Mom and Son Ski Day

As you all know we live in Denver, have great access to world class skiing and have unfortunately not made time to make it to the slopes this year.

Xalen has been asking to go back since his last lesson at WinterPark last year.  WinterPark is one of the only resorts that do a 3 year old lesson and Xalen has been in it twice (once when he was almost 3...bad parents, I know...;)). We wanted to get him back for more but have not made/had time to do it.  So I got the crazy idea last week that I would take him skiing, and today we went up to Eldora (a whopping 50 minutes door to slopes) for some spring (it was 77 in denver today) skiing.



Who is ready to ski?



I was so scared!  I had no idea what he knew, how to teach etc.  So I took the advice of several seasoned skiier/parents/trainers and then purchased some gear: goggles (got to protect the boys eyes and have him looking cool), Edgie Wedgies  (one of the funnest words to teach a 4 year old...we joked about it all day), and a harness (which I never really fully used but would by again in a heart beat to have a 'handle' on the Boy).  I read ski trainers blogs, watched movies got some kid friendly lingo etc.  I had the goal of getting him comfortable with speed control, riding the chair lift and working on turns.

On his way to the first of many great runs!

We arrived early, and were the first to hit the slopes.  It took us a a good long while to get in a grove (I did not have anyone to mimic and no real experience training). I was relieved to find out that he knew more than I imagined and we were working our way down Ho Hum run in no time.  He really wanted to take the chair lift so I made a deal with the Boy that as soon as he went down the slope without falling we would take the chairlift.  Below is his run  I made the deal, which happened to be his third time down at 9:50 AM.

He was a champ he did great on the slopes and on the chairlift.  At lunch he asked when we could go all the way to the top.  I told him he had some work to do but if he kept working we would be up on top in no time.  I can't wait to do it again, we both had so much fun!  I have a hard time expressing the feelings I had today with my little big boy, Xalen.

Lunch with my ski partner.