New England
 By Heather Burke 
Name a sport that you
can enjoy from age 3 until 83. Pick an outdoor activity that involves
kids, parents and grandparents. We have tried several, and we have
only found one that you can do with all generations, all day, all
winter. It’s skiing.
You can’t play a family-friendly game of football without fear of crushing your kid; or worse, breaking your grandmother’s hip. You can play a non-aerobic board game of Candy Land – but before long Dad slips into a Queen Frostine coma. Skiing invites all levels of ability, just look at the trail selection at most resorts. Often you can ride the same lift, select different trails (green for me, blue for you, black diamond for the teen) and meet at the bottom – the same cannot be said for hiking a mountain.  At Sugarloaf, I
can carve King’s Landing, while my father and sister-in-law saunter
down Tote Road, my son can bash the bumps on Skidder, while the fast
pack of the family can charge down Narrow Gauge or Comp Hill. My
nephew, the California snowboard dude, can hit the Stomping Ground
terrain park. Everyone is happy, having their healthy outdoor
adventure – and it is a shared experience. Even my mother-in-law can
get her exercise walking the Village and meeting us slopeside for
lunch.There are few other winter sports you can do all day, engaging everyone in the family. Sledding lasts an hour or two…adults don’t share the same passion kids do for climbing up, then speeding down on their behinds repeatedly, and ultimately getting snow down their pants.  One of my most memorable days was a recent sunny day at
Gunstock, just
my father and me. He had received a knee replacement and had not skied
for two years. I knew he was nervous (aren’t we all for those first
few turns) but his ski skills came back like the proverbial riding of
a bike. What we shared that day was not merely superb snow and
shimmering sunshine, but a legacy. He and my mom had taught me to ski
when I was shorter than a ski pole, and here we were almost four
decades later (roles slightly reversed) enjoying the same sport.My husband’s uncle, Erling Omland skis with us when we visit Pico or Killington, he is 89. Our kids enjoy skiing with Erling and listening to him sing on the chairlift. “He’s awesome,” says my 14-year-old son. Talk about spanning the generations. Erling served in the revered 10th Mountain Division, and up until a few years ago, he would ski Tuckerman’s every spring with his three children. You could make the argument that skiing keeps you young – and Erling could be the poster boy.  It is a recreational reunion when multiple generations get together
for a family day on the slopes. Skiing with my mom and my daughter by
my side, I feel the sisterhood of skiing. I ski like she does, she
skis like me. When you introduce your child or loved one to skiing,
you are passing the downhill torch. Cheesy? Perhaps, but I challenge
you to find a better glue to keep your family connected. I treasure skiing photos of my brothers, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins, and especially my grandfather at Smugglers.’ His elegant sweeping turns and the twinkle in his eyes are forever in my memory; he knew how special it was to be making turns together. If I got a new pair of ski socks for every time an alpine acquaintance warned me my kids won’t want to ski with me when they get older, I could outfit the US Ski Team.  Sure, my teenage son likes big moguls and my daughter prefers zipping
through the trees. And they can go off solo or take a few runs with
buddies, but we are on the same mountain, having equally exhilarating
experiences. And the kids always come back to ski with us (no, not
just for the lunch money).Our extended family has been on a few vacations - the ski vacation is by far the best. Sitting on the beach in lounge chairs listening to the surf is predictable after two days – but a ski resort with over 60 different trails and changing conditions – now that is something for everyone to be excited about. Skiing is an adhesive – the glue of generations. Families that ski and snowboard together have a bond that goes beyond coexisting in the same household. There is something inimitable about spending the day out in the elements; you share the bravery of conquering steeps or the fun of bouncing through fresh powder, the humility of a wipeout, and the bliss of a NASTAR Gold. The closeness that follows a day on the slopes (not just because your chilly and want to snuggle) is one of a kind, and one to be treasured. I think the adage is true; “the family that skis together, stays together.” |