Susan9876

We will taking our first ski trip to Beaver Creek, CO in a few days. We are advanced- beginner skiers. I'm sure my 12 and 15-year olds will want to 'break loose' from their parents and go on runs by themselves. They've done this on smaller ski resorts in Minnesota but is this safe at Beaver Creek? How have other parents handled this? Take lifts up together and meet up at the bottom after each run? This is our first ski vacation ever!

cmeyer54

Its safe if they are conservative skiers and know the rules of the mountain. We usually start out together at the top, meet halfway down and then again at the lift. Get walkie talkies (rentals) so you can stay in touch the entire time.

abram

By western standards, Beaver Creek is a relatively small area, 1625 acres. It is rarely crowded, and pretty easy to get around.

At that age, my kids would not have considered being with their parents at the top, middle, and bottom of a run "breaking loose". I'd suggest skiing a few runs with them to see how their doing, and letting them tell you when they're ready to go off on their own. Meet them for lunch or breaks. We never found walkie-talkies necessary.

Jean

Make sure everyone is carrying trail maps. B.C. includes Bachelor Gulch and Arrowhead ski areas through interconnected lifts/runs. Your kids need to know how to cross the face of the mountain and return. I think walkie-talkies are a great idea.

lenleigh

About 5 years ago I accompanied a family from Arizona on a ski trip to nanny for their kids (younger than yours). We all used Walkie Talkies and would definitly recommend this to anyone. Not only can it help in emergency situations, you won't waste time and frustration on getting separated.

I'd say ski together maybe in the morning and see how they are doing. If they can stay in control and aren't flying down the mountain, they are old enough to ski by themselves. As Jean said, everyone should have maps and make sure they are aware that skiing is like driving. You have to worry about yourself but you also have to be aware of what people are doing around you. Many accidents happen when someone is going too fast and plows right into someone else, experienced and inexperienced alike.

There is a possibility that you could encounter crowds due to spring break. I'm sure you'll still have a great time!

Susan9876

Thanks for the advice. I hadn't thought of Walkie Talkies but I think my kids will have even more fun equiped with Walkie Talkies. All of us are talking a ski school class the first day and I will also ask the instructor for his/her recommendations after the class.

GoTravel

For years, I couldn't keep up with my kids. As they got older, they slowed down and we pretty much ski together. Except for the 15 year old, we ski together. BTW my older ones are in their twenties.

BayArea

Shouldn't be a problem at Beaver Creek, it's a smaller area. I'd say a good portion depends on how good of skiers your kids are. If you're an advanced beginner skiing mostly green and easy blue runs and your kids (particularly the 15 yo) are skiing mostly blue or blue and black runs, you're going to have some seriously unhappy campers on your hands. If everyone skis at the same level, not such a big deal.

Take a few warm up runs together during the morning. Split up then meet together for lunch. Ski an after lunch warm up together and have a very specific time place to meet after the last run of the day.

If you get separated, all ski lifts have notice boards where a message can be posted telling your kids to report to such & such area.

cmeyer54

If you've already left, I'm sure this will be old news when you return but we've heard the snow is almost gone at Vail/Beaver Creek. You may end up trying Arapahoe Basin as they tend to have snow longer. Heard there is a lot of dirt and rocks out there now. Good luck!

Susan9876

Thanks to all who gave us advice. We had a great first skiing vacation. The top half of the mountain at Beaver Creek had plenty of snow and there were green runs for us up there but the snow was slushy nearer the bottom.(but that may change after tonight with the winter storm coming in). But we avoided the slush by taking the lift down from mid-mountain. Getting four Walkie-Talkies was the wisest thing we did. Staying at a townhome instead of a hotel room was the second wisest thing we did. Trusting my 12 year old to put on sunblock herself the first day was the unwisest thing I did -- she missed a lot of spots on her face and burned badly (i.e. blisters). She'll probably never be careless with sunblock again.

Gretchen

Glad you had a good time. When we skiied in March years ago we often found the base slushy and hard to navigate with crowds coming down at the end of the day. We finally decided to just ski around the top where the snow was in good shape and take the gondola down at the end of the day. Just an idea for your next trip--you can never go back now!!! Another idea is to have your kids take a day or two of lessons (always a good idea in our opinion, even when they were proficient skieers) and then they would hook up with friends made in the class or hotel. Fond fond memories. Now we babysit with bitties while parents and kids ski--did it in February.

kimamom

I have found that cell phones have been a very nice way to keep in touch on the slopes. The walkie talkies may be a more inexpensive tool if you don't have a family plan (for the cell phones.) ***kim***

BLYVAIL

BC closed yesterday for the season - 10 inches of new snow Friday night, 2 inches Saturday - Great mid-winter skiing for the last day!!