Category Archives: Exercise

Family-Friendly Ski Pass Deals You Don’t Want To Miss!

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Skiing can be expensive, so if you are a family that likes to ski, it’s best to get a season pass. Here is what you should know about current pass promotions for families with kids and teens. I’m posting now even though Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass has not posted their 2018/19 season pass details because there are some time sensitive season pass decisions to be made. Here’s what we know about family-friendly promotions for the new IKON Pass and the Mountain Collective. 

IKON Pass. The new IKON offers different levels of passes just like the Epic, but does it a little differently. They offer unlimited access to Winter Park, Copper Mountain, Steamboat, Eldora, Mammoth, Squaw Valley, and a few more. with then limited access to mountains like Aspen, Snowmass, Jackson Hole, Big Sky, and more. They offer 26 ski destinations in North America. The passes for kids or teens fully match up with the adult pass products.

Kids 12 & under: $149 for Ikon Base Pass & $199 for Ikon Pass. The kids pass price is good through April 9, 2018.

Teens/College: $479 for Ikon Base & $719 for Ikon

[For perspective: one day lift tickets at Aspen are $169/adult and $112/child/teen]

Get the details @ IKON Pass

Mountain Collective Pass. This pass offers 2 days of skiing at their 16 resorts for a total of 32 days of skiing at resorts such as Aspen, Alta, Taos, Snowbird, etc. This may work for some families, but it may not for others. The kids passes fully match up with the adult pass product. Early Season Adult price: $409

Kids 12 & under: Get a kid’s pass for $1 with the purchase of an adult pass and $99 for additional kid passes.

Teens/College: No Discount – real bummer!

[For perspective: one day lift tickets at Aspen are $169/adult and $112/child/teen]

Get the details @ Mountain Collective.

Epic Pass. No news yet from Vail Resorts on their 2018/19 season pass products. I’m wondering what to expect from Vail – I assume we will see the FREE Epic School Kids back which offers 16 days of skiing between Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone, for kids K-5th grade. The question is will Vail Resorts jump in with more discounted kids and teen passes? If they want to get more ski families in the Front Range and beyond, I sure hope so. I’m crossing my fingers!

Get the details @ Epic Pass  or Epic School Kids

Are you excited for the new IKON Pass? What pass will your family get? I’d love to hear your thoughts…

#Skiing #SkiPasses #Vail #EpicPass #IKONPass #MountainCollective #Kids #Families

Free [or practically free] Skiing/Snowboarding in Colorado for ALL 5th and 6th Graders

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Skiing/Snowboarding Is Free [or almost free] in Colorado! Calling all 5th and 6th graders – you can ski 60+ days this winter for free [or close to free] at 20 Colorado resorts! If you are thinking of skiing/snowboarding in Colorado AND you have a 5th or 6th grader, you are in luck!

The Colorado Passport program is for you – even if you don’t live in Colorado. Live in Massachusetts and want to ski/board in Colorado – your 5th grader skis free. Live in California and you want to ski/board in Colorado – your 6th grader skis almost free. As long as you can prove your child is a 5th or 6th grader they qualify for the 5th & 6th Grade Passport Program! 

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Here is how the 5th & 6th Grade Colorado Passport Program works:

5th GRADE PASSPORT

  1. Register your 5th grader at Colorado Passport for their pass. You need a photo and proof of grade that you can upload. They will mail you the pass once approved. You DON’T need to be a Colorado resident.
  2. Ski up to 60 days. That’s right your 5th grader can ski 3 times at all of 20 resorts including: Winter Park, Copper Mountain, A Basin, Aspen, Eldora, Crested Butte, Loveland, Snowmass, and more [see below for full list]!

6th GRADE PASSPORT

  1. Register your 6th grader at Colorado Passport for their pass. You need a photo and proof of grade that you can upload. They will mail you the pass once approved. You DON’T need to be a Colorado resident.
  2. Register by November 30, 2016 and pay $105 to ski 80 days. That’s right, your 6th grader can ski 4 times at all of the 20 resorts including: Winter Park, Copper Mountain, A Basin, Aspen, Eldora, Crested Butte, Loveland, Snowmass, and more [see below for full list]! You can still register through January 31, 2017, but the cost goes up to $125. This is still a screaming deal if your child qualifies!

PARENTS/ADULTS/KIDS [Not 5th & 6th graders]

The best way to get a deal on skiing in Colorado [if you aren’t a 5th or 6th grader] is to purchase a pass at any of the mountains at which you plan to ski. People in Colorado know, it makes sense to get a pass. The walk up prices at some of our amazing mountains can easily be over $150/day. I am not kidding! Here are some ideas of passes that might work in conjunction with the Colorado Passport:

Aspen/Snowmass/Buttermilk: Get a Classic Pass which give you 4-7 days at a serious discount with no blackouts from $199+

Winterpark: Get a Season Pass ahead of time for $429/adults and $249/kids. This also gives you 10 family/friend passes at $69 – $89/day, so maybe you just buy one pass and use the benefits to purchase cheap tickets for other adults skiing with you.

Copper Mountain: Try a Copper 4 Pack for $169/kids & adults. It’s a deal!

PASSPORT PROGRAM MOUNTAINS

screen-shot-2016-10-05-at-10-40-38-amNeed more ideas for how to get your family skiing in Colorado for cheap? Give me a shout – I’m happy to help! -Amanda

Colorado Elementary School Kids: Get 16 free days of skiing at Vail Mountains with their Epic School Kids program

#Skiing #Free #Kids #Families #Colorado #Winter #Snowboarding

ALL Colorado K-5th Grade Kids Get 16 days of FREE Skiing! Find out how…

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Elementary kids in Colorado – It’s your lucky day! Colorado elementary school kids don’t have to wait until they are in 5th/6th grade to get their own ski pass – Vail Resorts’ Epic School Kids now offers FREE skiing to ALL elementary school children.

The catch? Get your kids registered by October 8, 2016!

Q: WHAT IS THE EPIC SCHOOL KIDS?

Epic School Kids is a FREE program for Kindergarten through 5th graders that provides skiing and riding at some of Colorado’s best areas – Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone. That means 4 days of FREE Skiing at each area or 16 days in all.

The pass also includes one FREE first-timer ski or ride lesson with equipment rental.

Q: ARE THERE RESTRICTIONS?

The following are blackout dates: 11/25/16-11/26/16, 12/26/16-12/31/16, 1/14/17 and 2/18/17-2/19/17

Q. HOW CAN PARENTS ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN IN EPIC SCHOOL KIDS?

Parents can take their children to a participating Front Range Colorado Ski & Golf, or Boulder Ski Deals location to register their child in person. In Boulder – just head to Boulder Ski Deals. Take a look at what you need to bring below.

Want more details? Epic School Kids

Get Your Family On Their Bikes for Boulder’s Winter Bike Week!

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Boulder Families – It’s Almost Winter Bike Week! Maybe this can be your family’s challenge to get on those bikes this winter. Bike to work. Bike to school. Bike around town. Bike in the winter!

All Boulder residents are encouraged to participate in Winter Bike Week from Jan. 25 to Jan. 29. This week-long event is a partnership between The City of Boulder, Boulder County, the Boulder Valley School District and the University of Colorado. The event is coordinated by Community Cycles.

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Riders register as individuals or as part of a team to track bike trips and earn recognition and prizes. Registered riders will also enjoy free breakfasts and snacks along their routes [on 1/27] as well as pastries along the bike path [1/29].- check for food locations here.

For more information and to register go to lovetoride.net/boulder.

Skiing Every Month in 2014 = Building Grit in this 12 Year Old!

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My oldest son has a goal to ski every month this year. Good goal for a ski obsessed kid! [See this 12 year old’s ski video] So this weekend my husband took him to St. Mary’s Glacier to get in his August skiing. It turns out skiing has become a great opportunity for father-son bonding. It’s also great overall family bonding, but this was of the father-son genre. The take home for our family – It’s the Process that Matter Most, Not the End Result!

The process is so much more than making the turns – but it includes the turns! The process is talking about open ended questions on the way up the mountain to the destination. The process is getting on the pack and loading it up with boots and skis and gear and stuff, then putting said pack on this 12 year olds back and hiking up about a mile to get a few turns. A mile up hill. A mile to find just enough snow to make those necessary turns that he committed to earlier this year.

Sometimes the skiing happens at #Vail or #Breckenridge or #CopperMountain, but in the summer it has happened by earning his turns. I’ve got to believe this process helps create grit in my son! Grit that will help him in get through the tough parts in his life. Grit that he will call upon when he needs to hike that last mile or finish that tough homework assignment. There is nothing as important as having grit, so when Kai tells me about his experience and how it was tough but he did it, I take a deep breath that fills me up inside. I know the process and these experiences will fill him up in the end.

Take Homes from this Adventure:

  • Follow your passion
  • Do it even when it’s tough
  • Enjoy the process
  • Find a way to bond – something you enjoy doing together!

Interested in what a 12 year old can do skiing? Check out this video Kai made of his skiing!

 

The Scientific 7-Minute Workout That Fits A Parenting Lifestyle!

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I was a skeptic. But when the NYTimes reviewed an article that came out in American College of Sports Medicine’s Health and Fitness Journal about this micro workout that really works I decided to try it.

When all else fails I can usually find 7 minutes to workout. I found this routine tough but it kept me engaged because I was constantly working on timing myself and moving from one exercise to the next. Some of you won’t feel the same. Some of you will scoff at it. But get this? You get a scientifically proven effective workout in 7 minutes. This fits the life of busy families. Even the kids can give it a try! Of course you still need to mix this with a cardio workout to get maximum benefits. 

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The full NYTimes article can be found here.