One thing I really enjoy witnessing is children being introduced to the sport of snow skiing or snowboarding. It’s so good for kids! Skiing provides a very fun form of exercise they’re sure to enjoy and it also promotes quality family time. Just for the young skier, here’s the information you need about snow skiing and snowboarding at Sunrise Ski Park.

General Information

Lift tickets for your kids are really reasonable, with half day weekend or all day Sunday passes for only $23 (age 12 and under). Youths (teenagers) can buy a lift ticket for only $35. Even with the price of equipment rental from our store, this is a really inexpensive cost for hours of fun and healthy exercise.

If your kids are very young (6 or under), they are eligible for Funland at Sunrise. Funland programs offer babysitting services with or without a lower mountain lift ticket for a bit of bunny slope skiing.

Group lessons are also available through Sunrise’s Mountain Explorer for kids aged 7 to 12. They can take either snow skiing or snowboarding lessons for an entire day or half a day. If your kids already know their way around the slopes, you might consider enrolling them in a refresher or “Improve” course.

Sunrise A-Team

Another option for ensuring your kids learn all about snow skiing and snowboarding while honing their skills on the slopes is to enroll them in the Sunrise A-Team. This course runs the rest of the season on Saturdays from 9 AM to 3 PM. Although it officially started January 7th, you can still enroll your kids for the next 8 weeks for one low price.

Young athletes will learn the fundamentals of snowboarding and snow skiing in a variety of conditions and terrains. The emphasis is on enjoying winter sports as a team, although coaching is done on an individual needs basis. If you have a budding Winter Olympian, this is the perfect course but even young skiers or snowboarders who are just interested in casual fun will enjoy it, as well!

The A-Team prices do not include equipment or lift tickets so be sure to stop in at Krissie’s on your way to Sunrise to buy a lift ticket and rent anything your kids don’t own, such as bib overalls, boots, poles or a snowboard. For more information about the A-Team, please call Sunrise directly at 800.772.7669 ext. 2306.

At Krissie’s Ski and Board, we encourage every young person to try snow skiing or snowboarding at least once and find out how fun this wonderful form of exercise can be. Don’t deny your kids the chance to join in the family fun at Sunrise Ski Park.

Well, here we are at that time of year again – the month when we struggle to stay focused on those New Year’s resolutions we set as we said goodbye to 2011. If you’re like most people, your resolutions probably had something to do with your overall health, whether that’s getting into shape, losing weight, or just being more active. The good news is that you can have lots of fun while striving to attain your goals because snow skiing is the perfect sport for getting healthier in 2012.

Resolve To Lose Weight

This is a big one for many of us. Over the past year(s), extra weight creeps on our bodies and as we get older, it’s harder and harder to take off. While it may be difficult to follow a regimented exercise schedule, it’s a lot easier to vow to have fun skiing down the slopes and work off a few calories. In fact, snow skiing allows you to burn up to 1,000 calories per hour. This is a very efficient form of exercise.

You can burn the same amount of calories cross country skiing, too. While it depends on how fast you’re moving and your individual physical characteristics, you can definitely expect to burn at least 400 calories per hour.

Resolve To Shape Up

If you need to get more exercise, there are few better sports than snow skiing. Snow skiing is an aerobic activity that gets your pulse rate up and allows you to use muscles you probably never knew you had! It’s good for your heart and your circulatory system, allowing your body to more efficiently spread oxygen to your tissues. Skiing is a real benefit when it comes to overall toning and flexibility, as well. An added bonus? Snow skiing forces you to have great posture, which is essential for balance.

Resolve To Spend More Time With Family

If you’re looking for a healthy pursuit to enjoy with the whole family, snow skiing is perfect! Chances are everyone in your circle of friends and family – from toddlers on up to senior citizens – can ski or easily learn how to schuss down the slopes. If downhill skiing isn’t someone’s cup of tea, there’s always snowboarding or cross country skiing, too. The point is that it gets everyone out together doing something healthy.

Resolve To Quit Smoking

This is a tough one, but it can be done. And researchers have shown that those with the best odds of quitting for good are people who stay active when the urge to light up hits. Once again, snow skiing is a great help with this resolution! An added bonus? The high elevation and thinner air mean your lungs have to work harder and you’ll be less likely to want a cigarette.

There now, have all your New Year’s resolutions been addressed? Just resolve to hit the slopes of Sunrise Ski Park and you’re sure to feel better, look better and achieve your lifestyle goals for 2012.

If you’ve never been snowing skiing at Sunrise Ski Resort, then you might not know what you’re missing. A lot of people erroneously believe that the entire state of Arizona is desert and have no idea that the peaks of the White Mountains reach well over 11,000 feet above sea level. The beauty and majesty of our mountains and the ski area are breathtakingly beautiful and until you experience it for yourself, you really have no idea what an incredible experience it is to ski Sunrise.

About Sunrise Park Resort

Arizona has two ski resorts; Sunrise is located in the northeastern area of the state, near Greer and just a few miles from Springerville (the closest small airport), in the White Mountains. The White Mountains are part of the Mogollon Rim, a jagged range of high mountains running horizontally across Arizona. Sunrise is situated atop the Colorado Plateau and consists of Sunrise, Cyclone and Apache Peaks, which start with a base height of 9,200 feet above sea level and soar up to 11,100 feet.

One thing many people don’t realize about Sunrise Ski Resort is that it is owned and operated by the White Mountain Apache tribe. When you ski at Sunrise, you are accessing the Fort Apache Indian Reservation and supporting the tribe and its members.

Snow Skiing At Sunrise

The snow skiing at Sunrise is considered alpine skiing. The vertical drop from the summit of Apache Peak is 1,800 feet – enough to challenge even experienced skiers. Out of all 65 trails at the ski park, 20 percent of them are considered expert. Novices and intermediate skiers have access to the remaining 80 percent of trails with 31 “easy” runs. The longest trail is just over a mile long. A total of 10 chairlifts will whisk you to the top of the runs at a total capacity of 16,000 skiers per hour.

The ski season at Sunrise is short, running from mid-December to March during a normal year. Don’t wait if you want to hit the slopes because before you know it, the opportunity will be lost. If you enjoy night skiing, look for the slopes to be open after dark in January and/or February, weather permitting.

If downhill skiing isn’t your thing, Sunrise Ski Park also offers cross-country trails and a snowboard terrain park. Non-skiers can enjoy a beverage at the Black Diamond Bar, located at the Sunrise Lodge, while waiting for their friends to get off the slopes. Of course, après ski, there are plenty of places to enjoy a good meal and beverage in Greer, Pinetop, Springerville or Show Low.

If you’re ready to head out to the slopes, don’t forget to stop in to Krissie’s first and get your lift tickets as well as rent the equipment you need. Don’t wait until you get to Hon Dah or Sunrise; our service, prices and selection are far better than what you’ll find on the reservation. Now get out there and have some fun snow skiing in Arizona!

Have you heard the great news? Sunrise Ski Park is opening its lifts at 9 AM this Friday, December 9th, for the start of the snow skiing season. A huge storm at the end of last week really helped bring in enough snow to coat the slopes with a nice, fresh base. It’s estimated that Sunrise received well over two feet of snow (about 26 inches) by the time the storm passed through Sunday and headed to New Mexico. Although a lot of people here complained about having to shovel snow, it’s just the weather we needed for the ski resort to open up for the 2011-2012 season.

What To Expect At Sunrise

Although there’s no more snow expected for the rest of this week, temperatures will be quite chilly. Expect lots of sunshine, temps in the high 30s and maybe light winds if you head out to Sunrise for opening day Friday. This is warm enough to work up a sweat on the slopes; please read my blog post about appropriate clothing for snow skiing.

The ski lifts won’t take any new skiers as of 4 PM daily so be sure to get to Sunrise with plenty of time to enjoy a great day on the slopes. It will take you about 45 minutes or so to drive from Krissie’s to Sunrise.

What You Can Expect From Krissie’s

If you haven’t gotten your lift tickets or season pass yet, there’s no need to make a separate trip to the lodge. When you come in and rent your snow ski equipment and clothing or accessories, you can buy your lift tickets right here in the store; we carry the largest number of Sunrise lift tickets available in Pinetop so we’re sure to have some left when other shops are sold out.

At Krissie’s, we do our best to make our services as convenient for you as possible – including the ability to drop off your rental items quickly by using our drive through window (the only ski rental shop on the Mountain that offers this). If you need to rent or return your equipment earlier or later than we’re open, just let us know and we’ll accommodate you with a smile! We know you’re not coming in to spend time with us (much as we like chatting with you!); you want to get your stuff and get on the slopes of Sunrise as quickly as possible.

Were you a customer of Krissie’s last year? Save time by letting us look up your information. We keep good records so you don’t have to waste time by giving us all your sizing information and preferences over and over again. That’s one of the reasons we service so many third generation skiers – families and groups keep coming back to us year after year because our service can’t be beat!

We are incredibly excited to welcome back familiar faces and meet new skiers headed for Sunrise this year. We’ve got lots of new equipment from the most trusted brands of snow skiing equipment just waiting for you to select it for your day of fun on the Mountain. Hope to see you soon!