Happy Snow Year 2016!
From All Of Us At SeniorsSkiing.Com:
Best Wishes For A Happy, Healthy, Active New Year!
Huff Post: Older Skier’s Guide To America’s Biggest Ski Resort
SeniorsSkiing.com’s Co-Publisher Reviews The Newly-Combined Park City-Canyons Resort.
Salt Lake City-based Jon Weisberg has been waiting all summer to explore the biggest ski resort in America. With this season’s huge—and apparently ongoing—dump of snow on the Wasatch Mountains, he makes his first visit and has some senior-focused suggestions for getting the most out of your visit. Here’s his report from the powder fields of Park City, recently published in Huffington Post’s Huff 50. If you’ve been to the new mega-resort, what’s your advice? Is bigger better?
SeniorsSkiing Guide: Brighton Resort
This Is The Utah Bucket List Resort Few Visiting Skiers Ever See.
Brighton is a held in high regard by senior skiers for its friendliness and its powder.
Credit: Brighton
I kept hearing three sounds at Brighton on December 22, the first day of Winter, 2015. Early morning trail runs were knee deep. As more people arrived, I entered the forest. There were places where depths reached my thighs.
Sound One: Teen-fueled screech of Yippee! HooHaw! YowWee!
Sound Two: Less frequent and muffled thunder of avalanche bombs.
Sound Three: My quiet laughter in moments of pure joy.
Jon’s tracks through the trees on his early morning run at Brighton.
Credit: Jon Weisberg
Brighton is Utah’s oldest resort. It was started in 1936 and is at the end of gorgeous Big Cottonwood Canyon road, 14 serpentine miles, including two linked hairpin turns. It’s next to Solitude, and both can be skied for a slight ticket premium.
Brighton is a local’s favorite and known for its boarders. But it has a longstanding following of older skiers and should be on our collective bucket list.
Snow and Terrain
- Big Cottonwood Canyon is a natural snow machine, funneled toward Brighton. It reliably receives 500″ most seasons; trading position for deepest dumps with neighboring Solitude, Alta, and Snowbird; often drawing the envy of Deer Valley and Park City. By road Park City and Little Cottonwood areas are a distance; by crow, they’re wing beats away.
- The area has 1,745′ of vertical, rising from 8755′ to 10,500′. Advice to older skiers not accustomed to higher elevations: take it easy and stay hydrated.
- Brighton offers the full suite of green, blue, and black terrain spread over 1000+ acres, all reachable by high-speed chair. There are 66 runs and an endless selection of glades. Parts of Millicent Bowl are steep, open, and wide.
- The Sol-Bright trail connects Brighton and Solitude for those who want to ski both resorts. This requires purchase of the premium Sol-Bright lift pass.
Lot to Lift Access
- The area is shaped like an amphitheater, with parking lot positioned as stage. Wherever you park, you’re not far from lodge or uphill conveyance; no tiring hikes from car to lift. A very nice arrangement.
- Like many Utah resorts, Brighton is not far from the airport, making a good same day option for those arriving early. Brighton also offers reasonably priced morning- and afternoon-only tickets.
- If you’re not staying at the mountain — there are only a few options — there are many places in the Salt Lake Valley, some as close as 20 minutes. Next door, Solitude has lodges and condos.
Culture
- Two words: FRIENDLY and HELPFUL. People go out of their way to make you feel welcome. It’s real.
- Brighton is old-in a good way. Lifts are modern, ski shop and rental shops, respectable. Other than coffee and roll in Brighton Lodge, I was unable to sample its fare. I’ll do that on another visit and update this report accordingly.
Bottom Line
- Day pass (for 70+): $50; season pass, $525.
- Excellent and easily accessed terrain.
- Watch for boarders.
Trail Map
http://www.brightonresort.com/mountain/trail-map/
Brighton is at the end of Big Cottonwood Canyon, a natural snow machine.
Credit: Brighton
Stein Eriksen, 1927-2015
A Legend Moves To The Other Side Of The Mountain.
An elegant skier, Stein Eriksen was an Olympian, instructor, skiing ambassador and charming personality.
Credit: Deer Valley
Seasons Greetings From SeniorsSkiing.Com
Best Wishes For A Snowy 2016.
Many thanks to our enthusiastic readers who continue to inspire us.
Credit: Parents Magazine
Jon and Mike, Co-Publishers
And our wonderful regular correspondents: Harriet Wallis, Rose Marie Cleese, Susie Winthrop, Steve Hines, Roger Lohr, Tamsin Venn.
Poll Results: Seniors Are Serious Skiers
Our first major poll reveals a compelling factoid about our readers.
Last spring, we did our first Subscriber Survey to learn, among other things, just who our readers were. We learned that you guys like discounts first and foremost. We also learned you that 55 percent of our respondents skied more than 30 days a year! Now that is impressive considering that the average number of skier days for all demographics was 7.6 in 2013-14, according to Snowsports Industries America.
That our readers are passionate about skiing continues to be validated by a new sliver of data. SeniorsSkiing.com’s first major poll revealed that in late August and early September, 66.3 percent of respondents had ALREADY bought their season passes and another 6.3% were about to. Clearly, you were taking advantage of early-bird discounts. And you definitely planned to ski at a favorite ski area. A lot. Here are the results.
New Senior Deal Site For Tahoe Area
Up Pops A New Senior Ski Site Out West. Well Done!
We are pleased to see that Michael Warner started a website for senior deals in the Tahoe area. We like to think seniorsskiing.com stimulated his venture to some degree. We now have an ally in trying to promote the needs and interests of senior snow enthusiasts by targeting a specific geographic area.
Michael Warner has launched a new ski deal site for seniors focusing on the Tahoe area.
Credit: Tahoe Senior Ski Deal
Tahoe Senior Ski Deals keeps tabs on lift pricing rates at 16 resorts throughout the Tahoe Donner region. As we have learned in SeniorsSkiing.com’s Annual Ski Area Surveys, the best deals are always at the smaller areas like Boreal Mountain ($54, 65-69; $29, 70+) and Homewood ($47, 65-69; $20, 70+) for just two examples. We were glad to see Tahoe Donner, a SeniorsSkiing.com Senior-Friendly Award Winner, on the list of deals ($22, 60-69, free, 70+). In fact, Tahoe Senior Ski Deals calls Tahoe Donner the “Best Senior Prices”.
Tahoe Senior Ski Deals focuses on 16 resorts ringing the big lake.
Credit: Google Maps
The site also advises that seniors buy online at least three days before coming to the mountain. There are always better deals online. The site also lists ski clubs and, notably, a link to SeniorsSkiing.com. Thanks, Michael.
It shows that seniors can ski and enjoy the outdoors without having a hedge-fund account. If you know of other sites that report ski or cross-country ski deals, clothing or gear discounts, please let us know.
Stocking Stuffer: Hassle Reduction By Shipping Gear
Don’t Schlep, Ship.
My pal Jerry took his wife and two college-age girls on a ski trip from Boston to Vail a few winters ago. The trip involved a stopover in Chicago which, when his plane from Boston landed, was being covered in a blinding snowstorm. His connecting flight was cancelled. So, Jerry and family had to schlep all their luggage—roll-aways, back packs, boot bags and skis—to an airport hotel in the snow, in a taxi, get up well before dawn, reverse his tracks and check-in with his entourage and their baggage, waiting on snaking baggage check lines. Not pleasant and a constant reminder of one of the flaws of traveling-whilst-a-skier—hassling your kit.
Enter Ship Skis, a service that picks up your gear, sends it to your destination hotel, and when you’re done with your ski vacation, sends the stuff back home again. We met the guys at the BEWI Boston Ski and Snowboard Show this fall.
You’re going to have to pay for checked bags anyway, so it makes sense to ship your gear.
Credit: SeniorsSkiing
It’s all done online. You schedule a shipment to your destination, select insurance options (you get $500 base coverage with different add-ons), print out a shipping label, pack your stuff and wait for the pickup or head to a UPS or FedEx drop-off point. You can track where your shipment is, but you’re probably on the plane by then. Ship Skis claims your equipment will arrive before you do. Pretty simple process.
Pricing varies depending on where you are going, how much you send, and how urgent your shipment is. We priced a hypothetical trip from Boston to Vail, using Jerry’s family as an example. The price ranged from $69 per ski bag to $139. (You might be able to put two pairs in one bag.) That’s one way. When you add boots, the price bumped up varied from $128.99 to $288.99 per ski bag (which might contain two pairs) and boots, again one way. You get the lower price by sending a week or so before you expect to arrive and vice versa coming home. For the Jerry example, shipping a week ahead of time and getting equipment returned from vacation a week after you arrive home would be about $300-$500 for round trip boots and skis for four people, assuming you stuff two pair of skis into one bag. You have to decide if that’s worth it. To Jerry it very well might have been.
By the way, airlines will charge you anywhere from $25 to $200 per checked ski bag and/or boots each way, depending on how many bags you check. So, when you think about it, if you’re going on a ski vacation somewhere by plane, Ship Skis might make sense.
We are discussing a potential discounted rate for readers of SeniorsSkiing.com with the powers that be at Ship Skis. Stay tuned for an update.
East: Too Warm To Believe
Start Wishing Harder, New Englanders. It Worked For The Red Sox.
Not New England today. Unfortunately, we have to wait some more for snow.
Credit: Currier & Ives
There’s an old adage here in New England that half your cord wood should still be left over by Ground Hog’s Day. But, so far this winter, we’ve hardly touched the wood pile; we’ll have most of it left over come April if this trend continues. We guess that’s one advantage of having a record-breaking snow-drought, warm-spell syndrome around here. Frankly, we’d rather ski than not have to chop.
The Weather Channel says this Christmas could be the warmest of your lifetime, especially in the East.
Next week’s jet stream pattern from the Weather Channel. Don’t like the word “Mild” where it is.
Credit: Weather Channel.
It is clearly a winter for the record books. Looks like the El Nino predictions are coming to pass. We just heard that Mount Sunapee (NH) has closed until this weekend when the forecast predicts some colder weather for snow making. Okemo hasn’t seen natural snow since Nov 30th, and conditions are soft with open spots. Plus it rained last night up country. Other areas have a lift or three running, that’s all. The ski train from Boston to Wachusett Mountain has been postponed because “the ski area has zero trails open,” according WBUR radio. Everyone is looking for a window of cold air for snow making.
And it’s not just New England. Ontario, Quebec and even Europe are experiencing too much warmth when we need cold.
We’ve had snow droughts before. New England Ski Industry has collected some memorable highlights about those unhappy times. Click here to view quotes. Oh well, this, too, shall pass. Just like the Red Sox World Series drought. Just takes some wishing.
Please don’t accept the current status quo as a trend for the rest of the winter; it’s way too early for that, despite the year’s El Nino potency. Last winter, the toughest and coldest in recorded history here in Boston, precipitation didn’t get very serious until mid-January into February when the snow became overwhelming. We’ve seen wicked March storms and a three-foot blizzard on April 1 a few years ago that had the wildlife and crocuses confused.
On the other hand, there is a helluva lot of snow right now out in the Wasatch, the Rockies, in the Far West and the Sierras.
Wish it our way. Come on, wish it. Wish it. Let’s go snow. Wish it.
West: Snow Falls, Lots Of Snow
White Christmas Ahead For Utah and The Rockies.
Snow-covered Prius shows depth from one-day storm in SLC.
Salt Lake City-based SeniorsSkiing.com Co-Publisher Jon Weisberg Reports:
The biggest single dump since 2011 is how some observers characterize the mid-December storm that blanketed Utah’s Wasatch range with almost two feet over the past few days. Snowfall extended into Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.
Individual resorts report impressive numbers. Brian Head, the state’s most southern resort got 38″ over 48 hours. Eagle Point, another southern area on the high slopes of the Tushar Mountains collected 20″, Alta, 24″ and Snowbird, 23″.
But the base depths at most of these and other areas hovers around 45″, much less than the base needed to feel comfortable skiing off-trail fresh powder. Sorry to deliver this news to Eastern skiers, but we’re expecting more deliveries—snow, not UPS—through Christmas.
I decided not to head up the canyon today; possibly tomorrow. Instead, I walked Lucy (the mutt) around our neighborhood, one of the oldest in Salt Lake City. At about 4300′, we’re almost 3/4 mile lower than the base of Alta.
[Editor’s Note: A contributor in Denver submitted the following picture of his television screen. Lots of snow out west.]
Denver weatherman reports snow depth from recent big fall.
Credit: Joe Durzo
Stocking Stuffer: Low Temperature Windshield Washer Fluid
Okay. It’s too big for a stocking, but it doesn’t need wrapped.
Practical and inexpensive, this De-Icer Windshield Washer can save your day.
Credit: Harriet Wallis
A cheap but practical gift is a jug of low temperature windshield washer fluid with de-icer. Look on the label for a temperature rating that is -25 or -30 or lower. A gallon jug costs less than $5.
There are some days when a certain mix of temperature and humidity can cause windshields to glaze over as you climb in elevation or go over a pass. The “blue stuff” that’s usually in the your car reservoir will not defrost the windshield. Using low temperature windshield fluid will likely save your ski day.
There are several brands of low temperature windshield fluid. Different brands are different colors – orange, purple or pink. But none are blue. Stick a bow on the jug, and it’s wrapped!
You might want to buy a turkey baster too. Use it to suck the blue stuff out of the car’s reservoir and then replace it with the low temperature washer fluid.
It’s the little things that make a difference.
SkiNH: Deals Galore For Seniors
Many Alpine, Nordic Discounts From The Granite State.
Hey, you guys! Look what we found. Our friends at SkiNewHampshire just sent us their Senior Deal page from the SkiNewHampshire website. Lots of deals for both Alpine and Cross-Country skiers. Check out mid-week at Cannon Mountain for 65+ skiers! Let us know which deals you like best.
Stocking Stuffer: Field Trip Jerky
A Healthy Chew For The Holidays.
It’s not your favorite trucker treat of yore. This “new” jerky is natural, gluten-free and tasty. Credit: Harriet Wallis
I love jerky, but most of it tastes like over-seasoned cardboard. On the other hand, Field Trip Jerky is yummy, and it’s different—lightly seasoned and just the right “chew.”
It’s all-natural, gluten-free, MSG and nitrate-free, and it’s packed with protein. Refuel while out on the trail, on your bike or out for a ski tour.
Where can I get it? Field Trip Jerky has partnerships with Starbucks, Stop & Shop, Sprouts and more. Check the website for a dealer near you. About $6.50 to $8 a pouch.
Gluten-free? I questioned how jerky (a meat) can be gluten-free (which comes from plants). The answer I got is this: “Field Trip Jerky uses gluten-free low sodium soy sauce. All products have been tested and contain less than 5 ppm of wheat.”
In additiion, the “majority of experts report that grain-fed beef is fine to eat. Before protein is absorbed by the body, it’s broken down into single amino acids or very short peptide fragments and no longer contain gluten. Second hand transmission of gluten does not occur between animals and human consumption.”
The back story. Field Trip was started a few years ago by three friends looking to make jerky that wasn’t junk. Breaking away from the corporate mold (the three previously worked in law, finance and the auto industry) Tom, Scott and Matt started with a lot of hustle and $12,000 in seed money scrapped up from friends, family and savings and launched a homemade jerky business from their kitchen.
Worth a try and makes a great stocking stuffer.
[Editor Note: This is not a sponsored article. Harriet is reporting on products she finds genuinely interesting and useful for our readers.]
Huff Post: Fabulous Holiday Gift Ideas For Older Skiers
Huffington Post Highlights SeniorsSkiing.com Co-Publisher’s Unusual Holiday Suggestions.
Our very own co-publisher Jon Weisberg appears in HuffPost 50 with gift ideas for your very own senior skier. Jon’s suggestions range from renting a whole ski area for a day for $10,000 to a $9.95 boot horn. Click here for his Santa list.
More Senior-Friendly Ski Areas
Our Readers Offer More Places For Senior Friendliness and Significant Discounts.
Sundance offers senior discounts as well as season passes that include public transportation from Provo.
Credit: Sundance
Since then, we’ve heard from our readers. Lots of reactions, some criticism, many additional ski areas to add to the senior-friendly list. Here’s what you told us :
- Paul from the UK: I can’t believe you have included Snowbird with no seniors program at all and a seniors pass costing $799 for 65+ while excluding Copper Mountain at $316 for 65+ with an all-season 4 days a week program of instructor-guided ability-based groups for only another $380! I ski Alta and Snowbird for 3 weeks each year so an Alta 65+ pass at $599 with $30 upgrades to ski days at Snowbird is the best senior package there. Even better, the Alta season pass is FREE for 80+ ! Copper Mountain remains top of my own senior-friendly ski areas list for quality and fun but thank you for news of areas offering free skiing for over 70s or very cheap senior season pass rates and free senior skiing programs, especially Sundance which sounds very welcoming and can be reached from Salt Lake City by public transport.
- Linda: Brundage Mountain Resort, McCall, Idaho. Steep discounts for seniors, for example, $26 for weekend ski days.
- Stewart: Berkshire East in western Massachusetts on weekdays. Reasonable price, short walk, excellent groomed trails, short lines. (Ed. Note: Weekday lift tickets are $28 for 65+).
- Leslye: I’ve only skied two of the areas in this list: Purgatory and A-Basin. Both are great mountains, but the Purgatory I skied was challenging at any age. A-Basin is one of my favs. Get there early, and it’s a very short walk to the lodge. There are runs for every skill level, and the view from the top cannot be beat. Waiting for last run at 12 thousand feet is one of my fondest memories. Burgers and Brats from outdoor grills at midway. I always found the staff and skiers among the friendliest in Colorado. At 67 I’d still give it a go. (Ed. Note: Arapahoe Basin has “semi-senior” (60-69) and “senior” (70+). Deep discounts.)
- Tom: You missed one of the best. Loveland ski area on top of the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 in Colorado has an unlimited senior ski pass for 70 years old plus with discounts on food, and friends who want to ski with you for $89.00, a hell of a deal. I live in Breckenridge, and I have a full EPIC Pass to all Vail Resorts ski areas and bought this one also.
- Stan: It’s not all about price for seniors, you know. Another big factor is ease of access, and although this article seems to want to ignore Vail Resorts areas, the ease of access to Beaver Creek’s slopes is unmatched anywhere. Besides the free parking and frequent bus shuttles to the base village, the escalators from there to the main lift area means that we older folks don’t have to expend as much energy getting to the lifts, and therefore have a lot more energy to expend on the skiing itself. For my money, Beaver Creek belongs prominently on this list.
- DL: I have been a skier for 56 years – since college. We go to Colorado for the winter season and ski almost daily. The best place for Senior Skiers in my opinion is Copper Mountain. They have a most reasonable season pass as well as a very active Over The Hill Gang that meets four days a week to ski in small ability and friendship based groups. We have tried almost every ski area in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, California, and the Canadian Rockies. Nothing compares to the skiing at Copper with the Gang.
- Bill: Mountain High (southern California) Senior Program is in its seventh year this season. They average over 50 seniors each week. (Ed. Note: 70+ ski free every day)
- Lee K. in Albuquerque: It seems foolish that a ski area doesn’t offer extras for seniors. Seniors are more than happy to go to a ski area during the week and not ski on weekends. The ski area has a resource that is not being used to any way near capacity. Seniors should be looked at as newfound money. As a senior living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I would like to suggest Ski Santa Fe as a great seniors ski destination.
The Rio Metro Regional Transit District offers something special that can be truly awesome for Seniors —Take the Train to Ski and Play in Santa Fe
A senior gets a reduced fare on the Rail Runner so you could stay in a hotel in either Albuquerque or Santa Fe and ski all day at Ski Santa Fe for a very reasonable cost. Also a Super Senior (72 +) can ski for free! One of the best things I’ve seen at Ski Santa Fe, there are no or few lift lines during the week!
I have a Bronze Pass (weekdays only) for the season and as a veteran (with a VA medical card) I can ride the Rail Runner for free. My transportation costs from Albuquerque to and from Ski Santa Fe amount to five dollars a day.
Take the train to ski at SkiSantaFe. 72+ ski for free! That’s senior-friendly.
Credit: Lee Kniess
We thank all our readers who commented on senior-friendly areas. Your comments validate our publishing philosophy—It pays to be friendly to senior skiers. We are often your best customers, and there are more of us every day.
Do you have a senior-friendly area that needs to be included? Please let us know.
My Fitness Journey Continues: Part Eight
Correspondent Rose Marie Cleese reports on her fitness journey, noting that regular exercise makes a big, big difference in how you feel.
Credit: Pinterest
The Journey That Began With A Single Step Isn’t Over Yet!
Although this will be the last official installment of my personal fitness journey series that began on May 1st, it’s definitely not the end of the journey. I have many more pounds to lose before I sleep and promises to myself to continue to keep. I’ll be posting an update some time in the next three months, at which time I hope I can tell you that I’ve met all of my goals, including losing that last 20 pounds and tipping the scales at 130 pounds. I’ve already lost 20 pounds so I’m halfway there.
Even though I haven’t yet reached my desired weight, I’ve added a number of habits to my life that have made me a healthier, happier person with a body that’s so much better prepared to hit the slopes (hopefully in the next couple of weeks) than the one that floundered on them last March. I tried on my ski clothes last week and they fit comfortably rather than my feeling like a stuffed sausage. People who haven’t seen me in a few months are noticing my weight loss and telling me how good I look. Most importantly, I feel so much healthier…and bouncier.
So what am I taking away from these past seven months? The number one lesson I’ve learned is how important regular exercise is. My twice-weekly aerobics classes and my once-a-week stretching classes and weight classes have had a considerable effect on me. I don’t get out of breath exerting myself anymore, my balance has improved 100%, and my arms and legs actually look and feel toned. I’ve rarely missed my classes because I feel so energized at the end of them. This is one habit that has become solidly entrenched. In the near future I’d like to add some yoga to my exercise regimen and I’ve put a Fitbit on my Christmas wish list.
Regarding my weight loss, I’m happy that I haven’t gained back any of the weight I’ve lost (even over the Thanksgiving holiday!), but I do need to get back on track in the coming months. I plan on being more religious about mindful eating, portion control, food choices (less “white” food, more fruits and vegetables), not eating late meals, and saying “no” at least a couple of times a day when I’m tempted to snack or eat something that’s unhealthy. I’ll continue the daily food diary that I’ve been faithfully keeping the last seven months, and I’ll continue to weigh in once a week and also check my measurements once a month. If I find that the pounds are refusing to come off, I may participate for a couple of months in one of the several diet plans out there that are the top choices of the medical establishment.
As I write this article at 3 AM, I have to admit that I have failed miserably at getting enough sleep and am beginning to wonder if a night owl can ever be an early bird. I’ll let you know in my update in a few months if I’ve found an answer to this perennial problem of mine. Suggestions welcome!
Speaking of suggestions, I want to thank all of you out there who have sent me your thoughts, insights, and encouraging words over the past seven months. It really does make it easier when you’ve got some cheerleaders urging you on. In the meantime, there are some snowy slopes out there that are calling my name, and I can’t wait to make some tracks on them. Stay fit…stay tuned…and have a great winter!
Editor’s Note: SeniorsSkiing.com salutes our correspondent Rose Marie Cleese for sharing her journey with our readers over the last few months. Her project took courage and fortitude. Please join us in acknowledging her efforts and her willingness to tell us about her experience.
Are Heated Gloves Worth It?
Some Things To Consider Before You Buy.
Luke Larsen, owner of the Lift House in Salt Lake City, demonstrates the Hestra brand of heated mittens. Hestra also makes heated gloves.
Credit: Harriet Wallis
If you google “heated gloves”, you’ll find two dozen brands in all price ranges. And more brands are advertised in ski magazines. It seems that many companies have jumped into the heated glove market. To make matters confusing, the descriptions all sound alike.
“Heated gloves that work well cost about $300 – $400” said Luke Larsen, owner of the Lift House, a premier Salt Lake City ski shop. “It’s the same technology as heated ski boots.”
Consider these tips before you invest in heated gloves.
- What about batteries? The battery should be located on top of the palm/wrist area and well covered by the glove’s insulation. Why? Batteries are heavy so it’s the best place to put them. And it’s also a good place for you to see the heat setting light. Be sure the battery in the brand you consider is well protected by glove material and not close to the surface. Batteries and wires must stay warm to work well. And check how long the battery should run between charges.
- How’s the plug? The battery recharger plug should be stout and easy to grasp. Plugs that you have to wiggle with can break with wear.
- Do these gloves make my hands look fat? Many women’s gloves boast a slim profile. That means less insulation. The battery and the wires must be kept warm to keep you warm.
- Try them on. Check how the gloves work with your jacket sleeve. Some gloves are slightly curved to make grasping a ski pole easier. Check your grasp. Heated mittens are warmer than heated gloves.
- Talk to other skiers. Look for skiers with a light on their gloves. It’s the give-away that they’re wearing heated gloves. Pick their brains.
- Buy from a ski shop with great service. A quality ski shop will go to bat for you if you have any problems.
- Follow the directions precisely. If you want the gloves to last, do exactly what the directions tell you about recharging, transporting and storing them off season. If they come with a case, use it. Heated gloves aren’t fragile, but they don’t deserve having a ski boot dropped onto the wires.
Here’s what skiers are saying about their heated gloves:
“Last year was the first year I used battery powered gloves for skiing, and they are the best. If my hands are warm, I am warm all over,” says Arlene Maginn of Hamilton, MA. “On medium setting, they last all day! They are Core Heat Snow Gloves, and I recommend them for all kinds of winter activities.”
Salt Lake City skier Laurie O’Connor agrees. She can stay toasty all day. However, instead of heated gloves, she opted for heated Thermo Gloves liners. That way she can wear different outer gloves.
Todd Reynolds, a commercial fisherman from sunny Florida, has heated Hestra gloves. “I love them” he said. “I’d freeze without them.”
Those Blanket Days
Long-Time Ski Patroller Remembers How Lift Blankets Made Mischief.
There was a time lift blankets and fur coats kept you warm on chilly days. Here Mad River GM Ken Quakenbush checks tickets on the single chair, circa 1953.
Credit: Mad River Glen
Remember the good old days when we did not have high tech fabrics, boot heaters, hand warmers, and lots of layers to keep us warm as we rode up the single chair lift in our wooden skis with screwed on steel edges and Dovre safety bindings. The lift could be a very cold, one-mile long ride.
At Mad River Glen and other resorts (I remember Stowe), we would pick up a wool poncho type blanket off the rack, slip it over our head, and try to not get it twisted as we loaded the lift. The blankets are no longer there, but the single chair is.
We would then hide under it on the way up the lift. And for a small kid, we also had to worry about not tripping on it when we got off.
I joined the patrol at Mad River in 1962 and still remember those blankets being in use. The lifties at the top would bundle up three or four and try to slam them across the arm of the chair so they would stay there until they were removed at the bottom. On windy days, the occasional bundle would be lifted off the chair, separate into individual blankets and gracefully descend onto the trail below. And, if it was particularly gusty, one or more would end up in a tree anywhere from 10 to 30 feet off the ground.
One of the duties of the patrol was to regularly to ski the lift line and pick up the blankets that had blown off the chairs on the trip down the hill.
This was in the days before the entire lift line was designated trails. On the top of the lift line above mid-station (remember the old 1/3 tickets they gave out if you got off there), picking up blankets on the Chute was relatively straight-forward. We would pick up two or three, roll them into a bundle, and heave them underhanded up to some willing customer in a chair. Of course, this provided great entertainment to the other customers on the lift as many of the throws and catches were not major league quality.
And, if we were in an area that was too high to toss them, we would end up wearing them, sometimes up to five or six. We looked and skied like a gray version of the Pillsbury Dough Boy.
Much of the lift line from mid-station down was not legitimately skiable terrain. So only the hardy patrollers ventured into that territory to retrieve blankets. And as the lift was rather high off of the ground, this usually entailed wearing them down over the cliffs and through the underbrush, again to provide entertainment for the customers. There are great stories of tumbles down the steep faces, and blankets getting tangled up and tripping the patroller.
Former GM Ken Quakenbush takes the last ride up the single chair at Mad River before it was restored in 2007. Credit: Mad River Glen