Short Swings!
We live in what some call an attention economy. Those who attract attention – regardless of how they go about it – appear to be the victors in our narcissistic new world. The companies making skis and related gear are no exception. One of their primary ways of competing for attention is producing short videos of pro skiers using their gear in wild and wooly terrain.
Videos of people doing amazing things on skis are similar to porn: there are just so many tricks in the bag, and it’s not long before they get boring. That said, ski manufacturer lemmings invest in making videos that, in one way or another, try to outclass their competition.
The New Age of Reason is a new addition, from a company named WNDR (Wonder Alpine). It combines a soundtrack of barely audible British voices making quasi-intellectual statements, while pro skiers make deep powder turns and jump cliffs in some easy-to-watch and quickly forgettable scenes. Unlike most other short promotional videos which depend on big-name super skiers and/or pulsing rap music to appeal to their intended audience(s), this one relies on pretense. That said, WNDR appears to be a company with good policies and good products.
Will its video approach help the the company break through the rest of the promotional ski video clutter? Maybe for a few minutes while the ski marketing echo chamber resonates with email congratulations.
A few years ago, at the Winter Outdoor Retailer Show, I attended a presentation that discussed a variety of advertising and promotional investments. The activities were listed in order of their perceived effectiveness in contributing to product sales. As I recall, in-store salespeople and word-of-mouth were most effective. Way down on the list…I mean toward the very bottom…were promotional videos. They cost a lot to produce. They reach a relatively small audience. They make their sponsors feel good about their investments. But do they move the needle when it comes to sales? You know the answer.
As I finished drafting this, yet another video landed in my inbox. At 21 minutes, it’s a bit on the long side. But if you want to see what has become possible on skis in entirely impossible terrain, “Good Luck” will get you up to speed with a smile. Click here to screen.
Ski Journalist Dies Following Collision with Snowboarder
Ron LeMaster, 72, was killed earlier this week after colliding with a snowboarder on Eldora Mountain (CO). LeMaster, a ski writer and photographer, was a certified PSIA instructor. No charges were filed against the boarder. The tragedy is a reminder for older skiers/boarders to exercise extreme caution on the hill. R.I.P.
Realskiers.com: Ski Industry Is in Trouble
Jackson Hogen publishes realskiers.com, a long-established website featuring in-depth reviews of each year’s new skis and a host of observations about the sport. The self-proclaimed Pontiff of Powder periodically sends out thought pieces under the heading, “Revelations.” A few weeks back, he took a dystopic and disturbingly realistic view of the future of skiing. It’s titled, “Will the Next Generation of Skiers be the Last?”, covering, among other big issues, cost, accessibility, competing interests and climate change. To read the short essay, click here. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers are eligible for a 50% discount off the annual realskiers.com rate of $19.95. Use Code SS21 at checkout.
Klaus Obermeyer is 102!
Klaus created the ski apparel line bearing his name. He is credited with making the first down-filled parka. When I interviewed him a few years ago, he said that he found it easier to ski than to walk.
Winter Park to Donate Uphill Ski Pass Revenue to Charities
Source: Winter Park Resort
The area will donate proceeds from sales of its uphill ski passes to local charities. The passes cost $25 each. It’s good policy, given that paying to climb on the slopes is a relatively new development that has been met with some criticism.
Aspen Bumps Minimum Wage
Aspen Skiing Co. will increase starting wages to $17 per hour, a significant bump from Colorado’s current $12.32 minimum. The company also increased employee housing to 1,000 beds.
High Tech Bandage Changes Color
DrySee is a long-lasting bandage that changes color when it needs to be changed. Cost depends on bandage size. Manufacturer of this interesting new product is offering SeniorsSkiing.com readers 20% off when they enter “Facebook 20” at checkout. Visit www.drysee.com to learn more.
Last Minute Gift for Senior Skiers
The Bootster ski boot shoehorn is ideal gift for older skiers
Get them The Bootster. It’s a clever, fit in your pocket ski boot shoehorn that is solidly made and will last many, many seasons. Handmade by company founder, Jim Cobb. At $25, it’s one of the best bargains around. Click on the adjacent ad and read the rave reviews.
Dep’t of Wretched Excess
The world’s most expensive “hotel” room costs $175,000 per night. Lover’s Deep is a luxuriously tricked-out submarine in St Lucia. Amenities include captain, cook and helicopter.
Diamonds Are Forever Martini
The world’s most expensive cocktail is now available at Tokyo’s Ritz Carlton hotel. The Diamonds Are Forever Martini costs $22,880 and is garnished with a one-carat diamond. Kampai!
New 10th Mountain Division Documentary
https://youtu.be/x6BpDQ85ZN8
“Mission to Mt. Mangart” is a new documentary exploring the famed 10th Mountain Division, whose members relied on skis. Click on the trailer (above) to see the slalom they organized in June, 1945.
Update: Jackson Hole’s Skiing Wunderkind
I wrote about Kai Jones when he was 12. Kai, now 14, is the Jackson Hole ski wunderkind whose skiing is a joy to behold. This short video was shot last season, when he was a high school freshman.
The Skiing Weatherman-December 2, 2021
Pattern coming alive on both coasts…
Thanks to snowmaking and a nice dump of fresh snow last Friday, I kicked off my season with a nice day on the trails of Killington this past Tuesday. The surface midwinter stuff and it was fantastic to be making turns again. The storm late last week helped out across much of the Northeast, but more is needed not only in that region, but across the entire country, as trail counts and opening dates are lagging nationwide this year. Fear not, though…help is on the way!
The current jet stream setup has been in place for a few weeks now, with a western upper ridge coupled with a broad trough over the eastern half of the country, as illustrated by this map, valid the morning of the 3rd….
The ridge (orange) has kept the West high and dry while the trough (blue) further east has supported weak systems that have spun through the Lakes into the Northeast. Each one of those disturbances has delivered a modest shot of colder air, allowing snowmakers from Ontario and Quebec to North Carolina to get the season rolling on a limited basis. The trough will remain in place for the next several days, but by the 6th, changes will get underway. A new trough will dive into the center of the country and deliver a significant shot of cold air…good news in the upper Midwest. To the east, a mild upper ridge will pop up in response, with low pressure taking a track between the two jet stream features, from the mid-Mississippi Valley up through the Great Lakes and on toward Toronto and Montreal. In the East, that track will produce rain and then snow as cold air rushes in on the backside of the storm. Next, a weaker midweek disturbance will bring light to moderate snow from the central Appalachians into New England and eastern Canada.
The biggest pattern change is coming to the West and not a moment too soon with the holidays just a few weeks away. While the initial thrust of cold air will move into the northern Plains, several additional systems will move south from Canada in the coming week, breaking down the ridge in the process. The first will impact the far northern Rockies and southern Canada this weekend, the second will reach the central ranges Monday and Tuesday, and then a late week trough will dive all the way into the Southwest, producing the biggest snowfall of the young season in the southern Sierra and Rockies as it does. Here is a forecast of snowfall through next Friday night…
You can see that significant, beneficial snow can be expected not only in the West, but also in the upper Midwest and the northern regions of New York and New England. Deep cold is still a little tough for the pattern to access, so snowmaking will still be hit and miss in the near term. Longer term, the week of the 13th will bring a western cold trough/eastern mild ridge couplet, with the potential for a nationwide cold and snowy pattern developing the week of the 20th. Here are the regional highlights…
Northwest U.S./Western Canada: Snowy week unfolding…snow levels lower than recent two weeks will help.
Sierra: Dry start, but pattern turns snowy mid to late week onward(north to south)
Rockies: Snowy pattern develops from northern (early week) to central and southern resorts (mid to late week).
Midwest: Favorable storm track and cold period unfolding next 1-2 weeks. Trail counts and bases will grow quickly.
Mid Atlantic/Southeast: Mild weekend/early next week. Colder air supports snowmaking and some snow by midweek.
Northeast/QB: Cold weekend with some light snow. Rain and backside snow early in the week. Light to moderate snowfall midweek.
Ski Videos for the Rest of Us
No impossible steeps, flips or cliff-hucking. Don Burch creates kinder and gentler ski videos showing normal skiers doing normal things. His editing, use of interesting digital enhancements and choice of scenic shots have a warm, old-school quality appealing to skiers and boarders of a certain age. “Calling Me” (about 3-minutes) is Don’s most recent production. Click on the image to view.
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