For Spring Break: Head to So Cal’s #1 Ski & Ride School at Snow Valley
Snow Valley Mountain Resort is Southern California's #1 "Beginner Friendly Resort," according to Liftopia's most recent "Best in Snow Awards." This honor salutes Snow Valley's Children's Learning Center, giving it the highest ranking among So Cal ski areas by Liftopia.com readers. Voting for 2019-2020 awards is underway. See https://bestinsnow.liftopia.com/winners/west-coast/beginner/
At Snow Valley, children 5 & under must take ski lessons first, before learning to ride a snowboard.
Snow Valley Mountain Resort has been teaching first time skiers for over 80 years. Winter 2019-2020 is the resort’s 82nd season, and its Children's Learning Center remains dedicated to beginners-only, ages 4-12, and focuses on fun, traditional skiing and riding experiences by placing emphasis on the individual, with small class sizes and by paying close attention to developing and/or improving skills. So much fun and so effective is the Learning Center, for the past three seasons, Snow Valley has been named Southern California's #1 "Beginner Friendly Resort" by the respected Liftopia "Best in Snow Awards."
Children's Learning Center participants choose a full-day program with lunch (9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) or a half-day without lunch (9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.). Half-day adventure rates begin at $89 and include a lesson and lift ticket. Rental equipment may be added to each program for just $20. Snow Valley has a “5th Time Free Program” that allows students to take their 5th lesson at no charge. Check-in begins a half hour prior to the start of all lessons. In order to best accommodate your children, Snow Valley instructors recommend arriving at least 1-1/2 hours prior to check-in to have plenty of time to pick up tickets and rentals and not be late for lessons. Lessons begin promptly as scheduled. All lesson schedules and pricing are at https://snow-valley.com/children-lessons/
Children ages 4-6, participate in the unique Adventurers program, where smaller groups are tailored to the child’s ability and provide more individual attention. In order to ensure they succeed and fully enjoy their first winter resort experience, children 5 & under must take ski lessons first, before learning to snowboard. Children ages 7-12 participate in the Explorers program, where classes are offered for skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels. Private Lessons for ages 4 & up and Group Lessons for ages 13 & up are also offered in our Learning Center. All these programs include a full mountain access child lift ticket. Parents/guardians are encouraged to ski and/or snowboard with their children after the lesson, if time permits.
Children delight in the Snow Valley Forest, where whimsical features make learning fun. It is accessed by two easy-to-load moving carpets, technically called conveyor lifts. The moving carpets are exclusive to the Children’s Learning Center, allowing newbies to become comfortable on the snow before they board a regular chairlift and mix with experienced skiers and snowboarders.
"Snow Valley's new moving carpets make learning easier and more fun," says Snow Valley Vice President and General Manager, Kevin A. Somes. "Aspiring skiers and snowboarders comfortably move up the hill like magic. So, they look forward to their next ride and are likely to stick with the sport. Mixing with experienced skiers and snowboarders on traditional lifts and runs can be very intimidating for new participants.”
About Snow Valley Mountain Resort: Home of Southern California's only six-person chairlift, Snow Valley is located in the San Bernardino Mountains in Running Springs, CA. Snow Valley is Southern California's most versatile ski area and Southern California's #1 "Beginner Friendly Resort," according to Liftopia's "2018-2019 Best in Snow Awards." This honor salutes Snow Valley's fantastic Snow Sports School. Meanwhile, advanced skiers and snowboarders love Snow Valley's Slide Peak, a legendary Southern California slope with a 35-degree pitch. Snow Valley is one of the largest resorts in the San Bernardino National Forest, with 1,041 feet of vertical drop, a summit of 7,841 feet and base at 6,800 feet -all spread across 240 acres of skiable terrain. Its longest run is one mile. Snow Valley has a lounge with full bar, food outlets, a large retail Sport Shop offering the biggest brands in snow sports, and rental and repair shops. For more information see Snow-Valley.com.
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Non-skiers/snowboarders love Snow Valley Mountain Resort's Snow Play area is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is home to So Cal's only lift-served sledding Fridays through Sundays and holiday periods. Other days sledders walk up the hill. Sleds are always included, as are thrilling downhill sled rides. Accessories such as snow boots, gloves and waterproof pants are reasonably priced and available in the Sport Shop. Located adjacent to the base area sun deck, friends/family watch participants take part in the Snow Play adventure while enjoying some food or a drink.
Snow Play lift tickets range from $12 for Late Day non-holiday (3pm and after for all ages) to $42 on holidays, lift-serviced for full day, ages 7 and up. For all pricing, see "Tickets & Passes" at Snow-Valley.com. Official Holidays: Martin Luther King Weekend from January 18, 2020 through January 20, 2020; and Presidents Weekend from February 15, 2020 through February 17, 2020. (Snow Play sledding details are at bottom of this document.)
