Roger Lohr

Top 10 XC Resorts For A Valentine Rendezvous

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Senior Romance Can Be Found At XC Resorts.

Valentines and Cross-Country skiing. What could be more romantic? Credit: X-CSkiResorts

Valentines and Cross-Country skiing. What could be more romantic?
Credit: X-CSkiResorts

Cross country (XC) skiing and snowshoeing are some of the most romantic forms of recreation,  and Valentine’s Day is coming. So get away with your loved one to a winter wonderland of memories for some outdoor recreation and pampering that you deserve.

The XCSkiResorts.com Top 10 features favorite romantic XC ski resorts across North America.

WEST

The Chateau Fairmont in Lake Louise, Alta., Canada is a grand old resort with all the trimmings and places for romantics to enjoy each other and an outstanding rear window panorama of the Victoria Glacier.

The Nipika Mountain Resort in Kootenay, B.C. is a secluded lodge and cabins. Couples are transported to the site, which is situated in 8,000 acres of wilderness with 36 feet of guaranteed snow. The resort is the ultimate eco-resort without high altitude problems.

At the Sun Mountain Lodge in Winthrop, Wash. there is a 360-degree view of tranquility with guest rooms and lakeside cabins, an extensive wine cellar, and spa services.

Vista Verde Ranch in Steamboat Springs, Colo. limits the number of guests to 45 so the staff can insure personalized attention. The resort has received the Four Diamond Award. Couples get luxurious accommodations and can be accompanied by a guide in the backcountry.

Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky, Mont. is near Yellowstone National Park. The ranch has cozy cabins, a lodge with great cuisine, massage services and a staff that treats all of its guests warmly.

 Galena Lodge in Ketchum, Idaho has the Honeymoon Yurt, which is a love nest that’s only 20 minutes out on the trail. Couples can enjoy the backcountry accommodations in comfort themselves at the yurt, get dinner delivered, and maybe even a massage for two.

CENTRAL

Lutsen Resort on Lake Superior in Lutsen, Minn has the Romantic Getaway including a bottle of champagne, candlelit dinner, whirlpool and fireplace in your room, and breakfast with optional massage for couples.

At Cross Country Ski Headquarters in Roscommon, MI there’s a Valentine’s weekend of activities planned with a Full Moon Tour on Friday night by torchlight to Trapper’s Cabin for a bonfire and hot cocoa and on Sunday enjoy live acoustic music in the Stone Turtle Day Lodge.

EAST

Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, N.Y. is a Victorian castle within an hour of New York City with free use of XC skis, snowshoes, or ice skates for overnight guests. Climb the Sky Top Tower for a 360-degree vista. The spa has instruction for couples massage. Free

The Mountain Top Inn is buried in the Green Mountains in Chittenden, Vt. where you can sit fireside in the restaurant with a wonderful menu or in the pub with live entertainment. Sled on the hill behind the inn, enjoy a horse-drawn sleigh ride, or enjoy extensive trail network.

 Franconia Inn is a charming country inn located in Franconia, N.H. with breathtaking views of the nearby mountains and intimate trails. The inn offers the Romantic Interlude, which includes a bottle of champagne, 4-course gourmet dinner and a full country inn breakfast.

seniorsskiing

Mad River and Bromley Snow Report: Ain’t Pretty

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Too Soon, The Groundhog Is Seeing Spring In New England.

While our friends in the west are dealing with blizzard conditions, those of us in the east are practicing patience. Why? The winter is an on-again, off-again affair around here.  This week, it’s off.  Mad River Glen and Bromley are temporarily shutting their lifts until this weekend.  An inch of rain is coming, and there wasn’t much of a base to begin with.

But optimism is a key characteristic of snow people.  In a statement from Bromley, the message is “I will not let pessimism take over, right?”  The snowmaking pond is being refilled (Good News) and there is cold weather coming (Good News).  Spring skiing is going to be awesome.

Here’s the story from Unofficial Networks.

abrom

 

Feb 1 Snow Report from Mad River Glen. Honest and Painful.

Credit: Mad River Glen

Harriet Wallis

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Deer Valley Sets The Gold Standard

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It’s the Deer Valley Difference.

Deer Valley at the top with a view of Jordanelle Reservoir. Credit: Harriet Wallis

Deer Valley at the top with a view of Jordanelle Reservoir.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

When Deer Valley opened 35 years ago, it was a novel concept to commit to top notch service in skiing, dining and lodging. Today it’s the gold standard.

The resort is known for its impeccable grooming, incredible dining and attention to every detail. Senior skiers really like that.

How to start your day right. Uniformed valets will unload your equipment at slope side. No need to schlep it.

Ride the open air shuttle to the day lodge. Save your energy for the slopes.

Enjoy secure basket checking with unlimited access so you can change layers throughout the day.

You’ve been pampered, and you haven’t even reached the slopes yet. Little things really do mean a lot.

“We’re committed to excellence in everything we do,” says Bob Wheaton, resort president and general manager.

Where should I start? It’s a big resort with four peaks and 101 trails. If you’re an intermediate or advanced skier, you can take a complimentary ski tour with a Mountain Host and find new runs and learn about the resort’s history. You’ll discover powder stashes that you’d never find on your own.

Outdoor patio dining in high altitude sunshine at one of 12 DR restaurants. Credit: Harriet Wallis

Outdoor patio dining in high altitude sunshine at one of 12 DR restaurants.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

Lunch time. Deer Valley has 12 restaurants, including outdoor dining patios, plus five evening restaurants right at the resort. A lunch favorite is the signature Deer Valley turkey chili. I especially love the Natural Buffet with its exotic salads and hearty breads.

Terrain. Deer Valley’s manicures more than 60 trails nightly from gentle slopes to its long steep runs. But it also has gnarly mogul fields, glades and ungroomed powder. Take your pick.

When your legs fall off, check your skis at a complimentary ski check station. Then relax in a beach chair on McHenry’s sunny “beach”.

Don’t miss this. When you’re ready to wind down the day, take the Last Chance beginner trail to the base and enjoy the trailside sculptures at homes along the way. They’re absolute must-sees.

One of the many raccoon sculptures along the trail side houses near the base run out. Credit: Harriet Wallis

One of the many raccoon sculptures along the trail side houses near the base run out.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

One home is plagued by mischievous raccoons. They ski off the roof, snooze on the railing and look uphill through binoculars. My favorite skiing raccoon is the one that went splat when he hit the house.

A family of life-size bronze elk stand trailside at another home. There’s also a bear house, a totem pole house and a mountain goat house. The charming critters add a bonus to a great day on Deer Valley’s slopes.

Just the facts

  1. Easy access. Just 40 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport.
  2. Skiers only. Deer Valley is for skiers only. It does not allow snowboards.
  3. Dining: 12 restaurants including five evening restaurants right at the resort. My favorite is the Seafood Buffet.
  4. Limited lift tickets. To enhance your experience, Deer Valley caps lift ticket sales to limit lift lines and lodge lunch lines ,and it opens up lunch seating.
  5. Grooming. The resort has 101 runs from four mountain peaks. Over 60 runs are groomed nightly.

2015-16 Bottom Line

A day ticket is $85 for those 65+, but on holidays it’s $92. A season pass is $1,195 for those 65-71, and it’s $1,085 for those 72+. However, mid week season passes are $1,085 for all who are 65+. There’s a pre-season discount for those who buy season passes early. And locals are eligible for reduced prices. Click here for more Deer Valley information.

Trail Map

Web Cam

McHenry's sunny "beach", absorbing the bennies and waiting for the surf to come up. Credit: Harriet Wallis

McHenry’s sunny “beach”, absorbing the bennies and waiting for the surf to come up.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

Jon Weisberg

Huff Post 50: Valentine Gifts For Senior Snow Lovers

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SeniorsSkiing.com’s Co-Publisher Jon Weisberg Has Heart Warming Ideas.

As the count down to Valentines Day commences, Jon has collected a number of gifts from the expensive to the practical.  What? You don’t think warm underwear is a lovely Valentine’s gift idea?  Well, he has other suggestions.  From the latest Huffington Post Post 50.

 

Huff

seniorsskiing

First Run: From The Top Of Jackson Hole At Dawn

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From the top of Snow King, looking at the Grand Teton and Jackson Hole. Credit: Patrick Kearney

Snow King at 6:30 am, looking at Grand Teton and Jackson.
Credit: Patrick Kearney

[Editor Note: Contributing Photographer Patrick Kearney has been working in outdoor education through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) for over a decade. Most recently he’s been working in education at the elementary, middle school and college level and will soon transition to helping to protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. When he’s not teaching or working in conservation he goes backcountry skiing in the Tetons, mountain bike, kayak and adventure with my girlfriend and her dog “Peter.”]

 

Pat McCloskey

Product Review: Are Seniors Ready For High Tech Goggles and Sunglasses?

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Better Than $20 Off-The-Rack Sunglasses?

Sunglasses from Red Bull Racing uses high tech material for toughness and style. Credit: Red Bull Racing

Sunglasses from Red Bull Racing uses high tech material for toughness and style.
Credit: Red Bull Racing

Inspired by Red Bull Racing, the four time Formula One Auto Racing Champions, Red Bull Racing is introducing new eyewear that uses high-tech, cutting edge technology in sunglasses and goggles. Formula One racing cars use the lightweight XMP material to reinforce carbon fiber and Kevlar in principal components.  Red Bull Racing thought it would be a good idea to transfer XMP technology into lightweight sunglass frames. The result are lightweight, tough sunglass frames and polarized lenses. And you thought Red Bull was an energy drink.

Red Bull has also introduced a high end ski goggle to the market utilizing a matte black carbon fiber frame  with a flash polycarbonate polarized lens. The Parabolica 010, which was used in the review, is another example of a sporty and race oriented look that provides maximum visual performance along with comfort with the lightweight frame.

These cool looking goggles flip up and they're made of the same super tough material. Credit: Red Bull Racing

These cool looking goggles flip up and they’re made of the same super tough material.
Credit: Red Bull Racing

Personal Observations:

I really liked the weight and visual acuity of the lenses in the RBR series sunglasses. They utilize a wide frame and large lens which provide comfort and vision benefits versus most sunglasses which tend to ride small on the face. There are varied choices in lens flash color as well as frame color and design.

A really neat feature on the goggle is a swivel built into each side of the frame which allows the frame to be flipped up without compromising the band fit on a hat or helmet. The lens acuity is sharp and the peripheral vision design is such that your field of vision is maximized with equal protection for the eyes both physically and with the built in Polarized vision protection. Also, based on use in different conditions including skiing while the snowmaking system was on, these goggles resisted fogging. One of my pet peeves with goggles: if you pay a good price for goggles, you want to make sure that the vision is not compromised. An anti-fog cloth is provided.

The price range is comparable to current products on the market. Retail price on these goggles runs from $89.00 to $339.00. The Parabolica is the high end goggle which I was able to test. The sunglasses retail pricing is from $125.00 – $219.00.  I tested the high end sunglasses.

It’s pretty amazing that the technology from materials used in the construction of a Formula One Race Car is now being used in sunglass frames for strength and weight considerations. Good for someone like me who tends to sit on sunglasses and break them. Senior moments.

For more information visit www.madvision.com and also www.spectacular-eyewear.com. This is a new product line. The US market is coming on board as we speak and the retail locator will be available in the next few weeks.

mikemaginn

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Cranmore A Classic Senior Ski Hill

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This Venerable Mountain Is Super Senior Friendly.

Cranmore's view of Mt. Washington. Since 1937, Cranmore has been one of the classic New England resorts. Credit: SeniorsSkiing

Cranmore’s view of Mt. Washington. Since 1937, Cranmore has been one of the classic New England resorts.
Credit: SeniorsSkiing

Returning to Cranmore Mountain in North Conway, NH, is like coming back to the basics. You will not find flash, large verticals, or multiple-piste skiing.  No heart-stopping double diamonds.  You will find like-minded senior regulars gathering in the little lodge, classic New England narrow trail skiing as well as broad, open blue cruisers. Low key skiing comes to mind.  We like that.  There’s lots of room for skiing mid-week, and the prices are definitely right, if you know how to look for discounts.  We like the snowmaking.  Even in this season of eastern snow drought, there was decent coverage and highly carvable snow.  And we like the community feeling among the other folks, even in the ski shop, rental desk and cafeteria.

History

The Skimobile ran straight up the middle of the mountain. It was still running in 1988. Credit: Cranmore

The Skimobile ran straight up the middle of the mountain. It was still running in 1988.
Credit: Cranmore

If you’ve never been there, skiing at Cranmore in the Mount Washington Valley is something of a pilgrimage into skiing history.  In 1937, local businessman Harvey Gibson founded the ski hill, put in a rope tow and so it began.  In the next two years, two big innovations came to Cranmore. First was the Skimobile, built straight up the middle of the mountain.  The Skimobile consisted of little cars traveling uphill on a wooden rail. It was a practical, New England-simple alternative to the lift system, contemporaneously making its first North American  appearance at Sun Valley. It’s hard to believe that the Skimobile lasted till 1988.  The other innovation was the

Hannes Schneider is called the Father of Modern Skiing at Cranmore. He established ski instruction that opened the sport beyond college athletes. Credit: SeniorSkiing

Hannes Schneider is called the Father of Modern Skiing at Cranmore. He established ski instruction that opened the sport beyond college athletes.
Credit: SeniorSkiing

arrival of Hannes Schneider from Austria.  Schneider expanded the nascent ski school, extended the Skimobile and carved trails that you can ski to this day. Hannes Schneider had an enormous impact on ski instruction and, in many circles, is considered as the person who opened up the sport to the masses back in its early days.

Snow And Terrain

Snowmaking is an art at Cranmore.  The snowmaking team publishes its own blog and methodically covers the entire mountain when nature is not forthcoming. As for trails, there are 54 spreading out from the summit served by nine lifts of different sizes.  On the left side of the mountain, you find the archetypal narrow, twisty, old-style New England specials like Kandahar, Rattlesnake, Arlberg. These narrow trails get slightly U-shaped in cross section as the season goes on, so it’s almost like skiing down a tube.  On the other side of the mountain,  you get those beautiful wide blues that we love.  Artists Falls, East Slope, and Schneider are great blues, Easy Street is a greenie that runs from the top and one that we like to take as a first run to shake off the dust from the ride up from Boston. And yes, there are terrain parks and glades for those who indulge in those kinds of activities.

Cranmore is a super mountain for seniors: friendly, accessible, reasonable cost. Credit: SeniorsSkiing

Cranmore is a super mountain for seniors: friendly, accessible, reasonable cost.
Credit: SeniorsSkiing

Lot To Lodge To Lift

Cranmore’s base is small and compact.  You can drive up to the lodge, drop off your stuff, park and walk the 100 yards or so back to your car.  It’s easy.  The lodge is small, but it is on a couple of levels.  That’s the only criticism I can think of.  Bottom level: lockers, changing area and rest rooms, next level cafeteria and lodge.  Many seniors just park their gear around the lunch room area and change there, walking out to the lifts which are an easy skate away.

Culture

It may be a slight exaggeration, but I think that during the week seniors own the mountain.  Lots of seniors show up in the morning, take some runs and many are gone by 1:00.  Obviously, they are season pass holders who come in groups, singly, in pairs and who schmooze over coffee and packed lunches before heading home.  Everyone we met was  cheerful, chatty, and friendly.  At about 2:30 or so on the several Thursdays we visited, school buses descended and lots of kids poured out to take lessons.  North Conway clearly has an enlightened Physical Education program at the local district.  There is a bar and separate restaurant at the base.  We imagine those are weekend magnets that weren’t busy on Thursday afternoon.

The Future

A group of Boston entrepreneurs purchased the resort in 2010 and have plans to rebuild the whole base area around a new condo village.  Right now, the condos are on sale , and whenever construction starts you can bet the culture is going change.  The good news is that there will be a future for this historic and important ski area. The other news is that the quirky little lodge will be gone. Cranmore will eventually become more of a year-round residence-resort. Regardless, the mountain will still have those classic trails.

Bottom Line

Seniors are treated nicely at Cranmore.  We bought a $29 weekday senior (65-79) lift ticket online. Weekend tickets bought online are $40 for seniors.  Weekday passes are $48 for seniors if you don’t buy online.  When you look online for passes, you will notice that prices vary by week and what’s going on, i.e., Washington Birthday Week, school vacation week, etc. Seniors can buy a season pass before the end of November for $369 for limited skiing and $429 for unlimited.  Check the website for more details.

Cranmore Trail Map

Cranmore Web Cam

The future of Cranmore includes a condo development and lodge area. Credit: Cranmore

The future of Cranmore includes a condo development and lodge area. Here’s a rendering of what the future will look like.
Credit: Cranmore