January 2016 - SeniorsSkiing.com

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Jan.29)

January 28, 2016/0 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

Peek At Survey Results Hot Off The Internet, Over-The-Hill Gang Profile, Warm Toes, Alta Resort Review, and Flying Into Big Sky.

Another view of Big Dipper. Alta is known as "Skier's Paradise". Credit: Harriet Wallis

Heading down Big Dipper at Alta.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

We looked over the initial results from Subscriber Survey 2016 and realized we wanted to respond immediately to some of the questions you raised. You will find a capsule summary of responses to your questions in We Hear You. Please note that we do have a FORUM, and it can be a useful tool if you want to connect to other senior skiers. Look at the topmost dark blue menu bar, second menu pick in from the right, just to the left of ABOUT. Seems as if it’s been a best kept secret all this time. More results will be coming soon.

Curiously, one of the themes you mentioned in your survey advice was to help ski resorts and senior skiers form groups like the Over The Hill Gang that started in Copper Mountain, CO in 1976. This week, we present a profile of OHG and how it works. Can you get a gang like this together where you ski?

Our friend and skiing colleague, The Ski Diva, wrote a useful set of tips on keeping your feet warm. You know what cold feet can do to your day. Thanks to The Ski Diva for letting us reprint her advice.

SeniorsSkiing.com’s ace correspondent Harriet Wallis shows us the “Skiers’ Paradise”,—Alta— in all its glory. Alta has much to offer senior skiers, and, in this resort review, Harriet shows us some of its treasures.

And, for those who always wanted to ski Montana but found the getting there part a bit of a chore, there is news inside about a new airline route. You can get a more direct flight into Bozeman, opening up your way to Big Sky.

Preview:

Next week, we’ll be posting more data from the Subscriber Survey, a resort review of the venerable Cranmore Mountain, North Conway, NH, a profile of our favorite Nordic site in Massachusetts, more product reviews, and whatever else comes over the transom.

Meanwhile, do two things:

1) Check our FORUM. That’s where you can link up with other kindred spirits.

2) And, tell your friends about SeniorsSkiing.com.

Editorial: We Hear You.

January 28, 2016/4 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

Responses To Questions You Asked In Our Subscriber Survey

Our Second Subscriber Survey 2016 closed just this morning, and we wanted to respond right away so you know we are listening. There is some important information in here for our readers that respond to the questions you raised via the survey.

Mission—Just to be ultra clear: Our mission is to help the ski industry see the value of seniors who actively engage in snow sports. And to help you keep at it. To do that we are going to promote the senior demographic’s value proposition in as many ways as we can. One idea that is taking form in some Alpine ski areas are “Senior Days” or “Master Clinics” which are mid-week events focused on a variety of engaging activities. We have found some ski resorts that are staging these events and we are going to tell you and the industry all about them. If the idea of “Senior Days” takes off, you can help us promote it. Stay tuned. We are also going to continue to promote senior-oriented products, cover fitness ideas, influence ski instruction and describe destinations you might like.

Discounts—Where are the discounts is a big question you asked. Some immediate advice back to you: Many ski areas offer senior discounts if you buy online, especially a few days before you go and if you buy multi-day passes. There are online ticket discounters that are really making a difference. Check those out here. Other areas have deep, deep discounts for season passes if you buy in September. So, they are out there, you just have to look. Also, SeniorsSkiing.com ran its Second Annual Ski Area Survey of ski resorts to determine which were the most “senior-friendly”. Check out the results here. You guys offered more ideas here. And here’s a list of deals for seniors from Ski New Hampshire. And here’s a deal site for the Tahoe area. Thanks to the International Ski History Association, we also published a directory of ski areas in North America that offer free skiing to seniors. If you are a subscriber, you should have downloaded that when you signed up. Finally, we posted an article about where you can find senior-friendly Nordic ski resorts.

Another option for discounts is going on a package deal ski vacation with a group. We had recent articles about Roads Scholars Nordic and Alpine trips. We plan to tell you about more group travel options as we form relationships with bona fide trip organizers.

If you know of any other super deals and discounts, please let us know on the FORUM/Destinations.

Meet Ups—Another big question you asked was how to meet other like-minded seniors for skiing, socializing and hanging out. To facilitate that, we want to make sure you know about our FORUM that is apparently one of SeniorsSkiing.com’s best kept secrets. Our subscribers should already be registered to post on the FORUM. The FORUM can be found by clicking on the darker blue banner at the top, just to the left of ABOUT. We just started a new topic called Meet up/Get Together on the FORUM. Use this place to post your intentions. Ski clubs and groups can use this to announce events. Please follow the Rules For Being A Citizen Of This Forum.

We learned a lot from this Second Subscriber Survey 2016. We heard about the challenge of reading blue letters on blue background and we’re talking steps to adjust that. We also heard about the need for special ski instruction. We’re with you and have some articles planned to discuss that topic. There are many other ideas you offered and they are all interesting and much appreciated.

We are energized and excited to hear from so many of you. We appreciate your words of support and hope to hear more from you as we develop. Tell your friends. Remember, there are more of us every day, and we’re not going away.

The FORUM allows subscribers to communicate with each other.

American Airlines Introduces Direct Flights to Big Sky

January 27, 2016/0 Comments/in Home Top Box 4, West/by seniorsskiing

Now It Is Easier To Get To A Montana Destination Resort.

Now you can get a direct flight from Dallas to Bozeman. Welcome to Big Sky Country.
Credit:Michel Tallichet

American Airlines now has direct service between Dallas/Ft Worth and Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN), 40 miles from Big Sky Ski Resort. The once a day flights are scheduled through April.

Big Sky is one of America’s most spectacular resorts. It has 5800 acres spread over four peaks and sports a vertical of 4,350′, making it the longest drop in the lower 48.

It is a snow magnet, attracting on average 400″. Best of all, it’s vacant. If a few people are ahead of you in line, you’ll be talking about it that evening at one of Big Sky’s terrific lodging options.

Karst Stage provides shuttle service to the resort. Multiple car rental options are available.

Legendary Over-The-Hill-Gang A Model For Seniors

January 26, 2016/6 Comments/in Home Top Box 1, West/by seniorsskiing

Started at Copper in ’76, OHG Now Around the Globe.

[Editor Note: This report on the Over The Hill Gang was written by Steve Lipsher and originally posted on the Copper Mountain Blog. Here is a link to the original article.]

Over The Hill Gang poses on Copper Mountain. Not exactly a club, OHG is open to anyone 50+ and has spread around the globe.
Credit: Copper Mt.

It’s easy to spot members of Copper Mountain’s Over the Hill Gang: sexagenarians, septuagenarians and octogenarians blasting down the slopes – often hooting and hollering – decidedly not acting their age.

The Over the Hill Gang was created at Copper Mountain in 1976 by part time instructors Moe Mosley, Bill Magill and Tom Stein. Their vision was simple; encourage skiing as a lifelong sport for skiers over the age of 50 and share their passion of the sport.

“If it wasn’t for the OHG, I probably wouldn’t be skiing,” said Dyann Gray, explaining that for lack of companionship on the slopes many seniors simply give up skiing when spouses lose interest or physical abilities.

OHG member Norman Crawford said he probably was lucky to get in four to six days of skiing a season before joining the group. Last year he skied 50+.

Each group of eight to 10 skiers is accompanied by a certified Copper Mountain ski instructor, who serves as guide, cheerleader and low-key instructor.

“They help members improve, either when asked or when they see something that needs a little tweaking,” said Jennifer Walker, who coordinates the classes and instructors on behalf of the Copper Mountain ski school.

On a recent day with the “Club Decline” group – skiers who could ski anywhere on the mountain but who are deliberately toning it down – OHG guide Steve Hultquist offered general group guidance about technique and specific tips to individuals.

Given the suggestion to look at the spaces between the pointy moguls, for example, Gray bragged that she had “slithered” down a slope that previously had given her nightmares.

OHG member Mary Goodwin said the pro advice and gentle peer pressure/examples set by fellow skiers have produced positive results for her.

“I ski better now than I did 20 years ago because of these guys,” she said.

Many participants take delight in discussing pacemakers and replacement joints. “If you took a metal detector around here, it’d go ‘ding, ding, ding,’” Swain laughed.

The group gathers 52 days a season – Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays – and members can take advantage of special instruction, such as a two-day bump clinic, women’s workshops, and ski-school lift-line privileges.

Part ski club, part social group and all fun, the club has spawned chapters and associated groups at ski resorts around the world over its 39 years of existence. Last year OHG received the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame’s “Top of the Hill” award.

OHG is open to anyone 50 or older. Membership is $400 for the season ($200 for those 80+). Four-day mini-memberships and a one-day trial are available with cost applied to full membership to those who inevitably are hooked.

To learn more about the Over the Hill Gang, e-mail ohg@coppercolorado.com or call (970) 968-3059.

From The Ski Diva: Keep Tootsies Warm

January 26, 2016/0 Comments/in Features, Home Top Box 2, MedTech/by seniorsskiing

Advice On How To Manage Cold Feet.

Our friend and fellow online ski magazine, The Ski Diva, has just posted a really helpful article on cold feet management. This is important folks. Cold toesies can ruin your day and might even discourage you from enjoying the world of winter outdoors. Take a moment to check out The Diva’s suggestions, and feel free to add your own in COMMENTS. Click on the toes to link to her site.

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Alta, Skiers’ Paradise

January 26, 2016/12 Comments/in Home Top Box 3, Resort Reviews, West/by Harriet Wallis

Alta is all about open slopes and big vistas. Here is Big Dipper, a beautiful “blue” level run.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

It’s Vast Open Space And Powder.

Alta is the granddaddy of powder skiing. It averages 500 inches of snow a year which earns it the nickname: Skiers’ Paradise. It has wide, wide open bowls with groomed trails, but everywhere you look slopes are left au natural and full of powder. That’s ample for most senior skiers. But it also has tough, gnarly in-bounds chutes and cols that can only be reached by serious hikes.

As the day begins. Come early and park at the Albion Grill day lodge that’s just steps from your car. The sun pours in making it a cheery gathering place, and it’s the first place where seniors meet. They enjoy conversation as they boot up and fuel up with a hearty breakfast. Introduce yourself, and you’ll have instant ski friends.

Why does Alta have such wide open skiing? Ancient glaciers carved Alta. Fast forward to the days of pioneers and silver miners. They cut down the trees and hauled off the timber to shore up the mines and to build early Salt Lake City. The only thing left was stubble, and hungry sheep overgrazed it right down to the ground. Alta was a wasteland.

The U.S. Forest Service had domain over the vast area but had no clue what to do with it. That’s when it hired iconic ski jumper and legendary ski pioneer Alf Engen to check it out and see if the area had any value. Engen envisioned it as perfect for skiing – and Alta was born

Alta skiers, and especially senior skiers, are avid about the uniquely vast terrain with its wide open slopes. Watch this 95 year old senior ski Alta.

Lunch time. After a few laps on Supreme and Sugarloaf lifts, drop into Alf’s mid-mountain restaurant about 11 a.m. That’s when members of Alta’s Wild Old Bunch gather at the restaurant’s only round table. They’ll be having coffee or lunch and exchanging notes on their morning of skiing. It’s the second place where you can make more senior friends.

Buy a hot beverage at Alf’s and enjoy a free refill. My personal favorite is hot chocolate topped with a mound of whipped cream.

While at Alf’s, go to the farthest corner, and you’ll find fascinating photos of Alta’s past.

What else can I do? Alta has extensive rentals and demos, so check out some of the latest gear, especially if it’s a powder day.

On weekends and holidays meet trained naturalists at 1:30 p.m. at the top of the Sunnyside lift and take a tour to learn about the area’s environment, animals, and history. A Tour With a Ranger will not disappoint.

SeniorsSkiing.com’s correspondent Harriet Wallis and friend have a cuppa java at the end of the day.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

Wrap up the day with a specialty brew at Alta Java, an outdoor coffee bar at snow level just beneath the Albion Grill where you started.

I want to stay. Alta is within a national forest, so there are no shopping centers or high rise hotels. There are several lovely slopeside hotels that blend into the landscape and are scarcely noticeable. But book early if you want to stay there because they’re very popular.

Evening activities include fireside history talks and other local events. Alta is eat, sleep, ski. Repeat.

Bare bones facts.

1) Skiers only. Alta does not allow snowboards.

2) Convenient. Alta is just 45 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport. If you stay in the city you can take a frequent UTA ski bus to the mountain.

3) Stats. 2,200 acres, 116 named runs, 7 chair lifts, and a surface rope tow that’s a hoot. You can ride both directions across the flat base area. Of course you don’t need to use it because you can ski all around the mountain. But it’s a novelty that you’ll find only at Alta.

4) Eat. Mid-mountain and base area restaurants.

5) Orion and the dippers. Enjoy the stars in the night sky because there are no interfering lights.

6) The Wild Old Bunch. If you missed Alta’s senior skiers at lunch, join them at Sweet Tomatoes, a soup and salad buffet restaurant on Union Park Avenue in Midvale. They gather every Wednesday night year round for dinner and conversation.

Bottom Line:

Alta has a $699 season pass for 65 to 79. It’s $50 for 80 plus. During the season, there are no senior discounts, but you can get reduced prices online, especially if you buy four days ahead of your visit. Weekdays passes can be bought for about $73 online if you plan ahead, otherwise it’s about $89. Multi-day discounts are also offered, the more days you buy, the lower the per day rate. See the Alta website for details.

Alta Trail Map

Another view of Big Dipper. Alta is known as “Skiers’ Paradise”.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Jan.22)

January 22, 2016/0 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

Interesting Product and Resort Reviews, Big City Skiing and Poll Results.

With Big Snow finally coming to the East Coast, we are getting the dust off our snow sports equipment. Next week, we’ll have some reporting about classic New England skiing and, with the Mid-Atlantic getting whomped, we expect to hear from our contributors down there about new-found snow.

Move over, Big Papi, Big Air is coming to Fenway. Spectators can oo-ha on Feb 12-13.

This week’s issue

From contributor Pat McCloskey, read about HoliMont, a relatively low-key private ski club in Western New York State. We’re planning an article on private ski clubs in general but this one is an interesting preview. Lots of programs for families and it’s open to non-members during the week.

Paul Foy reviews a collapsible water bottle from Hydrapac that helps solve the problem of how to hydrate on the hill. Dehydration is a real menace, especially in seniors, and doubly especially for seniors in higher altitudes, so this one is worth paying attention to.

We also trace a phenomenon that’s been going on in different places and different ways for a while: Skiing in the city. Tokyo, New York and now Boston are making different attempts to bring the mountain to the town. LATE BREAKING NEWS: WINTER JAM IN NEW YORK THIS WEEKEND HAS BEEN CANCELLED. REASON: TOO MUCH SNOW EXPECTED! GO FIGURE.

We are publishing the results of our Reader Poll about ski patrollers lifting tickets from speeders. This one has us scratching our heads. Check the results and tell us what you think the data is saying.

Finally, correspondent Harriet Wallis visits Snowbasin and finds that local Farm-to-Table produce and meats have been embraced by the chefs. Serious dining on the mountain, folks.

Subscriber Survey Reminder

We’ve been blown away by the response to our second Subscriber Survey 2016. Thanks to all who have responded. But, we’d like to hear from those who haven’t. Shortly after our weekly issue gets delivered this morning, you’ll receive a reminder to take the survey. Please take five minutes and respond. Last time. Big finale. It helps us help you. Thanks.

Good Luck, Mid-Atlantic States.

SeniorsSkiing Guide: HoliMont Ski Club, Ellicottville, NY

January 21, 2016/2 Comments/in Resort Reviews/by Pat McCloskey

What’s It Like To Ski At A Private Club?

History and Programs

HoliMont stages a host of racing programs. The resort is located in the western tier of New York state.
Credit: HoliMont

In 1932, William Merk observed the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid and vowed to start a ski area in his home in Western New York. His years of skiing with the Ellicottville Ski Club on Fish Hill and the Greer and Holiday Valley peaks inspired him to start a private ski club in 1961. The first trail was built in that year and seven more were cut the following year. As chairlifts were installed in subsequent years, the membership grew to include not only local skiers, but a robust contingent of Canadians who loved the area and joined the membership.

Today, HoliMont is a vibrant private ski club—the largest one in North America— which has programs that include intra club racing, junior racing, junior alpine travel teams, snowboard and freestyle teams along with adaptive programs and a Christmas Ski Camp. They have a wonderful ski school that is affiliated with PSIA and several PSIA examiners and board members on staff.

Terrain

HoliMont has eight lifts serving over 50 trails. See the Trail Map for details. The elevation is modest but with all those trails and lifts, you’ll be making lots of runs per day. Key benefit of a private ski club: No lift lines and great restaurants.

Culture

With eight lifts and over 50 trials, HoliMont is the largest private ski club in North America. Credit: Paul McCloskey

With eight lifts and over 50 trials, HoliMont is the largest private ski club in North America.
Credit: Pat McCloskey

With over 200 inches of natural snowfall coming off the Great Lakes, along with a state of the art snowmaking system, HoliMont has a lot to offer the membership. But what about a guy like me who wants to ski there but is not a member? Fear not, for HoliMont is open to the public during the week, and you have the place virtually to yourself. The atmosphere is pleasant as the area is very well run. Families do come during the week, and you can see different generations of skiers eating lunch at a beautifully set table with crock pots simmering on the shelves in the lodge. The aromas are intoxicating. HoliMont is a family area whether you have a membership or you choose to come during the week.

Bottom Line

The trip to Ellicottville, NY, located about an hour south of Buffalo, is noteworthy in that it is quite rural and beautiful with the snow covered farms and hillsides that line the way to the entrance to the town. EVL, as it is called, is home to quaint establishments, ski and mountain bike shops, and great restaurants including the Ellicottville Brewery which is not to be missed.

For more information on membership, go to the HoliMont Ski Area website or call 716-699- 2320 for more information. Weekday rates for non-members are $56 for adults and $50 for 70+. You can go on a weekend if your reservation is made by a member. There is a limit to how many times you can ski on weekends, by the way. Members can only invite the same guest a designated number of times. The weekend rates are adults $70. There don’t appear to be weekend senior discounts. If you go during the week, chances are you might see my wife and me. We are the ones already enjoying the Lake Erie fluff.

Trail Map

Here’s the promo video from HoliMont.

Product Review: Goodbye, Water Bottle. Hello Hydrapak.

January 21, 2016/0 Comments/in Accessories/by Paul Foy

Dehydration Comes Easy When Skiing: Collapsible Water Bottle Is An Answer.

Staying hydrated on the slopes is important, but rigid plastic water bottles are a pain to carry in a parka. Hydrapak makes soft and pliable water bottles that fit comfortably in the pocket.

Paul tested the SoftFlask. Fits in a parka pocket.
Credit: Hydrapak

We tested Hydrapak’s half-liter SoftFlask sports bottle over a few days on the hill. The 500-ml version held enough water without crowding a chest pocket, and it fit the palm securely. Made of BP-free thermoplastic polyurethane, it had no noticeable off-taste for some users. The company says it’s developing “no-taste” containers for sensitive palates.

The plastic cap is a bit unwieldy, and it took some practice to twist the valve open and closed. But it seals tightly with no leaks. A rubber nipple makes it easy to take a swig when the valve is open. The flask collapses to a small fraction of its size when empty. It retails for $20.

Hydrapak sells larger flexible water bottles with an ingenious design. These 750-ml and 1-liter Stash bottles resemble a Nalgene bottle but don’t take up valuable real estate inside pack or pocket when drained. They stand up full or empty, thanks to a rigid top and bottom, yet can be twisted and folded into a small disk when empty. The 1-liter retails for $23.

Most of Hydrapak’s business is with brand partners, notably Osprey Packs, which

Here’s the Stash. Notice it collapses down into a hockey puck. Many colors available.
Credit: Hydrapak

incorporates the company’s reversible water reservoirs into backpacks with drinking tubes. The smaller flasks are for runners, skiers and anyone looking for a compact water container. Dishwasher-safe, they’re just as easy to hand-wash with mild soap.

Hydrapak claims its sports bottles are rugged enough to survive being run-over by a car. These portable, collapsible reservoirs work well. Now there’s no reason for not hydrating throughout an active ski day.

Cool Time: Skiing In The City

January 20, 2016/0 Comments/in Features/by mikemaginn

Urban Skiing/Boarding: The Mountain Comes To You (Temporarily)

SSAWS indoor ski dome near Tokyo was demolished in 2002.
Credit: Morio/Wikipedia

Every once in a while, a curious idea becomes a reality. Why not bring snow to the city and provide a place for people to have a great winter experience? In Japan, the reality involved a $400-million investment in an indoor ski-a-rama called Lalaporte Ski Dome SSWAS. Built in 1993 in Chiba near Tokyo, it featured a 800 meter run and, at the time, was the largest indoor ski venue in the world. The vision melted with the extended Japanese recession; the structure was demolished in 2002.

But the idea of skiing in the city still has legs. Lots of people go cross-country skiing in New York’s Central Park; when we lived on the Upper West side several decades ago, the park was where we learned how to divine the right color wax for our wooden skis. Now, the city is planning a Winter Jam in the park where city folks can have a taste of snow sports. [EDITOR NOTE: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO AN EXPECTED BLIZZARD THIS WEEKEND ON THE EAST COAST. CUE THE IRONY.] On Jan. 23rd, the NYC Parks Department and the Olympic Regional Development authority will bring Gore Mountain snow guns in to create a 15-foot-high snow mound and enough white stuff to cover a football-field-sized area. There will be free skiing, snowboard, sledding, snowshoeing, lessons, hot chocolate, and the inevitable snowball fight. Here’s a video from a previous Winter Jam.

Not to be outdone, Boston is also getting into the snow-in-the-city derby. The US Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) is staging a Polartec Big Air event in, wait for it, Fenway Park, home of the vaunted Red Sox. While the public can’t actually take to the snow, on February 11 and 12, they can watch top snow board and ski competitors doing aerials off a gigantic, 140-foot high ramp that stretches from deep center field to home base. This is actually an International Ski Federation (FIS) sanctioned event, featuring Olympic champs and hopefuls. [Note to organizers: Don’t get too close to the Green Monster.]

Since Boston declined to participate in the selection process for the 2020 Summer Olympics, perhaps this is an opening gambit for the 2026 Winter games. Maybe not.

Move over, Big Papi, Big Air is coming to Fenway. Spectators can cheer the aerialists on Feb 11-12.

Poll Results: Help Us Interpret This

January 19, 2016/6 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

What’s going on here?

Poll results are in. A clear majority of SeniorsSkiing.com respondents have never seen a ski patroller lift a ticket from a speeding skier. One out of five have seen that happen only once. Interestingly, early results from our Subscriber Survey 2016 suggest that speeding skiers are a problem for seniors. Your thoughts?

Have you ever looked uphill and seen this guy coming?
Credit: US Ski Team

Dine On A Local Cow—Or Lamb—Or Carrot

January 18, 2016/1 Comment/in Nutrition, West/by Harriet Wallis

Locally Sourced Foods Are Catching On.

Snowbasin Executive Chef Scott Sniggs (l) with Executive Sous Chef Aric Glanville.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

At Snowbasin, Utah, chefs have embraced locally sourced meats including beef, lamb and elk, vegetables, cheeses and honey. Their dinner creations get rave reviews. Every bite comes from less than 50 miles away.

Other resorts also find that local fare makes sense. Ask around in your area to learn which resort restaurants are going local. It’s a win-win for all: the farmer, rancher, restaurant, and you ,the diner.

For Snowbasin, it’s an environmental decision. The resort concentrates on working hand in hand with local suppliers throughout the year. “If I can find it locally, I source it there,” said Executive Chef Scott Sniggs. ” I want to support and showcase what’s around us.”

Local resident John Borski is a Julliard-trained ballet dancer turned organic farmer who supplies the resort with garden fresh vegetables.

“When I lived in New York City, I paid a fortune for fresh produce. But apples fell off my grandmother’s tree here in Utah, and she threw them away,” he said. “I was looking for something that wouldn’t require an entire ballet company!” He’s passionate about working his four-acre organic farm. “I’m out before daylight digging up potatoes by flashlight to deliver them fresh,” he said.

Dinner with a view at Snowbasin’s mid-mountain restaurant.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

Likewise, Wes Crandall, a young rancher in a plaid shirt and cowboy hat, raises the locally famous Morgan Valley lambs. They’re also organic—open range, grass fed with no steroids, no hormones, and no antibiotics.

Restaurants that use locally sourced foods might offer you a new experience for your dining pleasure. Bon appetite.

Snowbasin, located near Ogden, was the 2002 Winter Olympics venue for the men’s and women’s downhill, super G and combined ski races. It offers specialty dining events throughout the year.

Organic spinach, carrots and lamb topped with a wildflower.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (January 15)

January 14, 2016/0 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

Finally Snow In The Sierra, Mt. Rose and The Chutes, Road Scholar Report, Product Ideas, Action Camera Reviews and All About Nordic Ski Binding Choices.

You can’t see it but these folks are smiling as they skip to the lifts at Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows.

Thankfully this week, the snow began to fall and the temperature dip in the Northeast. New England snow machines are making the “cold gold” and snow sport seniors are in full swing. Meanwhile, the West has been experiencing huge dumps of snow. Our San Francisco-based correspondent Rose Marie Cleese brings us news of the very happily snow-covered Sierras in her round-up of resort snow conditions.

Gate to a chute on Mt. Rose, double-black, steep, and fun. Credit: Pat McCloskey

Gate to the Chutes at Mt. Rose. Steepness ahead. Credit: Pat McCloskey

In another in our series of SeniorsSkiing Guides, our new contributor Pat McCloskey recounts his first trip to Mt. Rose with its challenging Chute collection of steeps. Find out how seniors can economize on the price of a day ticket.

Correspondent Steve Hines is an avid outdoorsman, Wilderness First Responder and knowledgeable REI staff person. For seniors who are contemplating starting or returning to Nordic skiing, Steve outlines the basic kinds of bindings currently on the market and rates them in terms of “ease of use.”

SLC-based Jan Brunvand recollects his experience with ElderHostel, now Roads Scholar. There are several different learn-and-ski Alpine and Nordic Road Scholar trips available; the groups are small, the prices reasonable and the friendship fast and firm. Check out his past trips with the group, and, if you’ve been on one of these, tell us about it.

SeniorsSkiing.com regular correspondent Harriet Wallis was at the OR (Outdoor Retail) Show in SLC last week and scoured the floor for interesting and useful products for seniors. She collected five good product ideas for you to contemplate. Here’s her on-the-scene report.

Finally, we had a chance to review the TomTom Bandit action camera, the newest entry in the “stick on your helmet” field. It has excellent optics and a cool “shake-and-edit” feature that allows you to create an instant video ready for sending to friends and family via cyberspace.

Watch Out For Our Subscriber’s Survey

You can expect to see our Second Annual Subscriber Survey to appear in your inbox shortly after you receive this week’s issue of SeniorsSkiing.com. This year, we’re offering a few incentives for you to complete this short (five minutes, honest) survey. Last year, we had an incredible 50 percent response rate. Come on, guys and gals, let’s hear from you.

It’s Snow Sport Heaven This Season In The Sierra Nevada!

January 14, 2016/0 Comments/in West/by Rose Marie Cleese

All Systems Go As The Snow Keeps Falling On Sierra Resorts.

"There's no comparison to last season" at Dodge Ridge. Everyone is happy! Credit: Dodge Ridge

“There’s no comparison to last season” at Dodge Ridge. Everyone is happy! Almost 180 inches so far this year. Check the mounds of “cold gold” on the trees.
Credit: Dodge Ridge

As the East Coast got a taste the last couple of months of what’s it like when the inclement winter weather fails to show up, the situation has been quite different on the West Coast. After four years of a crippling drought, the rains have returned to the flatlands and the snow to the Sierra Nevada mountains. Although California is not home-free yet drought-wise, things were looking good when the California Department of Water Resources did its December 30th water content survey off Highway 50 near Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort. The snow depth this year was 54.7” or 136 percent of the January 1st average. A year ago, the snowpack state-wide was at just 50 percent of normal.

After barely being able to open the last two ski seasons, Homewood Mountain Resort is no longer suffering from its location right above the shores of Lake Tahoe, finally enjoying a bumper crop of snow and a five-foot-deep base.
Credit: Homewood

Although there haven’t yet been any of the legendary Sierra storms that can dump up to eight feet of snow in a couple of days, the small yet persistent stream of snowfalls thus far this winter has resulted in a gangbuster season. Every single ski resort in the Sierra is open (some opened as early as Thanksgiving), with all or most lifts operating. And the base and peak numbers for the high-altitude resorts are impressive (as of January 13): Mammoth, 75”–115”; Kirkwood, 76”–80”; Sugar Bowl, 57”–96”; Mt. Rose, 63”–92”, as are the stats at resorts that struggled mightily to open last year: Homewood, 60”–76”; Dodge Ridge, 50”–72”; Badger Pass (Yosemite), 60”–72”.

“There’s no comparison to last season; it’s been night and day,” says Jeff Hauff, marketing and sales director at Dodge Ridge. “It’s phenomenal. Everybody’s happy! We’ve had a total of 179” of snowfall so far this winter, with 38” in just this last week. It’s been staying really cold, in the teens and 20s.” That would be “California cold” to our Midwest and East Coast readers!

Those cold temperatures are giving Sierra Nevada skiers an experience they don’t often have: day after day of FLUFFY white stuff to fly through rather than having to deal with “Sierra cement.” Plus the combination of smaller storms with spaces in between them has made the trip “up to the mountains” much less of an ordeal than it often is.

The San Francisco Chronicle’s outdoors writer, Tom Stienstra, headed to the Sierra recently and observed in his latest column that he had run into “dozens of people who said they had not skied in years, and some said they had been away for more than 10 years.” Nothing like a four-year drought to make people long for those idyllic days on the slopes! If El Niño continues to deliver like it has been for the first two weeks of January, Californians will have ample opportunities to get their ski and board on this season…and on powder if temperatures continue to stay low!

Editor Note: Here’s a cool video from Sugar Bowl about the El Ninuary experience in the Sierra.

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Mt. Rose and The Chutes

January 13, 2016/4 Comments/in Resort Reviews/by Pat McCloskey

Tahoe Area Has A Big Surprise For An Eastern Newbie.

Gate to a chute on Mt. Rose, double-black, steep, and fun.
Credit: Pat McCloskey

For many years, I drove up the Mt. Rose Highway out of Reno and passed the Mt. Rose Ski Area on my way to Incline Village, Nevada. It seems like Mt. Rose has been a favorite of the Reno locals for years and when I finally skied it a couple of years ago for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised. It has become a regular stop on my ski trips to the Tahoe region in Nevada.

Lift To Lot Access

Personally, I like areas where you can drive into the parking lot, put on your boots, walk a couple of hundred feet and get on the lift. You can do that at Rose.

Snow and Terrain

The area has a nice family feel to it. Great groomers to warm up with and then you can make your way to a series of lift-serviced chutes aptly named, “The Chutes”. This skiing is not for the faint of heart and if you can’t make quick turns on some pretty steep vertical, you really should not pass through the gates. Every year I go there, it is the first wake up call for me that I am once again out West on non- groomed steep terrain where you better be paying attention. If we are fortunate enough to have powder conditions, The Chutes are wonderful. They are steep enough that you have to view the snow report and make sure that the avalanche conditions are in check. Not often do you get steep terrain like this inside the boundaries of a ski area.

Culture

The Mt. Rose chutes from a distance.
Credit: Pat McCloskey

One day, a few years back, we saw a group of guys with baggy clothes and full-face helmets blasting down the Chutes howling and laughing and having a great time. We saw them at lunch in the lodge and when they took off their helmets, there were gray beards and gray hairs everywhere. I introduced myself and remarked that we thought they were a bunch of kids with their garb and how well they skied. They appreciated the comments and said that they have been skiing together since they were 16 years old. These guys were all in their 60s. They motocross together all summer. Great bunch of guys who have called Rose their winter home for close to 50 years. Similar groups like these are common at Rose especially the retired set from Reno who only travel 25 minutes to the ski area.

Bottom Line

Mt. Rose has special Silver Ski Clinics designed for wiser, more experienced skiers ages 50 and older who are at skill level of lower intermediate to advanced, interested in the newer movement patterns used with shaped skis and/or improving their skiing technique. That’s on Fridays and Mondays in the morning for $25 plus the price of a lift ticket.

Mt Rose also has other specials if you look for them. The standard $104.00 day ticket ($94 if you buy online) is not the only option. Midweek specials include Two Fer Tuesdays ($104.00 for two adult tickets), and Ladies Day Thursdays ($29.00 per adult ticket), great pre-season pass rates and a $20 shuttle from Reno. Check the web site for specials and more information.

Comparing Five XC Ski Bindings for “Ease of Use”

January 13, 2016/6 Comments/in Accessories/by Steve Hines

SeniorsSkiing Correspondent and Cross Country Expert Rates The Big Five Bindings.

You’ve paid for your trail pass and are ready to head out on the trails at your favorite xc ski touring center. How easy is it to put your skis? In this review, I discuss five common binding types, the key features of each, and I rate them on a scale from 1-5 on its “ease of use” (1 being easiest and 5 most difficult).

Unless you’re a ski racer or have some other unique requirement, five types of cross country are available.

Five types of common XC bindings shown on their respective boots.

NN (Three Pin)

The three pin is the oldest of the five bindings and still used by some skiers. (Editor Note: We have a pair of wooden skis and leather boots to match with four pin bindings we still use; these relics are pre-three pin.) But for most touring purposes it has been replaced by more modern designs. When putting your skis on you must be careful to align the three pins on the binding with the three holes in the toe of the boot before closing the clamp (as shown below).

NN or 3-pin Binding and Boot.

NN EASE OF USE SCORE = 3

NNN and NNN-BC

This is the binding used by most ski touring centers for their rental skis. The pivot bar is close to the toe of the boot (as shown below); with the idea being you can almost see where to align it with the clip on the binding. I’ve been to a lot of ski touring centers and observed beginners, recreational and occasional skiers using the NNN binding. Many struggle mightily to get clipped into the ski. I also find that if any ice or dirt gets in the binding, the binding spring gets jammed.

NNN Binding and Boot

NNN EASE OF USE SCORE = 4

The Salomon SNS Profil

The SNS Profil works like the NNN and NNN-BC bindings (see illustration below). They are a little easier to use because the pivot point is even closer to the toe so you have a chance of seeing what you’re doing. Overall, though, the experience is frustratingly similar to the NNNs.

Salomon SNS Profil Binding and Boot

SALOMON SNS PROFIL EASE OF USE SCORE = 4

The Salomon SNS Pilot

Originally designed for ski racers, the Salomon SNS Pilot has two pivot bars on the boot and clips on the binding which provides additional control. This is also a great binding if you wish to take up skate skiing. In an experiment, I attached the SNS Pilot bindings to a pair of touring skis. The result was surprising. Stepping into these bindings was incredibly easy. The rear pivot bar is used as a guide and the front pivot aligns with the clip. Then with a simple press of the forefoot the binding snaps on. This is a great package for the traditional or classic ski strider like me.

Salomon SNS Pilot Binding and Boot

SALOMON SNS PILOT EASE OF USE SCORE = 1

Bottom Line: My experiment with the SNS Pilot binding worked the best for the ease of use criteria. Clicking in and out of this binding with recreational (touring) skis was a snap. I feel like I have very good control of my skis when on the snow and turning is a breeze.

What’s your XC binding of choice? How does it work for you?

Have You Tried Learn-And-Ski Trips With Other Seniors?

January 13, 2016/0 Comments/in Destinations/by Jan Brunvand

Before Road Scholar, there was Elderhostel.

My wife and I did 11 downhill learn-and-ski trips with Elderhostels from 1999 through 2009 when the programs were listed in a paper catalog, and registration was mailed in. We drove to most of the Western resorts from our home in Salt Lake City. For Tahoe and Winter Park, we took Amtrak, which was convenient, scenic, and relaxing. The skiing always top notch, and we were always lucky with snow conditions.

This is the average size of a Roads Scholar group. Taken at Crested Butte.
Credit: Jan Brunvand

Every program was first rate. I assume the Road Scholar downhill skiing programs are similar. [Editor note: Road Scholar ski trips include Alpine and Nordic destinations.] We’re signed up for the one at Telluride in February.

Each program started Sunday with a get-acquainted dinner. Most participants meet then for the first time, although sometimes a ski club or group of family or friends had signed up together. We skied four or five days with guides or instructors available.

As with all Elderhostel/Road Scholar programs, the price covered everything, and participation was flexible. For example, I was not interested in early morning stretching or warm ups (OK, maybe I should have been) so, with other fanatics, I would ski first tracks on the mountain while the prudent others were tuning up. If someone, after a day of skiing, was too bushed to show up for an evening lecture, nobody criticized.

On a couple of occasions when it had snowed hard the night before our guide would suggest that we simply hit the fresh powder on his favorite runs instead of taking our scheduled guided tour. Nobody argued with that.

Lodging was usually a motel or hotel in town, but at Schweitzer Mountain and Grand Targhee we were housed right at the resort—ski-in, ski-out. The most impressive housing we experienced was Buck’s T-4 Lodge near Big Sky resort. The simplest was the Red Fox Alpine Lodge in Vermont where we had bunk beds, and the facilities were down the hall. All places we stayed were clean, comfortable, and cozy.

Here’s a portion of a Roads Scholar group at Craftsbury Outdoor, VT., enjoying the XC trails.
Credit: Road Scholars

Breakfasts were in the lodging; lunches were usually vouchers for on-hill restaurants or in a sack. Dinners were either at the ski area or in town. Our favorite experience was at Crested Butte where we stayed in a remodeled miners’ boarding house with a self-service cash bar. Dinners were at a different place each evening.

Educational components varied, ranging from avalanche awareness, winter ecology, and local history, to Shakespeare’s sonnets, jazz history, and Western films and art. At Tahoe’s Cal-Neva hotel, we learned about casino gambling from a blackjack dealer. At Grand Targhee, high school students illustrated their research on capturing and tagging Wolverines.

I’m not sure why Judy and I drifted away from Elderhostel ski trips after 2009. Possibly, it was influenced by the weak pun of changing the name to Road Scholar (just kidding) or the necessity of looking up programs on the Internet instead of browsing paper catalogs.

We are looking forward to our February trip to Telluride, a place we skied just one day long ago. Here’s our chance to get to know the area better. Road Scholars on skis, here we come!

Five Senior-Favored Products

January 12, 2016/0 Comments/in Accessories/by Harriet Wallis

I found them at the Outdoor Retailers Winter Market.

“Come into my office and let’s talk business.” A buyer and seller seal a deal while sitting in the OR Show’s prime office space—a tent.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

It’s the largest show of its kind in the U.S., and it’s where manufacturers strut their stuff and retailers place orders for next year. The show is the launch pad for innovative products as well as redos of existing products.

I was on the hunt for products that would appeal to senior skiers. After walking down aisle after aisle, my eyes glazed over with too many socks, boots, jackets, snowshoes, and gadgets.

The show covers acres within Salt Lake City’s convention center. A limited number of passes are issued for media writers and photographers – such as SeniorSkiing.com. That’s how I got there.

I kept asking myself: “What would seniors like?” Here’s what I found:

Wool. This natural material regains popularity. The Johnson Woolen Mills in Johnson, Vermont, has produced American made wool products for 173 years. It’s a 4th generation company.

Refuel. Power Bar just launched a gluten free protein shake. Drink it to refuel at lunchtime or as a recovering drink as you head home. I tried it and like it. Currently available in convenience stores and bike shops.

Rehydrate with electrolytes. Drop a Nuun tablet into your water bottle and hydrate with electrolytes and without calories. New and improved with many subtle flavors. Nunn was invented about 11 years ago by a triathlete who wanted just water and electrolytes. I learned of Nuun when I did a story about the U.S. Ski Team’s executive chef and his recommendations for just regular athletes like us.

Sun protection. Sol is a highly effective sunscreen compounded from rub-in zinc and pharmaceutical-grade ingredients. Testing shows it doesn’t sting eyes or destroy fabrics and it stays on until you wash it off with soap and water. Available at dermatologists, some resorts and online. I tried the lip protector and it really stays on.

Goggle saver. It’s hard to stuff your expensive goggles into their snazzy bag to protect them. This elasticized cover does the job quickly.

All photos—Credit: Harriet Wallis

Product Review: Shake It With TomTom Bandit

January 12, 2016/1 Comment/in Accessories/by mikemaginn

Action Camera Comes With Instant Editing.

It’s good to have a rival—Macy’s has Gimbel’s, the Red Sox have the Yankees, Holmes has his match in Moriarty. Everyone gets much sharper with a decent competitor. And so it is with action cameras.

TomTom Bandit Action Camera has a 4-way navigation button on top. The camera has many attachment devices.
Credit: SeniorsSkiing.com

The ubiquitous GoPro, the current market leader, has almost become a verb, as in “I GoPro-ed my last run, and I can’t wait to see it.” Enter a new rival in the action camera market—the TomTom Bandit from the company that made its mark in GPS technologies, bringing navigation features to running and golf watches, car dashboards, motorcycle handle bars, fitness devices and more. Now, the TomTom Bandit has not only quality optics and a variety of choices for video or photo making, but a unique way to get your clips spliced together and posted to social media.

You’d expect a competitive action camera to have a high standard for video and photo quality; it’s the price of admission for this kind of product. And the Bandit certainly looks terrific on a cell phone display. TomTom Bandit has slow-mo, time-lapse, standard video and stills, with options for wide angle or normal lens, and different speeds.

Key Feature: Shaking the phone assembles a collection of clips into a video. Add music and viola.

Key Feature: Shaking your SmartPhone assembles a collection of clips into a video. Add music and viola.

Here come the differentiators. When on your skis (bike, sky-dive, etc.), the Bandit uses built-in motion sensors to tag clips that mark action segments, based on your speed, rotation, g-force, vertical descent and acceleration (and optionally, your heart rate). You can also mark these manually as they happen by hitting a button on the camera or using a remote button linked to the device.

When you combine these highlights, you get a video that can be instantly available for sending into cyberspace. How? The TomTom Bandit connects wirelessly to your SmartPhone which has an awaiting, free TomTom Bandit app . Now get this. When you shake your phone (like a Martini, kind of), the highlight reel shows up on your phone. The app actually edits together a collection of six-second snips from your clip collection. You can add a music track (from your music library on your SmartPhone), audio narration and then blast it to whatever destination you choose from Facebook to Instant Message to email or whatever. A key benefit of all this is rapid and simple dissemination of your exciting moments.

We had a chance to give the Bandit a test flight. Because of the snow drought here in New England, we went for a walk around Appleton Farm, just across the street instead of cross-country skiing which was the original plan. Here is what we learned about using the TomTom Bandit.

It is good to have a tech-savvy son, daughter or son-in-law handy to give you the big picture instructions before you get going. The instruction manual that comes with the packaging is limited to the very basics. Only after doing some online searching did we find the main, down-loadable reference/instruction manual. That was thoughtfully done and thorough.

Pairing my SmartPhone (iPhone 6) with the camera took some trials; referencing the steps to take in the online reference manual helped. The controls aren’t intuitive; you do have to find and follow the instructions.

When we went for our trial walk, we tried to walk fast (to simulate exciting moments), pressed the Highlight button on the camera several times. (Note: You can use your SmartPhone as a view finder for the camera.) Back in the office, we followed instructions on the SmartPhone app to “Create a Story”, shook our phone, (that felt a little odd, but it worked) added a sound track from our iTunes library and sent it to family via instant message. We repeated the process with a series of videos around the office, but we couldn’t immediately lock on to the wireless connection to our phone; it eventually did pair up, though.

We also found the On-Off buttons—they are separately mounted on the camera—were a little hard to press with gloves in. Having a remote control would most likely help a lot.

The TomTom Bandit comes with various devices that allow you to attach it to helmets or poles. There’s also a waterproof lens; the Bandit is waterproof to 50 meters. The camera retails for about $396.99 on Amazon. There’s a premium pack with remote control, various mounts and waterproof lens cover for $496.99.

Bottom Line: TomTom Bandit has some nice features like shake-and-edit-then-send, but it does take some fiddling and diddling to get comfortable in operating them. Video quality is excellent which makes all that learning worth it. In all, a camera for seniors who want to show their grandkids the thrills and beauty of the outdoors.

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (January 8)

January 7, 2016/0 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

An elegant skier, Stein Eriksen was an Olympian, instructor, skiing ambassador and charming personality.
Credit: Deer Valley

Resort Reviews, Remembering Stein.

As part of our new SeniorsSkiing Guides, we have two new resort reviews to check out. These reviews are designed to focus on aspects of different ski areas—Alpine and Nordic—that are “senior-friendly.” New contributor Jan Brunvand tells us about Powder Mountain, north of Salt Lake City, the second largest ski area in North America. (Bet you didn’t know that.) He shares the incredible bargain “PowMow” has for certain seniors.

XCSkiResorts.com publisher Roger Lohr offers his advice to seniors on Alpine and Nordic skiing Bretton Woods in the shadow of Mount Washington, NH. He even gives you some starter-kit routes to follow, a helpful guide for newbie visitors.

Finally, Co-Publisher Jon Weisberg remembers his personal encounters with Stein Eriksen, the ski legend who passed away this week.

Previewing Next Week’s Issue

Coming up next week expect to see our Sierra Roundup about what’s happening in the snow-laden West, thoughts about ski instruction for seniors and more product reviews. We’ll post our highly interesting poll results about Ski Patrollers lifting lift tickets. Have you participated in our poll yet?

We welcome your article ideas and comments; let’s hear from you!

Also, we are launching our Second Subscriber Survey soon. Look for it in your email and please help us by responding.

Tell Your Friends

Finally, tell your friends about SeniorsSkiing.com; send them a link and let them see for themselves what we trying to do. We are a grass-roots effort, a group of snow sport enthusiasts with an awesome team of correspondents and contributors who see a need to give seniors a voice in a youth-focused industry. Our mission is to raise the profile of seniors who love snow sports, sharing news and ideas for “senior-friendliness” to all. As one of the members of our Advisory Board said, “There are more of us every day, and we are not going away.”

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Powder Mountain—Second Biggest Resort

January 6, 2016/4 Comments/in Resort Reviews/by Jan Brunvand

Mega But Low Key Resort Close To Salt Lake City Has True Bargains For Seniors.

SeniorsSkiing.com Resort Reviewer Jan Brunvand has found lots of value at Powder Mountain.
Credit: Jan Brunvard

Until this season Powder Mountain ski resort advertised, “More than 7,000 acres. The largest resort in the United States. A hidden gem.” Now that Vail Corp. combined Canyons and Park City Mountain Resort into 7,300 skiable acres, the claim of largest no longer stands. But Powder Mountain—PowMow to locals—is still the hidden gem of Utah’s fourteen ski resorts. For seniors, it’s a bargain. An adult day pass is $73, and a Senior pass (age 62-74) is $55. Seventy-five on up, everyone skis free. For the convenience of not going to the ticket window, a super senior season pass is available for $20.

Regardless of age and ticket price, PowMow offers 144 named runs, four chairlifts, two surface lifts, countless acres of back country powder, a “Mountain Adventures” program to access the powder, and three lodges that may charitably be described as “rustic.”

PowMow is 55 miles from the Salt Lake City Airport. The easy way to get there is to drive north on I-15, exit

Distance from parking lot to lodge: short and convenient.
Credit: Jan Brunvand

at Ogden’s 12th Street, and follow the signs up Ogden Canyon through the small town of Eden to the steep winding access road. A more scenic way follows I-84 East to the Huntsville/Mountain Green exit, then along Trapper’s Loop past Snowbasin ski resort, across the dam at Pineview Reservoir, on to Eden, etc. This route runs 61 miles from my driveway to the upper parking lot of PowMow. UTA bus service costs just $2.25 for seniors (exact change only), one way, and can be picked up at various places in Ogden or along the way. See the Powder Mountain website for schedules and details.

On the final Wednesday in 2015, I compiled my top four reasons for sometimes driving to PowMow rather than to Alta, the nearer senior skiing hotspot. (1. Extensive terrain, 2. Elegant lodges (just kidding), 3. Close up parking, 4. $20 pass for Super Seniors.) I stopped at four only because I was having too much fun skiing PowMow’s long, scenic, uncrowded runs.

Powder Mountain Trail Map

Reviewer Jan gleefully shows off his $20 season pass for 75+ skiers.
Credit; Jan Brunvand

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Bretton Woods—A Triple Play Resort

January 6, 2016/0 Comments/in Features, Resort Reviews/by Roger Lohr

Roger Lohr, Publisher of XCSkiResorts.Com, Reports On Bretton Woods’ Snow Assets: Alpine, Nordic, Historic Hotels.

The magnificent Omni Mt. Washington Hotel lies at the base of Bretton Woods’ Mt. Rosebrook.
Credit: Bretton Woods

Bretton Woods is part of the Omni Mount Washington Resort at the southern base of the mighty Mt. Washington in New Hampshire on Route 302. The resort includes three significant snow resort assets: hotels/inns (the historic Omni Mount Washington Hotel, the Bretton Arms Inn), the Bretton Woods alpine ski area and the Nordic Center. Spectacular scenery and many photo opportunities abound!

Alpine Skiing at Bretton Woods

The alpine ski area has 464 acres of skiing and snowboarding on 62 trails and 35 glades and three terrain parks. There are 10 lifts including four high-speed quads, food outlets at the main lodge and, up on the slopes, there is a restaurant at the top of the Bethlehem Express lift. There’s also a cabin destination for snacks and libations accessible by T-bar near the top of Mt. Stickney, and a unique candy store (!) at the top of the Zephyr Express lift.

Snow and Terrain

Sunrise run at Bretton Woods. Notice the corduroy.
Credit: Roger Lohr

Bretton Woods is known for consistent snow conditions, and it’s rarely ever windy. They’ve got snowmaking on 92 precent of the trails. Over the years, Bretton Woods was known as an easy mountain with few steep slopes and that, in fact, is one of the best reasons for older skiers to become aficionados of the area. The runs are short and the lifts are fast, and this allows older skiers and riders to turn on the jets and avoid getting tired from runs that are too long.

The ski area has now become recognized for its grooming by earning first place mention in a skiers poll. It also has excellent accessible glade skiing that can be enjoyed by intermediate skiers and boarders and has the longest lasting powder. Bretton Woods has an excellent layout with the four high speed chairlifts helping to spread skiers out on the mountain, which keep lift lines reasonable and often nonexistent. The West Mountain and Rosebrook areas on the mountain are separated from the main mountain, and they provide plenty to explore both on the slopes and in the glades.

Bretton Woods is host to many multigenerational families, and you rarely see out-of-control skiers who are skiing or riding too fast. I’ve always enjoyed the slope edges at Bretton because they provide terrain that is accessible and ungroomed and most Bretton skiers avoid these parts of the slopes. Untracked powder can remain on the slope edges and in glades for days following storms.

Suggested Alpine Skiing Itinerary For Seniors

My recommendation for Bretton Woods is to take the Bethlehem lift and then ski to the Rosebrook lift. Take a few runs in the Rosebrook area in some easy glades, but don’t go too far to the east, or you’ll end up back down at the base. From the top of the Rosebrook lift, go west and keep your speed up to reach the West Mountain for runs in the glades on that side of the mountain. Enjoy plenty of narrow runs in the West Mountain trees. There’s a restroom at the base of the West Mountain quad, if you need it.

The lodge has plenty of free storage bins and services in the basement, a cafeteria on the first floor, a bar, restaurant, and a climbing wall on the third floor. The food at Bretton Woods is standard ski area fare.

Special offers for seniors include a $25 midweek/non-holiday lift ticket for ages 65+, and those 80+ ski free everyday. The popular Wiser Woods weekly program (offered Tuesdays January 5-March 15, cost $125 for the season plus lift ticket) lets skiers and riders age 50+ with similar interests and ability ski with one of Bretton Woods’ instructors and enjoy the camaraderie of others during morning coffee socials and end of season get together.

Nordic Center: Lift To Mountain Trails

Nordic trails offer views of Mt. Washington at Bretton Woods.
Credit: Bretton Woods

The Nordic Center is adjacent to the grand hotel, and it has 100 km of XC ski and snowshoe trails. Take trails to the yurt for a popular destination about 5 km from the Nordic Center, and you’ll enjoy some thrilling downhill on the return trip. There are various locations to stop and rest along the way including a river bridge, which is a great place to take photos.

The lift-served Mountain Road trail may be the most fun to be had on XC skis in New England. I’ve taken many friends on the Mountain Road because it is much easier to take the lift up and then ski downhill on the trail, and it has incredible scenery and views. This 7 km trail is accessible from the top of the Bethlehem Express quad at the Bretton Woods alpine ski area (five minutes from the Nordic Center via complimentary resort shuttle). Along the way, take a side trip on a T-bar lift to the Stickney Cabin for snacks and libations and to ski additional trails on the way back to the Mountain Road. For senior or novice XC skiers, the Mountain Road is sure to be a lifetime highlight!

Correspondent Roger Lohr, on the Mountain Road, is publisher of XCSkiResorts.com
Credit: Roger Lohr

While you’re at the area take the free shuttle and go check out the historic Omni Mt. Washington Hotel for some drinks or dinner. It harkens back to the time of the grand hotels (bell boys, ski concierge, etc.) and it has been renovated with a new spa, wonderful restaurants and bars, and even a dance club in the basement for late night action.

Bottom Line

A full day of alpine skiing for skiers older than 64 on weekends or holidays is $73; midweek is $63, and skiers older than 79 are complimentary for alpine or Nordic skiing. The Nordic Center is $14 for skiers aged 65-79 and only $7 if you are a lodge guest at the resort. The Nordic High Country pass is $31 (or a $10 add on to a ski ticket) for one ride on the Bethlehem Express lift with unlimited use of the T-bar at Mt. Stickney.

Bretton Woods Resort Alpine Trail Map

Bretton Woods Resort Nordic Trail Map

Remembering Stein

January 5, 2016/1 Comment/in Ski Heroes/by Jon Weisberg

SeniorsSkiing.com Co-Publisher Jon Weisberg Remembers His Encounter With The Ski Legend.

Several years ago, Jon Weisberg shared a chair lift ride with Stein and later on a dinner table. Here are his recollections as published in Huff 50.

Stein Eriksen, one of the first ski celebrities, was a pioneer in acrobatics.
Credit: Park City

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Finally Snow In The Sierra, Mt. Rose and The Chutes, Road Scholar Report, Product Ideas, Action Camera Reviews and All About Nordic Ski Binding Choices.

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SeniorsSkiing Correspondent and Cross Country Expert Rates The Big Five Bindings.

NN EASE OF USE SCORE = 3

NNN and NNN-BC

NNN EASE OF USE SCORE = 4

The Salomon SNS Profil

SALOMON SNS PROFIL EASE OF USE SCORE = 4

The Salomon SNS Pilot

SALOMON SNS PILOT EASE OF USE SCORE = 1

Before Road Scholar, there was Elderhostel.

I found them at the Outdoor Retailers Winter Market.

Action Camera Comes With Instant Editing.

Resort Reviews, Remembering Stein.

Mega But Low Key Resort Close To Salt Lake City Has True Bargains For Seniors.

Roger Lohr, Publisher of XCSkiResorts.Com, Reports On Bretton Woods’ Snow Assets: Alpine, Nordic, Historic Hotels.

SeniorsSkiing.com Co-Publisher Jon Weisberg Remembers His Encounter With The Ski Legend.

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