Intrawest will recommend this ski season that all skiers and snowboarders wear helmets at its resorts, and it will require helmets for children and some teens in ski and snowboard school programs, according to a Thursday news release. All students participating in freestyle terrain parks will be required to wear a helmet.

At Steamboat Ski Area, helmets already were required for terrain park classes. Under the new Intrawest rules, the resort will require students ages 15 and younger to wear helmets, Ski Corp. spokeswoman Loryn Kasten said.

“We’ve always kind of had helmets on the brain, no pun intended, as far as a safety message and a safety initiative,” she said.

Instructors teaching classes with helmet requirements also must wear helmets, Kasten said. Intrawest is implementing that policy companywide for the 2010-11 season.

Intrawest’s news release stated that the helmet would be included in the ski school packages, but Kasten said the resort hadn’t worked out those details. Ski area officials are meeting this afternoon for more discussions, she said.

“Obviously, it’s going to have an impact on a lot of facets of our organization, and we’re still trying to get those in line,” Kasten said.

The company also will increase the focus on helmet use in its graphics and advertisements, according to the release.

“Intrawest is working in conjunction with the ski industry to establish important best practices on behalf of our resort guests and employees,” said Bill Jensen, chief executive officer at Intrawest.

Kasten said Ski Corp. would increase helmet publicity in line with Intrawest’s policies.

“It’s been a part of our safety message to use helmets and know how to use them properly,” she said. “I think there will be a marketing component to it where we’ll show more people utilizing helmets in our marketing.”

The change will be implemented at Steamboat, Copper Mountain and Winter Park in Colorado. It also will be made at Stratton Mountain in Vermont, Mountain Creek in New Jersey, Tremblant Resort in Quebec, Panorama Mountain in British Columbia, Whistler Black­comb in British Columbia and Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia.

For more information about condo availability and reservations in Steamboat Springs, CO, visit us at www.condosinsteamboat.com

“It’s a real town, not just a resort built for ski tourists,” says one reader. “My sons learned to ski at Steamboat, and we still ski there together 21 years later,” says another.

The report also goes on to note that Steamboat claimed top 10 scores in Lodging (#9) and Dining (#10) would indicate that they’re getting it right. One thing that doesn’t need improvement is Steamboat’s snow (#8) and its authentic Western ambience.

What’s New : Expanded Kids Vacation Center; additional snowmaking; new Ski School Ticket office; new gear rental fleet

Don’t Miss : Watch ski-jumping future Olympians on Howelsen Hill, in downtown Steamboat.

Mandatory Run : The trees between Hurricane and Twister—locally referred to as Twistercane: well-spaced and plenty of snow to plunder days after a storm.

For more information about condo availability and reservations in Steamboat Springs, CO, visit us at www.condosinsteamboat.com

Other Colorado re­sorts on the list were Breckenridge, Vail, Aspen/Snowmass, Winter Park and Keystone.

A panel of ski writers and skiing parents reviews FamilySkiHub’s list before each ski season. Criteria include variety of ski terrain, quality and abundance of family and children’s programming, ski school reputation, activities for non-skiers and positive personal reviews from families, according to a news release.

The full list and commentary about each resort are on the Best Family Ski Resorts page of FamilySkiHub.

For more information about condo availability and reservations in Steamboat Springs, CO, visit us at www.condosinsteamboat.com

Cold temperatures and low humidity in the air created the perfect recipe for Steamboat’s snowmaking crews to fire up the guns and begin laying the foundation for this season’s base.

Last season was one for the record books with more than 40 feet of Champagne Powder™ snow. With airfares dropping as fast as temperatures, don’t miss out on what is shaping up to be a fantastic season!

For more information about condo availability and reservations in Steamboat Springs, CO, visit us at www.condosinsteamboat.com

For more information about condo availability and reservations in Steamboat Springs, CO, visit us at www.condosinsteamboat.com