seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Oct. 30)

/0 Comments/in /by

Snow On Halloween! Skiing Weatherman Predicts, Resort Options Question, Mystery Air Ride, Nordic Exercisers.

Lots of Black Swans this year. Enough already!

This year is unprecedented in many ways. Perhaps another oddity to add to how unusual things have become is that we have snow forecast for the Boston area on Halloween. Well, the evening before Halloween, but still. If you know anything about statistics, you have probably heard of a “Black Swan” event, something that happens that goes beyond so-called normal variances and which has heavy consequences.  This year, we have a bevy of black swans.

What will the early snow mean? It’s that old “Go” signal to skiers everywhere, but with a new direction, scurrying people to buy any new gear they can find in their local ski shops.

Why?

Last spring, when the hammer came down, retailers saw a rush of last minute buyers for end of season, on sale stuff.  Kind of like the toilet paper phenomenon but with skis, boots, and gear. This fall, according to Freeskier, backcountry gear is currently selling out. Uphill traffic is predicted to explode. Expect to see a new emphasis on avalanche awareness and condition reporting, guide services and instruction, and new back country ski packages hard to find in retail outlets. In that mix is the cross-country ski and boot you can use at your local golf course.  Hot cakes, they are. If you want some, “Go” now!

Fischer factory in Ukraine burns Oct 19, made many brands of skis.

In the Alpine world, the virus hit just as retailers were about to place orders for the upcoming season’s equipment.  Factories shut down, orders were cancelled.  With on the shelf inventory depleted and a recent fire in the largest ski factory in Europe, according to Pugski, you’ve got to buy it now or not this season. Forget about demos and consults with shop experts about what choices you might have. It’s a different swan this year. 

Classified Hints

You can post a classified ad  for 30 days for only $1 until Nov 12th. It’s easy. Tips:

  1. Post a picture with your ad.  You can actually post a “gallery”, or number of pics. It really helps.
  2. Include details of the deal, including payment options, shipping, who pays for what, etc. in the description.
  3. Your headline will make readers click on your ad. Think about how to frame your wording.

This Week

Skiing Weatherman Herb Stevens returns with his prediction for the upcoming snow season.  Herb has looked at that La Nina out in the Pacific, cooling the atmosphere above the west coast of South America. Find out what kind of weather he says that will bring to your favorite ski resort.

Our Mystery Glimpse this week shows us a really different and, thankfully, quick-passing fad in ski gondolas. Tell us what this is, where it was in operation, and what you think?  Would you like to ride up a mountain in a flying saucer look-alike?

Our Question For You takes a serious tone this week.  We ask what you would do if ski resort management and a goodly portion of your staff turns up positive for COVID. Not a pleasant thought, but one has to plan. What would you do?

We had a lot of responses to our previous question for you about advice re: joint replacements. Many responses were well-thought out and extremely useful to anyone facing that kind of procedure. We decided to analyze the responses to see what bubbles up and forms a clear message.  We want to thank all our readers for responding so conscientiously. 

Finally, there are still several months to go before the snow starts to build up into serious accumulation. You can continue to get into shape using a variety of Nordic exercise equipment for both inside and outside use.  Check correspondent Steve Hine’s advice on what is available.

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

 

 

 

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/0 Comments/in , , /by

The other night, on Netflix, we watched “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet.” Sir David, 94 (93 when he narrated the film), is the British naturalist/broadcaster who has been filming and educating the broader public about the natural world since the 1950s. 

“A Life on Our Planet” is an incredibly beautiful visual statement. Sir David talks  about and shows an abundance of lifeforms and discusses how accelerated natural resource destruction is rapidly leading to an ecosystem that, eventually, will no longer sustain human life. 

Referring to the film as a “witness statement,” he presents both beauty and destruction and, with calm and reassurance, explains what we can do to bring Earth back to a state that will sustain all animal life – humans included – for future generations.

Why am I calling this important film to your attention?

As people of a certain age, who love being outdoors, I expect you appreciate the fragility of our ecosystem. Overactive smokestacks. Rainforest destruction. Increasingly violent storms. Dying coral reefs. Depleted ocean life. Melting glaciers. Diminishing polar caps. These and other harbingers don’t bode well for the future.

I know many among us whose interest in short term pleasures limit their thinking to their own lifespans. We lived through what we were handed. Future generations will do the same.

I view it differently. We live longer and better because of industrial progress. But nature and humankind is now out of balance. The relationship must be adjusted in order for life on Earth to be protected.

As skiers we’re beginning to experience the results. Fifteen or 20 years ago I read a study indicating that by 2030, natural snow in Park City would allow only the top half of the mountain to be skied. I think it will take longer. Another sign of unreliable conditions: snow making everywhere. including at the top of Sun Valley.

We don’t need to worry about skiing during our lifetimes. And our children probably will be fine. It’s the future generations we need to think about.

John Donne published “No man is an island,” in 1624. Over the years I’ve come to understand it as a meditation on our interconnectedness, both as humans and as pixels in the larger picture. It’s reproduced below. But for those who remember the poem, it’s important to recall the final words: “…never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

No man is an island entire of itself; every man 

is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; 

if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe 

is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as 

well as any manner of thy friends or of thine 

own were; any man’s death diminishes me, 

because I am involved in mankind. 

And therefore never send to know for whom 

the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. 

Don’t Be The Reason We Can’t Have A Season

A lift line, last week, in Cervina, Italy. Not too much social distancing.

“Don’t be the reason we can’t have a season,” is the guidance from Paul Pinchbeck, head of the Canadian Ski Council. Last week, he and other ski industry representatives participated in a Zoom media briefing organized by the North American Snowsports Journalists Association. That clever rhyme captures a sense throughout the industry that responsible behavior — social distancing, wearing masks, etc. — will help areas remain open. Irresponsible behavior already has forced Cervina, in Italy, to close. That decision was quickly followed by Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte announcing that all of the nation’s ski areas, as well as gyms, pools and movie theaters would be closed until Nov. 14. 

Among other US locations, concerns about complying with public health regulations are surfacing in Summit County, Colorado. Alan Henceroth, Arapahoe Basin’s COO, recently blogged about the sharp increase in cases across the county. He attributes them to “…socialization – an evening party, drinks after work, hanging too close with too many people. Many of the transmissions have occurred in the late evening, after partying, when peoples’ guards are down.” He warns that if it doesn’t get better, among other things, it will hamper the ability to ski.

Some states have a more laissez faire attitude and, most likely won’t do anything to close their areas. Utah, I expect, is one. But, as this week’s Question For You asks, what will happen if an area’s core operating group catches the ‘rona? 

Certainly, après ski carousing does not apply to senior skiers ;>)

P.S. Wednesday, in an effort to halt Covid, France and Germany announced ski resorts would be closed until the beginning of December. 

470

That, according to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) was the number of ski areas last season, in the United States. Of the 37 states with areas, New York has the most (51). Next is Michigan (40), followed by Colorado and Wisconsin (31, each).  Click here to see entire state-by-state list of areas.

James Taylor: American Standard

Like many of you,, I started lsitening to James Taylor in the later 60s and kept on listening for the next decade or so. His style always brings back long winter drives to Killington and Stowe and sweaty summers as a single in Manhattan. Earlier this year, he released his American Standard album. Not to be confused with the plumbing fixture company, American Standards (aka The American Songbook) usually is interpreted as popular tunes from the 1920s through the 1950s. Think Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Tony Bennet, and the many others from that rich and wonderful musical era. Now James Taylor applies his special genius to the genre. It’s wonderful listening. Click on the image above to hear and learn more.  

 

Peak Obsession Trailer

Jeremy Jones is the founder of Jones Snowboards and creator of some very interesting film projects. In this half-hour film, he documents a few of the ascents/descents  he is attempting in his quest to climb and ride each of the lines in 50 lines chronicled in the book, “The Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America“.

A Friend…

I have a skier friend experiencing debilitating side effects from a chemotherapy-related process to boost her bone marrow. She’s a fine skier with a great mind and intelligent sense of humor. She emailed to describe what she’s going through. It’s not pleasant, but she’s among a handful of people I know who has the grit to get through it. Her experience is a sharp reminder of how fortunate it is simply to get through our days in comfort and good health and to appreciate what we have…as long as we have it.

Jon Weisberg

Sleep-full Nights and Painless Days

/6 Comments/in /by

Something exceptional happened in our bedroom over the past several nights.

Pam and I have been together for more than 50 years, and for at least 20 of them she’s had difficulty sleeping.

It’s been made worse by my ability to sleep almost anywhere and at any time…a skill honed over decades on planes, in the back seats of cabs, and in hotels around the globe. 

Not sharing my good-sleeping fortune, she’s experimented with every sleep aid: pharmaceutical and supplemental. Some knock her out for a few hours. Others make her groggy the next day. You should know that she is an active meditator and an experienced yoga teacher/practitioner. Since menopause, nothing has helped her get a full, untroubled, night of rest.

Last week, we received a bottle of  Deep Sleep, a product from Biofit 360, a relatively new SeniorsSkiing.com advertiser. It combines hemp oil extract with other organic, natural ingredients. 

Pam applied a single full dropper of the liquid under her tongue about a half-hour before going to bed. She slept soundly through the night. Actually, she’s repeated the drops every night since and has slept soundly six nights in a row. 

She hasn’t experienced that for years. No sleeping pills. No white sound. Simply a full dropper under the tongue, followed by a really good night’s sleep.

I was not planning to write about this, but the result is so impressive that I want to share it. I don’t know how many of you have difficulty sleeping, but it’s not uncommon among seniors.

Before the Deep Sleep drops arrived, I spoke with Heather Hughes, Biofit’s president and founder. She explained what makes her products different from those made by other CBD companies. Among other considerations, Biofit uses only medical grade ingredients.

During the call, I learned a bit about cannabidiol (aka CBD), an extract of the industrial hemp plant. 

CBD occurs naturally in the human body and has a positive effect on the brain and other organs, each of which has CBD-specific receptors. It is legal in all states and does not make people high. 

One of CBD’s many benefits is that it reduces cortisol, the hormone that surfaces early in the morning causing anxiety. CBD also releases serotonin, often known as the “happy” chemical because it contributes to the feeling of well-being.

Deep Sleep, the drops giving Pam such sound and untroubled sleep, combines CBD, CBN  (another hemp extract that has a calming effect and promotes longer and deeper sleep), and melatonin.

Biofit’s current advertisement features Relief CBD Cream, a topical anti-inflammatory that reduces pain. That product is what led the company to advertise on a site geared toward active older skiers. As you know, it’s not unusual to experience achy body parts at the end of the day. 

Relief CBD Cream is engineered to mitigate that pain within 15-20 minutes of being applied. A little bit goes a very long way, so don’t be put off by the cost; the jar lasts a while. Heather recommends applying a small amount before hitting the hill and after skiing.

A friend in her early-70s whose shoulder was bothering, tried Relief CBD Cream. It worked quickly and effectively.

Many CBD options have surfaced over the past few years. About 30 of them exhibited last winter at the big OR/SIA ski trade show in Denver. Claims ranged from reasonable to absurd.

What you’ll find at www.biofit360.com is a well-organized and educational approach to explaining CBD in general and its products (for relieving pain, improving sleep, reducing anxiety) in particular.

I haven’t tried the products yet. I will the next time something hurts. My hope is that I never need Deep Sleep drops. But I am grateful that, finally (and by accident), Pam has a product that gives her a good night of sleep (and that she’s no longer waking me to tell me to stop snoring).

mikemaginn

What You Said About Joint Replacement

/3 Comments/in /by

“Not a day goes by that I don’t marvel at my pain-free knees and thank my luck stars I had this technology available.” Nancy P.

Take it easy, wait for perfect conditions, think positive. Credit: Liftopia

We had a number of comprehensive, well thought out, and even emphatic responses to our Question For You last week. Recall, we asked for advice about getting joint replacement as an active snow sports-loving senior. We don’t usually analyze the array of responses we get to the QFY feature, but in this case, there are some findings that are worth highlighting.

Here’s what you said:

  1. Some descriptive stats: The average time between surgery and returning to skiing was 8.46 months. Most of the respondents were in their 70s, fewer in their 60s, and one 80. Most respondents reported knee replacements, about a quarter of those double knee replacements. Fewer respondents reported hip replacements.
  2. “Prehab”, exercise before surgery, and Rehab are the key to success. Many responses endorsed the need to strengthen muscles and stretch ligaments under the guidance of a PT and/or on your own. Post operative exercise brings back functionality faster and safer, but overdoing it—which can be a problem for some committed exercisers—can lead to setbacks.

“The value of pre-op therapy for strength and flexibility cannot be over stated.” Mark M., PT

“Go in strong, come out strong.” Donald M.

“Be religious about rehab.” Sherm W.

“Work your tail off.” John W.

“Strengthen, strengthen, strengthen.” Jack M.

  1. Ongoing exercise after rehab PT was a frequent mention. You said these activities kept you going: Swimming, cycling/mountain biking, walking/hiking, elliptical machine, pickleball, Boot Camp fitness. Note: no running, jumping off the backs of pickup trucks, mogul skiing, or icy slopes.
  2. Several readers offered advice about easing back to downhill skiing. This included doing snowplows, sticking with greens, waiting for perfect conditions, avoiding too much, too soon, i.e., glades, blacks. Interestingly, one person mentioned heading back to cross-country skiing before going to the mountains to gain confidence. Bottom line: Take it easy.
  3. What helped getting back into skiing? There were several mentions of having a good surgeon and good appliance replacing the joint in the first place. Other readers mentioned enablers: New equipment, Knee bindings that release from the heel as well as the toe, Ski Mojo, a supportive device that relieves pressure on hips and knees. Another reader mentioned a positive mental attitude. Can’t argue with that.
  4. Curiously, a number of readers mentioned alternatives to surgery including a variety of therapeutics including different drugs and stem cell treatments. Obviously, they are out there and worthy of inquiry. However, most respondents opted for surgery, some after years of a pain.
  5. As far as outcomes are concerned, several readers reported they’ve never skied better. Clearly there is a transformation from pre- to post- joint replacement.

“It was the first time in 30 years that I didn’t have at least twinges of pain from that knee.” Nancy P.

 

 

 

seniorsskiing

Mystery Glimpse: Air Ride

/6 Comments/in /by

Not A Flying Saucer.

Close, though. It certainly looks like it might be from…um…elsewhere. And that’s a giveaway to what was going on in that particular era. Is it an amusement park ride? Prop from a space movie? No, but at what stylish resort did this car-ish “gondola” appear? How about when? Does anyone know the history? We thank Jamie Storrs of Vail Resorts for opening his archive of historical photos for us.

 

Last Week

We have few answers as to the details of the video of vintage home movies curated by correspondent Don Burch. Clearly, some 50s and 60s footage. Don reports the first segment is from the Ostego Ski Club skiing at Hidden Valley, PA. The second is labelled 1961, and no data for the last segment. Fun, though, to see that world again.

Here it is in case you missed it last week.

 

resort card
mikemaginn

Question For You 16: The Right Thing To Do

/16 Comments/in /by

Let’s Do Some Scenario Planning.

We all realize that the snow season we are about to enter—or which has already started in some places—is going to be the most remarkable in our entire lives.  We’ve asked what you were going to do about heading or not heading to resorts, and it’s clear everyone has a plan or at least an opinion.

But, here’s a different slant. Let’s take a situation that you can bet is gonna be happening out there. Based on the situation, you game out the best moves.  Yes, it’s scenario planning and the stuff of off-site meetings and consulting gigs. But, we can do it in our online community.  All you have to do is think of the optimal response, optimal meaning the best that can be done, given the situation. Optimal doesn’t mean ideal, it’s the best possible in a particular situation.

So here you go. The season has been progressing nicely at a moderately-sized mountain resort. Skiers are cooperating with the various restrictions, and the snow has been fab for great skiing.  Mid-week crowds are up, everyone is having a manageable time, getting good runs in and coping in general with the changes. Then, ka-boom. We learn that 20 of the core staff—instructors, lifties, food service people, maintenance—have been infected by the virus.

Credit: David Zalubowski

What should happen now? What should management do? What are the options? What is the most likely, optimal outcome?

Write your thoughts in Leave A Reply below.

Note: several readers have written to us about their entries being labelled as SPAM. When that happens, you can bet our very robust SPAM filter has caught a word or phrase that is typically used in SPAM messages.  If your post gets rejected as SPAM, check your verbiage for SPAM-like language, edit it, and re-submit.

 

Steve Hines

Make More Tracks: No Snow? No Problem

/2 Comments/in /by

Training Tools Are Worthy Substitutes.

“… In winter in the woods alone

Against the trees I go.

I mark a maple for my own

And lay the maple low. …

…I link a line of shadowy tracks

Across the tinted snow …”

–Robert Frost

Those of us in the Northern Tier of the U.S. always hope for a snowy winter but as we all know our winters aren’t as wintery as they once were. So cross-country skiing can be often hard to find here in the Northeast. But we can still ski. You can have it two ways, indoors or outdoors.

Indoors

THE Ski Machine

The best ski machine, bar none, is the NordicTrack Classic (NT). The NordicTrack is a stationary machine that recreates the motion of skiing in the classic stride/style. I’ve used a number of competitors and none compare to the NT. The Classic model is a completely manual machine—no electronics. When starting out on the NT set the platform level with the floor it sits on. Then, as you gain familiarity and confidence raise the front legs for increased intensity. Resistance is increased using a strap system the creates drag on the fly wheel. The cushion at the top of the stem supports and works the abdominals (and makes the machine more comfortable).

Newer models have an electronic monitor. The monitor is not related to how the machine works but with this gauge you can track pulse, time, speed, calories and distance. Using the NT requires at least beginner’s skier skill. If you get out of position or your fore foot is too far forward the NT basically stops.

For overall fitness, a ski machine like the NordicTrack Classic offers a year-round option. So, No snow, no problem.

Outdoors

Roller Skis

Roller skis are interesting contraptions that allow you to ski year-round outdoors. Brands won’t be reviewed here because the market has exploded with brands and styles. According to Xcskiworld.com the differences between the brands primarily have to do with wheel speed, smooth ride, cost, weight, ability to handle rough pavement or dirt roads, tire wear and skate v. classic stride.

For beginners, aluminum frame roller skis are the best choice. They provide a less expensive first experiences. Also, a wider “roller” or caster provides easier balance .

Advanced skiers might like carbon frames with wheels for greater speed and agility for skate skiing and ski racers who use the roller ski for summer training should use carbon frames.

Many roller ski sets are sold a la cart. Once you choose your ski you will need:

  • Boots
  • Bindings
  • Poles

Buying the same bindings you have on your snow skis has some savings and buying rubber tips for your existing poles saves purchasing additional poles.

Some safety equipment is needed for roller skiing including:

  • Helmet (a cycling helmet will work)
  • Knee and elbow pads
  • Wrist/palm pads

As Mark Vosburgh of Fasterskier.com quipped, “I’ve found roller skis to be a great ski training tool, which I expected.   There’s really no better way to train up all those balance stabilizers, arm, back, core and leg muscles you use when Nordic skiing.

What I didn’t expect, was that my roller skis are so enjoyable to ski on that I love to do it on its own merits.  Cruising along on a quiet country road on a crisp fall day is a blast. I highly recommend them for people who love to ski.”

So, just because there’s no snow on the ground or on the trails, cross-country skiing can still be a part of your active life style.

Herb Stevens

Skiing Weatherman: Winter Weigh-In Time

/1 Comment/in /by

What Does A La Nina Winter Mean For Snow Sports?

View of Mt Washington from Wildcat, Oct 18

After seeing a web cam shot of snow-covered Mt. Washington, NH this past weekend, I quickly contracted a case of “calendar shock”, realizing that it was time to submit some ideas on where I think this winter is headed, weatherwise.  Co-Publisher Mike Maginn wrote a nice piece on La Nina earlier this month and indeed, this will be a La Nina winter.  La Nina is the cold water cousin of El Nino, with the waters of the equatorial Pacific Ocean running below normal now and likely to remain that way through much of the upcoming winter.  What does that mean in terms of sensible weather downstream over the U.S. and Canada?  Well, there are different flavors of La Nina, based largely on how cool, relative to normal, those tropical waters are.  This looks to be a weak to moderate La Nina, and in general, the storm tracks during a La Nina winter look like this:

You will notice that most of the storm tracks are over the northern half of the country, closer to the source of cold air that makes those systems productive in terms of snow.  La Ninas are not as friendly as El Ninos to skiers and riders over the southwestern quadrant of the country, thus, the lack of an established tendency.   Well before the first turns of any season, friends and clients often ask me for guidance on where to head in the West for a winter trip.  During a La Nina, I steer them north of I-70, where the busier storm tracks lead to more snow and more consistent conditions.  There are exceptions, but the resort snowfall data that Mike included in his article supports that idea. 

As far as La Nina winters over the Midwest and East are concerned, we often see a battle between a cold jet stream level trough over the center of the continent and a warm southeastern ridge.  A preview of that set up will develop during the last week of this month.  Take a look at this forecast for the jet stream valid on 10/28.

During winter, large dips in the middle of the country will act as a receptacle for cold air moving southward out of Canada.  As troughs interact with warmer air along the Gulf and in the Southeast, storms often take shape and then move northeastward along the western slopes of the Appalachians, as you can see on the storm track map above.  These storms bring snow to resorts in the Great Lakes, both from the low pressure center, and from backlash lake effect snow once the low move up into Canada.  The storm track that you see east of the Appalachians comes from systems that redevelop east of the mountains as the upper trough moves toward the coast.  These are known as “secondary” low pressure centers, formed as the upper level support translates over the mountains and taps into energy from the waters of the Atlantic.  These secondary storms represent the best opportunities for meaningful snowfall at the resorts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast during a La Nina.

There are other factors that are correlated with subtle but potentially significant changes in these storm tracks, one of which is the solar cycle, and I will discuss those factors in the coming weeks.  For now, though, I am most bullish on the prospects for the West, north of I-7o and the upper Midwest.  I am guardedly optimistic about the Northeast, where temperatures should work out slightly milder than normal but with above normal snowfall via some sizable storms.  The anticipated southeastern ridge will likely pose some problems for the Mid-Atlantic and especially for the Southeast.           

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Oct. 23)

/1 Comment/in /by

Classified Launch, Response, and Advice,  Chile Season Review, Serious Question For You, Mystery, Maine Guide Advice, How To Ski With COVID.

Last week, we launched our new Classified Ad feature with a special introductory $1 for 30 days offer.  We are happy that there are readers who are posting their ads and hopefully getting some responses. 

Here’s what Bill Cohen, San Jose, CA, had to say about his ad posting experience.  Boy, did that make us smile.

Hey, just wanted to thank you guys for setting up a classified listing program.  I just posted my first ad (CHRISTIE LODGE ROOM AVAILABLE) and wanted to let you know it was EASY, FAST, covered all the bases, and hopefully will get my extra room filled!  So thanks for providing this and I hope others will take advantage of both POSTING and READING the classifieds – GREAT EXTRA SERVICE to the Senior Skiing community.  Bill Cohen in San Jose, CA

Based on what we’ve seen so far, here is some advice:

  1. Post a picture with your ad.  It is easy to upload a .jpeg or .png photo. In fact, you can post more than one, a gallery if you wish.
  2. Be sure to include any details re: shipments or transactions.  Many readers are using PayPal as a payment method. It is simple and easy to setup.
  3. Think about your headline.  Make it short and get to the point. 

If you want to view classified ads already posted, click on the blue menu bar, second box from the left.

As more hikers explore the White Mountains, calls for help climb, too.

 
As a result, SeniorsSkiing.com is asking readers to think about their day hiking plans and review what to bring along.  A great source is expert advice provided by REI, the outdoor equipment company.  You may think some of these recommendations of what to bring are a bit over the top, but if you need, say, a compass, and you’re stuck in the woods without one, you’ll quickly find out how valuable it is.
 

REI’s checklist of equipment to bring for day hikes is definitely worth bookmarking.

Finally, we’re reprising an fantastic resource for those heading to the woods. It’s a valuable document you can download and print out,  published by the State of Maine, by Maine guides. Alone In The Woods is a homespun collection of advice for surviving in the woods if you get lost. With more hikers headed out leaf peeping and conditioning-walking, this is an important source of information. The illustrations may be a bit cartoon-ish, but the information is valuable and might save your life. Click here to read and download.

This Week

Our Question For You this week takes a personal bend as our editor asks readers who have experienced a joint replacement how they returned to the sport.  Why personal?  He’s facing a hip replacement in January.  Gulp.

Correspondent Don Burch offers some basic advice for getting ready for the season of skiing with COVID. As Henry V said in Shakespeare’s play, “All things be ready of our minds be so.”

Correspondent Casey Earle provides a summary of the ski season in Chile in the times of COVID. As we have seen from reports from Australia, the virus has had a heavy hand in how the resorts operated this past season. Those constraints and a lousy snow season made for a fair to middling snow season. What can we learn from both these south of the Ecuador experiences?

Mystery Glimpse is trying something different this week.  Correspondent Don Burch has curated a video of some vintage home movies taken in the 50s and 60s.  Can you spot the locations? 

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

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/7 Comments/in , /by

Cassandra

Cassandra came to mind last week as we took our first flight since the craziness began.

In case you missed that part of Greek Mythology, after Apollo gave Cassandra the gift of prophecy, he turned it to a curse, causing her prophecies not to be believed.

Stay with me on this one. 

The flight was one familiar to many Eastern skiers: SLC to JFK.

We geared up with face masks, face shields, and wipes. 

Pam had changed flights so many times, even Delta was confused. At one point, she upgraded us to First, a luxury generally reserved for Frequent Flier miles and overseas travel. The logic: last on/first off.

This was our first encounter with Salt Lake’s new airport, which is still under construction. Our terminal was big, beautiful and empty. 

Granted, the paucity of travelers contributed to the speed and efficiency of the place, but I had the feeling that, even when busy, this airport will be on top of its game. 

Next stop was the Delta Sky Club. More big and beautiful and filled with signs and notices reminding people to wear masks. Even the WIFI password carried the message: wearmask.

If you choose to continue reading, it’s only fair to disclose that I believe in and respect science. I understand that we live in what some have identified as a post-truth society and have been exposed to its supporting arguments. There may be some truth to post-truth, but I still weigh-in on the side of science. 

Back to the Delta Sky Club, which, as we waited for our flight, became more populated.

At any given time, about two-thirds of the travelers were masked and sitting far apart. The rest were not.

On a trip to the restroom, I counted 19 maskless travelers. A few had an empty glass in front of them – which, in their minds, must have qualified them to slip under Delta’s rule of not requiring a mask “while actively eating of drinking.”

I spoke with a Delta supervisor who explained that in the month since the new Club opened, it had become increasingly difficult to get passengers to wear masks.

Not so on the plane, where people were mask-compliant.

What does this experience have to do with skiing? 

Many of you rely on planes to get to mountains. Indeed, most Western resorts rely on airlines to get skiers to their lifts and lodges.

If people, out of selfishness, petulance or a sense of not wanting to follow what is good for themselves and for their communities, choose not to follow scientific advice, our return to the “new normal” will be delayed even more.

Which brings me back to Cassandra. She spoke the truth about what would happen. But she was afflicted with the curse that others wouldn’t believe her. 

I write this knowing it conflicts with other points of view. Most SeniorsSkiing.com readers have more ski days behind them than they do ahead. Speaking for myself, I want to enjoy as many of them as I can, as healthily as I can.

It’s time to believe Cassandra.

 

Flurries (Almost) Everywhere

Tuckerman’s Ravine in Spring.

The season is about to start. Over the past week (even earlier) snow fell at higher elevations throughout the West and elsewhere, even Tuckerman’s Ravine on Mt Washington (NH). Snow guns are operational. Lifts are running across the Alps. One Scandinavian area unpacked snow saved from last year and spread it on a slope for early race training.

First North American Ski Area Now Open

Wild Mountain, Taylors Falls, Minnesota, is the first North American area to open for the 20-21 season. Four chairs and multiple rope tows service a variety of terrain with a short vertical. Mt Norquay Banff, Alberta, will open Saturday.

Fire Destroys Large Fischer Ski Factory

The factory, in Mukachevo, Ukraine, manufactured 25% of all Alpine and Nordic skis sold internationally. In addition to Fischer, brands made there include Rossignol, Scott, Alpina, Splitkein and Tecno. About 1,500 were employed. The fire occurred Tuesday, October 13.

The Skiing Gypsy

Murray Sandman (aka The Skiing Gypsy) is a 70+ Aussie blogging about his multi-continental ski adventures. He first contacted us following the  series a few seasons ago about skiing the Dolomites. Our trip was organized by Inspired Italy, the superb and reasonably priced local outfitter. Murray emailed his DIY approach, which you can find – along with other experiences and advice – at https://gypsyskitravels.wordpress.com.

Great New Winter Clothing Site

Orsden, which made excellent parkas and pants, has pivoted to a curated e-commerce site with wonderful-looking women’s and men’s casual winter clothing. Some of the brands will be familiar; others less so. If you’re seeking something to relieve your Covid-confined existence or to brighten someone else’s special day, click here.

Special Occasion Gondolas

The Gondola Shop’s Sauna: only $25,7000.

The Gondola Shop in Fruita, Colorado, buys and repurposes gondola cars. They design and rent them out for weddings, transform them into saunas, and are in process of preparing 20 or so as individual dining rooms that will sit in Telluride’s Town of Mountain Village.

End Is Near

Living in the US? You may be on the receiving end of an endless stream of fund-raising appeals from candidates for office. A Washington, D.C. friend refers to it as “silly season.” Election Day is upon us. We cast our mail ballots before leaving Utah last week. Most people our age fully appreciate the importance of participating in the system by voting. Skiing can wait. It’s time to cast your vote.

Casey Earle

Report From Chile: The COVID Season

/7 Comments/in /by

What We Can Learn From The Ski Season In Chile During The Pandemic

Only four ski areas opened in Chile this year, due to the pandemic, all in the last third of the normal season (late August). The country was in the midst of a severe drought when the entire metropolitan region of Santiago shut down in May. An “atmospheric river” arrived late June, and over a period of 10 days it snowed more than it had in a decade. All one could do was look longingly at the webcams and pray the snow would last until restrictions were lifted. In June, the ski area association presented a protocol for opening to the government. At the same time, Chile had one of the worlds highest infection and death rates from the virus, so nobody really believed there would even be a ski season.

La Parva on July 5.  Looking via webcam, not skiing. Credit: Casey Earle

Corralco mid-July. Snow but not open to skiing. Credit: Casey Earle

The quarantine lasted to late July in some of the districts of Santiago and the first ski areas were opened on August 18, specifically El Colorado and La Parva. At the end of August Corralco and Las Araucarias, in southern Chile, opened. Rules were strict and at times confusing. Masks, properly worn, were required, as were gloves, online sales only, two skiers per quad, and no restaurants. The number of tickets sold was limited to the equivalent of an uncrowded day. At times a lift attendant would berate skiers for not spacing enough in the few line-ups that occurred and take your temperature on your wrist.

The police were controlling access to the mountain road and were strict about not letting anyone by that was not from a district that had advanced to the correct stage. This produced line-ups and long waits, which I avoided by going up at 6:30am. Use of second residences was not allowed, weekends were quarantined (closed ski areas), and a curfew was (and still is) in effect.

In order to ski, one had to fill out a fill out a health declaration online, and sometimes show it at the bottom.

With only 20cm having fallen since early July, the conditions for the August 18 opening was a bit disappointing. But a final 20 cm fell on August 26, and what a day it was.

Fortunately, the run maintenance was superb, and we skied the groomers through to mid September, when the lack of new snow was taking its toll and the heat was turned up. La Parva closed on September 25.

Lift line trying not to block the run.Credit: Casey Earle

Most days there were so few people that one could ride and empty lift and ski an empty run.

Few people. Credit: Casey Earle

In early October we set out to Villarrica to ski the volcanos of the south, but promptly went into quarantine and had to sit out the remainder of the season. Corralco was open until October 18.

That we could ski at all was a miracle. I must say, however, that skiing, properly regulated, is probably one of the most socially distanced sports around, but much depends on the individuals respect for the rules.

mikemaginn

Question For You 15: Returning With New Joints

/42 Comments/in /by

What Does It Take To Come Back With Artificial Parts?

Here’s a question for a subset of our readership. This question is being posed by your faithful editor because he is facing the prospect of a hip replacement.  Assured by our capable and competent orthopedic surgeon that skiing and other athletic activities (not running or impact sports) are in the offing, we wonder how others have fared after getting a new shoulder, knee, or hip.

If you’ve had a joint replacement, please share what it was like to come back to your sports regimen? What was that first ski run like? How did you muster the gumption to give it a try? What did you do to prep? What helped? What hindered? What advice do you have for those facing replacements?

From what we’ve heard, joint replacements have become the most common surgery in North America. Since osteoarthritis seems to be the reason for that surgery and since OA is most likely found in older folks, we have a suspicion that a good proportion of our readers have been down that path.

Please share your thoughts in the Leave A Reply box below.

 

mikemaginn

Mystery Glimpse: Home Movies

/5 Comments/in /by

Vintage Scenes Of Skiing.

Here’s a different Mystery Glimpse challenge.  Correspondent Don Burch has uncovered some old home movies from an online video archive.  Can you spot where this footage might have been taken? Are there clues in these different videos that might reveal when these were taken? Even if you can’t identify the locations, check out that equipment and the bota bag. Just click on the image below. Does anyone use a bota bag these days? Anyway, have fun with these memories. 

Last Week

Here’s the photo with Durrance’s autograph. Credit: Ski History

This photo of Dartmouth’s Dick Durrance with an intense “look” comes from a book published by Friedl Pfeiffer in 1939.  The Sun Valley Ski Book was a pictorial ski instruction book, containing action shots of celebrity skiers of the day.  We discovered this photo in an article in Ski History Magazine, the publication of the International Ski History Association. The specific book this was taken from was discovered in bookstore by long-time skier Marc Corney. Not only does it contain a collection of spectacular photos, each photo has an autograph of the subject.  There’s also four pages of autographs from various people who apparently were invited to sign the book which most like belonged to none other than the author Friedl Pfieffer.  You can read the whole fascinating story by clicking here. There are lots more pictures, too. And please consider supporting the International Ski History Association while you are at it.

Autograph: “Don’t be frightened. He’s too small to hurt you even with that look!” Credit: Ski History

 

Don Burch

2020-21 Survival Guide

/7 Comments/in /by

Buckle Up, Bundle Up And Buck It Up.

NSAA recommended signage for this season. Credit: NSAA

Never before has there been as much trepidation about a ski season as for this one.  Given all the tumult that occurred during this year, it’s no surprise we’re anxious.  What follows are some insights that will help us get the most out of what will be a most unique season.

Above all, we need to go into this season with realistic expectations.  Things are not going to be the same as ski resorts strive to provide us the best possible experience in the midst of the pandemic.  Be prepared for limits on the number of skiers allowed at resorts each day and in many instances we’ll have to reserve these days in advance online.  The result is that we will likely not get to ski each and every day that we would want to, and we will likely not get to ski as many total days as we’d like. 

As resorts work to ensure social distancing across all phases of our visits, we can expect changes to how day tickets are purchased, how food and beverages are purchased and where they are consumed.  There will be changes to how lift lines are organized, rules about who can ride lifts together and how many people unfamiliar with one another can ride together.  Because resorts will be limiting the number of people allowed in lodges, we need to be prepared to boot up, warm up, and eat in our cars.

It will behoove each and every one of us to be as self-reliant as possible.

There are a number of stakeholders in skiing, and it helps to understand that we all share the same goal: to make skiing as fun as possible for as many people as possible and to keep everyone safe. We are all in this together and the 2020 ski season will be th ebest possible if we recognize our interdependence. If people choose not to follow the rules, it could lead to further restrictions.

In addition to the demanding tasks involved in reopening each year, resort operators are facing a daunting array of challenges including redesigning how services are delivered, complying with federal, state and local mandates, financial challenges, acquiring an adequate work force and doing all this amidst tremendous uncertainty.

As a result, resorts are not going to get everything righ,t and we should expect things will not always run smoothly. In essence, we need to be understanding and patient.

Because the impact of the pandemic is so fluid, resorts will likely change policies throughout the season. So, know before you go. Staying up to date on information regarding a resort’s policies will help us avoid unwanted events.

Now the lemonade: The thing we love most about ski trips is the actual skiing, and this season time on the slopes will be just as much fun as ever. Additionally, we may come to like some of the changes.  Strategies for more “low-touch” interaction with guests may lead to smoother and more efficient ticket sales, use of passes and quicker access to food and beverages. Resorts are considering some very creative options for dining such as food trucks, other satellite food stations and take-out.

So, buckle up, bundle up and buck it up.

mikemaginn

Alone In The Woods Maine Guide Survival Manual

/1 Comment/in /by

Whether You Day Hike Or Trek, There Is Some Woodsy Wisdom You Need To Know.

[Editor Note: We are reprising this article from July 2014 to remind our readers that there are definite skills and knowledge needed when heading into the woods. As noted elsewhere this week, people are going into state and national parks without proper preparation, some getting into trouble. This guide, as eccentric as it appears, has worthy information to take on board.]

Folksy but wise advice from Maine Guides.

Several years ago, we stumbled on a unique resource to surviving in the woods if you become lost.  Now you might think that is probably something that won’t happen to you because you are either experienced, well-equipped, cautious about where you wander, or just lucky.

Well, getting lost out there happens all too often in the woods, even with prepared, expert hikers and campers. Unexpected stuff comes down: GPS batteries die, injuries happen, weather changes, equipment fails, that luck of yours runs out, and knowing how to make it out is a critical set of skills.

The State of Maine has published a truly valuable guide for surviving in the woods if you are lost.  It’s called, “You Alone In The Maine Woods,” and it is billed as a practical guide to woods comfort, safety, and survival.  It’s been updated frequently since the original 1972 edition by various authors from the Maine Warden Service and Search and Rescue from the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

We offer it here as a PDF download for you and your friends and family for all readers who visit SeniorsSkiing.com. Notice its whimsical but clear illustrations and straight-forward advice.  Typical Maine.

Click the image below to download the 72-page guide.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD Alone-in-the-Maine-Woods

 

ClassifiedPic
seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Oct. 16)

/0 Comments/in /by

Gala Classified Launch!, Mystery Glimpse Returns, Question About Buying Decisions, Rendezvous Ski Trails, MT, Early Season Quiz, Book Review: Staying With It, Prepping Your Mind.

SeniorsSkiing new Classified feature is active and ready to accept ads!

Readers Said It Would Be A Good Idea. And Here It Is.
 

Since we started SeniorsSkiing seven years ago, we’ve received many emails from you asking about where to find ski clubs, equipment suggestions, and places to stay in different parts of ski country. We have also received an extraordinary number emails from people looking for ski buddies.

From all those emails, the comment sections of our many surveys, most recently, our test-the-water Question For You last spring, we sensed that you wanted to get in touch with each other, to buddy-up, to exchange information, to sell stuff, and to rent vacation spots.   We believe that Classifieds would further contribute to the sense of community our readers share by encouraging person-to-person interactions.

Over the summer, we developed a Classified Ad section, trying various versions to try to make the posting and responding process as simple as possible.

Introductory Offer: $1 Ad Expiring Nov 13

From Oct 16 until Nov 13, you can post a 30-day ad for $1.  It’s our introductory offer, and it is a way for you to help us shake down our new feature.  Just place an ad on or after Oct. 16 for $1 and before Nov. 13, the ad will expire automatically after 30 days from your posting date. On Nov 14, our regular pricing rate card will be in effect.

Interesting Categories And Affordable Prices

We asked our readers what categories they thought were most relevant to our audience of, active, outdoor sports oriented seniors might be.  Here’s the resulting category list, most of which are organized by region:

  • Alpine and Nordic equipment for sale
  • Accessories, Gizmos, Electronic equipment for sale
  • Guides/Instructor Services
  • Seasonal/Weekly Rentals By Owner/Agent
  • In Search Of
  • Looking For Ski Buddies/Rides To Share
  • Ski Club Trips Open to com Readers
  • Vintage Equipment, Collectibles, Antiques For Sale

We’ve priced ads to make them affordable.  Here’s the pricing schedule that goes into effect on Nov. 14th.

  • $10 for One Week Posting (7 days)
  • $25 for Three Week Posting (21 days)
  • $30 for Five Week Posting (35 days)
  • $50 for Ten Week Posting (70 days)

Post and Pay

You can securely pay for your classified by credit card when you post your ad. We use a reliable third party app for processing payments. Pictures of your product or service can also be posted with the ad. Any shipping instructions and or additional costs can be explained when you describe your offering.

Buyers can contact sellers directly as contact information is provided to interested parties.  Once connected, buyers and sellers can sort out the details of their transaction, like shipping, payments, returns, etc.

There are clear step-by-step instructions on how to post an ad under FEATURES>CLASSIFIEDS>POST AN AD.  You can also click on the SeniorsSkiing Classified House ad in the right column. There are important Terms of Participation for you to consider when either posting or responding to an ad.

It’s important to use common sense and a healthy degree of caution dealing with people you are doing transactions with. 

Please be patient with our new feature.  We’ve tested it through several versions, but you never know what might happen.  If you run into trouble, please contact us at advertising@seniorsskiing.com.

This Week

In addition to all the excitement above, we have a nice collection of articles to stimulate your thinking about the season ahead.

Credit: Ski History Magazine

SeniorsSkiing’s popular feature, Mystery Glimpse, is back with an intriguing photo of a venerable legend of ski history.  Can you recognize him? And there’s extra points for identifying the photographer. Click here.

This week’s Question For You focuses on how you making buying decisions.  If you’re in the market for new gear or clothing, what’s your search, find, and buy strategy? What or who do you rely on? Share you thoughts with your fellow readers. Click here. 

Jonathan Wiesel contributes a resort profile for our Make More Track series.  This time, he writes about Rendezvous Ski Trails, a mecca for Nordic events, located near the majestic Yellowstone National Park. Obviously, there’s more to XC than skiing on your local golf course.  Read and learn about a bustling center of Nordic activity. Click here.

Correspondent Don Burch offers his annual early season quiz, this time focusing on ski trails in the Northeast.  Accompanying the quiz are a couple of Don’s highly stylized photographs which we think are pretty stunning. Click here. 

Yellowstone Ski Festival has racing, but there’s a lot more including Pilates, kids activities, clinics, classes, demos. YSF is cancelled for this year but back again in 2021

We are reprising a review of a favorite book of ours that we reviewed in 2014.  It’s the venerable ski writer John Jerome’s Staying With It, his tale of how he decided to rejuvenate his athleticism at age 50.

Credit: Don Burch

His experiment was based on the theory you can slow the aging process with fitness. See what he learned in his journey from bystander to competitor.  His sport was swimming, but principles apply to any athletic activity. Click here.

Finally, correspondent Steve Hines reminds us that getting ready for the season involves getting your head squared away in addition to your body.  He cites three books that are the source of inspiration for him, slipping him into training gear for the season ahead. Click here. 

Thanks for reading SeniorsSkiing.com.  Please tell your friends.  And remember, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

 

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/4 Comments/in , /by

Maybe I’m becoming that grumpy old man, but the steady stream of videos about backcountry skiers being avalanched away, the drone videos of sharks swimming perilously close to surfers, and the reports of elk and buffalo attacking people with no common sense are getting to me.

Who in their right mind would try to pet a large wild animal and not expect some consequence? I once knew a woman whose passion was hiking in grizzly territory. She thought of herself as a bear-whisperer, probably influenced by a popular movie at the time. She encountered lots of big bears. Fortunately, she was never attacked. Looking back on that and other decisions she made, I think she had congenitally bad judgment.

We see this type of poor judgment when people drink and drive. Or when they back up and over a cliff taking a selfie.

Authorities recently retrieved the body of a Lake Tahoe drowning victim. It was the deepest water body recovery in US history. The poor fellow had jumped out of the rental boat to take a selfie. He neglected to put the engine in neutral. Hardly good judgment.

We camp with a cautious couple. They’ve guided us to remote and risky locations, but consistently exercise good judgment.  Driving back from a lakeside gathering with several vehicles, he made it clear he would go first, stop at the first intersection for the others to meet and continue doing that until we reached pavement. Nobody got lost taking a wrong turn.

A few years ago my wife asked that I no longer hike alone into remote areas, something I had done for years in the wilderness around our home in south central Utah. At first I resisted, but then agreed. What would happen if I took a fall or twisted an ankle? 

That’s a lesson for solo skiers. It may not apply to skiing smaller areas or if you stay on trail. But at large resorts where some of us like to go into the woods, it’s always best to buddy-up. If that’s not an option, be sure to enter the area’s phone number or that of its ski patrol into your cell phone. You never know when it might come in handy.

And since cell reception can be spotty, always, ALWAYS, carry a very loud whistle in your parka. Three loud blasts, repeated every 15-20 seconds should attract attention. I googled “loudest hiking whistles.” Some are metal; some plastic; some have compass and other doodads Not one was more than $25, and most were much cheaper.

The greatest form of protection for any outdoors enthusiast, young or old, is that behavior known as common sense. SeniorsSkiing.com readers are older. That means we should be wiser. Use your noggin and minimize risk.

SeniorsSkiing Classifieds

More detail on our new Classified Advertising section elsewhere in this issue. It evolved mainly from reader input. Many of you expressed interest in meeting contemporaries with whom you could ski. Classifieds also give you the opportunity to sell things, offer services, etc. Among other things, we hope that ski clubs offering trips to non-members will use the service. Introductory cost of advertising is as low as it goes: $1 for four weeks of advertising, as long as the ad is placed before November 13. After that the rates increase, but they’re reasonable. It’s all self-service. Click on “Classified Advertising” on the Menu Bar, then click Place Your Ad. You’ll need to agree to the Terms. Then pay by credit card. We’re using a secure third party service for transactions. Have some vintage ski-related item you’d like to sell? Give it a try.

British Medical Journal: More Exercise = Lower Risk of Early Death

Higher levels of physical activity — regardless of intensity — are associated with lower risk of early death in middle aged and older people, according to a study of 36,383 adults aged at least 40 years. The observational  study, conducted at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences in Oslo was published recently in the British Medical Journal. Average age of participants: 62. Resulting guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise weekly or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise. Findings also show that being sedentary (e.g. sitting still, for 9.5 hours or more a day) is associated with increased risk of death.

New Warren Miller Virtual Film Tour

 

Future Retro (watch trailer by clicking above) will stream on East Coast Saturday, November 7; Central and Mountain regions Saturday, November 14, and West Coast,Saturday, November 21. Each showing is being supported by regional sponsors and will have offers, prizes and giveaways. Price is $30 for up to 4 people per ticket. Visit the Warren Miller website for details and to purchase tickets.

Vote for Your Favorite X-C Area

USA Today, Cross Country Ski Areas Association and Nordic Group International are inviting votes to determine USA Today’s 2020 Best Cross Country Ski Resorts. Click here to cast yours

Department of Over-the-Top Skis 

Source: Foil Skis

Foil is an Italian custom ski maker. Its website states: Foil Skis are the truest expression of our lifelong desire to create authentic “High Performance Art…” Like a Master Chef, the team at Foil has learned not only how to select the finest ingredients but also how to combine them in a way that has produced a ski which is every bit as breathtakingly beautiful as it is a sheer joy to ride. The company’s special edition Oro-Nero model has a top-sheet of 8000 year-old bog oak and is equipped with 14 karat gold bindings. Each purchase is accompanied by gold-plated poles, a flask, and a hand-stitched leather carry bag. My inquiry about cost has gone unanswered.

US Traffic Deaths Declining

Click here to visit an interesting, interactive “heat map” ranking states by the number of traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles. The data, presented by Reviews.com, was compiled in 2018 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration & Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Princeton Ski Club

Looking forward to speaking next Tuesday with the Princeton (NJ) Ski and Sail Club about SeniorsSkiing.com and the coming season. It will be the club’s first meeting of the season and its first via Zoom.

 

seniorsskiing

Mystery Glimpse: Those Eyes

/5 Comments/in /by

The Face Of Intensity.

Here’s the first of our Mystery Glimpse feature for this new season. We post a picture from snowsport’s past and you guess who the person, place, or thing is. Write your response in the Leave A Reply box below.  If you know any details about the photo or the situation, let us know.

Here’s a racer whose name you should be familiar.

Credit: Ski History Magazine

 

seniorsskiing

Question For You 14: How Do You Decide What To Buy?

/13 Comments/in /by

Shopping For New Stuff?

Now is the time of the year when thoughts of pulling out the plastic and splurging on gear and clothing permeate our waking hours. After all, those old bindings are past their sell-buy date, and those cracked boots don’t quite fit the way they did seven years ago. And that dirty parka is simply falling apart.

And retailers are hanging out the discount signs.  Although there won’t be ski shows this year, there might be some online versions thereof to entice those with a hole in their pockets.

Bob Skinner’s Ski And Sports, Newbury, NH.

We’ve often wondered how you, dear reader, makes decisions about what to buy. Do you look for articles in the magazines and blogs to guide you? Are they helpful? Do skiing friends tell you about what works for them? Do retail sales specialists guide you through choices? How do you judge? Do you know what you’re looking for at the start of your search? Or, are you working from some impressions gathered on last year’s lift lines? Share your thoughts.  We’d really like to know.

As you know, we’ve been publishing ski and boot recommendations for since we started SeniorsSkiing. Has that made a difference in your buying decisions?

 

If  you are considering buying new gear for the new season, how do you decide what to buy?

Please respond in the Leave A Reply box below.

 

Jonathan Wiesel

Make More Tracks: Rendezvous Ski Trails

/1 Comment/in /by

Catch Early Snow in West Yellowstone.

West Yellowstone Rendezvous Trails might be the center of XC in North America.

If you head to West Yellowstone, MT, in late November, you can visit the early winter cross-country ski epicenter of North America: the Rendezvous Ski Trails.

There are a bunch of fall camps in the Rockies – including Silver Star, BC, Crested Butte and Steamboat Springs, CO, plus Mt. Bachelor in Oregon – but the Yellowstone version is the oldest, largest, and incredibly convenient: literally right beside town (http://www.skirunbikemt.com/yellowstone-ski-festival.html). You can fly into Bozeman, MT, and stop to downhill at Big Sky Resort on the way to or from the Rendezvous Trails.

For decades, West Yellowstone was known as Snowmobile Capital of the World, partly because Yellowstone National Park is right next door (geysers! wolves! bison!). These days, the winter economy is also driven by cross-country skiing. (The Park isn’t open to over-snow traffic until December 15th this year, but you can ski from town before that onto snow-packed roads inside Yellowstone.) XC has changed from a handful of locals who thought XC was cool to a community where skiing is a life-style for a lot of residents.

A Lovely Trail System.

“West” has as lovely and lilting a trail system as anywhere in North America. What’s remarkable is that the roughly 35 km are loved by racers (like the Norwegian, Latvian, and German national teams, who trained there for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics) and recreational skiers. Perhaps the favorite recreational trail is the Rendezvous Loop, which passes by the biathlon course. A lot of competitors like a good long workout on Dead Dog and Windy Loop, on the far end of the network.

The Rendezvous Trails routes can hone your technique but aren’t a survival challenge (there’s only about 200’ of vertical change). And while they’re full of free-skiers and Fall Training Camp participants around Thanksgiving, the rest of the winter (especially non-holiday weekdays) they can be so peaceful that you can be out for an hour and see only a dozen people.

The trail system is a cooperative venture on U.S. Forest Service land, managed by the Forest Service, the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce, and the non-profit West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation. A WYSEF Director once told me, “I would personally love to see West Yellowstone known as the Cross-country Ski Capital of the World. Our proximity to the trails inside Yellowstone National Park, our lengthy ski season, and competition-worthy grooming lend themselves to this possibility.” 

Several thousand skiers, from beginners to families to elite athletes, flock to “West” in November for the marvelous skiing, moderate altitude (around 6,700’), superb grooming, and reliable snow. In rare years when the white stuff arrives a little late in town, groomed skiing begins on a higher plateau, accessible by four wheel drive vehicles.

Yellowstone Ski Festival.

YSF has racing, but there’s a lot more including Pilates, kids activities, clinics, classes, demos. YSF is modified for this year but may be back full strength again in 2021

Before the upcoming “interesting” winter, the Fall Training Camp was known as the Yellowstone Ski Festival. It included natural science programs for kids, Pilates, backcountry films, indoor equipment expo and clinics, beer tasting, on-snow ski demo, and an end-of-week party. While the indoor component has been reined back – thanks, COVID-19! – there’s still a wide-ranging array of XC clinics with outstanding coaches, biathlon, and an FIS race (Ma Nature cooperating). Winter 2021-‘22 may be back to full-scale festivities.

Post-Festival, there’s still plenty of activity, with the winter schedule getting nailed down as I write this in early October. There are plans for ski races, biathlon (ski-and-shoot) competitions, and fun events, perhaps including the annual “Taste of the Trails.”

West Yellowstone has a daily trail fee (probably $12). Amenities along the trail are pretty limited (there’s a trailhead building with bathrooms and a communal room), but you can rent skis at several locations in town. Freeheel and Wheel (www.freeheelandwheel.com) has instructors, clothing for sale, and equipment rental and retail – plus they’ve got great coffee and a sense of humor!

There’s a mix of hotels and motels in “West”—check http://www.skirunbikemt.com/sleep.html for recommended lodging.

Rendezvous Trail System. Something for everyone.

Don Burch

Early Season Quiz

/0 Comments/in /by

Place That Northeast Trail In The Right Resort. 

Credit: Don Burch

Ski The East? Here’s a chance to show you’ve been around.

1, White Cap is a part of __________?

     A. Attitash B. Sunday River C. Whiteface D. Loon

2. Mittersill is a part of __________?

     A. Ski Butternut B. Stratton C. Sugarloaf D. Cannon

3. Spruce Peak is a part of __________?

     A. Berkshire East B. Mad River Glen C. Stowe D. Burke

4. Wilderness Peak is part of _________?

     A. Bolton Valley B. Mohawk C. Cranmore D. Wachusett

5. Mt. Ellen is a part of __________?

     A. Suicide Six B. Crotched C. Saddleback D. Sugarbush

6. Mt. Stickney is a part of __________?

     A. Loon B. Pat’s Peak C. Catamount D.Bretton Woods

7. Burnt Ridge Mountain is a part of __________?

     A. Wildcat B. Gore C. Ski Sundown D. Gunstock

8. Sterling Mountain is a part of __________?

     A. Smugglers’ Notch B. Shawnee Peak C. Sunapee D. Waterville Valley

9. Jackson Gore is a part of __________?

     A. Windham B. Okemo C. Bromley D. Hunter

10. Carinthia is a part of __________?

     A. Mount Snow B. Jiminy Peak C. Ragged D. King Pine

Credit: Don Burch

ANSWERS:

1. Sunday River, 2. Cannon, 3. Stowe, 4. Bolton Valley 5. Sugarbush, 6. Bretton Woods, 7. Gore, 8. Smugglers’ Notch, 9. Okemo, 10. Mount Snow

 

Steve Hines

Prepping Your Mind

/0 Comments/in /by

Adjusting Your Attitude Is Important, Too,

As I think about preparations for the upcoming Nordic ski season, lots of details come to mind. Fitness of course tops the list. Stepping up my walking and cycling regimen is a must.  Making small incremental increases in intensity and duration and taking appropriate rest days are essential to the senior cross-country skier.

I once read that perfecting one’s XC stride is a lifetime’s pursuit. Now seventy, I still call myself the eternal intermediate skier, and equip and prepare myself accordingly.  

I also try to prepare mentally. These readings help me prepare intellectually and emotionally for a long and lustrous winter. Here’s three:

Cross-Country Cat by Mary Calhoun (1979) with Illustrations by Erick Ingraham.

This charming story follows the adventures of Henry, the lovable, mischievous Siamese cat. He is accidentally left behind at a ski lodge by his human family. Now, he must figure out how to get back to them through deep snow and raging blizzards.  This funny, cute tale which has tickled every child I have ever read it to should be read by every senior skier to their grandchildren.

About Erick Ingraham’s illustrations, Publisher’s Weekly wrote, “Competing with the author’s tale in verve and artistry are Ingraham’s snowy scenes in exactly the right shades of blue, sepia and gray, set off by glaring white.”

Henry’s message of persistence in the face of difficulties and challenges spoke to both me and my children but in a quaint and amusing way.  His “stupid cat” chant as he kicked and glided toward his home and human family continues to inspire me when I’m on a long ski trek in the Maine woods, for example. It also inspired our children at the end of a long ski day to stow gear, take showers and finish their dinners before collapsing for the night.  Memories I cherish.

Some of Calhoun’s other titles about the intrepid Henry include:

  • Hot Air Henry
  • High Wire Henry
  • Henry the Sailor Cat
  • Blue Ribbon Henry
  • Henry the Christmas Cat

I strongly recommend as many “Henry” stories on your grandchild book shelf as possible

Cross-Country Skiing: A Complete Guide by Brian Cazeneuve (1995).

The range of topics in this book dazzles.  Through Brian’s work, I first became interested in back-country skiing. He covers basics, gear, weather, technique and more in this thorough work. 

Cazeneuve intersperses his sage advice with lyrical, humorous bits about the sport itself. “Cross-Country skiing, unlike hang gliding, cattle rustling and iambic Swahili, is disproportionately more difficult to perfect than it is to learn.” (p.10).  This tongue-in-cheek advice has helped me laugh at myself when I take a fall and helped me get back up.

Chapter 11, “Going Farther”, promotes taking the kids (and grandkids) on Nordic adventures as well as teaching seniors who may be considering getting back into xc skiing or trying it for the first time.  This book is a must.

Self Renewal by John W. Gardner (1964). 

A psychologist and head of the department of Health, Education and Welfare in the Johnson administration is a personal hero of mine. In this insightful work, Gardner asserts a society’s ability to renew itself hinges upon its individuals. It is the waning of the heart and spirit—not a lack of material might—that threatens American society. He states that “all humans have several key commonalities: They are flexible, eager, open, curious, unafraid, and willing to take risks.” 

With age comes some wisdom. We seniors who continue hit the trails and slopes each winter probably agree with Gardner, “…even the self-renewing person has fixed habits and attitudes, but they are not the sort that interferes with continuous renewal. If the scientist changed his (sic) pipe weekly but never his theories, he would be in serious difficulty. The moral is clear. If we must have continuity in our lives—and we must—let it be of the sort that does not prevent renewal.” (p.130). I know my cross-country ski goals and ambitions must change as I age but the continuity is each winter to renew and go skiing again.

Renewing the heart, mind and spirit are critical to me as the seasons change and we transition to and hope for a snowy winter for kicking and gliding during these incredibly difficult times.

This week
seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorSkiing.com (Oct. 9)

/1 Comment/in /by

A Community Of Senior Snowsports Enthusiasts, Boot Buying Guide, Questions For You, Nordic Being Noticed, October Frost Poem.

We are starting our seventh publishing year this October.  Frankly, we never thought we’d go this long. After all, how many seniors who like to play in the snow would be interested in an online magazine? Well, it turns out lots.  We have almost 17,000 readers, some of whom have been with us from the very beginning. We are extremely grateful for the ongoing readership and for your support through the years.

After thinking about what was next for SeniorsSkiing.com, we realized a kind of epiphany, if you will, that we had convened a community of senior snow sport lovers around this weekly magazine. This is a community, we have learned through our surveys, that really would like to connect to one another. So, we started our Question For You series as a way for our readers to react to important or provocative questions about their winter experiences.  Sometimes, those questions have hit a nerve, like when we asked you to tell us about accidents on ski trails and what to do about it.

Next week, we’ll be launching our new Classified Ad section, an initiative that will provide another way for the readership community to connect. Readers will be able post ads in a variety of categories from used Alpine and Nordic equipment to collectibles and antiques to requests for ski buddies and ride sharing. We have worked hard to make this a simple, inexpensive process, making it easy on those who are even a little technically challenged.  You’ll be able to post items for sale, upload pictures, describe items and terms of shipping, etc., all in a simple form. And, payment is via a secure app that takes your credit card.  Yes, it is inexpensive: You can post one week ad for $10 to 10 weeks for $50. And, to get the Classifieds rolling,  we’ll be announcing an introductory offer next week where you can post an ad for $1 for 30 days.

Here is a high level view of categories you can post to.  These will be broken down by region as well:

  • Alpine Equipment For Sale
  • Nordic Equipment For Sale
  • Accessories For Sale
  • Non-Winter Sport Gear For Sale
  • Guide and Instructor Services
  • Seasonal/Weekly Rentals By Agent and By Owner
  • In Search Of
  • Looking For Ski Buddies/Ride Shares
  • Ski Club Trips Open To SeniorsSkiing.com Readers
  • Vintage Equipment, Antiques, Collectibles For Sale

As with all online transactions, please use common sense and caution using our Classifieds.  When you post your ad, read our Terms for Participation.

Look for our announcements coming next week about where to find the Classified menu and how to post an ad.

This Week

We take a closer look at the equipment market this year with a review of 2021 MasterFit Buying Guide.  It is filled with articles with advice on how to buy skis, boots, children’s gear, and other helpful topics. Click Here to read a review.

We ask two Questions For You this week.  How are you personally going to change your habit this upcoming season, given the restrictions and constraints facing ski resort customers? and What’s your experience with CBD, the cannibis derivative that claims to mitigate pain and relieve a wide variety of physical ailments? Click Here for the Change question and Click Here for the CBD question.

Nordic editor Roger Lohr explore the impact of the virus on the cross-country market.  The ski industry is looking at a potential boost in Nordic skiing and other snow sports besides Alpine skiing.  It’s an interesting fall-on effect from the virus that might be the best thing to happen to XC since Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall won gold in Pyeongchang at the 2018 Winter Games. Click Here.

Sunday River, mid-October.

Our Snow In Literature series has a poem about October by Robert Frost.  It’s not about snow or skiing, but it does fit the season.  And we love Robert Frost so here it is.  Click Here.

Finally, now it the usual start of the get-fit-for winter sports season. Even though many readers report they’ve been working out all spring and summer, it’s wise to take stock of where you are physically and to come up with a fitness plan for the next few months.  Here’s is an article reprised from 2014 about maintaining muscle mass as you age that might get you in the spirit. Click Here.

Thanks for reading SeniorsSkiing.com. Please tell your friends.  Remember there are more of us every day and we aren’t going away.

 

 

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/0 Comments/in /by

How often do you think about skiing?

To my wife’s dismay, it’s always top of mind.

A few months ago, camping in a remote, high mountain location with some fellow skiers, we realized we were simultaneously having the same thought: What would be the best line down those North-facing slopes? Chuckles and beers followed.

Harder evidence trickled in throughout summer in the form of hundreds of new subscribers. Curious about that phenomenon (it happens every summer), I did a fast check of where these new subscribers live. The majority were in locations experiencing hotter than usual conditions.

Thoughts of skiing are a pleasant, if temporary, escape from the heat.

A corollary would be sitting in front of a blazing fire on a cold winter day thinking of  the beach.

So here we are, early October and, depending on where you live and what the temperature is, you may be thinking ski hill or balmy beach.

Mike and I discussed this recently in one of our planning calls. Did we publish the Best Boots for Older Skiers Guide too early? Should our Best Skis for Older Skiers Guide be published now or in a few weeks when temps are a bit colder and flurries are in the air?

You’ll find an article on Masterfit’s impressive new Buyer’s Guide in this week’s issue and a link to the Guide. If slopes and trails are on your mind, the Guide is a good place to go for a quick fix. If you’re still opting for the beach, the Guide can wait a week or two.

Ditto for our annual listing of North American areas where older skiers get great bargains on passes.  We expect to post that in early November.

No Blame if you’re not thinking mountain or beach. There’s an abundance of distraction at the moment. 

Wherever you live, Covid and its consequences are issues. I’m not alone in wanting to have those East Coast grandkids back in my arms.

And whatever your position on climate change, the planet is sending increasingly urgent messages about the need to take action.

If you’re a US citizen, the Presidential election is probably occupying a bit of your attention. I mentioned this last week and will continue to do so through Election Day. Whomever you support, be sure to vote.

While we’re working our way through these issues and distractions, we still have slopes and trails to think about. 

Now is the time to dust off skis and boots. Have your shop check the bindings. Make your winter plans. Snow is on the way.

Powder Magazine: RIP

Powder Magazine, the publication so many of us enjoyed during its 49-year run, will close down in November. It’s final Annual Photo Issue hits the stands November 16. It should be a collector’s item. For years, I looked forward to and relished each issue of this visually impactful magazine. Like other print ski magazines that have shuttered over the past few years, I’m sorry to see Powder go. R.I.P.

Are Yurts in Our (Skiing) Future?

Snowbasin, the superb ski area about 45-minutes north of Salt Lake City, announced it will be adding several mid-mountain yurts this season. Their stated purpose is to give skiers an alternative place to rest and warm-up. One hopes that seating will be well spaced and masks required. Using these temporary structures as a way to relieve crowding in lodges is a good idea, as long as appropriate Covid protections are in place. It wouldn’t surprise me if yurts start popping at areas in general.

Cancelled: Winter Park Ski Train

The Winter Park Ski Train connecting Denver with the ski resort has become another victim of Covid. With the exception of a multi-year hiatus, Ski Train operated every season since 1941. While social distancing concerns lowered the boom, Denverites can expect the service to resume sometime in the future.

Buy a Tee Shirt. Help a National Park

Wild Tribute makes tee and sweat shirts with graphics representing most U.S. national parks. The company donates 4% of its proceeds (not profits) to non-profits supporting the parks (e.g. National Parks Conservation Association, Grand Canyon Association, Grand Teton Association). The products make good birthday or holiday gifts for anyone who loves our parks. Click here to visit Wild Tribute’s website.