November 2020 - SeniorsSkiing.com

Utah Preview: What You Can Expect

November 30, 2020/0 Comments/in West/by Tamsin Venn

Key Take-Away: Know Before You Go.

You can reserve for seven days between Dec. 8 and April 4 at Park City.
Credit: Park City

In these uncertain times, one thing is sure: Utah powder. As of this writing (mid-November), several Utah resorts had bases of two feet or more. Here are some updates of what you will see at Utah ski areas this winter.

In Little Cottonwood Canyon, Alta is limiting the number of parking spaces, on a first-come, first-served basis, no reservations. By contrast, Snowbird requires parking reservations, made online. In both canyons, buses have limited capacity to 20 vs. the usual 60 meaning longer waits at the stops, but UTA, the free, public bus service, plans to run nine buses it had planned to retire.

At Alta if the resort is full, you can ski if you took the bus or are staying there. Only the lodge bars are open and for guests only; check with Snow Pine Lodge. In Big Cottonwood Canyon, Solitude has pay-for-parking, and Brighton is limiting skiers based on parking. At Brighton, IKON pass holders will have to make a reservation.

Snowbasin near Ogden will essentially turn inside out. It has a ticketing yurt for faster pass pick up; rented several executive bathrooms to be placed throughout the resort; built three slopeside “food trucks”—cheese fries and burgers anyone? It has built a trail to ski right to the parking lot vs. riding the shuttle. Bus users will have a baggage check next to the stop. Parents and kids can duck in and out of a yurt village mid-mountain to warm up. You can ride the gondola alone.

Dreamcatcher at The Canyons. Plenty of snow already for the new season.

Park City has developed a reservation system for every day of the season. Starting Nov. 6 you can reserve up to seven days for the core Dec. 8-April 4 season. Up to Dec. 7 the mountain is reserved for Epic pass holders only. All tickets will be sold online. Apres-ski? Head to downtown Park City.

Booting up in the car? Powder Mountain Resort skiers are used to it. The main lodge now has sit-down dining with reservations only. The Powder Keg is closed, but still has take-out for beer and ramen. There will be “pop up specials” at various areas so you can grab food and eat it on the lift.

Keeping employees safe is a huge issue. Brian Head Resort has a team in place to temperature-check employees and do follow-up care. Workers go straight to their stations so they minimize mingling with visitors. They will receive additional training to help them triage guests’ concerns and direct them to the right resource.

Deer Valley notes it has always limited visitation based on restaurant seats not mountain capacity and will continue to follow those limits, noting that its vast acreage can accommodate many skiers. It will provide a mobile app to let you know where they can feed you immediately and where the lift lines are not.

The general idea is that ski areas will do everything they can to stay open and may have phased-in closings for indoor spaces. It could be that an area has to close for two weeks, then reopen.

The main message as you’ve heard all along is this: Know before you go.

For updates, click here.

Managing A Rental Unit In Your Ski House: Part 3

November 30, 2020/0 Comments/in Features/by Steve Bell

Tips On Running A Rental And Finding Financing.

A modest one-bedroom apartment in your ski house can easily be rented. Credit: Steve Bell

Once you have reservations coming in, you have to manage the flow of people coming and going. Here are a few ideas we have found useful in making it easy and efficient for everyone.

We could easily hire a cleaning service, but we do the cleaning ourselves to earn money in addition to the nightly price. Both websites we use for booking rentals, Airbnb.com and Vrbo.com, provide the opportunity to charge guests a cleaning fee. The high fee we set does not seem to discourage demand. We find that we do not want to ski every single day, so we don’t mind spending an occasional morning as cleaners (who wear very good safety equipment).

If, during the COVID era, the thought of cleaning an apartment makes you queasy, hire a professional cleaning company. They have experience in keeping their workers safe, and towns around ski resorts have a number of cleaning vendors. The cleaning fee that we charge would be more than sufficient to cover the expense.

Our overall feeling about visitors is extremely positive. They have proven themselves to be consistently neat, quiet, friendly, considerate, enthusiastic, and polite. We know that a less-than-wonderful encounter is one day inevitable, but we are confident that the memory of many fine guests will help us to forbear with grace. And guests help us to improve our apartment, because we ask for recommendations, which they constructively provide.

We have strict rules. No pets, no children, no smoking, no wild parties, no candles. We hope to keep everything clean, simple, and safe. There are facilities for all these alternatives at other venues at the resort. In the beginning, we were concerned that all these prohibitions would suppress demand, but we are filling our unit with happy guests.

Here’s a creative idea that is not for all, but might be perfect for some. We have found that the months of high demand are end-of-December, January, February, March, June, July, August, and September. During some or all of the months of high demand, you can move to the apartment and rent out the (larger) home. The larger the space, the greater the rental revenue. You can implement methods to streamline the switch-over. For example, you can have a lock installed on your largest closet, and use it to conveniently store all the possessions in your house that you choose to keep private, when you are living in the apartment. Remember, you crafted your apartment to be a nice place to live. Why not enjoy it yourselves for a while? My wife and I are considering this switch for some of the summer months because summer life does not require winter gear such as layers of clothes and ski equipment. And we are outside hiking and biking a lot anyway. So a smaller home base should not present a problem.

Financing Advice

Financing the property could be the most difficult issue for some people. An unfortunate aspect of buying a house with a rental unit is that most mortgage lenders will not allow prospective revenue from a rental unit to be used as income on a mortgage application. You can try to find a mortgage lender who would consider that revenue. My guess is that a bank that knows the local market well, a bank in the municipality in which you intend to buy, would be most sympathetic to such a request.

At the time of purchase, my wife was retired, and I was close to retirement, so financing was fairly straight-forward. We had both saved for retirement, mostly in the form of 401Ks. We applied for the maximum mortgage that we could afford, intending to finance the remainder of the purchase price with a down payment from our savings. But in order to maximize our mortgage size, we took steps to increase our income.

First, we both applied for social security. Second, I had a small pension that I elected to take early. In both cases, the trade off for the early payout start is a modest reduction in the monthly benefit. Third, instead of retiring, I worked part-time for one more year in Big Sky. This also boosted my income and thereby our mortgage size.

In the first few years of ownership, you might want to work full-time, part-time, or seasonally to firm up your financial position. We have learned that people who live in resorts are very resourceful. They can find the perfect part-time employment that keeps them happy and that pays bills. Or they can start a business that suits their immediate needs and that they can later sell.

My wife and I feel that we have lucked into a happy place. We have a small business that is fun to manage and that helps pay the bills. And we live in a beautiful and enormous natural playground.

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov. 20)

November 20, 2020/0 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

SPECIAL EDITION: MAKE MORE TRACKS!

Credit: Trapp Family Lodge

Focus On Nordic, Snowshoeing, Fat Biking: Rationale, The Market Forecast, Videos: How To XC, Snowshoe, Fat Bike, Hidden Gem XC Resorts, Lesson Advice, Mystery Nordic Star, Trail Preferences.

There’s more to winter besides downhill skiing. This issue will explore additional ways you can Make More Tracks.

Let’s be clear at the top: We love Alpine skiing, the thrill, the speed, the grace, and all that. We always will, so don’t think this Special Edition of SeniorsSkiing.com devoted to alternative winter snow sports is an abandonment of the mainstay that almost all of our readers have been participating in for years.

However, this year, we anticipate that while our readers will at first enthusiastically head to Alpine resorts, reserve online, gear up in their cars, mask up, social distance, eat a bag lunch, and all the rest, many will grow weary of those restrictions. Or become frustrated. Or not bother going at all.

But, since we know our readers love winter and snow, we also anticipate that they might be open to alternative snow sports that might be new to them or to which they may be returning. Like cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. These are accessible, easy to learn the basics, affordable, safe (social distance built in), and good for body and soul.

Since the beginning of October we have been publishing a series of articles named Make More Tracks. These include instruction, resort reports, clothing advice, and the like. In addition, we’ve compiled a Make More Tracks Resource Guide with a compendium of articles about the alternative winter snow sports, covering gear, destinations, technique, and how to dress, and much more.

Co-Publisher Mike Maginn on wooden skis, circa 1970.

We are dedicating this entire issue to Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, and Fat Biking. Hopefully, you will read something that might stir you to think about getting into other winter sports. We’ve been loving cross-country skiing since the early 70s. So much so that we still (occasionally) get out our wooden skis, wax, four-pin bindings, and take a loop around the farm across the street. On a bluebird day with perfect snow, the right wax combo, and a Heineken in your backpack, there is nothing like it.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

We are extending our special introductory classified ad offer until Dec. 4th. That means you can post a classified ad for 30 days from the date you post for just $1. We’re hoping you take advantage of this opportunity to find ski buddies, share rides, rent condos or apartments, and sell gear and collectibles.

We’ve been contacted by several readers who are frustrated by having to re-enter their name and email on the subscription pop-up. We know this can be frustrating. Here’s what you can do to eliminate the problem: TURN ON “ENABLE COOKIES” IN YOUR BROWSER ON EACH DEVICE YOU USE TO ACCESS SENIORSSKIING.COM. We’re working with our IT resource to make enabling cookies more clear as a way to avoid constantly re-entering name and email.

This Week

SeniorsSkiing.com’s cross-country editor and publisher of XCSkiResorts.com Roger Lohr explains what XC means to him. Our thanks to him and cross-country journalist and consultant Jonathan Wiesel for their support and contributions to the Make More Tracks series. Click here.

Our Mystery Glimpse picture this week is a Nordic competitor who may be the greatest xc racer of all time. We predict some of our readers will get this one right away; others will have no clue. Such is the fate of Nordic celebrity in the snow sport world. You will also learn the name of that odd parka from last week. Click here.

“Au naturel” trail across Appleton Farms field. Credit: SeniorsSkiing.com

This week’s Question For You asks our reader’s preference for what kind of XC ski trail they like best: groomed and groovy or no grooming. Our choice is actually a little of both. Click here.

We have a short video about a cyclist making his first fat bike ride on a chilly day. We learned that keeping toes warm is a project. Click here.

Kelly Davis is a noted snow sports industry market researcher. We met her several years ago when she was director of research at SIA, the industry trade group. Currently, she runs Snow Sports Insights, a consulting company that brings information to decision-makers about the changing market place. Here’s her view of what’s happening this year in the Nordic/Snowshoe market space. Interesting stuff, and thanks to Kelly for allowing us to reproduce this article which first appeared on the Cross Country Ski Area Association website. Click here.

Credit: LL Bean group lessons

Snowshoeing is the easiest alternative for those who want to get outdoors in the winter without a learning curve or significant outlay of cash. It is also the most grandchild-friendly choice. Here’s a short video that explains the basics of How To Snowshoe from LL Bean. Click here.

Cross-country editor Roger Lohr offers his inventory of XC ski resorts that he considers “hidden gems”, tucked away from hustle and big areas. These resorts offer extraordinary opportunities to enjoy a socially-distanced vacation in snow country. Yes, you can! Click here.

Methow resort has lots of ways to make more tracks. Credit: XCSkiResorts.com

Cross-country journalist and consultant Jonathan Wiesel expounds on when and how you might take XC lessons: Group or private. Trust us, we’ve been xc skiing since the 70s and we took a brief lesson last winter from a former Olympian and US Ski Team member Sue Wemyss at the Great Glens Trails Outdoor Center in Gorham, NH. Amazing how quickly you can improve your stride with a few simple moves. Click here.

For those readers who have never tried to cross-country ski or who might have tried to learn on their own, here’s a short video from REI that is a clear and really helpful guide on How To Cross-Country Ski. Click here.

Finally, the Skiing Weatherman Herb Stevens explains how the winds of November will favor some regions and not others. Click here.

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

Appleton Farms, Ipswich, MA. Trails are groomed by a volunteer group. Credit: SeniorsSkiing.com

Short Swings!

November 20, 2020/0 Comments/in SHORT SWINGS!, Short Swings!/by Jon Weisberg

This week I participated in a media briefing about the coming season. It was organized by Ski Utah and featured presenters from most of the state’s areas.

They confirmed what most of us already know. This will not be a normal season. Resort skiing will require more advance planning than we’re used to. Some of the details, as presented in the aforementioned media briefing, are outlined a few paragraphs down.

Those of you who live close to where you ski won’t feel the pain. Not so for those of us who must travel.

That’s one of the reasons I plan to try cross country this season. I won’t be alone.

Cross country skiing is about to boom. Since its impact was first felt, Covid has prompted many more people to pursue solo outdoor sports.

According to Reese Brown, executive director of the non-profit Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA), early sales of entry-level gear packages were up over 200% in August and September. This bodes well for that branch of the sport.

This issue of SeniorsSkiing.com is dedicated to cross country and other Nordic activities. When Covid entered the scene, we anticipated that many of you, turned off by new obstacles, might look to Nordic activities as an alternative. That’s why we introduced the Make More Tracks: Nordic Resource Guide and are featuring a Nordic article in each issue. You’ll note that Alpina, which makes top-of-the-line Nordic ski boots and other gear is supporting the initiative.

Cross country, skate skiing, snowshoeing, and snow biking don’t always require traveling great distances to enjoy. If you live where there’s snow, many parks and local golf courses have groomed trails. If you’re fortunate enough to be near a cross country resort, you can enjoy extensive trail networks with many amenities.

Clearly, Covid has turned skiing on its head.

What did I learn in that media briefing mentioned earlier? Among other things, advance ticket reservations will be required. It’s one of several ways areas will limit access.

Places like Snowbird will regulate the number of skiers by requiring parking reservations. And at least for the first part of the season, parking spots will be for morning arrivals only.

For several seasons, Utah has encouraged people skiing the Cottonwood Canyons (Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude) to take public transportation. Depending on time of day or day of week, ski buses were at their 60 passenger capacity. This season, each bus will be limited to 20.

Many senior skiers enjoy the amenities of a locker room. Now, in an effort to improve social distancing, Deer Valley will limit access locker room access. The resort already has removed all seating.

Snowbasin is introducing portable “executive” restrooms.

Restaurants will require reservations or ordering by app. Powder Mountain will do both as well as increase take-out locations around the resort.

These changes are representative of what to expect at resorts throughout the U.S.

In closing the media briefing, Nathan Rafferty, who heads Ski Utah, shared his metric for success for the coming season. As I recall, in the past it has been increasing the number of skiers and the number of skier days. This year, it’s simply “Get open and stay open.”

Vail, Killington, Park City Mountain Resort, Alta Opening

source: Alta

Vail, Park City Mountain Resort and Killington each announced season openings on Friday, November 20. Alta will open Monday, November 23. Check your email and favorite mountain website for more opening dates.

The Nordic Approach

That’s the name of the new online magazine for cross country skiers. Click here to visit the free site and find resorts, retailers, lots of good articles and tips for everyone interested in or already enjoying the cross country skiing lifestyle.

Parlor Skis Backcountry Emails

Parlor Skis is the Boston-based custom ski manufacturer known for high quality skis designed for the purchaser’s individual skiing style and needs. I know several skiers who’ve invested in Parlor skis, and they absolutely love them! The company takes an intelligent and analytical approach to the customization process. Its New England heritage is reflected in a new email series exploring back country skiing in the Northeast. If you’d like to receive Parlor’s emails, send your request to mark@parlorskis.com.

ISHA Needs Your Support

International Ski History Association

ISHA (International Skiing History Association) is the non-profit that, among other things, publishes Skiing History magazine. If you’re not already a member, I urge you to join. You’ll receive Skiing History every other month. Click on ISHA’s ad at the bottom of the stack of ads on the right and you’ll receive the free digital version. But at this time, it’s important to send ISHA money. Like so many other non-profits, the group is feeling the effects of Covid, especially from corporate sponsors cutting back because of reduced revenues. Please help ISHA weather this particularly tough storm. A one-year membership is only $49.

U.S. Ski-Snowboard Hall of Fame, Too

This is another worthy non-profit whose revenues this year were interrupted by Covid. The Hall of Fame‘s mission is to honor and celebrate the athletes, pioneers and visionaries of the United States who have significantly enriched the global sports of skiing and snowboarding and to showcase their stories and historic memorabilia…” To learn more and/or make a donations, click here.

A Skier’s Thanks

Next Thursday the U.S. celebrates Thanksgiving, a time when we give thanks for our good fortune by stuffing our faces and tolerating people we’re obligated to have at our tables. I apologize for the cynicism. This year will be different. Like others we know, Pam and I will be alone for our traditional feast. We’ll eat well, knowing that many will not and that many will be alone. As we do on every Thanksgiving and throughout the year, we’ll remember those no longer with us and those less fortunate. As skiers, we should be expressing thanks to the people who work hard so we can enjoy our good times on the hill. There are the groomers who work throughout the night, often in dangerous conditions, to prepare slopes and trals for our enjoyment. There are the lifties, standing in bitter cold to assist us onto the chair. And patrol, up early to control avalanches and working throughout the day to make trails safer. The people preparing and serving food. Those clearing the lots. There are many we never see and whom we never have the opportunity to thank. Maybe it’s not the purpose of Thanksgiving to thank them, but this year, let’s do it anyway. And while we’re at it, let’s thank the medical researchers, especially those at Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. It sounds like their commitment to developing Covid vaccines will soon get us back to some form of normal, including a more normal ski season. Thank you!

Frustration #1. Frustration #2.

Frustration #1: Readers are reporting that SeniorsSkiing.com requires re-entering name and email address each time you try to open the site. We believe the issue may be the need to enable cookies on each device used to access SeniorsSkiing.com. If you’ve done that on your laptop and want to open the site on your phone, you must enable cookies on each device. On my iPhone, I went to Settings, scrolled to Safari, turned off (grey bubble) “Block All Cookies” and turned on (green bubble) “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking.” Other phones may require other steps.

Frustration #2: We’d like more classified advertisers. It’s a great deal. Advertise for four weeks for $1. Once the classified section takes hold, we plan to increase the cost of advertising. For the immediate future, however, you can advertise something for sale, something for rent, a club trip, look for someone to ski with, etc. for a buck.

Back December 4

SeniorsSkiing.com is taking next week off. See you December 4!

Editorial: Why Cross-Country Skiing?

November 17, 2020/2 Comments/in Features/by Roger Lohr

[Editor Note: Roger Lohr is SeniorsSkiing.com’s Nordic Editor and publisher of XCSkiResorts.com]

The Older I Get, The More I Love Cross Country Skiing.

Roger Lohr in the grooves. Credit: XCSkiResorts.com

I love the sensation of gliding on the snow through the forest, being outdoors in nature. I can smell the fragrance of the trees. I can hear the bubbling brook and the sound of a bird in the distance, or the screech of my ski bases on the snow.

Groomed trails make it so easy to pass through the woods without worrying about the snow condition or getting tripped up by a hidden branch. But there is also something ethereal about skiing between the trees backcountry down the hill avoiding obstacles and picking my way to the destination. Even on a local trail network, being out in the forest seems like in the words of author Anders Morley (This Land of Snow), where wilderness and civilization meet to negotiate their differences. Even if you can hear cars on a nearby road, that negotiation allows a meditative state in the here and now.

Most skiers are encouraged to go skiing by their family or friends, or they personally always wanted to do it. Getting outdoors is among the list of reasons for people getting into XC skiing, and exercise is most likely an important reason for people to try it. The well-being factor goes beyond exercise as psychological and emotional benefits may very well be the cross beams of XC skiing that buttress the soul.

I love XC skiing in my light jacket and pants over a lightweight base layer, taking my small backpack with all my necessities. Barriers to XC skiing are low. For example, you can XC ski where ever there is snow so it is very accessible in parks and on local trails. While the sport admittedly takes time and practice to master, XC skiing is easy to do at beginner levels. It is also rather inexpensive compared to many other recreational activities. Additionally, people can ski at their own pace and go to a local park to get some outdoor exercise or enjoy the winter scenery.

On the other hand, there are issues that make XC skiing a challenge to people who’ve not tried it. Beginning XC is easy, but if you want to get proficient you have to work at it. Proficiency to higher levels only comes with time, experience, and practice. Specific equipment is important for the different types of XC skiing such as on track, off track, beginner, backcountry with heavy or light weight gear, skating, etc. Struggling on skating skis up a hill exemplifies the need for learning the right technique, skiing on proper equipment, and practice. The different segments of XC skiing may be perplexing to some people. Another factor is that experienced skiers are a tight-knit group, and it maybe a little while before the uninitiated feel accepted.

Why people quit cross country skiing is similar to why people quit any activity. People get tired of traveling or take the time to get to the trails or ski area. Time commitment can be an issue to some. Responsibilities such as work or family are also a significant reason for people deciding to reduce or eliminate time for skiing.

There are few injuries suffered by XC skiers, well, beyond being sore on the next morning because of muscles that are unaccustomed to being used. For XC skiing, proficiency is a factor when learning to glide, go uphill without backsliding, or control the skis on steep downhills.

The reasons why people start or quit skiing have been understood for decades and developing programs and incentives to address concerns is a great challenge for the snow sports industry. But personally I begin longing for the snow as spring time flourishes and am exultant the next time the ground is covered come November or December. Valhalla.

Mystery Glimpse: XC Dominator

November 17, 2020/1 Comment/in Mystery Glimpse/by seniorsskiing

Perhaps The Greatest XC Competitor Of All Time?

This week’s challenge might be very difficult for some, easy for others. Why? Because not as many people follow the fortunes of cross-country competitors compared to their Alpine counterparts. Everyone knows Karli Schranz, Jean-Claude Killy, Bode Miller, and the rest. But how about Sverre Stenersen, who consistently won medals in the Olympics and World Championships through the 50s? Remember what Jessica Diggins and Kikkan Randall did just a few years ago in the team sprint at the PyeongChang Olympics? Curious? Check it out here.

This week we are presenting a photo of an xc racer who some have called the very best. If you know who he is, comment in Leave A Reply below.

Okay, that’s a nice pic, but hard to identify the person. How about this one?

Last Week

This is ski jumper Anders Haugen wearing his 1924 Chamonix Olympics coat. Norwegian-born Haugen came to the States in 1909 and started ski jumping with his brothers in the Milwaukee area. Between 1910 and 1920, Anders and his brothers won the US Championship 11 times. As captain of the US team at the inaugural Winter Games, Haugen wound up placing fourth behind three Norwegians.

However, in 1974, a sports statistician noticed that Haugen’s score was incorrectly calculated. After verification by the International Olympic Committee, Anders Haugen, at 85 years old, was awarded a bronze medal. Thus, he became the first American Winter Olympics medalist and the only US athlete to win an Olympic medal in ski jumping.

As for this fantastic coat, it was created for the US team by the Hudson Bay Co. of Canada and is called a Capote.

The 1924 Olympic capote is made of felted, twill-weave wool. It is white or natural color with printed bold stripes in black, yellow, red and green-blue. There is fringe along the top of the shoulders and sleeves and along the top front opening of the coat made of the same wool fabric, along with a tall, pointed hood.

Anders Haugen’s “Capote” from 1924 Olympics. Credit: Colorado Snowsports Museum

Question For You: Groomed Or Au Naturel?

November 17, 2020/11 Comments/in Make More Tracks/by mikemaginn

What Is Your Preference?

Appleton Farms, Ipswich, MA. Trails are groomed by a volunteer group. Credit: SeniorsSkiing.com

We live across a little country road from a 900-acre conservation property. For years, we’d walk across the road, stumble over the stone wall bordering the street, and plod our way about 20 feet through tree-falls and heavy brush to a trail where we’d put on our xc skis. And then we’d break trail around our favorite loop, eventually meeting up with trails already made by skiers who made it out earlier than us. Then we’d follow those.

In recent years, North Shore Nordic, a local, volunteer-run non-profit, regularly runs a trail-maker snow mobile around the property, creating perfect, groomed grooves for classic skiing and a corduroy path for xc skaters. Now, we have the best of both worlds. To get to the groomed track, we break trail from a remote corner of the property to the main area. We like the groomed trails. But then, there are the walkers who are enjoying the beautiful snow-filled fields by walking on—and disturbing—the groom. So, hmmm.

And, here’s our question for you:

Do you favor going to a cross country ski area with groomed trails or on a local trail that is not maintained? Do you have a place that is cross country skiing close to home? Is it au naturel or groomed?

“Au naturel” trail across Appleton Farms field. Credit: SeniorsSkiing.com

Make More Tracks: Fat Bike Experience

November 16, 2020/0 Comments/in Make More Tracks/by seniorsskiing

Another Way To Go In The Snow: Fat Bikes.

If you’re a cyclist, you will love the fat bike experience. You will most likely want to head out on a cold day so the snow is firm but not icy. Many xc ski resorts have groomed tracks for Fat Bikes as well as skiing. Deep snow: Fat Bikes don’t work, maybe downhill, but it’s much more pleasant on a track. Soft snow: Fat Bikes work, but so will you. Alot. Weather makes a difference.

Here’s a short video on what the Fat Bike experience is like. Click on the image below.

Make More Tracks: Predicting Participation In XC/Snowshoeing

November 16, 2020/0 Comments/in Make More Tracks/by seniorsskiing

[Editor Note: The following article was written by Kelly Davis, Snow Sports Insights. Kelly is a veteran snow sports industry researcher and a consult to the Cross Country Ski Area Association.]

Alternatives To Alpine Skiing Are Expected To Blossom This Season.

Participation in cross country skiing and snowshoeing is expected to increase significantly this winter for the second season in a row. Since late March, when the COVID-19 pandemic sent many Americans home, participation in many outdoor activities has spiked, including hiking, cycling, and paddling. Trailheads across the country were full, many on trails were there for the first time looking for activities that offered safe, socially distanced activity outside of the home and away from the gym. Some areas reported more than double the usual traffic on local trails.

The numbers that we’re seeing are greatly higher than we’ve ever seen before. We’re seeing it across all of the forest, in our places where we’ve kind of labeled as quieter places. They’re at capacity and spilling out as well. Tiffany Brenna U.S. Forest Service

As the weather turns colder, sending many indoors and driving up COVID-19 infection rates, Americans will again look for ways to get outdoors and participate in healthy and physically distanced activities. In addition to offering a refuge from COVID, cross country skiing and snowshoeing are some of the most accessible and economical activities available.

Participation

XC/Snowshoe participation numbers are up. Credit: Snow Sport Insights

Last season, despite the abrupt end of skiing at downhill resorts in March, cross country skiing and snowshoeing saw participation grow. More than 5.2 M Americans participated in cross country skiing, a 6 percent increase over 2018/2019. Snowshoe participation grew more than 12 percent last season to 3.6M participants.

Cross country skiing and snowshoeing are far more accessible than downhill skiing for most participants. Skiers and snowshoers participate at many different locations including cross country ski areas that offer miles of groomed trails, groomed municipal properties, golf courses, parks, frozen lakes, and even on snow covered roads and sidewalks in their neighborhoods. In fact, many participants can find trails within a few miles of their home.

According to an SIA study on barriers to participation, downhill skiers typically need to travel at least 45 minutes to get to the nearest lift-served resort and they can expect to pay about $100 for a weekend lift ticket. By comparison, cross country skiing trail day passes average $15 and season passes range from $25 for the Great Minnesota Pass to $212 at the Trapp Family Lodge located in Stowe, VT, to $280 at Devil’s Thumb Ranch in Frasier, CO. [Editor note: Local parks, golf courses, and conservation areas are often free or ask a small fee] .Once on the skis, remaining physically distanced from others on trails that frequently are 12-18 feet wide is a non-issue.

Retail

In speaking with retailers across North America, many are saying August and September sales of cross country gear are up as much as 300 percent. Several retailers are saying the gear being sold is entry level packages, indicating beginner skiers are thinking very far out about the coming winter and what activities they will be doing.

I’ve already increased all my orders exponentially—quite a bit for cross-country skiing. It’s going crazy now. I’ve never had the (ski) wall up so early. I’ve never had so much interest. We’ve never sold so many packages this early in the season. It’s pretty incredible. Trevor Norgan Canadian Retailer, Regina Sports

The 2020/2021 season projections are positive. Increased participation will drive hard goods sales that typically total about $40 M according to NPD. Participants will also need winter apparel but most who participate in other outdoor activities won’t need to spend thousands on a new kit. Cross country skiing doesn’t require a helmet, or goggles and not everyone chooses to deck themselves out in spandex (although wicking fabric is helpful).

The Experience

Cross country skiing and snowshoeing are fun to learn, healthy, family friendly, accessible, affordable, and offer great variety. Participants can hike their favorite trails on snowshoes, find amazing winter scenery on groomed cross country ski trails, or wait for snow to fall in their neighborhoods and ski around town. Cross country skiing uses natural movements; it doesn’t require special skills to get started and has a short learning curve. Snowshoeing may be more difficult than walking but most people can start snowshoeing within minutes of strapping on their snowshoes. As an added bonus, many areas that cater to cross country skiers and snowshoers offer fine food and craft beverages.

An important factor likely to drive increased participation on trails this winter is the obvious social distancing advantage these activities have over lift-served downhill skiing. The two largest alpine resort operators have announced that there will be capacity limitations at their resorts and season pass holders will have priority. Casual skiers, those that only ski a few times each season, may find themselves blocked out of weekend skiing at lift served resorts. Social distancing is far easier when skiers and snowshoers have miles of trails to explore away from crowds.

The financial bottom line on cross country skiing and snowshoeing tends to be small, making these winter activities an excellent option for anyone that wants to experience a true winter wonderland.

Weather

Finally, weather is always a factor in winter sports, and cross country skiing and snowshoeing depend on snowfall. The forecast for this winter is promising. This season, La Niña conditions are projected, the northern states and Canada will be colder and wetter than normal. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “La Niña favors increased snowfall over the Northwest and northern Rockies, as well as in the upper Midwest Great Lakes region. Reduced snowfall is observed over parts of the central-southern Plains, Southwest, and mid-Atlantic.” Many downhill ski resorts have snowmaking equipment that can compensate for natural snow, but fewer than 20 percent of cross country trail systems have snowmaking capability. This season’s weather looks promising for most cross country ski areas.

Make More Tracks: How To Snowshoe

November 16, 2020/2 Comments/in Make More Tracks/by seniorsskiing

Snowshoeing Is A Highly Accessible and Easy Way To Enjoy The Winter.

Now here’s a winter outdoor sport that brings you in to the vibrant , snow-filled landscape and fresh air with a minimum of hassle and expense. From our surveys, we’ve noticed that those who snowshoe often bring spouses and grandchildren along into an easy way to walk in the woods.

How easy is it to get started? Here’s a short instructional video from LL Bean. Click on the image to view.

Make More Tracks: Hidden Gems Of Nordic Skiing

November 16, 2020/1 Comment/in Make More Tracks/by Roger Lohr

[Editor Note: This article first appeared in XCSkiResorts.com.]

Less Known, Excellent XC Destinations To Explore.

Comfortable going along the river behind the Woodstock Inn. Credit: XCSkiResorts.com

With torrent of people hitting the trails and the outdoors across the country, XCSkiResorts.com wanted to give a shout out to hidden gem destinations for cross country (XC) skiing this winter. There may very well be an overflow of skiers at the most popular XC ski trails, so this guide will share some of the lesser known but excellent destinations.

In the east, the Woodstock Nordic Center https://www.xcskiresorts.com/woodstock-nordic-center offers more than 45 km of skiing right in the town of Woodstock, VT on two trail systems. The Mt. Peg trails begin on the golf course at the Woodstock Country Club and climb to the summit overlooking the village below. On nearby Mt. Tom, the Center grooms more than 20 km of trails on old carriage roads in the midst of Vermont’s first tree farm and Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park. The Woodstock Inn & Resort, which operates the Nordic Center is a 142 room AAA four Diamond Resort in the heart of Woodstock, a town that is the quintessential New England town with a wonderful collection of restaurants and shops.

Lapland Lake XC Ski & Vacation Center http://www.xcskiresorts.com/lapland-lake/ in Northville, NY features a touch of Finland in the Adirondacks from the food and the resident reindeer to the Finnish woodburning sauna and children’s games. They’ve got 38 km groomed for classic and skate skiing and 12 km of mapped snowshoe trails. The resort is located adjacent to the famed 133-mile Northville-Lake Placid Trail for limitless wilderness ski and snowshoe opportunities. Known for its courteous staff, this year-round family resort features a two-story warming lodge with a wax room, restrooms, changing room, and shower along snack bar, and eleven housekeeping cottages known as “tupas” that have fully equipped kitchens, living room, up to 4 bedrooms, electric heat, woodstoves, and a bath with showers.

Crystal Lake Ski & Outdoor Center https://www.xcskiresorts.com/crystal-lake-ski-center in Hughesville, PA (central PA near Williamsport) is in a snowbowl location that often has snow when the rest of the region is bare, and the trail system is second to none. There is varied terrain to please beginners, intermediates and advanced skiers. This is a full service area with rentals, ski instruction, and a cozy fireplace lounge.

Yes, West Virginia. Almost heaven. Credit: XCSkiResorts.omc

The White Grass Touring Center http://www.xcskiresorts.com/white-grass-touring-center/ is in the Canaan Valley and high Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia. It is a one-of-a-kind place to XC ski that gets 150 inches of snow annually. There’s 50 km of trails that are groomed or maintained and the area has 1,200 vertical feet with slopes and glades for backcountry skiers, too. Established in the late 1970’s the “fleece and flannel” scene at White Grass is alive with a popular natural foods café.

XC ski destinations in the central regions include Cross Country Ski Headquarters http://www.xcskiresorts.com/cross-country-ski-headquarters/ in Roscommon, MI which is a leading XC ski outfitter and ski area in the Higgins Lake area. Since 1974 this has been a premier destination for XC skiing in Midwest in

XC HQ in Roscommon, MI. Credit: XCSkiResorts.omc

the heart of Michigan, with 19 km of trails groomed for classic and skate skiing for skiers of all abilities and there are also miles of trails all around the region. The Cross Country Ski HQ is known for its friendly and experienced staff and retail operation. Trails are groomed for classic and skate skiing characterized as 10% hilly, 50% moderate, and 40% flat.

The Golden Eagle Lodge https://www.xcskiresorts.com/golden-eagle-lodge in Grand Marais, is a family owned year-round resort located on Flour Lake sitting at the Height of the Laurentian Divide in MN. It has 70 km groomed trails for classic skiing and 60 percent of the trails are groomed for skating in the Superior National Forest. The Baumann family owns the Golden Eagle Lodge, and they are the only residents on the lake, welcoming skiers to enjoy 120 inches of snow annually and the tranquility and solitude of the surrounding ancient forests. The lodge is also amidst the Gunflint Trail 100-mile system, which is a mecca for Midwestern cross country skiers.

Maplelag Resort http://www.xcskiresorts.com/maplelag-resort/ in Callaway, MN is located in the northwest region of MN and is within an hour of Fargo, ND. Maplelag has 70 km groomed for skiing, snowshoeing, and fat biking. Family style meals are known to feed the camaraderie at Maplelag and the lodge is a treasury of Norwegian Folk Art with nooks and crannies to enjoy together or get away to relax and read a book. The bottomless cookie jar policy provides endless sweets. The Richards family is the host that will guarantee you a memorable time.

Further west is XC skiers can visit Enchanted Forest XC Ski & Snowshoe Area http://www.xcskiresorts.com/enchanted-forest/ in Red River, NM, which has 33 km of trails groomed for classic and skate skiing, 15 km for snowshoeing, and 5 km that allow dogs. Enchanted Forest is known for the entertaining events and the great scenic views with 500 acres of ancient forests, aspen groves, and sweeping meadows in the Carson National Forest (that’s Kit Carson for you history buffs) There’s a day lodge at the base area for a snack and the Midway warming yurt and three rental yurts are available for overnight winter accommodations.

Crosscut Mountain Sports Center https://www.xcskiresorts.com/crosscut-mountain-sports-center is in Bozeman, MT next to the alpine ski area Bridger Bowl is a popular XC ski day area only 16 miles from Bozeman. This non-profit organization is a year round recreational sports training and educational facility providing human powered outdoor activities with 50 km of groomed trails for classic and skate skiing. Located in the Bridger Mountains, the center includes a biathlon range and includes a wide 15-foot trail width and narrow gauge trails for fat biking, snowshoeing and classic skiing with impeccable trail grooming. At 6,100 foot elevation there are no altitude problems at Crosscut.

Methow has lots of ways to make more tracks. Credit: XCSkiResorts.com

Methow Trails http://www.xcskiresorts.com/methow-trails/ is located in north-central Washington just below the Canadian border and anchored by the towns of Winthrop, Mazama and Twisp. It has more than 220 km (136 miles) of perfectly groomed skate and classic ski trails. Kids 17 and under ski free everyday in the Methow Valley. Many of the trails also welcome fat bikers, snowshoers and dogs. Methow Trails is a non-profit organization dedicated to connect people, nature and community through world class trail systems.

The Bear Valley Adventure Company http://www.xcskiresorts.com/bear-valley-cross-country/ is in Bear Valley, CA on Highway 4 on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the land of giant Sequoia trees. Bear Valley is perfect for new or experienced XC skiers with a trailhead meadow surrounded by hills and ridges. It is at 7,000 – 7,800 foot elevation and boasts substantial annual snow depths making it in most years the first to open and last to close among the Sierra XC ski centers. There are 70 km on 38 trails groomed for classic and skate skiing with 2 kids trails, a popular sledding and tubing hill, the Snowbound Café and 3 trailside huts There’s a groomed downhill ski area nearby, too.

Make More Tracks: Private vs Group Lessons

November 16, 2020/0 Comments/in Make More Tracks/by Jonathan Wiesel

Groups For Beginners, Private To Refine Technique.

Group lessons: Fun and affordable. Credit: SkiNH

Let’s say you want to learn how to cross-country ski relatively quickly and easily – how to move with grace and minimal effort, develop endurance, and enjoy what you’re doing from the git-go. The surest shortcut to becoming a good skier is to take multiple lessons with a professional instructor.

I’ve often wondered what’s the simplest way to speed up the learning-and-fun process for people of any age, not just us “perennials”: group lessons or private instruction. Figuring that it would help to ask the pros, I contacted three renowned Nordic instructors/coaches/ski school directors. They all have long strings of credentials, but a quick overview: JoJo Toeppner ran two of the best-known XC areas in North America, California’s Royal Gorge and Tahoe Donner; Emily Lovett has long been co-Director of the famous Yellowstone Fall Training Camp in Montana;and Scotty McGee is a celebrated cross country, telemark, and alpine instructor, trainer, and examiner. They’re experts not just at technique but also at communication and accelerating your learning curve.

There can be a bunch of factors involved in your choice, ranging from expense to self-consciousness.

Credit: LL Bean group lessons

All three experts agree that cost can be a factor. Scotty comments, “When your goals are specific enough, or price difference isn’t an issue, private lessons give you the tailored experience that’s most likely to meet your goals and be targeted at your abilities.” JoJo feels that “It’s much more expensive to take a one-hour private where everything is charged separately (ticket, rental, and lesson, as opposed to a 75-minute discounted package). Privates can be customized to what the student wants if there’s a specific need, such as hills, corners, or stopping, while groups cover a little of everything.”

Emily makes the point that group lessons can be really fun and meaningful as you learn from each other and bond through a shared experience. She adds that group instruction involves some willingness to be open to others’ abilities, questions, and learning styles, which can be fun and interesting.

Scotty says that for newer skiers, group lessons are a great way to meet people and easier to book than privates. He says, “Nordic centers most likely have a beginner lesson once or twice a day. As skiers progress, up through intermediate level, there are many undiscovered breakthroughs waiting to happen. Small improvements to efficiency and effectiveness take time to integrate into technique. So multiple group lessons at a beginner-ish level can provide great value as long as repetition (‘Here’s how you put a ski on’) is not an issue.”

Private lessons provide focus. Credit: Peak Performance

It sounds like if a resort offers intermediate group lessons, they’re likely to provide two instructors when there’s a medley of ability levels. Above intermediate level, the likelihood that a group lesson will meet your goals decreases. One exception to this is the organized “camp” with multiple ability levels (Yellowstone; Silver Star, BC; Bend, OR; Crested Butte, CO) which can see dozens of perennials during multi-day clinics.

Maybe you prefer to have a lesson based on your personal learning styles and goals, in which case a private lesson’s tailored attention and feedback may be more valuable. One-on-one instruction can also include video analysis on a phone. Group lessons can be especially fun if they’re on-going sessions (for instance, a weekly lesson or training), where you progress together over multiple sessions.

One filter you can use to help find the highest quality instruction is to inquire about certification with the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) or Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors (CANSI). Qualifications include both skiing and teaching ability, and a mechanical understanding that helps frame the journey from where you are now and where you want to go.

Make More Tracks: How To XC

November 16, 2020/0 Comments/in Make More Tracks/by seniorsskiing

The Basics Of Cross-Country Skiing Demonstrated.

The benefits of cross-country skiing are many. Clearly, it’s a full-body exercise that you can dial up or down depending on your mood, conditioning, and terrain. And, it’s easy. You can learn the basics in an hour and feel confident on your first outing. Advanced techniques are rather simple, too, so the learning curve is quite flat. Also, it’s accessible, all you need is snow. You can head to your local public park, golf course, or conservation wood lands. Or, if you like groomed (grooved and corduroy) trails, find a xc center with retails, lessons, hot chocolate and the like. And then there’s nature: animal tracks, the silence of the woods, snow-sun-sky tableaux, your own ruminations. Another benefit is that your companion might find it easy and accessible, too, so you can have the company of your mate in the winter wonderland.

Here’s a great video from PSIA and REI showing the basics. Click on the image below.

Skiing Weatherman: Fast Movers

November 16, 2020/0 Comments/in Skiing Weatherman/by Herb Stevens

In last week’s first installment of my weekly discussion, the Pac Northwest and northern Rockies were enjoying a parade of early season snow events while skiers and riders in the Midwest and East had to be content with tuning gear and digesting the state-by-state Covid restrictions rolling out recently.

The storms have continued to hit the same general areas that were hit in the West recently, and dozens of resorts with scheduled openings between this weekend and early December could probably open now on plenty of terrain with the snow they have picked up already. By the way, those same regions are in line for more snow in the next week!

In the Midwest and East, a fast moving trough passed through earlier this week, and the air was cold enough for snowmakers from the upper Midwest into the Northeast to get started building bases. In a transient jet stream pattern like the one we are in right now, where troughs and ridges keep marching around the northern hemisphere, making snow in these areas is a gamble.

Resorts would love to open in time for Thanksgiving, but at this time of year, seldom is there enough cold air around to keep it cold enough for snowmaking for more than a couple of days. Only if a blocking pattern develops, when an upper level ridge parks near Greenland, which then allows a cold trough to come to a halt over eastern North America, do we see appreciable early season snow or extended snowmaking windows. Blocking is not in place, so cold shots will only come along every three or four days. Luckily, when it does turn milder, the short days and low sun angle will help limit the melting of the snow that falls or is made.

A modest cool shot will produce a minor amount of snow and enable a minor shot of snowmaking across the northern Great Lakes, Adirondacks, and northern New England later this weekend. The snow will be confined to higher elevations in the East. The next shot at cold and perhaps snow will come just prior to Thanksgiving Day, when another trough will move through the Midwest and Northeast. Right now it looks promising for snow in the northern Lakes, but in the Northeast, the best we can hope for is backside snow after rain on the front end of that event. So for now, any skiing/riding over Thanksgiving in the East looks very limited, prospects in the upper Midwest look a little better. Your best bet? In the Pac NW and northern Rockies. Here is a snowfall forecast for the next ten days that says it all.

Here are the regional details…

Northwest U.S./Western Canada: Strong troughs from the Gulf of Alaska continue to pinwheel into this region, leading to snow events every few days. Cascades and coastal ranges of B.C. will be the big winners.

Sierra: After a productive storm midweek, this region will be south of the action for the next week as the northern branch of the jet stream dominates.

Rockies: Northern Rockies pick up a couple of additional rounds of snow early to midweek. Resort opening prospects in ID, MT, and WY look positive near-term.

Midwest: Northern resorts in MN, WI, and MI will have nighttime snowmaking opportunities through this weekend, along with some natural snow. Fast moving trough will bring light to perhaps moderate snow Tuesday/Wednesday of next week. Some limited Thanksgiving weekend skiing/riding is possible.

Northeast/QB: After two nights of snowmaking this week, another nighttime opportunity will be present Saturday and Monday nights. Two messy events could “net” higher elevation snow late weekend and Wednesday into Thursday. Lower elevation resorts on hold, waiting for cold.

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov. 13)

November 13, 2020/1 Comment/in Features/by seniorsskiing

Classified Bonus, Skiing Weatherman, Volcano Snowshoeing, Renting Your Ski House Apt., Dust Of Snow Poem, Prep Advice, Strange Parka, Holiday Valley Review, COVID Rules Example.

So we had six inches of snow on Halloween and two weeks later we have 70 degree weather all week around the Boston outpost of SeniorsSkiing.com. And it’s Friday the 13th. And it’s a La Nina year. And it’s COVID time. And it’s 2020. What’s going on?

We’ll stop there. We’ve run out of synonyms for “unprecedented”.

One thing we know for sure is that our readers are beginning to discover our new Classifieds section. Reader ads are populating that page with some interesting offers from condo rentals and requests for ski buddies to ski club trips and offers of used gear.

We started the Classified section because we felt there was some kinetic interest in our readership for connecting with other readers. Comments in various Question For You features revealed there was some back and forth between respondents. Responses to our annual reader surveys revealed ideas for connecting with others. So, we thought a Classifieds section would be low-hanging fruit.

Our original plan was to offer readers the opportunity to post an ad for 30 days for $1. The offer was to end today, Nov. 13. But, because we started publishing kind of early in the season, and because this Fall as been so…um…unprecedented, we thought we’d extend our offer of a $1 classified ad for 30 days until Dec. 4th. Our regular, reasonable, affordable rates will begin after that date.

As a reminder, here are the categories:

Just click here to view Classifieds or post an ad:

This Week

SeniorsSkiing.com correspondent Herb Stevens, the Skiing Weatherman, points out there will be snowfall this week in some places and not others. Surprised? Find out where and why and what the prospects are for the near future. Click here.

Beautiful snowshoeing and XC skiing on a volcano. Credit: NPS

Make More Tracks correspondent Jonathan Wiesel writes about a visit to Craters of the Moon National Monument, a unusual park in south central Idaho where you can ski and snowshoe on top of a volcano. Extinct, but maybe not. Click here.

We hear from Steve Bell about how to market your ski house apartment, what online services to use, and how to prep your apartment for visitors. He has guidelines for dealing with COVID and guests. Part 2 of a three part series. Click here.

Our Question For You asks how you prepare for the season. What’s the ritual you fall into year after year, consciously or unconsciously? Click here.

Our Mystery Glimpse feature presents a photo of an old timer in an odd parka. We also reveal the identity of the instructor in comma position. Click here.

Correspondent Yvette Cardozo forwarded an interesting web page from Summit at Snowsqualmie which we are publishing as an example of what you can expect at almost any ski resort in the upcoming weeks. Be prepared. It’s unprecedented. Click here.

Reader Craig Scott sends in a report about Holiday Valley, a western NY powder catcher. We believe small resorts like Holiday Valley will benefit from increased traffic as customers will seek accessible, uncrowded areas this year. Click here.

Finally, we have a poem by Robert Frost as part of our Snow In Literature series. The message is uplifting and frankly we need an uplift. Enjoy. Click here.

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

Credit:Creasy Mahan Nature Preserve

Short Swings!

November 13, 2020/1 Comment/in Short Swings!, SHORT SWINGS!/by Jon Weisberg

Every now and then, we give readers a status report on the state of the older skier and the status of SeniorsSkiing.com.

It’s fair to say that we’re all doing well. The magazine started in the Fall of 2013 with exactly “0” subscribers. Today there are 17,000 of you, and the number is growing.

We know from industry trade association statistics that in the US, 20% of all skiers and boarders are 52 and older. We also know that the number of skiers/boarders in this country has fluctuated between 8.3 million and 10.2 million for 25 years. The market is not expanding.

Our annual reader surveys tell us a lot about the older segment of that market. Almost 3500 readers – more than 21% of the subscriber base — responded to our last survey.

Your average age is just shy of 70. When we started, it was closer to 67. Two-thirds of you are male. When we started, the split was 60/40 (m/f).

A few seasons back, you skied about 15.5 days per season, compared to the national average of 6 days per season. Last season, short as it was, you skied, on average, almost 33 days!

Contrary to the perceptions of some in the industry, you are a significant economic force. When asked how much you spent on all aspects of skiing during the past season for yourselves and others, 51% reported up to $2500; 29% spent between $2500 and $5000, and 20% spent more than $5000. We expect that while there are larger numbers of younger skiers, the amount they spend in a season as individuals is considerably less. Two-thirds of you have told us that you’re financially independent.

Publishing SeniorsSkiing.com every week takes a lot of effort. No one – writers or publishers – gets paid. Ad sales and reader contributions cover costs, and the more we grow, the higher those costs. Our annual fund-raiser is conducted in February.

Sometimes we slip behind. Last season’s Trail Masters list is overdue, as is the annual report of North American ski areas where seniors ski free or at deep discount. It’s a lot for two older guys working with some younger people for technology, graphics and other specialized needs.

It would be nice to wave a wand and attract ads from companies selling pain relievers, financial services, and health plans. We’ve tried, but our audience isn’t big enough for their needs. It also would be great if ski makers and/or ski pass companies chose to advertise. When approached, they show minimal interest.

Is it because we’re focused on the older end of the market? Do they figure that SeniorsSkiing.com readers will buy skis and passes regardless of whether or not they advertise? Perhaps.

Skiing is a youth-oriented sport in a youth-oriented culture. When is the last time you saw an age-contemporary featured in an advertisement for skis or a ski destination? In an editorial feature in one of the few remaining ski magazines? In a recently released ski video?

SeniorsSkiing.com exists to show the world of non-mechanized snowsports through the eyes of the older skier. If you like what we’re doing, forward an issue to other older skiing friends.

Snow in the West

Source: Alta

Winter arrived at the Western ski resorts this week. Snowbird, in Utah‘s Little Cottonwood Canyon, got 29″. Alta, next-door, reported 30″. Wolf Creek in the Southwest corner of Colorado reports a 50’base, 7 out of 10 lifts open and 127 out of 133 open rails. Another pulse is expected over the coming weeks.

Vermont Covid Policy Places Season in Jeopardy

This week, the State of Vermont, suspended its policy allowing travelers from the Northeast to visit the Green Mountain State without quarantining. If Covid rates drop, the policy will probably allow more visitors in the state without requiring quarantine.

Utah: Too Little, Too Late

The Governor of Utah finally issued a statewide mask mandate. Cases there have been skyrocketing and wide portions of the population are defying suggested precautions. Among other reports from The Salt Lake Tribune, people in Utah County (south of Salt Lake County) have hosted large-scale, maskless dance parties. Mothers in the county are reported to be applying icepacks to children’s foreheads to help them pass school temperature checks, and coaches have been encouraging team members to conceal if they’re feeling flu symptoms. Prior to the new mandate, the governor’s mantra was that citizens of Utah “will do the right thing.“

Mask = Specs = Foggy Lenses

Using 3M Nexcare paper tape (available in most drugstores), tape the gap between top of mask and your face. It should eliminate fogging by preventing warm breath from reaching the glasses.

Joe Biden Skis

There are numerous Internet references to sightings of Joe on the hills of Aspen and Vail but no pictures of the President-elect on boards. If anyone has one, please email to jon@seniorsskiing.com, and we’ll publish with credit.

Tricks on Skis: 1937 Newsreel

This 1937 Pathe newsreel isn’t graceful but it’s worth watching.

Snowball Fight 1896

https://youtu.be/-rAMRBWy2to

This early film of a snowball fight was shot in 1897 in Lyons, France. Less than a minute long. Keep watching to see the modern, colorized version. It’s pure joy!

$1 Buys 1 Month of Classified Advertising

We’ve extended the offer to December 4. Purchase one month of classified ads for $1. Click on Classifieds on the dark blue bar at the top of the Home Page to place ad or see what’s being offered.

Nordic to be Featured in Next Week’s Edition

As part of our commitment to Nordic activities, next week’s edition will be dedicated to all things Nordic. Numerous Covid-related obstacles are interfering with the coming Alpine season. We expect many of you to shift at least part of your skiing attention to cross-country, skate-skiing, snowshoeing, etc. If you have not already done so, please visit our new Make More Tracks Nordic Resource Guide. And enjoy our weekly Nordic features.

Marketing A Rental Unit In Your Ski House: Part 2

November 12, 2020/3 Comments/in Features/by Steve Bell

Attracting Renters Using Online Booking Tools.

Steve’s rental unit is full most of the year. Here’s a summer view of the property. Credit: Steve Bell.

So, once you purchase the right house, how do you rent out the guest unit? You could rent on a long-term basis, but we found that to be a problem. A long-term lease gives the tenant a lot of time to mistreat the apartment. In the past, we rented to a long-term tenant. She was sweet, but she was busy. Over time she neglected cleaning, so she left us with a lot of work at the end of the lease. As a landlord, you can write security agreements into a lease, as well as periodic inspections, but these too can be problematic. In any case, we have found that short-term renting is much better. During short stays, even guests with less-than-ideal neatness (we have only hosted a very few of these) do not have enough time to create much extra work.

For advertising purposes, we started by listing on airbnb.com and vrbo.com, both of which get tremendous traffic. We rented our apartment most nights. If, for some reason, demand starts to fall, we can explore other sites and other advertising media beyond website listing. We created an entry on airbnb and vrbo without any professional help. The sites include cell phone photos that we took ourselves. To see our apartment, simply type “airbnb 36134350“ or “vrbo 1695325 “ into your browser. (Each website assigns its own unique identifying number to every listing. The preceding numbers are ours.)

Since December 2019 through the end of September 2020, except for a stretch when we stopped accepting guests due to COVID, we rented out our attached apartment for the majority of nights. We have been amazed by the demand, and especially delighted by the strong interest of summer visitors. We don’t spend that much time managing reservations, because the websites nicely facilitate the rental process. They provide a simple channel of internet communication, descriptions of the property and community, delivery of owner established rules, reservation management with calendars, seamless payment processing, renters’ reviews of their stay, and many other services. As an added bonus, we can invite friends and family to the apartment when we want to as it is simple to black out the calendars on airbnb and vrbo.

Supply The Basics

The apartment must be fully equipped with towels, bath mats, down-filled comforters, duvets for the comforters, fluffy pillows, hotel style soaps and shampoos, first aid kit, fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, etc. And for the kitchen: silverware, plates, bowls, napkins, wine bottle openers, cutting boards, pasta strainer, coffee grinder, coffee maker, etc. All-in-all, a lot of stuff to promote a blissful stay (buying on amazon.com saves us trips to Bozeman). Guests want to save money by preparing many of their own meals rather than paying hotel room service or resort restaurant prices. There is a good grocery store, nearby.

As mentioned above, the apartment has a separate entrance. Check-in and check-out are self-service. We leave the door unlocked before guest arrival, and airbnb or vrbo has already collected all monies before the departure day. The combined effect is that we often never see the guests. It’s not that we don’t love them, but due to COVID risk, separation is best for everyone. Guests are appreciative of this, too. Many resort visitors prefer an alternative to the common spaces of hotels, elevator buttons, shared door handles, and other opportunities to get sick. All communication is over the internet by email, cell phone conversations, or texting.

Before COVID was a concern, we would often invite guests for a drink to chitchat around our fireplace. Guests come from all over the U.S. and the world. They share fascinating experience and knowledge. The company enriched our lives and we looked forward to it. When the COVID pestilence is a fading thought, we expect to accept invitations to visit our new friends. And very soon, we hope to be able to resume hosting friendly fireside visits.

One final note about your rental unit: clean really, really well. We try to make everything squeaky clean or better. We have been thanked for this by our guests, who frequently indicate that cleanliness is very important to them. We are hoping that they will remember and return many times.

Editor Note: In Part 3 of this series, Steve will describe tips on operating a rental. If you have questions, just leave a comment below.

Make More Tracks: Craters Of Moon

November 12, 2020/4 Comments/in Make More Tracks/by Jonathan Wiesel

Ocean Of Volcanic Lava Offers Awesome XC/Snowshoe Experience.

“[It is an] area of about 60 miles in diameter, where nothing meets the eye but a desolate and awful waste, where no grass grows nor water runs, and where nothing is to be seen but lava.” (Washington Irving, The Adventures of Captain Bonneville, 1868 )

The North Crater shows the jagged lava outcrops. Credit: NPS

Some things leave a lasting impression. I flunked geology my freshman year of college—just couldn’t figure out technical things like how to measure a geosyncline or why it matters—and consequently rejected the whole science for years. And then I found that in the right context, absorbing geology can be amazing fun. Aside from Yellowstone National Park, the place that’s had the most volcanic effect on my geologic viewpoint is Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in south-central Idaho.

I used to pass the entrance a couple of times a year, driving between Jackson Hole and Sun Valley, at 5,900 feet in the middle of high-desert seeming-nothingness. Hummocks, ridges, cones, lava and cinders don’t create an inviting landscape; in fact, formations are so moon-like that the Apollo astronauts studied geology there prior to their lunar landing.

Craters isn’t exactly a winter destination. There’s not a whole lot of temptation to stop because there’s not much sign of human activity; there’s no on-site lodging; the nearest restaurants, motels, and gas stations are some miles away.

Beautiful snowshoeing and XC skiing on a volcano. Credit: NPS

Man doesn’t seem to have had much impact on the Craters locale. Oh, there’s more air pollution drifting through than a few decades ago, so you’re not as likely to see the high mountain ranges along the Snake River Plain; and larger animals like grizzlies and big-horn sheep disappeared a century ago—but overall, there’s not a lot of visible change.

The region began erupting around 15,000 years ago and stopped around 2,000 years ago. There’s a school of thought that another eruption is due in the next few centuries; but it’s expected to again be flowing lava rather than an explosion like Mount St. Helens in 1980.

There are no streams and few water holes, but the ecosystem is home to 2,000 species of insect, almost 200 bird species, 59 species of mammals, plus reptiles, amphibians, and a remarkably diverse plant population. Of course, you don’t see a whole lot of any of them in winter – primarily shrubs and limber pine.

It’s a unique land of tremendous extremes that an early visitor called “the strangest 75 square miles on the North American continent.” My first visit was in mid-summer with a geologist-friend who was ecstatic to see both aa lava (a Hawaiian name that’s spelled at least three different ways, meaning a jagged surface best avoided) and pahoehoe lava (smooth and ropey-looking). The heat was stifling – air temperatures may only reach the 90s in July, but surface temperature on that black rock can reach 170 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s more than hot enough to fry an egg – if you can find a flat surface.

I remember the physical shock of following a trail into a lava tube that’s perpetually chilly. We lost perhaps a dozen feet in elevation, started to shiver, and came across ice.

Snow covered spatter cone arises from the landscape. This is a place for other-worldy exploration. Credit: NPS

Winter Landscape: Milk And Vanilla Ice Cream.

Snow can bring a gentler face to Craters, or as one guide told me, a “Sahara arctic flavor.” He added, “It’s an entirely different experience from what you can have in any other area because of the brilliant white snow and the black basalt rock. It kind of looks like cookies and cream ice cream out there.”

Explore the snow-covered lava on snowshoes with a guide. Credit: NPS

Winter conditions can see -30 degrees Fahrenheit at night, with the wind rising to 30 miles per hour and not much tree-cover. It’s a great time to have the right clothing and good judgment on how far to venture from your car. There’s usually about a four-month season for skiing and snowshoeing.

The Park Service grooms up to seven miles of two-way trail along a summertime scenic loop drive. When I visited it was double-tracked, with a skate lane shared by snowshoers plus a separate snowshoe trail. There’s no fee, no dogs, no bikes, no snowmobiles. It’s easier to ski clockwise if you’re a beginner in order to avoid a downhill on the southwest edge of Inferno Cone.

In some ways, snowshoeing around the Monument is more fun than skiing because you get more flotation so can do more off-track exploring. But if you enjoy downhills, it’s a blast to make some turns on the open-sloped cinder cones, which can give you 400-500 feet of vertical drop.

You can climb to the summit of Mt. Paisley for grand views before heading back to the Visitor Center. As a guide once noted to me, “How many places can people say, ‘Ya know, I went out Saturday and snowshoed to the top of a volcano?’”

At 6,000 feet, snow dominates the landscape from November to April. Credit: NPS

Skiing Weatherman: Haves and Have Nots

November 12, 2020/3 Comments/in Skiing Weatherman/by Herb Stevens

So It Begins, Unevenly.

As is often the case at the start of the ski season, the weather pattern is designating “haves” and “have nots” in terms of sufficiently cold air for snowmaking and natural snow. Consistent with first year La Ninas, as this season will be, November has brought winter weather to the West while the eastern half of the country has been basking in Indian Summer warmth for the most part. The jet stream has been set up in a western trough/eastern ridge configuration since the start of the month, allowing cold air to spill out of Canada into the Rockies, Cascades, and northern Sierra. In addition to supporting a good amount of snowmaking, the western trough has also be productive in terms of natural snow and that has allowed a small number of resorts to kick off the season. From Banff Norquay and Lake Louise in the north to Wolf Creek in southern Colorado, turns are now being made. Wolf Creek, a legendary snow magnet, has all but six of their 133 runs skiable already. Don’t believe me? Check out their web cams!

In the short run, the western trough will remain in place, and additional snow will fall into this weekend in the B.C. coastal ranges, the Cascades, northern Rockies, and the peaks of NoCal. Yet another system will move in from the Pacific late in the weekend, but that one will lift more northeastward, leading to more snow in the Northwest, but also a rise in snow levels. Early next week, a ridge will pop up in the west, while a trough dives through the Great Lakes and into the Northeast. The air will be cold enough for at least a couple of nights of snowmaking across the northern Lakes as well as northern New York and New England. It will be a gamble to make the snow, because the cold is not ready to settle into the eastern half of the country. By next weekend, the jet stream will flatten out across the country, allowing mild Pacific air to move from west to east. This jet stream forecast for next Saturday illustrates.

Although the flow looks pretty flat and dull, a look at the temperature anomalies at 5,000 feet, a forecasting proxy for surface temps. There will be some modestly cold air along the Canadian border, so there is potential for some additional snowmaking late next week in the Lakes and Northeast. Here’s that map.

It’s still early, so we’ll take potential where we can find it!

Here are the regional details…

Northwest U.S./Western Canada: Two additional early season snowfall are coming, the first late this week, with a storm right on its heels about 48 hours later. The second storm will have higher snow levels.

Cascades and Sierra: The same two systems will bring snow to the Cascades with the snow extending down to the northern mountains of California.

Rockies: Northern Rockies pick up two additional snowfalls by early next week. First system reaches Wasatch, second stays further north. Central and southern Rockies miss most of the action…some light snow will reach Colorado late this week, though.

Midwest: Resorts in far northern MN and MI will be able to make snow late this weekend/early next week and again late next week. The early week cold will trigger some lake effect snow in the Upper Peninsula.

Northeast/QB: Northern New York and New England will have a couple of snowmaking nights early next week and again late in the week. Longer term, CONSISTENT cold is not happening until a major pattern change, not likely until very late in the month at the earliest.

Patience.

Summit At Snoqualmie COVID Rules: Expect This At Your Local Area

November 12, 2020/2 Comments/in West/by seniorsskiing

Here’s An Example Of What You Can Expect When You Make Your First Visit To Your Favorite Local Resort.

This comes from The Summit at Snosqualmie. The video below introduces the program. Thanks to SeniorsSkiing.com correspondent Yvette Cardozo for passing it along.

SEASON PASS SALES PAUSED Season Pass sales are currently paused. When season pass sales resume, quantities and types will be limited. Prior to resuming sales we will provide an update with more information. Thank you for your patience.

Question For You: Preparing

November 11, 2020/6 Comments/in Features/by mikemaginn

What’s On Your Agenda?

Last week, we noted that Warren Miller’s new movie Future Retro has hit the internet. For many, the premier of a Warren Miller film has been the starting gun of the season. Which got us to thinking about routines we have developed to start our own personal snow sports season. As we mentioned, perhaps it’s something like: Watch the Warren Miller movie, go to the ski show, get your gear cleaned up, visit the ski shop for a sharpening, watch the weather, etc.

Maybe you have a ritual that you follow every year. Buy a new hat or gloves? Put on snow tires? Start working out? Put away the summer toys? What is it? Share with your fellow senior snow sports enthusiasts.

How do you prepare for the upcoming winter snow sports season? Is there a set of activities you follow yearly? Something special you buy? Let us know.

Write your comments in Leave A Reply below.

Mystery Glimpse: Flashy Coat

November 11, 2020/5 Comments/in Mystery Glimpse/by seniorsskiing

What The Heck Is He Wearing?

Who is this person? There must be a story behind that coat. Something to do with the Olympics? This might be a tough one. Please reply in Leave A Comment below.

Thanks to the Colorado SnowSports Museum for contributing this picture. Did you realize there snow sports museums all across North America? Many are small, locally-funded non-profits. Consider visiting and supporting them as each serves a vital role in preserving the history of all snow sports.

Last Week.

Yes, that’s Doug Pfieffer, long-time ski celebrity, innovative ski instructor, and journalist. Ty Rice, one of our observant readers, noticed this comma position is actually the same picture, flopped over.

This photo was taken from my personal, autographed copy of the 1958 Skiing With Pfeiffer. Doug inscribed, “A collector’s item for Mike Maginn.” Well, it is now.

Doug is one of the founders of the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA), long-time editor of SKIING magazine, promoter of skiing in film and television, and, along the way, invented freestyle skiing. He was inducted into the US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1987. You can read more about his career by clicking here.

Doug was my boss at SKIING back in the early 70s. It was terrific to work with him in so many ways, especially since we shared the same birthday. Happy Birthday, Doug! Here’s both of us at the 2017 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

And here’s the cover of Skiing With Pfeiffer, a book which helped start the careers of many a ski instructor.

Snow In Literature: Dust of Snow

November 9, 2020/0 Comments/in Features/by mikemaginn

By Robert Frost

Credit:Creasy Mahan Nature Preserve

The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart

A change of mood

And saved some part

Of a day I had rued.

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Holiday Valley

November 8, 2020/5 Comments/in East, Resort Reviews/by Craig Scott

Are there powder days in Western New York? Can Pete Widger yodel?

Yes, to both. In fact, septuagenarian Widger, the voice of Holiday Valley’s Snow Phone, will lace his conditions report with his trademark vocals every powder day of the season.

Holiday Valley’s powder comes compliments of Lake Erie’s snow machine, the same lake-effect system that gives Buffalo its arctic reputation.

Holiday Valley, in Ellicottville, Cattaraugus County, averages about 180 inches of snow per season. In addition, the resort’s snowmaking staff is able to cover 95 percent of the resort’s terrain with its 611 snow guns.

Holiday Valley’s peak elevation is 2,250 feet, a rise of 750 feet from its 1,500-foot base elevation.

It boasts 60 trails, served by 13 lifts (including three high-speed quads) over 290 acres. Green trails make up 37 percent of those runs, blue, 25 percent, black, 37 percent and double-black, 2 percent.

For a good warmup, take the Mardi Gras lift for a slide down Candy Cane, a green trail, with options for a blue Crystal Bottom. Or start blue with Independence or even black with Yodeler or Champagne. North Wind upper and lower trails are also accessible from this lift as are a variety of other lift-and-trail combos.

On the facing hillside, Cindy’s Run, accessible by Cindy’s Quad, is a challenging blue. Cindy’s can lead to black options such as Foxfire, Wall Top and the double-black Wall.

It is easy to spend a day at Holiday Valley mixing your trail colors and lifts. Most every skier will find challenges and satisfaction.

Comfy lodge at the bottom. Trails for all abilities at HV. Credit: Craig Melvin

The resort’s beginnings can be traced to the late 1930s when enterprising enthusiasts built a tow from an old truck and built a little warming hut. The operation has moved from slope to slope in the Ellicottville area. The current lodge site was established in the 1960s and the resort has grown from there.

The club atmosphere of those days has endured, said Jane Eshbaugh, director of marketing at Holiday Valley, “Especially in this part of the country, skiing is very social, we see many senior groups skiing together or having coffee or dining.”

“We have so many generations at Holiday Valley. We really market to families, but that includes parents, grandparents and great-grand parents,” Eshbaugh said.

One perk for senior pass holders is the ability to add a grandchild at an additional family rate. At Holiday Valley, loyalty pays. Skiers 65 to 69 can receive 5 percent of a Classic Pass. But if a senior skier has purchased a Season Pass or Ultimate Pass for the past five years, the discount goes to 25 percent. For those 70-plus, the initial discount is 10 percent and 50 percent for those with pass purchases the past five years.

Holiday Valley gets regular snow dumps from lake-effect storms. Nice coating on trees. Credit: Craig Scott

Holiday Valley’s employment rolls are well-populated with seniors. From office and maintenance to on-slope duties such as Ski Patrol, Ski School Instructors and Safety Patrollers.

Because Holiday Valley lies close to Canada (about an hour from the Canadian border), there are often as many Ontario plates in the parking lot as those from New York. The resort features, Canadian Friendship Week, during which lift tickets and rentals are at par with Canadian cash. It’s hard to ride the lifts on a busy day that week without meeting fellow skiers from, say, Toronto or Niagara Falls.

Lift lines, however, are rather rare at Holiday Valley. The lifts are efficient and only on the busiest days are there people waiting to ride.

Holiday Valley offers a number of lodging and dining options, and nearby Ellicottville is a friendly and hip little Eastern ski town.

The nearest large airport is Buffalo International, about 60 minutes away. Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Rochester are about two to three hours away by car.

CLICK HERE FOR HOLIDAY VALLEY TRAIL MAP

CLICK HERE FOR HOLIDAY VALLEY WEBSITE

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov.6)

November 6, 2020/2 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

Warren Miller’s Latest, Skis For Senior Recommendations, Rent Your Ski House, COVID Rules, Sun Valley XC, Mystery Instructor, Early Visitor Question.

November 7 marks the Eastern premiere of the new Warren Miller ski-a-rama movie, Future Retro. This year, the crew of extreme skier-athletes and videographers tackle remote mountain settings in Antarctica, Iceland, Alaska, Montana, Switzerland, and more, all blue sky, magnificent vistas, and incredible skiing marked by flips, chute-running, and dare-devilry.

For many years, the arrival of the new Warren Miller movie has marked the official beginning of the ski season. The routine usually is: watch Warren’s latest, head to the November ski shows, start gathering your gear, wait for the first flakes, and make plans for your first outing. It’s a classic calendar marker, like September is back to school, and July is the beginning of summer.

Streaming on three different nights in three different regions of North America, Warren Miller’s 71st feature film will premiere on the East Coast on Saturday, November 7th, Mountain/Central regions on Saturday, November 14th, and on the West Coast on Saturday, November 21st. Each event features regional sponsors and unique prize giveaways. Each ticket includes deals, prize entries and the live event for up to four people. The trailer is below. And Click Here to order tickets for the virtual tour.

But here’s a thought. When we first went to ski movies, probably back in the late 60s, we were enchanted and lured into the sport by a distinctly different kind of Warren Miller film. The characteristic features then, we recall, were beautiful slow motion shots of skiers carving down slopes or doing ballet-like flips with grace, rhythm, and a lightness that made it look easy, accessible, and enticing. Sure, many Warren Miller films also featured hokey jokes and silly skiing, but there were always those slo-mos that were beautiful. We thought we could see ourselves doing those moves. Well, maybe not the flips, but the graceful turns, sure.

Clearly, contemporary ski films are emphasizing the other end of the thrill spectrum: More edgy, athletic, and dangerous-looking skiing. Compare this trailer from Warren Miller’s 1972 film Winter People to this year’s Future Retro. Notice the difference? If you think of these films as recruiting tools for the sport of alpine skiing, which one appeals to the average Joe or Jane who came to the flick to see what skiing was all about. Could they see themselves straight-lining a narrow, rock-bound chute in the back of the beyond?

Okay, if you’re an aficionado and have been doing this for a long time, the extreme skiing films are eye candy and a psych-up tool for the season. But does the skiing they present appeal to the curious neophyte? What do you think?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6ZdZgdj8Wc

This Week.

The latest crop of Ski for Seniors recommendations is available. Created with realskier.com, the list includes a variety of ski types. For us guys and gals, it’s a good place to start the search for new boards. Bear in mind, inventory might be short this season so check around.

This is an online message from Mt. Hotham, a popular Australian ski resort the eventually closed for a good portion of the season this year. Could we be seeing these messages here?

Correspondent Tamsin Venn summarizes the restrictions and constraints facing Alpine skiers at resorts this season. You may have heard this information before, but it’s important stuff. Know before you go, well before you go.

Correspondent Jonathan Wiesel reports on a glamor spot for Nordic Skiing, Sun Valley’s Nordic Center. Consider cross-country skiing a viable and accessible alternative this year. As we are learning, interest in the sport is spiking. What better place to give it a try than Sun Valley? It’s naturally socially distanced, healthy, outdoors, and all that beautiful scenery.

This week’s Question For You asks those readers who have already visited an early-opening resort to report their experience. We are all facing unknown circumstances and advice from the first wave of senior skiers will be helpful to all of our readers.

Contributor Steve Bell offers his advice on how to rent a portion of your ski house. It’s an interesting idea that will definitely help pay the mortgage, especially if you’re in a popular area for both winter and summer activities. This is the first of a series of articles on finding and operating a rental property in your own ski house.

Finally, this week’s Mystery Glimpse features a photograph of one of our ski idols as a very young man. A noted instructor, and pioneer in the teaching of the sport, this person is a celebrity in the ski industry. And Happy Birthday to him. We also reveal the identity of the flying saucer-like gondola from Mt. Snow.

Thanks for reading SeniorsSkiing.com. Tell your friends, please, and be careful out there. Remember there are more of us every day and we aren’t going away.

SPECIAL EDITION: MAKE MORE TRACKS!

Focus On Nordic, Snowshoeing, Fat Biking: Rationale, The Market Forecast, Videos: How To XC, Snowshoe, Fat Bike, Hidden Gem XC Resorts, Lesson Advice, Mystery Nordic Star, Trail Preferences.

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

This week I participated in a media briefing about the coming season. It was organized by Ski Utah and featured presenters from most of the state’s areas.

They confirmed what most of us already know. This will not be a normal season. Resort skiing will require more advance planning than we’re used to. Some of the details, as presented in the aforementioned media briefing, are outlined a few paragraphs down.

Vail, Killington, Park City Mountain Resort, Alta Opening

The Nordic Approach

Parlor Skis Backcountry Emails

ISHA Needs Your Support

U.S. Ski-Snowboard Hall of Fame, Too

A Skier’s Thanks

Frustration #1. Frustration #2.

Back December 4

The Older I Get, The More I Love Cross Country Skiing.

Perhaps The Greatest XC Competitor Of All Time?

What Is Your Preference?

Do you favor going to a cross country ski area with groomed trails or on a local trail that is not maintained? Do you have a place that is cross country skiing close to home? Is it au naturel or groomed?

Another Way To Go In The Snow: Fat Bikes.

Alternatives To Alpine Skiing Are Expected To Blossom This Season.

Snowshoeing Is A Highly Accessible and Easy Way To Enjoy The Winter.

Less Known, Excellent XC Destinations To Explore.

Groups For Beginners, Private To Refine Technique.

The Basics Of Cross-Country Skiing Demonstrated.

Classified Bonus, Skiing Weatherman, Volcano Snowshoeing, Renting Your Ski House Apt., Dust Of Snow Poem, Prep Advice, Strange Parka, Holiday Valley Review, COVID Rules Example.

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

Every now and then, we give readers a status report on the state of the older skier and the status of SeniorsSkiing.com.

It’s fair to say that we’re all doing well. The magazine started in the Fall of 2013 with exactly “0” subscribers. Today there are 17,000 of you, and the number is growing.

Snow in the West

Vermont Covid Policy Places Season in Jeopardy

Utah: Too Little, Too Late

Mask = Specs = Foggy Lenses

Joe Biden Skis

Tricks on Skis: 1937 Newsreel

Snowball Fight 1896

$1 Buys 1 Month of Classified Advertising

Nordic to be Featured in Next Week’s Edition

Attracting Renters Using Online Booking Tools.

Ocean Of Volcanic Lava Offers Awesome XC/Snowshoe Experience.

Winter Landscape: Milk And Vanilla Ice Cream.

So It Begins, Unevenly.

Here’s An Example Of What You Can Expect When You Make Your First Visit To Your Favorite Local Resort.

What’s On Your Agenda?

How do you prepare for the upcoming winter snow sports season? Is there a set of activities you follow yearly? Something special you buy? Let us know.

What The Heck Is He Wearing?

By Robert Frost

Are there powder days in Western New York? Can Pete Widger yodel?

Warren Miller’s Latest, Skis For Senior Recommendations, Rent Your Ski House, COVID Rules, Sun Valley XC, Mystery Instructor, Early Visitor Question.

This Week.

Thanks for reading SeniorsSkiing.com. Tell your friends, please, and be careful out there. Remember there are more of us every day and we aren’t going away.

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