RISMEDIA, March 4, 2011—(MCT)—If this winter’s weather has you and your family suffering from cabin fever, hitting the slopes may help get everyone energized. Here are five places to consider if you are planning a family ski trip.
1. Durango, Colo. The family-friendly ski resort Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort is ramping up the fun as a slew of base renovations and ski-mountain improvements continue. A dedicated beginner’s area, two terrain parks and 30% more expert terrain offer adventure for the whole family. Off the slopes, enjoy dog-sledding, sleigh rides, snow tubing and ski biking, plus newly opened shops and restaurants. You’ll also find classic and skate-skiing options at the nearby Nordic Center.
2. Limelight Lodge, Aspen, Colo. Join your college-age kids (18 or older) in the historic lodge’s free Inside Tracks tour, designed for experienced skiers. Adventure specialists will provide the local take on the four mountains that make up Aspen and Snowmass. Participants will find the best powder and the secret chutes along with tips on how to make the most of a day on these famed Rocky Mountain slopes. Back at the lodge, enjoy homemade granola, a soak in the hot tub, a family dinner and the use of multilingual computer stations.
3. Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Sandpoint, Idaho. Plan an uncrowded getaway in the Selkirk Mountains overlooking Lake Pend Oreille (pronounced pond-duh-ray). Skiers have 2,900 acres of terrain that includes wide bowls and tree runs as well as views of three mountain ranges. Young children will use the Magic Carpet lift in the spacious beginner area. Teens can make the most of three terrain parks. Families will enjoy tubing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and an activity center.
4. Telluride, Colo. Enjoy downhill skiing and boarding in a box canyon deep in the San Juan Mountains. Visit this charming mountain town with your family and go snowshoeing in splendid scenery, ice climbing, back-country skiing and ice skating. At day’s end, hop aboard a snowmobile-drawn sleigh and ride to dinner and entertainment atop the mountain. The resort ski and board school offers age- and skill-appropriate lessons that include the chance to participate in a NASTAR race. During peak times, such as spring break, young people can join the Kids Night Out program, which includes dinner and supervised activities.
5. Beech Mountain, N.C. Visit “Eastern America’s Highest Town,” 2 1/2 hours northwest of Charlotte, N.C., for a ski holiday. The resort, at an altitude of 5,500 feet, offers 13 runs and two terrain parks on 95 acres. If downhill skiing or snowboarding tire the younger bunch, head to the free youth sledding hill, sponsored by the Town of Beech Mountain for those 12 and under. Check out the tubing park and the 7,000-square-foot ice-skating rink.
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