The Start of a Family Tradition
Winters are long in Northeastern Pennsylvania — especially when you have young kids cooped up indoors. Some of our friends had started taking their kids to a local mountain ski school on Saturdays using discount lift tickets, so we decided to join them.
I didn’t grow up skiing—or even playing sports, really. So when the idea first came up, I was hesitant. It wasn’t something that came naturally to me, but I wanted our kids to grow up knowing that trying something new was part of the adventure.
At first, I was more focused on keeping everyone warm and upright than actually skiing myself. There were falls, frozen fingers, and plenty of hot cocoa breaks. But over time, something shifted. Those Saturdays on the mountain—watching the kids gain confidence, cheering each other on—became some of the best days of my life.
We made an intentional decision to skip winter travel leagues and focus our weekends on skiing instead. It meant saying no to schedules that kept us all moving in different directions and yes to something we could do together as a family—not just for a season, but for the rest of our lives.
Now, when I look around at our crew gliding down the hill—sometimes gracefully, sometimes not—I see a tradition we built from scratch. It didn’t happen overnight, but it’s become a part of who we are.
Finding Our Rhythm
My husband is a genius at finding deals on Facebook Marketplace, so we rounded up secondhand ski gear and layered it with the kids’ Lands’ End snow clothes to get started. I had never really skied before, and my husband was a snowboarder, so he took the reins on the bunny slope while I learned right alongside the kids.
It wasn’t glamorous, but it was real. And each season, we learned something new—not just about skiing, but about patience, teamwork, and the joy that comes from watching your kids fall down, laugh, and get right back up.
The Turning Point: When “Good Enough” Became Great
After a few winters at our local hill, we finally made our first trip to Okemo Mountain in Vermont. I’ll never forget standing at the top of that mountain—legs shaking, heart racing—as the kids laughed and raced down fearless. That moment changed everything.
Vermont skiing was a whole new world: bigger runs, better snow, and unforgettable memories. From that day forward, we were hooked.
Making Vermont Skiing Affordable
Skiing Vermont with a family of five isn’t cheap—but with a little planning, it’s absolutely doable.
We started treating skiing like a season, not a one-time trip:
- Buying Epic Passes early (before prices rise)
- Turning ski gear into Christmas gifts
- Shopping secondhand gear and Facebook Marketplace for used boots and skis
- Booking Airbnbs within 30 minutes of the mountain
- Setting an annual ski budget to make the most of our passes
👉 Pro tip: plan your top 2–3 ski weekends early and pre-book your lodging. It locks in lower prices and gives your family something to look forward to all season long.
Ready to hit the slopes? Download my free Family Ski Season Planning Checklist to make sure you’ve got everything covered to make your ski season a success.
Finding Our Own Ski Rhythm
If you’ve ever wrestled with ski boots in a crowded lodge or chased down a lost mitten while someone’s already asking for snacks—you’re not alone. We’ve lived every version of the chaos.
We quickly learned the lodge life wasn’t for us. Between overheated cafeterias, long lines, and $20 chicken fingers, it was the perfect recipe for a family meltdown.
So we started eating lunch in the car instead—talking about our favorite runs and planning the afternoon. That simple change became part of our ritual: car lunch.
From Car Lunches to Full Ski Tailgates
Our first full ski tailgate — hamburgers on the camping stove.
By the winter of 2020, with more time on the mountains, our car lunches had evolved into full-blown ski tailgates. It started with bagels and cream cheese and grew into crockpot soups powered by a portable battery, chili simmering on a camping burner, and burgers on a Blackstone griddle.
This was the birth of our ski tailgate tradition—not just planning the mountain and the stay, but the meals, moments, and memories that came with it.
Tailgate Gear We Love
Jackery Portable Power Station – Reliable power for crockpots, coffee makers, and chargers on ski days.
Portable Camping Burner – Affordable, small, sturdy, and perfect for heating soup or chili in the lot.
Blackstone Adventure Griddle – Quick setup for burgers, grill cheese, pancakes, and breakfast sandwiches.
Yeti Cooler – Keeps drinks and ingredients cold from early morning to après-ski.
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The Lesson: Family Traditions Don’t Have to Look Like Everyone Else’s
Skiing as a family can feel intimidating—it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the cost, logistics, or fear of chaos. But it doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.
Start small. Prepare for the unexpected. Laugh often. The memories are worth it.
Some of our best stories begin with, “Remember when…”
Remember when it rained for three days straight? Or when Dad lost his phone in the glades?
Those are the stories that stick—the moments that become family legend.
Building Traditions Beyond the Slopes
Over time, our ski mentality started to spill into every season.
- In winter, our frozen lake becomes a rink for ice-skating tailgates.
- In summer, we gather around lakefront campfires.
- And now, with our oldest at Penn State, football weekends have become part of our family rhythm too.
Whether it’s a ski weekend or a backyard gathering, we’ve learned that good food, fresh air, and friends are the ingredients that never fail.
How You Can Start Your Own Family Tradition
- Pick one weekend ritual—maybe a ski day, a backyard fire, or an afternoon hike.
- Keep it simple. Pack favorite snacks and focus on being present.
- Play music. Laugh a lot. Don’t stress the details—the “perfect” moments happen naturally.
- Embrace trial and error. Most of the best memories start as small mishaps.
From Sidelines to Slopes
Over the past eleven years, our family has built traditions rooted in connection—not perfection. Sidelines to Slopes is our way of sharing that journey, helping other families find their own rhythm, one weekend at a time.
This year, as we head into our first season with the Ikon Pass, we’re excited to explore new mountains, share new stories, and keep building family traditions that last all year long.
Download the Free Checklist
Ready to start your own ski tradition?
👉 Download the Family Ski Season Planning Checklist and use it to plan your first trip—from gear to meals to tailgate setup.
Join our Sidelines to Slopes community—follow along on Instagram and Pinterest for fresh ideas, gear picks, and traditions worth sharing.
