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This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (September 29)

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It’s Warm In The East, And The Rockies Are Turning White.

So it makes sense that one of the articles in this week’s package reviews the Tannus tubeless foam-filled bicycle tire and another explains why this is the best time to purchase a season pass.

Harriet Wallis, an active biker, skier, and SeniorsSkiing.com contributor wrote the piece on the foam tire. If you’re considering that as an option, it’s worth seeing her critique.

Mike “Bear Foot” Warner publishes SeniorSkiDeals.com. His piece on the economy of passes, even if they’ll be used for a portion of the season, is well-reasoned. Next month, we’ll add to the discussion when we publish our comprehensive listing of all the U.S. areas where seniors ski free.

Remember ski ballet, the short-lived Olympic demonstration event? Jon’s reminiscence about that graceful form of skiing is fun to read. The vintage Bogner video featuring Suzy Chaffee and John Eaves is a joy to watch.

Thanks for subscribing to SeniorsSkiing.com and for being a part of this growing community of older skiers. We still have SeniorsSkiing.com stickers available. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: SeniorsSkiing.com, Box 416, Hamilton, MA 01936. A new design is in the works.

In nautical terms, Senior Skiers are the stabilizing keel of the ski industry. As a group we represent 20% of total US skiers/boarders. Per capita, we ski more frequently and spend more than younger population segments. The industry sees youth and other factors as the fuel that keeps it sailing toward the future. That’s why it markets to younger generations. Senior skiers have power and influence. There are more of us every day; we aren’t going away.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Snow Has Arrived Around The West.

Utah first snow. Ski Utah

Half-Price Subscription to realskiers.com: Jackson Hogen, publisher of realskiers.com, publishes short essays related to the the sport. The current one, about older skiers, is titled “Not Dead Yet.” You can sign up for the essays and receive them free. I recommend getting a paid subscription where, among other things, you’ll find intelligent and comprehensive ski reviews (including the best skis for senior skiers). Subscribers also are entitled to one-on-one consulting with Jackson. That comes in handy when considering your next equipment purchase. Youngsters pay $19.95 for a year’s subscription. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers pay $9.95. To sign up, visit realskiers.com. Scroll down to/click on “Subscribe Today!” Then click “Sign Up” in the “Annual Membership” box. Complete the form and enter SS17 in the field under “Coupon Code.”

COLORADO

Area developments for 2017-18 follow: 

  • Arapahoe Basin: 371 acres of difficult/extreme terrain to be accessible by hiking; 4 person lift to be added next summer.
  • Aspen Snowmass: Snowmass celebrates 50thAnniversary with $6.50 lift tickets (opening day 1967 lift ticket price) on December 15, plus other activities throughout season. Aspen to host Olympic qualifying events when the U.S. Grand Prix stops in Snowmass January 10–14, 2018. Breathtaker mountain coaster opens at Snowmass in December. 
  • Cooper: Celebrates 75thAnniversary New Year’s Eve.
  • Copper Mountain: Hosts Olympic qualifying events December 6-10. New Kokomo Express Lift and Koko’s Hut serves beginner terrain in West Village. Rocky Mountain Coaster opens this Fall.
  • Eldora: New six-person high speed detachable Alpenglow Express lift ready for action.
  • Loveland Ski Area: Celebrates 80thyear of operations; adds snowcat skiing in Dry Gulch.
  • Purgatory: Expanded terrain with new intermediate and expert trails on the back- and front-sides; adding new gladed skiing; installed a mountain coaster.
  • Silverton: will celebrate 50+” powder days with area-provided snorkels.
  • Steamboat recently opened its Outlaw Mountain Coaster, the longest in North America.
  • Telluride celebrates its 45th anniversary.

 MASSACHUSETTS

BOSTON: 36thANNUAL SKI & SNOWBOARD EXPO kicks off season, NOV. 9-12, at SEAPORT WORLD TRADE CENTER. ADMISSION:$15 adults; Under 12 free. Paid admission includes one-year subscription to SKI magazine and a $10 Gift Card from GetSkiTickets.com.  Purchase tickets online at www.skisnowexpo.com/boston-expo or at door.

MICHIGAN 

Ishpeming: Eight skiing athletes/others to be inducted to U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame next April . They include freestyle icon “Airborne” Eddie Ferguson, freestyle’s somersault king Herman Goellner cross-country coach Marty Hall, ski mountaineers twin brothers Mike and Steve Marolt, and (posthumously)130 mph alpine speed skiing world record holder, Steve McKinnney. Ceremonies to be held at Squaw Valley.

MONTANA

 Big Sky reported snow above 6500′. National long-range forecasts for the 2017-18 winter season predict average temperatures and above-average precipitation in the Rocky Mountain West.

PENNSYLVANIA

 “First-Time Ski/Snowboard Program” gives beginner ticket, lesson and rentals for $59. Click here for more.

TEXAS/FLORIDA

NOAA reports that Harvey delivered 49.32″ of rain and Irma, 16″. At 30°F, 1″ of rain falls as 13″ of snow. The snow amount could be as much as 50″ dry powder under certain conditions. Using the 30°F/1″rain =13″ snow formula, the amount of rain from Harvey would produce 641.16″ snow; the amount from Irma would equal 208″.

Dick Brooks with Hurricane Harvey debris in Houston

Dick Brooks is a SeniorsSkiing subscriber who lives in Houston and Durango, Colorado where his home resort is Purgatory. He reports that his home was dry and that he and wife, Claire, have volunteered by preparing food for those impacted and by carrying damaged items to the curb. Dick sent this photo of nearby damage.

 

 

 

UTAH

Deer Valley, which Ski Magazine readers just named the #1 resort in North America, will host the 2018 Visa Freestyle International, January 10-12. The event determines the freestylers who will represent the US at the South Korean Winter Olympics in February. The event is held at night under lights. The steep slope is covered in bumps. It can get chilly, but it’s a terrific thing to see.

Opening dates for Utah resorts:

  • Alta Ski Area: November 22
  • Brian Head Resort: November 17
  • Brighton Resort: Early As Possible
  • Cherry Peak Resort: December 18
  • Deer Valley Resort: December 2
  • Eagle Point Resort: December 21
  • Nordic Valley Resort: December 9
  • Park City Mountain: November 17
  • Snowbasin Resort: November 22
  • Snowbird Resort: November 22
  • Solitude Mountain: December 2
  • Sundance Mountain Resort: December 8

VERMONT 

OOPS. Ski Vermont recently announced that Parker Riehle, e group’s head, would leave that post to lead National Ski Areas Association. Citing personal reasons, he decided not to take the new position. Long time NSAA president, MIchael Berry, will remain in post until a new replacement is identified and transitioned.

Snowmaking and grooming improvements will improve the experience this season at Bolton Valley, Burke Mountain, Mount Snow, Okemo Mountain, Stratton Mountain, Sugarbush, and Suicide Six.

Okemo Ultimate season passholders now qualify for $49 lift tickets at Stratton Mountain Resort during the 2017/2018 season. Limited to one per day, non-holiday periods only, this special offer is non-transferable, and can only be used by the passholder. Stratton Summit passholders receive this same benefit at Okemo.

 

 

 

Suzy Chaffee and Mark Steigemier
Jon Weisberg

Dancing With Skis

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Many Readers May Remember Ski Ballet, The Graceful, Sometimes Amusing, Phenomenon From The 1980s.

Costumed performers on skis took skiing to new levels as they executed freestyle moves to a variety of musical themes.

It was the snow equivalent of free style figure skating with individual and pair performances.

Ski Ballet with Suzy Chaffee and Mark Steigemier

Some observers saw ski ballet as liberation from the restricted forms imposed by European techniques, a natural outgrowth of the freewheeling youth movement of the 60s and 70s.

Shorter skis and smooth slopes were used. Occasionally, moguls played a role. When participants took air, it generally was close to the snow. In 1988, it was exhibited at the Canadian Winter Olympics in Calgary. It appeared again in ’92 in Albertville, France. But it never made it to a full Olympic event. FIS ended formal Ski Ballet competition after 2000.

Every now and then you may spot a rare bird linking ballet moves together on the hill. When I’ve encountered this endangered species, it’s been on gentle terrain. Terrain park acrobatics — another form of pushing limits on skis — are far more aggressive.

To me ski ballet represents a different, youthful and more innocent time. It is a historical curiosity that, like other things, from our past, may one day be rediscovered.

Are there any SeniorsSkiing readers who performed back in the day? If so, let us know. Better yet, send stills or video.

Many of you will remember Suzy “Chapstick” Chaffee. She performed ski ballet with grace and beauty. In this vintage video from Bogner she performs with John Eaves.

seniorsskiing

Best Time to Buy Senior Ski Passes is Now

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The Deals Are Out There.  Time To Act.

Mike “Bear Trap” Warner is a former ski instructor committed to finding discounts for seniors.

[Editor Note: Mike “Bear Foot” Warner produces SeniorsSkiDeals.com which publishes the prices of top ski resorts and offers advice on where to find the best discounts and when to buy.] 

If you are a senior skier and are planning to ski over a week this winter, you might want to consider buying a season pass. The ski resorts’ season passes  listed here are worth buying if you plan on skiing four or five days at one area. Telluride 70+ Season Pass is $900 while Aspen is $499. With daily lift tickets at $114 on a week’s ski trip you would buy the pass in Aspen but not at Telluride. There is also insurance available for your pass if you need to cancel your trip.

When Alex Cushing owned Squaw Valley, kids up to 12 and seniors 65 and over skied for free. His thinking was the kids would love the sport and come back for 60 years, and the seniors were being rewarded for a lifetime of lift tickets. Now seniors are a profit center for most resorts. An article appeared in Huffington Post in 2015 of 108 ski area’s with free lift tickets for seniors. This year of the 100 top rated ski resorts from ZRankings.com only four offer free skiing for 70+ skiers.

There are a number of ski areas that still offer very good senior season pass rates. Below is a list of the resorts that still offer real deals to 65+ or 70+ senior skiers. These resorts make it worthwhile to buy their pass if you plan to ski there five days or more.

Eastern skiers will be surprised, or already know, that there is only one good deal offered out of the top ranked 17 ski resorts. Out of the top 11 Canadian ski resorts, again only one deal is posted. An example is Killington’s senior pass 65-79 costs $659. The online daily lift ticket is $70. So you’re better off buying lift tickets if you ski nine days or less there.

California:

Heavenly Valley 65+ Epic Value Pass $389

Also good discounts with restrictions at Northstar and Kirkwood.

Homewood 62-69 $349

Diamond Peak 65-69 $169

Mammouth: 65-79 $499

Also good discounts at June, Bear Valley, Snow Summit

Utah

Sundance 65+ $150

Beaver Mountain 70+ $100

Eagle Point 62-69 $ 239  70+ $199

Idaho

Bogus Basin 70+ $229

Tamarack 70+ $199

Colorado

Aspen 70+ $499

Winter Park 60-69 $ 429 70+ $339

Loveland 60-69 $ 399 70+ $99

Copper Mountain 65+ $319

Wolf Creek 65+ $323

Also good discounts at Snowmass, Buttermilk, and Highlands

Montana

Whitefish Mountain 70+ Free

Oregon

Timberline 65-70 $ 169 71+ Free

Mt. Hood Ski Bowl 65-70 $ 149  71+ Free

Washington

Mt. Baker 70+ $ 125

Stevens Pass 70+ $ 99

White Pass 73+ $ 20

Vermont

Smugglers Notch Resort 70+ $29

British Columbia

White Water 70+ Free

Harriet Wallis

Cycling Series: Update On “Arthritis Proof” Never Flat Bicycle Tires

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I’ve Learned A Lot And Here Are The Lessons.

Find out what Harriet thought about these tubeless, foam-filled tires. Credit: Harriet Wallis

If your hands are arthritic, you know how hard it is get a tire back on the rim after fixing a flat. Lightweight Tannus tubeless foam tires were recently introduced into the U.S., and I was quick to buy a set. They don’t take a tube, and since they are filled with foam, they can never get a flat. Never. And they’re good for 5,000 miles. That seemed to be the perfect solution for my hands.

I had them installed just before a charity ride in the cool weather of early June. They rode wonderfully. They were the cat’s meow.

But as summer temperatures heated the road surface, the road softened the tires, and they became sluggish. The hotter the day, the slower they rode. Hot weather riding and hill climbing became work. Dang!

I think the lightweight, solid foam, Tannus tubeless tires live up to their reputation that they can never get a flat. My tires picked up several of those dreaded goat head thorns. I pulled them out and rode on. No problem. No flat. I think casual riders and commuters who face road debris will enjoy them. And they come in 12 lively colors.

But for me, it was time to move on and find another “arthritis proof” bicycle tire. Stay tuned for my review of the Bontrager brand tubeless tire-wheel system.

To read more from Harriet click here for her stories on SkiUtah.

 

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Sept. 15)

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Down Under Snow Reports, Experticity Update, Early Winter Forecast.

A unique arrangement: No lifts at Charlotte Pass in Australia, just a 30-minute Sno-Cat Ride each way to the slopes.
Credit: Bernie Weichsel

While we start thinking about buying season passes, contemplating new boots, and enjoying the last of summer activities (btw: great sailing in New England these days), the snows of Australia have been falling mightily.

We have two reports from the land of Down Under.  One focuses on the massive amounts of snow currently covering the ski hills of Victoria and New South Wales, Australia. Folks, it’s yet another weather phenomenon; it’s the most snow in a decade. Thanks to Snowbrains.com for bring this to our attention.

The second report comes from Ski and Snowboard Show Impresario and SeniorsSkiing.com advisory council member Bernie Weichsel who has just returned from a three-week trip to New Zealand and Australia.  His report is a really interesting guide to some of the most popular ski hills in those countries as well as some differences in how resorts are run done down there. Thanks, Bernie.

Last week, we published an update on the new Experticity application process for our subscribers. We are publishing it again because we know that right now and the next few weeks are the start of the equipment and clothing buying season. The discount policy offered to our subscribers is different than before, and it requires that a subscriber demonstrate some type of “professional” connection to the ski industry. There’s contact information for Experticity if you have questions.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center has published its early winter forecast. Here are the late-fall, early winter maps from the NWS.

Precipitation forecast: Sept-Nov 2017

Temperature forecast: Sept-Nov 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, above average precip in the Rockies and Wasatch, a drier Florida, and/but above average temps radiating out from Arizona. However, do not place your bets yet.  We also hear from the folks who monitor the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) that the waters off western Peru are “neutral”, not too hot, not too cold.  Since the ENSO drives a lot of the weather in North America and around the world, having a neutral ENSO makes the forecast much more difficult to predict.  Again, these predictions are merely placeholders in an ongoing story.  We will be watching and will let you know what evolves.

Thanks for subscribing to SeniorsSkiing.com.  We very much appreciate your presence and your input.  If you’re interested in a free and wonderful 3″ x 3″ SeniorsSkiing.com sticker, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: SeniorsSkiing.com, Box 416, Hamilton, MA 01936.

And remember, there are more of us every day and we aren’t going away.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Something Old. Something New.

I just read two books about trails.

The old one is American Skiing, published in 1939. It’s author, Otto Schniebs, was one of the Arlberg Technique pioneers in New England and contributed to the development of several areas.  He founded the American Ski School of Boston and coached at Dartmouth College and later at St. Lawrence University.

When was the last time you saw someone do this?

The first chapter, “Adventure on Skis in the Colorado Rockies,” is a colorful account of a Spring visit to the Elk Mountains between Aspen and Crested Butte. This was ’39 and Aspen didn’t start as a ski area until ’46; Crested Butte in ’62. Schniebs and his companions encounter a variety of terrain, snow and avalanches. The text is fun to read and is richly illustrated with photos. Throughout are page references to technique, which is covered in the next section, where he uses motion picture stills to explain a full range of ski moves ranging from those for beginners to achieving jump turns, and somersaults!

This is followed by ruminations about organizing ski areas, building trails and slopes, a single sentence on mechanical lifts, longer sections on ski patrol, developing instructors, ski schools, and equipment.

The book has many photos, including a fold-out panorama of the northern Adirondacks (Whiteface to Mt. Marcy to Redfield in Winter), a classic shot of Dick Durrance, skiers in Tuckerman’s Ravine, etc.

I’ve had my copy since 1962. Google shows first edition copies for less than $50.

The new book is On Trails: An Exploration, by Robert Moor. This New York Times Bestseller is a wonderful read. The information — it does not cover ski trials — is fascinating and presented with graceful and engaging prose. We accompany the author as he explores a multitude of ancient and modern trails. His observations take us into the realms of natural and human history, economics, philosophy, and literature. Who knew that studies of how ants travel have been digitized and the results used to inform flows in factories and warehouses? The trail and road walkers he encounters range from amusing to weird. I highly recommend On Trails. The pages turn on their own.

New Zealand

Mt Hutt has a 120″ base, and plans to remain open through October 15. The 6800’+ resort is one of the highest in New Zealand.

Vermont

Listed below are the deadlines for lowest season pass prices in Vermont. Note the threshold ages for skiing free (some may require a small processing fee).

  • Bolton Valley: September 25 Ski Free: 75
  • Bromley Mountain: October 15
  • Burke Mountain: October 9
  • Jay Peak Resort: October 9
  • Killington Resort: October 12 Ski Free: 80
  • Mad River Glen: October 15 Ski Free: 70
  • Magic Mountain: October 15
  • Middlebury Snow Bowl: November 30 Ski Free: 70
  • Mount Snow Resort: October 18
  • Okemo Mountain Resort: October 9
  • Pico Mountain: October 12 Ski Free: 80
  • Smugglers’ Notch Resort: October 31
  • Stowe Mountain Resort: October 8
  • Stratton Mountain Resort: October 9
  • Sugarbush Resort: September 13; Boomer Pass (Age 65-89) Price: $139; includes midweek, non-holiday skiing at Lincoln Peak and Mt. Ellen. Ski Free: 90

Other

Take five minutes and give yourself a treat. The Man at the End of the World is a beautiful video about an older couple living in Tierra del Fuego, Chile. If you enjoy the clip, click “like’ in the lower right corner to help it score well in a video competition.

 

 

Bernie Weichsel

Oz And EnZed: Skiing The Antipodes

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Ski And Snowboard Show Impresario Bernie Weichsel Reports On The Down Under Scene.

Bernie (r) at Thredbo’s highest lift.
Credit: Bernie Weichsel

For most of us in the international ski community, whether here in the US and Canada, or within the Alpine countries of Europe, there is good news to be found in Australia and, to a lesser degree, New Zealand. Over the past three weeks, I had the opportunity to visit a number of ski areas in New Zealand’s South Island and in Australia’s states of Victoria and New South Walks. I skied at the four areas around Queenstown and Wanaka (The Remarkables, Coronet Peak, Cardrona and Treble Cone and in Victoria (Mt Buller and Falls Creek) and New South Wales (Skiing at Perisher, Thredbo, and the unique Charlottes Pass. I am glad to report in both countries skiing, and, in contrast to the US at least, snowboarding, too, seemed to not only being doing well, but to be thriving.

Skiing The Remarkables, Queenstown, NZ. Anyone notice any hobbits?
Credit: Bernie Weichsel

New Zealand areas’ growth seemed to be coming from visitors from Asia. There were loads of Chinese and Koreans, plus a lot of athletes from Northern Hemisphere countries taking advantage of the snow to prepare for the upcoming Olympics, including Lyndsey Vonn among other US athletes.

But it was in Australia where the growth in the local market was most evident. All the resorts I visited were crowed with families and students, and it wasn’t even vacation time. Resort management all said that they were witnessing growing interest and participation in SnowSports which might be the only SnowSports market in the world where that can be said!

One effort that is propelling growth is a program called Inter-School, a regional wide, multi-discipline, competitive program with local races that lead to regional events and ends in a National Championship. The regional event I saw at Mt Buller—the Victorian State Championships—had 6,000 participants, in many cases, with their parents on hand for a whole week. I am not aware of a similar program in our country. I presume the best analogy is an NCAA program but for High Schools. We all know how school programs for soccer, football, etc. dominate American youths’ time and keeps them—and their families—away from the slopes. Maybe the Australians have found something for us to think about!

All the resorts had decent facilities—from lifts, snow-making and day lodges—and pretty good grooming. New Zealand, for us spoiled North Americans, is a bit of a challenge since there is virtually no on-snow lodging. Most of the lodging is in Queenstown and Wanaka, where it almost never snows;  to get to the skiing you must drive with chains always at the ready in your “boot”—or take a bus.

Weather is also a consideration in New Zealand since all the skiing is above timberline, leading  to some serious white-outs when the clouds hang low, which is often.  But the snow quality is good, the runs decently long— think Northern New England. When it is clear, you can see some of the most stunning scenery anywhere.

Australia, on the other hand, has lodging right on the mountains making it possible to ski in, ski-out. However, the mountains are not as high as New Zealands’ and are wider rather than high, that is, many runs over a number of hills.  That is, except for Thredbo which has a vertical of about 2,000 ft. What really intrigued me was how popular skiing was given that in Australia, there were many road-blocks one has to overcome to get the mountains.  You have to pay an entry fee to enter the Park; all the ski resorts are in state or national parks, you have to pay to park and again pay for a snow taxi to take you to your lodging—not in all resorts but the majority.  And lodging isn’t cheap. The resorts, though, have copied—or might have pioneered—the idea of expensive day tickets versus reasonable priced season pass.

Usually, so I was told, New Zealand gets the better snow.  But, during my visit, it was the opposite: I had basically spring skiing in New Zealand and super mid-winter conditions in Australia—packed powder and blue-bird days. And recently Australia’s resorts have had some of the biggest snow dumps in almost two decades!

One oddity worth noting. The small area near Perisher, Charlottes Pass, might be —I can’t think of any other resort that can only be accessed—in and out—by Sno-Cat . It’s a 30-minute ride each way. Nice, but small skiing, once you get there,  and it’s pretty private and worth the effort.

A unique arrangement: No lifts at Charlotte Pass, just a 30-minute Sno-Cat Ride each way to the slopes.
Credit: Bernie Weichsel

seniorsskiing

Update: Change In Gear/Clothing Discounts From Experticity

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There’s Been A Big Change In How SeniorsSkiing.Com Subscribers Can Access Discounts From Experticity.

When SeniorsSkiing.com was launched, we made an arrangement with Promotive.com to offer discounts to our readers.  There was no cost involved, readers who subscribed signed up with Promotive using a code provided and enjoyed the same kind of discounts offered to professional racers, teams, coaches, instructors, etc.

Promotive merged with Experticity, another discount gateway website. Experticity promises the vendors that list their products on its site that people who have access are bona fide members of a professional group of some kind to earn the offered discounts. When Experticity looked at our list of subscribers, they had no way to tell who was a pro and who was a committed amateur without industry standing.  So, the rules of access to Experticity have changed.

If you are already signed up with Experticity, you will still have access to the site up to the anniversary date of your initial sign up.  After your anniversary date of your sign up passes, you will be asked to re-apply using the application process below.

If you are new to SeniorsSkiing.com and are signing up with Experticity for the first time, you have to follow the new application process.

The new application process requires you to enter the code provided by Experticity which you can find in our Subscriber-Only Content area under Community in the top blue menu. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire and verify your status by submitting some type of evidence.

Here’s the application form.

If you have any questions about any of this, please call Experticity at 866-376-4685 or email at member.support@experticity.com.

mikemaginn

Meanwhile In Australia…

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We Have Hurricanes And Wildfires.  Oz Has Big Snow.  Sound Like A Theme?

Early September 2017, Perisher Ski Resort.
Credit: Perisher

The news from Down Under is that the snows are prodigious, the depths of which haven’t been seen in 17 years.

The snowpack in Australian snow fields is up to 97 inches, eight feet, which sounds awfully similar to the monster snow this year in the North American west.

So while we contemplate extraordinary weather conditions from wild hurricanes and fires, it appears Oz and NZ are also having extraordinary weather.

Here’s a video from Threadbo, one of Australia’s most popular resorts.  Looks like they are having fun.

And thanks to Snowbrains.com for the head’s up.

Mount Washington
seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.Com (Sept. 1)

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Long-Awaited Experticity Update, Hiking Caveats, More Ski Songs.

Our thoughts are with the people in Southeast Texas who have been displaced by Harvey.  As we remember from the monster snow winter in New England 2015-16 when we had nine feet in a matter of weeks, this kind of disruption can cause much anxiety and distraction that lasts for months.  But Don’t Mess With Texas.

This week we finally have news about the Experticity discounts on gear and clothing for our subscribers. Here’s the background.

When SeniorsSkiing.com was launched, we made an arrangement with Promotive.com to offer discounts to our readers.  There was no cost involved, readers who subscribed signed up with Promotive using a code provided and enjoyed the same kind of discounts offered to professional racers, teams, coaches, instructors, etc.

But Promotive merged with Experticity, another discount gateway website. Experticity promises the vendors that list their products on its site that people who have access are bona fide members of a professional group of some kind to earn the offered discounts. When Experticity looked at our list of subscribers, they had no way to tell who was a pro and who was a committed amateur without industry standing.  So, the rules of access to Experticity have changed.

If you are already signed up with Experticity, you will still have access to the site up to the anniversary date of your initial sign up.  After your anniversary date of your sign up passes, you will be asked to re-apply using the application process below.

If you are new to SeniorsSkiing.com and are signing up with Experticity for the first time, you have to follow the new application process.

The new application process requires you to enter the code provided by Experticity which you can find in our Subscriber-Only Content area under Community in the top blue menu. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire and verify your status by submitting some type of evidence.

Here’s the application form.

If you have any questions about any of this, please call Experticity at 866-376-4685 or email at member.support@experticity.com.

Hiking Fatality Study

Over the summer, we noticed an important article in the Boston Globe, by Martin Finucane, about a research study on the causes of hiker fatalities in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We are presenting it here because we know that many of our readers are hikers. We were surprised by the cause of most fatalities.  Read the article here.

More Skiing Songs!

Thanks to our readers, we have even more “venerable” ski songs you can listen to.  We apparently struck a nostalgic note with our readers who took it upon themselves to send in digital copies of old tunes and referred us to other favorites. Listen to some oldies here.  This all started with our archival article on Ski Songs of The Sixties which can be accessed here.

Why You Might Have To Re-Enter Your Name And Email

We hear from annoyed (and angry) readers from time to time asking why they have to re-enter their name and email address when they access SeniorsSkiing.com even though they are already subscribed.  There is an answer to this and it has to do with browsers and cookies.  We are reminding everyone about how to avoid this admittedly annoying glitch.  Read all about it here.

On To Labor Day

Once we pass through the Labor Day barrier, we will be getting closer to snow season.  At SeniorsSkiing.com, we are brushing off our notebooks and spreadsheets after a lazy (and busy) summer and planning for the upcoming season.

Hang with us, tell your friends, let us know how we are doing and what you want to see in SeniorsSkiing.com.  Remember, there really are more of us every day and we aren’t going away.