Skiing, safer than driving...

Skiing is a relatively safe sport, a healthy fun way to enjoy the great outdoors in winter...but sometimes skiing gets a bad rap...read the statistics on how skiing is safer than driving an automobile on the highway. Of course they are ways to dramatically improve your safety on the slopes, most of these safety tips are covered on the timeless National Ski Area Association's 7 Point Skiers' Responsibility Code...

“Your Responsibility Code”:
1. Always stay in control.
2. People ahead of you have the right of way.
3. Stop in a safe place for you and others.
4. Whenever starting downhill or merging, look uphill and yield.
5. Use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
6. Observe signs and warnings, and keep off closed trails.
7. Know how to use the lifts safely.

Read Heather Burke's blog on ski safety: Skiing, safer than driving...

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Top 10 Ski Lists

Everyone loves a Top 10 Lists ...you can thank David Letterman for that I suppose...but we are the skiing critics - we are more about daylight downhill skiing than late night comedy. All jokes aside, here are our top 10 Favorite Ski Resorts for families in the East and our top 10 Favorite Family Ski Resorts  in the West.

You will also find tips on teaching your kids to ski, getting the most out of ski and snowboard camps for kids, and how to pack for your family ski vacation.

Thanks for checking in with the ski journalists at Family Ski Trips...stay tuned! And enjoy your time on the snow with your family!

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first tracks - 'cause if you're not first, you're last...

Our family is hooked on first tracks, ours' is admittedly a competitve crew. Sometime you have to pay to play, and pay extra for the early morning ski privilege - but like many of the best things in life: it's worth it! We love to crush the corduroy at 7am, or get fresh powder while others are still hugging their pillows...here is our take on taking sweet laps before the lifts are open to the public.

Read our review of First Tracks for skiing families

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Sugarloaf? There is an app for that

Sugarloaf? There is an app for that

Hey Sugarloafers, no more loafin as you can track your vert, your runs, your speed and your entire season and compare with your ski compadres with the new Sugarloaf Reply app, brought to you by @Alpine Replay for iPhone an Android with sharing capabilities on facebook - fun!

App on, game on, this is going to be interesting...

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Top 10 Reasons to Ski!

Looking for excuses to escape to the mountains this winter? Here are our top 10 reasons to ski! From calorie burning to camaraderie- we will provide you the perfect reasons to get out and get active in the snow with your family this winter season!

Family Ski Trips Top 10 Reasons to Ski!

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we always oogle and google before ski season!

The anticipation for alpine skiing is on, as always. A fluke pre-Halloween snow storm was affectionately called "snOwtober" by skiers and Armageddon by those who lost power for days. But the heavy Halloween snow measured as much as a foot in the mountains, allowing both Killington and Sunday River to open for skiing on upper mountain trail on Saturday Oct 29. 2011.

Now, Sunday River has been getting the first to open goods for several years now, their 5th pre-Halloween start in as many years. But Killington made the announcement ahead of the Maine resort, and Sunday River graciously opened one minute later (10:01) to let the Big-K have their day - or their minute in this case. Weekend only operation has ensued in this extremely early season skiing.

While we haven’t made our first turns yet, we anxiously anticipate La Nina snow year. Meanwhile, we are tweeting, writing, and prepping for another great season.

You can, and should, follow us on Google+, this is Google’s answer to facebook…and our idea of more social media overload. But we are on board just the same. We’re happy to give Mark Zuckerberg a little healthy competition after all. Worked for Sunday River and Killington this fall- so why not Facebook & Google?!

Stay tuned, tune your skis, and see you on the slopes!

Join our new Google Plus Pages 
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Give ‘em the bird…just joking, give the Bird a hand!

I love Snowbird, the amazing tram to 11,000’, the 500’ bounty of Utah pow, and the awesome 2,500 acres of terrain that makes every skier’s top 10 must ski list. But just like Mr. Blackwell’s top 10 best dressed list, ski resorts need to update their wardrobe and keep their look fresh – so to speak. Snowbird has proposed a 5 year improvement plan with 11, not 10, important but modest improvements to the ski resort. These are thoughtful, low impact to the environment, upgrades…but since Snowbird is in a National Forest and their goal is always to work in harmony with the environment and forest service…your support of the proposed MDP is appreciated and important.

Snowbird hopes to improve their beginner area, provide night skiing in Gadzoom area, install a new conveyor lift for first timers, create bike trails and a new outdoor deck, remodel the Mid Gad Lodge restaurant and make Gad 2 lift a detach, to name a few.

 

Here are the 11 proposed improvements to Snowbird Resort from 2011- 2016:

1. Beginner Skiing Area Below Entry One

2. Conveyor Lift in Gad Valley

3. Baby Thunder Yurt

4. Night Skiing on Gadzoom

5. Lift Maintenance Shop and Office Expansion of the Lower Gad Valley Pump Station

6. Gad Valley Day Lodge Adaptive Sports Expansion

7. Bike Trails and/or Park

8. Relocation of Lunch Run Summer Road

9. Remodel of Mid Gad Restaurant

10. Gad 2 Upgrade

11. Outdoor Deck for General Gritts

Here is a detailed description of Snowbird’s Master Plan

So don’t just flip the Bird, friend the Bird and show your support by emailing comments-intermtn-wasatch-cache-saltlake@fs.fed.us in support of Snowbird’s plans.

Read our family ski trip reviews of Snowbird

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