Finding a way to get my kids to learn how to ski exhausted me.
It was primarily the complex, many-faceted preparation/research process that freaked me out, like deciding on a location that was easily accessed from my home in northern NJ. And settling on a resort that was appealing, well-reviewed, and as parent-friendly as it was kid-friendly. And ensuring that other activities were available to keep my 14 year old son (Eddie) and 11 year old girl (Lee) occupied after their skiing. And finding a convenient lodging set-up where we all could comfortably collapse at the end of a very long day.
My better half Sue added to my anxiety when she told me that getting our children suited up for skiing would also be challenging: families would crowd the rental area in a hysteria of equipment try-ons/exchanges. A mad scrum of last minute bathroom stops would halt all forward momentum. Snack bar lines would be long. Patience and manners would be tested and trampled. (She would know: she went on many ski excursions with her folks, and even though she owned her own ski stuff, she recalled the long and tiring process that renters endured and was happy to not be a part of it.) I weighed my skiing apprehension against my (and Sue's) desire to give our youngsters the opportunity to try it and see if they enjoyed it. The second won out, so I began researching options for our debut family ski journey.
We checked out a bunch of possible family winter resort destinations, including Hotel Hershey (Hershey, PA), Woodloch Springs (Hawley, PA), The Greerbrier (White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia), Inn at Pocono Manor (Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania), and Mohonk Mountain House (New Paltz, NY). Sue's aunt suggested Skytop Lodge in Skytop, PA . While she hadn't actually been to Skytop herself, she had heard from friends who stayed there that it was "fabulous". Not wanting to miss aunt-endorsed fabulousness, I took a peek at Skytop's website, researched guest comments on a range of travel review sites (there are plenty of enthused endorsements on Tripadvisor, Familyvacationcritic, Yelp, VirtualTourist, Orbitz, and lots more), and presented my findings to the fam. They approved, and I got in touch with Skytop to arrange a weekend stay.
The trip to Skytop appeared to be direct: following Google Maps, the trip time was estimated at 90 minutes through Route 80, a wide interstate that travels across New Jersey and into eastern Pennsylvania. After passing through the Delaware Water Gap (the dividing line between NJ and Pennsylvania), we exited Route 80 and drove for 15 minutes on local roads to Skytop. Turning off of the main local road, we pulled into Skytop's property, and our collective (though not simultaneous) "whoa!" reactions filled the car. A never ending panorama of smooth, treeless, snow-covered country stretched across our view, as the entrance road climbed and curved for 1/4 mile or so to the massive and majestic Skytop Lodge.
The opulent Lodge, which offers 125 guest rooms and suites, was constructed in 1927. One year later, the Lodge opened and was an escape for the well off from NY, New Jersey, and Philadelphia who sought the out of doors adventures the area offered. Load-in and check-in were quick, and we wheeled our stuff up to our room, which was comfortable and charming. Famished, we went downstairs to the dining room to grab some lunch.
Skytop offers an all-inclusive meal plan for their guests. We'd never experienced this type of arrangement at a resort facility, so I wasn't expecting anything monumental. For lunch, I thought it might be hearty, simple selections like soup, sandwiches, basic salads, and burgers. Nothing notable, nothing grand, just "get-em-in, fill-em-up, move-em-out" type fare. I couldn't have been more wrong.
The menu selections were a surprise. Yes, there were soups (French onion), salads (mesclun and panzanella), and sandwiches (Angus burger, black bean burger, turkey panini, deli-style Reuben, and Philly cheesesteak). But there were also unexpected treats like blackened mahi soft shell tacos, cornmeal encrusted trout, a frittata with fresh veggies, and chicken scallopini. Impressed and truly hungry, we ordered - and we were subsequently blown away by the presentation and quality of each of our meals, as well as the glorious service.
(This kind of impeccable cuisine, together with the outstanding professionalism and attentiveness of the Skytop servers, would be consistent all though our entire stay, at all breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.)
After lunch, we took a tour of the Lodge's indoor activities. We found a pool that was overflowing with joyous kids, a modest yet clean exercise room that featured an assortment of cardiovascular and strength machines, and a wide, open game room area. Ping pong, billiards, mini golfing, air hockey, and Guitar Hero were among the offerings, and we ended up spending lots of time here in the afternoons and early evenings during our stay.
Following an exquisite dinner, we had sufficient steam for some nighttime skating in Skytop's indoor rink, which was a two minute walk from the Lodge. The rink was nicely sized and moodily lit with candles and multi-colored pin spots playing off of a revolving ceiling mirror ball. I laced up and did 1 or 2 laps around the ice while the children skated circles around me (literally) and had a blast squeezing out their last gusts of expendable energy before bed.
The next morning was Eddie and Lee's first ski lesson. Convenient shuttles ran throughout the day between the Lodge and the rustic Skytop Adventure Center, where the skiing happened. Following Sue's recommendations, we arrived there as soon as it opened, and boy oh boy, was that a good idea: both children were sized up and out the door within 15 minutes. This rapid turnaround was due not only to our early arrival, but also to the Adventure Center's alert staff, easily accessible ski gear in a variety of sizes, and well-rehearsed sizing/testing procedure. (On a safety note, sanitized/disinfected helmets were included for no extra cost.) After a fast sign-in, Eddie and Lee met John, their ski instructor at the Skytop Ski School. John was a mega-stoked early twenty-something dude who was confident in his ability to get the kids up and skiing swiftly.
John brought Eddie and Lee to a short, gently sloped hill that was ideal for beginners. He gave them a brief explanation of how to get their skis back on when they came off, the way to stand up without sliding down the hill, and most importantly, ways to "pizza" (referred to in the old days as a "snow plow") - which is the method of pointing the back of the skis outward and the front tips of the skis inward to the point at which they were nearly touching (forming a pizza cut triangle shape). The pizza method would permit Eddie and Lee to control their speed and direction while going down the hill. John's lesson was also pole-free, which gave the children a greater sense of balance and steadiness.
There were some obligatory slips and non-bruising tumbles, but after about a half hour, both Eddie and Lee managed to smoothly navigate the beginners' hill with impressive grace and self-assurance. John felt they were ready to take a run or two down the area's main slope (with a vertical lift of 295 feet), and the children were pumped up to take on the challenge. Ascending the slope utilizing the t-bar required a bit of getting used to, and making their way down topple-free was not quite as simple as they suspected (John may have slightly overestimated their abilities), but overall Eddie and Lee loved the excitement and the experience. After 2 hours on their skis, their zeal started to fizzle, but they were overjoyed about their new talents and they were hooked on skiing.
Back at the Lodge, it was time to scrub up, enjoy another grand lunch, and take in some relaxing "apres ski" in the rec area. Eddie and I took a walk around the back of the Lodge through a couple of feet of fresh snow. We admired the regal massiveness of the Lodge structure on one side of us and the beauty of the snow-covered trees that surrounded us in a miles long semi-circle on the other.
In the late afternoon, we strolled down to the Lodge's wonderful Pine Room, where coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and fresh baked cookies were served. The Room's high ceilings, rustic wood paneling, and opulence were transportative: it was as if we had wandered into the dignified state room of an early 20th century mansion (which, given the Lodge's history, we sort of did). An enormous fireplace provided warmth, huge couches and chairs offered comfort, and a woman playing pop standards from the 60s and 70s on a grand piano (her hubby turned the pages of her music charts) supplied background sounds. It was a superb way to relax and warm up after a day in the Poconos' winter chill.
The day after, getting the children geared up for their skiing lesson was even faster than the day prior, thanks to the Adventure Center's convenient policy of checking and reserving equipment (which prevented Eddie and Lee from being forced to get completely refitted). John was ready for them, and he got them going instantly on the main slope. This time, he stayed with the kids all though each of their runs, giving them precise pointers and advice on the way. After a couple of these guided runs, Eddie and Lee made it down the slope with no spills, and on their own.
Our final Skytop activity that afternoon was a guest favorite and came highly recommended on travel sites: dogsledding with a team of huskies. Kim Darst operates Skytop's dogsled tours. She led the 1st N.J. team to qualify, enter, and run the Iditarod, the world's foremost long distance (1,050 mile) dogsled race, which is held annually in Alaska. Darst has 38 huskies on her farm in Blairstown, NJ and she brings them to Skytop throughout the winter. The team of eight dogs can pull approximately 1,000 pounds, and they actually love to run: when Darst signaled that a ride was going to begin, they yapped, barked, and howled to get moving. They were also extremely friendly with the guests, who lavished the energetic pups with attention, praise, and affection.
The sledding experience lasted for roughly an hour, and included a fascinating presentation from Darst about how she cares for and raises the dogs, and what it was like to participate in the 2009 Iditarod (she tells the amazing story in the children's book "Cotton's Tale"). After the sled ride, we caught the shuttle back to Skytop, got changed, grabbed one last superb lunch (I can not say enough about Skytop's remarkable meals), and headed back home to the Garden State.
Using Skytop as a location for Eddie and Lee to test the water (ok, make that snow) of skiing was a brilliant choice, for a bunch of reasons:
- The Adventure Center's ski equipment outfitting process was efficient and fast.
- There were plenty of indoor and outside activities to keep families busy through the day and into the evening.
- The Skytop locale is beautiful in winter, particularly after a snowfall.
- Skytop is a reasonable and simple commute from the NY/NJ area.
- The Skytop staff was professional, polite, accommodating, and highly helpful.
- The food at Skytop was fantastic.
For mothers and fathers who are looking for a convenient way to get their youngsters hooked on skiing - and also have some fun themselves - a weekend at Skytop Lodge is an excellent, enjoyable, and anxiety-free choice.
It was primarily the complex, many-faceted preparation/research process that freaked me out, like deciding on a location that was easily accessed from my home in northern NJ. And settling on a resort that was appealing, well-reviewed, and as parent-friendly as it was kid-friendly. And ensuring that other activities were available to keep my 14 year old son (Eddie) and 11 year old girl (Lee) occupied after their skiing. And finding a convenient lodging set-up where we all could comfortably collapse at the end of a very long day.
My better half Sue added to my anxiety when she told me that getting our children suited up for skiing would also be challenging: families would crowd the rental area in a hysteria of equipment try-ons/exchanges. A mad scrum of last minute bathroom stops would halt all forward momentum. Snack bar lines would be long. Patience and manners would be tested and trampled. (She would know: she went on many ski excursions with her folks, and even though she owned her own ski stuff, she recalled the long and tiring process that renters endured and was happy to not be a part of it.) I weighed my skiing apprehension against my (and Sue's) desire to give our youngsters the opportunity to try it and see if they enjoyed it. The second won out, so I began researching options for our debut family ski journey.
We checked out a bunch of possible family winter resort destinations, including Hotel Hershey (Hershey, PA), Woodloch Springs (Hawley, PA), The Greerbrier (White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia), Inn at Pocono Manor (Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania), and Mohonk Mountain House (New Paltz, NY). Sue's aunt suggested Skytop Lodge in Skytop, PA . While she hadn't actually been to Skytop herself, she had heard from friends who stayed there that it was "fabulous". Not wanting to miss aunt-endorsed fabulousness, I took a peek at Skytop's website, researched guest comments on a range of travel review sites (there are plenty of enthused endorsements on Tripadvisor, Familyvacationcritic, Yelp, VirtualTourist, Orbitz, and lots more), and presented my findings to the fam. They approved, and I got in touch with Skytop to arrange a weekend stay.
The trip to Skytop appeared to be direct: following Google Maps, the trip time was estimated at 90 minutes through Route 80, a wide interstate that travels across New Jersey and into eastern Pennsylvania. After passing through the Delaware Water Gap (the dividing line between NJ and Pennsylvania), we exited Route 80 and drove for 15 minutes on local roads to Skytop. Turning off of the main local road, we pulled into Skytop's property, and our collective (though not simultaneous) "whoa!" reactions filled the car. A never ending panorama of smooth, treeless, snow-covered country stretched across our view, as the entrance road climbed and curved for 1/4 mile or so to the massive and majestic Skytop Lodge.
The opulent Lodge, which offers 125 guest rooms and suites, was constructed in 1927. One year later, the Lodge opened and was an escape for the well off from NY, New Jersey, and Philadelphia who sought the out of doors adventures the area offered. Load-in and check-in were quick, and we wheeled our stuff up to our room, which was comfortable and charming. Famished, we went downstairs to the dining room to grab some lunch.
Skytop offers an all-inclusive meal plan for their guests. We'd never experienced this type of arrangement at a resort facility, so I wasn't expecting anything monumental. For lunch, I thought it might be hearty, simple selections like soup, sandwiches, basic salads, and burgers. Nothing notable, nothing grand, just "get-em-in, fill-em-up, move-em-out" type fare. I couldn't have been more wrong.
The menu selections were a surprise. Yes, there were soups (French onion), salads (mesclun and panzanella), and sandwiches (Angus burger, black bean burger, turkey panini, deli-style Reuben, and Philly cheesesteak). But there were also unexpected treats like blackened mahi soft shell tacos, cornmeal encrusted trout, a frittata with fresh veggies, and chicken scallopini. Impressed and truly hungry, we ordered - and we were subsequently blown away by the presentation and quality of each of our meals, as well as the glorious service.
(This kind of impeccable cuisine, together with the outstanding professionalism and attentiveness of the Skytop servers, would be consistent all though our entire stay, at all breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.)
After lunch, we took a tour of the Lodge's indoor activities. We found a pool that was overflowing with joyous kids, a modest yet clean exercise room that featured an assortment of cardiovascular and strength machines, and a wide, open game room area. Ping pong, billiards, mini golfing, air hockey, and Guitar Hero were among the offerings, and we ended up spending lots of time here in the afternoons and early evenings during our stay.
Following an exquisite dinner, we had sufficient steam for some nighttime skating in Skytop's indoor rink, which was a two minute walk from the Lodge. The rink was nicely sized and moodily lit with candles and multi-colored pin spots playing off of a revolving ceiling mirror ball. I laced up and did 1 or 2 laps around the ice while the children skated circles around me (literally) and had a blast squeezing out their last gusts of expendable energy before bed.
The next morning was Eddie and Lee's first ski lesson. Convenient shuttles ran throughout the day between the Lodge and the rustic Skytop Adventure Center, where the skiing happened. Following Sue's recommendations, we arrived there as soon as it opened, and boy oh boy, was that a good idea: both children were sized up and out the door within 15 minutes. This rapid turnaround was due not only to our early arrival, but also to the Adventure Center's alert staff, easily accessible ski gear in a variety of sizes, and well-rehearsed sizing/testing procedure. (On a safety note, sanitized/disinfected helmets were included for no extra cost.) After a fast sign-in, Eddie and Lee met John, their ski instructor at the Skytop Ski School. John was a mega-stoked early twenty-something dude who was confident in his ability to get the kids up and skiing swiftly.
John brought Eddie and Lee to a short, gently sloped hill that was ideal for beginners. He gave them a brief explanation of how to get their skis back on when they came off, the way to stand up without sliding down the hill, and most importantly, ways to "pizza" (referred to in the old days as a "snow plow") - which is the method of pointing the back of the skis outward and the front tips of the skis inward to the point at which they were nearly touching (forming a pizza cut triangle shape). The pizza method would permit Eddie and Lee to control their speed and direction while going down the hill. John's lesson was also pole-free, which gave the children a greater sense of balance and steadiness.
There were some obligatory slips and non-bruising tumbles, but after about a half hour, both Eddie and Lee managed to smoothly navigate the beginners' hill with impressive grace and self-assurance. John felt they were ready to take a run or two down the area's main slope (with a vertical lift of 295 feet), and the children were pumped up to take on the challenge. Ascending the slope utilizing the t-bar required a bit of getting used to, and making their way down topple-free was not quite as simple as they suspected (John may have slightly overestimated their abilities), but overall Eddie and Lee loved the excitement and the experience. After 2 hours on their skis, their zeal started to fizzle, but they were overjoyed about their new talents and they were hooked on skiing.
Back at the Lodge, it was time to scrub up, enjoy another grand lunch, and take in some relaxing "apres ski" in the rec area. Eddie and I took a walk around the back of the Lodge through a couple of feet of fresh snow. We admired the regal massiveness of the Lodge structure on one side of us and the beauty of the snow-covered trees that surrounded us in a miles long semi-circle on the other.
In the late afternoon, we strolled down to the Lodge's wonderful Pine Room, where coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and fresh baked cookies were served. The Room's high ceilings, rustic wood paneling, and opulence were transportative: it was as if we had wandered into the dignified state room of an early 20th century mansion (which, given the Lodge's history, we sort of did). An enormous fireplace provided warmth, huge couches and chairs offered comfort, and a woman playing pop standards from the 60s and 70s on a grand piano (her hubby turned the pages of her music charts) supplied background sounds. It was a superb way to relax and warm up after a day in the Poconos' winter chill.
The day after, getting the children geared up for their skiing lesson was even faster than the day prior, thanks to the Adventure Center's convenient policy of checking and reserving equipment (which prevented Eddie and Lee from being forced to get completely refitted). John was ready for them, and he got them going instantly on the main slope. This time, he stayed with the kids all though each of their runs, giving them precise pointers and advice on the way. After a couple of these guided runs, Eddie and Lee made it down the slope with no spills, and on their own.
Our final Skytop activity that afternoon was a guest favorite and came highly recommended on travel sites: dogsledding with a team of huskies. Kim Darst operates Skytop's dogsled tours. She led the 1st N.J. team to qualify, enter, and run the Iditarod, the world's foremost long distance (1,050 mile) dogsled race, which is held annually in Alaska. Darst has 38 huskies on her farm in Blairstown, NJ and she brings them to Skytop throughout the winter. The team of eight dogs can pull approximately 1,000 pounds, and they actually love to run: when Darst signaled that a ride was going to begin, they yapped, barked, and howled to get moving. They were also extremely friendly with the guests, who lavished the energetic pups with attention, praise, and affection.
The sledding experience lasted for roughly an hour, and included a fascinating presentation from Darst about how she cares for and raises the dogs, and what it was like to participate in the 2009 Iditarod (she tells the amazing story in the children's book "Cotton's Tale"). After the sled ride, we caught the shuttle back to Skytop, got changed, grabbed one last superb lunch (I can not say enough about Skytop's remarkable meals), and headed back home to the Garden State.
Using Skytop as a location for Eddie and Lee to test the water (ok, make that snow) of skiing was a brilliant choice, for a bunch of reasons:
- The Adventure Center's ski equipment outfitting process was efficient and fast.
- There were plenty of indoor and outside activities to keep families busy through the day and into the evening.
- The Skytop locale is beautiful in winter, particularly after a snowfall.
- Skytop is a reasonable and simple commute from the NY/NJ area.
- The Skytop staff was professional, polite, accommodating, and highly helpful.
- The food at Skytop was fantastic.
For mothers and fathers who are looking for a convenient way to get their youngsters hooked on skiing - and also have some fun themselves - a weekend at Skytop Lodge is an excellent, enjoyable, and anxiety-free choice.
About the Author:
Barry Zeger is a travel writer who, together with his family, spent a weekend at Skytop Lodge in Skytop, PA.
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