By Tom Purcell, SB Berkeley GM
 

 
I'm just gonna say it: Spring skiing is better than winter skiing, especially if you're planning on going up with kids or are just not super serious about the sport. As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, the snow turns soft and forgiving, creating the perfect conditions for beginners and families with young children to ski and snowboard.
 

The biggest advantage of spring skiing: the reduced crowds.

During the peak of winter, you often find yourself in long lines and packed slopes, stressing about arriving as early as possible in order to get in as many runs as you can. But in spring with fewer people on the mountain, you can spread out without worrying about bumping into anyone. Arriving late is fine, because you're not having to spend a ton of time in the lift lines. And we all know how great little kids are at waiting in lines, right?
 

Advantage number two: with mild temperatures and sunny skies, you can relax and ditch some of the bulkier layers, making it easier to move around.

More importantly - again, talking to parents of young kids here - potty breaks become way, way less of a hassle. Trade in the thick insulating layers for a thin baselayer and shell, and pack extra sunscreen (and then even MORE extra sunscreen) and you're good to go.
 

Advantage number three (this might be a surprising one): that soft, plushy, not-painfully-freezing-cold snow is an absolute godsend for parents with young kids.

You might not think spring snow is a good thing - normally we think of the "best" snow as being newly dropped powder - but for kids, that relatively slushy springtime snow is ideal. When my son was just learning how to ski, he wiped out quite a few times during our winter trips. On fresh powder, he'd get scared of how far he'd fall through the snow. And at the end of the day on packed snow, falling down would really hurt, and feel extra cold. But during our spring skiing trip, we'd take it easy, arrive kinda late at the resort so the snow would be nice and soft under the sun, and he'd fall down so gently that he'd just laugh it off and get right back up. Watching my six-year-old wipe out with a grin on his face is waaay more entertaining than having to head out early because he's not having a good time.
 

Finally, let's talk about advantage number four: the deals.

Look, skiing and snowboarding can be expensive, especially if you're traveling with a family. But during spring in Tahoe, you can score some seriously good deals on lift tickets and lodging. Resorts often offer discounts and promotions during the spring season, making it a more affordable option for families. I don't think I really need to mention the super great deals on snow gear that you can get at your local Sports Basement, but it looks like I accidentally did anyway. Oops.

At the end of the (sunny, relaxing) day, spring skiing in Tahoe is the perfect opportunity for families to bond and create positive memories while enjoying the great outdoors. And isn't that the whole point of this parenting thing? Help your kids enjoy getting exercise, enjoy the outdoors and (maybe most importantly) enjoy doing the stuff you like to do, so they'll actually want to do it again next year. So pack up your ski gear, sunscreen, and sense of humor, and head to Tahoe for chill - not chilly - time on the slopes.
 

Spring Skiing Family Packing List:

• Sunscreen
• Buff
• Sunglasses
• Helly Hansen baselayers
• Shell Jacket
• Shell Pants
• Ski socks
• Extra ski socks
• More sunscreen
• Chapstick