Gnarly Trips Are for Kids

Someone must have tipped off British Columbia—Psst, backcountry skiers have kids, too—because a handful of remote lodges in the province have (wisely) begun offering family packages and amenities. This season, Purcell Mountain Lodge, a ten-room backcountry ski chalet accessed by helicopter from Golden, introduced Christmas family weeks, providing kid-friendly meals, games, toboggan runs, and babysitting. From US$1,270 per person for three nights; purcellmountainlodge.com. Campbell Icefields Chalet, a ten-bedroom lodge accessed by helicopter from Donald, British Columbia, rents to single groups and offers cribs, booster seats, toys, and sleds for tykes. Ski guides, catered meals, and children's activities are extra. Weeklong rentals from US$6,320 for up to 15 people; skigolden.com. Naumulten Lodge, a heli-accessed lodge in the Selkirk Mountains, has family rooms and offers lessons in route finding and map-and-compass work for kids. US$2,100 per person per week; valkyradventures.com. And at Valhalla Mountain Touring's snowcat-accessed lodge outside Nelson, kids under 16 stay free. US$1,875 per person per week; vmt.ca