Trip Report: Mini Shred On Mt. Hood - Snowboarding With A Toddler!
When: 03/24/2019
Location: Skibowl, Mt Hood, Oregon
Conditions: Spring mountain conditions! Sun mixed with some clouds, above freezing, no precipitation or wind. Snow was smooth like mashed potatoes until the sun started going down, then it got pretty choppy. Should have brought sunscreen.
Duration: We hit the slopes around 1 pm and headed into the lodge around 5 pm.
Difficulty: Today was an easy day, mostly green and blue runs. The kiddie slope is also very easy. Skibowl has terrain for all skill levels.
Kid Friendly: Yes!
Pet Friendly: Nah
Usefull links: skibowl.com | nextadventure.net/rentals
The Full Report:
What a wonderful day to hit the slopes! Mt. Hood has plenty of snow even at low elevations in March. It is glorious.
I am a seasoned snowboarder, but this year is different. My son, Arlen, just turned 1 year old and can run and walk so I figured it was time he learned to snowboard!!! I knew he would not be shredding the slopes or anything, but I wanted to get him exposed for his first season. Joining me on our adventure was my husband Ryan and our friend Oneida. For his first day, we bundled up and headed to the kiddie slope.
I rented a board and boots for Arlen (90, the smallest we had!). I have never rented as I have my own gear and the process was super easy. Unfortunately, he is just still so tiny that the boots were too big (they went up past his knees). We opted to have him wear some normal boots (with baggies inside to keep his toes dry) that fit him better and he could actually walk in. The slush was thick so he had trouble walking in it and would fall over but was not fazed by the snow or the cold. We strapped him into the board and tried to scoot him down the hill (holding under his arms of course). Unfortunately, the bindings were too far apart for his tiny legs, so he whined a bit and so he would immediately pull them out of the bindings. We tried a couple of times, but he wasn't digging it, so we didn't force it. He had enough fun walking in the snow, checking out people’s gear, and making friends to keep him busy. We also tried to get him to slide on a skate deck, but we were not on a steep enough of a slope.
After giving Arlen plenty of time to get comfortable, I left Arlen with Ryan so I could hit the slopes proper.
Oneida and I did multiple fun runs on the soft slush. We covered the mountain, from Upper Bowl to Multorpor. It was a great day, the weather was nice, the snow was perfect for spring conditions and it wasn't busy at all even though Spring Break just kicked off. There were some ski races going on that blocked a couple of the runs, but they shut down by 4 pm and the all runs were going. I love Skibowl so much. The staff is super nice, the runs are fun, and there is never a huge crowd.
Usually, I would ride until they shut the lifts down, but mom-life changes things, and we retired to the BeerStube around 5 to grab some food and refreshing beers (kids allowed until 8 pm!). We enjoyed the view and watched the large crew of kids hitting the terrain park. Arlen was ready for bed and slept the whole drive home.
I was nervous to take a baby to the mountain. I did not grow up on the mountain and this was new territory for me. We really lucked out on the weather as there was no precipitation and it was not super cold or windy. I made sure to pack the car with lots of extra clothes, snacks, and toys. I set reasonable expectations for the day - he is only 1. My advice to parents who want to get their kids in the snow: 1) Wear your patience hat, 2) Bring some friends and 3) Give yourself permission to have a lazy, fun snow-filled day.
Don't forget your sunscreen!
The Full Report:
What a wonderful day to hit the slopes! Mt. Hood has plenty of snow even at low elevations in March. It is glorious.
I am a seasoned snowboarder, but this year is different. My son, Arlen, just turned 1 year old and can run and walk so I figured it was time he learned to snowboard!!! I knew he would not be shredding the slopes or anything, but I wanted to get him exposed for his first season. Joining me on our adventure was my husband Ryan and our friend Oneida. For his first day, we bundled up and headed to the kiddie slope.
I rented a board and boots for Arlen (90, the smallest we had!). I have never rented as I have my own gear and the process was super easy. Unfortunately, he is just still so tiny that the boots were too big (they went up past his knees). We opted to have him wear some normal boots (with baggies inside to keep his toes dry) that fit him better and he could actually walk in. The slush was thick so he had trouble walking in it and would fall over but was not fazed by the snow or the cold. We strapped him into the board and tried to scoot him down the hill (holding under his arms of course). Unfortunately, the bindings were too far apart for his tiny legs, so he whined a bit and so he would immediately pull them out of the bindings. We tried a couple of times, but he wasn't digging it, so we didn't force it. He had enough fun walking in the snow, checking out people’s gear, and making friends to keep him busy. We also tried to get him to slide on a skate deck, but we were not on a steep enough of a slope.
After giving Arlen plenty of time to get comfortable, I left Arlen with Ryan so I could hit the slopes proper.
Oneida and I did multiple fun runs on the soft slush. We covered the mountain, from Upper Bowl to Multorpor. It was a great day, the weather was nice, the snow was perfect for spring conditions and it wasn't busy at all even though Spring Break just kicked off. There were some ski races going on that blocked a couple of the runs, but they shut down by 4 pm and the all runs were going. I love Skibowl so much. The staff is super nice, the runs are fun, and there is never a huge crowd.
Usually, I would ride until they shut the lifts down, but mom-life changes things, and we retired to the BeerStube around 5 to grab some food and refreshing beers (kids allowed until 8 pm!). We enjoyed the view and watched the large crew of kids hitting the terrain park. Arlen was ready for bed and slept the whole drive home.
I was nervous to take a baby to the mountain. I did not grow up on the mountain and this was new territory for me. We really lucked out on the weather as there was no precipitation and it was not super cold or windy. I made sure to pack the car with lots of extra clothes, snacks, and toys. I set reasonable expectations for the day - he is only 1. My advice to parents who want to get their kids in the snow: 1) Wear your patience hat, 2) Bring some friends and 3) Give yourself permission to have a lazy, fun snow-filled day.
Don't forget your sunscreen!