During my family's trip to Park City last winter we were introduced to Neal Bowlen and the Pawsatch Snow Dogs team.  Their dog sled day trips and overnight experiences are highly recommended. But what about during the summer when there's no snow? No matter the season, the dogs love to run. Pawsatch Snow Dogs has summer camps led by Neal and his staff, including Nicole Kloniozos, the winner of the 2004 Junior Iditarod. The goal of the camps is to provide hands on experience with the care, training and mushing of the dogs - a guaranteed great time. Here's a list of the camps that they offer:

Pawsatch Snow Dogs Day Camp

Children ages 6 and up will love this 2-day camp. The camp starts first thing in the morning with dog chores; the sled dogs need to be fed, hydrated and prepared for the day. Then everyone helps load the dogs into the truck and all drive to the trails.  After the campers help unload and harness the dogs, they go on training runs with 2 dogs at a time, giving commands and learning how to navigate the sled. Next this training is put to use with a full dog team on a 3-mile run for a complete hands-on learning experience.

• Ages 6 and up
• 2-3 kids per camp
• Tuesday and Thursday, kids can sign up for multiple weeks

Pawsatch Snow Dogs Experiences Under 6

Kids under the age of 6 are not forgotten, there are tours set up just for them! 2-hour group rides for younger kids accommodate up to 6 kids and 3 adults for a fun-filled sled dog experience.

• Ages 6 and under
• 6 kids/3 adults per session
• Call for details

Pawsatch Snow Dogs Junior Mushing Camp

Older kids will enjoy this 2-day/1-night session that builds on the skills learned in the Day Camp and takes them to the next level. The Junior Mushing Camp includes dog care, plus more advanced commands and mushing training. Campers will enjoy a moonlight run, s'mores by the fire and a fun night camping on the trail.

• 2 kids per camp
• Call for details

Pawsatch Snow Dogs Family Camping Experience

The whole family gets involved in this overnight camping trip. Your family will enjoy learning more about the sled dogs, how to care for them and how to train them. A motorhome is part of the deal, so you will wake up refreshed after a beautiful evening of s'mores roasted over the camp fires, storytelling and a two hour night run under the stars.

• Call for pricing and reservations

The Pawsatch Snow Dogs team is professional, friendly and fantastic to work with. These camps will provide memories for your kids for years to come. For more information contact:

Pawsatch Snow Dogs
Neal Bowlen
(435) 640-6861435.640.6861

Being a snowmama is hard. I didn't learn just how hard it is to be a snowmama until this year when I tried to take my two boys (aged one and three) skiing. It starts the minute you get up to try and get them ready. Then it continues when you try to put all of their gear on, and by gear, I just mean gloves, hats, snowpants, etc. The challenge becomes even greater as you try to cram their little feet into the ski boots as they scream and yell at you. Then you carry them and their skis out to the snow before the fun even begins. 

But you know what? Once you're on the snow and see the smiles on their faces and squeels of delight as they start skiing, you realize it's totally worth it! It's worth the pain because the memories you make will last forever. 

We created the Snowmamas community because we realized how hard it is to be a snowmama and we wanted to create a resource where you could share your stories, tips, tricks and more. The Snowmamas community is amazing! Today we say Happy Mother's Day to all of the Snowmamas. 

We asked you to share your stories about your Snowmamas. My own Snowmama had five little snowkiddos to get up from their beds, geared up and out onto the snow. She was always the one who would stay behind if one of the snowkiddos didn't feel like skiing. She loved to ski, although she was never an expert. Naturally, as we got older and better at skiing, none of us wanted to ski with our Snowmama. We joked that Buddy was her friend, as she skied all day on 'Buddy's Run' (as seen in the photo above). Like a true snowmama, she never cared. She was just happy that we all had a love for the snow. Thank you to my Snowmama for making it easy for me to love the snow! 

Below are some of your stories: 

From Kristen: 

My mom would bring us skiing in Vermont as soon as we turned three. I'm not sure how she did it back then - she was single, we didn't have very much at all, but she managed to pull it all together. There were no fancy hotels or new equipment - just hand me downs and a ski club bunk house. With sleeping bags in hand, we piled in the car and hit the road for often treacherous drives north. Like the postman, through rain , snow, sleet and hail, she took us out in all conditions and instilled in us a love of skiing and the mountains. Skiing has always been a true source of happiness for me, and for that, my mom has given me one of the greatest gifts of all.

From Karin:

When I was a kid and my three younger brothers and I were learning how to ski, my Snowmama spent more time in the lodge than on the mountain. Not relaxing by the fire, but taking care of kids. Between the four of us there was always someone cold, hungry, or needing to use the bathroom. 

All I knew back then was that we had to wake up way too early, the car ride was long and the lifts were cold - but descending the mountain with my family was incredible. Those times on the mountain made the best memories that are still vivid today, and inspire me to take my own family skiing. Now of course I realize that my Snowmama was the one behind the scenes that really made those memories possible. She woke up even earlier than we did, made a full breakfast for the family, packed our clothes, took care of us and made sure that we were warm, safe and happy throughout the day. Then when we came home she got everything dried and put away for our next ski trip. Now that’s love.

I have the best Snowmama! She’s helped me throughout life just like she helped me on the mountain all of those years ago: She prepared me and made sure that I had the tools to succeed, has continued to nurture me with support and unconditional love, and always picks me up when I fall. 

Thanks mom and Happy Mother’s Day!

From Amber: 

My Snowmama was never a very good skier but that didn't stop her from helping us gain a passion for the sport. When we were younger, she was always the one who pulled our trips together, packed, cooked and knew all the most fun places to go. One of my favorite memories was skiing with her in Canada and she decided to race my uncle through a shortcut in the trees. Unbeknownst to her, there was a huge jump. She took flight, crash and burned. She split her ski pants right open and had to ski down with her bright blue and green underwear on display. She was a great sport about it and had us laughing the whole way back. Just one of the many memories of how she made skiing FUN.

From Maggie: 

About a year and a half after my dad passed away unexpectedly, a group of people from church decided to take a trip from Houston, TX to Ruidoso, NM (800 miles) to snow ski over Christmas break. In retrospect, I think my mom needed a distraction during the holiday season since my father's birthday was December 23. Money was tight so it was a 12 hour road trip and we piled 6-8 people into a room at the "29 Pines Motel". So many wonderful memories were made during that adventure. My brother and a friend performed an unplanned jump off the ski lift to avoid being at the top of the mountain without their ski instructor who had dismounted at the midway point. My life long love of skiing was born during Christmas of 1981 at Ski Apache (Sierra Blanca at that time) resort and I owe this to my adventurous snowmama who also learned to ski, but preferred to stay in the lodge with hot cocoa.

From Jody: 

Some people grew up with a SNOWmama...but I was LUCKY enough to have a what I will call WOWmama. The WOW stands for Way Over Worked.  My Mom worked THREE full time jobs. She was an amazing school teacher, a full time Mom every eve, and worked full time in caring for my Dad. She was the BEST! I truly adored her in every way her entire life was FULL of challenges and she endured an incredible amount of suffering.

She never did down hill ski a day in her life!!  but I got her out on cross country skis when she was in her sixties. She created the opportunity for me to take skiing lessons when I was in the 4th grade. Even though I was scared and really terrified that I would break my leg, she encouraged me to go and enjoy my skiing experience, which I did. I found out that I LOVE to ski

My WOWmama was the finest example of someone who is determined to create a wonderful world for her children, no matter how difficult it was. I was so appreciative of her passion to allow me and my Sister to have ski lessons and be able to SKI!!  It was fabulous and I cherish every moment I had with my most wonderful and compassionate WOWmama. 

Share your own Snowmama's stories in the comments below. Happy Mother's Day.

With closing day at many ski resorts today, we bid farewell to the snow until next season. Take a look back with us and enjoy more great stories from the slopes from the Snowmamas team!

Emma Worsley

It is super hard to pin-point one particular "favourite" moment from my 2012/2013 season but one particular moment would be a powder day on the 28th December. My 12- year-old daughter and I managed to get the first chair up the Silver Star lift, we looped around King Con Chair a couple of times, with fresh tracks each time. Then we headed to Blue Slip bowl - it was amazing. I tried hard to keep up with her all day long. It was a special time.

Tania Rueben

The highlight of my 2012/13 Ski Season was meeting my fellow Snowmamas at the Summit this year!  This was such a great group of women and it was so great to spend a weekend together.  I think the moment that summed up the entire weekend was when we all made our way to the top of Gorgoza Park, interlocked our tubes and flew down the hill!  It was exhilarating!  

Kristen Haaijer 

We relocated from Toronto back to the U.S. and decided to spend a year living in Park City. The last 5 months have been nothing but favorite moments. I’m not sure we’re ever leaving! We had some great powder days, an awesome time as a family at the Helly Hansen Big Mountain Battle, and loved being able to bring our 5-year-old up to MCConkey's to hit Powder Alley.  Oh, and our daughter leanred to fly (see photo below!) But truly the best memories have been those shared with our friends and family from all over the U.S. and Canada who came to visit and join us on the mountain. Come back next season...it's so much better when we can share it with you!

April Simpson 

18 INCHES OF SNOW IN 24 HOURS and it's April 9th!!! IS there a better moment in the world of skiing and snowboarding?

We booked a trip to Park City when we found out our extended family was going to be there on business. I am the type of person who is happy with ANY snow - so a spring ski trip was exciting. When we arrived, people were skiing in shorts and it was 50+ degrees! By the end of the week, the weather experts were calling for a snowstorm and we just couldn't believe it!

When we woke up on April 9th there was more than 15 inches of snow and it was still dumping! No joke, I got caught in snow up to my thighs in some places but it was some of the best snowboarding I'd ever seen and done!!

Before this storm, I'd tell you my favorite moment was seeing my husband transform into a ski lover, but I have to say 18 inches in 24 hours in the month of April - tops EVERYTHING!!!!!

Check out April's husband learn to ski at Park Cty Mountain Resort here!  

Donna Norman

This ski season was probably my favorite year to date because my whole family finally was on the mountain enjoying the terrain. Even though we range from the magic carpet all the way to the black diamonds we still are able to see each other during the day and show our support and love of skiing. Personally my favorite part this year was being on the chair lift by 9 AM and enjoying the groomed slopes before anyone else! I promise I will be doing this every ski day. Usually, as a mom, I am the last one out of the condo. Lastly, another precious memory was watching my youngest, Olivia, watching the fresh snowfall from the sky and her excitement to go play in it was priceless. 

We'd love to hear all about your favorite memories from the slopes! Share them with us in the comments below! 

Check back often for all the fun activities to do in the mountains during the spring, summer and fall! And of course, we hope you will join us on the mountain next season, so let us know if you need any help with your plans!

It's been another amazing season at Park City Mountain Resort! We hope you and your family were able to get out on the mountain, whether here in Park City or at your favorite resort! Most of all, we hope you came through the ski and snowboard season with memories to last a lifetime!

The Snowmamas and Snowpapa from the 2012-2013 share some of their favorite moments with you! Read on, and we hope you share some of your favorite moments with us!

Amber Johnson

There are few things that bring me more joy than skiing with my little family and this year, we hit a new milestone: we all rode to the top of McConkey’s together and took in the breathtaking views. Another favorite memory was purchasing eight bead necklaces from the Dollar Store prior to our trip and we were excited to throw them into the trees from the ski lift. The problem: My six-year-old lost two of them before we even left the condo. We also hadn't calculated the exact moment we would need to toss them, taking into account the velocity of the chair lift, the angle of the trees and our sheer incompetence. Translation: Only two ended up in the trees but we were laughing all the way. We'll take a physics lesson before our attempts next year. 

JD Cronin 

Children have a way of holding a mirror up to ourselves.  Sometimes we don't particularly care for what we see, other times we are amazed by the best of what we may see in ourselves.  The unquestioned highlight for me this year was staring down at the abyss known as Blueslip Bowl with my two daughters Hannah and Megan, and watching them confidently ski their first double black run.  Their sense of accomplishment was mine as well.

Jill Johnson 

Favorite moments this season:

• 1. Becoming a Snowmama!  It truly is an honor to be included in this group and to be an ambassador for PCMR and the ski industry.
• 2. My daughter Ivy skiing on her own!  Good bye harness, burning thighs and sore lower back... Hello to freedom and sharing my love for skiing with my kids!
• 3. Skiing with my family, including grandparents and uncle.  Three generations on the slopes.
• 4. The days I shared with dear friends skiing powder or corduroy.
• 5. Honestly... Any day on skis is a great day! 

Kelly Brock 

You have got to understand, this has been over 30 years in the making, a dream I thought would never be actually realized. Day 3 of our family ski trip,  Danny and I got on the lift together with our son Charlie and his wife Angie (Baby Zac has not made his skiing debut, yet). I looked ahead to the chair just in front of us, there was our son Joe, daughter Molly, grand-kids, Brock, Emma, Kayla and their dad Sean. My heart was happy. We all were together on the slopes. . . .a little showing off,  laughing, talking and having a blast, and Grandpa Dan was there witnessing the whole thing first-hand! Yes, this was my favorite mountain moment. More are sure to come!

Lisa Marie Marion 

Our family's favorite mountain moment this year occurred the first week of April during our Spring Break. Our oldest son, Isaac, participated in Park City Mountain Resort's I Ride Park City Freestyle Camp. He was CRAZY about it. Afterwards, Isaac took his Dad, uncle, and younger siblings, Lucas and Ariel, to the Neffland Terrain Park to teach them a few of the things he learned. They all enjoyed having Isaac show them how to use the park and the snow condition was ideal. You know it was a success when, returning home, the whole family is excitedly talking over each other, describing their awesome experience.   

Check back tomorrow for more favorite moments from the rest of the Snowmamas team!

When you live in a warm state like myself, you don’t have the need to keep all your winter ski gear out all winter long. So what are we suppose to do with all the pants, jackets, hats, gloves, and socks- oh my! Well, we have to be clever and organized about how we can store them so that way they will be easy to find and ready for the next ski trip. Here are few tips that I have found helpful for when you need to pack those winter clothes away.

• Wash everything before you plan on storing it because it can get moldy and attract bugs. Use Maggie’s tip on washing ski pants located here.

• Organize your gear and there are a few ways to do this. One is to separate by like items such as jackets in one pile, kid pants, adult pants, hats and gloves together, etc. That way if you have kids the same size, you just grab that one bag and search for the size that they need. Another idea is to separate each person into a pile, so that they just have to grab that bag with their name on it.

• After you have decided on how to separate your piles then figure out how you are going to store them. I like to use bins to store all of my winter gear because I can take it out and sort through it whenever I want to see who will fit in what for the ski season. They are just stored in the back of my closet and the kids can get to them easily. My sister-in-law did not want big bins around so she uses the large vacuum bags and she just pushes all the air out of them so they become compact. The wonderful things about these are when you are ready to pack for your trip you can just toss the whole bag in your suitcase and you are ready to go. It takes up less space and it makes everything very compact for travel. She loves these bags because they do not take up a lot of room and she can store them under a bed or in a closet.

• Lastly, when you have finished putting everything away do not forget about adding something to deter those yucky bugs from your nice gear. I have read that cedar, lavender, a dryer sheet or moth balls are all great items to add. I am going to try the lavender this year because I love the smell and it is a more natural way to keep my kid's equipment chemical-free. 

One of the fun things about skiiing is all the great ski fashion! 

To check out what's in store for the 2013/14 season I checked out what there were showing at the SnowSports Trade Show. With over 1,000 retailers in attendance you know this is where we can get a sneak peak of the fashions we'll be seeing on the slopes.

Trends to look out for:

Mommy & Me done right.  How adorable is this look from Obermyer?  The lil' girl's jacket has rhinestone accents and the bright pink makes it easy for parents to find her in ski school!

 Colorblocking has been seen all over the runaway and it is sure add a bright splash of color on the hills in the coming season!

Mix and Match Patterns.  This trend lets skiers and boarders really customize their own slopeslide look.  We are all unique and this trend embraces the individual.

Luxe Accents & Trims.  Think of these trims as the cherry on the ice cream sundae.  The ice cream is yummy without it, but it's SO much better with the cherry... the cherry makes the sundae.

Thank you to the Snowsports Trade Show for providing us with a preview of the latest trends & images!

Who says waffles are just a breakfast food? When I think about these yummy waffles I never thought of them as a snack food or filling enough to be considered a lunch but at some ski resorts, waffles on the mountain are all the craze. The waffles I’m talking about are homemade and thick like a Belgium waffle but then with an added bit of sweetness and a soft sugary crunch that just makes my taste buds go wild just thinking about them.

My first on-mountain waffle experience was on the east coast with a hot glass of apple cider sitting at the base of the mountain waiting for my husband to finish his last couple of runs. My oldest child, who was only 4 at the time, really thought these waffles were the best thing she had ever eaten and she couldn’t believe I was actually letting her eat one before dinner. Little to her knowledge I was actually trying to keep her content for a few hours until we could figure out dinner plans and this waffle did the trick. She talked about how wonderful they were to Daddy and anyone else that would listen. She even mentioned that the waffle was one of her favorite things about our ski trip. Kids are so easy to please sometimes.

Well when we started to come to Park City the one thing we wished for on the mountain was this delicious waffle to snack on in the afternoon. Something to satisfy that sweet and carb craving that we tend to get after burning so many calories from skiing all day. We dreamed of a place that was easy to ski up to and just grab a waffle and be able to sit for a few moments while we gathered our thoughts to finish up the day of skiing.

Lo and behold my dream has come true because at the beginning of this ski season the Berghaus Waffel has arrived with their sugary sweet and tasty waffle. There is even an option to add fruit and/or whipped cream to this deliciousness. Of course, I say bring it on and top it off with whatever they think is good. I had the joy of meeting the owners and they were so excited to get this ski season going so they could also heat up the grill for some burgers and Brauts; which are served during lunchtime.

They are located on the deck of Snowed Inn at the top of First Time Lift and Turtle Trail. You can see updates about this wonderful local treat here on facebook and sometimes they even offer a discount so keep checking back so you don’t miss out on this.  I can’t wait for all my kids to enjoy this treat on the mountain this year and let’s put this in our snow memories as one of the best things on the mountain.

The Park City Film Series

The Park City Film Series is a nonprofit organization presenting the best of independent feature, documentary, world and local cinema; making film a vibrant part of the Park City, Summit County, and surrounding communities.

When:

Every weekend the movie is at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, at 6 p.m. on Sunday. Where: Park City Library

Cost:

$7.00 ticket (unless you buy a punch pass, 10 tickets for $50.00, can share with multiple people).
Popcorn is $3.00 if you bring your own bowl, which is HIGHLY desired.  Great fun!

Check out the scheduled films at:  http://parkcityfilmseries.com/

Park City Museum

http://www.parkcityhistory.org/  Fabulous displays about Park City’s Silver mining history and the beginning of skiing.

Park City Museum Info
528 Main Street / PO Box 555
Park City, UT 84060
For general information: info@parkcityhistory.org

Museum Hours

• Monday-Saturday: 10 am-7 pm
• Sunday: Noon - 6 pm
• Closed: Thanksgiving and Christmas

Admission

• Members: Free (Become a Member)
• Adults: $10
• Seniors 65+, Students, and Military (with valid ID): $8
• Children: $5 (age 7-17)
• Under 6: Free

 Family Fun

Families can check out a family backpack which will guide you through the exhibits and provide you with fun, hands-on activities to dig deeper into Park City’s past. For more information, contact Director of Education Jenette Purdy at 435.649.7457 x5102, or email education@parkcityhistory.org.

If you have been around a while you probably have heard of scrapbooking, memory keeping, or even photo journaling as a way to document your family’s photos and vacations.

Well, now that your ski vacation is over and there are about 500+ pictures on your camera needing to be uploaded aren’t you ready to share them with friends and family? Aren’t you so proud of your children for their accomplishments and successes that they have achieved on the mountain? Well, of course the answer is YES! So what are we waiting for? Let’s get started on making a memory album for your family to look at time and time again. It will be a journal about your trip and a conversation piece about the first time your child accomplished their goal on the mountain. I know all this sounds like it will take so much time to get it all together and overwhelming to figure out where to even start, but it is really much simpler then you think.

Here are some tips on how to get your wonderful snow memories into an album for everyone to enjoy. Do this as soon as you get back from vacation before your excitement and memories start to fade.

• Pick your favorite 20-25 pictures from your trip and print or upload them to make a digital scrapbook.

• Journal about your vacation. Include details like what was a favorite memory for the family, what ski runs did you do, did it snow or did it feel like a blizzard, what activities did you do, how many days did you ski and be sure to include some funny quotes from you kids. They will love to look back at this and get a laugh and you will be so glad you wrote it down.

• Then, gather supplies such as an album that holds all 4x6 pictures or a traditional scrapbook album that uses paper and embellishments or maybe go digital by looking online to organize your layouts there.

• Lastly, composite your album and sit back and enjoy your vacation memories with your family. You will be so glad that you did this for them.

My family has an album that holds all 4x6 pictures and in some of those places I have cut paper down to fit this pocket and used it for my journaling. I do this for two pockets because on one I put the year and the other is the journaling card. My album is 8x12 and holds about 200 pictures so we use it as an ongoing ski vacation album. All winter long it sits on the coffee table so the kids can enjoy their accomplishments and this gets them ready for the next ski vacation. 

A video collage of our three-day trip to Park City this year.  Thanks to the wonderful people at Park City Mountain Resort for making our trip especially meaningful this year.

Mission Accomplished - Hannah and Megan Ski Blueslip Bowl

Cronin Family Park City Mountain Resort Trip Diary

Whether it's a trip planned in honor of a celebration, or the celebration happens to coincide during your trip... a celebration requires cake! 

My son's birthday is December 27 this means that we've often found ourselves traveling on his birthday.  The good news is, as long as we can get our hands on a good cake. 

Use this guide and you'll be set for your next Park City celebration:

Windy Ridge - for the sophisticated palette. Note for newcomers: You pick up cakes accross the way from the restaurant! 435-647-2906

Coldstone Creamery If your celebration calls for an ice cream cake - Coldstone Creamery is just the place to get it! 435-575-0287

LuAnn's Cupcakes The cupcake has become the cake of choice for many. Luanne's offers selections like Lucky's Cherry Pie, Chocolate Dreamcake, and Lemon-filled Coconut Cream - so you can't go wrong.  801-688-7468

if you are looking for a few budget-friendly options try; 

The Market at Park City 435-645-7139

Walmart Bakery 435-647-9909

Smith's at Kimball Junction, I hear their cakes are fresh and nicely decorated. (435) 649-7278

Now you have cake, so you have a celebration!  If you need a few other fun birthday or celebration ideas check out this "Ask a Snowmama" post from Snowmama Kristen.

Growing up, I remember each ski season a week would arrive in which my dad would eagerly count down the days.  The ski bag would come out and skis were placed inside, followed by a gigantic duffle that held ski clothing, après ski clothing and one freshly pressed tuxedo.   Sitting upon his suitcase, I listened to stories about the Canadian Rockies and how he experienced it via helicopter skiing.  It sounded exotic, thrilling and I pined for the day that I would get to go.

Fast forward to my high school graduation.  My father asked what I would like as a graduation gift?  In which, I promptly replied: “Heli-skiing”.   I had heard legends about the skiing, the lodges and, of course the après nightlife.  But my most vivid memory was how my dad spoke of the “ultimate powder buddy.”  This was of utmost importance, because the “ultimate powder buddy” relationship afforded a deep state of resonance, which allowed the pair to ski harmoniously through trees, over boulders, down chutes and in bowls without having to overthink, over plan or even speak.  I knew that if I were given a chance, I would have to be the “ultimate powder buddy” which in turn would solidify my place on the annual heli-skiing adventure. 

The joke in skiing is “no friends on powder days!”  What this implies is on powder days all manners give way to the great snow at hand.  If you are slow, see ya!  If you fall, better hope your gear is still on!  It sounds harsh,  but for a lot of skiers the perfect powder day is hard to beat.  Honestly, the only way to beat a great powder day is to share it with someone!  Over the years my dad and I have truly become the ultimate powder buddies for one another.  Here are our favorite tips to remember and consider on your next powder day:

• “Tell us tonight, 've' know tomorrow.”  This is one of our favorite sayings from a long-time heli-guide.  The night before a powder day, egos seem to surface and stories get longer as the moon gets higher. But all the stories in the world slip away the minute anyone hits the slopes and that’s when we all realize how we ski.

• If you suddenly see only the tops of trees or just sky… STOP!  Know your terrain.  If you are skiing and the terrain shifts suddenly, stop and reassess your path and plan of action.

• Know your limits, be safe, don’t take unnecessary risks and know the snow (is it stable?  Is there danger of avalanches?)

• Sound and rhythm are essential.  When we ski powder together, especially in trees, we laugh, shout and talk to one another.  Maintaining a degree of contact via sound allows us to know where one another have been, this is important when tree wells are a feature.

• If the snow is unstable, stick to the ridges and avoid slopes that lead to gullies, and gullies in general.

• Work as a team.  You don’t have to follow right behind one another, instead you can ski along side, sling-shot back and forth and, of course, figure eight on the open bowls.

• Know your surroundings.   Look down the hill, see your path, but also note your periphery.  See each other by checking to the side now and again.

• Before you begin, always pick a meeting spot.  At the beginning of each run, note where you expect the finish and if you plan to stop before the final meeting point.

.

• Look for the path not at the trees.  Like any sport, look for where you want to go, not where you don’t want to go!

• Whenever possible, look back at your tracks and at the amazing terrain you just skied together.  Note: sometimes in ski areas, admiring your work takes a backseat to getting back to the chair and catching more powder before it is skied out.

• In chutes and narrow lines, have one skier go first.  The first skier should not stop until they are clear of the chute.  This allows the next skier to enjoy the line without any worry of running into you.

• If you go into the back country without a guide, know what you are doing, have the appropriate gear and be safe!

Overall, when you have good communication, common sense and are compatible skiers, it is more fun and safer to ski with someone on a glorious powder day. As the adage goes: no friends (boyfriends, girlfriends, spouses, etc.) on powder days, but when the powder buddy is right… it’s magic.  Like I said: only Grandpas on powder days!

For more powder, think outside the resort!  Here are a few local powder-seeking outfits to discover and our favorite Canadian Heli-skiing resource:

Wasatch Powderbirds

Ski Utah Interconnect Adventure

Park City Powder Cats

Wasatch Backcountry Skiing

Canadian Mountain Holidays

What is it and why you should visit.

Not only trying out a ski you might like to own, it’s also fun to try out some powder skis on a great powder day without having to buy skis you may only use a few times a year. I have been trying out a different pair almost every week this whole season and boy have I learned a lot about skis!

The Summit Demo Center is located in a great central location at the summit near the Bonanza, Silverlode, and Motherload lifts. It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  They keep over 50 skis of different sizes available. You can either start your rental process at the base at Park City Rentals in the lower level of Legacy Lodge or right in the Demo Center at the Summit.  Choose a ski you’d like to try, take a few runs and then go check out the Demo Center and try out a different pair.  The staff is very knowledgeable, and has tried out many of the brands personally. They can really give you some great pointers when you are choosing a ski to try out.

Demo Equipment Rates
FOUR TO SIX HOUR $30
THREE HOUR $20
TWO HOUR $15
ONE HOUR $10.00

The Demo Center also has a supply of essentials, in case you forgot and get on the mountain without goggles or sunglasses, or you just dropped your gloves off the lift over a rocky cliff! Your neck is cold or you need some chap stick. They have it all.

Written by Park City Mountain Resort's biggest fan, pre-teen Isaac Marion

Day One

9-11am: Get to Park City Mountain Resort when the lifts open to make the most of your day.  Head straight to the left Jupiter where odds are you will find untouched powder.  Take a couple of runs and enjoy the beauty and snow Jupiter has to offer.

11am-12:30pm: Make your way to Neffland Park.  This park has medium to small hits.  There is even a great half pipe there.  Do not be intimated -- many boarders come to this terrain park to learn the basics.

12:30-1:30pm: Legends Bar at the base of the resort has the best chicken nachos!  It’s listed on the appetizer section of the menu and is the perfect size for my brother and me to share.

1:30-4:00pm: Take a few runs off Silverlode lift and a couple more off McConkey’s lift.  We always like to explore the adventure alleys.  They are marked on the resort map and on the mountain with large steel bug-looking sculptures at the top and bottom of each adventure alley.

4:30pm: Check into the Hotel Park City and immediately order Dominos pizza.  Have their Meatzza and Pepperoni feast pizza delivered.  Spend the rest of the evening swimming in Hotel Park City’s outdoor pool (which is heated to nearly 90 degrees), playing chess and sipping hot chocolate in the hotel’s lobby.  For the perfect way to unwind when you get back to your room, relax in the hot tub on the deck, turn on the fire and tell stories.

9:00pm: Retire for the night early to be sure to have enough energy for tomorrow.  Drift off to sleep watching a movie.

Day two

9am: Go back to PCMR for some serious shredding. :)  Make sure to take some runs around King Con lift.

12pm: Get Chili Cheese Fries at the Summit House at the top of Silverlode.

3pm: Take a ride on the Alpine Coaster, which is located near the base of the resort.

Look forward to the next time you can get back to Park City to enjoy the greatest snow on Earth!!!

Navigating Inevitability – What to do When Things Go Wrong – Part Deux

Sometimes it’s the simple things that can go wrong on the slopes. My comrade Emma wrote an instructive post on dealing with the unenviable but very important case of a ski injury - EmmaTips.   I am focusing on a couple of situations not nearly as serious, but worthy of some thought or a strategy to manage the situation.

The Ski Submarine:

It’s a blissfully snowy day, having a ball with friends and family blasting through some champagne powder.  Poof – white smoke everywhere - You bite the dust – no biggie it’s just powder. A stark reality then emerges – my ski is buried somewhere within 15 square yards of the LZ.

• The first step might be prevention. Some prevention in the way of powder leashes is worth the nominal investment on those days where the powder has piled up.  Powder leashes are brightly-colored ribbons tucked into your boots and attached to your ski bindings and act as streamers for your skis that can lead you to the errant ski.
• One you have shaken the fog off the first step of course is to check and determine that you are OK.
• Next, look where you fell and the direction in which you fell for a starting point, all the while poking with your pole as you work your way back to the spot just above your fall.
• If you are with family or friends, spread out and form a grid and begin posting with a ski or pole.  Be methodical while covering the reasonable amount of area within a reasonable time.
• At some point you may have to call no mas and that is OK.
• Flag down ski patrol or slowly walk down the hill and get ski patrol’s attention, give them all of your information and go get refitted in the meantime with a rental or demo.
• You might be surprised at how often skis can be found within the time frame of your trip.  If not there is almost certainty that it will be found when the snow melts and can be returned to you.

The Relationship Widowmaker:

I have witnessed the most two compatible people on earth embark on a ski trip and have it end in a trail of tears.

The happy couple gets on the first lift, imagining the day ahead, suddenly the stronger skier leaps out of the chair, shoots 150 yards down the hill, and dusts the less accomplished soul mate in a snowy wake. The offender sheepishly offers: “It’s alright honey, you can do it, just make a few turns."

 Eruption! Vesuvius style cursing, invectives launched and now Ken and Barbie have imploded into a supernova of insults and recriminations. Avoid this nightmare at all costs.

• Discuss how the day is going to start.
• Be very honest with your partner about your abilities – if you are the star then start out easy and for Pete’s sake do not patronize your less-traveled partner but also do not take then to terrain they cannot handle.
• If the difference is so stark -particularly if she/he is a beginner save your relationship get them in a lesson first and agree to meet after that lesson for some very causal cruising on the greens.
• If they are intermediate, then swallow hard on your double black off piste lust for the good of the team and enjoy some time with your partner.
• If you are already in the middle of a situation take a moment, cool down, gather yourself and your partner and slowly and methodically work your way down the hill.
• Grab a cocktail because one of you is probably going to have some explaining or apologizing to do.

The Sub-Genre of the Relationship Widowmaker: The (Kids) Mid-Mountain Meltdown

 My fellow Snowmama Tania offers some very insightful points when the kids have had enough in the middle of the mountain - TaniaTips .

Sure, it's time to start thinking about spring skiing but dressing in layers is essential on any cold..or warm ski day. On the top of the mountain, it may be windy and cold, and you need to be prepared for this.  

The thermal layer is the layer of clothing that is next to your skin. The main purpose of a thermal or “base” layer is to help you with moisture management. Although I find myself choosing different “base” layers depending on the weather, they all “wick” away moisture which in turn helps to keep me dry, comfortable and warm.

The best thermal layers are most commonly made out of two fabric types: merino wool and synthetic fabrics. Rather than absorbing moisture, these fabrics all transport, or "wick" perspiration away from your skin, dispersing it on the outer surface where it can evaporate. The result: You stay drier even when you sweat.

Is there a difference between the merino wool and synthetic fabrics?  

I find that this really comes down to what you find more comfortable to wear and what your budget is as I have used both and they both provided me with dryness. Personally, I find some of the merino wool products a little itchy on my skin. However, I know many skiers who would never wear anything other than the merino wool products.  

Cost wise, the merino wool products, such as Smartwool, Ibex and Icebreaker can be up to two times more expensive than the synthetic products such as Hot Chillys and Pategonia Capeline. 

Where do I buy a good base layer?

The good news is that base layers are pretty easy to find. This time of year is a great time to think ahead and invest in your thermals. There are great sales around and thermals are less of a fashion item so you need not worry about being in “last season's” gear. You will be able to find base layers in most retail shops that sell ski, hiking or sport related products. But I find that online is a great way of shopping around and finding the best deal.  

The other good news is that I have found with the correct care of your thermals you can get a lot of wear out of them and they can be with you for many seasons. This is particularly good to know when purchasing thermals for your children as they will no doubt out grow them before they wear them out.

Remember, a base layers purpose is to keep you dry and warm. It pays to invest in some good quality pieces, as there is nothing worse than feeling damp and cold when you are out on the slopes. Plus, there's nothing like stripping down to your base layer on a warm spring skiing day.

PS: A good thermal layer also helps keeps your kids warm when they decide to have a little sleep on the snow!

When you are on vacation sometimes nothing is better then a date night out with just your special someone. Well, in Park City they have their fair share of great restaurants and romantic dining, but this place is one of my favorites. It has quiet dining, a warm fireplace, and food that will make your taste buds sing. I am talking about Chimayo, which is located at 368 Main Street.

On the restaurant's website here you will find the kid's menu, along with specials & events, and let’s not forget about the yummy desert menu for you to check out which dish will be your favorite. This restaurant is “Southwestern with a flare” as described by some. Chef Arturo Flores has really made the menu exquisite by adding a special touch to the items on the menu such as the flank steak is no ordinary steak--it is a buffalo steak and the skewers from the appetizers menu are elk and marinated in a coffee glaze.

YUM! Is your mouth watering yet? I know! I want to go back and order about a million times just so I can try all of these scrumptious dishes. I also love that they have a kid's menu because not every night can be a date night, so we might bring along the kids and I’m glad that they have some options for them too. Chimayo’s opens nightly at 5 p.m.and reservations are highly recommended so don’t forget to call ahead for your special night.

 Along the way I have found this really helpful website called www.parkcityrestaurants.com and it lists several of the local restaurants with their menus, websites, specials & events, what’s fresh, and if they offer vegetarian or gluten-free items as well. I found this website very helpful for my family because I could simply put in that I was looking for lunch and in what area of Park City and it would give a nice selection from which to choose. 

When it comes to skiing/snowboarding my husband and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum. He is a starry-eyed beginner who loves to meet with his instructor every morning and hone his new skill of skiing. For me on the other hand, I snowboard because I have a torn ACL from skiing 20 years ago and pretty much have given up any sport that requires pivoting or unstable knee movements. Both of us, though have a fear of injury and are too old to throw caution to the wind.

So while on our vacation this year to Park City Mountain Resort we decided to come up with a list of things to do to avoid injury - he being a seasoned general surgeon, and me being a seasoned injured-skiier-now-advanced-snowboarder.

Ask any ER physician or orthopedic surgeon when do most ski injuries happen and they will tell you about:

RULE OF 3's

Most ski injuries happen:

• After the third day of skiing.  
• After 3 p.m.
• Above 3,000 meters (about 9,000 feet).

THIRD DAY OF SKIING

Unless you have physically prepared for the sport by keeping in shape year around, after the third day your body will be tired and need a day off. After three days of skiing, plan on a day off.  There are a lot of things to do in ski resorts besides skiing! Use that third or fourth day to explore the area, take a dogsled tour, shop, or just sit in the coffee shop with a good book.

When you don’t give your muscles a chance to rest, they tire easily and reaction time is decreased — all leading to more injuries.

Too often people have the attitude that with a short period of time they need to get as much skiing in as possible: consider three days at a time as much as possible. It is a lot easier to take a day off skiing and let the muscles recover than it is to spend a day in the hospital, with extended recovery after.

AFTER 3 P.M.

For most of us, skiing/snowboarding is work. Yes, the gondola takes you up and gravity takes you down -but it is hard work applying the brakes for skiing. The less familiar you are with skiing the harder you work at it.  Take a break after two hours of skiing and get some water, coffee, or tea (don’t worry, the coffee and tea will not dehydrate you but alcohol will). Take a nice lunch break and then think if you want to go back out again.

As soon as you notice your blades are getting crossed, or it is harder to make turns, or stop - it's time to go in.

ABOVE 3,000 meters (9,000 feet)

Altitude, anything above 6,000 feet has changes that affect the body. Unless you live in Denver or in a high-altitude area, it takes weeks to get used to this. You will breathe harder, lose more fluid from your body, and your heart will work harder. This means your muscles will get sore and not react as fast, so you may get in trouble. (OK, technically 3k is more like 9,800 feet, but it just works better to say 3,000 meters instead of 9,000 feet).

ACUTE MOUNTAIN SICKNESS (AMS)

The higher you go, and the faster you get there, the more likely you will experience some symptoms of AMS.  The first symptom is usually a headache, also called high-altitude headache. One survey done at a Colorado ski resort at 9,800 ft found that 60% of visitors developed a headache. AMS includes other symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea – sometimes with vomiting, weakness, dizziness, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. AMS feels exactly like a bad hangover. Symptoms can occur from 2 to 24 hours. AMS does NOT develop after 2 days, unless you’ve moved to a higher altitude. If you have been doing well at altitude and then get sick after two or three days you probably have food poisoning, virus, or another medical problem.

The ability to adjust to higher altitude is genetic, as is the propensity to develop any altitude sickness. If your family members get sick at higher altitude then you have a chance of developing it. If you have family members who have had mountain illness, or have developed it in the past, then spend the first night at an intermediate place. Denver is a mile high, and a good place to spend a night to help accomodate. Salt Lake City is a bit over 4,000 feet and Park City is at 6,900 feet. While the lifts will take you to above 9,000 feet, and most ski in those upper areas, you want to have at least a day to accomodate. Consider spending the first day on the lower runs, get your legs about you or arrive a day early and visit the city.

ALCOHOL AND SKIING

You came to ski, not to drink. The more alcohol you drink, the more dehydrated you become – and in a few days of skiing you are not going to catch up. If your goal is to be on the slopes and have fun skiing, then avoid drinking. The more alcohol you drink the day/night before, the more likely you will get injured. The longer it will take your muscles to recover, and the more swollen you will become. 

GET A LESSON

It never hurts to get your form back in style with a good ski lesson. If you ski four times a year or LESS - have a professional watch your form, and help you navigate down some runs. They can find a set of runs appropriate for you, get you to work on a few simple items that will advance your skiing or snowboarding, and by improving your form you are less likely to have an injury which is well worth the investment!

I'm bringing my 7-year-old to ski in Park City next week. What options do I have to locate her if we get separated on the slope? Do you have any tracking devices for rental? Do cell phones (Verizon Wireless is what we have) work on the slopes? Thank you so much! - Asked by Jane.

Dear Jane,  

Thank you so much for submitting your question to Ask A Snowmama!

First, your cell phone should work on about 90% or more of the mountain. You may only have trouble in some of the remote corners, but I doubt you will have an issue. 

More importantly, make sure when you head out your battery is 100% charged. If it is very cold, and if you are taking a lot of pictures with you phone, the battery can die faster than usual. 

Discuss the plan each time you get on the lift. Decide what trails you are skiing, what lift you are headed to next, and point out to your child the staff on the mountain - lift attendants, ski patrol, ski instructors, and mountain hosts. They will all have a uniform. With that, make sure your child has your phone number available in their pocket. If you somehow get separated, instruct them not to worry,  to approach one of the staff members at the resort, and ask them to give you a quick call. 

Another option which we used when our kids were young is a two-way radio. These inexpensive devices can be found at most big stores like Walmart or Target, they are sold in pairs, and have a 20+ mile range. Look in the electronics department. They are great with young kids not old enough for a cell phone. They work great for hiking, bike riding, and all sorts of other activities, without any fees! Our family uses the Motorola ones that can be found on Amazon. 

For a list of things to put in your child's pocket to be prepared for anything, click here for some tips from the Snowmamas!

In our 15 years of ski vacations with kids, we have only briefly lost a kid once. Thanks to the amazing mountain staff, she was returned to us quickly and safely! The odds are in your favor to not lose your child, but it's great to have a plan in place so everyone knows what to do. 

Have a great trip to Park City...we're looking forward to your visit!

Snowmama Kristen

I grew up in a small country town in rural New South Wales, Australia. My first experience skiing was when I spent a weekend in my final year of high school visiting the Snowy Mountains with a friend and her youth group. 

It sometimes seems like such a big leap forward to the lifestyle we have been living for the past three years. I get asked a lot how we can and why do we live ‘chasing’ the snow. This is how it happened.

One night, in a ski resort in Australia, we were having dinner with great friends who were also passionate skiers. We had spent a few ski holidays overseas together. Our kids were all great mates and we could all enjoy skiing together. So, after a couple of glasses of red wine, one of us came up with the idea of spending a whole season overseas – before the kids hit high school. Let's have an adventure! Let's take the kids out of school and ski for a season. What fun it would be.

So, what started off as a good idea slowly started becoming a reality. Each of us had a list of things we wanted and needed to find in this place we would spend the season. All of us had skied various resorts around the world so new what we did and didn’t want. All of our children had started in local Australian race training programs so we naturally wanted to be able to find a location that would enable them to continue with their progression as ski racers.

We needed the place to be large enough that we wouldn’t get bored. Five months was a long time to be skiing one mountain. We wanted there to be a “town” as such and things other than skiing for all of us to do. The list went on. And it was long!

Slowly but surely, we narrowed down our search and Park City kept ticking the most boxes off our list. We had never been to Park City so we were probably taking a bit of a risk but we were prepared to give it a go.

We got the kids involved in the Park City Ski Team and Farm Team programs. They joined the local ice hockey, basketball, swimming squad and karate studios. We home schooled them via correspondence. We all skied – a lot. We learned how to cross-country ski. We skied most of the resorts in Utah, multiple times. My friend and I did a Women's clinic at the Canyons.

Each family went on separate road trips and adventures outside of Park City to places like Moab, Bryce Canyon, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon.

We had THE BEST TIME. 

But we didn’t expect that we would want to do it again. 

A few months later when we were back in the snow in Australia, we went out for dinner again, started drinking red wine again and were reminiscing about our great season in Park City. You guessed it. One thing led to another and we are now at the tail end of our third season here in Park City.

Our family is fortunate that my husband can be flexible with his work. He is self-employed and I have to say that if this was not the case we most definitely would not be able to be spending 6 months of the year in the winter.

We are also fortunate that we are pretty flexible in our approach to the future. We believe that while it is working for us all we will keep up the lifestyle but when we feel we need to change we will. We make the most of every season as we know it is highly likely that this snow chasing will not be able to go on forever.

But for now, we love calling Park City one of our winter homes. We have all made such great friends over the past three years. So much so that it gets harder and harder to leave at the end of each season.

So my advice to my fellow ski lovers out there is this – be careful what you talk about when drinking red wine with friends! You may just find yourself chasing the winters like we do!