Snow loving moms share tips on how to make family ski trips fun

Are you a Snowmama?

Do you love racing your kids down ski slopes, making snow angels and building giant snowmen?

If you’re not sure about the racing down ski slopes, think again. January is Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month with opportunities to celebrate winter at snow resorts across the country whether you want to learn to ski, snowboard, cross country ski or snowshoe. In many places, you might even score a free lesson and rental equipment.

Intrigued? Check out Taking the Kids Fun in the Snow to find out where to go to be a Snowmama.

You’ll find plenty of Snowmamas at Park City Mountain Resort in Utah. That’s home base for an online community of snow loving moms and even grandmas that’s become the go-to place in the entire snow sports industry for moms planning trips to snowy climes. Ask a Snowmama a question; Get tips on what to do when bad weather—or a cranky child--threatens to derail your fun.

It all started five years ago when Krista Parry, a young mom and resort executive, decided there had to be a way to make trips to snow resorts easier for moms. They’d complain it was so much work—all the gear to pack! All the gear to schlep! They were dropping out of snow sports.

Enter Snowmamas.com, an online community of like-minded moms that helps de-stress trips to the snow with everything on easy recipes to cook in the condo to kid-friendly reestaurants to ideas of what to do off the slopes—even crafts. No wonder so many thousands of Snowmamas—even if they’ve never been to Park City—find their way to this website, the first of its kind. .

I’m proud to say I was one of the original Snowmamas! I love that these moms are so different. Some are expert skiers and riders; one doesn’t ski at all. Some are just returning to snow sports after years away. Their kids are babies and teens and older; some have special needs. (Park City is home to the terrific National Ability Center that gets adults and kids with all kinds of challenges to have fun on the slopes). They're doctor, businesswomen and stay-at-home moms. The one thing they have in common is the desire to have fun outside in the snow with their kids. Snowmama Karin Sheets, from the Pacific Northwest, recounted how a trip to the slopes proved life changing for her disabled daughter. “Pure magic,” she said.

And that’s what every trip to the snow with kids should be. Thanks, Snowmamas.