Scharrer Family Vail Ski Vacation + Seven Tips for a Smooth-Sailing Ski Trip with Kids

We just got back from a family ski vacation in Vail.  On the way there, I told the kids that there were only two rules for our ski vacation.  One, there was no bed time, and two, you had to have fun.  As you can probably guess, those rules were followed with a lot of cheering and questions like, "What??  No BED TIME???!!!!  Woohoooooo!"
Erik and I have only ever had one goal in mind when it comes to our kids and skiing and that's that they enjoy it.  Through everything from just learning to ski, to ski competitions, the main goal is always, and only, to have fun.


All four of our kids were on skis by 18 months old and I realized very early on that taking kids skiing is not an easy task for the mother role.  At ski competitions, I often joke with the other moms about how easy a swim competition would be compared to getting our kids ready for a ski race.  Haha, it's all worth it, though, and most importantly, I think it's both valuable and amazing to have an activity that our entire family can enjoy doing together.

As I packed for our family to go to Vail, I made note of a few things (besides the normal snow pants, gloves, hats, mittens, helmets, goggles, ski boots, wool socks...) that are essential to our ski trips running smoothly.  So before I officially document our Vail ski trip, here is my list of the top seven tips for a smooth running ski trip with kids:

1.  Invest in some good merino wool and learn to layer.  Erik is OBSESSED with merino wool and I have to admit that I am, too.  It is a bit pricey, but it will keep you warm.  It dries quickly, so it keeps you dry (which keeps you warmer).  It doesn't hold odor, so you can actually wear it multiple days in a row, making it a great choice for long ski trips!  It's easy to wash, which is great for those middle of the hill potty accidents.  It's also not itchy or too thick and easy to layer with.  I've heard that Minnesotans are expert layer-ers and I have to believe it 's true!  Warmth is found in layers.  Warmer warmth is found in layers of merino wool.  :)  

2.  Spend the extra money to get waterproof mittens.  We have had our fair share of mittens and one of the best things you can do for your kids is get them waterproof mittens.  Not only will their hands stay dry, but they will then stay warmer.  Before fully investing in waterproof mittens, I was carrying 2-3 pairs of mittens per child to the ski hill each time and changing them out every time they got too wet.  Having waterproof mittens is worth every penny!

3.  Put on as many things as you can before heading to the hill.  I used to worry about the kids getting too hot and would only half-way dress them before heading out.  I have learned, though, that half-way dressing and then hauling all of the extra clothes to the hill is way more work than it is good.  And you get hot carrying all that extra stuff, anyway!  We put e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g on our kids, including ski boots, helmets, and goggles, before heading to the hill.

4.  Bring snacks/lunch with you.  Buying food slope side is expensive!  Fill everyone's pockets with snacks before heading out and if you can carry a backpack, bring your lunch.

5.  Have one goal: to have fun.  Erik and I try to be really aware of what our kids are feeling on the hill.  If someone starts getting bored or tired, we switch things up, take a break, or split up into two groups for a while.  Each of our kids have developed their own unique interests on the hill.  Maida loves to go fast and straight down.  Skogen finds every jump on the mountain.  Klaasen takes his time and loves to pave his own trail.  Torsten rides on the side of the trees, always looking for a trail he can take through the woods.  Being flexible and patient, encouraging them to have fun, and allowing kids to explore is rewarding.  Even with all our different styles of skiing and varying abilities, our family enjoys skiing together.  With keeping things fun and enjoyable, everyone is happy on the slopes.

6.  Bring a boot and glove dryer.  I  thought Erik was so dumb when he hauled this on our first ski trip 12 years ago, but I have to admit that I couldn't have been more wrong.  Even waterproof mittens get wet (sweaty) and will need some drying before using them again.  Ski boots also need drying out each night.  With four kids, we run our boot dryer all night long until everyone's things have been dried out.

7.  Use a humidifier in the hotel room.  Another mom suggested this to me  this year and I will never leave home on a ski trip without one again.  Especially when travelling somewhere with high elevation, a humidifier helps your body stay hydrated over night.  It also helps with the dryness of the air, which eliminates the stuffy noses in the morning.  

To be honest, I could probably add a hundred more things to this list, but these seven are my favorite.  Now before another year passes I better "scrapbook" the Scharrer Family Vail Ski Vacation...

This ski trip was very different than any other ski trip we've been on.  There was no extended family along to help with the kids or teammates to hit the pool with.  It was just Erik, the kids, and me.  We had no idea what to expect, but it turned out to be so amazingly wonderful!  Our main purpose in going to Vail was for Erik to attend a medical conference there.  He had conference from 7:00am to 10:00am every morning and then again from 4:00pm to 7:00pm each night.  These hours worked out perfectly for our family!  The kids were able to sleep in while he was at morning conference.  Then I'd get them ready to ski and we'd head to the mountain when Erik got back. Four to five hours of skiing a day for little legs is plenty.  We'd head back to the hotel in the afternoon, Erik would go back to conference, and I'd take the kids for the free s'mores provided by the hotel every day, and then to play in the pool.  We ate a late dinner every night and had a lot of fun with big dinners since we never spent money on lunch.

On day three, Erik took the big boys skiing while I took Maida and T shopping.  Skogen and Klaasen were so excited to go with Erik.  They hit every black diamond they could find, they dropped cliffs and skied the bowls on the back side of Vail.  Erik couldn't believe how hard it was for him to keep up with them!  While they skied, Maida got her touristy-type things she wanted.  We took Torsten for ice cream, too.  It was a much needed break from skiing for all three of us.

On day four, we all took the day off from skiing.  This was really hard for Erik to do, since it was a nice sunny day, but it was important for the kids to have a break and he had lots of surprises up his sleeve, too!  The first thing we did was find a playground!  Ski towns are full of fun things like parks, ice skating rinks, and other kids activities.  Next we rode the gondola up to the top and went to Vail's Adventure Park.  The older three got to ride snowmobiles!  They had never driven anything like that before in their lives, so it was fun to watch them!  After snowmobiling, we got coffee and hot chocolate at a little shack on top of a peak, and then we headed off to the Alpine Coaster.  We had originally decided that Torsten would be the only one to ride since he was too small for the snowmobiles, but when we got to the top, the guy working offered for our entire family to ride for free!

We got done with our activities a little early, so Erik was able to join us in the hot tub for a while before conference!

On day six of our trip, we decided to splurge and take the kids to do something none of us had ever done.  We took the kids dog sledding!  It was such an amazing experience and something we'll never forget!

After an early morning dog sledding trip, we skied Beaver Creek. All four of our kids went down the DOUBLE BLACK DIAMOND Birds of Prey run.  This is the course that is used for the World Cup races and where several of our kids' favorite skiers race.  It was a tough hill, but so worth it!  People were clapping and cheering for Torsten as they passed by on the chairlift.  I'm not sure if many other four-year-olds even attempt it!

After skiing, we got some quick appetizers, and then went ice skating!  It's safe to say that the Scharrers are better skiers than skaters!

On day six, we skied Keystone open to close.  It was a long day, but Keystone had a lot for kids and such a great variety of terrain.

We left Keystone around 6pm, stopped in Denver for dinner, and we were on the road home by 9pm.  Erik and I switched off driving about every three hours and we made it home by 10am.  It was such an amazing vacation.  I honestly can't imagine it being any better.  I am so thankful for Erik and how hard he works - even while on vacation.  I could not have gotten up every morning at 6am, but he did it and never complained once.  I am thankful for Mayo Clinic for paying for our entire trip.  I am so happy that our family has an activity that we enjoy doing together and it's something that we can do together all over the world.  My little babies looked so cute in their goggle tan lines when they went back to school on Monday! I can't wait for many more Scharrer ski trips!!!