J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by HelloFromCanada

Interesting SH responded to a 2 yr old comment. So that got me thinking about a comment for non-Canadian skiers who might be coming this way (please do , we'd love to have you !!)... each area of the country has its own common attributes... this is a big country , A ski resort in Atlantic Canada is closer to the U.K. than Whistler. Costal west areas are known for heavier snow , moderate temps . interior (west) B.C. and Alberta. Colder, drier snow steep terrain, skiing above the "tree line" is possible . (Google "Powder Highway") . The East (Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean) gets very little to no powder, hard packed piste skiing is the norm. (With some exciting tree skiing at some areas)

I typically ski Fernie, Castle Mtn mostly ... Kicking Horse when I need a treat. Sunshine for a weekend with my wife (when restaurants and shopping becomes more important than turns ).

My daily drivers are 188cms, 106 under foot, 112 in the shovel ... my big skis are 151 in the shovel and 112 under foot (turning radius of a city bus) . My friend in Quebec, his daily drivers are 172cms with a very short turning radius . When he comes to me, he borrows some big all mtn skis, when I visit him, I borrow some carvy turners !


This really didn't fit the topic, except talking about conditions should be understood within the context of what is "normal " for the area you are going to.

Cheers

I get asked this question a lot (I raised my family skiing , I've been employed as a ski instructor)

From ages 1 to about 4, your main goal is to make being outside in the snow sliding around as fun as possible. Being in a sled, toboggan, skis, whatever . Making it fun ... for the little ones , trust me , the moment it stops being fun, change your activity... time to go inside for a hot chocolate. If fun gets imprinted on their brian , when they are physically strong enough to learn , they'll actually want to ! After that, my advice would mirror the comment from admin, so I won't repeat it ...

First of all ? What a great idea !! Props !

Obviously, for a one size fits all , you'll need to make them big enough for biggies , and pad more for little ones ... offering a few sizes makes more sense. Are you going to put kids skis in a box that is designed to fit full on pow attack equipment!?!

What about a box big enough for a whole family ? If you are oversized anyway , might as well have one rather than many?? I don't know .

People are going to use a bag when they arrive, so I'd make room . Having a box too big will not prevent me from getting one .

Castle Mountian has had about a meter in the last week. Just saying .

If you buy a good helmet, it wlll be much more comfortable than a touque ... no head rot .

Best advice?

Avoid the "gorb gap" !

All you need to know

When I teach kids in the same group at different levels , I usually give them different exercises to perform at the same location. You can't pick tour terrain based on the best or worst. That usually works . So , I would not get hung up on one holding that others back , the instructor will work it out . Also, nothing brings up youngest like having to compete with an older sibling. The 8 yr old might end up the superstar ! There always exceptions , if the 12yr old is a ripper , then you may have to make other arrangements... again , let the ski school work it out , that's what they do .

My kids went through all-day programs . I'm a ski instructor, as well as volunteer with adaptive programs ( some participants are Kids) so I say with some experience that if the kids are into it and having fun , that day is not too long ...

So, the real question is: are the kids motivated?

That said , if these kids are under 6 yrs old , that day might be too long.

I'm stuck on "We normally ski in Austria". That must be awesome !

Kicking Horse is most certainly one of the best natural ski experiences anywhere. I am a local , I can drive to Kicking horse in about 3hrs from where I live. I can drive to Banff in about the same amount of time. What non-locals may not consider is, if planning a ski vacation, small market hills in the same area (Fernie, Castle Mountain Resort, Revelstoke , kicking Horse) all offer a very similar natural mountain experience at lower rates and without the trappings of a "tourist destination". If planning a ski trip to this part of the world, do some research into smaller "local" hills . Caveat: this advice is better suited to better than average skiers who care more about the skiing experience than the tourist experience. If grand hotels, massive crowds and fancy restaurants are a higher priority than world class turns , then by all means , blow your wad at Sunshine or Whistler .