seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov. 30)

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Exercise And Be Younger, Ski Song Hits Academe, Remembering Friends’ Last Run, Skiing In Japan’s Hakuba Valley, The Mysterious Maud.

Checking out new snow depth, Day Two, Brighton, UT, is our own Jan Brunvand

Over the past week or so, the snowfalls in the most popular snow areas in the US and Canada have been meteoric. There is snow in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, Colorado, Utah, BC and the Sierras. Most unusual, no? So, have you been out there yet? Tell us about it. Correspondent Jan Brunvand sent a pic at the beginning of his recent Day Two at Brighton. Note smiling face.

Which reminds us, getting out there and being a happy snowsports enthusiast requires that you have a modicum of fitness, or your smile will go away. We’ve mentioned this several times on these pages, offered advice and specific exercises for toning up, told stories of people who don’t and do, and generally hope that our readers take this seriously. These notions of senior fitness as a key to a safe, comfortable outdoor experience were reinforced by an important article in the New York Times this week.

The Nov. 21 article by Gretchen Reynolds, “Regular Exercise May Keep Your Body 30 Years Younger”, confirms what we kind of intuited.  It’s good idea to spend time working your body. The article reports, “The muscles of older men and women who have exercised for decades are indistinguishable in many ways from those of healthy 25-year-olds, according to an uplifting new study of a group of active septuagenarians.” So, if you started “jogging” in the 70s and kept up some level of regular physical activity—perhaps considering hitting the gym, walking, cycling as a hobby—you’re probably ahead of the aging syndrome. We believe it’s better to get older in shape versus not so much. What think?

This Week

The Cortina resort in Hakuba Valley, Japan, offers lots of snow and powder opportunities. Credit: Hakuba.com

We have seen reports that skiing in Asia will grow faster than Europe or North America.  Our experience of skiing in Korea several decades ago revealed a resort that was, being polite here, old fashioned.  Those days are long gone, and for many, Asia can be a destination of the future as Europe is now. Towards that end, here’s a resort review of the Hakuba Valley, one of Japan’s signature resorts just a couple of hours away from Tokyo. The lift tickets are really inexpensive, ridiculously so compared to US or Canadian destination resorts, and you can even use your Epic pass for five days of free skiing. Worth a look.

We have a new Mystery Glimpse from the Colorado Snowsports Museum’s archives. Last week’s well-costumed young woman skier is identified, and the picture is revealed to be a publicity stunt. Find out why.

In addition to reporting on his second day of skiing at Brighton, correspondent Jan Brunvand tells us about his brief and undistinguished career as a ski song singer. Check that, his parody snow storm actually became a teaching tool in classrooms around the academic world. All because the tune in the ski song was centuries old.

Finally, we hear from correspondent Pat McCloskey who tells us about his tight group of ski buddies and what it is like to lose one. His message: It’s important to keep going out with your pals.  You never know…

Remember to check out our listing of ski resorts where seniors can ski for free or almost free.  We have also published our 2019 recommendations for seniors.

Click on the menu boxes at near the top of the page. You may have to re-enter your name and email address to access these downloads.

We very much appreciate your reading SeniorsSkiing.com. Tell your friends.  There are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

Happo One is the largest resort in the Hakuba Valley with base areas serving the mountain. Credit: Hakuba.com

 

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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A friend recently commented that a key to greater happiness is to lower our expectations. It took a few days before I understood what he was saying. In some cultures, unhappiness can be traced to the variance between what we have learned to expect and what we have come to experience. Lowering expectations can change that, without lowering our standards.

My wife and I are still in the process of setting up a new home. It’s a different experience from the last time we did it. Online purchases aren’t always what we thought we were buying, and, for some merchants, making a return can be frustrating. With a few exceptions, in-store shopping has been weird. Salespeople – if you can find them – seem to know very little. Sometimes they say they’ll look for something and never return. I expect that in some ways, my disappointments are related to my expectations. In light of my friend’s revelation, when the salesperson doesn’t return or the person behind the counter is deliberately unhelpful, I reduce my expectation and the anger, the frustration, the aggravation slip away. And, when things turn out the way I think they should, I’m generous both with appreciation and thanks.

Join Us the Week of March 10 in the Alps

My wife and I will be skiing the Alps during March. We’re inviting readers to join  us the week of March 10 when we’re booked with Alpskitour, based in Saint Vincent in the Aosta Valley. Each day, a guide will take us to different resorts in Italy, Switzerland and France. The price — $4500 to $5500 per person– depends on where you fly to and whether you stay in a 3 or 5 star hotel. It includes everything for the 5 day/6 night experience: hotel, guide, meals, lifts, ski rentals, airport transfers, daily shuttles, etc. Each group is limited to six intermediate and higher skiers/boarders. Orsden is a sponsor and giving a terrific parka to each participant. More info about the trip appeared in last week’s Short Swings! column. If interested, email me: jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Richard Pazara’s Ski Streak

Reader Richard Pazara has skied almost everywhere on the globe and he’s still going.
Credit: Richard Pazara

In 2017 we published an article Richard Pazara wrote about his never-ending quest to ski where he hadn’t skied before. At that time he had been to 1,241 ski areas. In response to the recent Short Swings! column about the number of areas around the world (and my confession to having skied only 85), Richard emailed an update in the form of a spreadsheet documenting vertical feet skied, starting with 1994-95, when he began tracking vert with a ski watch. He’s clocked more than 1 million vertical in each of 16 of the ensuing 24 seasons. In 2007-08 he skied 1,667,940 vertical feet! In case you’re curious, Richard was born in 1946. Congratulations Richard! You are an inspiration.

Skiing in Georgia?

The New York Times: Ola Lewitschnik

The country’s Caucusus Mountains have four resorts, with Gaudauri being the most developed. It’s about a 90 minute drive from Tiblisi, Georgia’s capitol. According to the article appearing in the The New York Times’ annual Ski Issue. The country has good terrain, good food, and very reasonable prices. Additional reading made it clear that elsewhere in the country, with the help of cats and copters, it’s possible to access excellent backcountry powder. Can’t report on the quality of guides or safety protocols, but if you’re looking for something different, this might be a way to go.

Mt Bachelor Celebrates 60th

When it opened in 1958, the Bend, OR area had one 3,900’ Poma, two rope tows, and a 1,500-square-foot day lodge. Today, it is the country’s sixth largest area, with 4,318 acres covering an entire dormant volcano.

Great Holiday Gifts for Older Skiers

The Buffalo Wool Company is a small Texas outfit making exceptional woven things to keep your feet, hands and head comfy when out in the elements. Their socks, gloves, and hats are made from bison down, the fluff on the undersides of the 2000 lb animals. The company purchases 75% of the available supply, mixes it with silk, wool, yak, and cashmere and produces unique products that last long and make a good impression when given to the ones you love. In explaining it’s premium pricing, the company’s website states, “Nothing is more expensive than gear that doesn’t work.” SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers get a 10% break by entering “SeniorsSkiing” in the discount code window during the check-out process. I wore Buffalo Wool Company socks last winter when resting between ski trips at our place in the high desert near Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. What a luxury! The company has a “no questions asked” return policy in the unlikely event you or the person receiving the gift chooses to send it back. The American Field Bison Boot Sock ($54.00 less 10%) and the Pro-Gear Technical Boot Bison/Silk Sock ($45.00, less 10%) are particularly good options.

Wild West Jerky is another small company that makes the best jerky I’ve ever tasted. It’s based in the tiny town of Levan, Utah. The products – beef, buffalo, elk, venison, turkey, pork, salmon – are available in multiple flavors, sizes, combinations, etc. All ingredients and processing are entirely natural – unlike the commercial jerky products; even the high-end ones. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers receive a 20% discount off full retail online purchases when they enter “seniorsskiing” in the promo code window at checkout. Leave the fruitcake and Christmas cookies to others. Send or show up with a truly delicious and unusual gift.

Something New: Rental Ski Clothing

Slope Threads is a new Colorado-based company that rents a package of parka, pants, gloves, and goggles for $35 a day. Customers make their selections online. Soft goods are from Obermeyer; goggles from Smith. The clothing is delivered to their destinations. When done, it’s returned via mail. All shipping costs are included. The site has nice-looking stuff for the entire family. I’d be interested in reports from any readers who use the service.

January 4-6 Trip to Stowe

Mogul Meister Ski Club has a few open spots for a weekend trip to Stowe. It includes private bus from Scarsdale, NY, 2 nights lodging, breakfasts, dinner, lift tickets, etc. Cost: $438 pp/double occupancy. Details: email trip leader, Harold Pressberg: hmp696@optonline.net

John Blagys

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Japan’s Hakuba Valley

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A Senior’s Introduction To Some Of The Best Skiing In Japan.

Happo One is the largest resort in the Hakuba Valley with four base areas serving the mountain. Credit: Hakuba.com

The Hakuba Valley sits three hours west of downtown Tokyo and boasts some of the best skiing in all of Asia. Host to the 1998 Winter Olympics, Hakuba offers a unique combination of diverse terrain spread out over 11 resorts, 12 meters of annual snowfall, world class facilities, and amazing Japanese cultural experiences: think sushi, hot springs, and thousand year old temples. The entire valley has been added to the 2018/19 Epic Pass allowing pass holders five days of free riding across all of the resorts.

Access

From downtown Tokyo you will take the famous Japanese bullet train one and a half hours to Nagano Station where you will need to transfer to a bus for the last one hour of the journey. The entire is just 3 hours and costs ¥10,000. ($85.00)

Two Outstanding Resorts In The Valley

Happo-One

The largest and most central resort in the valley is Happo-One (pronounced On Ay), spreading across 220 hectares. The highest run is 2,696 m and spreads to four base areas providing everything advanced skiers could want: steep runs, high vertical drops, and powder runs. There are opportunities for beginners as well but this resort is best suited for intermediate and advanced skiers.

Adult Lift Ticket: ¥5,200 ($46.00)

Senior Lift Ticket: ¥4,700 ($41.00)

Cortina

Cortina has become synonymous with powder skiing for Hakuba enthusiasts. The resort receives the highest and driest snowfall in the valley and usually gets nearly twice as much snow as neighboring resorts. The snow patrol at Cortina are quite relaxed, and off-piste skiing is not an issue.

Adult Lift Ticket 1 Day ¥4,000 ($35.00)

Senior Lift Ticket 1 Day ¥3,200 ($28.00)

Alternatively, visitors can buy the Hakuba All Valley Pass which gives pass holders access to all 11 resorts.

Lessons

The Evergreen Outdoor Center is the largest international ski school in Hakuba and offers English language lessons with certified instructors on Happo-One.

Gear

You can get all your rental gear at Central Snow Sports. They have several locations throughout Hakuba and have very knowledgeable and friendly English speaking staff.

Basic Ski Rental Package: Approximately ¥4,000 per day ($35.00)

Where to stay?

Happo Village has everything you need for a comfortable stay in Hakuba: proximity to the resorts, best restaurants, hot springs, and public transportation.

Marillen Hotel

Only in Japan: Marillen is an Austrian-themed hotel in the heart of the Hakuba Valley. Credit: Hakuba.com

The Austrian-themed Marillen Hotel sits on the Nakiyama slope and is one of the few true ski-in-ski out hotels in the Hakuba Valley. The Austrian theme stretches  to the food with schnitzel and pretzels served while a fire roars and live musical acts perform in the après bar. Nakiyama even offers night skiing if you find the energy for a few extra runs after dinner.

Onsen

Soaking in a Japanese hot spring after a long day on the slopes is a terrific way to relax. Be advised,  it’s customary to bathe in the nude. It may feel daunting to walk into a public onsen at first but the experience is well worth any initial awkwardness. There are multiple onsens within Happo-Village, and they cost approximately ¥600 ($5.50) per visit.

Off the Slopes

Join a day tour and soak in the rich Japanese culture and visit the world famous snow monkeys. This full day tour takes you from Hakuba to Nagano City where you’ll stop at Zenkoji, an eighth century Buddhist temple. Many believe the first Buddhist sculpture ever brought to Japan remains within this sacred building. After touring the temple, you’ll be taken to the snow monkey park where you’ll be able to see the only monkeys in the world known to bathe in hot springs.

For more information, click here for the Hakuba Valley site.

The Cortina resort offers lots of snow and powder opportunities. Credit: Hakuba.com

 

seniorsskiing

Mystery Glimpse: Who’s Diligently At Work?

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They’re Lucky To Be In The Mountains And Not Where They Were.

This should be relatively easy.  Who are these chaps? What are they doing? Where are they doing it? When? Look closely. There are clues you can see.

Thanks, again, to the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame for contributing this picture. The museum’s website has some well-researched articles on the history of snow sports of all kinds in the Rocky Mountains and Colorado. Click here for more. SeniorsSkiing.com thanks Dana Mathios, Director of Collections, for working with us on this series.

Last Week

We thought this would be more difficult. Clearly, there are some fans of Queen Maud of Norway out there. The photo is the young Queen, right, skiing with her sister, Princess Victoria, in 1907. The Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum contributed this photo. Apparently, this pose was an attempt by English-born Maud to look more “Norwegian”.

Queen Maud was daughter of Britain’s Edward VII, was raised in England, and married a Danish prince. Clearly, inter-marriage of royals was a way to ensure longevity for blue bloods. During her first years in Norway, she and her spouse were photographed in Norwegian folk costumes, and enjoying winter sports such as skiing, to give them a Norwegian appearance in the eyes of the public. Hence, this picture.

In 1877, Norwegian Americans began collecting and preserving objects at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, documenting their chapter of the immigrant story, making them pioneers in the preservation of cultural diversity in America. That early collection

Maud of Wales in 1906

has grown into one of the most comprehensive museums in the United States dedicated to a single immigrant group—Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, now an independent not-for-profit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM).

 

Jan Brunvand

My Career As A Folk Singer

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An Undergraduate’s Parody Ski Song Led To An Academic Achievement.

How did a ski silly ski song to the tune of a classic melody wind up on a Folkways record which became a classroom classic?

 

 

As an undergraduate at Michigan State University in the early 1950s I joined the ski club, and I learned, among other things (like how to kick turn), a bunch of ski songs. We sang them driving up to Caberfae resort near Cadillac and apres ski in a local joint, The Pine Gardens.

These songs—passed from person to person—were often parodies. A takeoff on “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” told the sad tale of an injured ski racer with the chorus “Gory, gory, what a Hell of a way to die!”

Another disaster-themed favorite re-worded the cowboy ballad “Streets of Laredo.”

When I was a-skiing the hills of Sun Valley,

As I was a-skiing Old Baldy one day,

I spied a young skier all wrapped in alpaca,

All wrapped in alpaca, and cold as der Schnee.

This lugubrious piece went on to quote the injured skier who “Once upon Baldy used to ski gaily” but then “caught a right edge, and I’m dying today.”

Later as a graduate student in folklore at Indiana University I took a course on British ballads and learned that our Sun Valley song was part of a much older cycle of variations on the theme of “The Unfortunate Rake.” That’s “rake” in the archaic sense of a dissolute person, a libertine.

Author Jan Brunvand, occasional singer of ski songs, in the 50s.

In the original Irish and English versions the victim was a young soldier, dying from an STD, who describes his sad condition and requests a funeral: “Get six young soldiers to carry my coffin,/ Six young girls to sing me a song.”

In the cowboy song the funeral request became “Beat your drums slowly and play your fife lowly, /Get six of them gamblers to carry me along.” Our skiers’ parody called for “Six from the ski school to carry my coffin,/ Six little bunnies to sing me a song.”

One of my classmates, a rising star in folksong studies, was compiling a record of versions and variants of the “Rake” cycle. He enlisted me to sing the skiers’ version. Trouble was, I couldn’t sing worth a darn.

So we got another fellow student who performed in a local folksong group to plunk guitar chords to keep me more-or-less on key, and I managed to lay down a decent track, as we say in the business.

The LP was issued by Folkways Records in 1960, and there I was earnestly chirping my “Sun Valley Song” on the same disk as nineteen real folk singers, including Alan Lomax and Pete Seeger.

“The Unfortunate Rake: A Study in the Evolution of a Ballad” became a classroom classic used to illustrate how texts change as they are transmitted via oral tradition.

And you can listen to a sample of the “Sun Valley” song by clicking here. 

Even though this was my sole appearance as a folksinger, I make up in longevity what I lack in numbers. The Smithsonian Institution bought out Folkways and kept the entire catalog in print. Their website offers “The Unfortunate Rake “ by “various artists” as a CD or a download.

Or you can check it out on Amazon by clicking here.

I still like to sing an occasional ski song, to myself, usually while cruising western slopes, including a few times even those at Sun Valley.

 

Pat McCloskey

Treasure Your Ski Buddies: A Tribute

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Skiing Binds Friends Together; Don’t Skip A Trip.

Great friends, great memories. At the top of Mammoth Mountain.  Credit: Pat McCloskey

One of the great things about the sport of skiing is that it is a conduit for friendships.  There is nothing like the anticipation of the weekly get together with friends or the ski trip with pals that you have skied with for over 40 years.  There’s a buzz: the excitement, the snow reports, who has new equipment, and when and where will we all meet.  The guys that I ski with every year on a March ski trip go hard.  They are ex-ski racers and coaches and keep themselves in good shape and we all look forward to the annual trip together coming in to Tahoe from all over the country.

They are cherished friends, and we lost one this summer to an unexpected heart attack.

Proctor Reid was a Dartmouth ski racer back in the day and a highly educated head of a government engineering think tank in DC.  Proctor always impressed me with his big strong GS turns as well as his intellect, and great sense of humor.  It will be a hole for sure in our group this coming March as we toast and ski a run or two for our pal Proctor.  He is pictured on the right in the blue and black jacket with all of us at the top of Mammoth with the great backdrop of the Minarets.  God bless him.  We miss him terribly.

Another guy in this group pictured in the back with the blue jacket is our ring leader and host Eric Durfee from Incline Village, NV.  He recently cut short a trek in Nepal with his wife because of an unfortunate accident.  While spreading the ashes of his in-law at the base camp at Everest, he blacked out and fell eight feet into rocks off the side of the trail.  He was helicoptered to Kathmandu where he and his wife spent a week during extensive tests to determine when and if he could fly home.  Fortunately, everything checked out, and they are on their way back to the states flying first class to Reno from Kathmandu.  He tells us all not to worry.  He will be skiing Mammoth next week.  Tough old bugger.

Not being morose here and hoping to spark a little thought, life is precious.  There are no guarantees and that is why it is so important to get together with friends and no better way than on a ski trip.  Sure, things come up and there are always a million excuses for why we are too busy, it is a bad time, had a flat tire, or some other lame excuse.  But when you make it a priority, skiing binds you all together for memories that last a lifetime.  Same with the groups at your local areas.  Yes, it is cold, the weather might not be optimal here in the East, but drag yourself out and be held accountable to your local group and expect the same results of laughs, great turns together and that cold IPA at the end of the day in the ski lodge.

I just had another birthday and I still ride mountain bikes at night with lights and ski as much as I can during the winter.  I have to keep it going.  I asked Scott Nicol of Ibis Bike fame how long he thought we would be riding and skiing at this level.  He said, “ Pat, don’t even think of it. Don’t let anyone say that you are too old to do anything.”  Like the saying goes, “You don’t quit skiing because you get old.  You get old because you quit skiing.”

Treasure your friends.  Go ski with them.  And always remember—no friends on a powder day.

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov. 23)

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Free (Or Almost Free) Skiing Directory, Skis For Seniors Recommendations, Chile Wrap, Trail Name Series, Ski History Gala, Skiing In Skirts.

Here’s one Tom who made it past Thursday, glad to be trotting on the snow. Credit: SnoCountry

Happy Thanksgiving On The Snow!  For the first time in recent memory, there are plenty of lifts spinning in New England areas and in Colorado and other places in the West. The recent East Coast Nor’easter brought a snow covering and this week’s persistent precipitation has raised the snow level up to the top of boots in many areas.  Fingers crossed this is a harbinger of a long, cold season.  By the way, that is counter to the official El Nino-fused forecast for warm and wet here in the North East.

Last week, we published an update to our listing of resorts where the US and Canada where seniors can ski for free or almost free. We believe this is the only listing of its kind in the ski world.  You can access this list by clicking on the third menu box from the left under the blue ribbon at the top of the page.

We also published our list of ski recommendations for seniors which we compiled with the help Realskier.com, a long-time and respected reviewer of and commentator on skis and ski design. You can find this listing on the second menu from the left, next to the free (or almost ski list) list.

You may be asked to re-enter your name and email address to access these resources. There is no charge for any of these assets. We’re presenting them to the SeniorsSkiing.com community of readers to give you more specifically tailored resources for senior.

This Week

Casey Earle reports on the ski season in Chile, sharing some good news-bad news. Despite a shortage of snow, there were some great days and he took advantage of them.  If you haven’t even seen pictures of South American skiing, his article is a good introduction.  We’ve also included a link to more comments on Casey’s Ski Chile page on Teton Gravity Research.

We continue Don Burch’s trail name series with a swing through Michigan’s many resorts. Also Harriet Wallis reports on the University of Utah’s Ski Archives Gala where awards were handed out to Olympic visionary Harold Peterson and the US Forest Service and the Utah Avalanche Center, a team which has played a major role in controlling errant snow flows in the state.

Finally, our Mystery Glimpse looks at a pair of young ladies skiing in skirts more than a hundred years ago. We report on what the significance of that big brass bell was from last week’s puzzle.

Thanks for reading SeniorsSkiing.com.  Tell your friends, and remember, there are more of us everyday and we aren’t going away.

Chile skiing. Credit: Casey Earle

 

 

Short Swings
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Here’s an idea that may be of interest to a handful of readers. As part of our month-long ski trip to the Alps, I will spend the week of March 10 with Alpskitour, skiing with a guide in Italy’s Aosta Valley. I’m inviting a handful of SeniorsSkiing.com readers to share the experience.

Alpskitour is based in the small city of Saint Vincent, and every day, based on conditions, we’ll ski different areas accessible from the valley. Some, like Zermatt, Monte Rosa, Mont Blanc, and Courmayer, are famous; others, like Champoluc, Gressoney, and Pila, less so. But they have wonderful skiing and outstanding scenery. There’s a choice of a 3 or 5 star hotel in Saint Vincent, and a guide will take us to a different place each of the five days.

This is different from skiing in the States or Canada. Mountains are massive and there’s rich history everywhere. Many areas are contiguous and skiable with a single pass. On-mountain restaurants are individually owned, serving wonderful local cuisine. I chose March because of the reliable snow and likely clear skies. Each group is limited to 6 people. If more want to join, Alpskitour will arrange an additional group. Skiers should be strong intermediate or higher.

Saint Vincent is a scenic, old city with history and beautiful architecture. It has a well-known natural mineral spa and casino. Cost depends on where you fly in to and your choice of hotel. It ranges from $4,400 to $5,250 (using the current €/$ coversion rate)and includes airport transfers, hotel (6 nights), all meals, local shuttles, ski rental, lift tickets, guide/instructor services, and a variety of amenities. Orsden, the online ski clothing company that makes one of the best parkas I’ve ever owned (great looking; virtually every ski-related feature) is including a free parka for each participant — a $330 value (comparable to a $600 in-store parka). I’ve used mine three seasons, and it still looks new. I’ll be rounding up some other free merch for those who join in.

If interested in learning more, visit the Alpskitour site or drop me a line: jon@seniorsskiing.com.

APEX Boot System Black Friday Special

APEX is advertising a Black Friday special: $100 off if purchased at participating dealers between Nov 23 and 26. For a list of dealers,  click here, call (303-530-3340), or email Apex info@apexskiboots.com.

 

 

 

Ski Younger Now

Ski Younger Now, the innovative retraining program for older skiers, and skiers returning to the sport after recovering from an injury, has moved its base from Vail to the Aspen/Snowmass Ski School. The program teaches low-impact, low-torque techniques to enable efficient skiing in all kinds of terrain. Seth Masia, who developed the program, trained several Vail instructors who will continue to offer it at Vail.

Deer Valley Wins Multiple World Ski Awards

It was named best United States’ Ski Resort for the sixth straight year. Stein Eriksen Lodge was recognized as the country’s’ Best Ski Hotel,” and Goldener Hirsch Inn, as the country’s best Ski Boutique Hotel.

IKON Adds Three NZ Resorts

Ikon Pass  added Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, and Mt Hutt on New Zealand’s South Island. Ikon’s other Southern Hemisphere  partners are Thredbo (Australia) and Valle Nevada (Chile).

Unusual Ski Videos

“Ski Photographer” is a nine minute account of Oskar Enander, a colorblind photographer, specializing in ski photography. the film is shot is Engleberg, Switzerland, where he lives. It has beautiful imagery. Watch it to the end and you’ll be treated to a series of exceptional stills.

This five minute video from Teton Gravity Research shows 11-year-old Kyle Jones skiing Jackson Hole. OMG!!!!!!

“Off Piste: Tragedy in the Alps”  is important for anyone interested in avalanche safety. It starts with the stories of US Ski Team racers Bryce Astle and Ronnie Berlack, who were killed in an avalanche in Solden, Austria. The BRASS Foundation was formed in their memory and is dedicated to creating educational programs and best safety practices for snow sports athletes to further their physical and psychological well-being. It is very well done.

Great Holiday Gifts for Older Skiers

Panda Poles: I ski with Panda Poles. They have bamboo shafts and are beautifully hand-crafted in Pocatello, Idaho. Most older skiers I know would be delighted to own a pair. Panda also makes kids poles, trekking poles, selfie sticks, and wading and camera wands, among other interesting uses of bamboo. The company is offering a 30% discount to SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers. That brings the adult pole from its regular price of $95 to $66.50! It is a very sweet deal. Go to https://www.pandapoles.com, make your selections (there’s 2-minute tutorial to help make the correct choices), and enter SENIORS30 upon checkout. Alternatively, click on the adjacent coupon.

Orsden Parkas/Pants

I’ve written about Orsden parkas in the past. I was wearing mine while shopping last week when someone commented about the great color. I explained that the parka is designed for skiing, but perfectly suitable for other uses as well.  I showed her the multiple strategically placed pockets, the removable powder skirt (since she never skied, that required some explanation), the waterproof zippering system, detachable hood, etc. In the process, I realized the parka – despite three seasons of hard use – still looked as fresh as when I first wore it; that despite multiple runs through the washer. She was surprised when I told her that it’s priced at $330, about half of what similar parkas cost at retail. The company is able to do that because it only sells on line. Since I learned about Orsdan, it has added $200 ski pants. I intend to purchase a pair. If they’re anything like the parka, they’ll be winners. Orsden is offering SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers 30% off through December 31. Shop at Orsden.com and enter WINTER30 when checking out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Casey Earle

Chile 2018 Ski Season Wrap Up

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Finding Good Days In A Disappointing Snow Season In The Southern Hemisphere.

The 2018 season started on time in June, after a serious drought, but sputtered out before it ever really got going. The Chilean Central Zone ended with a 54 percent precipitation deficit, despite ENSO-neutral conditions. For a ski area in Chile not to get to the Sept 18 National holidays is shameful. Which is not to say there were no good days, just that they were few and far between.

Being relatively free to select those good days, I can share a couple of snaps that are deceivingly good.

The Las Vegas lift out of the La Parva village on a cold day in July. Helps to know where the rocks aren’t.

La Parva. Credit: Casey Earle

The conditions were not sufficiently good to ski other Central Zone ski areas, where I am not so intimately familiar with their thin base rock gardens.  So in September we headed 560 miles to the south where Mother Nature was more accommodating.

The Hotel Puyehue. Credit: Casey Earle

Our first lodging was the venerable and grandiose “Termas Puyehue Wellness & SPA Resort”, formerly the Gran Hotel Puyehue, founded in 1907. Back then, guests arrived by steam boat across the Lago Puyehue to enjoy its charming hot springs. The hotel is very well located at the entrance to the Parque Nacional Puyehue, established in 1941, and the lovely Antillanca ski area, tucked up in a volcanic cirque 18 km away. This is reached at the end of a good dirt road that winds through temperate rainforest and lagoons. The snowpack was 6-10 feet, from the mid station up, as it had rained hard at the base.

Here it can rain six feet a year, so when that falls as snow, it adds up, and 10-15 ft bases are not uncommon.

I seized an unusually brilliant sunny day and headed up. Nary a rock to be seen, and superb spring snow.

Heading down back off the crater towards the ski area, with the Puyehue Lake in the distance.

La Parva. Credit: Casey Earle

After the traditional September 18 mega-BBQ at a friend’s place in Puerto Varas, on the Llanquihue Lake, we drove back north 200 miles to Corralco ski area, on the Lonquimay Volcano.

This time we chose a cozy cabin in Malalcahuello, a nearby up-and-coming mountain town nestled in a group of volcanos. Monkey puzzle trees greet you as you wind up through the forest to the barren eastern bowl of the volcano.

Again, no rocks here, even at the end of September.

Credit: Casey Earle

While the American ski team trained on the far right side of the ski area, those venturing into the bowl to the south got fresh tracks

Corralco closed at the end of October, by far the latest closing for any ski area in Chile this year.

If you liked this 2018 summary, and want to drill down to the nearly daily detail of how it panned out, try reading a bit of my 276-entry collaborative thread on the Teton Gravity Research website. Click here for my Ski Chile comments.

Michigan Skiing
Don Burch

Trail Name Series: Michigan

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Idiot’s Delight, Fun Bubble and Crisis.

[Editor Note: Last week, we launched Don Burch’s Trail Name series with a round-up of trail names from resorts in California.  This week, we move to Michigan. If you have some trail names that stick in your memory, please let us know in the comments section below.]

Look at some resort maps and you’ll find some very creative trail names. Among resorts in Michigan, I found some gems. Making the top ten are Idiot’s Delight at Boyne Mountain, Fun Bubble at Marquette Mountain and Crisis at Pine Knob.

Marquette Mountain has another trail in the top ten, Oh, Zone. Nub’s Knob also has two in the top ten; Hot Flash and Bark Eater (there is also a Bark Eater at New York’s Titus Mountain). Rounding out the list are Don’t Chute at Big Powderhorn, Coffin Canyon at Mt. Holly, Elf Buster at Schuss Mountain and Old Face Full at Treetops.

Michigan has a slew of great trail names making the Honorable Mentions list: At Alpine Valley there are Mineshaft and Hidden Splendor. At Big Powderhorn Crazy Trail and Vertical Drop make the list as do Lois Lane and Joust at Boyne Highlands. Big Snow has No Name Trail making the list which is also the name of a trail at California’s Mt. Waterman and New York’s Labrador Mountain.

Crystal Mountain has three trails on the Honorable Mentions list: Abbey Road, Penny Lane and Giggles. Mountain Slayer Chute at Caberfae and both Old School and Bear Trap at Cannonsburg are also noteworthy (there is also a Bear Trap at Vermont’s Mount Snow).

Bonsai and The Sweet Spot at Mount Ripley, Mogul Mania at Mt. Holly, Chicken Chute at Brighton, Kingdom Come at Schuss Mountain, Whitewater at Ski Brule and Boneyard at Marquette Mountain round out the list ( there is also a Boneyard at Dodge Ridge in California).

Mount Bohemia deserves its own paragraph for the number of creative trail names at the resort. These include Cursing Werewolf, Thirsty Vampire, Hungry Vulture and Wacky Jackrabbit. Not to be overlooked are Dynamite Blast, Forbidden Cliffs and Ghost Trail.

A final note about the popularity of skiing in Michigan: Michigan ranks number two as the state with the most ski resorts (42). It is only surpassed by New York with 48. Tied for third are Colorado and Wisconsin each with 30 (based on 2015-16 data from SnowBrains.com).

Do you have a favorite trail name that’s been overlooked? Please let us know in the comments section.

Mount Bohemia. Credit: Ramada Hancock

 

Harriet Wallis

Olympic Visionary And Snow Safety Team Earn Honors At Ski History Gala  

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Their Behind-The-Scenes Work Makes The Winter Sports We Love Even Better.

Honoree Howard Peterson (r) is warmly congratulated by Ski Archives Advisory Board members Tom Nielson (l) and Richard Hughes. Credit: Harriet Wallis

Soft-spoken Howard Peterson grew up in a skiing family in Maine, became the ski director at New Hampshire’s Bretton Woods, and then moved west where he became the executive director of the U.S. Ski Team. He was already making an imprint on the ski industry.

Then, while the 2002 Winter Olympics plans were on the drawing board, Peterson rallied officials to build venues that would endure as training sites long after the Games were over.

Soldier Hollow, a venue of rolling hills and vast open space near Salt Lake City, became the 2002 Olympic Games venue for cross-country, biathlon, and Nordic combined. But it didn’t stop there.

Since the Games, thousands of children have been introduced to the sports there, and it’s a renowned training site for elite international athletes.

Mission accomplished!

Peterson earned the Joseph Quinney Award at the recent Ski Archives gala in Salt Lake City. The award is named for the late ski visionary and founder of Alta.

The other top award, the J. Willard Marriott Library History-Maker Award, went to the Utah Avalanche Center and U.S. Forest Service.

Part of the US Forest Service and Utah Avalanche Center team. Credit: Harriet Wallis

Here in Utah where the snow is legendary, the Utah Avalanche Center and the U.S. Forest Service work hand-in-hand to educate snow-lovers so they can “stay on top of the snow and not be buried underneath it.”

Predicting avalanche potential combines science, experience, and total dedication to help keep snow-users safe. Educating the public is crucial. Avalanches play no favorites.

In 2003 on the day after Christmas, three young snowboarders hiked into the back country to try their new gear. An avalanche swept them to their deaths.

The other part of the US Forest Service, Utah Avalanche Center team. Credit: Harriet Wallis

As a result, and with the support of the snow safety team, forecaster Craig Gordon spearheaded the “Know Before You Go” program—basic avalanche savvy 101. The program was presented to every outdoor group possible: snowmobilers, Boy Scouts. high schools. And then the program went worldwide.

What is Ski Archives?

The Utah Ski Archives is the country’s largest ski history research organization and repository of historic material. The Archives collection currently contains 500,000 images, 250 manuscripts and 6,000 audio,video and films.

Every year, it holds a gala fundraiser to help support its mission. And the gala honors individuals and organizations that set a high mark for their influence on the ski industry.

The Ski Archives collection is open to the public and is located in the University of Utah campus library in Salt Lake City.

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

 

seniorsskiing

Mystery Glimpse: Who’s Skiing In Skirts?

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It Looks Royally Uncomfortable.

Here’s a picture from long ago. The woman on the right is the mystery lady. Who is she? You can probably guess the era from the skiing “costumes”. Probably foreign. Last hint: Think Scandinavia.

This week’s picture was contributed by Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum & Heritage Center, in Decorah, IA.  The center has over 33,000 artifacts, 12 historic buildings, a Folk Art School, and a library and archives. This treasure showcases the most extensive collection of Norwegian-American artifacts in the world.

Vesterheim’s exhibitions explore the diversity of American immigration through the lens of the Norwegian-American experience and highlight the best in historic and contemporary Norwegian folk and fine arts. USA Today named Vesterheim one of “ten great places in the nation to admire American folk art.”

Last Week

This is the famous Engen Bell, a fixture in Utah ski history and an official “treasure” of the state.

The bell was used for many years on an old locomotive from the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. It is estimated the bell was made in the mid-1800s, but no official records are available to verify its exact age. Rio Grande Railroad officials stated that the bell made hundreds of trips through Utah in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

In 1955 the bell was acquired by Martha M. Engen as a gift from the railroad. She gave it her son Alf for use at his Alf Engen Ski School at Alta, Utah. For 24 years, the bell was used every day to toll the start of the morning and afternoon ski school sessions. It became a landmark at Alta; everyone listened for the bell to sound. When Alf Engen retired as the ski school director, it was deemed appropriate to also retire the bell in his honor. The bell rang for the last time in 1989, when Alta celebrated its 50th anniversary as a ski area. Alf gave the bell to his son, Alan, who commissioned a solid oak stand and brass plates identifying it as “The Engen Bell,” in honor of his dad and his grandmother, Martha.

Look closely. There’s the bell on the old steam engine.

In 1995, the old bell was selected as one of the “100 Treasures of Utah” and was put on display at the Utah Winter Sports Park as a featured attraction of the 1996 Utah Centennial celebration. The reasons for being named a Utah treasure are twofold: First, the bell holds historical value due to the time period in which it was used by the Rio Grande Railroad. Secondly, it is the only ski school bell ever used at Alta, and as far as can be determined, is the only bell used by any ski school in Utah’s history. The only other Intermountain Region ski school to use a bell for announcing the start of classes was at Sun Valley, in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

The bell is on display at the Alf Engen Ski Museum located in Park City, Utah.

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov. 16)

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Fifth Anniversary Party Bash Report, Revised Free Ski List, New Trail Name Series, Big Bell Mystery, November Poetry From Robert Frost.

The Upper West side of Manhattan reverberated with the laughs and chatter of the SeniorsSkiing.com’s Fifth Anniversary Bash at E’s Bar and Grill last Wednesday.

 

Mke Maginn (l) and Jon Weisberg, co-publshers

 

 

 

Several ski journalists attended.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Week

We have an important article from The Ski Diva, our friend and colleague Wendy Clinch, who advises us how to regain and maintain confidence. It’s a topic that we know many seniors struggle with as we change our style to accommodate our changing capabilities.

This week’s Mystery Glimpse has an excellent puzzlin’ pic from the Alf Engen Museum, Park City. It’s an artifact that folks who’ve been around the Intermountain area may know. And see who those two stars from last week were.  Okay, one was Judy Garland as a young skier.

Correspondent Don Burch had a great idea.  While waiting for the snow to fly, let’s do series on unusual and memorable trail names.  His analytic inclinations had him researching trail maps and making sense or at least some observations about what was common, different, thematic, etc., at a group of ski resorts. So, this week, we present his thoughts about trail names at resorts in California.  More next week.

Finally, we have a November poem by Robert Frost. November is a special month as it can be viewed as the swing time between brightness and light and doom and gloom. Here’s an homage to “bare November days.”

Thanks for reading SeniorsSkiing.com. PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS.  Remember, dear readers, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Last evening we celebrated our fifth year of publishing with a party in New York City. The crowd that showed up had a good time. Many walked away with raffle prizes.

 

 

 

The idea for a magazine dedicated to older skiers, boarders, and snowshoers developed over several years. Living in Park City, I saw that, midweek, almost everyone on the lift was my age or older. Ski magazines, by contrast, were publishing things mostly for and about younger people.

As the concept formed, I used the lift to bounce ideas. For those of you familiar with market research, the chair ride became a series of 8-10 minute focus groups.

 

 

MikJone Maginn and I are friends from college. We both graduated when giant green animals with pea-sized brans were feeding from tree tops. Following graduation, he spent time on the editorial staff of Skiing Magazine. We stayed in touch over the years, and I suspected that despite a busy consulting practice, he might have some time. He understood the concept immediately – a growing cohort of older skiers without a core. Would he be interested in partnering? The next day he agreed, and we immediately started to plan.

SeniorsSkiing.com launched less than a year later with zero subscribers. As we enter our fifth year of publication, we have subscribers, worldwide, who, last season, generated up to 50,000 monthly page views. The numbers keep growing.

The earliest advertisers – Masterfit, DeBooter, and 70+ Ski Club – have been joined by others wanting to reach active, outdoor-oriented seniors.

SeniorsSkiing.com is a true labor of love. Contributors aren’t paid, but they like to share their experiences and stories with an ever-growing audience. We go through considerable effort to publish annual lists of areas where seniors can ski free, the best skis for seniors, and the best boots for seniors. Realskiers.com and Masterfit provide the data for the ski and boot lists.

The party last evening was terrific. Numerous attendees told us they made plans to ski with new friends they met there. Several walked away with excellent raffle prizes, including a four-day trip to Okemo Mountain in Vermont (courtesy, 70+ Ski Club), a pair of Apex ski boots, and two Orsden parkas. Others won DeBooters; Bootsters; GearBeast cell phone holders; Buffalo Wool Company bison wool socks; Safe Descents, ski and snowboard insurance, and lift tickets to Powder Mountain in Utah. The SWAG tables were heavy with materials from Skiing History Magazine, Powder Mountain, Solitude, Ski Pennsylvania, Mont Saint Anne, and Sunday River.

The person travelling the longest distance to get there was Mauro Cevolo of Alpskitour. He came from the Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps, where his company conducts weeklong guided skiing to Courmayeur, Mont Blanc, Zermatt, and other snow-covered marvels, returning each night to a classic hotel in the scenic town of Saint Vincent.

You’ve helped us get to five years. Please tell your older skiing friends about SeniorsSkiing.com. As for our part, we plan to keep you informed with relevant and timely information of interest to the older snowsports enthusiast.

News of resort openings from the mountains.

Here are a few from this week’s email:

Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows (CA) Nov. 16

Brighton (UT) Nov 15

Brianhead (UT) Nov 16

Copper Mountain (CO) Nov 16

Grand Targhee (WY) Nov 16

Okemo Mountain (VT) Nov 16

Stowe (VT) Nov 16

Sugarbush (VT) Nov 17

Crystal Mountain (MI) Nov 22

Skier vs. Drone

Salomon released this clever video of French racer, Victor Muffat-Jeandet competing on a GS course against champion drone racer, Jordan Temkin. Most resorts have no-drone policies, but Snowbird, where this was taped, must have given special permission. Short and amusing, with a surprise end: click here.

Great Holiday Gifts for Older Skiers

Over the next month, I’ll highlight unique and useful gift ideas for older skiers.. The following, which I’ve mentioned before, advertise on SeniorsSkiing.com. Simply click on the ads to reach the sites.

  • GearBeast is a $9.95 rubberized cellphone carrier, worn around the neck and with a small pocket to hold ID, a credit card and some cash.I’ve been using it for several months and consider it essential. I no longer misplace the phone. Equally important for skiers is that there’s no way you’ll drop the phone on the lift. Because it’s around the neck and under the parka, the battery doesn’t drain lie it does in a parka pocket. Mine is black, but GearBeast comes in a variety of colors. A very good item.
  • Bootster is a compact device that serves as a ski boot horn. It rolls up and fits in your pocket. Some of you have written in about DIY devices for getting boots on. One of the beauties of Bootster is that it goes where you go, making it ideal to get boots back on after lunch on the hill. $25.00
  • DeBooter is a skiboot jack.I keep mine in the car and loan to others in the lot. It works extremely well, even with stiff, cold boots. Your foot comes right out without difficulty or pain. One of my friends reports that his grandkids love his DeBooter. $39.95, less 20% SeniorsSkiing.com discount.
  • Safe Descents is emergency ski and snowboard evacuation insurance.It covers ambulance or air evacuation services if injured in-bounds at any ski resort in the United States. That’s in addition to other coverage like sending a loved one to the hospital and/or getting back home following a hospital stay. These and other benefits have a maximum of $25,000. A thoughtful gift to drop into any stocking. $56.99 for the season.
Jon Weisberg

Now Available: List of Best 2019 Skis For Seniors

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We just published the list of 2019 skis identified as the best for older skiers.

The 61 selected skis generally have a softer flex, which helps them engage snow with minimal exertion, allowing older skiers to turn more easily and to ski longer without tiring. Twenty-one women’s models are included.

The skis were selected during the annual national ski evaluation process organized by the renowned ski review site, Realskiers.com.

The recommended skis are grouped into six categories, each based on the ski’s width, which helps determine the terrain where its performance is optimized.

If you’re considering a purchase, we recommend first identifying the most suitable category, then skiing the selections using a demo program. This may be accomplished by working with a quality ski shop.

The categories and their characteristics follow:

  • Frontside (aka “Carving” skis)encompass the broadest range of skier abilities from entry-level to experienced. They are for use on groomed terrain. Wider models are usable off-trail.
  • All-Mountain East are versatile skis that work equally well in on-trail and off-trail conditions. This category is suitable for those who have not skied in a few years.
  • All-Mountain West are good for use in the West by high performance skiers. They are adapted for off-trail use but can be skied on-trail by skilled skiers.
  • Big Mountainare essentially more maneuverable powder skis. They are inadvisable for regular on-trail use.
  • Powder are specialty skis for use in deep powder only.
  • Technical skishave high performance race ski characteristics and are suitable for caving turns on hard-snow.

To access the list click here.

Realskiers.com is a first rate site for any skier interested in learning about equipment and being exposed to the expert perspectives of it’s publisher, Jackson Hogen. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers can subscribe to Realskiers.com for $9.95, half of it’s normal rate. As a subscriber, you also have direct access to Jackson and his points of view about what equipment might be best for your needs. It’s a fantastic deal. 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 SS18 in the field under “Coupon Code.”

Wendy Clinch

Skiing With Confidence: Advice From The Ski Diva

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Practical Advice On How To Regain And  Maintain Your Confidence On Snow.

[Editor Note: The Ski Diva (Wendy Clinch, our friend and colleague) has given us permission to re-print a transcript of advice on confidence in skiing. The Ski Diva site is a community of women who love winter sports and the outdoors. The site has been honored by the North American Snowsports Journalist Association for excellence. We think this is an important article and are happy to present it here in edited form for our readers.  To read her expanded article, click here.  Many of the references to women characteristics and tendencies can be applied to older skiers, too.]  

In skiing, lack of confidence can be a real game changer. It can hold us back and make it difficult for us to tackle harder terrain or even keep up with our family and friends. And when we don’t feel like we’re good enough, we let that take over. We have negative thoughts, which leads to poor skiing, which leads to more negative thoughts, which leads to more negative thoughts, which leads to more poor skiing, until your confidence is so shot you may not even want to ski anymore. 

What we want is to develop a deep, lasting, and resilient belief in our abilities as skiers. We want to stay positive, motivated, and emotionally in control when we need to be. We don’t want to let lack of confidence or fear take over and drag us down.

There are a number of things we can do to help if we don’t have the inborn confidence we need.

First, confidence is something that has to start way before we get to the hill. And you can’t overlook the effect of how you feel, physically, in all this. Because if we’re not physically fit, if we don’t feel like we’re in good shape, we’re going to have a rougher time when we get out there, and that’s going to affect our confidence when we ski.

Second, you have to pay attention to your equipment, because poorly functioning equipment can be real confidence shaker, too. Which means have your skis waxed and tuned and your binding checked. But your biggest priority has to be your boots. Too many of us don’t have boots that fit properly. Boots are the one piece of ski equipment that comes in close contact with your body. So you don’t want to feel your feet move or your heel lift up. If your feet are moving and your ski boots aren’t, your skis aren’t doing what you want them to do. You’ll ski less well, and definitely less confidently.

You know what’s a real confidence crusher? Peer pressure. When friends push you to do something you’re not ready for. Do yourself a favor and give it a pass. I know that skiing with people who are at a higher level can be frustrating and even embarrassing, but don’t let it get to you. Remember, skiing is supposed to be fun — not stressful. One solution is to look for easy runs that parallel steeper terrain. Ride the same lift as your friends, and then take a different way down.

Ski School, Austria, circa, 1930s.

Another alternative: Break away and take a lesson. Personally, I think lessons are the best way to build your confidence. Because it’s easy to lack confidence when you don’t have the skills.

Whatever you do, though, don’t take a lesson from a spouse or a significant other. There’s way too much emotional baggage tied up in that. You want an objective third party, and you want a professional ski instructor. 

So let’s talk about fear for a minute. Because what is fear, but a lack of confidence? And I think every skier has been afraid, at one point or another.

One of the best is to just breathe. When you’re nervous or scared, your body tends to tense up and your heart rate increases and you hold your breath. Deep breathing sends a signal to your brain that everything’s ok and you can relax.

Along these lines, I’ve found mindful meditation extremely helpful.  Mindfulness is simply being aware of the present and paying attention to our thoughts and feelings at any moment, without passing any judgement. It’s not about rehashing the past or worrying about the future or things you can’t control. Instead, you focus on what’s here and now: On the feel of snow beneath your feet. On the feeling of the cold air on your skin. And while you’re doing that, you breathe positive energy in, negative energy out.

So some other tips for building your confidence. Another good tool is positive self talk. Talk to yourself the way you’d like a good friend to talk to you. You want to focus on your strengths – we all have them — and instead of tearing yourself down, build yourself up. Studies show that maintaining a positive attitude can do wonders for your confidence. If you keep telling yourself you can do this, amazingly enough, you will. 

And there’s one more thing that I think really helps with confidence: a good support system, like TheSkiDiva.com. One of the things that make it such a great community is the way we work to build each other up. Let me give you an example: I was on a trip with TheSkiDivas where a number of us went down some pretty difficult terrain. The ones who went down first stopped at the bottom and waited for the others. And as each one came down, we all cheered. You can’t beat that.

 

seniorsskiing

Mystery Glimpse: Ding Dong Bell

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Yes, It’s A Big Bell.

 

What’s the significance of this old bell? Do you know where it came from? What it was used for? Who used it? Your guesses below most welcome.

This week’s Mystery Glimpse was contributed by the Alf Engen Ski Museum, Park City, UT.  The museum was established in 1989 with the mission to preserve the rich history of skiing in the Intermountain Region. Browse their online collection of photos and videos of legendary pioneers, champions and significant contributors to the sport of skiing in the Intermountain Region. This library includes numerous vintage photos and video clips.

Last Week’s Glimpse

Nope, not Gary Cooper. Yes, Judy Garland. This is Otto Schniebs, shown here with the young movie star, who settled in Waltham, MA,  after immigrating from Germany in the late 20s.  He set up one of the first ski schools in America there and was soon discovered by AMC members as a talented ski instructor who had vast ski teaching experience in his native country.

Before moving on to become a ski coach at Dartmouth, Otto Schniebs introduced formal ski instruction to the region. With John McGrillis, he wrote the first instructional book on skiing in 1931. He was the director of the first ski school for instructors organized by the US Eastern Amateur Ski Association.

“For the first time learning to ski became easy in this country,” noted AMC ski leader William Fowler.  Schniebs coined the well-known phrase, “Skiing is more than a sport; it’s a way of life.”

Otto Schniebs was inducted into the US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1967.

Everyone knows Judy Garland.

Many thanks to the New England Ski Museum for sending along this Mystery Glimpse picture.

 

 

Don Burch

Trail Name Series: California

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Consider The Name Of A Trail. You Will Often Find Uniqueness And Whimsy.

High Voltage, Squaw Valley. Credit: Patrick Saffarian

Peruse a few resort maps, and you’re sure to come upon some great trail names. Doing so with California resorts was no exception. Training Wheels at Mammoth is a wonderfully apropos name for a beginner trail. Amusement Park at Big Bear is fitting for a trail designed for park skiing and riding and Bone Yard at Dodge Ridge is a trail calling for respect.

Top honors also go to Secret Spot at Mammoth (there is also a trail named Secret Spot at Michigan’s Alpine Valley), Chute That Seldom Slides at Alpine Meadow, Lost in the Woods at Mammoth, Mambo Playground at June Mountain and Hogwild at Summit at Snoqualmie. Rounding out the top of the list are Ewe Turn and No Name Trail at Mt. Waterman (there is also a No Name Trail at Michigan’s Big Snow and New York’s Labrador Mountain), Ditch of Doom and Trench of Terror at Kirkwood and His and Yours at Boreal Mountain.

Honorable mentions go to:

High Voltage                        Squaw Valley

Elevator Shaft                      Kirkwood

Snowsnake Gully                 Kirkwood

Hornets’ Nest                        Northstar

Cop out                                   China Peak

While viewing trail names at California resorts a few unexpected patterns emerged. First, several had the word stump in them. There is a Stump Alley at both Mammoth and Northstar, Stump Farm at Crystal Mountain and Stump Run at Kirkwood.

Two resorts have named trails after a traditional samurai practice. These are Hari-Kari Gully at Sugarbowl and Hari Kari Gate at Bear Valley.

Several trails are named after animal anatomy. At Squaw Valley there are Mule’s Ear and Red Dog Face.  At Northstar.  there’s Cat’s Face. At Sugarbowl, you will find Crow’s Face, and at Sierra-at-Tahoe there is Horsetail.

Do you have a favorite trail name that’s been overlooked? Please let us know in the comments section below.

mikemaginn

Snow In Literature: My November Guest

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November Is A Forerunner.

November Road, Credit: M.Maginn

My November Guest

By Robert Frost (1913)

My sorrow, when she’s here with me,
Thinks these dark days of autumn rain
Are beautiful as days can be;
She loves the bare, the withered tree;
She walks the sodden pasture lane.

Her pleasure will not let me stay.
She talks and I am fain to list:
She’s glad the birds are gone away,
She’s glad her simple worsted grey
Is silver now with clinging mist.

The desolate, deserted trees,
The faded earth, the heavy sky,
The beauties she so truly sees,
She thinks I have no eye for these,
And vexes me for reason why.

Not yesterday I learned to know
The love of bare November days
Before the coming of the snow,
But it were vain to tell her so,
And they are better for her praise.

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov. 9)

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Off To The Ski Show! New Mystery Glimpse, Updated Free Ski List,  Snowshoeing With Grandkids, Another Non-Skiing Snow Activity.

The annual go-to-the-ski-show ritual is about to take place. We’re headed down to Boston to see what new and different this year and to connect with some friends and fellow ski journalists.  We know this is a great annual family/friend outing for lots of folks, and it’s a lot of fun.  Anticipation builds, and from what we’ve heard, there will be snow this weekend at higher altitudes in New England. Go to the show and get the fever.

The Boston Ski & Snowboard Expo runs from Nov. 8-11, and the Denver show from Nov. 16-18. If you click on the ad at the top right of the page, you can get a SeniorsSkiing.com discount.

Here’s a video from last year’s Ski & Snowboard Expo in Boston.  Come on down!

https://youtu.be/lP9wRhhmVwk

Free Ski (Or Almost Free) For Seniors Resort List Updated

Last week, we published our list of 134 ski resorts in the US and Canada that offered free (or almost free) skiing for seniors, and our readers immediately sent in additions and corrections. So, you will find an update to our listing by clicking here. You may have to re-enter your name and email address to download. There are now 144 ski resorts that are being nice to seniors.

We welcome additional corrections and updates.  Also, one reader made a point of asking us to tell you to check each resort’s special terms and conditions that may apply before you head up and ask for a free ticket. There can be changes and different requirements, like proof of age or cut-off dates. Wise advice, especially for venues that are new to you.

This Week

A little planning goes a long way when snowshoeing with kids. Credit: Crystal Mountain

We have a new Mystery Glimpse for your guessing pleasure as well as the correct answer to last week’s mystery. The story behind last week’s picture is pretty interesting, and although the event depicted took place in 1964, the “Lost Boy” trail remains a landmark at Vail. Find out what happened.

We also have some great advice from SeniorsSkiing.com x-c ski editor Roger Lohr on taking your grandkids snowshoeing. Snowshoeing can be a great way to introduce young children to the winter outdoors with the caveat that you do it right. That means thinking twice about equipment, clothing, provisions, and planned activities out in the woods.

Finally, correspondent Yvette Cardozo gives us the third part of her series on other things you can do at a ski resort besides ski. This week, she tells the story of her adventure on a Snow Limo at Sun Peaks Resort in BC. Now this is an interesting device, kind of like a dog sled without the dogs and run by gravity, steered by a guide hanging on the rear. So, we guess you get the thrill of skiing without having to strap on skis and squeeze into boots.  Fun stuff.

Please remember to tell your friends about SeniorsSkiing.com, the only online magazine for the senior skier. There really are more of us every day, we aren’t going away.

Snow Limo takes a non-skier not only up the mountain but also down a ski trail. Credit: Sun Peaks Snow Limo Tours.

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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I keep a list of the places I’ve skied since I was 10. In a few weeks, I’ll be 75. The list totals 85 areas, mostly the US and Canada. The others are in the French and Swiss Alps. One, an indoor area that no longer exists, was in Japan.

Photo: Rylo

That, and the recent addition of Canada to our annual list of paces where seniors can ski free, got me thinking about just how many areas there are. Note that I used the term “areas,” not “resorts.” Some of the places I found are indoor ski centers. Others are quite small and have few amenities. I don’t want to give the term, “resort” a bad name.

According to one Google reference, as of last season, Europe had 3,478 ski areas. That’s a lot more than the 472 in the US. When you add Canada’s 219 areas, and Mexico’s one little ski resort, North America totals 692.

By comparison, Australia and New Zealand, combined, have 62. And all of South America has 30.

Africa has seven areas: two in Algeria, one in Lesotho (I once travelled there on non-ski-related business and met the king), three in Morocco, and one in South Africa.

I counted a total of 728 areas across Asia; most of them in Japan. The list of Japanese areas I used was a bit confusing, so my count may be off. There certainly are more than 500 Japanese areas. Currently China has 7 areas, but as reported here last year, there are plans to build 500 more by 2022, when China hosts the Winter Olympics.

India has 11 areas; Pakistan 9. A few years ago, I wrote a piece about North Korea’s newest resort. The country has two. South Korea has 20. And, in case you didn’t already know this, there are areas in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Even Mongolia has a ski area. And in the Middle East, there’s skiing in Lebanon, Iran, Israel, Syria, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates (indoor, of course).

Add them up and they total 4997 ski areas. I’ve only been to 85! If any of you have skied unusual or out of the way places, tell us about them in “Comments,” or drop me a line at jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Pass the Bucks

Last season Vail sold 750,000 Epic Pases. This season, Alterra expects it will sell 250,000 Ikon Passes in this, the first full season for the Ikon Pass. These passes come with a cost for senior skiers – the elimination of local area passes and the senior discounts they offered. While on the subject, Valle Nevado in Chile, just became part of the Ikon Pass.

LGBTQ Skiing

ELEVATION is a series of annual gay ski and snowboard weeks. It started 16 years ago at Mammoth and has been a presence in Park City for the past eight years. This season, the event will also be held at Mont Tremblant.

Colorado Has the Goods

Breckenridge and Keystone received 5’ since mid October. Both open this week.

Skiing With Grandkids

This article from the Ski Utah website gives practical advice for parents of young skiers. If you’re a grandparent, taking young ones out on the hill for the first time, it will helpful.

Maine Ski Hall of Fame Inducts Seven

The Maine Ski Hall of Fame recognizes Maine skiers who have brought distinction to Maine skiing or made significant contributions to the sport. This year’s inductees are US Freestyle Champions, Karen Colburn and Anne Dowling; Leon Akers, cross country coach and ski shop owner; David Stonebraker, prep school ski coach; Warren Cook, Sugarloaf ski executive; Kristina Sabasteanski, biathlete; and (posthumously) Norman Libby, Bridgton winter adventurer who was the first to ski Pleasant Mountain (Shawnee Peak) in the 1890’s.

The Hall of Fame is a program of Ski Museum of Maine.

SeniorsSkiing.com Readers Get Free Subscriptions to SKI Magazine and Skiing History Magazine

Go to the top of the page. Click “Community.” Scroll down to the two offers.

Jon Weisberg

Additions to List of US and Canadian Areas Where Seniors Ski Free

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Last week we published our annual list of resorts where seniors can ski free. For the first time, we added the results of our survey of all Canadian ski areas.

Several readers notified us of areas with free skiing privileges that we had overlooked. They include Arizona Snow Bowl (AZ), Boreal (CA), Loveland (CO), Bellayre (NY), and Cataloochee (NC). Catalooche requires you to be 65. The others, 70.

The list now totals 144 places in North America where seniors can ski free (or almost free). To find the list, click “Community,” then “Subscriber Only Content,” then “Free Skiing For Seniors.” Or take a shortcut by clicking here.

We encourage all readers to submit the names of other areas offering free skiing to seniors or the season passes for $125 or less or day tickets for $25 or less.

Many thanks to the readers who sent in updates.

 

INVITE
seniorsskiing

PARTYTIME!!!! Wednesday, November 14 in NYC

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Come celebrate 5 years of SeniorsSkiing.com!

You’ll meet other older skiers and have a chance to win some terrific raffle prizes, including, a trip to Okemo, a pair of APEX boots, Orsden parkas, a season of Safe Descents ski and snowboard insurance, DeBooter ski boot jacks, Bootster ski boothorns, discounts on Masterfit boot products, subscriptions to Skiing History magazine, etc. RSVP if you can. Otherwise, just drop-in. Details follow:

seniorsskiing

Mystery Glimpse: Two Stars On The Snow

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Who Are These Folks?

Hint: It’s New England. Another Hint: You’ve undoubtedly seen one of these folks in action.

This week’s Mystery Glimpse photo comes from the archives of the New England Ski Museum with headquarters in Franconia, NH, and a new branch location in North Conway, NH.

The New England Ski Museum collects, conserves, and exhibits elements of ski history for research, education and inspiration. They have have operated the Museum at Franconia Notch State Park since December, 1982, and welcome thousands of visitors each year. You can access detailed descriptions of the museum’s permanent and annual exhibits by clicking here.

Last Week’s Mystery Glimpse

Who, What, Where, When?

Only one guess on this one. That’s surprising because the story behind this picture is embedded in Vail lore.

On April 1, 1964, when Vail was still brand new, a 14-year-old boy named Marty Koether got lost on the slopes—and ended up becoming a permanent part of Vail history.

Koether, who accidentally skied into a yet-to-be developed Game Creek Bowl, spent a long, cold night in a tree well near the bottom of the present-day location of the Game Creek lift before climbing out the next morning and being discovered by ski patrol.

The incident was chronicled in Skiing Magazine and became part of the mountain’s folklore. The winding, green trail in Game Creek Bowl “Lost Boy” is named after Koether and his disappearance.

A salute to the  Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame.    A special thanks to museum curator Dana Mathias who provided this story.

Do you remember this incident?

Roger Lohr

Taking The Grandkids Snowshoeing

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Here’s How To Do It Right And Have A Fun, Memorable Experience.

A little planning goes a long way when snowshoeing with kids. Credit: Crystal Mountain

On a winter trail outing near my home, I ran into a neighbor and her grandchild on snowshoes—and it was not going well. The kid was uncomfortable and headed back home by herself. Grandma kept going, and since she is a neighbor, I went along with her for a while and chatted. It was clear she was not aware of how to help her granddaughter have a good time on a cold winter day on snowshoes. So, here’s a primer about snowshoeing with the grandkids.

Snowshoes

You can get children’s snowshoes that are used or new but it’s really important to get the right size. For the youngest kids—four-eight years old—get colorful snowshoes but ensure they are secure on the foot and easy to put on. Most snowshoe companies have a snowshoe for kids.

Clothing

Light layers of clothing are comfortable, and you can add or remove clothing as needed (i.e., if it gets too hot). A lightweight synthetic base layer of long underwear helps to keep your grandkid dry and transports perspiration away. A middle layer that provides insulation like a shirt or sweater with a jacket shell as outer layer works great. Don’t forget a headband or light hat and a pair of appropriate gloves. Alpine ski gloves will be too warm for snowshoeing unless it is very cold outside.

The goal is for the kids to recognize when it is too cold or too hot and to encourage them to adjust layers so they feel comfortable with the temperature. Wearing a backpack will allow kids to stash or pull out the extra clothes, and feel self sufficient.

Fun on Snowshoes

If you want it to be a good time for them (and you), you have to make the snowshoeing outing less “boring” and more exciting. Also, your first few outings should be short and easy so that the kids don’t feel that snowshoeing is “too much work.” Maybe they can take pictures with a camera or cell phone. Plan ahead and discuss what to look for—perhaps there are different kinds of scenic views, trees, animals, tracks, and silly poses that you can do. You can’t stop too many times to take photos. Pose for them, take selfies, get some photos of them without you, send them out on social media, etc. You’re making and saving memories!

Set up a scavenger hunt on the trail (hang or hide treats or something); the kids can look for and accumulate the hidden treasures.

Kids love candy and perhaps they’ll love to go snowshoeing to look for candy that is cached (hidden in specific locations in bags). Take them on a “Quest for the Candy” by following hints that you write in advance as a poetic treasure map to follow. This is a new type of orienteering for children.

Choose the Trail

Make sure to take the kids on interesting trails and accept that “interesting” for them may be very different than it is for you. Have a destination such as waterfalls or hilltop, or a site for wildlife spotting. Discuss this issue prior to planning the trek so you are aware of what they might enjoy. Be aware about whether the child is over his or her head—the trail may be too steep, too long, or you are not getting to the destination soon enough.

If you want to avoid all of this decision-making, go to a cross country ski area that can accommodate kids on snowshoes like Great Glen Outdoor Trails Center in Gorham, NH. They have a scavenger hunt called “Trail Tracker” which is a big hit for kids to track down cartoon animals out on the trails. When they find the animated creature signs, they stamp a card, and, upon return to the lodge, they get a treat.

Hydrate and Snacks

Plenty of snacks and drinks are a must. If you are going out more than a half hour pack enough water or drinks. The kids get thirsty fast, and they may like to play the “I’m thirsty” card when they want a break. Granola bars, sandwiches, energy drinks, fresh fruit, and crackers to provide ample energy boosts but also consider some snacks that you know they enjoy like chocolate or candy bars.

A Great Time with the Grandkids

Go for a snowshoe adventure rather than just a snowshoe hike. Take the opportunity to get outside and enjoy nature and exercise, while at the same time having bonding time with your family; you’ll be glad you did.