Free skiing is available for older skiers at 145 resorts in 26 states and five Canadian provinces this season. Each resort requires a specific age for free skiing. The youngest is 55; the oldest, 90. Those 70 years and older have a choice of 69 ski areas. This is the first time Canadian resorts […]
World War II produced many heroes. One of Norway’s best known died earlier this week. Joachim Ronneberg led the ski-assisted raid that destroyed the facility where Nazis were producing “heavy water,” a component they would have used to produce an atomic bomb. He was 23 when, according to his obituary in the The New York […]
Safe Descents provides ski and snowboard evacuation insurance in an uncomplicated manner and at very attractive prices. I just purchased coverage for the entire season for $56.99. For that amount, Safe Descents covers any ambulance or air evacuation services if I’m injured in-bounds at any ski resort in the United States. That’s in addition to […]
Most people who love skiing take an interest in its history. Preserving and promoting that history is the mission of the International Skiing History Association (ISHA), a volunteer and membership organization that deserves our collective support. Among other things, ISHA publishes Skiing History, a delightful bi-monthly magazine available in digital and print versions. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers are […]
Trail Masters are those SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers who reported that the number of days they played in the snow (ski/board/shoe) last season met or exceeded their number of years. For the 2017-18 season,106 people self-qualified. The season before, 77 Trail Masters were named, and in 2016-17, when the program launched, there were 42. Some readers have […]
Other than warmth and comfort, the two big boot issues as we age are getting them on in the morning and off at the end of the day. If your home is slopeside, it may not be so much of a problem, but for those of us who boot up or off in lodge or lot, […]
I rode a chair last season with a couple who got upset when they saw a dead porcupine on the trail below. They “knew” the animal from skiing there for several months. It looked like it had been attacked. I’ve seen a lot of animals while skiing over the years. Nothing larger than the moose […]
I heard a massive avalanche one time. Chamonix in the late 60s. Several minutes later a fine dust covered everything. When it stopped, it was an inch or two deep. When you ski in the West, you often hear the early morning thuds of dynamite and bombs dislodging unstable slopes. It’s impressive. I like to […]
“Snow is the cosmetic of the Earth.” That’s one of many memorable lines from Moby Dick, Herman Melville’s masterpiece about one man’s obsession with the destruction of a gigantic white whale. Riding early morning lifts, especially on a powder day, brings Melville’s observation to life. The smooth, undulating surface conceals what’s below. My skiing dreams […]
In my never-ending battle with weight, I found myself wondering if we weigh more at sea level than we do in the mountains. We do. It’s not a lot, but it is physically factual. The science of it has to do with gravitational pull, which is what weight is, and the size difference between the […]
Warren Miller has been gone for less than a year, and his wisdom about not postponing your next ski adventure has been on my mind. There’s one experience in particular that beckons. It is based in the beautiful ancient village of Saint Vincent in the Aosta Valley in the western Alps, close to Mont Blanc, […]
My wife and I have a long-running gag. She’ll say, “Life is short,” to which I’ll respond, “So are you.” Life IS short. A brief opinion piece last week in The New York Times makes the point that we should squeeze as much out of our time as possible. The author writes: “…the appreciation of our […]
A few months ago, we reported on the key finding from our Spring reader survey: Grandparents are a significant influence getting grandkids into the sport. Once the kids have been introduced, almost 95% stay with it. Another significant finding is that 56% of respondents reported they spent between $1000 and $5000 per person last […]
Possible steel pin breakage in Marker’s Kingpin models 10 and 13 may lead to lower release forces and result in falls, according to the manufacturer. The ski touring binding is targeted at the backcountry market. Marker is replacing the binding toes at no cost. If you have the binding contact your local Marker Authorized Retailer […]
An old story tells of a teacher who before summer break would always advise his students to do three things: Take one long walk. Read one good book. Make one new friend. It’s advice I try to follow. Every day, before the heat sets in, I walk to the end of our road. It […]
Jeeping the High Country A few weeks ago we took the five hour drive to Ouray, Colorado, to escape our desert heat. Ouray sits at 7792′ surrounded by peaks in the San Juan Mountains in the southwest section of the state. The scenic Victorian mining town rightfully calls itself “The Switzerland of America.” It’s 47 miles […]
Are older skiers the Rodney Dangerfields of the slopes? Sometimes it feels like ski resorts show us no respect. Consider that there are no Epic or Ikon senior discounts, and, in the case of some Ikon resorts, there no longer are local season passes and the senior discounts associated with them. Some of the big […]
Grandparents who ski or board play a major role introducing their grandchildren to the sport. This is one of several significant findings from the April reader survey. It was the fifth SeniorsSkiing.com reader survey, and it produced the largest reader response to date. Fifty-eight percent of respondents identified as grandparents. The introduced more than 68% […]
The Kindness of (Young) Strangers Last weekend Pam and I went canyoneering in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, the vast expanse of public land between Capitol Reef National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. Canyoneering may not be the correct term, as it generally describes the exploration of remote canyons requiring technical equipment and skills. Our […]
IKON changed its Mammoth Mountain benefits package. Purchasers of the $599 Ikon Base Pass now have full access with the exception of certain blackout dates. When originally offered, full access (no blackouts) was available only with the $899 Ikon Pass. Purchasers of the $599 Base Pass were entitled to 5 days at Mammoth. Alterra, the […]
Sunday at Snowbasin was the last day of my season. The end-of-season emergence of earth shedding its winter coat is bittersweet. The joy of Winter is being replaced by the joy of Spring. Every year on my last run, I say a prayer of thanks for having completed another season and a prayer of hope […]
It had been snowing three days when I arrived at Grand Targhee. By morning the new snow total was 55″. A guy from Denver suggested signing up for Early Tracks. For $89 members of the ski school guide you at 8AM, an hour head start on the public. Next morning, I skied 1 1/2 hours […]
“Finding Meaning and Happiness in Old Age” is the title of Jane Brody’s March 19 Personal Health column in The New York Times. The article is about developing a healthy perspective on the aging process. It gathers information from two recent volumes on aging. She describes them as “inspired and inspiring.” One is The End […]
Big Sky is not ritzy. It is not pretentious. It is not crowded. And, as one of country’s greatest ski destinations, it is not to be missed. With 4350′ of vertical and 5,800 acres, Big Sky justifiably calls itself “The Biggest Skiing in America.” The last time I skied there was before the acquisition of […]
I’m in the desert with my skis. There’s snow in the higher elevations but the nearest lifts are a few hundred miles away. It’s nice to be enjoying a respite from winter. But I feel like a city dweller, removed from my favorite pastime. It’s not permanent. I have the good fortune of being able […]