5th Grade Ski/Ride Free Passport Program

If you have a child in the 5th grade, don’t miss the opportunity to sign them up to ski or snowboard for FREE for three days with the 5th Grade Ski Free Passport Program (a $20 processing fee is required). Participating resorts include Mt. Spokane, Lookout Pass, 49 Degrees North or Silver Mountain. The passport also includes special deals on equipment rentals, lessons and other activities. Applications for the 2015-16 program will be available in 5th grade classrooms in October or online at: Skinwrockies.com/5th-grade-ski-ride-passport. The Passport is valid during the 2015-16 ski season except some blackout dates at individual resorts. Allow two weeks for 5th Grade Passport delivery for mailed applications and one week for applications completed online. More info at Skinwrockies.com.

EZ Ski/Ride 123 (Ages 7 and Up)

The EZ Ski/Ride 123 program is an affordable and easy way to introduce your kids to a new sport that will provide a lifetime of smiles and enjoyment in the great outdoors. The complete package includes three lift tickets (choose from four local ski hills), three rentals (boots, poles, skis or snowboard) and three lessons. Getting your kids signed up only takes three easy steps. 1. Pick one of the participating ski area (49 Degrees North, Lookout Pass, Mt. Spokane, or Silver Mountain); Sign up and purchase an EZ Ski 1-2-3 package and schedule your child’s lessons by calling the ski area you choose; and 3. Head to the mountain to get your kid(s) fitted for rental gear in time to enjoy their first lesson! (Repeat two more times and then look for other ski deals to keep your family skiing together all winter long.) Each participating resort has their own pricing, ranging from $99-$129, as well as unique program offerings, including season pass deals, and lesson availability and schedules. Learn more about what each of the four resorts is offering at www.skinwrockies.com/ez-ski-ride-1-2-3. //

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Lookout Pass Free Ski School Inc. is a separate entity from the ski area and is run by about 30 volunteer ski instructors. They offer beginner and intermediate skiing and riding lessons for boys and girls, ages 6 to 17. Registration is limited to 500 students and is open online now through the first three weeks of the program. This season’s program starts January 9, 2016 and runs every Saturday morning through March 12. While equipment and lift tickets (for additional skiing after the lesson) are not included, Lookout’s rental shop has all the equipment needed during the program to make it a great experience for kids and affordable for any family. “Parents just love this program,” says Edholm. “When they first get their kids going, they can be with them in the beginner areas as they learn. It’s a family affair, and everyone has such a good time.” As Lookout’s signature program, the Free Ski School plans to continue growing strong, imparting to youth the love of skiing and riding for many more seasons to come. Register your kids online at Skilookout.com. //

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Skiing and snowboarding aren’t always for everyone in every family, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun together up on the mountain. Even skiing families sometimes enjoy a change of pace that involves other wintertime activities. From snowshoeing and snow tubing to splashing and playing at Silver Mountain’s indoor water park, there is always an adventure waiting for you at one of our area ski resorts.

Splash and Play at Silver Rapids Indoor Waterpark

My kids like both waterslides and alpine skiing. At Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg, Idaho, they can enjoy both on the same day. As overnight guests in Morning Star Lodge, each person gets unlimited daily access to Silver Rapids Indoor Waterpark – Idaho’s largest indoor waterpark. The resort’s “Splash and Stay” packages offer two different stay accommodations: a deluxe studio that sleeps up to four people, or a one-bedroom condominium with full kitchen and dining and living areas, including a fireplace. Even if you only stay one night, you get two days at the waterpark – with waterpark admission during your entire day of check-out. If you visit during the fall, when not enjoying Silver Rapids’ humid, 84-degree indoor temperature, you can mix-and-match the waterpark with outdoor activities – from riding the mountain gondola to access high-country hiking trails or biking the nearby flat and easy Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes.

Once ski season begins, the waterpark provides happy alternatives for families with non-skiing members or for those children – and sometimes adults – who aren’t able to, or don’t care to, spend a full day on the slopes. A family can divide and conquer all that Silver Mountain Resort has to offer. Moreover, if the weather or snow conditions aren’t inspiring enough to ski, don’t feel guilty about trading-in your skis for swimsuits. Silver Rapids will still get your hearts pumping while experiencing thrills together. My son and daughter couldn’t get enough of the two perfectly kid-sized waterslides at the Water Mine at Minor’s Island. And the Moose Sluice family raft ride was exciting for all of us as we swooshed together down the dark tunnel. My kids and I also spent a lot of time in the North Fork Lazy River and Warm Spring (cooler than a standard hot tub) while my husband learned to surf on the Flow Rider Surf Wave.

The layout is compact yet not complex or crowded feeling, and aquatic footwear is a good idea to save your soles from aching after walking to and from the different waterpark attractions. And although we were indoors, the large clear roof provided enough natural light to make it seem as if we were outside, without having to use sunscreen (although technically, one could get a sunburn). Don’t worry about bringing towels – they’re provided at the waterpark. But dry shoes and warm clothes to change into before you leave are a good idea, because it’s a short walk outside between the waterpark and Morning Star Lodge. Instead of heading back to our condo to eat lunch, we ate casual, kid-friendly food from The Lunch Bucket at Silver Rapids, while sitting at tables overlooking the lazy river and within arm’s length of the Flow Rider. Dinner options in the Gondola Village include the full-service Noah’s Canteen restaurant and the casual, limited-seating Wildcat Pizza joint that offers condo delivery service – which is a great idea when your kids are exhausted and just want to hang out in their jammies. If you do venture outdoors again, fireplaces provide a warm gathering place, and the resort sells small kits to make s’mores.

During fall, the water park is open to Morning Star Lodge guests on Fridays from 1-8 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and, starting this winter (late November), the waterpark will be open for resort guests daily. Visit Silvermt.com for pricing and more information. //(Amy Silbernagel McCaffree)

Snow Tubing: Sliding Down the Mountain

Sliding down a slope on a tube is a winter sport that the whole family can enjoy. Several regional resorts offer tubing that includes a tube, groomed tubing lanes and a rope tow back up to the top after each run. Why not try them all this winter?

The Mt. Spokane Tubing Hill near the parking lot and the main lodge at the ski area features several lanes of tubing with a fun rope tow that hauls sliders back up to the top for another lap. All children under 42″ tall are always free with a paid adult. The Tubing Hill is open weekends and holidays. 90-minute sessions are $15. Mt. Spokane season pass holders can tube anytime for $5. Call 509-238-2220 x0 for more info.

The snow tubing hill at Bear Creek Lodge at Mt. Spokane is a whopping 90 feet high and nearly 800 feet long, making it the largest in the Inland Northwest. A rope tow pulls guests back to the launch point, and the hill is lit up for night time operations. Advance reservations are suggested, particularly during Christmas break and holiday weekends. Tickets are $15 plus tax per person for a 1.5 hour session (ages 3 and under are $10). Children under 42 inches tall, as well as 3-year-olds and younger, must ride with a paid adult. For more info on hours and reservation requirements, visit Bearcreeklodgewa.com.

There’s no hiking back to the top thanks to Silver Mountain Resort’s moving carpet that effortlessly whisks riders and their tubes back up for another run. Four lanes of snow tubing provide plenty of room to slide. Silver’s snow tube park is open most weekends and holidays at 9 a.m. Tickets include the gondola ride and snow tube rental ($20 for adults, kids ages 4-17 $18). More info: Silvermt.com.

Enjoy two lanes of sliding that stretch over 100 yards down to the rope tow at Schweitzer Mountain Resort. Day sessions ($15) last 1.5 hours and night sessions last 2.5 hours. All tubers must be at least 42″ tall to ride (6 and under $10). ​Schweitzer also offers night tubing with marshmallow roasting. Reservations are highly recommended. Call 208.255.3081 for more info.

Snowshoeing: Winter Fun for the Whole Family

With snowshoes on your feet, your family can explore the beautiful winter wonderland around area ski resorts without worrying about sinking in to your knees. On packed-down snowmobile and cross-country ski trails (be sure to always stay out of groomed Nordic ski tracks), snowshoeing is relatively easy and fun for kids. Deeper, untracked or unconsolidated snow, however, can be more challenging. If you don’t own snowshoes and trekking poles, no problem. Most ski resorts rent them, and you can also pick up rentals ahead of time in town at Mountain Gear, REI and Tri-State Outfitters. For a full guide to snowshoeing in North Idaho, check out this article online at Out There Monthly: Outtheremonthly.com/north-idaho-snowshoeing-guide-find-your-freedom-in-the-hills-this-winter.

49 Degrees North has a Cross Country and Snowshoe Center located adjacent to the alpine ski area. There is a warm and cozy yurt located at the trailhead and miles of groomed Nordic ski trails and ungroomed snowshoe trails that roll off into the forest. Trail passes are required. More info: Ski49n.com.

Lookout Pass offers snowshoe rentals and plenty of beautiful, groomed and ungroomed routes for families to explore. There are many places near Lookout Pass that can pose significant avalanche risk, so it’s best to stay away from steep slopes and known avalanche areas, like the St. Regis Basin. The groomed railroad grade for snowmobilers and cross-country skiers that heads out of the ski area parking lot is one great option, and the hill on the other side of I-90 from the resort can also be a fun place for families to explore. Inquire about avalanche risks and ask for other safe recommendations at the ski area.

Snowshoeing at Mt. Spokane State Park is generally permitted on any trail with adequate snow cover except for the groomed Nordic ski trails and within the alpine ski area. There are miles of trails and routes through beautiful forest and to high points with excellent views to explore. Visit Mountspokane.org for more info.

Silver Valley is home to terrific Nordic skiing and snowshoe trails. At Silver Mountain Resort, from the top of the gondola, you can enjoy a 3-mile snowshoe trail and finish back at the lodge. Snowshoe rentals are available for $10. Check in with Silver’s ski patrol before you start and let them know when you have returned. More info: Silvermt.com/Winter/Nordic-Skiing.

While you can head out snowshoeing on your own on one of many snowshoe trails around the mountain, Schweitzer Mountain Resort also offers hosted snowshoe adventures. Depending upon the conditions, tours may wander through Hermit’s Hollow old growth forests, along the Schweitzer Ridge, or to picnic point for a moonlit hike. Prices for guided tours range from $25-$30 and include gear. A trail pass for self-guided snowshoeing is $15. More info: 208.255.3081.

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He and his wife Brenda have always made it a priority to ski with their four children – three daughters, now ages 20, 19, and 15, and a son, 13. “We put them all through ski school – I’m a firm believer in that. That worked out great for us,” he says.

Before moving to the Spokane area in 2002 to manage Mt. Spokane, the McQuarrie family lived in Ketchikan, Alaska, which is where his oldest daughters initially learned to ski. When they weren’t using snowmobiles to access backcountry runs on the local Deer Mountain (there were no chairlifts), the family took the ferry to Canada and then drove inland for over an hour to ski and stay at Shamas Mountain in Terrace, British Columbia.

Each of the children had a different ski school experience – a combination of group lessons the first season followed by private ones in subsequent years. For example, his two youngest children started with Mt. Spokane’s “Mini Mites” program (for ages 4-6) followed by the “Mighty Mites” before progressing to multi-week group and private lessons.

“I didn’t put my kids into skis until each wanted to. I think it’s important not to push kids into it,” he says. “Children will whine and complain with their parents, but get them in a class, and they’re not going to whine in front of their peers. I just didn’t have the tenacity to teach my own kids.”

Ski training also begins at home, says McQuarrie. “The first thing I did was put them into the gear on the carpet. I think adults tend to take it all for granted – how skis feel – but it’s a huge change for kids, to be in boots and skis. So let them be in the gear at home. Let them hike around in their boots,” says McQuarrie.

Through the years, McQuarrie also learned from his missteps. “Whenever kids get tired or lose interest, get them inside and get them a hot cocoa. Just have fun with them as much as you can. I’ve made the mistake of pushing my kids too much,” he says.

From its extensive ski school program to its daycare facility, Mt. Spokane – like other regional ski areas – aims to ensure that skiers and snowboarders, parents and children, all feel safe and have fun on the mountain. Mt. Spokane and other regional resorts also participate in the national 5th Grade Ski/Ride Free Passport Program. “That’s a transitional age for kids,” says McQuarrie. “Studies have shown that if you learn to ski before that time, you’re likely to become a lifelong skier.”

Today, McQuarrie says he’d classify his children as all intermediate skiers.

“They can go most anywhere on the mountain but probably wouldn’t do too well off piste in the crud. Despite my warnings, they do go out of bounds. One daughter had to be rescued two winters ago after coming out on the road down by the Lower Mt. Kit Carson road parking lot!,” he says. “Regardless of training or instruction, some people progress very quickly, and others take a bit more time. Two things all ‘expert’ skiers have in common: lots of days and lots of mileage!”

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“The thing about skiing as a family activity is you wake up early and you play hard together all day long. And you get home late, and the kids fall asleep in the car. I don’t care if they’re 15 years old – they fall asleep in the car. At the end of your day, you feel like you won,” says John Eminger, owner and CEO of 49 Degrees North Mountain Resort in Chewelah, Wash. For his family, which includes his wife Gina and their 18-year-old son Ben and 16-year-old daughter Sara, alpine skiing has always been a family affair. “We ski with our kids because the return is so huge each time – that unmitigated smile,” he says. “When you can wake up a teenage girl to go skiing, you’re on to something.”

When Eminger took ownership of 49 Degrees North in 1996, he was just 34 years old, Gina was 28 and they had been married only four years. Lots of hard work went into those early years as they expanded and improved the ski mountain. Two years after moving to the base of Chewelah Peak, the Emingers became parents. Their home, in a subdivision on state-leased land, was just a mile from the ski resort. Living in an alpine environment was enriching in itself. For example, because the snow typically didn’t melt at their house until May, Eminger recalls how 1-year-old Ben learned the word “dirt” and was amazed “at how the snow melted and patches of dirt appeared and grew bigger,” says Eminger. “As soon as my kids could walk or stand up, we put them on skis. I remember pulling them around on skis on the front porch and taking them to the lodge before they could ski,” he says.

As for how Eminger and his wife taught their children to ski, he says they first just played with them in the snow. And then they did what most families choose to do. “When it came to riding the chairlift, we put them in lessons, with one day on the rope tow [before riding the chair]. We plugged them right into the system just like everyone else. It’s surprising how fast they learn, and you can go skiing with your kids,” he says. “My kids have been carrying their own skis and boots to the lodge since they could walk. It’s going to be a long walk until they figure it out, but then they become self-reliant kids. By the time Ben and Sara were each 8 years old, they probably had 500 days under their belts – they literally skied every day. I sometimes pondered if I was being a bad parent, because they skied so much.”

While growing up in Spokane – and attending Sacajawea Middle School and Ferris High School (Class of 1979) – Eminger says skiing was a huge thing in his family. “My dad would always buy me a season pass, and I would have to mow lawns to get my skis.” Yet it was only once he became a father that he realized why his dad so readily encouraged skiing. “It’s priceless to have a teenager who dedicates himself to skiing – early to bed Friday and Saturday nights to get up early to ski each weekend morning,” he says.

When Ben and Sara were younger, Gina was “the ski master” of outfitting them, according to Eminger. “The fascinating thing about ski clothes is that kids don’t wear them out. So there’s this chain of ski clothes that gets passed around. We’d hand down racing skis, and we’d recognize our kids’ old ski gear on other kids,” he says. “Ski swap is to die for, I don’t care who you are.”

As they came of age, both Ben and Sara started working for the resort. Ben works on the chairlifts during the off-season and volunteers as a junior ski patroller, about to start his first season after completing his candidate training last winter. Sara works in the ticket office. “Skiing’s my job, so I almost feel like I take my kids to work with me every day,” says Eminger. “It’s like living on a farm or raising kids on a large ranch in the 1880s – everybody pitches in. It’s a lot of work outside, but it’s pretty rewarding.”

His favorite family ski memories blend together – too many to differentiate – but early ski mornings are definite highlights. “I have an advantage – I can get on the first chair. I remember making the kids go to school and they would have to catch the bus at 8:30… [but] the very first chairlift starts at 7:50 or 8-ish. So, first thing we did on a powder day is hop on the chair lift, even before patrollers, and ski down Midway in knee-deep snow,” he says. Another favorite memory is turning back and seeing his son skiing behind him in his figure-eights before Ben stopped and told him, “Dad, you ski so slow.” Eminger was amused and proud.

“It’s been that way with my daughter, too,” he says. “The first time we skied in the trees together, I turned around to look for her, and then realized she’s already in front of me and wondering why I stopped and am looking back.”

Up until last season, both Eminger children were also ski racers. “Ski racing is a great way to spend time in the mountains,” he says. It allows “time for parents to ski on their own and [opportunity to] travel to other ski areas.” As for family ski days, he says with a laugh, “Now it’s, ‘Dad, we’ll meet you at the bottom of chair ‘insert-the-number’.”

When it comes to the ski resort business, Eminger also speaks about the resort’s staff and volunteers, from the lift operators to the ski instructors and paid and volunteer patrollers, like they are one close-knit family – “ski zealots” who love the mountain, he says. “What goes on behind the scene is like Disneyland everyday – it’s absolutely amazing. It’s impossible for one person to keep up…The caliber of people who work at a ski area are a notch above…it’s a good place to hang out. I have yet to get bored of the conversation – they’re all so diverse and educated.

“The nice thing about ski areas and ski patrollers and instructors is they are there to help the community. The kids are the little prized jewels. At a family resort, that’s almost like the point,” he says. “As an adventurer, skiing for me was totally different than what you would do with kids – it was about how steep, how deep. It wasn’t until I bought a ski resort that I understood what the experience was about. We have two rules [at 49]: work hard and tell the truth…We understand that family comes first,” he says. “We’re the caretakers for a mountain for a generation.”

Eminger says he is proud to provide opportunities for families to find their niche in the snow on the mountain, whether it’s alpine or Nordic skiing or snowshoeing. “People talk about wilderness, and within a minute of a ski resort, you can get to the total quiet of a winter storm. How else can you bring that controlled chaos to a family?” he says. “People come to the ski area so wrapped up, and bring a lot of the civilized world with them, but once you get them on the chairlift it all melts away. Skiing is good for the soul…I can’t think of a better spot in the winter time to hang out with your family.”

Advice for New Ski Families

49 Degrees North owner John Eminger had this advice for a family just starting out teaching their children to ski or considering making it a family sport: “Go to the ski swap. Buy warm clothes. Hook up with a ‘learn to ski’ program – a very affordable way to get into skiing. If you’re the lone skier in the family and want to get everyone else going, look to the ski school to help manage your time together. Get involved in ski racing or get involved as a ski instructor or patroller, so you can spend more time at the mountain as a family.” //

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Lease Ski & Snowboard Gear from a Local Shop 

Kids grow fast, and unfortunately, new ski and snowboard gear doesn’t grow on trees each season. Taking advantage of shop lease programs can be a huge savings over having to buy new equipment every time your kids grow out of boots, skis and boards.

Wintersport on the Division Street hill near downtown Spokane offers new, used, and performance ski and board lease packages for kids and adults, and while the shop has a lot of gear in stock, shop manager Eli Coski warns that they run out every year. Kid’s packages range from $129-229 with adult packages ranging from ski only packages starting at around $100, to standard and performance packages from $179 and up. Gear can be picked up now and returned in May, with sizing adjustments and tuning included throughout the season and a buy option in the spring. “Season leasing gear is the simplest, most cost effective, hassle free way to get the whole family on the slopes for the entire season,” Coski says. More info: 509-328-2030 or Nwsportx.com.

The Alpine Haus on Spokane’s South Hill offers used ski and snowboard lease packages starting at $119 for the season. The packages include everything (including a mid-season tune). Pick gear up now and return equipment by May 1 with the option to buy at the end of the season. Details: 509-534-4554 or Facebook.com/SpokaneAlpineHaus.

In North Idaho, Ski Shack in Hayden is offering a limited number of kids ski lease packages, ranging from $100-$130 for used gear and $150-$170 for new equipment. Packages include everything to get your little ripper in training up on the mountain. More info: 208-772-3112 or Haydenskishack.com. For Sandpoint families, Alpine Shop also has a lease program for kids that includes used skis, boots and bindings in the $150 range. More info at 208-263-5157 or Alpineshopsandpoint.com.

While Sports Creel out on Sprague in Spokane Valley doesn’t have a season lease program, the shop does offer a popular “trade-up” program. Anyone (adults or kids) can bring in a package that they have purchased at the Creel in recent years and get a value back on trading it in towards a new package. There’s generally a good used selection to choose from, and the Creel’s fitters try to size kids for two years so you’re generally not investing in a new binding set up each year. More info: 509-924-2330 or Facebook.com/pages/The-Sports-Creel/312711075603.

Save Big Time on Ski/Snowboard Gear for the Whole Family at These Ski Swaps 

For many skiers and snowboarders, the start of the ski season usually kicks off well before the first snowflakes in town with the region’s annual ski swaps. Nothing beats a ski swap if you’re looking to save money on outfitting a family with quality, used or new ski and snowboard equipment and clothing. The ski swap atmosphere is a fun way to get your kids excited about winter and the coming ski season, and swaps typically have experienced volunteers on hand to help you pick out the best gear for kids and adults and assist with boot and other equipment fitting to make sure that awesome deal you find is the right one for you. Mark these swaps on your calendar and plan to hit as many as necessary until everyone in your family has what they need to get up on the slopes this winter.

Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol Ski Swap (October 30-November 1)

This is the 51^st year for the largest ski swap in the region. Benefitting the Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol, this swap at the Spokane Fair & Expo Center is a fun, high-energy event that includes great deals on new and used ski and snowboard gear, the premiere showing of Matchstick Productions new film “Fade to Winter,” ski shop and other outdoor recreation booths with discounts on new gear, and a Mt. Spokane learn-to-ski ramp where kids can take their first-ever turns. Organizers expect up to 23,000 new and used ski gear items to be up for grabs this year. Passes to the swap are $5 (tickets for the Friday night showing of “Fade to Winter” are another $6). While the lines form early on Saturday morning, many people also show up on Sunday to hunt for some of the best deals, with 25% off on marked items. Skipatrolskiswap.com.

Winter Swap (November 7-8): Each year for nearly two decades, Coeur d’Alene has played host to the combined ski swap efforts of the Lookout Pass and Silver Mountain volunteer ski patrols. The largest swap in North Idaho, and a great option for Spokane area skiers and snowboarders who missed the Mt. Spokane swap or didn’t find what they were looking for. Winter Swap is an excellent place to pick up new and used ski gear and clothing for the coming season with serious savings. Admission is $5 and children under 12 accompanied by an adult get in free. Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon, and the swap takes place at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds in Coeur d’Alene (4056 N. Government Way). Winterswap.org.

Fitness Fanatics Nordic Ski Sale & Swap (November 7-8): This annual cross-country ski gear sale and swap is the place to outfit kids and adults with everything you need to enjoy the fresh air, exercise and quiet nature that draws many families to take up Nordic skiing. Find new and used classic and skate skis, boots, bindings, poles and clothing, with new gear available in the shop and the used gear up for grabs in a heated tent in the parking lot. With so many deals on hand, it’s possible to get a little skier set up for under $50. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday at Fitness Fanatics in Spokane Valley (12425 E. Trent Ave.). Fitfanatics.com.

Schweitzer Alpine Racing School (SARS) Ski Swap (November 14): Sandpoint’s annual ski swap at the Bonner County Fairgrounds features thousands of new and used winter sports items being sold by individuals and regional vendors. The annual event benefits the SARS ski racing and freeride programs for over 150 local and regional athletes ages 5 and up. Hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. More info: Sars.net. // (OTM)

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