(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Zac Beveridge skis with 3-year-old Finley on opening day at Park City last November.
There’s room on Utah’s slopes for skiers of all ages.
And if you’re looking to introduce your youngsters to the sport, there are ways to do it without breaking the bank.
Some Utah resorts, such as Brighton, tout promotions where kids can ski for free. Others, Park City Mountain for instance, offer multi-week learning programs to firmly entrench the habit of skiing into the minds of children as young as 3 years old.
Whatever your needs, a resort near you is ready to help young rippers get up and down the mountain.
Up to two children (10 and under) can ski for free for each paying adult. A child season pass is also available, which will give you free days at other resorts and the use of UTA ski buses. Brighton also has private lessons plus group lessons for kids 4 and up daily at 10:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.
A “Learn & Earn” program is designed to improve ski and snowboard skills over a three-year period, according to the resort. Snowbasin also offers a pair of 12-week learning programs for youngsters and the shorter (five-week) Wildcats and Little Cats programs. The cost of lessons start at $139 for a single day and go up depending on the program.
Full-day lessons for the youngest of the young, 3-4 years old, range from $247-309 while the same price range is for the 5-6 and 7-14-year-old groups. Park City Mountain Resort’s teen lessons (15-17 years) range from $215-269 while half-day lessons go from $188-235.
For first-time skiers and snowboarders, lessons are available for those 13 and older every day from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (cost is $160/person). For those younger (6-12 for skiers and 7-12 for snowboarders), the “Powder Club” is a full-day lesson at $180. The “All-Mountain Adventure Team” is an 11-week program starting on Jan. 8 where students from 5 to 14 learn to ski in all different types of terrain.
In addition to the Fawn and Bambi clubs, Deer Valley’s “Reindeer Club” is for those kids ages 5-6, while the “Adventure Club” is for those aged 7-12. Deer Valley is also numbered among the Utah resorts that offers a children’s center for non-skiing youngsters.
The Alf Engen Ski School accepts first-time and intermediate students between 4-12 years old while the “Advanced Mountain Explorers” and the “Teen Camp” are for, respectively, those from 7 into the teen years and those between 13-17. The camps run continuously through the winter and Presidents Week holidays and skiers aren’t required to commit to any specific number of days.
Solitude features a mix of programming, including a path toward the development of ski skills that could lead ultimately to competition. One of three youth programs, for those aged 6-16, includes a “Race Team,” with coaches certified by U.S. Ski & Snowboard and the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA). “Devo” is a beginner, fundamentals-focused group that provides a path to the more advanced levels. For general youth lessons, a day of instruction will run you about $150.
Also in the group with Park City and Deer Valley, Snowbird offers one-day individual lessons that are $290 for kids as young as 3. Youth lessons are a little less pricey for the 7-15 age group ($200). Multi-week programs are also available for those from 3 to 17.
The “PowerKids Ski Free” program allows children under 12 to ski for free at seven western resorts (including Nordic Valley and Brian Head in Utah).
In addition to the PowerKids program, Brian Head also has a “Tiny Tracks” program for 5-6-year-olds and Mountain Explorers for those 7-12. “First Tracks” gives those as young as three another opportunity at a Utah resort. A semiprivate, 2.5-hour lesson starts at $130 and goes up from there depending on the time of day.
Lift tickets for children at Sundance are at $79, while season passes are available for $269. There’s one more option: for those expecting to visit the resort two to five times. That’s the S-Pass and the price is $69 per child.
For young skiers, 5-7, an “Eaglet” program introduces them to a safe and fun environment, starting at $80 per lesson, while the “Learn To Soar” program (for those 8-14) has groups for a wide variety of abilities.
The resort’s “Snowsports School” touts its membership with the Professional Ski Instructors Association of America and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors and Beaver Mountain beginner packages (7 & older) and holiday lessons start at $45 per person.
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