Family blog about how we get our kids outdoors on a regular basis and how you can too!

5th Graders Ski Free

10/29/2015

by Harley McAllister

Here is another cool way to help get your kids started in skiing and save some money. Each year the ski areas in the Inland Northwest run a promotion where 5th graders can ski for free (with a small processing fee of $20).

If you sign your 5th grader up they will get 3 free lift tickets from each of 7 participating ski areas. That is a pretty great deal, and many areas offer discounts on rentals and for siblings as well.

Click on this link to check it out https://www.5thgradeskipasort.com/

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Ski Swaps in the Inland Northwest

10/25/2015

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by Harley McAllister

Just a quick note - we last wrote about the Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol Ski Swap, but have since come to learn about some others.

Here is one in Coeur d'Alene Nov 6th, http://winterswap.org/

And this one is up in Sandpoint on Nov 14th, https://sars.snowproportal.com/

So if you live in Idaho or miss the one in Spokane, you might consider going to one of these later in November to get some good deals on Ski Gear.

More to come about getting your family out skiing...

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Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol Ski Swap - Good ski deals for kids in the Inland Northwest

10/20/2015

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by Harley McAllister

You can't raft and hike all year round, so one of our favorite ways to get outside in the winter is through skiing. But the hardest thing about getting your family into skiing is simply the cost - it is not an inexpensive sport. However, there are savings to be found out there if you know where to look, and we are here to help! There are a number of programs available to help parents keep costs down and build a love of skiing into your children.

Skiing is a fun way to get outside in winter and instill confidence in your children.

The first thing you need to be aware of is the Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol Ski Swap, and it is coming up in about 10 days over Halloween weekend (Oct 30 - Nov 1st) . This ski swap has been going on for over 50 years, and it is the largest event of its kind in the region. Entry price is just $5 for adults and kids 12 and under are free. Once inside you will find over 20,000 new and used items for sale by individuals and local stores - skis, boots, poles, clothing, etc. You can find used skis and boots - the most expensive items when purchased new, for really low prices. There are volunteers there to help the uninitiated get started and to make sure the equipment fits your kids so they actually will have fun and not just be cold and falling down all day. So if you want to get your kids started in skiing, this is a great place to start!

Click <here> to go to the Ski Swap home page.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we share more ideas for getting your kids started with skiing.

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Spooky and Peekaboo Canyons - Grand Staircase Escalante

10/13/2015

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by Harley McAllister

This time last year we were exploring all the wonders of the deserts of southern Utah. While we spent most of our time in the National Parks there researching our next book, we also took a few days to experience the two coolest slot canyons around - Spooky and Peekaboo. These are located in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, and they are other-worldly cool and fun. Here is a link to a quick video with highlights of the two canyons - we hope you enjoy it.

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Glacier National Park Family Vacation

10/4/2015

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by Harley McAllister

We made a number of trips to Glacier this summer, and we tried to fit in as many hikes as we could. Unfortunately it was also a very busy fire season this year, and we had to change plans due to some of the fire activity - and some bear activity! We had some of our camping reservations cancelled due to a bear in the area. Anyway, we persevered and had some really great times on the trails, with more to come next summer. But below are some photo highlights from this past summer.