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Ice climbing and children in the same sentence? Absolutely. That is, if you’re part of my Colorado household, where Dad co-owns Rock & Ice magazine and can make his way around a frozen waterfall. He also owns the proper equipment — crampons, ropes, harnesses and ice tools — or knows where to borrow it. In our world, we don’t have to a) spend money on an ice-climbing guide or b) fill out liability waivers, when Dad is your belayer, your instructor, your chauffeur and your guide all rolled into one.

While I was in Park City, Utah, two weekends ago, my oh-so-adventurous, patient, and “nearly anything goes” husband packed up my two kids (almost 8 and 10) and my daughter’s friend (age 10) and brought them to to Hays Creek Falls in Redstone, Colorado, about 45 minutes from our home.

They all donned the gear and made it either part-way up or all the way up a 60-foot-high slab of moderately sloping ice. The kids absolutely loved their first attempts at ice climbing and Dad promised he’d take them again the following weekend when I was home so they could show me what they’d learned — and so that they could get me in some crampons, too.

Trust me when I say that oftentimes I’d much rather envelope my kids in bubble wrap than embrace my husband Quent’s more adventurous spirit. It’s thanks to Quent that my kids have experienced kayaking on the Colorado River at age 4 and ziplining in Mexico at age 6. We have mini snowmobiles and mini ATVs in our garage, and a climbing rope permanently affixed to a beam in our high-ceiling living room.

This is not how I was raised, and typically the adventures he introduces us to take me way out of my comfort zone, not because I worry about my own safety, but the kids’. But always, always in the end, I’m so glad he pushes me and our children to test the boundaries of our athletic and adventurous capabilities. (And he always assures me, “‘Safety’ is my middle name.”)

My son makes his way up the frozen Hays Creek Falls.

Indeed, we had a ball ice climbing as a family at Hays Creek Falls last Sunday. First, my husband soloed to the top of the 60-foot frozen waterfall in about 30 seconds (no lie) and secured the toprope to a permanent bolt.

Then he outfitted my son: crampons on ski boots (since we didn’t have a pair of kids’ ice-climbing boots with a proper heel to fit the crampons) and child-size harness secured around his thighs and waist.

After my son was roped in, he wielded the ice axes as well as his underdeveloped little 8-year-old upper body could. He valiantly kicked his toes into the hard ice and hoisted himself up about 30 feet before being asked to be lowered down.

My daughter, not having made it to the top the prior weekend, was determined to reach it this time around. With loads of encouragement from Dad (“That sounded like a good one!” after a particularly satisfying swing of the axe into the hard ice) and some tightening of the rope to heft her up a bit here and there, she made it to the trickiest part — the last eight or so feet of sheer vertical ice.

Happy to be at the top of 60-foot Hays Creek Falls!

The awe in her voice when she finally heaved herself over the top ledge — “I did it!” and “Wow, it’s beautiful up here” — brought tears to my eyes.

As for me, I don’t like heights. Though my husband has been on staff at rock-climbing magazines for more than 10 years, I’ve never climbed with him. I get vertigo on towers and jumping out of a plane was one of my proudest moments because I conquered so many fears in that one adventure (fear of dying in a plane crash, fear of heights, fear of hurling myself into the air at 13,000 feet).

That's me at the top, too!

Quent and my kids knew how uneasy I was ascending the ice, but I did it. I just never looked down and instead concentrated on a pattern: right arm swing, left arm swing, right foot kick, stand up, left foot kick — over and over again until I could heave myself over the lip, eyeball the water cascading over a wide expanse of rock, and ask to be lowered down — quickly. That’s an exercise in trust — leaning back against a rope and assuming your husband won’t let the rope out too quickly.

It was definitely a day of firsts, feeling proud of myself and my kids, and falling in love — yet again — with the Rocky Mountains that I call my home. I feel so blessed to be raising my kids here, where they are learning to appreciate being active in the outdoors. More so, I’m so pleased I’m married to a man who instigates most of our family’s awesome adventures.

Want to introduce your own children to ice climbing in Colorado? First, consider visiting during January’s Ouray Ice Festival (sponsored in part by Rock & Ice). Here you can watch some of the best ice climbers in the world compete for bragging rights and cash prizes. They are so amazingly athletic and graceful on the ice, the competitions are a treat to watch. Plus, Kids Climbing College on the Kids’ Wall at Ouray Ice Park offers instructional clinics for young climbers ages 5 to 16.

Throughout the rest of the Ouray ice-climbing season (generally mid December to end March), local outfitter San Juan Mountain Guides will take children as young as eight to the Kids’ Wall for private instruction (it’s where my husband learned to ice climb, so don’t be surprised if you first strap on crampons here, too). If you have kids under age 8 who are super coordinated, athletic or otherwise could handle the excursion, SJMG would consider taking them out, too; it’s really up to you as a parent to figure out if your child would like to learn (or mind being cold for a couple hours). For an awesome women-only ice-climbing adventure, check out Ouray’s Chicks with Picks clinics.

Closer to Denver, consider Front Range Climbing Company, which also accommodates private guided trips for families and school-age children. Friendly Brian, who answered the phone when I called, said that one of the best learning spots for kids in Colorado is in Colorado Springs’ Cheyenne Canyon, because the ice slope there in the winter is at a low angle.

The Galavanting Gals are fans of Vail Rock & Ice, so if you’re skiing Vail or Beaver Creek in the winter and want an adventure off the ski slopes, you might check out this outfitter to see if they’ll take kids out (I didn’t get a phone call back). Any outfitter that offers ice-climbing instruction and guiding will provide all the necessary equipment: helmet, harness, ropes, boots, crampons, ice tools; you just need to show up with your children dressed in warm clothing.

Of course, if you make it to the Glenwood Springs-Aspen area of Colorado in the wintertime, and want to check out Hays Creek Falls, just contact me. Chances are, my husband would love to introduce you and your family to the sport — I bet he won’t even make you sign a liability form.

Redstone's Hays Creek Falls in winter.

Have you ever wished you could clone yourself? Or that you had an extra few hours in every day to get all of your daily “to do” list checked off before you go to sleep at night?

Well, here’s your chance to win your very own virtual personal assistant!

TaskUs, an hourly virtual personal assistance service, has teamed up with the fabulous Hyatt Place hotel brand to offer The Vacation Gals readers an incredible giveaway: 30 hours of virtual assistance to use by August 2010, and a two-night stay at any Hyatt Place property in the United States with no blackout dates or expiry date.

Pretty, cool, huh?

Just check out all the services TaskUs offers: Don’t want to research plane fares for your next trip? Have your assistant do it. He or she can also proofread your website, figure out the best place for you to hold your kid’s birthday party, help you job search, manage your eBay auction or make a Power Point presentation. It’s c-r-r-a-z-y the number of administrative, personal or sales tasks these folks can help you do — saving you time to do what you want to do, whether that’s hang out with your family, travel, exercise, write blog posts, volunteer at your kids’ school or watch reality TV. Whatever you want to do with that extra 30 hours of “free” time is up to you!

Couple your the virtual-assistance service with a relaxing stay at a Hyatt Place property … and you’ll likely be well on your way to feeling more balanced in your efforts to juggle all of those work-family balls we so often have hovering in mid-air ready to crash any moment.

Hyatt Place is geared mainly toward business travelers, with its urban, suburban and airport locations and crisp contemporary environments. But families appreciate the free continental breakfasts available each morning; the touch-screen menus — used to order hot breakfast, as well as snacks and entrees 24 hours a day — are high tech and cool.

All you have to do to win 30 hours of virtual-assistance service and a two-night stay at any Hyatt Place property in the United States is leave a comment below answering these two questions about what you’d do if you win this prize:

1. What’s the first thing you think you’ll have your TaskUs virtual assistant do? (Check out TaskUs.com for examples of services.)
2. Where do you think you’d use your credit for two nights at a Hyatt Place hotel? (Name a city; check out the Hyatt Place website for a full list of locations.)

You must answer both of these questions. If your comment number is chosen via Random.org and you did not answer both questions, we’ll move on to another number.

Enter as often as you like (repeat your answers if you want), but only one entry per email address per day. You must be 18 years or older and reside in the United States or Canada. No immediate relatives of The Vacation Gals are eligible.

Giveaway runs through 6 p.m. (PST) Tuesday, March 23. Two winners will be chosen (each will win the 30 hours of virtual assistance and two-night hotel credit) via Random.org, and winners will be announced on Wednesday, March 24.

Good luck!

I’m not too far afield today — just 30 minutes from my house, up the road in Aspen to check out the kick-off events for the second annual Aspen Fashion Week. Today through Friday, the week is chock full of après-ski fashion shows, parties at downtown shops, film screenings at the historic Wheeler Opera House, concerts, late-night gatherings and more.

Many of the events are open to the public — like the afternoon fashion shows I attended today and and the daily in-store events (tacos and cervezas at Marmot, cocktails at Pucci…). But if you want VIP access — and trust me, for the best fashion show seating behind the ropes, the VIP badge is key — buy a day ticket for $100 at The Sky Hotel any time between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. this week.

Even with my Media credentials (capital “M” my emphasis) I had a hard time getting into the inner sanctum of the Kjus and Obermeyer fashion shows at the base of Aspen Mountain today. The security guy and the AFW staffers in cute matching white puffy coats (below) were good; they turned away a lot of folks who just wanted to waltz right in without having paid or having earned their VIP status (by sponsoring or otherwise participating in the week-long event). All’s well that ends well — I eventually got let in with the other big boys wielding big lenses at the end of the Snowstage catwalk.

And what fun it was watching the young men and women (okay, hot young men and women) strut down the runway wearing ski fashions we’ll see on the slopes next winter. The school-age kids, however, stole the show, with their shy smiles (the girls) and their cool bravado (the boys).

Kjus skiwear, founded by Norwegian World Cup skier (and Olympic medalist Lasse Kjus), is a high-end designer, no doubt. We’re talking ski jackets upwards of $1,500 and women’s ski pants for $600. But this is quality ski wear — materials are high tech, the look is crisp and clean. If you’re in Aspen and want to see the current collection, visit Hamilton Sports kitty corner from The Little Nell on Durant Street.

Here’s a peek at the colorful and cool collection coming from Kjus for 2010/2011:

Obermeyer holds a special place in my heart because it’s a local company. Founded by German Klaus Obermeyer, who can be found regularly on Aspen’s ski slopes at age 90, Obermeyer skiwear is beloved by locals namely because the company holds an annual “friends and family” warehouse sale every July. I’ve outfitted my children in Obermeyer fleece, hats, mittens, ski pants and coats since they were about two years old! Every year we go to the massive summer sale, where locals get fabulous gear at a fraction of the price. My current ski coat is Obermeyer and I’ve skied with Obermeyer gloves for years.

To be brutally frank, none of The Vacation Gals is a true shopaholic. We typically prefer doing at a new-to-us destination, not browsing it. (To wit: our fun ski day at Park City Mountain Resort). But with an entire morning free during our long weekend in Park City and our fabulous boutique hotel The Sky Lodge just steps from historic downtown’s Main Street, it made perfect sense for us to relax over a leisurely breakfast followed by a stroll around town.

Posing with Franz the Bear in downtown Park City, Utah.

And what a fun morning we had! How often do you make the time to just chill with girlfriends with no huge agenda in mind — except to be aimless for a while? Since the only real morning objective we had was picking up souvenirs for the kids back home, the three of us took time to just chat (and chat and chat), peek in the local boutiques, snap photos of the century-old storefronts and admire the surrounding snowcapped mountains.

Here’s a peek at just a few of the highlights we discovered in Park City:

The Eating Establishment: We fueled our day with omelets, potatoes and plenty of caffeine at this casual restaurant at the “top” of Main Street. A landmark in Park City, the eatery serving breakfast, lunch and dinner been around since 1972. I give it huge thumbs’ up for it’s open and airy atrium with plenty of seating, plus its hearty portions. Note, however, that when one of us (who shall remain nameless) tried to order a mimosa, we were told that liquor isn’t served there until noon. It is Utah, after all…

The mining town of Park City incorporated in 1884.

Village Keepsakes: There are plenty of gift shops in town, but this one stands out for its funny gear: “SL,UT” T-shirts and goofy “Danger: Women Cocktailing” martini glasses made us giggle. The store has a huge array of Del Sol gift items: T-shirts, flip-flops, jewelry and hair accessories that change colors in the sunlight. This is just the tip of the iceberg of miscellaneous souvenirs here.

Mary Jane’s: This darling, girly boutique sells women’s clothing, shoes and accessories. I thought it was named after its owner, but rather takes its moniker from the feminine shoe style (that I adore — giving me yet another reason to love this store). Prices here aren’t necessarily bargain basement, but TwinCitiesGal found a cute hat and I picked up sassy and lacy, um, undergarment off the clearance table!

From left, that's The Diva, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Black N White - well worth every calorie!

Sugar Buzz: If you’ve got a sweet tooth, do not miss this candy boutique just one street over from Main at 651 Park Avenue. Kids love picking out their own “penny candy” from the clear jars lining the shelves. We couldn’t resist the $3 gourmet cupcakes. Owned by a mother-daughter team, this shop also sells retro goodies (can you still get Sugar Babies or a Sugar Daddy in the local grocery store?), cookies, truffles,  and espresso coffee drinks.

High West Distillery: You can’t leave Park City without at least poking your head in this historic house and livery turned distillery and restaurant. A block from Sugar Buzz, it’s Utah’s first legal distillery since the 1870’s and claims to be the “world’s only ski-in gastro distillery.” I just call it really cool. You can take a tour of the distilling operation to understand the purpose of a gorgeous 250-gallon copper pot (on display behind a floor-to-ceiling  glass window) and how the whole process works. The High West whiskey still needs to age, but right now it’s offering three different ryes from other distillers, as well as vodka made from locally grown oats and a Utah Peach Vodka. We sampled items off the apres-ski afternoon menu (like yummy French Onion Soup) and some of the signature cocktails, including refreshing High West Lemonade with Rendezvous Rye and mint. Tasty!

Kids walk from the slopes to this popular pizza place in Park City's downtown.

Davanza’s: Across the street from Sugar Buzz, and a stone’s throw from the in-town chair lift, Davanza’s, we’re told, is the place for kids go to for lunch during their ski day. Indeed, judging by the number of skis and snowboards parked outside at about 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, we’d have to agree. In fact, with tweens and teens spilling outside of the restaurant to sit with their pizza on the porch steps and sidewalk, we didn’t even want to go inside (hey, we were child-free — no need to go seek out the local kids). But if we ever return with our families to Park City, we’ll surely bring them to this popular pizza joint.

Thanks to Park City Mountain Resort for hosting The Vacation Gals on our incredibly fun girlfriend getaway!

It’s not often I use exclamation points in my blog-post titles, but tubing at Keystone absolutely deserves one. This well-run, adrenaline-charged-yet-safe winter activity was a highlight of my family’s weekend stay in Keystone, a ski resort about 90 minutes from Denver in the Colorado mountains. Okay, so maybe just three of our four family members really embraced tubing — cautious ColoradoKid #2 took just one run (with trepidation) down the steep hill that’s at least 900 feet long. He announced it was “fun,” and then chose to warm up in the mountain-top yurt with our buddy Travel Savvy Mom and her son. But my husband, 9-year-old daughter and I took quite a few laps as the sun went down — despite the wet snow and chilly temperatures!

Gearing up for a fun-filled run down the Keystone tubing hill.

For the rest of the 2009/2010 ski season, Keystone tubing costs $29 an hour for as many runs as you can fit in (ColoradoKid #1 said she made eight). The fee includes the ride up the gondola from Keystone’s River Run Village to the top of Dercum Mountain. If you only want to watch the tubing, it still costs $23 for the gondola “foot pass” to reach Adventure Point from the village. For skiers and snowboarders who just want to take a break from the slopes for an hour can absolutely take a few tube runs, but they’ll still pay the $29 (even though they have a lift ticket or pass — no price break for them). The tubing hill discourages pregnant women from tubing (understandable); there’s no age limit — you just have to be at least 42 inches tall.

Before you head out to the tubing hill for your designated hour (reservations are highly recommended), you get a brief safety talk inside the yurt. Then you head outside to choose your tube and decide which of six runs you’ll head down — some are for single riders, on others you can “link up” with friends — up to four tubes at a time. A friendly staffer tells you exactly how to sit and hang on, and he’ll ask if you want to be flung quickly or slowly, spinning or no-spin, down the hill.  (Though they don’t always listen to the right person when you say “slow” and your husband says “fast.”)

It’s a roller-coaster-like ride down a wide chute — each lane has half walls so there’s no chance you’ll veer off into someone else’s space. The run is a straight shot and over a big , bump toward the end, and the total ride down lasts no more than 20 seconds. You ride back up the hill with your tube on a covered conveyor belt. The people- and tube-mover is also staffed at the bottom and the top — perfectly safe.

Here’s a peek at the fun we had at Keystone’s tubing hill at Adventure Point — an adventure this Vacation Gal heartily recommends! Those disco tunes you hear in the background are not my music overlay; fun, upbeat music and a disco ball at the top of the mountain are the norm. Enjoy this two-minute clip!

Who wouldn’t love to have an all-expenses paid family vacation? After all, between flights, car rental, accommodations, food and souvenirs, vacation expenses sure can add up. But thanks to the Internet and social-media networks like Facebook and Twitter, it now seems as if there are a million and one ways to win a free vacation these days.

I remember entering travel contests as a kid by filling out sweepstakes forms and mailing them in an (old-fashioned) envelope. (I must have made my mom sign entries for those contests requiring entrants be 18 or older.) Today, you can enter travel contests with the click of a keyboard mouse. Of course, some require work, like making videos, writing essays or uploading photos, but others you can win just by becoming a Facebook fan or sending an email.

And “real people” really do win these travel contests! TwinCitiesGal entered a book-promotion contest to win a hefty credit to Arizona’s Canyon Ranch (yes, she used the credit and pampered herself during a lovely fall weekend), and her stepson won the family a trip to the Nestle ice cream factory in Bakersfield, California years ago. Family-travel blogger Jody Halstead of Family Rambling, who lists vacation giveaways on her blog every Friday, actually won one of the vacation contests she promoted!

The lovely ladies at We Just Got Back often sponsor vacation giveaways. Right now they are promoting a three-night stay at a Tampa Bay resort; all you have to do to win the vacation is register at the site to enter daily through March 16. Sign up for the We Just Got Back newsletter and you’ll get notified of all future sweepstakes.

Here are just a handful of other free travel contests that are happening right now (press releases about these giveaways landed in my email in-box just in the last week — yes, I get a lot of releases):

Playing on the shore in Carlsbad, California -- part of San Diego North.

Three-night stay in La Jolla from San Diego North: The Vacation Gals all love the San Diego area, and the region to the north — from La Jolla to Oceanside and inland toward the desert — has a lot to offer, too. I have wonderful memories of recent family trips to Carlsbad, where we visited LEGOLAND and played on the beach (in unseasonably cool March!). To win, write a short essay detailing your “San Diego North Story” by June 30.

Family reunion at YMCA of the Rockies: I stayed at Snow Mountain Ranch near Winter Park with my immediate family a couple of years ago, and I think it would make an awesome vacation for an extended-family reunion. Multi-bedroom, large cabins make it so easy to gather, and there’s tons of fun stuff to do: swim, fish, hike, bike in the summer or cross-country ski, tube or snowshoe in the winter. Choose from the Winter Park or Estes Park location for your reunion of up to 30 friends or family members. Enter by March 31.

$10,000 dream vacation from HomeAway.com: Did you see that really funny commercial with Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo during the SuperBowl? Make your own “I survived a hotel from hell” video, or upload photos or an essay and you could win a vacation-rental trip worth $10,000. Enter by March 2.

Airfare, accommodations, dinner and Carrot Top tickets at the Las Vegas Luxor: This contest actually does involve your going to the post office! Create some crazy prop that comedian Carrot Top can use in his (R-rated) show, send it in, and if yours is the funniest, you’ll be heading to Las Vegas for free. Enter by May 1.

First-class Eurail pass valued at $749: Aimed at the young, backpacking community, this contest from Off Track Planet requires the winner to Tweet during his or her European adventure as the host of the OTP “Europe by Eurail” promotion. Enter by March 22.

Know of other vacation contests happening now? Feel free to link to them in the comments below.

Whenever we travel as a family, my husband and I seek out local brewpubs. We gravitate toward microbrewery restaurants not only because we love to try local beers (and usually need one by dinnertime, after a day of sightseeing or adventuring with the kids), but we know all four of us will find something we like to eat at a pub — even if a kids’ menu isn’t available (and I can’t think of one American brewpub we’ve been to recently that doesn’t have offerings specifically for children). The Stateline Brewery in South Lake Tahoe hosted me and my fellow SATW Western Chapter members for lunch last month, and although our group was solely comprised of adults, I wouldn’t hesitate to bring my kids to Stateline Brewery.

It's always 5 p.m. at the Stateline Brewery. The clever logo is a play on the California-Nevada border shape.

The restaurant is in a lower-level (read: basement) location in Heavenly Village, just steps from the Heavenly gondola and the family-friendly Embassy Suites in South Lake Tahoe. The acoustics don’t allow for intimate conversations, but because the restaurant is generally a noisy spot (TV sports and a cavernous space also contribute to the clatter), boisterous kids fit right in. The steel brewing vats are situated right at the entrance to the restaurant, and not hidden in a back room, which I think is pretty cool; they add to the industrial feel of the underground location.

The lunchtime pub menu is varied; in addition to soups, salads and sandwiches (such as my tasty portobello, red peppers, zucchini & melted mozzarella on rosemary foccacia), items include ribs and fish tacos for entrees, plus hearty pastas and pizzas. After mowing through a plate of beer-battered fries, which were deliciously seasoned and perfectly crisp, I was too full for The Outrageous Mountain Dessert: designed for sharing, it’s a big ol’ brownie sundae with chocolate and caramel sauce. The children’s menu is pretty standard for a family restaurant: spaghetti & meatballs, chicken tenders & fries, chicken & pasta, cheese quesadilla or a one-topping pizza for $6.95.

The Stateline Brewery offers plenty of seating in its large, underground space.

I sampled two beers on the light end of the spectrum (a Pilsner and a wheat) and give them both thumb’s up. Stateline also brews a pale ale and a “Double Time Strong Ale”; selections vary, depending on what’s been freshly brewed. Still more choices include other area microbrews and your common Coors. There’s a wine list, too, but it just feels wrong to be drinking out of a wine glass instead of a pint glass at a brewpub.

Stateline Brewery is open for lunch, dinner & happy hour — but remember it’s always 5 o’clock here. Check out the brewery’s logo: the shape the California-Nevada border makes as it cuts through Lake Tahoe is just like the arms of a clock that reads 5:00! (Clever, clever.)

For more family-friendly dining options in South Lake Tahoe, check out the restaurant listings at the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority website.

Huge congrats go out to Brandon Ralston whose comment number 45 was generated by Random.org. He’s the big winner of the DROID ERIS by HTC. I’ve been using this phone for the past couple weeks now, Brandon, and I bet you’re going to have a lot of fun with it.

All you have to do is email me your mailing address and I’ll get your new smartphone on its way!

My family and I are just home from a fabulous long weekend at Keystone resort and ski area. This Vail Resorts property — about a 90-minute drive into the Colorado mountains from Denver — is chock full of all sorts of great activities for families, on and off the slopes. Keystone is a resort that welcomes outdoor enthusiasts of all ages, but this winter, children have a festival to call their very own: Keystone Kidtopia.

It's the "World's Largest Snow Fort" at Keystone Kidtopia.

In between our jam-packed (but oh-so-fun) itinerary at the resort — which included tubing, ice skating, skiing, a sleigh ride and fondue dinner — we did get a chance to check out some of the special Kidtopia events and activities.

We were thrilled that the giant snow fort on top of the ski area’s Dercum Mountain (11,640 feet!) was completed before its anticipated February 18 opening. My kids (ages 7 and 9) climbed up steps, scooted through tunnels, perched on a tower and flew down an icy slide on this really cool snow structure with 12-foot walls. Lit up at night, it’s a magical sight!

The Kidtopia headquarters tent in the Buffalo Courtyard in River Run Village (steps from the River Run gondola and our Expedition Station condominium accommodations) was another huge hit with my children. Staffed with friendly helpers, the tent was filled with craft activities; the kids made nifty necklaces (aka tubes filled with different colored sand), designed their own cardboard puzzles and strung bracelets out of beads that brighten in the sunlight.

Naturally, the kids had to pick up as much free stuff as they could at Kidtopia headquarters: festival-themed coloring books, stickers, pins, Mardi Gras beads and bandanas. For a tired mom who needed to occupy her children while her husband finished up a snowboard lesson, this Kidtopia tent was a godsend the other day.

Trying to perch on the Kidtopia ice throne on Dercum Mountain without sliding off.

We missed hot cocoa by the fire, glow-bug skate night, glow-stick kids’ ski parade, balloon animals, “meet the avalanche dog,” ice carving demo and pictures with Ripperoo, Keystone’s canine mascot. But you don’t have to: Keystone Kidtopia returns this weekend, February 18 to 21, for its signature event, which also includes live entertainment from Radio Disney, a parade through River Run Village and much, much more.

The fun continues during spring break, with Kidtopia programming March 15 to 21 and April 1 to 6. On any of these dates, and throughout the entire ski season, children 12 and younger ski for free with the purchase of an adult three-day lift ticket and four nights’ lodging, starting from $229/night. Check out the deals here.

Thanks Vail Resorts for hosting my family for an incredibly fun-filled weekend.

One highlight of my family’s vacation in California over Christmas last year was our day trip to Joshua Tree National Park. I honestly didn’t know much about the national park (less than an hour’s drive from Palm Springs), except that the desert locale is a popular place for hard-core rock climbers to scale the otherworldly rock piles that were formed more than 100 million years ago. On our visit, we figured at the least we’d drive through the national park, admire the funky shaped trees (so named because their limbs mimic Biblical Joshua raising his hands in prayer), and get some semblance of exercise along a kid-friendly hiking trail.

But when the incredibly amiable and knowledgeable rangers at the West Entrance Station recommended a three-mile trail hike and assured us our 7- and 9-year-old kids could handle it, we knew we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to journey deeper into the park. Indeed, we found the “moderately strenuous” 49 Palms Oasis hiking trail perfect for our entire family — including spry, 66-year-old Grammie. Inclines weren’t too steep; there were plenty of cacti to look at along the way; and the reward half-way through the out-and-back trail: several stands of picturesque fan palms amid pools of water and stacked rocks.

Yes, the return trip back to the parking lot featured a little more whining than we heard on the way in (namely from my 7-year-old), but frankly, we were pleased he made it without too much complaining on the three-mile round-trip hike that took us an 70 minutes on the way in and 60 minutes on the way out. We tried to break up the journey by letting the kids (and their fearless dad) climb to the top of huge boulders. My daughter took the time to fill out her Junior Ranger booklet, answering questions about the flora and fauna she saw along the way. (She’s collected six Junior Ranger badges at national parks we’ve visited in recent years; I highly recommend this educational activity — fun for kids and adults.)

The 49 Palms Oasis is a great, kid-friendly hike for semi-athletic families who are accustomed to exploring the outdoors. It’s not a flat-path nature walk, so if you’re not used to hiking and you want to sample this particular trail, I suggest you do some incline walking at home before you make your way to the pretty palm oasis in this national park.

We barely scratched the surface of 800,000-acre Joshua Tree National Park on our short visit to the area. We look forward to returning to sample more family-friendly hiking trails or perhaps overnighting at one of its popular campgrounds. Here are just a few snapshots from our happy day at Joshua Tree:

My studious daughter working on her Junior Ranger booklet.

My goofy son mugging for the camera.

The kids (and Dad) liked scrambling up rock piles.

Cool cactus.

Fan palms at the oasis.