WanderMom » skiing

Family Skiing: Three Cost Saving Ideas

wandermom — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:28:37 +0000

I love my junk mail at this time of the year. It seems like every day there's another glossy photo of mountains and powder with promises of deals and bargains - all of which I read in detail. Hey, a girl can dream, can't she? Seriously though, the deluge of ski-themed junk mail did make me realize that I owe it to other folks who are interested in family skiing to share some of the cost-saving strategies I've been using to get my family out on the slopes without completely breaking the bank. Gear Skiing is an expensive sport. Skis, boots, poles and bindings for just one child can make a hefty dent in any family's budget. I've saved a fortune by using ski swaps. In the Seattle area, the best of the bunch is the Newport Ski and Snowboard Swap held annually at Newport High School (Nov 13-14, 2009, Fri 5pm-9pm & Sat 8am-6pm). Much of the gear on sale comes from individuals or families but local ski shops also participate and provide most of the technical sales assistance. Online classifieds and stores which sell or trade used gear are also a good source. I've used craigslist and PlayItAgainSports. If you're in Utah, you can check out the awesome winter gear section on the Snow List classifieds. Your munchkins will be champion grumblers rather than champion skiers if they're cold on the slopes. Layers of warm undies and fleece under insulated, waterproof outwear are a must. There are great deals available right now in the Sale + Clearance section on REI.com - and if you're a member, they'll even give you more money off (20%) with the member's only Fall Coupon Sale. Lands' End is another good source for reasonably-priced winter clothing. (You can get brand-name, gently-used outerwear at ski swaps, but understandably size selection can be hit-or-miss). Finally, October is a great time to check out ski shops in your area for sales of last season's gear and ex-rental equipment. In the Seattle area, I've had success with Seattle Ski and Snowboard and Sturtevants. If you're buying for an older child and expect to use the gear with younger siblings, this is option may be best for you.

Lift Tickets and Passes Now is the time to snag early season deals on ski lift tickets. Sales of annual passes for many resorts are heavily discounted if purchased before October 31st with savings still available through Thanksgiving. Similar deals are common on multi-day passes and vacation packages if you book early also. For example, Washington state and Canada residents can pre-purchase lift tickets for Whistler Blackcomb at a 30% discount until November 23rd. If you're thinking of California, there's deals on packages at Mammoth and The Village At Squaw Valley (which, btw, has an awesome mountain village feel and great family skiing). Accommodation If you're traveling to ski, accommodation at resorts can be pricey especially during winter vacations. If there's a resort you're interested in visiting this season, check out their website now and see if you can sign up for a newsletter or special offer emails. I have consistently found this a reliable source for worthwhile offers. If you've rented a house or condo from an individual during a prior season and you plan to return to the same resort this year, contact the owner and ask about discounts for returning visitors. I realize that some of my fair-weather friends think I'm more than a little nutty about winter sports. But hey, who wouldn't want one of these:

Flips Are Fantastic

wandermom — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 05:55:28 +0000

We took our Flip Mino for a test-drive on our recent trip to Whistler, so today for Photo Friday I'm going to showcase some video clips which we took on that trip instead of still photos - just for fun. Setting up the Flip is incredibly easy. Literally, you take it out of the box, connect it to your PC and once charged, it just works. It's also tiny, a truly pocket-sized device. The geek in me loves the fact that there are no memory cards or other storage media to fiddle with. This is truly a well-designed product. Taking videos is just a snap, so easy in fact, that I was able to record this short clip while snowboarding along-side CAM.
And here's one the WanderDad took of BigB and me coming in towards the Catskinner chair on Blackcomb.
I have two small criticisms of the Flip Mino: firstly, 2x digital zoom isn't quite enough for filming your children tearing down mountains. They become indistinguishable dots on the horizon very quickly. The range of the zoom is only about 30 feet which is OK, but not great. Secondly, within moments of downloading my video clips to my PC, I found myself hunting around online for video editing software. The application supplied with the Flip is very good at helping a novice user navigate through downloading and copying videos from the device to the PC, but does very little else. Wander on over to DeliciousBaby for some more Photo Friday fun. And if you're so inclined, Amazon.com has a great selection of Flip camcorders.

have baby will ski

wandermom — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:50:44 +0000

How to take your baby skiing Meet Jay, who runs one of the equipment rental stores in Whistler. I met Jay and his family when we stopped for lunch on Blackcomb Mt during our New Year trip to Whistler. It was difficult NOT to notice him as he threw off his ski jacket and I realized that he was carrying a baby in a Baby Bjorn. It was also obvious that he had skied with the baby in the front pack. I've heard about people doing this, but I've never met anyone who has. Jay explained that yes, he was a pretty experienced skier. He also cautioned that the resort doesn't sanction taking a baby skiing in a front pack. Still, to me, this is an example of how you can still do all the things you like to do - with an infant. As Jay said, "we don't ski the same way, it takes us longer to get out on the mountain and we don't ski the same terrain, but, for us, it was the only way we could keep skiing." And the baby? Five months old, happy as a clam strapped to his Dad's chest with a healthy glow from all that fresh air. Wander on over to DeliciousBaby for more Photo Friday fun. I've also entered the contest on HomeAway to win a week at one of their fantastic selection of vacation rental properties. Check out my contest entry here, and if you like it, I appreciate your vote. Thanks! Subscribe to this blog using RSS, email or follow me on Twitter.