The short list
- Multi-day lesson packages beat one-off days. Progression is a week, not a Saturday.
- This is when a real intermediate mountain starts to matter — Park City, Breck, Steamboat, Winter Park.
- Altitude still counts. So does lunch. So does stopping before they fall apart.
- Parks: start small. Keystone A51 and Park City Payday are enough. You do not owe them a slopestyle career.
- This is the age to teach them to ride a chair without a TED talk every time.
Family skiing vs. more school
Morning lessons, afternoon together is the pattern that has worked for us. All-day school when we're tired. All-day family skiing when the snow is good and they can keep up. If they are still in a wedge on greens, don't take them to Alta because you want to. Brighton and Solitude will make them better; the Cirque will make them scared.
Where they bloom
Park City for variety. Steamboat for trees and a town. Breck for a Main Street they can walk. Winter Park to split — Discovery leftovers in the morning, Mary Jane for you. Heavenly if they already ski and you want the lake.
