Visit Safeway, save some bucks

DCSki reader Blair Thompson provides the following tip for finding discounted lift tickets:

“I just noticed in the Safeway grocery store flyer for D.C., Virginia, and Maryland that you can get a ‘buy one, get one free’ deal on lift tickets good Monday through Friday at Canaan Valley Resort in W.Va. Just show your Safeway Club card at the ticket window, and you qualify. The offer is good through March 22, 2000. Also, showing the Safeway Club card gets you a $5 discount on a weekend lift ticket at Hidden Valley, PA. This one is good through March 31. Canaan Valley’s phone number is (800) 622-4121, and Hidden Valley’s is (814) 443-2600. The Canaan Valley deal is especially good.

I have no connection with either resort or with Safeway, though I fondly recall buying a discount ticket for Eldora, CO at a Safeway in Boulder back in 1994. Sigh.”

It’s never too early

We all know that it’s never too late to learn how to ski. But is it ever too early?

Apple Rise Sports “lowers the bar” for youngsters through a line of innovative teaching aids designed for children ages 1-8. The Kid-Ski Learning Progression methodology uses several products to help introduce toddlers to the slopes, including the Kiddie Ski Bar, a 54” pole resembling a mini T-Bar ski lift with a second cross-rung for the child’s handle. This allows parents to ski over easy, groomed terrain with child in tow, and without hunching over.

The Kiddie Lift is a shoulder harness with a handle on the back used to lift a 1-5 year-old on and off chairlifts. “It gives you full control of your child with one hand,” said Steve Lathrop, former U.S. Ski Team member and creator of Kid-Ski. “And it’s also great for crowded places like airports and Disney World so you don’t lose your child,” he adds.

Other products include the Tip Lock, Wedge Lock, and Ski Leash.

Apple Rise Sports also has a solution for beginning snowboarders of all ages. According to the company, the Snowboard Paddle practically eliminates falling for those new to boarding. While traversing, one end of the Paddle slides across the snow on the uphill side, giving the rider a feel for their balance point and ready to bear weight if the rider loses balance.

Apple Rise Sports can be reached on the web at http://www.applerise.com or via phone at (802) 824-5310.

Short skis shortening learning curve

You might be noticing more and more “short” skis on the slopes: those miniature skis that are easy to turn and easy to perform tricks on. Now resorts are finding that the short skis are also useful for teaching beginners how to ski, and allowing old hands to improve their skill, too.

The GETSkiing program, offered by numerous ski resorts, uses short skis as a central part of its curriculum for beginners. The short skis offer more control and are less awkward for beginners than longer skis.

“Our instructors love this new approach to learning,” said Ski Liberty School Director Linda Steinle. “Many of them actually seem to enjoy teaching beginners more than before. The skier turns so much easier on the short skis, making it more fun for both the student and the instructor.”

Local resorts offering the GETSkiing program include Ski Liberty, Ski Roundtop, Whitetail, and Seven Springs. For more information, visit the GETSkiing web site at http://www.getskiing.net.