Kidtopia Activities Center – Come join us for winter crafts in the toasty Kidtopia Headquarters. Snowflake making, cookie decorating, BINGO, coloring, make your own snow globes, and much more.
When: Open daily from 9:00AM – 4:30PM
Where: Base of the River Run gondola

Fireworks – In spirit of the holiday season take a peek at the sky for an elaborate fireworks display! Whether you are riding down from dinner, tubing session or hanging out in River Run Village this cannot be missed.
When: December 26 @ 8:00PM
Where: River Run Village

Many other activities are planned for the kids throughout the week.   If you ski and the kids don’t, this could be a great way for someone in the family to watch the kids at the bottom.  Even if you don’t ski, it could be fun to head up to the mountains and see and feel the snow during Christmas, have some fun, and head back home. (Just leave before 2pm to miss traffic).

Sale starts Saturday Oct 10th up in Boulder.

Last year I was able to get some of the best ski wear in the industry for the kids at incredible prices.

It’s nice to have the young ones bundled up in gear that is thin and light yet very warm so they enjoy their time on the mountain or in the snow that much more.

For families getting equipment, ticket and lessons can be really expensive.

There are many great deals out there if you act early which cuts the costs down for those wanting to ski or those that want to get their children out skiing (or boarding).

There is already a post here about the great trade-in deal for kids equipment available at Colorado Ski & Golf locations.

Most everyone knows about the Ski ares passes that are available.

Some people don’t know that children in the 5th grade can get a free seasons pass to many areas, including the Colorado Pass which is good at 5 ski areas.

For lessons each ski area has their special programs, like Keystone Kroozers, Breckenridge Bommers,  the Winter Park Program, and many more.  If you book early you can usually save a lot of money over the cost of just doing a one day lesson purchased from a ticket window.    Most of these programs are for all day lessons in small groups of liked skilled skiers/boarders and range in price from $70 to $100 per day depending on the area.

We did find one deal that does need a special note on CheapHilda.

Keystone has a lesson program called the Freedom Pack which is 4 lessons for anyone in the family  it includes lunch and free at the base parking for only $225.  That ends up being $56 a day for a lesson.  If you count that the base parking is  $20, without including the price of lunch, the lessons end up being $36 a day.  You can’t beat that at all.   You do have to get the passes before the season starts, and you have to be a seasons pass holder to participate.  See the link above for more details.

(The stores’ parent company bought oodles of leftover inventory from other vendors, so the selection will be truly enormous.) The crowds are also enormous over Labor Day weekend, so for a head start, sign up now to become a preferred customer with early VIP entry to the Aurora or Boulder sales.

If you’ve shopped there before, you’ve probably already received a colorful VIP postcard that also lets you in early.

Colorado Ski & Golf

1. 2650 S. Havana, Aurora;
2. 7715 Wadsworth, Arvada;
3. 8100 W. Crestline, Littleton;
4. 2454 Montebello Square Dr. (at Academy), Colorado Springs.

Boulder Ski Deals is in the Village Shopping Center, 2525 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder.

Why is this posted on CheapHilda?  Other than just truly great deals on skis and clothing Colorado Ski and Golf has an excellent trade-in program for kids equipment through their Junior Trade Program

If you have used equipment from our program, you can upgrade for only $20 for skis, snowboard or boots.   If you are new to the program and have no trade-in get your used skis for $49.99, boots for $34.99 and a safety check for $10.00.  Your total cost is $94.99 for a ski package.  Then the next year the upgrade in size is only estimated at $40.

This is one awesome deal.  For example, last year Hilda outfitted 2 children with skis and boots for $15.00 after trading in used equipment.

Hilda has also found that you either need to shop early in the sale to get the best, least used, equipment.  Or wait until the next weekend after Labor Day when the stores have had time to clean up what was traded in over the Labor Day weekend.