Kids ski school · ages 5-12

The kid arrives at 9. Skis off the lift by 11.

Full-day youth ski school at Summit Pass. Three age-and-ability groups, lift ticket and lunch included, every coach is PSIA Children's Specialist certified. Drop off at the meeting hut at 8:50, pick up at 3:00 with a kid that's tireder, hungrier, and a level higher than they were yesterday.

A typical day

Drop-off at 9. Pick-up at 3.

A real schedule from a Tuesday last February. Same rhythm every day, weather permitting. We swap to indoor games and shorter on-snow blocks below 5°F or above 30 mph wind.
8:50 — drop-off

Meeting hut + warm-ups

Kids sign in at the hut, gear up, and play indoor warm-up games before heading to the lifts.

9:30 — first chair

Group on snow

Each group rides their chair with their coach. First two runs are warm-up turns on familiar pitch.

10:30 — drill block

Skill of the day

One focus drill — pizza-stop, hockey-stop, hop-turns, or off-piste line — taught through games.

12:00 — lunch

Hot food at the lodge

Hot meal, drink, and a cookie at the Summit Lodge. Coaches eat with the group and dry gear.

1:00 — afternoon ride

Free runs + games

Coach-led free runs applying the morning's drill, plus a low-stakes game on the cat track.

3:00 — pick-up

Hut + the day's report

Parents collect at the hut. Each coach gives a short report on what was practiced and what's next.

Three age + ability groups

Buckaroos. Rangers. Mountain Pros.

We sort by ability first, age second. A six-year-old who has skied four seasons can move up. An eight-year-old on their first day starts with the Buckaroos. Group placements are reviewed at first lift.
Group 01 Ages 5-7 · first time to one season

Buckaroos

The starting line. Magic carpet to learning chair, pizza stops, first turns, learning to ride the lift safely with a coach. Indoor warm-up games and a long lunch break.

  • Magic carpet → Beginner chair
  • Wedge turns + stop control
  • One green run by day's end
  • Coach-to-kid ratio of 1:5
Group 02 Ages 7-10 · two to three seasons

Mountain Rangers

Linked parallel turns, riding all green and most blue terrain, reading lift maps, eating fast at lunch so they can get back out. Drill blocks teach shape, edge, and timing.

  • All greens + most blues
  • Parallel turns + hockey stops
  • Reading the trail map
  • Coach-to-kid ratio of 1:6
Group 03 Ages 9-12 · solid intermediate+

Mountain Pros

Riding everything blue, dropping into single-blacks under coach supervision, intro to moguls, side-country and tree skiing. Park and pipe coaches available on request.

  • All blues + intro single-black
  • Moguls + powder line-reading
  • Tree skiing + park 101 add-on
  • Coach-to-kid ratio of 1:6
All-in pricing

$245 a day. Lift ticket. Lunch. Coach. All in.

01 · Coaching

Six hours on snow

Same coach all day with your child's group. PSIA Children's Specialist certified, background-checked, mountain-tenured.

02 · Lift ticket

Full-mountain access

Day pass for every lift open at Summit Pass, valid until 4 PM. No upcharge for the upper-mountain quad.

03 · Lunch

Hot meal at the lodge

Hot entrée, drink, fruit, and a cookie at Summit Lodge. We accommodate gluten-free and most allergies — flag at booking.

04 · Helmet + radio

Safety kit included

Helmet, group radio, and a wrist tag with your child's group ID and parent contact. Skis, boots, and poles rent for $25 add-on.

Common questions

Things we get asked at drop-off.

What if my kid has never skied?

That's exactly the Buckaroos group. About a third of every Buckaroos session is first-day skiers. The coach starts on the magic carpet and the goal for day one is one full run on the beginner chair.

Can siblings of different levels still ski together?

Mostly yes — they can be in different ability groups but ride the same morning, eat lunch together, and meet at the same pickup hut. Two kids of the same ability are in the same group automatically.

What does my child wear and bring?

Snow pants, ski jacket, base layers, mittens, neck warmer, snow boots for walking. We supply helmet and group radio. Ski + boot rental is a $25 add-on at booking.

What's the coach-to-kid ratio?

1:5 in Buckaroos, 1:6 in Rangers and Pros. Hard caps. We hire and pay for the coaches we need — we don't oversell groups.

Is there a multi-day discount?

Yes. Three days is $675 (save $60), five days is $1,075 (save $150). Multi-day kids get the same coach all week, which is the single biggest factor in fast progression.

Enroll your kid

Pick a date. We hold their spot.

Most groups sell out a week in advance during holidays and weekends. Holiday weeks (Presidents', Spring Break) sell out four weeks ahead. Book early, reschedule free up to 24 hours out.