If you can make weekday skiing happen, you NEED to do it! Over the past couple of years we have made a concerted effort to go skiing as a family on the weekdays at Nakiska Ski Area and avoid the weekends, and it's been one of the best decisions we have made.
Here's our Top 5 List of 'Why We Go Skiing on Weekdays.'
1. I think it goes without saying, but...'It is Less Busy.'
Most people have to work Monday to Friday and kids are in school, so naturally the line-ups to the chairlifts are less and there are less people you have to navigate around as you ski. On weekdays we barely wait in line (maybe 5-10 minutes max on a busier weekday) to get on the lift. This year, especially with COVID restrictions and only allowing cohorts to ride chairlifts together, the weekdays definitely cut down on the time you're standing in line. Other added bonuses: You can find a picnic table to sit at and you don't get stuck in the train of vehicles on Hwy 40 back to Hwy 1.
What about work? We are lucky enough that Alex only works select days of the month so when he is home (including on weekdays) we have the ability to head out to the mountains. Plus, I just work part-time, so I can often switch the days of the week that I work to accommodate a ski day. If you have the flexibility with your employer, or you can take a vacation or flex day, it's worth it!
If you can only come on school holidays or weekends, come either first thing in the morning (to beat the crowds) or at the end of the day. A lot of the families get there for the middle portion of the day, but then leave a little early. So if you come later in the day, you're still going strong in the last hour or two of the day when lines die down significantly.
2. The Kids are Still Learning.
While we do have to pull Clara out of school (Grade 1) for the days we go out to the mountains, we feel the benefits outweigh the negatives. For instance at my daughter's school, they only have Gym or P.E. once every 6 days or so, so we feel ski days are just extra P.E. curriculum. The skills and endurance she is building by physically going out to ski are so beneficial to her development as well. Don't get me wrong, academics are important, but physical fitness is right up there too. She loves school, so at the beginning of the season she didn't want to miss it for skiing, but at the end of the day she was happy she went!
3. You Don't Feel Obligated to be There ALL Day.
Often times when you go on the weekend and you're standing in line for a good portion of the day, you feel like to make the most of the day you should be there from open to close. However, on weekdays because the ski hill isn't as busy and you're more efficient with getting more runs in, you don't feel that same type of obligation. One of the other great decision we made was to get the Nakiska Annual Family ski pass, which is THE best priced Annual Ski Pass you can find in the Canadian Rockies when you purchase during their pre-season sale. Because we are NOT buying a single day lift ticket for almost $100 CDN/day this allows us tons of flexibility without feeling like we're not getting our money's worth.
Often times on weekdays we know we will still get a ton of runs in (due to lack of crowds) so we don't feel rushed to leave right away in the morning and can even leave to go home early if need be. We can leave around 8:30-9 a.m. in the morning and be skiing by 10:30-ish and still feel like we had a full day. We have also done Combo days where we do another activity in the mountains for part of the day and a couple hours of skiing as the second portion of the day.
4. It is Much Easier to Get Lessons.
Clara is in her third year of skiing, so she's getting better and just needing practice and an occasional lesson. However, this is the first 'real year' of skiing for Connor (4 years old), so he definitely needs lessons. Even the last two years we brought Clara for lessons on the weekdays because it was slightly more difficult to find a timeslot on the weekend and the class sizes were smaller (often she got her own private lesson while paying the group price). Now with COVID restrictions, they have had to implement 'Bubble Lessons' where the instructor can only have kids from the same cohort or family. Therefore, getting a lesson on the weekend is almost impossible....especially if you are last-minute decision makers like we sometimes are! However, weekdays we can often call up a couple of days in advance and still get in for a lesson. Another added bonus, the 'Bunny Hill' is less crowded, which it sometimes can be a risky place with lots of beginners learning how to stop.
5. It's a Great Mid-Week Refresher
Let's be honest, during COVID the weeks sometimes get drawn out and redundant. Often times we feel drained and exhausted; and then you only realize it's Tuesday. However, the fresh mountain air does wonders and I'm always amazed with how great we all feel physically and mentally after breaking up the week with some time at the slopes skiing. It's like a mini re-set button.
So go out and ski....on the weekdays!!
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