Third Time is a Charm at Jiminy Peak

Last Saturday was the third stop for myself and Grace, my 5-year-old daughter, on a three-weekend tour of close-by snow sports schools in her quest to learn his to ski.

Our choice was Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. For one thing it's close - about 90 minutes from north central Connecticut. It's also green - much of its power is generated by an on-mountain wind turbine, so you feel good going there.

It also has first-rate learning facilities that make both the kids and adults happy. 

Jiminy has an impressive layout among resorts with about 1,000 vertical feet - a full-service village, a hotel, several restaurants, a mountain coaster, a high-speed six-passenger chairlift and a self-contained learning area.

One realizes the potential of the snow sports school one step into the lodge. It is spacious and smartly designed, particularly with the elevated boot-fitting station that let's the technicians do their jobs and keeps most know-it-all parents at bay.

The boots and skis are up-to-date and helmets come with the rental packages.

The learning area is not only self-contained, but has hills serviced by both a magic Carpet surface lift and a chair.

Grace was matched up with Sal Tenorio, a landscaper in the warmer months who gives his heart and soul to ski instruction at Jiminy during the winter. He and Grace, a social butterfly to say the least, hit it off right away.

Sal's style is very personable, so he makes the young skiers feel very comfortable in their equipment and on the hill. Grace came to Jiminy adept at making a slow run with several turns without falling and under his tutelage, she headed to the chairlift on the main mountain early in the day.

There, the kids worked on getting on and off the lift, finding a downhill line, and making turns and controlling speed. Skiing on a busy slope was also emphasized.

The nice thing about the learning area on the main mountain is that it is right next to  the six-pack lift so parents can watch the kids on the way up to the steeps and catch part of the lessons (while maintaining a safe distance) toward the end of their runs.

There was one segment I still am laughing about. I see Grace get off the lift and Sal immediately pick her up and carry her down the hill. It seems Grace learned how to click her skis together while riding up, an old trick for dumping snow on the people below the lift, and one of her skis, already on a loose beginner setting, released and fell to the ground.

That was a good sign. When you they start to goof around, it means the young skiers are getting it.

Chalk that up to good instruction - and a good experience overall - furnished by Sal and Jiminy.