Fun Valley Ski Vacations

Even though you might not normally think of Iowa as a great place for skiing, Fun Valley Ski Resort, located in Montezuma, Iowa, is actually a nice place to take your family ski vacation if you are in or near the area. This resort which is just about an hour from Des Moines caters to families and beginner level skiers, but it is also great for intermediate and expert skiers as well. There is something to suit all levels at Fun Valley.

The top elevation at Fun Valley is 1201 feet, with a vertical drop of 200 feet. There are six lifts to take you to the 14 ski trails, including three chair lifts and three surface lifts. If you are a beginner at skiing, the new learning center in Fun Valley is something to see.

You can rent all kinds of ski equipment there, including skis, poles, boots, ski blades, and sled dogs. Snowboarding rental equipment, including, is available as well. This is a great place for tubers and snowboarders since there is an excellent terrain park available with an Olympic size half pipe.

You can also rent tubes there and enjoy their exciting tubing hill if you prefer not to ski. This is quite an exciting alternative to skiing or snowboarding. They have a five lane snow tubing hill for non skiers to enjoy. How it works is a lift carries you up a hill while you sit on your tube, from the top you will zoom down a 1000 feet run at a speed up to 40 miles per hour for quite a thrill!

The skiing is fun, but you won’t always have natural snow. When Fun Valley was started in 1969, they had plenty of snowfall in the area. These days, however, they don’t always get as much snow but they do have professional snow machines that can blanket the hills within 72 hours.

When you want to take a break from skiing, you can head over to the Fun Valley lodge (also the rental shop) where you can relax and get something to eat and play in the game room. They also have a pro shop in the day lodge.

One of the best things about Fun Valley is how affordable it is. It offers outstanding group rates for groups of ten or more. Birthday packages are also great for kids twelve and under. They have daily specials as well. Every Wednesday and Thursday night, the resort offers a student night, with greatly reduced rates. Buddy Pass Friday’s are also popular – you can bring your friends and you will all save on lift tickets. Coca-Cola sponsors Sprite Saturday’s at Fun Valley, where you can participate in three activities for one flat affordable fee. Sundays are Family Four Pack Day.

This is a great place for Midwesterners to take a nearby ski vacation, and since it offers skiing for all levels, it’s truly a travel spot that the whole family can enjoy.