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Too dangerous??? Skiing with baby?  

post #1 of 21
Thread Starter 
We're going skiing in Feb. - mainly so my 4 year old can ski for the first time. I'd like to see him ski too but we will have a 10 month old at the time. Totally crazy thought I had tonight.....couldn't I just strap him on in the Sutemi (back carry)??? I'm talking super easy kiddie slopes here. Or is it just too dangerous. No throwing tomatoes here : really....it has been so long since I went skiing.....
post #2 of 21
I wouldn't do it. But then again, I'm kinda on the clumsy side. And of course I'd be afraid of the nasty looks you might get. (I'm always scared of the pregnancy/baby police, even when I shouldn't be!)
post #3 of 21
Your kids are gorgeous, by the way!
post #4 of 21
I wouldn't do it. Would they even let you do it?
post #5 of 21
Thread Starter 
ok, now that i've read my post back to myself - i am realizing i should definitely go to bed probably not the safest thing. darn! i really wanted to see ds ski for the first time!
post #6 of 21
Don't they usually do those kiddie lessons close to the lodge?? I bet you could strap baby on and hike up a bit to watch.

I wouldn't do it. And I've been skiing for over 20 years now.

Chairlifts would be problematic.
post #7 of 21
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lisa Lubner View Post
Don't they usually do those kiddie lessons close to the lodge?? I bet you could strap baby on and hike up a bit to watch.

I wouldn't do it. And I've been skiing for over 20 years now.

Chairlifts would be problematic.
i never even thought about the chairlift!

dh just said the same thing....about ds being on the bunny slopes so I could still be close.

really, i think chronic sleep deprivation is affecting my brain.
post #8 of 21
I grew up avidly skiing (started skiing independently at 2, actually). However, I wouldn't do what you're suggesting, there's just too much risk. Not only from you, but from other skiiers, to freak patches of ice, to a binding slip. While I doubt a 10 month old would be fatally injured by you falling flat on top of them (especially since most slopes will have some give, it's not like falling onto concrete), I wouldn't want to risk it on the slopes. Again, you may have olympian dexterity, but that doesn't mean someone else can't crash into you or the slope maintaners to miss rocks or ice that can catch you off guard.

If this is a kid-only slope ('kiddie slopes' mean vastly different things to different people--I've seen the green runs at the base of the run termed kiddie because they're not challenging--but there are still people zipping through to get to the lifts nearby, which is a hazard), then I wonder if you can walk the slope with a sled while your 5 year old skis. If your 10 month old is standing well, and you think she'd be up for it, then I would encourage you to look into renting itty bitty skis (stuffing the itty bitty boots if necessary), and have her stand up and ski between your legs (you do the snowplow, she is inside it, holding on to your hands). This is something you only want to do on a sheltered slope, though. I started doing this when I was 1 year old, with my parents (who got permission from the ski school to use their children only slope).

So...I don't think you shouldn't get your baby girl out there. But I do think that wearing her in this situation is unsafe. I would say that without a doubt (barring motor difficulties) she will be ready to start learning to ski with you! This year probably you might not get to have as much fun (or as much skiing in) unless you trade off with a partner.
post #9 of 21
I personally wouldn't take a baby on a chairlift. At our teeny local mountain, it isn't allowed. However, on their kiddie slope, your dh could go up the rope tow with the 4 year old and you could walk up in your boots with babe in sling. There, anyway, the kiddie slope is barely sloping nad I would not worry about people crashing into me there-it is set apart from the rest of the mountain. I think it really depends on the area.
I do take my babes on the cross country trails in a backpack. If the hills get scary, I just crouch down and drag my hands so if I need to I just sit down. (I go last) I havn't really had any problems. The babes get so warm and cuddled up, they just go to sleep.
We just got over a foot of snow last night so I am aching to get out.
Have fun.
post #10 of 21
I would never do it, I'm sure it's just as dangerous if not more so than riding a bike or rollerblading while babywearing.
post #11 of 21
For one thing, rollerblading and biking are done on concrete which is far less forgiving than even packed snow. Also, those activities are usually done near cars which are obviously unpredictable and dangerous. Have the pp's ever even skiied?
IMO Going snowplow in not so sloped and not so busy kiddie area is less dangerous than walking down the sidewalk on a busy city street.
post #12 of 21
I would not do it just to be on the safe side.
post #13 of 21
no wouldn't do it. it may not be cement but it is hard and you can hit really hard. if I wasn't trowing myself down someone was smacking into me. especially on the bunny hill. and the snow was far more packed there than on the harder runs (it was amazing how much easier it was when there was some powder there) and depending on the time of year and such there are times where i was on ice - not so much snow. and it cut when your bare skin hit it.

and I doubt the powers that be would let you do it.

however you have some options.

our bunny slope is a more gradual incline than some of our sledding hills. you could just walk out there. they don't take the kids too far up the hill at any of the schools here.

there is watching from the lodge.

there is taking grandma along or something and trading off baby duty with her. I am sure grandma or an auntie would be equally excited to se your ds ski for the first time. this way you can both share the special day.

speaking of sharing - once he gets good at it you and dh could trade runs. he could go out for a bit with your ds while you watch the baby and then you could go out while he watches the baby.
post #14 of 21
A compromise... When ds was a few months old he and grammy came with, road the gondola (instead of chairlift) to ski in lodge halfway up the mountain, and hung out there. Grammy just called me on the talkie whenever he needed to eat. I also have been tempted to consider skiing with babe, but decided too dangerous... thought about mitigating danger with a helmet, but knew baby would HATE that!
I so miss the slopes, can't wait til the kids are older....
post #15 of 21
I agree with the wise mamas here. You would be kicking yourself if baby got hurt (an understatement, I know).

But, you know what you can do. I take my kids cross country skiing all the time in this thing called a Kindershuttle. It's basically a covered sled complete with windows that attaches to you with a harness. They are strapped in and cozy (I put down a sheepskin for them) and they LOOOOOOOVE the downhills and are constantly yelling "GO FAST MOMMY!"

Call X-Country ski place where you will be going and see if any of them rent the shuttles or something like it. Your dh could pull your 4 year old and you could pull the baby if they don't want to smoosh together. Mine love to ride together.....until they don't and then other skiers often here things like "STOP LICKING YOUR SISTER, YOUR SPIT WILL FREEZE TO HER FACE!"

Have FUN!
post #16 of 21


Just enjoying this thread as it sounds like an idea that I would come up with and then dismiss, just like the OP!!!

We did just find out that my cousin bought a condo in NH that we could rent this year! Now if I can get my mom to stay with the baby so DH and I can get the other two on the slopes! I really miss skiing.
post #17 of 21
There are bike trailers that are convertible to ski trailers. Here's one:
http://www.livingincomfort.com/charxcskiinc.html

I don't think that the ski hill will allow you to have the baby in a carrier on you.
post #18 of 21

No No No No No No

NO!

I used to be a ski patroller. At that time (different mountain), a woman (professional ski instructor, high level) took her baby in a carrier. Went down some bumps. Fell. Broke the kids neck.

This woman was a FANTASTIC skiier.

What I would do is take your kid down the bunny slope, between your knees with skiis on, snowplow, nice and slow, in good weather with you holding on to her. You have to be strong enough to hold the kid in your outside arm while holding on to the rope tow one handed or else walk up the slope. You will be tired!
We did this with my youngest sister. She couldn't walk yet but she was that age at the beginning of ski season and she was able to hold on (pull up on furniture). Since me and my Mum didn't have poles we could hold on to her if she was between our legs while we snowplowed down the bunny slope. I was almost 10 and I was exhausted by this activity but it was fun and my sis could ski black runs with us by the time she was 3.
post #19 of 21
I hate to be a naysayer,but I don't think I would... and I took my 18 month old son wake surfing* with me... of course he had on a baby floater on. He rode the board between my legs, and holding on to my fat thighs... we rode about 25 feet, and I was sooo dog tired from making sure the ride was stable... we dropped. I can wakesurf back and forth across the lake.. this pooped me out in 15-20 feet.


Wake surfing is done behind a inboard or Vdrive ski/wake boat.. at about 7-9 miles per hour. On about a 5 ft surf type board, eventually you drop the handle and the ride the wake about 5-7 feet behind the boat.
post #20 of 21

just like with driving a motorcycle...

it's the other guy that is usually the problem. There are tons of out of control people on the bunny hill.

If your DS is taking lessons when he skis for the first time, try to be inconspicuous. Parents were always the greatest distraction to little ones learning to ski (Former ski instructor here).

Enjoy the snow with your family! DH can't wait to get DS (17 months) up on skis.
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