Chat GPT response:


Skiing is a fantastic winter activity, and it's great that you're considering introducing your family to it! Here's a breakdown to help you decide on the number of days:

1. Initial Lessons:

First Day: The first day is usually about getting accustomed to the equipment, learning basic techniques like "pizza" and "french fries" for stopping and going, and getting comfortable on flat terrain. This might involve practicing on a beginner's slope or "magic carpet" area.
Second Day: By the second day, you might progress to simple green runs. You'll be refining the basics and gaining confidence.
Third Day: This day often solidifies green run skills and ensures that all family members feel secure in their foundational abilities. Some may even start on easier blue runs by the end of the day if they're feeling confident.
2. Progressing Beyond:

Days 4 & Beyond: By the fourth day and onward, you might be focusing on refining skills, building confidence, and tackling more challenging terrain like steeper green runs or more complex blue runs. Remember, everyone learns at a different pace. Some might be ready for blues sooner, while others might want more time on greens.
Recommendations:

For Basics: For a solid introduction and to get comfortable on greens, I'd recommend at least 3 days of skiing with lessons.
For Progression: If you aim to comfortably ski blue runs, consider 5-7 days. This gives ample time for lessons, practice, and progression at a pace that isn't rushed.
Additional Tips:

Group vs. Private Lessons: While group lessons are more affordable, private lessons can offer more personalized instruction, which might accelerate learning, especially if there's a significant difference in learning pace within the family.
Rest Days: Skiing is physically demanding, especially when you're learning. Consider planning a rest or lighter activity day if you're skiing for more than 3 consecutive days.
Equipment: Ensure all family members have well-fitted equipment. Properly fitted boots can make a significant difference in the learning experience.
Safety: Helmets are crucial, especially for beginners.
Multi-Day Epic Pass: If you're getting the multi-day Epic Pass, remember that it doesn't have to be used on consecutive days (depending on the type of pass). This allows for some flexibility in planning your ski days.

If you’re going out west, take some lessons at a hill around here… even if it’s just 1. Learn the basics, practice getting on/off lifts, etc. then you can take 1 level up out west and get a lot more out of it.

Oh and if you plan to ski a bit I recommend a season equipment lease from sun ski to avoid the cost and lines at local ski places.

Just looked up lessons and whitetail has a 5 week program for $664 for 5 lessons and lift tickets which is a great deal.

https://www.skiwhitetail.com/plan-your-trip/ski-and-ride-lessons/products/women-of-whitetail

My biggest advice for everyone it to take as many lessons as you can. If you can afford private go for it or try to go mid week and take a lesson because it will likely end up becoming a private.

Kids will learn quickly and I agree that multi week lesson programs are the way to go. They will be divided up by level and have the same instructor every week.

I learned to ski at 42. Started at whitetail. First season I skied 5 days and spent a lot of time on the bunny slope. First day day was just there, second day I attempted sidewinder. At liberty I spent a lot of time on the front greens (never did their bunny slope as I find it too flat, even for beginners. I only took one beginner lesson my first year and looking back I should have taken a lot more. I also watched a lot of youtube videos which I do think helped. My second year I took a lesson early in the season and go lucky with it being just me. That private helped me a ton and I progress a lot my second year. I also skied around 18 days my second year including one trip out west. I am a solid blue-groomed black skier now and have improved a ton since I started in Jan 2020. I still take lessons every season including the adult development program at Liberty (4 lessons/days over the course of 2 weekends). I credit my improvement to skiing as much as I can which is 18-20 days/season which I think is decent in this area, and lessons.

Whatever you do both for the kids and the adults, do not just go to blues too quickly. i did not go down the blues at Whitetail until probably my 13th time skiing, but I am also more cautious and wanted to be be able to actually ski it vs staying in a pizza and surviving it. It is one thing to get down a blue alive, it's another thing to actually ski it in control. FYI blues are Whitetail are a lot more challenging/steeper than Liberty. At WT if you can't ski down sidewinder completely clean then don't attempt snowpark. Do snow park before even thinking about a blue.

NP, put them in as many days of ski school as you can. At that age, they will learn very quickly.

I started both of my kids at 3, and they literally probably have 50+ days of ski school each under their belts now that they’re teens. It’s a big investment (assume $200 per day at least, so a cool $20k), but they can now ski anything I can, which is any marked run anywhere.

It’s really fun to watch them improve, and they still beg to go back (I think they like cutting the line).

Anonymous wrote:Whitetail has a good 5 week program for kids (3hrs on Friday night or Saturday). After a season of that my kids were totally comfortable on greens and blues. Might be harder for the grown ups to learn. I’d recommend maybe doing a weekend of lessons then skiing on your own while your kids are in the program.

OP: good to know about the 5 week program! Difficult to know what they have because the programs aren’t up yet. I should get 5-6 day passes at the minimum then.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP: thanks, in fact our kids know both how to ice skate (took lessons for over a year). We plan to get rentals locally so we don’t have to stand in line at the resort. Maybe reasonable to start with something like a 4-5 day pass this year, just in case we (or the kids in particular) don’t enjoy it as much.

If your kids are small, plan not to ski every day consecutively to give their little legs time to relax. It does depend on the kid and ages - my kids started skiing at 3, but didn't really want to ski consecutive days until they were 7 or 8. There's normally tons of other things to do.

OP: kids are 7 and 9. We plan to go to either Liberty or Whitetail, and sign them up for full day lessons if they have them. They don’t have any information up yet.

The kids might be better than you if you've never skiied. When I was 20 I went skiing with a group of friends and one had never went before. He did an intro ski lesson with 6 year olds and their 35 year old moms. He and the 6 year olds were fine - the moms were not because they were afraid. I probably could not learn to ski as an adult.

Don't hope for blues this first winter. If you get there - it will be good but not expected IMO.

Our kids learned in a half day! They are athletes, ice hockey, etc so that might have helped.

Whitetail has a good 5 week program for kids (3hrs on Friday night or Saturday). After a season of that my kids were totally comfortable on greens and blues. Might be harder for the grown ups to learn. I’d recommend maybe doing a weekend of lessons then skiing on your own while your kids are in the program.

Anonymous wrote:OP: thanks, in fact our kids know both how to ice skate (took lessons for over a year). We plan to get rentals locally so we don’t have to stand in line at the resort. Maybe reasonable to start with something like a 4-5 day pass this year, just in case we (or the kids in particular) don’t enjoy it as much.

If your kids are small, plan not to ski every day consecutively to give their little legs time to relax. It does depend on the kid and ages - my kids started skiing at 3, but didn't really want to ski consecutive days until they were 7 or 8. There's normally tons of other things to do.

OP: thanks, in fact our kids know both how to ice skate (took lessons for over a year). We plan to get rentals locally so we don’t have to stand in line at the resort. Maybe reasonable to start with something like a 4-5 day pass this year, just in case we (or the kids in particular) don’t enjoy it as much.

Plan to spend a day and a half on the bunny slope and the second half day on the easiest green slope. Then 3-7 days on green slopes before even attempting to do a blue. If your family ice skates it will be an easier learning curve. If you are getting rentals each time plan about 1.5 hours to wait in line and try on gear for those days.

We’re looking into getting the multi-day epic pass this year. Family of 4, with 2 kids under 10. None of us has skied before. We all will need to sign up for lessons - how many days should we aim for to get some basics down? To be able to go on greens or blues? Have no clue and would really appreciate some advice so I can get the pass for the right number of days (more or less).