December 2020 - SeniorsSkiing.com

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Dec. 18)

December 18, 2020/2 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

Once in a year, it is not thought amiss

To visit our neighbors and sing out like this:

We wish you a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Chanukah

We wish you a Merry Holiday

And a Happy New Year!

More Music And Snow Sports

Here’s another holiday treat. The Colorado Snowsports Museum has compiled a YouTube music collection with Colorado as a theme. Many of those videos are involved with skiing and snow sports. Here’s a timely tune from none other than the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. As you will see, the whole playlist of additional tunes of Colorado and snow country music can be found in the right column when you play this video. Enjoy!

This Week

Skiing Weatherman Herb Stevens nailed the Nor’easter that blasted up the east coast this week. Now, he’s looking at another honker of a storm for Christmas Day in the east. See his predictions for all regions. Bottom Line: Game on snow-wise.

We hear once again from David Chambers, the Traveling Australian, who visits Revelstoke, Silver Star and little towns in the Kootenay region of British Columbia, meeting some extraordinary characters along the way. Take a visit with him.

We reveal the location of last week’s Mystery Glimpse photo along with a history written by the historian of the Ski Museum of Maine. And there’s a new picture puzzle to figure out. Where did all those Santas come from?

Cross Country editor Roger Lohr traces the major modern milestones of XC skiing. The point is that there has been a huge evolution of XC skis, equipment, and infrastructure in just the last 50 years from wood to high tech. Roger’s article is the latest in our Make More Tracks series, focusing on alternative winter sports that our readers may find attractive in this unusual season.

Our Question For You asks what’s on your list for Santa. It will be interesting to see what our readers would like to see under their trees this year.

Ski world notable and SeniorsSkiing.com Advisory Board member Seth Masia adds more tips for taking lessons in COVID times. He’s building on last week’s article by Keller Minton on what makes sense in taking a lesson.

Correspondent Pat McCloskey brings us a view of carving the “modern” turn, or “arc” as some ski coaches call it. Watch the sl0w-motion video of instructor Paul Lorenz as he demos the carve on GS and slalom skis.

We’ll be taking a couple of weeks off our publishing schedule to celebrate the holidays. See you next year!

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

Short Swings!

December 18, 2020/1 Comment/in SHORT SWINGS!, Short Swings!/by Jon Weisberg

This is our final issue of 2020. We’re not saddened to see the year go. Whatever your holiday of choice, please enjoy it safely. And celebrate the arrival of the New Year. It’s time to turn the page on so many things. Here’s wishing you a great season and many bright and promising days ahead!

What Do Vaccines and Ski Areas Have in Common?

Vaccine development and ski areas have something loosely in common: the public-private partnership. This may be a stretch, but hear me out.

Several Covid vaccines, like many other drugs and technologies, were developed with some level of government participation. In the case of Pfizer’s, the government guaranteed to purchase $1+ billion of product long before it was approved. For decades, technology transfer programs have helped medical and other technologies — discovered, invented, and/or developed with public funds — get picked-up and commercialized by the private sector.

What does that have to do with skiing? At least 122 ski areas lease property from the Forest Service. Among the more prominent are Vail, Aspen, Snowbird and Mammoth.

Next time you’re making turns on leased -government land, consider the public-private partnership helping you enjoy the sport and, hopefully, protecting you from Covid.

Six Word Challenge

Tom Irving, 82, is a volunteer instructor for the Two Top Mountain Adaptive Sports Foundation. He says teaching in the program is “the best decision I ever made.” He mostly teaches disabled veterans 3-4 days a week at Whitetail Resort (PA). Tom’s scheduled PSIA clinic was cancelled, as were two group ski trips he had booked. And he has high hpes for the vaccine. All of which leads to his six-word summation: Missed one. Cancelled two. Future’s Bright.

Corky Miller, 75, loves skiing Buena Vista (230’ vert) near Bemidji (MN), which explains his six-worder: Local fast hill, ski all day!

Brian Frias is a California skier. As part of the Masterfit organization he has developed a keen eye for the sport. Looking at the bright side of Covid, he offers this one: Long lines lead to empty slopes.

Please keep sending your six-word entries. A few winners will receive the Bootster Shoe Horn for Ski Boots. Please post your entry to Comments or send to jon@seniorsskiing.com.

A Completely New Approach to Prescription Goggles

SnowVision Rx goggles integrate prescription with inner lens

SnowVision makes a unique goggle with your prescription integrated into the inner lens. Unlike conventional Rx inserts, in which the insert is a separate component subject to fogging and often limiting vision range, this goggle maintains the eye-to-lens distance, resulting in fog-free wider range-of-vision. I’ll be reporting on my experience with the SnowVision goggle in an upcoming issue. But from everything I know about it, the goggle is a breakthrough, especially for older skiers. For more, click here or on the SnowVision advertisement.

Wolf Creek Has 10 Feet!

Wolf Creek Ski Area in Southwest Colorado keeps on getting the goods. As of this writing, the area has received more than 129″.

Alta/MIT Study: Silence Reduces Risk of Infection

The more and louder we speak, the greater infected individuals transmit the virus. A team of MIT students scientifically analyzed how and where residents and guests of Alta have the greatest probability of catching Covid. They determined that people in loud indoor dining areas have a 60% chance of catching the virus – even with tables 6 feet apart. Analyzing space, air circulation and time spent in public buses transporting people to/from the resort, they learned that if no one spoke, the busses could carry 60 masked passengers vs the 20 masked and socially distanced passengers Utah Transit Authority has mandated for this season.

New Chapter in Skiing Haves vs Have Nots

Luxury seating in the VIP gondola

The Eiger Express, a new tri-cable gondola system was launched earlier this month on Switzerland’s famed Jungfrau. It “…combines all the advantages of the aerial gondola and the funicular,” being able to run across long expanses with fewer support towers – only 7 for a length of more than four miles! A ride that used to take more than an hour is now reduced to 15 minutes. Among other Eiger Express features is the Platinum Club which includes a VIP lounge, where members can await their own VIP Gondola car. The car holds 8 people and features leather chairs and a champagne bar. Couple’s membership is a mere 18,000 CHF ($21,000+) a year. Numerous US resorts already have VIP clubs and passes. How long before they, too, get their own gondola car?

Redford Sells Sundance

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Movie star and environmental activist Robert Redford sold Utah’s Sundance Mountain Resort to two high-end real hotel development companies. The new owners plan to add a high-speed lift and new trails. Sundance is a jewel long in need of infrastructure improvement. I’m looking forward to seeing what the new owners do. Redford started the resort in 1969 after purchasing the small Timp Haven area and renaming it Sundance after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, in which he and Paul Newman co-starred.

Saddleback Re-Opens

Saddleback covered in snow

Saddleback Mountain (ME) reopened earlier this week after being dark for the past 5 years. Arctaris Impact Fund purchased the mountain less than a year ago and has invested $18 million.

Two Short Videos

Mount Cain is an old-fashioned powder magnet on Vancouver Island (BC). Average snowfall is 38′. Vertical drop: 1,499′. Two T-Bars and one rope tow. May be on the small side, but as you’ll see in this 15 minute video, it is well-loved and skis big.

Ski Rio in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico has been closed since 2000. This eight minute video shows its abandoned state and the turns still possible for those who choose to climb.

Skiing Weatherman: The Beat Goes On

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

The Busy Pattern Continues.

Last week’s installment headlined a progressive pattern that has been sending ridges and troughs west to east across the continent at a dizzying pace. That pattern produced some meaningful snow in the West earlier this week and then unloaded a blockbuster on the mid-Atlantic and much of the Northeast midweek, jumpstarting the season at dozens of resorts in the East as a result. The heavy snow did not extend to far northern New England, but snowmaking temps have been in place all this week so trail counts are on the rise.

For the foreseeable future, the fast moving pattern will continue with a tendency for upper level troughs to spend more time in the East then they did earlier in the season. Why the change? It has a lot to do with the phase of the NAO, or North Atlantic Oscillation. When the NAO is negative, we typically see an upper level ridge over Greenland and the waters to the south. In that position, it tends to slow down troughs as they move into eastern North America, giving them a chance to strengthen, spawn surface lows near the coast, and tap more in the way of cold air from Canada. That scenario unfolded this week during the current Nor’easter, and another storm could be in the cards again around Christmas Day. Here is a jet stream forecast for Christmas night that illustrates a classic negative NAO.

Christmas Day Jet Stream snapshot.

Prior to the arrival of the trough you see in the East, it will bring some snow to the upper Midwest on Christmas Eve, but in that position, a milder southwesterly flow will be in place further east. We could see one storm cut up through the Lakes, with a second storm then forming along the coast as the trough (and its cold air) tracks eastward. That could result in a rain to snow sequence playing out in the East on Christmas Day. Cold air will flow then into the Midwest and East early in the holiday week as the NAO will remain negative.

In the West, most of the action will continue to be focused in WA, OR, and BC, where shorter wavelength troughs keep rolling in from the Pacific Ocean. This weekend will bring a juicy system that originates further south, so it will lead to higher snow levels in the Cascades—as high as six-seven thousand feet. Snow levels will drop later Sunday into midweek, however, with fresh snow continuing through that period. Further inland, lighter snows will be common for the first half of next week in ID, MT, and WY. South of there, fresh snow will be scarce next week due to the presence of a flat ridge that doesn’t want to give way to systems from the north. Now, if you take a look at the jet stream map again, you will notice a large blue blob just off the west coast around Christmas Day. That trough will likely move toward the coast and perhaps bodily move inland early in the holiday week. That could turn into a very productive storm across a wide swath of the West. So, COVID restrictions aside, the holiday period is starting to shape up. Better late than never.

Regional Details

Northwest U.S./Western Canada: Plenty of snow in the next week, but with bouncing snow levels in the Cascades. A snowy, colder trough arrives just after Christmas.

Sierra: A quiet week leading up to Christmas. Prospects for snow improve after that.

Rockies: Light to moderate snows across the north leading up to the holiday keep surfaces soft and boost trail counts. Central and southern resorts waiting for the post-Christmas trough.

Midwest: Light snow early next week, more significant snow looking good for Christmas Eve. Good snowmaking temps much of the time.

Mid Atlantic/Southeast: Nice weekend on the slopes after fresh midweek snow. Milder next week. Colder after Christmas.

Northeast/QB: Quiet until Christmas storm that brings rain to snow. Wintry pattern during holiday week.

Revelstoke Ramblings

December 15, 2020/1 Comment/in Active Travel For Seniors, International/by Dave Chambers

A Traveling Australian Discovers Charm, Interesting Characters In British Columbia.

Question For You: What’s Santa Bringing?

December 15, 2020/1 Comment/in Features/by mikemaginn

What Snow Sports Stuff Do You Have On Your List?

He’s coming to town. What’s in his bag for you?

It’s not too late to write to Santa to request that single, elusive item you crave for your ski kit. What would make a nice present for you? A new knit hat? Expensively warm gloves? New boots?

Our own research into reader wants reveals that underwear and layers are at the top of the list. Gloves and goggles aren’t far behind. As are skis and boots.

Perhaps this year you want a cool handheld satellite phone or a rescue beacon. Or cell phone holders, buffalo fur socks, battery-powered foot warmers, a hot, new Go Pro, multi-tools for outback survivalists, boot dryers, beef jerky, the list goes on.

If you’ve been a good senior skier all year, Santa might bring you what you wish for. Tell us: What’s on your list?

Click here for gift ideas from REI.

Click here for gift ideas from Gear Patrol

Carve Turns On Opening Day

December 15, 2020/4 Comments/in Features/by Pat McCloskey

Master Making Those Modern Arcs.

Ski instructor Paul Lorenz has a great instructional series on You Tube showing how to carve on skis. To properly execute this type of turn, it is important to consider the basics of balance.

Those of us who have skied for a while know that it is most important to stand on the new downhill ski during a turn and make sure that most of your weight powers that ski through the radius of the turn. For some of us coming from a traditional background with longer skis, that also meant lifting the inside ski a little to aid in the execution of the turn and to make sure that most of the weight was on that downhill ski.

With the advent of the modern ski with shorter lengths and more dramatic side cut, the up-unweighting that we all utilized is not that necessary any more. Sure there are times when you need to up- unweight ( powder, crud, etc). But for the most part, the modern turn is executed by moving the center of mass across the skis and towards the next turn. Think of it as moving your belly button towards the next turn. This way, the turn is more lateral than vertical.

Look at the video and you will see a balanced, wider track stance, with lateral movement and flexion to execute the modern turn on groomed conditions. If you watch the World Cup on the Olympic Channel or NBC Peacock, watch the racers and their stance. GS turns today are very much like Paul’s. Lateral movement with very little vertical movement. Downhill and Super G are similar with the exception being slalom, where sometimes vertical movement is crucial to get the skis in position for a tight turn.

At the beginning of each season, I try to make my first turns rounded and executed with both feet on the ground throughout the turn. I make a conscious effort to be flexed, in a lower position (I cut my pole length this season to accommodate), and move across the skis instead of utilizing vertical movement. We are not skiing on longer skis anymore and to really appreciate the value of the modern ski, we need to study and practice the modern turn. Try it on your first outing. Nice rounded turns.

Make More Tracks: Milestones In XC Skiing

December 15, 2020/1 Comment/in Make More Tracks/by Roger Lohr

From Wooden Skis, Wax, And Pine Tar Bases To High Tech Equipment in 50 years.

Jessica Diggins with Kikkan Randall win first Gold Medal for US XC in 2018, making Americans serious competitors on the international racing scene.

Since the time that wooden skis were found in a peat bog in Sweden dating to 2,000 BC, there have been many milestones that brought XC skiing to where it is today. In the USA, the forefathers of cross-country skiing include people like Snowshoe Thompson, who delivered the mail in the Sierra Mountains of California and Jack Rabbit Johannsen, who XC skied in northern New York.

Before around 1970 or so, XC skis were wooden, required the right wax combination to work on the snow, and bases had to be prepared with pine tar “melted” in. Since then, the XC world has experienced enormous growth and change. The editors of XCSkiResorts.com, using various sources, considered this recent history and development of the sport and created this list of the Milestones of Modern XC Skiing in the USA in rank order of significance:

Waxless skis with fish
scale bottoms made skiing simpler. (Credit: Tahoe Trail Guide)

1. Development of synthetic XC skis in 1974.

2. Development of the waxless based ski in the early 1970’s, most notably the Trak ski with synthetic fish scales on the ski base to eliminate the need for ski waxes. The waxless base gave the recreational skier grip on uphill travel while also allowing gliding downhill.

3. Integrated XC ski binding systems, which provided substantial improvements in simplicity of boot/binding interface and control in the mid 70’s.

Bill Koch started skating on XC skis in the Olympics and changed the sport. Credit: ISHA

4. Olympic and World Cup successes, like Bill Koch who won the Olympic silver medal in 1976 and World Cup in 1982, the first American to ever win at that level. The Nordic Trak exerciser used the Koch image as a fitness icon in advertisements for years. In 2010, there was US Olympic medalists in Nordic Combined, and in 2012 there was a World Cup winner in women’s sprint.

5. The onset of the commercial XC ski area concept began in 1968-69 at Trapp Family Lodge. This brought designed, groomed, and maintained trails making XC skiing easier and safer for the average person.

6. The skating technique proliferated, creating a faster paced and higher performance form of recreation.

7. Revolution Skis developed by Fischer led the way to shorter skis which were easier to use and consolidated ski sizing and simplified ski selection.

Vintage Mother Karen XC jacket made of synthetics came out in the 80s.

8. New lighter clothing with synthetic and breathable materials was more conducive to XC skiing comfortably; company brands such as Mother Karen led the way in the late 1970’s.

9. Other technological advances such as the 2 Wax System that offered one wax for cold temperatures and one for warm temperatures simplified ski waxing, while the BackCountry binding systems provided a beefed up boot/binding system that provided substantially more support and control for backcountry recreation.

10. The Nordic Integrated System (NIS) developed in 2005 has changed the ski/binding interface. This system combines the ski and binding at manufacture rather than at the retail store. NIS plates were affixed to the ski by the manufacturer and the binding was slid onto the plate rather than screwed directly into the ski.

The changes in XC skiing in the last 50 years has been explosive and exponential, compared to the 4000 prior years. What’s next? Better binding-ski-boot systems, warmer-adaptable clothing, improved grooming, and more resorts catering to the sport.

More On Taking A Lesson With COVID

December 15, 2020/1 Comment/in Features/by seniorsskiing

Things Are Different. More Ideas For Successful Lessons.

Protect yourself and others. Be prepared. Credit: Marketwatch

Correspondent Keller Minton’s article last week on taking a lesson in COVID times was praised by a ski world notable. Seth Masia, president of the International Ski History Association, long time ski journalist, active ski instructor at Aspen/Snowmass, and member of SeniorsSkiing.com’ Board of Advisors, wrote to us with some additional comments. Here are his observations:

Based on early-season experience at Snowmass, here are some points to bear in mind:

Stay warm! Indoor facilities may be limited, which limits opportunities to warm up over a hot chocolate. You may be out in the cold all day, so dress appropriately. Take measures to keep boots and gloves warm. This factor alone is reason enough to wear a mask, or a proper double-layer neck gaiter.

Lunch may be a problem. Many on-mountain restaurants sell take-out only, and some require you to order food in advance with a smart-phone app. Your instructor should be able to help set up lunch. Time indoors is limited, and you may wind up eating outdoors, on a patio or in a tent.

A mask may fog your goggles or sunglasses. In general you can ski with the mask down, but need to wear it on the lift or when the class stops to talk on the hill. When you mask up, consider lifting your goggles to prevent fogging. Invest in a no-fog cloth for sunglasses and prescription lenses.

Lift capacity may be limited. In a group lesson, where you’ll mix with strangers, you may be asked to ride lifts alone, or limited to two passengers on a triple or four-pack lift. This goes double for gondolas and trams.

Consider a private lesson, which opens the possibility of skiing as a family. This simplifies lift loading because members of a household can ride together. Some resorts that limit the number of people on the hill may give ticket-sales priority to private-lesson clients.

Prove you are negative. Some jurisdictions require proof of a negative COVID test for entry or overnight stays. Be prepared.

Go all online. Expect to make all reservations online, for rental gear, lessons, lodging and parking. Call centers are universally overloaded.

Seth Masia teaches in the Aspen/Snowmass ski school, and is based at Snowmass. See his website skiyoungernow.com

Mystery Glimpse: Multiverse of Santas

December 14, 2020/2 Comments/in Mystery Glimpse/by mikemaginn

Santa Santa Santa

Where are we? What’s special about what’s going on?

Last Week

Clearly, there are some fantastic ski history buffs in among our readership. We had some spot-on descriptions of this old hotel last week.

This is the Poland Springs House in Poland Springs, ME. Here’s a bit of this famous landmark’s story from Glenn Parkinson, the historian at the Ski Museum of Maine. He writes:

“Hiram Ricker expanded his family’s inn at Poland Spring in 1876 by building a hotel with 350 guest rooms. The resort was marketed as a “country getaway with recreational activities and having water with health benefits,” according to the official history. The hotel became popular for the country’s social elite and the basic design was used to develop other resorts such as the Samoset and the Mt Kineo House.

“Recreational activities included one of the first golf courses in the state and of course a variety of winter activities. In some ways the Poland Spring resort was Maine’s first winter resort. Activities such as horse drawn sleigh rides, snowshoeing and skiing were popular. A toboggan slide ran all the way down to the lake. There was even winter harness racing on the ice of the lake. Photos of the time show lots of people wearing big fur coats watching a few people on skis or snowshoes. Into the 1920’s skiing was so new to most people that it was more of a spectator event than an activity.

“Well into the 1920s the Poland Spring Resort was one of Maine’s most popular places for winter sport and recreation.”

There are some fascinating photos of ski history in Maine at the museum site. Thanks to the Ski Museum of Maine for allowing us to use this picture.

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Dec. 11)

December 11, 2020/0 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

More Music And Skiing, Jackson Nordic, John Denver, Storms On Parade, Difficult Moments, Question: Handling Clutch Situations, Early Season Videos, COVID Lesson Advice, Old Maine Hotel.

After last week’s discovery of the two musical events that are held in the middle of the ski world, we thought we’d explore the intersection between snow sports and the music world one more time.

Last week, we highlighted the highly unusual and kinda cool “Gondola Sessions” where a band or sub-set of a band rides in gondola while performing and recording tunes. Just writing that sentence makes it sound nuts, but it seems to work. Kind of. There are a host of different bands riding gondolas at various resorts; we focused on our fav, Elephant Revival, singing on a Telluride gondie. Search YouTube for “Gondola Sessions”.

We also found WinterWonderGrass, blues and root music festivals held at snow country resorts in the winter. Indoors and outdoors. Senior music lovers, the idea for these gatherings goes back to Woodstock. Obviously, this season’s events are postponed.

SeniorsSkiing.com also has an interest in ski music, too. A couple of years ago, we re-published the music of Ray Conrad and his 1970 ski song album, The Cotton-Pickin’ Lift Tower and Other Ski Songs. Ray’s tunes are funny and sentimental. Here’s a sample.

This week, we were reminded of another great ski song performer. Correspondent LuAnn Snyder reminds us that John Denver composed “Annie’s Song” on a chairlift at Aspen. And, he performed one of the first pre-Go Pro ski music videos, skiing and singing “Dancing In The Mountains.” Check out her story here.

This Week
Skiing Weatherman Herb Stevens forecasts a parade of storms across the US. Finally, we are getting the snow and the cold to hold it on the ground, especially in New England. Click Here.

Could this be Nordic Heaven? Credit: Teton Pines

We have a great story in our Make More Tracks series from correspondent Jonathan Wiesel about nordic skiing in the magnificent Jackson Hole area. He says the snow conditions are beyond great, they’re “superb”. And check out the scenery. Click Here.

This might have been do-able last week, but, hmmm, today you can’t handle “it.” Rambo at Crested Butte. Credit: Chris Segal

Ski coach and correspondent Bob Trueman offers an article on what to do when you’re in a difficult situation, when you feel you can’t make it down, when you tense up. It has happened to all of us. His advice is useful and insightful. Click Here.

And our Question For You this week asks for your advice in handling those tense situations. What do you do when you freeze? We’d like to hear your experiences and its outcomes. Click Here.

Correspondent Don Burch has compiled a short video of an early season ski day at Okemo, VT. If you haven’t been out yet, this might get you moving. Click Here.

A new contributor Keller Minton, an instructor at Vail, offers some tips on taking a lesson during COVID. As you know, a lesson at the beginning of the season can make a big difference for the rest of your year. We know a lot of our readers do take an early season lesson. Here’s how it might be different this year. Click Here.

The old Model T can be seen at the head of the lift line. Credit: Ski History.

Mystery Glimpse this week reveals the site and date of that picture of the rope tow powered by a Model T Ford. And there’s a new picture of an old hotel. Can you identify where it was? Click Here.

Meanwhile, In The Seemed-Like-A-Good-Idea-At-The-Time Department.

If anyone knows the back story of this video, please let us know.

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

Short Swings!

December 11, 2020/4 Comments/in SHORT SWINGS!, Short Swings!/by Jon Weisberg

Last week’s column highlighted responses to a question posed to several friends: How much vertical footage is needed to have a satisfying day on the hill? For this week’s column, I posed the same question to all readers. Your input over the past several days says a lot about your passion for the sport. Not enough room to include all responses, but here’s a selection:

Fellow ski journalist, Dave Irons, 82, reports, “…all I need is a morning that includes 5-10 runs.” He and his 60-year old daughter ski Shawnee Peak (ME). “The 1200 feet of vertical is plenty. She’s…in great shape, which is why she is good for a few more runs after the old man is ready for a beer.”

John Emery, 67, and his wife ski Bogus Basin (ID). “I still track and log my vert, not for bragging purposes but to keep myself honest.”

Rick Hovey is 66 and a resident of Park City (UT) since the mid-70s. Typically, he skis one million vertical and 80 days a season. Poor guy, last season he clocked 58 days and 900K vert. He writes, “I expect to meet my goals this year but will try to be satisfied with what I get.”

Rich Spritz writes, “My goal is to ski my age, though this year I may miss 70.” His family has a rule: “three runs counts as a day.” To anyone challenging the rule he suggests skiing three at “Breckenfridge” when it’s 7°F with wind howling, “then come meet inside by the fire and tell me that doesn’t count as a ski day!”

Susan Shaffer, Chapel Hill, NC, has skied one million vertical for several seasons. Last March, when areas closed, she was three days short of skiing her age.

Tony’s local area is Cannonsburg (MI) with 250’ vertical. The area is a few miles from where he and his wife are on patrol (99 years of patrolling between them). For Tony, a light day is 100 runs or about 25,000 feet. “It’s a lot cheaper than the gym and lots of fresh air.”

At 74, Kevin Toolan’s perfect day is about 4 hours with his 6 and 10-year old grandsons at Okemo (VT) followed by lunch, a glass of wine and a nap.

Peter Hogan skis Copper Mountain with his step-son. They enjoy lunch at a sheltered woodsy spot with a view, then ski the bowls and take a long “butt-kicking” mogul run before a few beers.

Connie Grodensky writes, “Skiing local is what skiing is about this year.” She takes 10-run days at Mt. Bachelor (OR) and is happy to leave before the crowds arrive.

Ed Schultz, 76, skis 15 runs at Brantling (NY), with 250’ vertical. It’s small but in region that receives lots of snow.

Bob Ohrt, provides these words of wisdom: “Have been skiing local for many years. Depending on the year, ‘local’ might be a 300′ valley or a 3,000′ resort. It really doesn’t matter. Skiing is the experience and the sensation. Every ‘where’ can offer different joys. Ski what you have got.”

Many thanks to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts.

Skier’s Six-Word Challenge

Here’s the challenge: summarize your thoughts about the season in 6 words. Several have been received. If you want to enter SeniorsSkiing.com’s Six Word Challenge, you may win a Booster ski boot horn, a great gift for any older skier.

Here’s a selection from the past week.

Louis Vigorita, Ventura, CA, commented on escaping Covid isolation:

Out of the bubble, into the snow.

Susan Zangrilli, Sandy, Utah, expressed one of this season’s dilemmas:

Mask, balaclava, gaiter, helmet, goggles. Breathe?

Her husband, David, laments not being able to boot-up in the Alta locker-room:

Boots on. Boots off. Sans bench.

Bob Ohrt puts this optimisitc spin on the season:

It’s the smiles not the miles.

And Jan Brunvand, Salt Lake City, who’s already skied seven days, sent this about his season’s goals:

Fifty days? Good luck with that!

Enter SeniorsSkiing.com’s Six Word Challenge. Summarize how you feel about this season in six words. Winners will receive a Bootster ski boot shoe horn! Send entries to jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Passes Surpassed Lift Tickets Last Season

National Ski Areas Association reports that last season, skier/boarder visits using season passes were greater than visits using single and multi-day lift tickets…a first for the industry.

May Be Best Lift Deal in the US

Colorado Ski Country USA’s $35 Gems Card provides two 2-for-1 adult lift tickets or two 30-percent (30%) off adult lift tickets at each of these Colorado resorts: Arapahoe Basin, Cooper, Echo Mountain, Eldora, Granby Ranch, Hesperus, Kendall Mountain, Loveland, Monarch, Powderhorn and Sunlight. For more information: www.ColoradoSki.com/Gems.

Better Mapping

You may have noticed a new look in the trail maps at places like Vail, Sun Valley, Squaw and Alpine Meadows, Stowe, Mt Snow, and Killington. They are among the areas utilizing the services of VistaMap, a company providing a comprehensive system for creating and maintaining trail and guest maps. Like any good map, these are easy to read and understand. The technology utilized let’s them be updated easily. Click here to visit Vistamap‘s website.

Liftopia’s Assets Acquired

Remember Liftopia, the online ticket seller, which advertised extensively over the past few seasons? The company went under earlier this year after several resorts were not paid for the tickets Liftopia sold. The company’s liquidated assets were acquired by Skitude, a European ski-oriented tech.

Two Interesting Short Ski Films

Abandoned (24 minutes) tells the stories of several defunct Colorado areas.

Made Back East (21 minutes) follows a group of ski friends as they ski backcountry in New York and Vermont.

One Wonderful Ski Video

Twelve year old, Jacob Smith was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 8. After years of surgery, he is well but legally blind. This 7 minute video tells Jacob’s story, including his descent on skis of Big Sky’s Big Couloir. Need a pickmeup? Don’t miss this one!

Make More Tracks: Jackson Hole Nordic

December 10, 2020/1 Comment/in Make More Tracks/by Jonathan Wiesel

States Of Euphoria

More than great, these are superb conditions. Credit: Teton Pines

The week before Christmas, 1980, I drove west from Cody, WY, through the rugged Absarokas, over Togwotee Pass, dropping into the northeast corner of Jackson Hole, then south to the town of Jackson. Deep fresh snow covered the landscape, with occasional bison, moose, and coyote tracks crossing broad meadows. The road parallels the Snake River. So do the Tetons, which tower about 7,000’ above the river, with maybe the most spectacular skyline of any mountains in the Lower 48

For the next ten years, I skied, hiked, ran, and biked on both sides of the Tetons on the western edge of the valley (“hole” in frontier lingo), the Absarokas, and the Gros Ventre and Hoback ranges to the east. It was a fantastic time to live there, working as one of the world’s first Nordic ski area consultants.

Watching Jackson’s explosive transition from a cow town to a resort region was a little alarming. Happily the surrounding country stayed pretty much unchanged because almost 97 percent of the region is federal land that won’t be developed. Yellowstone National Park is just north of the valley.

Jackson Hole is a special place for winter lovers. Part of that’s the beauty and the pristine quality of Grand Teton National Park; some of it’s the amount and quality of snow. But for Nordic skiers, maybe the main draw is diversity in that stunning setting. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a track aficionado or skater, tourer or telemarker, loner or family skier —there’s not just that sad cliché, “something for everyone,” but a lot that’s absolutely superb quality. Today you can find an online resource that introduces you to all things Nordic (including snowshoeing and fatbiking) in the Jackson Hole area: click here for JH Nordic. You can figure on 300 km of groomed trails in total regionally.

Movin’ and Shakin’

Perhaps the most influential XC player around Jackson has been a specialty shop, Skinny Skis, which provides high quality rental gear, retail equipment, and clothing.

There’s also a core of friendly long-time locals in town who’ve played a huge role in popularizing Nordic skiing. They’ve been coaches and racers, backcountry guides and Olympians, as well as people who ski non-competitively, just delighting in the outdoors in such a beautiful place. A lot of them are members of the Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club, whose Nordic division has been grooming at Trail Creek Ranch since the late 1960s, at the base of Teton Pass.

Private Tracks

Teton Pines has 16 km of gentle golf course skiing, complemented by instruction, rentals, and guided tours with affable Nordic director Cody Downard. (You’ll often find his photos in Cross County Skier magazine).

Grand Targhee Nordic Center, on the western slope of the Tetons, has 15 swooping kilometers of groomed trails. The resort is about a 75 minute drive from Jackson.

Open since 2014, Turpin Meadow Ranch is a relative newcomer locally but already has a national reputation. Anchoring the north end of the 50-mile Hole, they’re a complete destination—cabins and chalets, great food (check out the Bob Dylan photo in the lodge, taken at the ranch in the 1980s), amiable staff, and 20 km of groomed trails. The ranch is a little higher than most other regional skiing, but generally routes are on the gentle side in meadows and forest, though there are some climbs and thrills too, starting right behind the lodge. Dogs, snowshoes, and fat bikes are all welcome.

Public Trails

Jackson Hole doesn’t have interconnected trails on the scale of Sun Valley, Idaho, or the Methow Valley, Washington, but public trails are immensely popular locally—and they’re free.

As much as 30 km (and growing) of the Jackson Hole Community Pathways and Trails are groomed, some very close to town. Teton Valley Trails and Pathways, at multiple locations on the west (Idaho) side of the Tetons, is rapidly evolving into a destination. And Grand Teton National Park grooms almost 25 km of summertime road, with wonderful profiles of the Tetons to the west and no snowmobiles within sight or sound.

When you visit

Plan a week’s stay, or you’re depriving yourself of grand exploration. There’s also world-famous downhill skiing, dog sledding, the fabulous National Museum of Wildlife Art, sleigh rides on the National Elk Refuge, and recreational eating at dozens of restaurants (try Fish Creek Inn in Wilson for breakfast and The Blue Lion in Jackson for dinner).

My favorite lodging is the Alpine House, a 22 room B & B that’s owned and run by Nancy and Hans Johnstone, both former Olympians. They’re still avid skiers with great stories about everything from international competition to climbing in the Tetons.

Could this be Nordic Heaven? Credit: Teton Pines

Skiing Weatherman: Parade Of Storms Coming

December 9, 2020/0 Comments/in Skiing Weatherman/by Herb Stevens

Progressive Storm Threats Gets Underway

Although it’s likely that the holiday period will be a Covid-induced quiet one across the country, it is now crunch time for opening terrain that will create adequate social distancing to fend off further operating restrictions.

The past week brought about a pattern change that delivered snow to many resorts that had seen very little. Of late, storms have moved into the West, across the continent, and through the East and that trend will continue. Canada has been milder than normal for many weeks, but cold air is now building and becoming available for the storms further south so the potential for more snow in more spots is on the rise. In addition, I am a little less concerned about a holiday eastern warmup than I was last week.

In weather geek language, we are in a “progressive” pattern, meaning jet stream ridges and troughs are moving along from west to east without locking in for an extended stay. That produces changeable weather, but with more cold air becoming available from Canada, we are now talking more about snow and less about rain. There are still forecast challenges with respect to storm tracks, but overall, things are looking up.

In the near term, storms will move southeastward from the Gulf of Alaska and dump on the coastal ranges of British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. Much of the moisture will get wrung out before the systems reach the northern Rockies, but there will be “topdressing” snow further inland most mornings through next week. The central and northern Sierra will pick up snow later this weekend and early next week with the prospects not as good further south due to the systems tracking too far to the east. Northern Utah and Colorado will cash in on the passage of these quick hitting systems next week but a lack of deep moisture will keep amounts light. The southern Rockies will see little new snow in the next week.

Over the eastern half of the country, disturbances will approach in both the northern and southern branches of the jet stream. Cold air will still be a little scarce in the short term, so the track of any storm will determine where it snows. But the potential is clearly there, as this jet stream forecast for Monday, December 14 clearly illustrates.

On this map we see a trough over the South, with an extension northward to Canada, a combination that could easily produce snow from the mid-Atlantic resorts up through New England. Notice also the trough along the Pacific Northwest coast and the next in line south of the Aleutians. The deeper trough over northern Canada acts as the center of the wheel, with the other features effectively rotating around it. The orange over Greenland plays an important role for the East in this pattern. That’s an upper level ridge that makes it easier for eastern troughs to strengthen as they approach the Atlantic. Indications are that the ridge will remain in the same general area until late month, so storm threats will be fairly frequent. Each trough that passes by will deliver a chunk of colder air from Canada, so the snowmakers will have ample opportunities as we approach the holidays.

Regional Details

Northwest U.S./Western Canada: Frequent storms from the Gulf of Alaska bring heavy snows every two-three days. Snow levels bounce a bit in Oregon Cascades.

Sierra: Periodic light snows from Tahoe northward until further notice. Minimal snow in southern Sierra.

Rockies: Northern resorts get frequent light to moderate snows. Occasional light snows Wasatch and central resorts. Limited snow prospects further south.

Midwest: Clipper system brings light snow Tuesday and delivers good snowmaking temps and modest lake effect snows.

Mid Atlantic/Southeast: Colder weather arrives Monday. Potential snowfall Tuesday. Good snowmaking week.

Northeast/QB: Mixed precip Sunday. Mountain snow showers Monday. Good snowmaking week with additional storm threats.

How To Handle Difficult Moments

December 9, 2020/3 Comments/in Features/by Bob Trueman

What To Do When Things Go Pear Shaped.

This might have been do-able last week, but, hmmm, today you can’t handle “it.” Rambo at Crested Butte. Credit: Chris Segal

Consider a ski run you’ve done before and which you found perfectly do-able with your present level of technical skiing skill. But conditions have changed, and the snow is less easy to ski; perhaps the temperature has fallen and the surface is now more crisp. Or the light has gone totally flat. Or the cold is really distracting. All of a sudden you find yourself getting scared.

The most likely reason for this is you probably don’t have the skills that will make you feel confident you have total control of your skis. In the longer term, it is clear that you need to improve your level of skiing skill. Right now, however, you are not certain you will able to handle the situation.

Shouting “Be Confident” won’t work. Having someone else shout “Just do it” also won’t work. “Go on, you’ll be okay” won’t work, unless you find it immediately believable. Being able to ski better is the single thing that would give you more confidence, but it is not available to you in the moment, now, when you really need it. What you need now are a few self control techniques to help you get down safely in control of the situation.

Getting Focused Is The Key.

Here are a few “emergency situation” tricks that may help you get out of a bit of trouble, so you can get down safely, without too much psychological damage, and begin a plan of action to improve your skiing and the number of situations you can conquer.

• When things begin to “go pear-shaped”, we need to bring your focus to the situation, not think “expansively”.

• First of all, even if there seems to be a shortage of time, STOP. Stop and reassess. Don’t be afraid to actually shout “STOP!” You need to get your brain waves smoothed out. Stopping still will help. Be prepared to do it repeatedly as you descend; it’s likely not to be a one-off job.

• Ask yourself—and take care answering—”Is this the end of the world, or something less? What single small thing can I do that will help?” Remember, whatever that is, it doesn’t have to be a complete cure; it only has to get you through the next few seconds. They will in turn lead you to the following few seconds.

• The general rule of thumb is: The more dire the situation seems to you, the shorter should be your attention span.

• Don’t think big: think small. Don’t think “long distance”, think “the next ten yards”.

• Don’t think long term: think the next ten seconds or even less. “Can I get through and survive the next two minutes / ten seconds / the next one second? What do I have to do to hang on?

• Don’t think “skiing down to the bottom”: think the next single arc. Only one. Then stop again. Pull that one off, and it will give you confidence for the next one. (Successes lead to successes) Give yourself a few seconds at least, to take your single-arc success on board. Recognize it.

• Stop after each arc until something in your head says, “Hey, we could link a couple together now”.

• Finally, for now, do not blame yourself. Resist the temptation to call yourself names. Avoid belittling your self. Being scared is natural, commonplace, and surmountable. It is a strong emotion, and your best defense is anything at all that helps you not to be emotional. Do your best to be rational, and content with that “best”.

Get used to these ideas before you head to the piste. In the quiet of your study, spend some time sitting and imagining situations where you may use them. Those imagination sessions will serve you well next time you need one of these, in earnest. When you are imagining, get deeply into it, “see” more than you normally see, make slopes steeper than they really are, imagine the slope more polished, hear snow-boarders scraping the snow right behind you; enlarge the whole situation. See the colors brighter. Hear the sound around you louder. Imagine yourself lifting one ski off the ground and sense what it feels like. You are completely safe, it’s only imagination.

Define “It”.

Anytime we feel fear or apprehension, our perceptions are telling us that “we may not be able to handle it”. So, STOP and define what “it” is.

If for example “handling it” involves skiing with linked arcs down something you don’t like the look of, then how about redefining “it”. Call “it”, “Getting down the next 20 yards safely,” and the picture will look different, because you have now taken skis out of the equation. You could even take them off, carry them, and walk based on your definition. Or you might perhaps side-skid if you know how.

When you have taken control, you will have done it by defining the problem. No one would blame you or call you names (except you, if you let yourself). In fact probably no one would even notice; most folk on ski slopes, especially tricky bits, don’t notice anything, except their own situation.

Never be ashamed of being apprehensive or scared; just realize there are ways to handle difficult moments.

Editor Note: Bob Trueman has a free self-coaching guide called My Performance Review that has helped hundreds of skiers re-set their psychology after a difficult day. It’s simple to use and powerful. Click here to visit Bob’s website Bobski.com, then go to Contact Us and send him an email. He’ll send My Performance Review to you via email.

Music And Skiing: Annie’s Song And Dancing With The Mountains

December 9, 2020/3 Comments/in Features/by LuAnn Snyder

John Denver Composed The Lyrics On A Chairlift.

John Denver filling up our senses. He wrote the lyrics to Annie’s Song on a chairlift.

[Editor Note: Correspondent LuAnn Snyder, a director of the Baltimore Ski Club and a big John Denver fan, contributed to this article.]

Did you know that John Denver was an avid skier? John Denver wrote his classic song “Annie’s Song“, while riding a chairlift to the top of Ajax Mountain in Aspen as an ode to his then wife Annie Martell. John spoke about the making of Annie’s Song” and what the song meant to him.

“Annie’s Song” was written after we had been through a particularly difficult time and had come together again, in many ways closer than ever before. We really felt together and much closer from the experiences we had been through.

One day I was skiing, and I had just finished a run that was totally exhilarating. I skied down to the lift, got on the chair, and was off and up the mountains again, my thighs burning and still in the process of catching my breath. I looked out at the mountains I love, and the Colorado sky was a blue color you can only see from this altitude, my favorite color I might add. The deep green of the trees against the white of the snow, the colorful outfits the people were wearing, the sounds if life as it goes over each tower, and birds singing, and laughter, and the smell of the clean, fresh air out there in the wilderness-all those things were going through my mind and it was all beautiful. It filled me completely.

I began thinking about other things that are like that for me, and my first thought was of the woman I had fallen in love with again, and how she filled me so completely. Then I started thinking of other things—things in nature. And in the ten minutes it takes to go from the bottom of Bell Mountain lift to the top, I had written “Annie’s Song.” I had the melody in my head, and I knew the chords on the guitar. I skied down to the bottom, of the hill, raced home, picked up my guitar, and played it.

You fill up my senses, like a night in a forest
Like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain
Like a storm in the desert, like a sleepy blue ocean
You fill up my senses, come fill me again

Come let me love you, let me give my life to you
Let me drown in your laughter, let me die in your arms
Let me lay down beside you, let me always be with you
Come let me love you, come love me again

Let me give my life to you
Come let me love you, come love me again

Annie’s Song sold more than a million copies staying at number one in the US pop charts for two weeks and three weeks in the US adult contemporary charts in the summer of 1974. Since then it has graced many a wedding, though it did not cement Denver’s marriage. He and Anne were divorced in 1983.

Dancing With The Mountains

Back in 1980, John Denver also filmed a music video production at Aspen, featuring his Dancing With The Mountains tune. Note his form, the sunglasses, the one-piece ski suits, the free-stylers, the Go-Pro like shots–classic early 80s ski scene. Hugely popular, this music video had apparently faded into obscurity until it was unearthed and posted on YouTube. We miss you, John Denver.

Some skiers are Alta took at shot at re-creating the original 1980 Dancing In The Mountains video to celebrate the end of the 2017 season. The dude doing the John Denver part has the green parka and cool shades down. Check it out below.

Question For You: Difficult Situations

December 8, 2020/9 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

How Do You Manage Your…Apprehensions?

Ugh, tensed up and clutching happens to everyone.

Yesterday, you did fine on Wild Thing, that steep, narrow trail on the shady side of the mountain. Today, Wild Thing is crusty, heavy, or worse, boilerplate, and it’s the only way down. Or, the afternoon light has gone totally flat, you’re at the top of the mountain, heading through the trees to the bottom. Or, you took the wrong lift at a resort new to you, and you’re in double black diamond territory. Or, you’re really, really cold. Or, it’s the last run of a long day, you’ve pushed it a bit too far, and you’re whipped. Or, you’ve had a fall that came out of nowhere, and you’re spooked, perhaps sore.

Uh-oh, the mojo ain’t working today. Credit: AlexanderTT

We have all been there: In a difficult situation, tensed up, and wondering why people put sticks on their feet to slide down mountains in the first place. Where’s the hot tub? Where’s the fireplace? Where’s the Heineken? Gotta get down and outta here!

Ski coach and SeniorsSkiing.com correspondent Bob Trueman has an interesting article elsewhere in this edition. He provides some guidelines for dealing with difficult situations like these, where the world suddenly goes pear-shaped and fear narrows your perspective.

But we’re curious what you do in those tense, scary moments.

What rules of thumb do you follow to get down when you are in a tough situation? How did you learn those rules? Where were you taught? Figure it out? How do they work? Give us some examples, and we’ll all learn from your experience.

Write your comments in Leave A Reply below.

Early Season Skiing: Okemo, VT

December 7, 2020/4 Comments/in East/by Don Burch

Shaking Off Summer Dust: First Runs Of The Season

Snow finally came to New England last week whether through machines or from the sky. It finally got consistently cold enough to make the stuff or for real snow to stick.

SeniorsSkiing.com correspondent Don Burch ventured out to see what was going on at Okemo, VT. Here’s his video report from the slopes. If you haven’t been out yet this year, perhaps this short video will rev up your enthusiasm.

Taking A Lesson During COVID

December 7, 2020/0 Comments/in Features/by Keller Minton

Yes, Take A Lesson To Tune Up Or Re-Connect, But Be Prepared.

Yes, take a lesson, and be ready to follow instructor’s guidelines.
Credit: Canadian Press

A good ski lesson especially at the beginning of the season not only makes for a good day, but many more good days ahead. Refining technique, snuffing out bad habits, and discovering new ways to explore the mountain help make future ski days that much more enjoyable. Here’s how to get the most from your lesson, even during the limitations of pandemic skiing.

Allow time in your ski itinerary for flexibility. If renting your gear typically takes 45 minutes, plan for double that amount of time. If possible, pick up your gear the day before your lesson; nothing dampens a ski trip like waiting in line for two hours to rent your skis the morning of your lesson. Because of the many pandemic precautions mountains are taking, rescheduling your lesson may not be possible, leaving you wanting more from an abbreviated lesson you paid full price for.

Expect spacing and possibly masks during your lesson.

Establish boundaries and objectives with your Instructor. The good news is that the presence of COVID has not changed how to ski, and it hasn’t changed your instructors willingness to help. Communicate early and often with them about what you are comfortable with during a lesson. If you’re comfortable with the small amount of physical contact with your instructor that may come with a lesson, speak up. If not, let your instructor know so they can accommodate your needs. Masks will probably be required during the lesson, so be ready to comply.

Know your risk profile. Be aware Instructors will be working with a wide variety of people and will be exposed to numerous individuals directly and indirectly over the course of the season. Regardless of the precautions taken by you and your instructor, you may not be able to completely eliminate your risk of contraction. If you consider yourself high risk and are worried about contracting COVID19, it may be a good idea to forgo a lesson if you’re concerned about being exposed. Even the most safety conscious instructors are at risk of exposure.

For this year’s ski trip, the only thing certain is uncertainty. As resorts, towns, and mountains across the nation scramble to provide an enjoyable and stress skiing experience, they must navigate federal, state, and county guidelines issued to help stop the spread of infectious disease. The latest surge in COVID outbreaks has some ski states requiring specific quarantine periods for visitors from out state. This may or may not put your ski holiday or weekend away on hold. “Know Before You Go” is especially good advice this year.

Skiing down a mountain remains one of the few activities that is almost unchanged by our current pandemic affected world. While all the other extras associated with a ski vacation have significantly changed, the actual physical act of ripping around your favorite mountain remains largely unaltered. Come prepared, be flexible with your schedule, and have open dialogue with your instructor to get the most out of your lessons this year.

Things will be a little different. Be flexible, be patient, be safe.

Mystery Glimpse: The Old Hotel

December 7, 2020/4 Comments/in Mystery Glimpse/by mikemaginn

Where? When? What?

This week’s Mystery Glimpse is a challenge. Major hint: The identity of the magnificent hotel can be found on the website of the Maine Ski and Snowboard Museum. Spend some time there browsing around and consider supporting the Museum and its mission. If you know where, when and what this is a picture of—or when you find the answer—comment below in Leave A Reply.

Last Week

Some astute SeniorsSkiing.com readers really know their skiing history. There were many correct comments.

This is indeed, the famous first rope tow in the US erected in 1934 on the Gilbert dairy farm in Woodstock, VT. That’s a Model T Ford providing the uphill energy. The 900-foot tow was copied from the rope tow erected a year earlier in Quebec. The Model T had enough power to haul five skiers at a time. The rope tow was a feature of the White Cupboard Inn for guests and locals. Eventually the tow became the Woodstock Ski Tow and charged $1 a day for tickets. It closed in 1952, operating for 18 winters.

Two land trusts were collaborating with new landowners to maintain an easement to the historic ski hill and re-establish part of the old ski run, renovate the still standing warming hut, and cut hiking trails linking to the Appalachian Trail. Ski people love nostalgia.

We’d like to thank Skiing History Magazine and the International Ski History Association for allowing us to use these photos.

The old Model T can be seen at the head of the lift line. Credit: Ski History.

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Dec. 4)

December 4, 2020/2 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

Music In The Mountains, Question For You Redux, Snow Coming, Aosta Trattoria Interlude, XC Starter Kit, Mystery Tow, Dispatch From Wolf Creek, Rental Apartment Advice, Inspiration For Recovery, Utah Resort COVID Summary.

Imagine our surprise when we were searching YouTube for tunes from one of our favorite bands when we found, wait for it, the “Gondola Sessions.”

We love the Colorado band Elephant Revival; they have creative, evocative tunes played with expert musicality. So when we saw them playing ensemble in a gondola going up a mountain in winter, we were stopped cold. What the heck is going on? A band playing music in a gondola? Don’t believe me? Click below.

Yes, that’s an ER-er Bonnie Paine playing the saw in a gondola along with the other members of Elephant Revival heading up at Telluride.

It seems there are “Gondola Sessions” filmed at ski resorts from New England to New Zealand. It all started when producer John Austin was inspired by “unplugged” music—videos of artists playing acoustic instruments in relaxed settings—and the intimate feeling those created. Austin started booking bands to play at Aspen’s Silver Queen gondola, recording them during the 15 minute ride up. Since then, you can find more than 80 different gondola sessions with widely-diverse bands and solo artists on YouTube, recorded in summer as well as winter sessions. Just search for “Gondola Sessions” in YouTube.

Wait, There’s More.

Along with our initial YouTube search for Elephant Revival tunes, we discovered another musical happening at ski resorts that we never knew about. Have you heard of WinterWonderGrass? For 10 years, music impresarios have staged winter music festivals in Steamboat, Squaw Valley, and Stratton Mountain. The days-long festivals feature bluegrass and roots music from very cool bands along with craft beer and merch from a variety of sustainable, environment-friendly vendors. Performances are sometimes indoors and, yes, sometimes outdoors. The motto of the producers is Music, Brews, Mountains. Click here for more information about WinterWonderGrass. As you can imagine, this season’s festivals are adapting to the pandemic.

What is it like? Here’s a full Elephant Revival set at the 2015 WinterWonderGrass festival at Steamboat. Enjoy.

Note: Elephant Revival is a terrific band and has a number of excellent videos on YouTube. Unfortunately the band has suspended performing indefinitely.

So, there is music in the mountains. Innovative, energetic, embedded into the resort environment. No, you don’t have to be under 35 to enjoy these musicians and their music. You just have to love music.

Have any of our readers been to a WonderWinterGrass festival? Let us know. Leave a comment in the reply box below.

This Week.

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

Skiing Weatherman Herb Stevens reports that winter snow is finally coming to the Northeast. Consider how lucky Killington was last year; the Women’s World Cup was held on 11/30-12/1/19 with the help of some expert snowmaking. This year, not much cold to make the stuff until now, that is. Click here.

We are asking a Question For You that we asked before: What is the experience of your first visit to a ski resort like in COVID times? When we asked a couple of weeks ago, we didn’t get many comments because it was way too early. Let’s see what happens this week. Let us know. Click here.

We do have a report from John Farley on his first outing at Wolf Creek, CO, the first resort in North America to open this season. His strategy for dealing with parking is interesting. Click here.

Correspondent Tamsin Venn summarizes the pandemic preparations and regulations at big Utah resorts. Know before you go. Click here.

Stephen Bell’s series on renting an apartment in your ski house concludes with some advice on operating the rental as well as financing a purchase. Steve seems to have made a small business pay for his new residence in Big Sky. Click here.

Hirsch Stube in the summer. Small, friendly, perfect for a day of rest from skiing.

New correspondent Dave Chambers writes about a charming incident in a tiny trattoria in the Aosta Valley. Dave is an Australian who spends time skiing the Alps when he’s not skiing the scene in OZ. Click here.

Long time correspondent Marc Liebman tells us about is recuperation from a debilitating infection. It is interesting he was inspired by an ultra cheap season pass for veterans, and he’s determined to use it somewhere this season. Click here.

As part of our Make More Tracks series on alternative snow sports, Cross country editor Roger Lohr summarizes what you have to know to get started in Cross Country skiing. We believe the xc option makes a lot of sense for seniors who want to get outside this weird winter. Click here.

Finally, our Mystery Glimpse picture this week is one that goes back to the start of skiing in New England. And we tell the remarkable career of Bjorn Daehlie, the fantastically Greatest Of All Time Nordic racer. Read about his VO2 max and and how that made him a very special human specimen. 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.

Note: From time to time, SeniorsSkiing.com will send our readers a special email from one of our advertisers. You will be getting one from us soon. Please know we will never sell our list of subscribers to a third party, and we hope you support the vendors who are advertising with us.

Restrictions: Help, hinder, hopeless? What is your experience? Credit: USNews&WorldReport

Short Swings!

December 4, 2020/14 Comments/in Home Top Box 1, Short Swings!, SHORT SWINGS!/by Jon Weisberg

This season will favor those living close to the mountain. Older skiers who aren’t a short walk or reasonable drive away probably will avoid the hassle and risk of commercial flights to get there. They’ll spend more time on local slopes.

Currently, we’re in our place several miles north of New York City. The closest reasonable skiing is about 2.5 hours to the north where there are several areas with vertical drops ranging from 1,100’ to 1.600’.

Which got me thinking: how much vertical feet is needed for a satisfying day of skiing?

I posed the question to several skiing friends around the country. Their responses offer insight into what makes us happy about the sport.

Travel Writer Roger Toll, 75, lived in Park City and Santa Fe and has been skiing for 60 years. In his 60s his daily diet ranged from 20k’ to 40k’. When he moved from Park City to New Mexico, he was lured by free skiing at Ski Santa Fe, an area with about 1,200’. Enjoyable as he found some parts of the mountain, its 1,200’ vertical entertained him for about 10 runs or 12k’; “…enough to have a great day, especially when it’s free.”

At the other end of the country, Howard Vipler finds skiing Hunter Mountain’s 1,600’ satisfying but generally calls it quits by noon. He retired from Hunter’s Ski Patrol after 40 seasons there, so he knows where to find fewer people and better conditions. Even so, for him, 1600’ has it limitations.

Back to the west, where Dick Chapman, retired pain researcher of international renown, skis Wolf Creek in Southwestern Colorado. Dick was 58 when he started. He’s now 76. Wolf Creek has about the same vertical as Hunter Mountain, but far more snow. Its tagline: “The Most Snow in Colorado.” Dick’s measure for a satisfying day on the hill isn’t vertical. He writes, “Fun is skiing at the edge of my ability and successfully meeting little challenges.”

Now to Colorado’s I-70 corridor and Vail, where David Orlinsky books a minimum of 10 runs and/or 15,000’ to qualify for a satisfying day on the hill. Having skied with him, I know that’s an understatement. Over the past two decades, the retired businessman has averaged one million vertical feet per season!

One state over, in Utah, Jan Brunvand and Harriet Wallace have different takes on what it means to have a satisfying day. Their names often appear with their SeniorsSkiing.com articles.

Jan, professor emeritus of English at the University of Utah and widely recognized as popularizing the concept of the “urban legend,” doesn’t count daily vert. At 87, he requires skiing a minimum of five runs in order to log the day. Usually he’s in the 7-10 run range. I’ve taken a few runs with Jan and hope I’ll be as graceful and having as much fun when I’m 87.

I’ve also skied with Harriet, 80, whose optimistic outlook is infectious. As she explains it, “It’s not about vertical. It’s about being outdoors…dancing down the slope…blue skies and whiteouts. It’s all about friends, no app needed.”

There were several other responses which I’ll try to include in a future column. I’d like to hear what you think makes for a satisfying day on the hill. Please post a comment or drop me a line: jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Your Six Words About This Season

Hemingway may have started this form. Six words that express a thought. What six words express this season? Send your entries to jon@seniorsskiing.com, please. Planning to select some good ones. Author credits will appear with each. Reminder: six words about this season. I came up with the following. “Escaping Covid. Skiing in my mind.”

Covid Victim: Ski Patroller Beards

Before/After: Arapahoe Basin Patroller, Thomas Olsen, Credit…Ian Zinner/Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

It’s all about getting a proper fit for masks, and it’s changing the traditional face of male ski patrollers. As this recent New York Times article explains, patrollers’ beards are going, going, gone!

Big White Ski Resort, BC Pulling Anti-Maskers’ Passes

British Columbia’s third-largest ski resort is ending skiing privileges for pass holders refusing to wear masks. First offenders lose a week; second offenders, a month. “It’s pretty simple, if they don’t wear their mask, we pull their pass. Once we told them they lose their skiing privileges, the argument stopped pretty quick,” said Michael Ballingall, senior vice president, Big White Ski Resort.

Crans Montana HotelPass

Here’s a Swiss lift ticket concept, US areas might consider: Crans Montana, the large, seniors and family-friendly Swiss ski resort has a new HotelPass allowing those lodging in participating hotels to purchase last minute lift passes at deep discounts. No advance reservations. Total flexibility of when to use. Click here for more info on the HotelPass. Participating Crans Montana hotels also have new, highly flexible cancellation policies.

Final Laps on the Covid Track

We’re taking the final laps before crossing the vaccine finish line. Do what you need to do to avoid getting infected. If you already have been or are, do whatever you can to get well. Above all: Think positive. Test negative.

One Of The Best Short Ski Films…

The Chairlift is one of the best short ski films to date. A little over 12 minutes, it’s an homage to the chairlift and it’s unique culture. A production of Salomon, which released it a few days ago.

SeniorsSkiing.com Email Blasts

You’ll start receiving occasional emails from some of our advertisers. Each will be relevant to skiing and related topics. SeniorsSkiing.com will distribute the emails; we don’t sell our list or your email addresses to third parties. We hope you’ll find them of interest.

Question For You: Dispatches From The Snow Frontier

December 3, 2020/11 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

Let’s Try Again: What Is Your First Visit To A Ski Resort In COVID Times Like?

Restrictions: Help, hinder, hopeless? What is your experience? Credit: USNews&WorldReport

A few weeks ago, we asked our readers to tell us how their first visits to a ski resort went in this unusual year. We wanted to hear reactions to constraints, regulations, and policies designed to keep visitors and staff safe.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get many responses, presumably because it was a bit too early for resorts to open and our readers to visit.

When we received a detailed report from a reader on a visit to Wolf Creek, CO, we decided to ask our question again. Reader John Farley described his visit to the moderate-size Colorado area—the first in North America to open—and how his strategy for parking and getting to the lifts worked out for him. Click here to read his dispatch.

Take two: If you’ve been out for your first day of skiing this year, how did it go? How did you manage the COVID rules? Were there karmic differences between this year’s first run and other years? More important, how will lessons learned on your first day impact how you approach the rest of the season?

Please write your comments in the Leave A Reply box below.

Skiing Weatherman: Here Comes The Snow!

December 2, 2020/2 Comments/in Skiing Weatherman/by Herb Stevens

The Weather Worm Is Turning, Especially In The East.

If the optimist in all of us considers November 1 the start of the winter sports season, then the first month of this season was a dud in the eastern half of the country. Cold air masses were infrequent visitors, and natural snow was even harder to find.

A persistent jet stream pattern brought early snow to the West while the East was stuck in mid-autumn weather much of the month. A western trough/eastern ridge couplet was common and kept any early winter weather bottled up over the West, especially in the Northwest, closer to the source of cold air. The ridge kept it unseasonably mild in the Midwest and East, with only passing chunks of cold air that supported brief snowmaking windows.

Well, the weather worm has turned, and it is now the eastern half of the country where an upper trough is promoting cold and snow while the West sits under a strong, quiet, ridge. Now, the air across Canada is milder than normal pretty much from coast to coast, but as it flows into the lower 48, it is just cold enough to lead to snowfall. Much of Ohio as well as western New York and far western Pennsylvania got tagged with a moderate snowfall early this week. Another storm will be on the weather maps this weekend. Because the axis of the upper trough that supports it will be further east than it was several days ago, the track of the surface storm will also be displaced eastward to the coast where it can tap deep moisture as it tracks toward southeastern New England.

Here is a look at how the jet stream will look early Saturday.

The axis is just east of the Appalachians and a surface storm that forms along the mid-Atlantic coast will be ushered up toward southeastern New England, a nice track for snow for the mountains of the Northeast. Cold air will be limited with this storm so elevation will play a big role in the battle of snow vs. rain.

If all the pieces come together, this storm has the potential to produce moderate to heavy amounts from the Catskills and Adirondacks through the mountains of western and northern New England. In addition, sufficiently cold air will move in behind the storm to allow productive snowmaking in the Upper Midwest and Northeast early next week. Full disclosure: If the northern and southern branches of the jet don’t work together to form the system you see on the map, then the storm will be a dud. But I am an optimist; first turns look plausible next week!!!

Looking further down the road, it looks like the eastern trough will dominate for about two weeks and additional opportunities for snow will develop. After that, the pattern is likely to revert to the western ridge/eastern trough combo, which is more favored in La Nina winters like this one.

Here are the regional details:

Northwest U.S./Western Canada: A storm will try to dent the ridge late this weekend/early next week and lead to high elevation snow from Washington into B.C. Better pattern evolves mid-month.

Sierra: Dry for at least the next week; pattern change mid-month is next good chance at snow.

Rockies: The upper ridge keeps it dry for the next week. This region will also be waiting for the western ridge to break down.

Midwest: Seasonably cold for the next week and likely longer. Decent snowmaking temps most nights. Alberta Clipper systems will bring light snow every few days.

Northeast/QB: Favorable pattern for snow and snowmaking temps for next 12-14 days. Potential for significant mountain snow this weekend. Pattern change to milder

Make More Tracks: Tips For Getting Started In XC Skiing

December 2, 2020/2 Comments/in Make More Tracks/by Roger Lohr

This Might Be The Season To Get On Skinny Skis.

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

XC in Mammoth Lakes, CA. Beautiful vistas are included free of charge.

Getting outdoors, going at your own pace, enjoying and sharing an outing with a friend or family member of any age, and getting some winter exercise are all good reasons for older folks to try XC skiing. You can have a purpose (fitness or reaching a destination) or a goal (getting out a few times a week, or attaining a number of times on skis a year) with your XC skiing. The sport is known to provide a level of calorie burning but it also is very helpful to combat various ailments including mental health such as depression and anxiety.

Tips for alpine skiers to have a positive introduction to XC skiing include:

Go to a XC ski area with machine groomed trails (packed with tracks) for a consistent trail condition and introduction to XC. Refrain from starting to XC at the local park, trail, or golf course in your neighborhood.
Use good light weight rental equipment. Boots should be comfortable and skis should allow good balance. Make sure it is not old equipment because the new gear makes it easier.
Get a few clinics or lessons from a professional instructor. Don’t expect a friend or relative to know how to teach you how to XC ski. Basic skills include weighting one ski at a time, good body position, making the skis glide, and controlling speed when going downhill. They’ll also show you how to hold the poles correctly if the grips have straps which makes a big difference.
Dress in layers with a synthetic base layer (underwear top and bottom), light gloves (not alpine ski gloves because they are too hot), shirt and overpants, light jacket (not alpine ski jacket and pants). Bring a bottle of water, headband, heavier gloves, etc.
Go for a ski tour or outing less than 10 kilometers (5 miles) on a nice day (sunny and not too cold), which should be less than 2 hours.

There are some major differences between XC skiing and downhill skiing that include:

Skis are much narrower and the boots offer much less support compared to alpine skis. This requires more reliance on balance and weighting the skis rather than leaning on a big plastic ski boot.

The clothing issues are also significantly different as noted in the above tips. XC skiing creates heat for the skier and you don’t go as fast so there is less wind involved that makes you feel cold. You also do not sit on the chair lift, so less insulation is needed.

Take a lesson from a pro. Here’s balance practice. Credit: Weston Ski Track

On downhills, XC skis require an even weighting technique when snow plowing and it is recommended that you dominate the skis by making sure that weight is distributed to both your heel and the front of your foot. Rolling the ankles inward really helps to push the skis out in the snow plow (weighting the central part of the ski) so it slows down and allows control. Flimsy XC ski boots makes this more difficult but stiff boot should give more control. Twist the boot sole to compare the stiffness of different pairs of boots. On XC skis it is possible to go faster and out of control. In untracked snow you can burrow into soft snow and fall forward if too much weight is on the toes when snow plowing.

Longer poles have a different purpose in XC skiing as they should provide about 20 percent of forward momentum and are more than a turning cue as in alpine skiing except when you are turning the skis while going down hill.

The best suggestion is to avoid overdoing it—bring some chocolate treats, take in nature and winter scenery, and make it about more than skiing, and it can give you a quality experience and great memories.

Mystery Glimpse: Where And When?

December 1, 2020/5 Comments/in Mystery Glimpse/by mikemaginn

This Is An Oldie.

Can you identify where this rope tow was and when? If you can, write your comment in Leave A Reply below.

Many thanks to Ski History magazine for this picture. Ski History magazine is the publication of the International Ski History Association. Find out more about ISHA by clicking here.

Last Week

Bjorn before the start of an American Birkebeiner, 2009. Credit: FastSkier.com

In keeping with last week’s Make More Tracks theme, we posted a picture of the GOAT of Nordic racing.

And he is Bjorn Daehlie, the Norwegian Nordic skier who has won more total Olympic and gold medals than any other cross-country skier, making him the greatest Nordic competitor of all time.

Bjorn is reported to have one of the highest VO2 max scores for endurance athletes in all sports. The maximum rate of Oxygen (O₂) consumption by the body during exercise is the criterion measure of aerobic endurance fitness. Dahlie’s VO2 max has been recorded as high 96 ml/kg/min in the 1990s. That’s more than twice the VO2 max for his most likely competitors, 20-29 year old males in excellent condition.

A back injury forced Dahlie into retirement in 2001. Since then, he has become a successful businessman in real estate and fashion. Dæhlie also invented the Salomon Nordic System Pilot Bindings. His ski clothing is offered in a variety of outlets. Click here for the Bjorn Dahlie line at REI.

What’s curious is Bjorn is a national hero in Norway, an astronomic legend in cross-country circles, yet virtually unknown to North American skiers.

Bjorn Dahlie showing his stride.

Once in a year, it is not thought amiss

To visit our neighbors and sing out like this:

We wish you a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Chanukah

We wish you a Merry Holiday

And a Happy New Year!

More Music And Snow Sports

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

This is our final issue of 2020. We’re not saddened to see the year go. Whatever your holiday of choice, please enjoy it safely. And celebrate the arrival of the New Year. It’s time to turn the page on so many things. Here’s wishing you a great season and many bright and promising days ahead!

What Do Vaccines and Ski Areas Have in Common?

Vaccine development and ski areas have something loosely in common: the public-private partnership. This may be a stretch, but hear me out.

Six Word Challenge

A Completely New Approach to Prescription Goggles

Wolf Creek Has 10 Feet!

Alta/MIT Study: Silence Reduces Risk of Infection

New Chapter in Skiing Haves vs Have Nots

Redford Sells Sundance

Saddleback Re-Opens

Two Short Videos

The Busy Pattern Continues.

Regional Details

A Traveling Australian Discovers Charm, Interesting Characters In British Columbia.

What Snow Sports Stuff Do You Have On Your List?

If you’ve been a good senior skier all year, Santa might bring you what you wish for. Tell us: What’s on your list?

Master Making Those Modern Arcs.

Things Are Different. More Ideas For Successful Lessons.

Santa Santa Santa

More Music And Skiing, Jackson Nordic, John Denver, Storms On Parade, Difficult Moments, Question: Handling Clutch Situations, Early Season Videos, COVID Lesson Advice, Old Maine Hotel.

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

Skier’s Six-Word Challenge

Enter SeniorsSkiing.com’s Six Word Challenge. Summarize how you feel about this season in six words. Winners will receive a Bootster ski boot shoe horn! Send entries to jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Passes Surpassed Lift Tickets Last Season

May Be Best Lift Deal in the US

Better Mapping

Liftopia’s Assets Acquired

Two Interesting Short Ski Films

One Wonderful Ski Video

States Of Euphoria

Regional Details

What To Do When Things Go Pear Shaped.

Define “It”.

Dancing With The Mountains

How Do You Manage Your…Apprehensions?

What rules of thumb do you follow to get down when you are in a tough situation? How did you learn those rules? Where were you taught? Figure it out? How do they work? Give us some examples, and we’ll all learn from your experience.

Shaking Off Summer Dust: First Runs Of The Season

Yes, Take A Lesson To Tune Up Or Re-Connect, But Be Prepared.

Where? When? What?

Last Week

Music In The Mountains, Question For You Redux, Snow Coming, Aosta Trattoria Interlude, XC Starter Kit, Mystery Tow, Dispatch From Wolf Creek, Rental Apartment Advice, Inspiration For Recovery, Utah Resort COVID Summary.

Wait, There’s More.

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

This season will favor those living close to the mountain. Older skiers who aren’t a short walk or reasonable drive away probably will avoid the hassle and risk of commercial flights to get there. They’ll spend more time on local slopes.

Your Six Words About This Season

Covid Victim: Ski Patroller Beards

Big White Ski Resort, BC Pulling Anti-Maskers’ Passes

Crans Montana HotelPass

Final Laps on the Covid Track

One Of The Best Short Ski Films…

SeniorsSkiing.com Email Blasts

Let’s Try Again: What Is Your First Visit To A Ski Resort In COVID Times Like?

The Weather Worm Is Turning, Especially In The East.

This Might Be The Season To Get On Skinny Skis.

This Is An Oldie.

Last Week

SITE NAVIGATION

Subscribe to SeniorsSkiing.com

About SeniorsSkiing.com

ARCHIVES

Subscribe for FREE!