Since the carful of kids love the snow and we don't get much in Texas; we have to drive to it. This winter is shaping up to be a spectacular ski season out West. If you haven't loaded up the SUV and headed for the snow. Do it now.
The carful of kids will try any resort once but there are just a couple that become our family favorites. The ones that we return to year after year because we like the skiing, the facilities, the staff and the overall atmosphere. Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe is one of those.
Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe
Mt. Rose (22222 Mt. Rose Highway) is usually the first ski resort to open every year thanks to its 8,260 base elevation, the highest base in Lake Tahoe. The summit is 9,700 feet with a vertical drop of 1,800 feet. Mt. Rose opened in 1964 and has 1,200 acres with two separate lodges and eight lifts.
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| As Good as it Gets--under a big, blue sky brighter than Lake Tahoe. |
The Winters Creek Lodge is the newer facility that is a couple of miles down Hwy. 431. For those looking for double-black diamond runs and the Slide Bowl, this is the lodge for you. The Chutes, an expert only area is accessible through the Blazing Zephyr-6 and the Chuter lifts that originate here.
The carful of kids love the proximity of Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe since it's minutes from the condo where we stay. From Downtown Reno, Mt. Rose is 25 miles. From the Reno/Tahoe International Airport, it's 22 miles. It's even quicker to get to Incline Village in north Lake Tahoe at 11 miles.
What's New at Mt. Rose
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| My 13-year-old is loving the runs in the Enchanted Forest like the Warlock. |
There is one resort in Lake Tahoe that is catering to the family-skier in a big way--Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. The carful of kids have skied here for years but this year we are blown away with what they have created.
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| The Carful of Kids on the Wizard lift on their way to the Enchanted Forest. |
The Enchanted Forest is a great area that offers green runs in a separate area that's not tacked on to the bottom of a blue or black run. The Wizard is not a pass-thorough lift taking you to the top of the mountain either. It's the gateway to magical Enchanted Forest that's perfect for kids and the parents that ski with them.
You have the option of skiing down runs like Magic Potion, Dragon's Tail or Spellbound. Even on the busiest of school holidays you feel alone in the world discovering an enchanted land that might be harboring a woodland sprite or dare we say, Harry?
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| Skiing with my 8-year-old in the Enchanted Forest keeps this Mom on her toes. |
Mt. Rose--Getting Kids on the Snow
Your kids not ready for independent skiing or snowboarding? Mt. Rose specializes in getting kids on the snow with their lesson packages.
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| This is a happy kid after a two-hour lesson at Mt. Rose. |
If your kids are a little older (11+), Mt. Rose has the first-timer package with a two-hour lesson, rental equipment with a helmet and a beginner lift ticket for $114 with the online discount. There is a next step package for skiers that have skied before that includes a lesson, rental equipment and a beginner lift ticket for $119 with the online discount.
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| Mt. Rose does a great job at keeping the littlest kids separated during lessons. |
I have had kids in the Rosebud program for years. The Flying Jenny (the Magic Carpet Lift) gets a Christmas card from me, I spend so much time on her with my kids.
What I like about Mt. Rose's Rosebud program:
- low kid-to-instructor ratio
- the indoor area to drop off your kids
- the instructors fit the kids with equipment for you
What's next for Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe
According the Mt. Rose Marketing Director, Mike Pierce, they aren't done expanding. They have plans for a new lift and a skier bridge over the Mt. Rose Highway (Nevada Highway 431) to be completed in the next three years.
This new area would expand the green skiing at Mt. Rose even more. I don't know about your kids but my kids would put on head-to-toe white snow gear just to blend in so they would never have to leave.
Besides the new lift and runs, Mt. Rose also plans to renovate the Main Lodge and expand the Rosebud children's center. I hope they include a fire pit since they are one of the few ski resorts not to have one.
Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe has been a favorite resort of the carful of kids for years for its value and I recommend it for your carful of kids for your next ski trip.
Know before you go:
- Arrive early for the best parking and fewer lines during school holidays and breaks.
- You can purchase tickets on consolidators, like Liftopia.com, for further discounts.
- Reservations are a must for ski school programs during the school breaks.
- You can get a discount by booking your lift tickets online through the ski resort’s website.
- I like to rent my equipment from ski shops and skip the line on the mountain. Most shops let you rent equipment the evening before and you can return it early in the morning after your trip.
- Don't forget the helmets, they are required for kids at lots of resorts.
- Mt. Rose does not offer daycare services or all-day ski lessons for kids.
- Arrive early for the best parking and fewer lines during school holidays and breaks.
- You can purchase tickets on consolidators, like Liftopia.com, for further discounts.
- Reservations are a must for ski school programs during the school breaks.
- You can get a discount by booking your lift tickets online through the ski resort’s website.
- I like to rent my equipment from ski shops and skip the line on the mountain. Most shops let you rent equipment the evening before and you can return it early in the morning after your trip.
- Don't forget the helmets, they are required for kids at lots of resorts.
- Mt. Rose does not offer daycare services or all-day ski lessons for kids.
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