Family Center

Base Camp

Here’s a whole new way of looking at raising children. Raise their confidence and their level of fun as they conquer the mountain. It all starts at BASEcamp, with an activity center for kids and their families and, of course, the Sleepy Hollow entrance to the six levels of SKIcamp.

Children and their families have special needs. That’s why we set up a special center just for our family guests. BASEcamp (located in the Ski Patrol building next to Sleep Hollow) is chock full of indoor activities for children and their parents for those times when the weather is just too nasty or your little camper isn’t up to a full day on the slopes. Here you’ll find games, videos and many more activities to amuse your kids while you take turns with your partner having some adult time on the slopes. Sleeping mats are provided in a quiet area. Children are required to be under family supervision at all times.

Guests have asked us why we no longer offer traditional daycare. Two very good reasons. When we surveyed our younger customers, 9 out of 10 children said not surprisingly that they wanted to ski, snowboard, tube, or play with their families, inside or out. And we found it best to concentrate on providing the solid education they need for a lifetime of skiing or boarding. The combination of activities provided by SKIcamp and BASEcamp was our win-win answer. With SKIcamp, kids get the training, exercise and fun they need on the slopes while you ski. BASEcamp provides them with an ideal environment to rest or play with their family on their special day in the mountains. So you ski while they learn, then trade off with your partner skiing and playing with the kids. Add our new Snow Tubing Center and you’ve got a great day’s worth of activities for the whole family.

SKIcamp and BOARDcamp programs for children.

We have something in common. You want your child or children to have the same exhilaration from snowsports that you’ve enjoyed over the years. And so do we. That means getting them started out right, building a solid foundation of skills in a way that’s tailored to them. And that’s precisely why we offer SKIcamp and BOARDcamp, based on programs developed by national skiing experts for the on-mountain needs of children.

Kids learn best when they’re having fun. So we teach them using game-based strategies that make learning so fun they don’t even know that they are hard at work building skills. In fact, they progress steadily through six defined levels that take them from Base Camp to the summit of Willamette Pass like climbers achieving successively higher “Camps” that set them up for the next level of success. When they reach the top, they’ll have all the skills they need to have a blast getting down. Progress is rewarded throughout, and the proud “Summit Kids” will have their pictures taken at the top and posted on our website. It all starts out in our newly designed Sleepy Hollow area where kids are greeted by a live Snowball the Snow Tiger (yes, there’s an instructor in that suit) and a host of character cutouts direct from Snow Monsters, a kids learning program endorsed by the National Ski Area Association (NSAA). The wide open area and gentle slope of Sleepy Hollow is perfect for young learners. And we have gone one step further by installing our Magic Carpet lift. Unique among Northwest ski resorts, the Magic Carpet gives kids who are not quite ready for the chairlift an easy way up the hill. Reservations must be made before 4 pm. Drop-ins must be registered by 9:30 am for full day and 11:30 am for a half day. Reservations and drop-ins are offered on a space available basis. Cancellations must be made 24 hours in advance.

Suggested ages for SKIcamp are 4 – 10. SKIcamp runs from 10 am to 2pm daily. Half day is available for the skiing option only from 12:15pm to 2pm weekends and holidays. Please arrive early to insure that your child is outfitted and ready when the class starts. Check in at Base Camp at 9:30am.

BOARDcamp is available to children 7 – 10 years old, based on height/weight and skill level.

The cost is $50 per day. $60 with ski rentals or $60 with snowboard rentals. Half day SKIcamp is $25 / $30 with rentals. Lower mountain pass, lunch and a “goody bag” is included. To make reservations, call 345-SNOW.