last Wednesday night. We had a great Christmas with Lynn’s mom (Millie) and, of course, Devin and Elena. The snow is really quite good and the coverage is above average for this time of year. Lynn, Millie, and I skied this morning for a couple of hours on Squaw Creek, Red Dog, Shirley Lake, and Solitude. All in all some nice skiing with the best snow on Shirley/Solitude.

Millie got a bit tired so Lynn and I went out on our own. We did a few laps over on Red Dog Ridge (quite good but watch for “unmarked obstacles” at the top), Oly Bowl (really nice), Break It Out (good but there’s a tricky spot about 2/3 of the way down with some finesse required through some rocks), and Tower 16 (nice to the skier’s right).

We picked Devin up from ski team and, after some cajoling from his buddy Charlie, we went out with PK and Cam (and Charlie) to finish off the afternoon in the Belmont park. Devin hit the big jump there. At first I thought he’d wiped out but it turns out he’d done an iron cross to the cheers of the crowd and stuck the landing. Charlie attempted the same trick with more painful results. He was OK but shaken.

I have a new HD helmet cam which I tried out today. Videos are importing into iMovie right now as I type. Looks good so far but we’ll see after I’ve had a chance to look more closely at the footage.

Charlie, Devin, PK, and I ended the day in Sundance. Wish I could ski like PK – he’s awesome and always fun to ski with.

Elena had a fever yesterday but today seemed clear. So tomorrow (Millie’s last day) will likely include some 3-year old skiing (which is, believe me, harder than keeping up with PK in Sundance).

Elena is still singing a happy, hopeful tune:

Rain, rain, come and stay

make it snow

so we can play!

She has some time to kill until December…

Heading up tomorrow for the last mighty mites weekend! Devin’s big air competition is Saturday and the season finale awards ceremony is Sunday. What a great year it’s been! We love the mighties!

Long time since I posted. The season’s moving into Spring, which is a great time of year to ski except for the fact that it ends. Last weekend was incredible and unique. Saturday night we had very heavy snow and on Sunday morning we awoke to hand charges and 2 feet of fresh, light snow. Wow. The skiing was fantastic – I had at least 5 face shots on my first run (down Snag Tree) and that fun continued for most of the morning. Lynn and I had a babysitter for Elena which meant I could ski with my favorite ski buddy. Ben and Jenette were up too so we had a great time.

We picked up Devin at lunch and headed up Funitel which had not been open for too long. We cal Devin a powder-seeking missle and he lived up to that reputation. We pulled him through the flats or dug him out of the snow countless times. I discovered that the easiest way to get him back on his feet in the deep snow was to just lay down next to him and literally pick him up out of the snow. Then Shirley opened up and the three of us hiked over to Break It Out for more untracked. Devin is good. Really good. What huge fun!

We’re staying home this weekend. Work has exhausted both Lynn and I and we’re both hoping to sleep in this weekend. But I confess I’m going to be jonesing for it by Sunday.

What a great ski day we had today – Silverado is finally open, and the skiing is very fine. Lynn, Larry, and I went out this morning for a great session. We had a babysitter for Elena today (we’d forgotten she was booked and were surprised when she showed up at the door). So we had a rare opportunity for an all-adult session. We started off in the Funnel, which was in good shape. The rocks in the middle are still not completely covered, but the Elevator Shaft to skier’s left had some nice, chalky, wind-blown/consolidated snow. Then a few laps on Granite. Magoo’s was also in nice shape although I wasn’t happy with how I skied it. Readjusting to bumps after the heli trip I guess. Then a trip over to the Nose and out. I love the terrain in Granite but I have to confess I hate the chair. It’s slow and popular, meaning there’s just too much time spent either in line or in the seat.

From there we headed over to Silverado. We started in gate 3 and worked right a bit. I went over to Bailey’s Cirque while Lynn and Larry stayed a bit more to skier’s left. Bailey’s had a good 4-foot jump to enter where it looks like it slid almost down to the rock. The snow at that point was not great – it was a bit icy since the good stuff was in the avi debris field down below the run. Larry and Lynn had better luck and reported fine chalky snow. Then Larry headed in. He was dealing with the morning after the night before if you know what I mean. I know it’s not nice, but I think other people’s hangovers are just funny. So Lynn and I stuck with Silverado for 3 more runs. We headed over to gate 5 and did Tram Bowl. if you know the runout there, you have two non-cliff options. One to the right through some trees and one to the left that threads the cliffs. We took the left option and the snow was fabulous. So good we did it 2 more times. We started the second lap in Bungee Bowl, which was not in terribly good shape. A bit heavy and choppy (still fun, don’t get me wrong). The Silverado lift is slow and unpopular, so at least there’s no waiting in line like at Granite.

After that we headed over to Headwall. The wind was picking up as we got over there. Our first run was North Bowl, far skier’s right (where it’s steep, of course!). I skied over to see if the small chute right at the nose was working. Too many rocks so I headed back towards Lynn. I got into a tough spot right above a chocolate chip factory but managed to find a semblance of a clear spot to get down. Superb snow right there although I was still a little shaky after the exposure. Then we did Slot-to-Classic. I almost always go far skier’s right in the Slot because the snow’s better there and I like the pitch. That’s often rough to get to and today was no exception. A couple of spooky turns and then all was well. We headed over to Classic to finish off the morning.

Sushi for lunch (I love Mamasake!) and then I went in to get Elena ready to ski. She and I had a wonderful time. We always do! I tried to get her off of the harness but she was having none of it. Oh well, she is skiing with slack in the harness most of the time anyways. We got about 5 runs in and then she was ready for a snack at Wildflower.

Looking forward to tomorrow! There’s a big storm moving in, supposedly a bit warm and very windy. So we’ll see how much skiing gets done tomorrow. Not looking forward to the drive back with holiday traffic and a blizzard.

Had a really fun day today in Squaw! The weather is really nice, sunny and not too cold. Last week’s storm left some nice snow, and most runs were skiing very well. Today we hit Granite (Break it Out, Magoo’s, Lower Attic, and the horse trails), Headwall (Slot, North Bowl, Sun Bowl, The Bullet, and Hourglass), KT-22 (Oly Bowl and Red Dog Ridge), and Solitude/Shirley (the bowl skier’s right of the Solitude chair). Bumps are big but with soft snow in the troughs. Magoo’s, being a bit steeper, was a bit scrapier, and the first turn into North Bowl (skier’s far right) was “exciting.” But after that the skiing was just fine. We went skier’s right in Slot as well, and the entrance is speckled with rocks, dips, and other amusements. Hard to pick a best run, but if I had to name a few of the tops they would be North Bowl, Sun Bowl, and Red Dog Ridge. Probably won’t go back to Slot until there’s more snow and Oly Bowl until the sun bakes it a bit more.

Our friends Kris and Dave are up this weekend with their son Robert. Always a blast to have them around. Elena wanted to play with little Robert this morning though, so I didn’t get a chance to slide around with my girl. Kris was nice enough to watch Elena which means I got to ski with Lynn (my favorite ski buddy, sorry Larry you’re up there but…).

We leave Tuesday for heli! Woo hoo!

Elena on the H-bar

I’ve spent a number of days this week with my daughter Elena. She loves to be in Tahoe and has always wanted to be a part of the family skiing experience. So I took her out recently and started teaching her to slide. She’s going to be 3 years old at the beginning of February. Her brother Devin, who is 6 years old, can ski most expert runs at Squaw Valley.

So here’s what I know. Teaching a kid to ski is not easy. In fact, I think it’s harder than a big ski day with the gang. Why? Because you’ll need infinite reserves of patience, lots of energy (to carry her, drag her around behind you, pull her through the lift line, pick her up off the snow), the right tools (more on that below), perfect weather, good skiing skills, and short lift lines.

Here are a few thoughts that might help you if you choose to teach your young kids to ski.

Gear

1. Helmet. Don’t leave home without it. Even if you’re not planning to be anywhere near anything steep, other skiers sometimes ski too fast and it’s reassuring to have head protection against the remote possibility of a collision. Plus, the helmet protects against getting hit in the head in the lift line or on the gondola – a fairly common hazard.
2. Nice, warm clothes. Your kid’s clothes won’t be much different from what you’d wear on the slopes. Avoid cotton, layer so you can adjust if the temperature changes, and carry an extra pair of mittens. For younger kids, you can get away with thick winter socks. For older kids, it’s worth the effort to find a thinner ski sock (their boot will fit better and they’ll ski with more control). I’ve found kid’s ski socks really tough to find although I just bought our 6-year old some made by Wigwam and they’re working pretty well. I like a nice, lightweight balaclava-style hat because that’ll help if the wind picks up. A hood is a great option as well, although that can be a fit problem with a helmet.
3. Goggles. Eye protection is essential, and kids goggles aren’t that expensive. You can use sunglasses but they won’t provide quite as much protection or as much warmth if it’s cold.
4. Boots. For adults, boots are the most critical piece of ski gear you’ll use. For younger kids, I’m not sure they’re as important. They should be easy to get on and off and, of course, comfortable. I’ve been using hand-me-downs for Elena but Devin (6) is now good enough to benefit from a good pair of boots so we bought them.
5. Skis. Like boots, kids won’t need really good skis right away. Here in Tahoe, parents can get seasonal ski leases (boots too if you need them) from Tahoe Dave’s for a very reasonable price.
6. Training aids.
   • “Edgie Wedgies” attach to the ski tips to make it easier for the child to maintain a wedge position. I wouldn’t let older kids use edgie wedgies for more than 3 or 4 days or they’ll get too dependant on them.
   • A “kiddie lift” harness is essential. It’ll help you do everything from ensuring a safe load on the lift to picking your child up off the snow (100 times a day!).
   • A “ski leash” attaches to the child’s hips or waist and allows the parent to control speed and direction from behind the child. I’m not using this with Elena yet but I used it with Devin and we had loads of fun.
   • An “H-bar” is what I’m using with Elena. It’s a 4-foot long dowel with two smaller dowels mounted perpendicular to the main shaft. Elena straddles the dowel, puts one of the short dowels behind her thighs, and holds on to the other dowel with her hands. I hold the other end of the shaft like a canoe paddles. I can keep her to my side, ski parallel (most of the time), and keep her far enough away from me to avoid entanglements. Far superior to the old between-the-legs method. You can find good aids at http://www.kidznsnow.com/2972.
7. Camera. You’ll want this for posterity.
8. Snacks and a drink in a sippie cup. You will need this, I promise.
9. Backpack with miscellaneous stuff. Pick a backpack that has external straps for your child’s skis as that’ll free up some hands for more important things. Carry diapers, wipes, money, etc. I also make sure I’m carrying insurance cards just in case.

Process

1. Don’t get the kids dressed too early. They’ll get too hot and fidgety. You can do everything but the coat, hat, gloves, and helmet but save those items for just before you leave.
2. Put the child in street shoes until you’re almost on the snow. Put their ski boots in the backpack for the trip to the resort and carry the street shoes in the backpack (or get a locker). If you boot ‘em up in the condo, you’re going to be doing some kid carrying.
3. Strap the kid’s skis to the backpack, and bundle your skis up with the H-bar using rubber bands or a velcro strap. If you always have one free hand, you’ll be much happier.
4. Don’t take your poles. You don’t need them, and they’re going to get in the way.
5. Try to go out when the crowds are in control and when it’s at least 25degF out. You’ll find out pretty quickly if your little one is hardy or sensitive to cold and wind. If they’re hardy, you can probably take them out when it’s a bit more challenging outside. Beware, though, that even a hardy kid can melt down very quickly when the going gets tough.
6. Try to get the hang of loading the lift using the kiddie lift. If you can, you can safely get even really little kids safely on the chair. And you can use the handle to keep them secure once you’re on the lift. When you unload, you can simply use the kiddie lift to carry them to a safe stopping point. Don’t be shy about asking the lift op to slow the lift down and give you a hand. They’re trained to do it.
7. Go in at the drop of a hat. Seriously, if your child even suggests they want to head in, do it. After all, this is about having fun together isn’t it?

Well, that’s about it! I hope you find this little tutorial helpful!