Teaching Kids to Ski: How Mogul Busters Ski School in Mount Hood Makes Learning Fun for Families 

I grew up in the Salt Lake Valley, surrounded by ski resorts and making countless memories on the slopes. When my husband and I planned a Christmas trip to Utah years later, I pictured recreating that magic with our own kids. But teaching them to ski turned out to be much harder than I expected and no one had fun that day. After coming back from our trip, a co-worker explained the value of beginner ski lessons at Mogul Busters Ski School on Mount Hood, where kids and families discover that skiing can be enjoyable – with the right instructors guiding the way.  

Flashback to that first fateful Christmas ski trip when I braved the slopes without first taking my kids to ski lessons. Since both of my kids were much older than I was when I first learned to ski, I figured that being with experienced skiers as parents would be enough for us to have a great time on the mountain as a family, just like when I was young. Boy was I wrong. 

We bought plane tickets during Christmas break, only for my daughter to catch a cold. It didn’t seem like a bad cold, so I was still in high hopes as we left the ski rental location and drove up the canyon for night skiing. 

My husband went to get tickets while I stayed with the kids to help them put their gear on. That alone was a feat. I had forgotten how hard it is for inexperienced kids to push their feet into stiff ski boots and then walk through the parking lot carrying awkward, heavy skis while wearing thick gloves. By the time everyone was fully dressed, it was already after 3:00 pm and the kids were hungry, so we decided to have an early dinner at the lodge first. My daughter was looking sicker, but she was still excited. 

After dinner, the sun was down, and temperature was dropping fast. My husband and dad took my daughter while I went with my younger son on the chair lift. I had never seen the mountain that busy. When we got off the lift, my son looked down the hill and immediately started crying. I tried to show him how to turn and go back and forth, but he wouldn’t budge. He was afraid of all the people zooming past. Finally, he started walking down sideways. I was trying to encourage him to ski, but my frustration took over. 

Patience gone, I was hoping to trade kids with my husband. Unfortunately, when we met up at the bottom, our daughter had a fever and was miserable. We had come all this way for one single bunny hill. 

Years later, I shared this story to a co-worker who had previously worked at ski resorts on Mount Hood. She’d seen many parents trying to teach their children to ski and told me what happened in my family was very normal. Anytime she saw someone on the slopes struggling with their own kids, she would kindly direct them to the ski school, telling them, “You’ll have a better time, and so will they.” I had never considered ski school, but suddenly my hopes for being a skiing family were reignited. 

Family Ski Lessons at Mogul Busters Ski School on Mt. Hood 

This same coworker told me about an exceptional private ski school operating at Ski Bowl called Mogul Busters. When I reached out to get more information, registrar Karla Simon said, “I like to explain to families that skiing is a lot like swimming. It involves water, but it also involves a lot of time to perfect the skills and make it effortless. It is easy to see a student in the pool or on the slopes that only has the basics.” 

“Mogul Busters is a program that focuses on the success of children and their parents,” said Simon. Founded 1955, the legacy of original owners Bob Strand and Bob Wiseman still affects how they do business today. Wiseman had a child with different abilities who wanted to learn to ski, so Mogul Busters began providing lessons to deaf and blind students. Later, they “saw the need to provide consecutive sessions to students and began offering a four-week program,” Simon shared. 

Her own children went through the Mogul Busters’ program after they heard about the ski school from a neighbor. “We tried it, and I have not left. I have seen our successes and believe in the product. . . When our registrar retired, I got the job and now run the school.” She takes pride in taking time with customers before their arrival, so they know exactly what to expect. 

Simon then asked about my kids, their ages and the sports they’ve played. As we spoke, I learned that beginners start out on a private tow rope to get used to the feeling of skis on a gentle slope. Once a student feels confident there, they can easily move up to the next level, even on the same day.

In most ski schools, once a student is placed in a class, they are normally stuck there for the rest of the day. Simon described one of her students who began lessons by sitting and watching everyone else on the tow rope for quite a bit of the morning. Then when they were ready, they got up did great! “We honor how long it may take until a student is ready for the next step,” she explained. 

A Beginner-Friendly Ski Experience for Kids – Mogul Busters Ski School

When I informed my kids that we would be trying out skiing again, their reactions were a mixture of excited and scared. My son had a “stomachache” the night before and my daughter semi-sarcastically asked, “Am I going to die?” Despite being used to a much shorter distance to the mountains, I didn’t mind the 90-minute drive to Mount Hood. The sun was shining and my kids weren’t sick, so we had a much higher chance for success already. We stopped for rentals at in Sandy, Oregon at Meadowlark Ski and Sport and were grateful they made sure my children knew how to adjust their boots. 

Mogul Busters operates out of a yurt (the mothership, as they like to call it) on the east side of Ski Bowl where students and their parents have plenty of space to gather and eat lunch together. Hot cocoa is always available, and they even had a custom-made glove dryer. We packed lunches on recommendation from Simon who told me since there is only an hour lunch break, it’s sometimes hard to get lunch from the lodge in time. 

Even before lessons began, it was a total contrast from our first skiing experience. Firstly, it was nice to have my husband nearby to help with getting boots on correctly in the warm yurt. Second, a sleigh pulled by snowmobile took the youngest students (including my 12- and 14-year-olds), to the tow rope where a large green carpet allowed them to put on skis without worrying about sliding down the hill. Poles were left behind so they could get used to one thing at a time.

I watched as very small children practiced going back and forth between markers with ease. Students as young as four can enroll in classes, but I was told by more than one parent that day that six is a great age to start. 

Even though my two kids stuck out in a group of youngsters, they were more than happy to have this low stress space to practice. Mogul Busters also teaches lessons to adults, and current owner Russ Vilhauer assured me it is never too late to start. We left our kids to the experts to get a few runs in on our own. It was a gorgeous day and we got a great picture of Mt. Hood from the top of one lift. When we came back for lunch our son was beaming and bragging about what he had learned- a far cry from the tears during his first attempt. 

Later, I learned that instructors often remind students to thank the person who brought them to the mountain that day. I noticed everyone was having fun, and probably the instructors more than anyone. When I asked one long time employee what he liked most about his work, he laughed and said, “teaching kids to ski is a hoot!” 

Patience, Practice and Positive Reinforcement – Mogul Busters Ski School

After lunch, both my kids were ready to get on a lift and try a real run. Remembering the small hill in Utah that had been such a struggle, I held my breath. Their instructor made sure they understood skiing etiquette and helped everyone plan before heading down the hill. Even when they fell, they got up with confidence thanks to the expert instructors. 

Something my daughter’s basketball coach said came back to mind: “You can be a ref, a coach, or a cheerleader, but you only get to be one at a time.” I liked being their cheerleader much more than their coach that day. At the end of class, my daughter who started the day more nervous than her brother, asked to do another run. When my husband heard her say that he turned to their teacher and said, “That one sentence meant everything.” 

Beginner Ski Tips for Families at Mt. Hood

Brent Barton, father of two sons both taking lessons from Mogul Busters, reiterated that you “need to commit to a whole season when your kids are starting out.” Simon agreed, saying that going up just once or twice a year with beginners is typically not enough to get the muscle memory needed to carry over to the next ski season. My mistake during our Christmas trip was believing that since my kids were athletic, they would put on skis and suddenly know what to do. However, rollerblading and skateboarding are things they can do in the summer to help them build up skills that translate to skiing or snowboarding. 

And while night skiing is cheaper, it’s probably best to take first timers in the daytime, especially little ones who can get cold quickly. But to keep costs down for growing kids, Barton suggested leasing gear for the season rather than buying or renting each time.

The enthusiast package from Mogul Busters includes a season pass to Ski Bowl and gives parents discounted lessons for themselves because, according to Simon, parents should not be left behind. “We have parents taking lessons and enjoying the sport after a long leave of absence.” She also tells families to, “think ski season in September when the kids return to school. This is the time to buy packages and season passes, because they are the least expensive.” 

If you are a parent who has successfully taught your own kids to ski, I applaud you. But I’ve come to realize that just like with swim lessons, ski lessons are worth it. Many Mogul Busters students move on to join the racing program at Ski Bowl and one even joined the US ski team. However, Mogul Busters’ mission is to make skiing fun so families can enjoy it together for a lifetime. And that’s why families like Barton’s choose them. He told me, “If I had only one day left to live, I’d want to spend it skiing with my little guys.” 

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