Taking the Kids: Finding hidden gems in snow country
Can you keep a secret? "We only tell our nearest and dearest friends," laughs Denverite Amanda Arguello, mom of two, ages 6 and 4.
She's talking about Ski Cooper, a small -- and inexpensive -- snow resort just outside Leadville, Colorado, and a half-hour from Vail and other major Colorado resorts. But a family of four can ski here for less than one person's $180 ticket at Vail.
Just as important to parents of young kids, Cooper might have just 1,000 skiers on a busy weekend day on its 39 trails, a fraction of what there might be at far larger Vail, said Patrick Torsell, the mountain's marketing director.
"It feels safe ... no one can get lost," said Brian Safigan, who drove two and a half hours with his 10-year-old son to get here. "The kids love it, and it's a great value."
"You get in more runs because there aren't any lift lines," added Serge Franucci, who had driven two hours from Bailey, Colorado, with his two kids.
The resort, which never has to make snow because it is so high (the base is 10,500 feet) boasts the longest "magic carpet" in the state -- 800 feet -- that tows beginners up a very gentle learning slope.
"Everyone is really nice and kids learn a lot more because the groups are smaller," said Heather Ford, whose 14-year-old participates in one of the mountain's popular kids' racing programs. "You get a much better experience."
Then there is the history. This is where the famous 10th Mountain Division trained during World War II. After the war, the ski area was taken over by Lake County, which still oversees it as a nonprofit. (Read my trip diaryto learn more and about Leadville, the highest town in the country.)
Certainly there are ways to save money on trips to the snow -- most notably an hour from Ski Cooper at Keystone Resort, celebrating its fifth year of the most expansive kids-free program and complimentary off-the-slopes activities in the industry. (More in an upcoming column!)
But many families, it seems, want not only to save money but a kinder, gentler experience, "like when we were kids," Arguello said, looking around the base lodge with families eating their brown bag lunches.
...continued
(c) 2017 DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
