Only the Necessities: Packing for a family trip to Heavenly!
You booked your family ski trip a few months ago and it’s almost here! In a few short days you’ll all be ripping it up on the slopes of Heavenly. All you have left to do is…PACK! Pack everything you, your spouse and kids need for a week in the mountains. OMG. Don’t worry, we’re here to help! With three kids and many trips under my belt, I consider myself a bit of an expert on the topic of traveling with kids. Of course you’ll need all your regular essentials (regular clothes, toiletries, phones, iPods, favorite toys, first aid/medicine kit, etc), plus your ski essentials. To keep in simple, I’ll break this down in to a few basic categories.
Base Layer: This could make or break your family’s day on the mountain, so don’t cut corners and send the kids out in cotton longjohns or pajamas. Think high-tech, synthetic fabrics that will wick away moisture. Lightweight layers are always best. These are very common these days, so you should be able to find them easily, and without spending much. The other essential part of the base layer is socks. Again, think lightweight fabrics that will wick moisture away. No matter what anyone tells you, never wear multiple pairs of socks.
Outerwear: You’ll want to stick with two-piece outfits for the whole family. That one-piece snowsuit may look cute on little Jack, but after a couple trips to the bathroom with him, you’ll be suffering from buyer’s remorse. Bibs or pants and a jacket are perfect. Look for breathable and waterproof fabrics. Pants should have sewn-in elastic gators and reinforced cuffs. For the jacket, make sure it’s got a hood for extra protection on cold days.
Snow Boots: Two words: Waterproof & comfortable. Save the trendy boots for back at home, you’re in the mountains now.
Helmet: In my opinion, this is the most important thing. Whether you pack it, buy it here, or rent it, make sure everyone in your family wears one.
Eyewear: Most of the time goggles are the only way to go. If you can’t find them at home we sell plenty of affordable ones for kids. On the sunniest off spring days, wrap-around sunglasses will work as well.
Accessories: These things are small, but no less important! You’ll need hats, waterproof mittens or gloves, zip-up sweatshirts and hoodies for after skiing, energy bars for quick snacks on the chair lift, and face masks for cold days. A few packs of hand warmers and your kids’ favorite candy won’t take up much space and are great thing to have in your pocket on the lift chairs.
Equipment: For kids many people agree that it’s not worth it to spend a few hundred dollars on a set-up when they will have grown out of it by the next ski trip. If you’re putting the kids in ski school, rentals are included. Otherwise, you can pick up rentals at any of our base lodges or any of our other shops around town. For the grown-ups, if you already own skis or a board and have been itching to use it, by all means bring it. If you’re flying here, we do suggest you compare the price of checking the extra luggage with renting equipment before you make your decision.
I hope this helps make your packing a little bit easier! If anyone has any other advice or questions, please share!
Editor’s Note: Darcy is not only the mother of three, but also the manager of Heavenly Tahoe Vacations, our on-mountain travel agency. So when she says she’s an expert on traveling with kids, you can have faith that she’s lived it from all sides of the equation.
