Preparing for Skiing and Snowboarding

Do your kids like skiing and snowboarding? Or want to try something new? Winter for many in the Hudson Valley means playing in the snow and visiting the local Hudson Valley mountains and booking trips for family fun.  Luckily many local schools and towns offer lesson options for the kids.  Also we are just hours away from some of the best skiing in the Northeast. Planning for this activity and sport includes needing gear- protective and preventative pieces.  While most your kids will have from just snow play, some may be new to you.

Must Have Gear:

• Waterproof pants
• Waterproof and warm jacket
• Helmet
• Gloves
• Boots
• Skis/Board

Personal Gear:

• Base layers Family favorite Burton
• Backpacks to hold belongings and snowboard/helmets Our choice
• Socks
• Hand and Feet warmers
• Sweatshirts or sweaters
• Hats
• Boots/shoes for off the snow

Skiing and Snowboarding: What to do?

What should your child do?  Start with what your family does, are you skiers or boarders? What has your child started talking about, what about their friends?  In my opinion, skiing is easier to pick up, your body naturally balances the way you need on skis. Snowboarding is not a natural position, but one that is learned. 

Hot Tip: If your child is just starting out, still growing or hasn’t decided if they love it yet; RENT their gear.  Most local shops offer rental packages that also come with ticket benefits. 

That said we had our children learn to snowboard first, we snowboard and found it easier for everyone to do the same.  We started just going out together, then started them in lessons together and separately and practiced weekly.  Our town has reduced price lessons for our kids that they did weekly, making it a family night out after lessons. Season passes are also options if you live close to a mountain, the earlier (before the season starts) the cheaper those passes are. We purchase ours typically end the end of the current season/spring time. 

Mom Tips:

Have a bag for family or per child, we use snowboarding back packs from Burton.  The kids have their gloves, helmets, hats, hand/feet warmers, even extra clothing inside their bags.  Outside we can strap the boards to the bag, hang boots off and even strap on jackets.  For the younger kids, they carry their snowboards, and in their bags are their accessories.  I carry the heavier stuff when needed.  Teach your child how to hold their skis or boards correctly first. This saves from injury and makes everyone’s life easier from the start.  Having all in one place is the easiest for storage or fitting into one locker if you rent.  We also pack lunches, snacks for breaks.  We still buy Hot Chocolates and a snack or two but this cuts down on the cost.

In the house we have a closet we hang our jackets and pants and have bins for the small stuff. So after everything is cleaned it is kept there until we go boarding again.   I have a check list made for the kids bags- printed and laminated. 

Local Hudson Valley Shops:

• Ski Haus–  Brewster NY 
• Pedigree– Bedford Hills & White Plains
• Burton NYC– Soho- 
• Sports Barn Ski & Sport– Yorktown Heights
• Hickory & Tweed– Armonk
• Potter Brothers Ski Shop– Kingston, Fishkill

Slope Families Resort Guides:

•  Mount Snow 
• Okemo
• Smugglers
• Thunder Ridge
• Ski or Snowboard at Windham Mountain in the Catskills
• Travel: GORE MOUNTAIN