(Photo: Beautiful Morning, Homewood)
Spring ski conditions is a wonderful time to get the child on the go for the 1st time on skis. The days are generally nice & sunny or "Bluebird" as we like to call them. The winter winds have calmed and the snow by mid-late morning is nice and soft...even becoming sticky and slow, therefore making it a bit easier to stop using that pizza, wedge, triangle or whatever lingo you use for it. It seems that spring is when all the elements align for your child to have a good day on the slopes.
Just because the temps are above freezing and the sun is out ensure still to dress your child appropriately and lather on the sunscreen. The sun bouncing off the "diamonds in the snow" as my 4yo calls them can lead to a very fast and very bad sunburn.
(Photo: Ice Bar, Alpine Meadows, CA)
And with spring generally comes lots of slopeside activities to give your child the full ski day experience. There are competitions, outdoor concerts, festivals, barbecues, etc.. Lots of things to keep your child in awe of the snow-capped mountains ambiance and the aire of fun and camaraderie alpine sports bring when their little legs are wearing out. And for Apres or after hours late in the season you will find incredible deals on lodging + lift either by cruising the Internet or calling the resort's central reservations number.
(Photo: KT22 Sundeck, Squaw Valley)
Also with spring comes season end sales. So if you think your munchkin and you are going to leap into this sport now is a good time to hit the sales and buy things for next season. Discounts can be 50% or more. We just picked up my daughter her first pair of poles at 50% off, but we got them a couple of cm too long in case she grows over the summer and we will just cut them appropriately at the beginning of next season. But you have to move fast...size, styles, etc are very limited.
(Photo: Genetian Cafe, Adaptive Ski School, Alpine Meadows)
So with the ski season end looming larger, especially this year with the obvious pain of the economy impacting the alpine industry, get your child our their for either their first or final go on the slopes!