6 Ski Vacations Sure to Please the Family

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Looking for a great way to please the family?  Consider a ski vacation.  Everyone loves to ski, and there are many great locations to take the family to for a good time.  Take a look at these locations.

Sugarloaf, in the great state of Maine, is a ski resort sure to please your family.  Located on a mountain named, appropriately, Sugarloaf Mountain, it has a grand history.  In 1951 the first trail was cut by a group known as a The Bigelow Boys.  It is today a premier ski area of the Northeast United States, second in elevation onto to the highest mountain in Main, Mount Katahdin.  At the summit of Sugarloaf is a life to take the skier above treeline.

New Hampshire offers fine skiing at Cannon Mountain, home of the New England Ski Museum, which contains the most extensive collection of historical ski equipment, literature, film, clothing, photographs, and artwork on the East Coast. The extensive archive is renowned by scholars and historians across the U.S., and the Museum is officially recognized by the United States Ski Association as a Regional Museum, one of only four in the country, and sure to please a ski enthusiast.

On the south short of Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada, Blue Mountain prides itself on being the largest ski area in the province.  The resort offers several six man chair lifts and a pedestrian village is under construction.  Enjoy your visit to Blue Mountain for a fantastic and unique experience.

In upstate New York, Whiteface Mountain reigns king among ski resorts.  The fifth highest mountain in New York State and one of the High Peaks of the Adirondack range Whiteface Mountain offers a 360 degree view of the mountains and on a clear day a visitor can see both Vermont and Canada.  Near Lake Placid, Whiteface Mountain has a ski area with the greatest vertical drop in the eastern part of the country.  In 1980 Whiteface hosted the alpine skiing competition of the Winter Olympics.

Aspen Mountain in Colorado is world famous for fine skiing.  Still called by the old name of Ajax by the locals, Aspen is a skier's delight, as are most Colorado resorts, including Vail.  Another world famous western state resort is in Park City, Utah, home of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.  All of the resorts listed provide great skiing.

Modern skiing evolved gradually from snow shoeing, and a Norwegian, Sondre Norheim, is thought of as the father of modern skiing.  In the 1800's he invented the form of skiing he called Slalom, but which we know today as Telemark skiing.  While skiing has practical transportation value in many colder climate countries, and many militaries train troops in skiing, most people think of the sport involving taking a ski lift to the top of a mountain for a fast and fun downhill ride.  When engaged in this activity most people prefer to wear warm clothing and follow runs, trails or slopes' patrolled ski routes that are checked for safety.  Skiers also enjoy cross country skiing, but for safety sake most stay within the boundaries of the resort.  In fact, most European countries have laws against cross country skiing outside of the resort's boundaries due to the danger of avalanche and the high cost of search and rescue operations.

Skiing enthusiasts report a euphoria that comes from skiing, a feeling they liken to flying and many more people are engaged in the sport today than ever before, with many fine ski schools teaching the basics.  Even if you've never skied before, the basic skills can be acquired quickly and you'll be on the slopes enjoying yourself in a way you've never experienced before.  Skiing is a great way to get in good physical shape, and at the end of the day, sitting around a fireplace in the lodge, bundled up with a warm blanket, and your spouse sitting next to you, holding a cup of hot cocoa in hand for sipping.  This is the perfect ending to a wonderful day, which you'll experience at any of the six great ski vacation resorts listed.  So give a ski vacation a try, and be very glad you did.

When a Ski Trip Goes Downhill... Planning on hitting the ski slopes in Utah for a winter family vacation, Matthias G. of Plantation, Fla., didn't anticipate his trip ending before it even began. Days before he and his family were scheduled to depart, Matthias grew ill and was in no shape to travel. Though the ski trip was canceled, Matthias lucked out in terms of his travel costs. He had purchased travel insurance through Travel Guard, which covered the trip investment for his family's winter getaway. Within a few short weeks, Matthias received a check at home for the non refundable forfeited pre-paid travel arrangements, a reimbursement that totaled more than $11,300.

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