One Very Big Playground For You & Your Kids

Through the Eyes of a Child

When Sally Dane visited Crested Butte over her college break and asked to teach skiing at Kid's World, Manager Ellen Osterling cheered. She knew Dane was a good skier - because she had taught the young woman to ski more than a decade earlier.

"Sally was eight when I first skied with her through the children's center," Osterling said. "On every vacation she came back to see me; I watched her grow up. That's one of the great advantages here; with our smaller classes, kids sometimes make lifetime friendships with their instructors."

In her 14th year with Kid's World, Osterling is one of many long-time local instructors that young skiers look forward to seeing year after year. "You form real bonds with the kids; that's one of the reasons people say they like it better here than in the bigger places," she said.

Kid's World programs are designed for ages 3 to 16, with a nursery for infants as young as 6 months.

Skiing & Snowboarding Programs

Skiing programs: Half-day ($75) and all-day programs ($85) available, except where otherwise noted.

Cubs (3 to 4 years)
An introduction to the snow that includes an hour of ski time each morning and afternoon, combined with fun activities, lunch and quiet time. The Kid's World Corral is filled with hoops, pint-size characters and a Magic Carpet to add fun and speed learning. Children need to be potty-trained to participate.

Polar Bears (5 to 7 years)
Children explore the mountain and discover its "secret" trails with other kids at their same ability and comfort level. Includes indoor and outdoor ski exercises.

Grizzly Bears (8 to 12 years)
Children learn the basics of skiing, progressing at their own speed and skill level. For Level I (first-time) graduates and experienced skiers.

Teens (13 to 16 years)
All-teenager groups, because teens like to ski with teens. Offered to first-time skiers through Level 7 (comfortable on advanced blue slopes.)

Rip Session (8 to 16 years)
Rippers don't want to wait up for anybody. This is for black-diamond skiers and snowboarders who want to be challenged. $150 for all day.

Snowboarding program: Half-day ($75) and all-day ($85) available.

Shred Bears (8 to 12 years)
For first-timers learning the basics to experienced shredders. Children will progress at their own pace with others at the same ability level.

Private and Tag-A-Long Lessons: Offered by the hour.

Jump Starts (all ages) $45
An early-morning one-hour private lesson for the beginner skier or snowboarder. Begins at 8:30 a.m., an excellent warm-up for the group programs that begin at 9:30 a.m.

Private Lessons (all ages) $125 for 1 hour, $180 for 2 hours, $245 for 3 hours
One-on-one ski and snowboard instruction for kids of all ability levels.

Tag-A-Long Lessons (all ages) $155 for 1 hour, $215 for 2 hours, $230 for 3 hours
Crested Butte's popular private that allows parents to tag along and be a part of their child's instruction. Parents receive tips on helping their children progress and ski safely after the lesson.

NOTE: Rates are subject to change without notice.

Evening Programs

Torchlight Skiing $30
Kids and Ski Instructors ride the Keystone Lift and ski down green terrain. They return to Kid's World for a pizza party, games and kid-only fun, offered from 3:45-8:00 p.m. More evening programs available, call Kid’s World for more information.

Kid's Night Out $45
When kids need a night off, Kid's World will arrange a "night out" just for them with food, fun and games. Available upon request for groups of five or more, offered from 3:45-10:00 p.m. More evening programs available, call Kid’s World for more information.

How (And Where) To Have Fun With Your Kids On The Slopes

Everyone likes to ski with Ellen Osterling, even her seven-year-old daughter and friends. Osterling shared her secrets for enjoying the slopes with young skiers: "Keep it fun, no pressure. Play games. Have a stash of candy in your pocket. Celebrate. Sometimes, when one of my students skis a cool new run for the first time, we ski down to the base area shops and buy a little pin with the name of that run. Later they can look at their pins and remember what they've accomplished."  Where should you ski or snowboard with your kids? Here are Osterling's top suggestions:

GREEN

1. Houston. The most gentle, unintimidating run on the mountain, this is a confidence-building route down from a first ride on the "big chair."

2. Splain's Gulch. Look for the bead tree! You reach it by skiing down this big, wide-open gully underneath the Painter Boy chair.

3. Gunsight Pass. Gunsight gives kids independence. It is mainly flat, with a couple of fun rolls. Parents can say, "I'll meet you at the bottom of the Teocalli chair," and know their kids will be safe and won't get lost.

4. Peachtree. For a child's first chairlift experience, Peachtree lift is great. The double chair moves slowly, and there are three short runs off the top of it.

BLUE

5. Canaan Race Course. The race course rocks! It's free to kids in lessons and provides a ton of fun. If they miss a gate or three, it doesn't matter. It's great practice for turning and speed control.

6. Floresta. This takes kids all the way over to the East River lift so they feel they are exploring the whole mountain. It starts easy on Daisy, then gradually gets harder. The last pitch on lower Treasury is a challenging blue.

7. Lower Ruby Chief. From the top of the Teocalli lift, take the shortcut to Lower Ruby Chief. This is a great introduction to skiing blues. It's short, easy and ends up right at Paradise Warming House.

8. Here's a great blue-green loop: From the top of Keystone, ski Houston down to the Painter Boy lift. Ride that lift up and ski down Gunsight Pass to the bottom of the Teocalli lift. Ride Teocalli up and ski down to the Paradise Warming House for hot chocolate. Then ride your favorite lift, either Paradise or Teocalli, back up and ski down to the base area.

BLACK

9. Crystal. When it's groomed, this is an awesome first black for kids. It's under a chairlift so they'll have an audience, too. Celebrate the run by stopping at Twister's warming house for hot chocolate.

10. For a first, less intimidating taste of the extremes, kids can ride up the North Face poma and take a right to ski down Rachel's Run back onto the groomed slopes of Paradise. Or get off at the midway point on the High Lift and ski down North Star, ending up at the top of Paradise. (Parents who don't care to join this junket can wait at the top of Paradise Bowl and watch their young stars ski down to meet them.)

And For Something Different...

Just northeast of the Keystone lift, look for the new, cutting-edge snowdeck park, a snow-based version of a concrete skate park with a quarter-pipe, tabletop and two railheads for doing tricks. For maximum fun, rent snowblades or a snowdeck (like a wheel-less skateboard designed for snow.) The snowdeck park is open and lighted until 8 p.m.