Kids Getting Active At Summer Mountains

The tree house trail is a fun challenge for youngsters at Berkshire East. (Berkshire East)

Willy Booker, head of Burke Mountain Academy which hones some of America’s finest ski racers, bemoans that kids are less active and athletic today and don’t get outdoors enough. 

One way to remedy that is to have fun at a mountain resort this summer.

Antidotes to Sedentary Lifestyles

Gabe Porter-Henry of Berkshire East notes that fun activities like mountain coasters are a great way to introduce kids to the outdoors. By having fun, they entice kids of all ages to try more active challenges like aerial adventures where, suspended among trees, one faces Tarzan swings, free falls, bridges, rolling zip lines, and other obstacles. Along with zip lining, mountain biking, hiking and white water rafting, these activities involve the use of muscles and teach balance, among other skills, he notes.

Mount Snow’s Unplug and Reconnect camp is ideal for getting families outdoors, spokesman Jamie Storrs told SnoCountry.com. No devices are allowed during camp activities and meals so families can spend time enjoying each other and activities like hiking, boating, tubing, kayaking, paddle boarding, mountain biking, swimming, golf, and games like volleyball and horseshoes. Each camper is fitted with a mountain bike and shown how to use it so they can take guided rides or explore the mountain on their own.

Sugarbush Resort Junior Golf Camp teaches kids 6 to 17 the basics of golf over a four-day stretch. Kids Adventure Camps feature hiking, biking, ziplining, rock climbing, and more.

Woodward Camps at California’s Boreal and Colorado’s Copper empower kids of all ages to progress and advance in sports through creative expression, technology, music, art, and culture.

Biking and Hiking

An easy but memorable bike ride can be taken at Lookout Pass’ Route of the Hiawatha Trail in Idaho. It’s a 15-mile ride that goes through 10 tunnels and crosses 7 sky-high trestles all on a gentle 2 percent downhill. 

“Colorado’s ski resorts are expanding mountain biking options for families and children with rentals, lessons and trails designed to create a fun and stress-free learning environment. It’s a great way to get children and parents out in the outdoors exercising, smiling and having fun,” commented Colorado Ski Country USA spokesman Chris Linsmayer. Check out trails and parks at Winter Park, Telluride, Steamboat, Purgatory, Powderhorn, Granby Ranch, Crested Butte, Snowmass and Arapahoe Basin.

Vermont features bike parks and programs at Burke (with access to Kingdom Trails network), Killington, Okemo and Sugarbush. Bretton Woods, Cannon, Loon, Mount Sunapee and Waterville Valley offer exciting options in New Hampshire.

Hiking up ski trails is a great way to experience what’s beneath our feet in winter and create a proud “can-do” memory. You can choose easy to tough routes and it’s usually free.

More Challenges

Gunstock boasts an Aerial Treetop Adventure with 8 courses and 91 different challenges for kids to daredevils with features including log ladders, bridges, swings, seesaws, foot bridges and zip lines.

The new Woodward WreckTangle, an outdoor ninja style course, serves up nine sections of obstacles to conquer at Copper Mountain and Killington.

For active runners, Copper offers the Under Armour mountain trail 50K, 25K, 10K, and 5K races July 14 while Killington offers the events Aug. 25 and Mt. Bachelor Sept. 15.

Killington is also hosting adult and kids Spartan races Sept. 15-16 for the ultimate in extreme challenges.

Check your favorite areas and ditch technology for memorable summer fun!