It’s February and spring snow conditions are right around the corner. If you have children, packing up and driving to a ski resort can set you back a couple of hundred dollars. We have nothing against ski resorts, but you don’t need to spend that much money for routine adventures in the snow with the kids. How? Tap into your state parks, national parks, and other public lands.
Step #1: Find An Outdoor Recreation Destination
Sometimes the best time to visit your favorite park is in the middle of winter. Not only are there fewer visitors, but a blanket of snow can upgrade a beautiful place to absolutely spectacular.
Most people already have one or more favorite stomping grounds. But even if you do, it never hurts to pick up a guide book or do an internet search for outdoor recreation opportunities in your area.
Step #2: Create a Plan
Once you know where you are going, the next step is creating a plan. When you are bringing kids along, the plan is the most critical step. It ensures that you start the trip on time and when you get to your destination, you aren’t surprised by accessibility issues.
Not all destinations are accessible in the middle of winter. In many areas, normally staffed nature centers become unstaffed when the snow falls. Snow and adverse weather can also create safety issues (see below for more on this topic).
However, visiting an unstaffed attraction such as a grove of big trees, waterfall, or overlook might just be a matter of taking the time to put on some kids snowshoes and hiking in. Before leaving, be sure to assess the equipment that you will need, the distance and capabilities of each member of your group, and have an understanding of what you will do if a problem should arise.
Step #3:Â Identify and Remediate Potential Problems
Planning for a problem in the snow is a matter of proactively identifying what could go wrong and then taking steps to reduce the risk.
Here are some common examples:
- Does your travel plan take you into an area of potential avalanche hazard? If you don’t know, contact a ranger station to find out. If there is an avalanche risk, don’t chance it unless you have the specific training, knowledge, and skills to manage backcountry avalanche risks.
- Do you know how to spot Cold Weather Injuries with Children?
- Do you have a backup plan if you get lost? Always tell somebody where you are going. Mark your parking spot with a GPS. Always carry the ten essentials.
For many families, frequent trips to a ski resort isn’t an economic option. For the price of one trip to Heavenly, you can easily outfit a whole family with the gear to support multiple seasons of park and public land exploration. Tap into the enormous wintertime recreation potential of your state parks, national parks, and other public lands. You will avoid the crowds, explore your favorite parks in a different setting, and get some great exercise.
