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Children / Colorado Livin' / Family Travel / Ski / Teens/Tweens

Colorado’s Best Family Ski Vacation Guide 2021/22

Colorado family ski vacation

See updated Ultimate Colorado Family Ski Vacation Guide 2022/23.

Colorado family skiing is back! COVID restrictions have complicated many things (including last year’s ski season) but we’re happy for some sense of normalcy for planning your Colorado winter vacation! Scroll down for insider tips on Colorado’s best outdoor ice skating and sledding hills. 

Mile High Mamas is a top resource for planning your Colorado family ski trip. A few years ago, we launched the Colorado Family Ski Guide that focuses exclusively on families–from daily lift ticket prices to the cost of childcare to where to get the best deals. But we’ve taken it one step further! Click the hyperlink for each resort name below for more in-depth details including additional deals, at what ages kids ski free, lessons, family-friendly activities, area attractions for playtime off the slopes and more.

Best Gear for Keeping Families Warm. There are plenty of places to cut corners and save money on Colorado’s ski slopes but having quality gear is not among them. Our must-haves include these Smartwool Merino 250 Base Layer Top and Bottoms, Hestra Classic 3-Finger Snow Glove (also available in junior sizes), Minus33 Merino Wool Balaclava, and Obermeyer’s I-Grow Ski Jackets and Pants which provide a simple way to lengthen the sleeves and cuffs of your child’s jackets and pants (our quickly-growing kids could wear them 2-3 seasons!) Columbia has a similar line of expandable winter jackets for kids. Nothing kills a good ski day like having a whining, cold child so be sure to have a bulk supply of hand warmers available (and you can even find rechargeable hand warmers that are like a portable pocket heater). 

Let it snow!Colorado snowshoeing

Colorado’s Best Snowshoeing and Nordic Skiing for Families

Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are our famiy’s favorite ways to explore! Many of Colorado’s backcountry and State and National Parks offer groomed trails and exciting terrain for snow sports, so pack your gear and use our guide to the best snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails for families in Colorado

Colorado Family Ski Vacation Guide

This is just the basic information you’ll need to get started for your Colorado family ski vacation. To give you a true taste of Colorado’s winter, follow our adventures as we visit area resorts this season in our ski section and look for the momreview button below for our fun insider tips and informative narratives. Book Colorado’s ski resorts early and online for the best rates! Note: Many of the resort childcare center openings are undetermined during COVID. Check with the resort website for the latest information. 

Colorado Family Ski Directory 2021/22

Resort Adult Kids Childcare Ski/Ride School Deals
Arapahoe Basin Ski Area $109 $79 (ages 15-18) $59 (ages 6-14); Kids 5 and under ski free every day. No. Kids class lessons start at $160 for half-day, $180 for full-day. Available for kids of all ability levels, age 3 and up. Arapahoebasin.com. Check out their Snowsports and hot deals pages.
Aspen Highlands $174 $120; kids 6 and under ski free No on-site childcare  Ski and ride school for children ages 5-6 and 7-12. Rates start at $230. aspensnowmass.com; Kids Ski Free program for kids ages 7-12. Details:  (800) 290-1326

 

Aspen Mountain $174 $120; kids 6 and under ski free No on-site childcare Private children’s ski and snowboard lessons offered on Aspen Mountain. Rates start at $615 for a half-day. aspensnowmass.com;

Kids Ski Free program for kids ages 7-12. Details:  (800) 290-1326

Beaver Creek Resort

momreview

$187*  $129*  Half-day $197; full-day $291) Starts at $235+ beavercreek.com
Breckenridge Ski Area

momreview

$175*  $144* On-site childcare starts at $140. Call for COVID updates.  Starting at $180.* breckenridge.com
Buttermilk

momreview

$174* $120; kids 6 and under ski free No on-site childcare  Starting at $230 aspensnowmass.com; Kids Ski Free program for kids ages 7-12. Details:  (800) 290-1326
Crested Butte Mountain Resort

momreview

$123* Kids 4 and under ski free, Child (5-12): $71* There is a nursery for 2 months to 3 years old. See website for rates. Half-day lessons start at $154; full-day $199.  skicb.com deals. 
Cooper | Chicago Ridge

 

 $90  $70; kids 5 and under ski free See website for rates. Ages 7 and up $149   Deals offered at local rental shops, lodges, and grocery stores. Best deals are at skicooper.com.
Copper Mountain Resort $159* Starting at $109. Children 5 and under ski/ride for free. See website for updated rates. Starting at $254. Pre-purchase most lessons online and save 20%! Purchase your tickets at CopperColorado.com and save up to 53% on window prices. You’ll also find lodging steals and vacation packages. 
Eldora Mountain Resort

momreview

TBD TBD No on-site childcare Group lesson starts at TBD  Eldora.com 
Keystone Resort

 

 $146* $85*  Starts at $160 for half-day; $250 for full-day  Pricing starts at $189  Keystoneresort.com
Loveland Ski Area

momreview

$89 $35 – peak child (6-14) rate. Children 5 & under are free Childcare is TBD for 2021/22. Full-day lesson with lunch and lift ticket is $149. 

skiloveland.com for discount lift tickets.
lovelandreservations.co
m for Ski & Stay.

https://skiloveland.com/4-pak

4 lift tickets for just $199.

Monarch Mountain

momreview

$89 Teen (13-15) $59, Junior (7-12) $37, Children under 6, Free The Children’s Center Rates: $50 half-day; $90 all-day Starting at $140. Monarch ski packages with lodging participants. skimonarch.com

 

Powderhorn Mountain Resort $84 Youth (13-17) $74; Junior (7-12) $34; Child ( & Under) $19 No on-site childcare Half-day starts at $99; full day at $149. powderhorn.com
Purgatory Resort $83 Teen (11-17) $75;  Children 12 & under FREE The Den offers childcare for children 8 weeks to 5 years old. Rates from $70.  A variety of programs are available for kids ages 4+; rates from $99 for half-day. Full-day $199.   Purgatory Resort’s website features deals on lodging packages that include discounts on lift tickets. PurgatoryResort.com
Ski Granby Ranch $119 $70. Kids 5 and under ski free No on-site childcare. Starting at $189. GranbyRanch.com
Snowmass

momreview

$174 $120 The Treehouse Kids Adventure Center. Rates start at $174. Offered for kids ages 2-4, 5-6 and 7-12. Rates start at $230 for full day. aspensnowmass.com; Kids Ski Free program for kids ages 7-12. Details:  (800) 290-1326
Steamboat Ski Area

momreview

$225* Child (ages 5-12): $155*.  Kids’ Vacation Center for ages 1-6: full-day $149. Kids’ Vacation Center lessons start at age 3. Prices start at $239 with advanced online purchase. www.steamboat.com or call 800-922-2722
Sunlight Mountain Resort

 

momreview

$67* $40; 5 and under ski free No. Half-day group lesson $125; full-day with lunch $180. Includes equipment, lift ticket and lesson.  Kids 12 and under ski free. Affordable Ski, Swim Stay Packages with Glenwood Hot Springs.

SunlightMTN.com

Telluride Ski Resort $195* $106* (ages 6-12); Kids 5 and under ski free  For infants and toddlers, half-day is $110 and a full-day is $150. Ski/Ride school starts at $105; Cubs Ski Lessons (ages 2 1/2 to 4) starts at $225.    tellurideskiresort.com
Vail  $187* $129. Kids ages 4 and under ski free.  Small World Nursery offers daycare for children 2 months-6 years. The nursery will not open 2021-22. The Vail Ski & Snowboard School lessons start at $197 for half-day; full-day is $291.  Visit Vail.com and purchase tickets 7 days in advance for best prices.
Winter Park Resort

momreview

$163* $108. Kids 4 and under ski free. Childcare for kids 2 months to 6 years.  See website for COVID restrictions.  Half-day starts at $139. Call Winter Park Central Reservations for latest deals and special promos.  800-729-7907. winterparkresort.com
Wolf Creek Ski Area  $82 $41. Kids 5 and under $6 No Starting at $110. Visit wolfcreekski.com.

Colorado’s Best Outdoor Skating

Sharpen those blades of glory: Colorado’s outdoor ice-skating rinks are open. Some rinks are cozy and family-oriented, like Lakewood’s Rink at Belmar where a couple of long glides can take a skater halfway around the ice. Go to larger rinks, like Keystone’s frozen lake, to find enough room to play hockey or twirl like a Disney on Ice star. Pro tip: Skate rentals can be pricy; you can usually find reasonably-priced skates at your local thrift store. Colorado’s Best Outdoor Skatingbest skating Colorado

Best Places to Sled in Colorado

 Nothing says quality social distancing like tubing down a steep hill. This year when the snow flies, consider seeking out a sled at one of these locations for some old-fashioned fun. There are a myriad of sledding hills–some public, some secret. Here are a handful of favorite sports. Some offer sled rentals: others are BYOS. Don’t miss the best sledding hills all over Colorado. If you’re looking for Denver’s best sledding, check-out the 11 best places to go sledding in Denver, Boulder and Beyond.

*Note: Mountain resort information and prices are subject to change and most resorts offer discounted rates if you purchase online seven days in advance. Many resorts do not publish a set lift ticket price. When compiling our list, we used the date Saturday, January 8, 2022 as our base to compare prices. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. While clicking these links won’t cost you extra money, they help us keep this site up and running. See our disclosure policy. 

Mile High Mamas
Author: Mile High Mamas

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