Daughter is ready to move off of bunny slopes, but too small for lifts

[BlueGrin]

Gondolas. T-bars/pomas/etc. Cross country skiing. Waiting till you are more comfortable.

When I skied in Zermatt, I got off the gondola and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw nothing but T-bars. It had been so long since I'd ridden one, I was momentarily scared that I'd blow it trying to ride one again.

 

[crgildart]

Two kids, 14 months apart in age, both TINY for their age until age 20. First lift rides at age 3-4. Definitely had to pick the kid up when the lift came around. I only took one kid at a time until they could both get their butts in the seat themselves.

 

[BlueGrin]

Two kids, 14 months apart in age, both TINY for their age until age 20. First lift rides at age 3-4. Definitely had to pick the kid up when the lift came around. I only took one kid at a time until they could both get their butts in the seat themselves.

I think it may well have been easier last year, but now she's got just enough weight/strength that if she flops around she can take me with her if my balance isn't perfect.

 

[Wilhelmson]

Bend down and reach across his back with my right hand under his right arm pit. A quick lift when the chair approaches and place him down on the chair. Reverse the procedure at the top

That’s how I did it with my kids. Last year I had to help the tiniest ski school kid get on. When she skied off the icy lift ramp to her group she was a solid skier.

Lift opps should slow the chair down.

Asking kids to count how many turns they can make to the bottom of a slope. They get a reward when they make more turns than the previous attempt.

So I would tell my kid to make 5 turns - then he would go fast and make a turn or two. Always in control except the time he skied onto the lake at Cannon.

 

[johnnyvw]

Helping my gangly 9 year old nephew on the rope tow years ago was an exercise in comedy.

My son's first day on skis was probably similar...started up the rope tow, fell down...didn't let go until the top

 

[Jilly]

Just rode the lift with ski school. Instructor had the harness. Worked great. I would suggest you look for one. But also get it off ASAP, so there no relying on it for your kid.

 

[crgildart]

Gondolas. T-bars/pomas/etc. Cross country skiing. Waiting till you are more comfortable.

When I skied in Zermatt, I got off the gondola and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw nothing but T-bars. It had been so long since I'd ridden one, I was momentarily scared that I'd blow it trying to ride one again.

Sorry, but T-Bar is a terrible recommendation for a very tiny novice skier or any tiny or novice skier. The spring in them is too stout for little kids to pull down.. The skill required to ascent and keep the skis straight all the way up is no joke.. and riding with someone taller or shorter than you has tie T all crooked and causes the shorter person to slide off the end. No T-bar..

 

[Jilly]

T-Bars yes and no. Are you the adult ready to ride up a T bar with the bar at the top of your boots? I taught at a hill that did not have a chair. Only 2 T-bars and a pony tow (handles hang off the haul rope). We had to get the kids off the bunny hill and up. It was the only way. So off duty instructors, race coaches, race Mom's all got the call to help.

Bar goes to fit the kid. You deal with it to keep it horizontal. Hopefully it's not a long trip!

 

[BlueGrin]

Sorry, but T-Bar is a terrible recommendation for a very tiny novice skier or any tiny or novice skier.

I think he was joking. I wouldn't even know where to find one anymore, the one I started on at Belleayre has been gone for years.

 

[skiki]

I wouldn't even know where to find one anymore,

Brattleboro ski hill. A volunteer run hill in town with a whopping 200 vertical, $5 lift tickets and a single t-bar to get up the hill.

 

[1Turn2Many]

I know of one mountain employee’s daughter who, at 4, rode the lift and skied the whole mountain by herself. Her 2 year old brother wasn’t far behind. Your kids won’t become great if you hold them back. However, it’s dad’s job to make sure they stay safe. Hard job.

 

[BlueGrin]

Your kids won’t become great if you hold them back. However, it’s dad’s job to make sure they stay safe. Hard job.

The safety is only part of it - also just not traumatizing her so that she doesn't hold herself back. Too many rough lift-mounts and she'll want to avoid it. Once she gets acclimated to the easier lifts, it won't be a big deal to her. You want the learning curve pointed upwards, but not steeper than she can handle.

 

[Henry]

Have you spoken with someone in management at the ski area? Ask how the lift attendant can help you. They may be able to slow the lift on request, and the liftie may have been trained on how to help lift the wee ones into the chair. Also, while riding the chair be very careful the little ones don't slide forward and fall off. This applies to anyone with short legs where their knees don't reach the edge of the chair to bend over it.

 

[Chris V.]

Carpet games: Follow the leader--same tracks, no passing. Turn to stop. Side slip. Falling leaf. Side slip into downhill run. Ski switch (on purpose this time). Gather up discarded and broken ski poles and set up a slalom course. Set two poles in the snow pretty close to form a gate, the challenge is to ski through without knocking them over. Competition, put up a pole in the snow, do hockey stops right up to it, who can get closest without knocking it over? J turns around a series of poles, tag each one with the inside hand while passing it. Set them for a long turn, then for a shorter turn. Stand on the side of the run, "Make a turn, ski to me, and get a hug." If you don't keep moving all the way around, no hug. Ski as short as you can. Then as tall as you can. (Be a little mouse, then be a big monster.) Go back and forth between the two. Now bounce. Now hop like a bunny. Ski in as wide a stance as you can. Now as narrow as you can. Now switch back and forth, how many times can you do that in one run? Side jump down the slope. Jump from traverse position to straight down the hill, and go! Ski and jump angled left, then angled right. Find some tiny feature to jump off. Invent new ways to play on every little feature. Skate downhill. (Yep, challenging for a 5 year old, but you might be surprised.) Play scooter on one ski only. Hold hands and ski side by side. Or hold onto opposite ends of a pole, ski side by side, push-pull. Switch off who leads in this dance.

 

[no edge]

Why is she too small for the lifts? When my daughter was five I had a harness with a handle on her back. I just picked her up each time and sat her next to me. Same with unload. She was skiing easier blacks at smaller resorts at six.

I have seen parents with this type of harness. It works really well, but you still have be to extra cautious loading and riding the lift.

That's the set up that I would choose for a little one.

When you get the harness, post a pic in SkiTalk!

 

[Wilhelmson]

Sorry, but T-Bar is a terrible recommendation for a very tiny novice skier or any tiny or novice skier. The spring in them is too stout for little kids to pull down.. The skill required to ascent and keep the skis straight all the way up is no joke.. and riding with someone taller or shorter than you has tie T all crooked and causes the shorter person to slide off the end. No T-bar..

On my first day skiing when I was 12 that j bar kicked my ass. J bar as in like a t bar but a single rider J.

 

[James]

but we had to grab her arms to hop her up on to it and at least once I almost didn't make it

Bad idea. You have no leverage. Plus the arms just keep extending.
A vest with a handle in back may be not that much better. Depends. Every kid under 6 here in ss has to wear one. The ones we have now have a vertical handle that’s much better than the old horizontal handle that was set too high. A handle is very good for holding them while on the chair.
In addition, with the vertical padded fabric handle, you can actually slip their skis in there to hold while they walk. It’s pretty slick, they look like little mountaineers.

To get them on I like doing the side scoop with an arm, you can grab the outer thigh or behind the knee if necess, but then we often take two kids at once that size on a fixed grip. You can ask to slow it. A kid 100cm tall is not too small. How high is the seat off the ground? Vail at least seems to post such things.

We actually used to have a dedicated poma for the little ones. Now it’s a carpet. Contrary to the dire predictions above, they did just fine.

 

[Chris V.]

I would really hope the lifties could do it for you. Leave it to the pros. Maybe call ahead and ask if they'll do it at your favorite hill.

 

[James]

I would really hope the lifties could do it for you. Leave it to the pros. Maybe call ahead and ask if they'll do it at your favorite hill.

Do what?

 

[GB_Ski]

Do what?

Assuming the lifties will put the kids on the chair. At Belleayre, my kids know the lifties on the belleayre express so his crew always put the bars down for them. Give them a push if needed.

@BlueGrin Personally, I think making your kids ski bunny hill will hold back their development more than the lift issues. But being a dad, I know how hard that is though. A fine line to walk. Would the ski instructor at your hill take your daughter up the lifts?