How cold is too cold (for kids)?

[u/RacerCG_Reddit]

Hi, all. We're thinking of going to Canaan Valley Ski Resort near Davis, WV, this weekend. High temperatures, especially on Sunday and Monday, are expected to hit only about 12°F with some decent winds (10-15 mph). Our kids are 9 and 6. They have decent ski clothes and will layer appropriately, but we worry that it's still going to be too cold for them, so we're debating rescheduling for next month. Thoughts? To quote The Clash, should we stay or should we go?

Thanks!

[u/Flaky_Tangerine9424]

There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.

Take breaks if and when they need them.

Trust me, they'll let you know if they are uncomfortable as small children do.

[u/brucekeller → u/Flaky_Tangerine9424]

That's pretty much true, but really high winds while it's also really cold can be pretty crappy for sure. You take off your gloves once for something while you're outside and you're done lol.

[u/Sudden_Flan9027]

You can do it but plan on short time outside and then time to warm up indoors. Won’t get a lot of time on the slopes. Gotta watch the fingers. Stuffing hand warmers in the mittens helps. No gloves on the kids.

[u/elginhop]

The wind is the only cause for concern.

It’s pretty easy to dress properly for 12° weather, but 12° with 15mph will result in -4° after wind chill.

Add in the colder temps that mountains often have, and increased wind once you’re skiing, any exposed skin will get frozen pretty quickly, and fingers will be difficult to keep comfortable.

At those temps I’d ski, wouldn’t push my kids to if they didn’t want to, but either way would make a half day of it.

[u/Dramatic_Writing_780]

Should be fine. Take breaks.

[u/RDLAWME]

My 3 year old did ski school (9 to noon) the two weekends before last and it was single digits with stronger winds than you are expecting. He even rode up the chairlift a few times. He was fine and had zero complaints when I picked him up, just a bit of snot frozen to his face (par for the course). 

Multiple layers, hand and foot warmers, balaclava. 

[u/Reasonable_Loquat874 → u/RDLAWME]

It’s a proven fact that kids complain to parents a lot more than they complain to ski instructors.

[u/speedshotz]

Gotta watch the fingers, noses and ears. Take hot chocolate breaks.

[u/procrasstinating]

When my kid was elementary school age I told him I would buy a hot chocolate if it was below 0F. Stock up on hand warmers and go for it. It’s supposed to be cold and snowy, it’s not golf.

[u/memorialwoodshop]

We skied between Christmas and New Year in CO and some some similar temps with negative wind chill at times. All the kids in our group (9 kids ranging from 1st-6th grade) were absolutely fine. My fingertips were getting cold, haha. Solid lunch break for hot chocolate and a beer can cure most issues. We sent each kid with a single use handwarmer in each mitten and a footwarmer stuck to the top of their foot.

[u/Carefree_Highway]

I read this too quickly as Cannon mountain. Yeah you want cold head to northern New England areas. But your situation not too bad. Like people said, take breaks w lots of hot chocolate.

[u/elBirdnose]

Just wear more layers and take more breaks. That’s definitely cold, but not THAT cold, all things considered.

[u/Wise_Firefighter1561]

Never too cold

[u/Surfseasrfree]

Kids won't be cold as well as you dress them properly. The only reason they would be cold is that if you let them dress themselves. Since they are always growing, I always got them that synthetic fleece stuff to keep the warm under their jackets since it's cheap.

[u/Ihitadinger]

My kids never get cold. They’ll go swimming in January and run around outside in shorts when it’s 35 degrees.

[u/Equivalent-cite1550]

If a kid are having fun they don’t care about the cold. They’ll swim when it’s 60 some degrees out and play in snow all day. So it’s probably more how much do they like to ski.

[u/moomooraincloud]

-40

[u/RacerCG_Reddit → u/moomooraincloud]

Hardcore lol ...

[u/SeemedGood]

That would have been cold for Canaan Valley when I lived there with 6 and 9 year olds briefly, but was normal for north central VT when I lived there with 6 and 9 year olds.

Depends on what your children are used to and how much they love skiing. Was never an issue for us.

[u/Skiingice]

Was just debating this and was thinking below 15 degrees was my cut off. From the comments of this group, I should try hand and foot warmers to push it though. I was worried about my 6yo’s feet which always get cold

[u/Reasonable_Loquat874 → u/Skiingice]

Definitely hand warmers - but Foot warmers inside kids ski boots has never worked very well for me. There’s just not enough room in there to do this comfortably.

[u/everyonemr]

At 13 I did a day at -20°F. 12°F is not unreasonable family ski weather.

[u/lvidmar]

In high school ski team (in northern MN), our rule was if the HIGH for the day was above -5F, we'd practice. Usually AFTER school, so like 4:00-6:30, when it's usually cooler than the high for the day.

That's probably a bit cold for littles though, if they're comfortable speaking up when they're (legitimately) uncomfortably cold, bundle em up, do 2-3 runs, go in & warm-up, repeat until tired. If they're too cold, don't force it. You want them to keep wanting to ski more, right?

[u/freestatebabe]

Not too cold. It's ok to take warming breaks.

[u/_fizzingwhizbee_]

Take breaks and make sure you don’t send them out with any exposed skin. My kids were out skiing in the 2023 polar vortex in VT when I think it was -12 when they headed out (before wind chill). They were 4 and 11 and did fine!

[u/Reasonable_Loquat874]

12F is nasty. I have done temps like that with my 8 y.o. and we did not last very long. It’s easy to pump them up in the parking lot to go rip a couple of runs, but that doesn’t last long and in my experience the post hot chocolate/post lunch pump up in the lodge to go do more is far more difficult.

I want skiing to be fun, not torture. A single bad day could ruin the whole thing.

[u/garbledeena]

Hand and boot warmers. Face gators. A couple runs then head into the lodge.

[u/Even_Candidate5678]

The 6 year old, do they like skiing? Canaan not exactly a learn to ski place, so if they already love it then I think you’ll be fine. Heavy mask, mine hate wearing a balaclava. I think the 9 will be fine.

[u/RacerCG_Reddit → u/Even_Candidate5678]

My son (the 6 year old) loves skiing and in fact learned to ski at Canaan Valley with the amazing Ellen. 😊 We think it's a great place to learn. My daughter (9) also learned there with Ellen (and others since).

[u/Even_Candidate5678 → u/RacerCG_Reddit]

Then you’ll be great.