skiers Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips

Why Not Spend Spring Skiing in Vermont?

Paula — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 01:05:53 +0000

For years, I have made no secret of my love for winter and summer too. Spring and fall were distant cousins at best. A couple of years ago though, I started to wonder what if we simply stretched winter out a little longer right into spring. Spring skiing! We are guests of Smugglers’ Notch while visiting which means we receive accommodations and lift tickets as well as activities. Spring Break Oh I know, spring break is often synonymous with heading south and we are technically heading south. Just not to the sunny south where the weather is warm. This year, we are on our way to Smugglers’ Notch to do some spring skiing. We can’t wait! Smugglers’ Notch Layout Smugglers’ Notch consists of three mountains – Morse Mountain, Madonna and Sterling Mountains. When we visited Smugglers’ Notch the first time in 2016, we were almost entirely on Morse Mountain because we were beginners. We returned last summer to see what Smugglers’ Notch had to offer in the summer months and now we are checking it out with an eye to spring skiing. That’s, right. I said Spring. Celebrating Spring Break In the last 2-3 years, we have become experts on family Spring Break ski vacations. Last year, we embarked on an epic 12-day road trip through Vermont, Maine and Quebec, culminating in a stay at Hotel Valcartier and the Hôtel de Glace, just outside Quebec City. Read all about staying in an ice hotel. Next week, we will drive to Jeffersonville, Vermont again, pretty much a straight ride through Ontario to Quebec and then down into Vermont until we see the sign that indicates Smugglers’ Notch is ahead. For Canadians, Smugglers’ Notch is an easy drive and an excellent choice. Why Take A Smugglers’ Notch Spring Break? Smugglers’ Notch was named #1 for Family Friendly Ski Resorts in the East by Ski Magazine 2020 and it’s easy to see why. It’s also a 2019 Traveller’s Choice on TripAdvisor. We have been to Smugglers’ Notch a couple of times and it’s incredibly family friendly as well as a great spot for teenagers too. For sure the kids will be checking out the teen lounge again. So, What Can You Do in the Spring at Smuggs? Pretty much everything that you did in the winter is available during the spring months too, weather dependent of course. This year, we are driving to Smugglers’ Notch to spend our spring break there skiing. We arrive just in time for St. Patrick’s Day! Hurray! So, we plan to go get some green shirts or hats and dress up that day. Here’s What’s on my Agenda for the Week Spring skiing can be just as awesome as winter skiing. I mean it’s typically a bit warmer and a few trails might be closed, but for the most part at night temperatures dip so snow guns are often still going. Also, the slopes are often less crowded and resorts can be a bit more peaceful. Oh, and also if you are on a budget, then you can save money if you time it right. St Patrick’s Day Festivities On St. Patrick’s Day we will be skiing and wearing green. This year on March 17, there are numerous activities happening at Smugglers’ Notch. Wear something green and look for the leprechaun on the hills. He will be handing out raffle tickets which you then turn in at the end of the afternoon for possible prizes! I love a good contest and so do the kids, so we will be looking for that leprechaun. Here’s hoping it’s not a rainy day. I’m aiming to do lots of spring skiing and potentially some other fun outdoorsy activities. Maplefest Spring is the ideal time for sugar shacks. The sap has been flowing and the maple products should be everywhere right now. You can stay at Smugglers’ Notch and then drive to a sugar shack to learn more. Or, you might consider sampling the goods close to the resort and stocking up to take some home. Spring Skiing Of course, this is the main reason we are looking forward to March Break! Spring skiing is glorious and like a last hurrah for the season. Go out with style. Ski all the trails possible and fall into bed at night. That’s typically my goal every season. Nothing is sadder for skiers than the day they have to put all the gear away. Glow Tubing Please let the weather gods – and the health gods – be kind. Glow tubing is being offered on March 17th at the end of the day to cap St. Patrick’s Day off. Cross-country skiing Join the Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Adventure Center and enjoy 34 kilometers of beautiful cross-country trails for every level from beginner to expert. Rental equipment is available there too. We also have several group and private cross-country lessons. Not sure if I will get to do this, but it is an option for any of you visiting right now. Snowshoeing Our Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Adventure Center also offers 24 kilometers of dedicated snowshoe trails for every level from beginner to expert. Atlas snowshoes are available for rent at the Nordic Center. We have an extensive list of snowshoe lessons and tours to choose from. Ice Skating My younger daughter has had this in her head for weeks now. We tried to go skating a couple of times but the weather for outdoor rinks around here has been a mess. We had rain in February and that did the rinks in. They have frozen a few times since but now they are a bit of a mess. Twirl and glide across the outdoor ice skating rink (weather permitting) at Smuggs. Located next to the Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Adventure Center. Access is FREE. Rental skates are available at the Nordic Center. Snowboarding Lessons So, my youngest daughter has been talking a bit about trying snowboarding. She’s the most athletic of all of us, so I feel like she could pick it up. When we are not on the slopes perfecting our technique and enjoying the scenery then I might sneak over to see her master snowboarding. Teen Lounge Now that my kids are teens one of their favourite things about this kind of trip and this resort is the teen lounge. They would spend all week there if possible. Follow Along for Spring Skiing and Family Fun this spring break.

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9 Ways to Save the Most on Lift Tickets Now at Holiday Valley Ellicottville

Paula — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 14:05:12 +0000

Our first trip of the new year was to Holiday Valley Ellicottville and I can now see what all the buzz is about for skiers. Upstate New York is a pretty quick drive from several areas of Ontario and for us it was about 4 hours door to door. The ski runs were lovely, wide and long, and several of the blues won my heart fast. Despite a not very snowy early January, we took our chances and drove down at the tail end of Christmas break. Luckily the snow was decent and we enjoyed about 30 of the runs. Several black diamonds were not open. While it was our first visit, we quickly learned all the ins and outs and, most importantly, ways to save money. If you head out without considering, or researching, any of the possible savings options you could pay way too much for your ski trip. So read this first!! Now that I know the ins and outs of managing an affordable few days skiing at Holiday Valley Ellicottville, I thought I’d share it with you. Here’s how to save money on lift tickets at Holiday Valley Resort. True Story: I ski better when I am happy about saving money. LOL. Saving Money at Holiday Valley Ellicottville. The only thing better than a ski trip is a ski trip that doesn’t cost a fortune. My family loves to travel as often as possible, and the only way to do that is to be smart with our money. That’s why, no matter what kind of trip we take, I’m always looking to get the most bang for our buck. From night skiing to Intense Milk label discounts, there are lots of ways to save money and ski your buns off at Holiday Valley Ellicottville. Purchase Ticking in Advance Purchasing tickets at least 3 days in advance can save you money. Since you’re already headed there to ski in the first place, it should be one of the first things you do. Night Skiing Night Skiing is a great way to save money, and there are fewer people. Don’t worry, you’re not skiing in the dark, the courses are very well lit. WE LOVED this actually. The cost was dramatically different after 3:30 and you can ski until 10, so why wouldn’t you? Cost for adults was $35 and Juniors under 12 was $29 US. The skiing at night in Holiday Valley Ellicottville is gorgeous. Like Holiday Valley Resort on Facebook and Follow them on Twitter From time to time, the resort will post excellent deals on their social media channels, so follow them to make sure you see these great deals. Always check social media when hunting for a discount or special event. Canadian Friendship Week For Canadians like me, this is one of the best times to ski at Holiday Valley Resort. Right now, the Canadian dollar is weak compared to the US, but in early January, exchange rates don’t apply! The resort offers prices at Par for Canadian cash! Remember the Canadian cash. Intense Milk Label Discounts You can use any Intense Milk label to help you save money. You’ll be able to get 2 for 1 night lift tickets and 2 for 1 three-hour tubing passes with any Intense Milk label. These are only good Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. The first night we arrived it was after 2 p.m. and we wanted to ski. Another Mom handed me a Milk Label and I got a free admission for one of us. That saved me a minimum of $30. Sweet. Bring the Kids I wish we’d started taking our kids on ski trips sooner. They love skiing as much as we do, and it would have afforded them so much more time on the slopes. If you want your kids to fall in love with skiing sooner rather than later, you can do it at a huge discount at Holiday Valley Resort. That’s because kids 6 and under ski for free any time and they stay free when their parents purchase a midweek ski package with lodging. Super family friendly option! Group Rates Why not take the entire extended family, or a group of friends, on a ski trip? At Holiday Valley Resort, excellent group rates are available for 15 people or more. You can bring everyone and save at the same time! Plus, with all those family members going, splitting the cost makes it even more affordable. Stay OFF Property We stayed in Salamanca and saved a bundle doing that. Two nights in Salamanca was equivalent to one night closer to Ellicottville. It’s about a 15 minutes drive away and totally doable, even with skier’s legs. Olean is another option nearby, about 20 minutes from the resort itself. At the end of the day after skiing for like 6 or 7 hours I just need a bed and maybe breakfast the next morning then I am good to go. BREAKFAST Find yourself a place that has breakfast included. Holiday Inn Express Salamanca was not fancy, but it had my requisite breakfast included. I need all the fuel for a day of skiing so this worked out very well. Savings Add Up at Holiday Valley Resort Holiday Valley Ellicottville has many ways to save money on your next ski trip. It’s reachable easily by car and a very family friendly area that won’t cost a bundle, especially if you follow these tips. If you’re planning a ski trip from Ontario, give Holiday Valley Ellicottville a try.

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