Taking the Kids: Fun in the snow

Wishing for snow? Take a beat from Breckenridge, Colorado, where it seemed the entire historic town at 9,600 feet, as well as visitors, lined Main Street in the twilight last week with all varieties of helmets and hats that had Norse horns to celebrate ULLR, the patron saint of skiers, asking him to bring badly needed snow. Locals and visitors were thrilled ULLR Fest had returned for its 58th year, complete with a big bonfire, ice skating party and record-breaking “ShotSki,” in which 1,333 people stretched down Main Street drinking shots of local Breckenridge Distillery bourbon whiskey — the cups Velcro-ed onto 444 skis..

“We are a very welcoming community. If you want to put horns on your head, people will accept you," joked long-time local and former Breckenridge mayor, John Warner, before he marched in the parade.

Ullr is recognized for being a skilled skier and hunter and is often depicted on skis with his bow. Some even suggest that the Aurora Borealis in the northern hemisphere is the spray from Ullr’s skis. There are statues of him at the Breckenridge Ski Resort and in town. And he delivered last week with 15 inches of much needed snow. Still, much of the massive resort — 3,000 acres — wasn’t yet open.

That didn’t deter those seeking fun in the snow. “When you are from the south, you’re happy with any snow you can get, and it’s always a good time,” said Mike Baggett, from Nashville, who was skiing with his son and daughter-in-law who live in Alabama. “It’s all good!”

“Any snow is enough to have fun,” said Lucas, 10, visiting with his family from Mexico City.

A lot of families can’t wait to get out there and play. “Park City is running unprecedented occupancies looking ahead to January and February,” said Dan Howard, spokesman for the Park City Convention and Visitors Bureau . Last season, in fact, despite strict COVID-19 protocols, including required reservations and reduced capacity at many resorts, the 2021 ski season was the fifth best season on record — the second best in the Rocky Mountain region. Skier visits were up in all six geographic regions, the National Ski Areas Association has reported.

Winter, of course, is a great time to get away safely with the kids whether you want to ski or snowboard, snowmobile or snowshoe, visit a national park (how about Old Faithful without any crowds), fat bike or cross-country ski, even head to a festival. And while America’s big snow resorts are great, there are plenty of places closer to home to play in the snow.

For example, known as one of America’s snowiest cities, east of the Rockies, Marquette, Michigan, is the place to explore the frozen coast of Lake Superior and snowcapped forests, checking out frozen waterfalls and wildlife along the way.

Many believe that smaller, less expensive resorts — those in the Midwest and Pennsylvania, for example — will continue to attract many families who prefer to stay closer to home. Smaller resorts in the West also are popular. (Check out the new Taking the Kids Fun in the Snow section, compiled with our colleagues at Family Travel Forum.)

Many states, including Colorado, Utah, Maine and New York, have kids’ ski free deals for certain grades. Each program is slightly different and typically you need to apply in advance.

...continued

swipe to next page