Best kid friendly resorts on the Ikon pass?

[Jersey Fresh]

Hey ladies, I don't think I posted here the last couple of seasons much and man has my life changed (for the better) but I need help from the more seasoned ski moms out there.

I am usually in charge of planning a yearly ski trip with my group of friends. In the past we've gone to Breck, Keystone, WB and Big Sky (last year). Over the years, the group has changed a lot (again for the better) and we have gone from a small tight group of fairly advanced/aggressive skiers and boarders to a mixed bag of begginners, non-skiers and the original crew as people have met their SOs. To further change things, a few of us now have kids.

Last year we were able to do two trips out west-a kid-free friends trip to Big Sky and a family trip to Steamboat. This year we would really like to do just one trip with our friends with the kids.

Now here comes the challenge. Several have the ikon pass (don't hate us) and would like to go to a resort that is on that pass. I'd love suggestions if anyone has them. We loved Steamboat for the ease-we flew into Hayden, took a shuttle and then stayed ski in/out and shuttled around town. We loved the bars and restaurants in town. But our one friend is already going there on a guys trip and while he is open to going back, I want to see if there are any other options that might work.

I know you can't have it all but our ultimate wish list for a location would be:
-short shuttle/drive from airport
-good mix of beginner-advanced terrain
-good kids day/lesson program (two of the boys will be 2 and ready to start the basic baby programs and we would potentially have a 4 yo as well)
-a fun town with shops, bars and restaurants that is easy to get to from housing for the non-skiers (town shuttles would be perfect)
-open to skiers and boarders (we are about 25/75 right now)

I was looking at Jackson Hole (too hard for our newbies?) or maybe Aspen (too expensive?) but I would love some options from everyone!

 

[MissySki]

I immediately though Aspen Snowmass! The bus system is free and really great, you can get everywhere without a car (though I did do a cab to and from the airport each year just because I was lugging so many bags by myself so a bus would’ve been tough, but with more hands it would work) There are 4 mountains you can visit with varying difficulty to make everyone happy, Snowmass is probably the best all in one for the beginner skiers. I’ve taken a lesson on a powder day at Snowmass that was FABULOUS. And of course the town of Aspen itself has plenty of food, bars, and shops to spend time in, not to mention the people watching! It’s one of my favorite places!!

 

[marzNC]

I know you can't have it all but our ultimate wish list for a location would be:
-short shuttle/drive from airport
-good mix of beginner-advanced terrain
-good kids day/lesson program (two of the boys will be 2 and ready to start the basic baby programs and we would potentially have a 4 yo as well)
-a fun town with shops, bars and restaurants that is easy to get to from housing for the non-skiers (town shuttles would be perfect)
-open to skiers and boarders (we are about 25/75 right now)

The Ikon pass makes the most sense to me for families. But then I'm biased because Alta is my late season destination and don't like the high altitude of most Colorado resorts, or the drive from Denver.

Steamboat was a first thought. Especially flying direct into Hayden. If you could stay slopeside at Snowmass, that would be fun but definitely pricey. The best beginner terrain and ski school for little kids is at Buttermilk, which requires a ride on the free bus. There isn't any slopeside condo-type lodging at Buttermilk. I would wait on JH until the kids are all old enough for regular ski school.

While it would be better with at least one rental car to make it easier to do grocery shopping and go into the city, staying at Solitude could work well. The resort village is a nice size for families with young kids. Does have all the basics needed for a week when going with friends in terms of a few options for eating out, a good bar, and a good ski school for kids and adults.

Not sure there are ski school programs for 2yos besides private lessons. Daycare should be an option at the Ikon destination resorts. Have you looked at this thread for future reference?
https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/i...r-olds-what-are-north-american-options.23844/

 

[marzNC]

Here are a few pics of the Solitude village from April 2019.

Note that Brighton is a mile up the canyon road and has night skiing on limited groomers and the terrain parks.

Small building on the right is open all day with pizza and ice cream


Entrance to the village bar, opens mid-afternoon so we didn't stay long enough given that it was over 50 and raining at the base shortly after lunch, was recommended by a lifty


View of the Solitude village from mid-mountain, there is a shuttle bus that goes between the village and the main base.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

@marzNC Steamboat was my thought too but I would really love to go somewhere new (plus one of the dads is going on his guys trip there now, and while hed be happy to go back, i wanted to see if there were other options.

JH was a thought because of the town since we will have non skiers with us

The boys wouldnt be in full on ski school, just the daycare with the play in the snow, walk around with skis type option.

How easy it to get to all of the mountains at Aspen/Snowmass if you don't have a car? We could for sure rent but sometimes it just easier to shuttle around and not worry about it.

 

[marzNC]

@marzNC Steamboat was my thought too but I would really love to go somewhere new (plus one of the dads is going on his guys trip there now, and while hed be happy to go back, i wanted to see if there were other options.

The boys wouldnt be in full on ski school, just the daycare with the play in the snow, walk around with skis type option.

How easy it to get to all of the mountains at Aspen/Snowmass if you don't have a car? We could for sure rent but sometimes it just easier to shuttle around and not worry about it.

The free bus system for Aspen/Snowmass/Highlands/Buttermilk is one of the best in the country. Not only runs everywhere you might want to go, runs often enough that you don't have to pay that much attention to the schedule. For folks who fly into ASE, there is no reason to rent a car. Parking is actually not that convenient in the town of Aspen or at Snowmass (if not staying at Snowmass).

I paid a lot of attention to logistics for my first trip to Aspen. It was a late season trip that was part of the planning for a mid-season trip the next season. My non-skiing husband had a conference in Denver so I went skiing after he flew home. Here's the trip report:
https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/i...rip-to-aspen-snowmass-march-26-28-2015.19489/

There was an EpicSki father of two boys who took his family (mom skied too) to Snowmass as their first ski trip out west. I think the younger boy was around 5. It was clear from the trip report that the entire family had a ball. They skied Buttermilk and Snowmass as a family. I think the father did a lesson at Highlands one day. The father started planning early enough to get a decent deal on a condo that was a short walk from the long Snowmass green trail that goes along the "people mover" aka gondolita that runs along the Snowmass "mall" area that has retail and eating options.

 

[MissySki]

How easy it to get to all of the mountains at Aspen/Snowmass if you don't have a car? We could for sure rent but sometimes it just easier to shuttle around and not worry about it.[/QUOTE]

It’s easy to use the bus system for anything you need there and to get to the mountains.

 

[marzNC]

One more thing about Aspen/Snowmass . . . Buttermilk is actually a great mountain after a snowstorm to ski powder. Advanced/experts don't go there. One lift only serves Buttermilk black trails. So the powder usually stays fun for a few days. There is enough pitch but at the same time not too intimidating if don't have much experience with deep powder.

Powder off Buttermilk Tiehack lift, with a groomed section down the middle 2-3 days after a storm


Also, I noticed in my trip report that the family I mentioned was from Virginia. Probably one reason why I paid attention to his planning questions and trip report. Unfortunately would take some effort to find his trip report in the Wayback archives.

 

[Christy]

I think Aspen is a great idea and I would stay in Aspen, for the nonskiers. As others have said you can easily get to the mountains via bus though I have no experience with traveling with kids on a ski bus.

 

[MissySki]

I think Aspen is a great idea and I would stay in Aspen, for the nonskiers. As others have said you can easily get to the mountains via bus though I have no experience with traveling with kids on a ski bus.

I agree, staying in Aspen is really cool. The whole town is like 10x10 blocks so you can walk everywhere. I stayed there the first time I went out there. Last year I stayed closer to Snowmass which was fine but it wasn’t like the Aspen town experience. I do enjoy the skiing at Snowmass and Highlands more than Ajax, but the town is really nice and for the non-skiers during the day especially.

 

[Christy]

^^Agreed. I didn't mind the bus ride to the slopes, even Snowmass which is the furthest. I would rather be able to walk to dinner and such. Besides the usual shops and restaurants Aspen has cultural events, an art museum, theater, movies...

 

[marzNC]

I think Aspen is a great idea and I would stay in Aspen, for the nonskiers. As others have said you can easily get to the mountains via bus though I have no experience with traveling with kids on a ski bus.

Since the non-skiers are adults, much better for them to be the ones taking the bus into town during the day. Parents traveling with kids under 6 . . . aren't usually going out in the evening after managing to get the kids back to the condo in the afternoon. A lot easier to feed them dinner at the condo and then get them into bed sooner, rather than later.

 

[Christy]

Ahh yes I can understand that.

 

[mustski]

I think Aspen is a great idea and I would stay in Aspen, for the nonskiers. As others have said you can easily get to the mountains via bus though I have no experience with traveling with kids on a ski bus.

Aspen would be my choice also ... but, I would stay at Snowmass. The non skiers have all day to ride the bus over and hang out as they wish in Aspen. It is about a 40 minute bus ride from Snowmass to the town of Aspen but the shuttles are super convenient. I wouldn't want to do it lugging kids gear every day and Ajax is not beginner friendly.

 

[marzNC]

I was looking at Jackson Hole (too hard for our newbies?)

JH has been working hard to become a more inviting place for families with young kids or adults who are beginners/intermediates. With the relatively new gondola up to a mid-mountain ski school building, from a terrain standpoint it's probably fine. Flying into Jackson and staying at Teton Village, a rental car is not necessary.

However, in comparison to Snowmass the layout of Teton Village means there is far less actual slopeside lodging that is at least walk in/out. Just not enough land. There is a free shuttle bus, so need to ask how far a unit is from the nearest bus stop. The cost for lodging close in at Teton Village may be in the similar price range as for Snowmass.

There is a lift at Teton Village that serves a few condo complexes. But only Moose Creek buildings are really a short walk from the base of the Moose Creek lift. As I remember, sometimes the Moose Creek lift opens a little later so isn't always useful for getting kids to ski school on time for a morning check-in. In the diagram below, look at where the bus stops are located to get a sense of the distances. The stops are not that close together. It's about a mile to walk from the base of the tram to Moose Creek. West Curtis Drive is about 0.4 mile long after turning off McCollister.

This is an old diagram so it doesn't show the Sweetwater Gondola, which goes up to the Solitude Learning Center (mid-station, kids' ski school). As I understand it, no lift ticket is required to ride Sweetwater to Solitude.

https://www.jacksonhole.net/userfiles/files/Teton_Village_Map.pdf

I think taking kids who are 4+ who already have skied a couple seasons to JH could be a lot of fun for a mixed-ability group that includes non-skiers. The towns of Jackson and Steamboat have things in common. The town of Aspen is more fun for adults than little kids. In comparison to JH, I think Snowmass is better with kids under 5.

While I was glad we went to JH in 2014 for a few days before skiing in Utah, I'm far more interested in returning to Grand Targhee or Snowmass. But I also prefer Alta over Snowbird from a terrain and vibe standpoint. My friends and I don't need a town on a ski trip. I ended up picking a VRBO 2BR condo in the Aspens complex as a compromise between cost and location. Aspens is half-way between Teton Village and town, a bit closer to the base area. My crew of three had a car and drove from SLC so we never took a bus in around JH.

 

[Kimmyt]

So far our favorites with young kids:

Steamboat
Taos

I am not sure about the feasability of transportation from an airport to Taos, but its worth looking into as it has an amazing ski school and if you stay in town instead of TSV there is lots to do (there is a shuttle from town, I believe).

We are planning on hitting Buttermilk this year.

We considered Jackson but its spendy and I'd rather wait until my kids can ski harder stuff to go there.

I also think Winter Park or Copper is worth considering. If you stay in Frisco, a bus will take you to Copper and there is plenty to do in that area for non-skiers. Winter Park is a little more remote, but there are also options in that area (although maybe not without transportation unless you consider like Snow Valley Ranch which might run shuttles to the resort and can be a really awesome place with families and has a ton of non-skiing entertainment options)

 

[marzNC]

I am not sure about the feasability of transportation from an airport to Taos, but its worth looking into as it has an amazing ski school and if you stay in town instead of TSV there is lots to do (there is a shuttle from town, I believe).

The issue with Taos is that lodging up at TSV is pricey. With kids under 5, staying in town wouldn't be a first choice. Definitely would need car(s). It's about $100 per person for the airport shuttle one-way.

There is a free bus from town to TSV but it's really for a ski day only. Runs often enough between 7:30-10:00 and then again from around 2:30-5:30. Some locals ride it in there ski boots. Usually they have a ski locker so don't have to carry skis & poles.

Agree that with older kids, staying Taos would be an option. The ski school is fantastic for all ages. Could be a factor to consider for travel planning that Southwest flies to Albuquerque. Since I stick to Southwest, that makes Taos closer to the airport than JH when driving from SLC. But the OP's group flew directly to Hayden for Steamboat, not Denver.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

This is awesome, ladies! I *think* we are leaning towards Aspen or going back to SS. One of my long time kid less ski buddies came by last night and I bounced both ideas off him and he, as I expected, was open to anywhere. So ill do a bit of leg work to see where we can find the best flights and housing options. He agreed to table JH until the kiddos are a bit older.

Its been really fun to bring the babies with us-this was my long time group of ski buddies who were all hard core bachelors and I was so worried about them not being welcoming to the growing ski group, but they've been great about T coming on trips (even after last season when he was patient zero for a stomach bug that hit the entire group on a trip )

 

[COcanuck]

Late to the party but another +1 for Aspen/Snowmass area. Buttermilk the the best for beginners, their ski school program for the little ones is amazing (we live local and my kids go there). Not as crowded as Snowmass but that one is really good too, just lots of kiddos!! So much stuff to do in the area and as above, the bus system between the 4 mountains is so good you really don't need a car if you don't want one. Snowmass has done a lot to upgrade the base experience in the past years, they have a free skating rink at the base now with skate rentals, climbing wall in the Limelight Hotel and the evening activities up at Elk Camp on the weekends are stellar. I highly recommend staying in the Snowmass area with the little kids because of the activities. Adults can take the bus into Aspen if they like. Personally, I don't mind the drive from Denver but I'm very used to it. Flights into Aspen are great, but you may also want to look into Eagle (less chance of being diverted due to weather) and some hotels have shuttles from Eagle airport that you can also arrange.

No matter where you choose, I hope you have a great trip!

 

[marzNC]

Its been really fun to bring the babies with us-this was my long time group of ski buddies who were all hard core bachelors and I was so worried about them not being welcoming to the growing ski group, but they've been great about T coming on trips (even after last season when he was patient zero for a stomach bug that hit the entire group on a trip )

My experience with my friends who are older bachelors is that they love to ski with kids of any age. Also like to play with the kids in the lodge or condo in the evenings. The fact that Bill gets to ski with kids is one reason he has been sticking around Alta Lodge for more than a week or two in recent years. During late season we know multiple families who end up there at different times. He was happy to ski with the kids on blues when they were younger, and take them to the steeps once they became advanced skiers. Similar experience for a bachelor who meets up with me and my friend with a couple kids at Massanutten.