In Praise Of Ski-ing
Sir Arnold Lunn wrote the rules for slalom and downhill. Credit: JungfrauStories
When this passage (below) from The Mountains of Youth (1925) by Arnold Lunn was published, “skiing” still had a hyphen and “ski” was both the singular and plural form. Lunn (1888-1974) invented downhill and slalom racing, introducing them when the sport was mostly jumping and nordic racing.
Lunn was knighted in 1952 “. . . for services to British skiing.” He was a major figure in promoting ski sports in the Olympic games. As is obvious in this selection, he was a competitive skier who loved speed and took daring chances.
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Arnold Lunn on his first ascent of the Eiger 1924. Credit: Walter Amstutz
The worst and best moments in ski-ing are often separated only by seconds. You are standing at the top of some fierce slope which you have vowed to take straight. You look at the line and observe with sick disgust that the change of gradient is abrupt at the bottom, and that the slight bump half-way down will probably send you into the air. A kind friend says: “I shouldn’t take that straight,” and your enemy remarks: “Oh, it’s safe enough. Jones took it straight yesterday.”And then suddenly, before you quite realize what has happened you are off. The wind rises into a tempest and sucks the breath out of your body A lonely fir swings past like a telegraph pole seen from an express train Your knees are as wax, and your stomach appears to have been left behind at the top. You fight against the tendency of your ski to run apart—the inevitable sequel to undiluted funk—by locking your knees and turning your ski on to their inside edges. And now comes the supreme crisis—the run-out where the gradient suddenly changes. You throw your weight forward, and mutter “Hold it, hold it.” You clench your teeth, and make strange noises as the shock drives up through your legs. Your ski quiver with the strain . . . and you realize to your intense astonishment that you have not fallen.
The pace relaxes. The hurricane dies away. You are drunk with the wine of speed, and you marvel at the faint heart which so nearly refused the challenge. You glory in the sense of control which you have recaptured over your ski no longer untamed demons hurrying you through space, but the most docile of slaves. You are playing with gravity You are master of the snow. You can make it yield like water or resist like steel. Suddenly you decide to stop. A rapid Telemark, the snow sprays upwards, and the “slabberie snow broth,” to quote an old Elizabethan,”has relented and melted about your heeles.”
A laugh floats upwards, and you much enjoy telling your enemy that his diagnosis was correct, and that he can safely venture to take it straight. And, if he falls, your triumph is complete
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Lunn’s classical education is apparent in his allusion to “an old Elizabethan.” The “slabberie snow broth” quotation, reports the Oxford English Dictionary, comes from the first English translation (1600) of Livy’s Roman History. Shakespeare mentions “snow-broth”—mixed snow and water—once, with reference to the blood in the veins of a villain. (Measure for Measure, I, iv, 57).
This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Dec. 21)
Last Minute Gift, Tell-Tale Hoar Frost, Jim Gaddis Profile, Mystery Boarder, Seasons Greetings.
If you’re caught empty-handed and about to head to another senior ski friend’s party, consider ordering and instantly downloading a copy of Ray Conrad’s classic collection of ski songs, The Cotton-Pickin’ Lift Tower and Other Ski Songs.
Ray wrote and recorded these songs ‘way back in the 60s. If you recall, the revival of folk music and growing interest in skiing happened at the same time. The resulting mash up of ski songs is actually funny, nostalgic, kind of corny, and fun to blast out on the car stereo as you (or the giftee) heads to ski country. Click below for a sample.
This Week
We are reprising a timely article from correspondent Harriet Wallis who asks “Should you take an early season lesson?”One of our surveys revealed that about one-third of our readership does in fact take an early season lesson for a variety of reasons, like having to adapt to changing physical capabilities. Click here for her story.
This week’s Mystery Glimpse is a woman snowboarder who…well, you tell us. The function of last week’s thingy is revealed. No, it wasn’t an inclinometer, at least according to the Colorado Snowsports Museum who supplied the pic.
One of our readers, Hiller Hardie, from Pittsburgh, responded to our request for contributions by sending in an interesting article on Hoar Frost, the crystalline formation that appears on the ground or in woodland floors after a humid, cold night. Turns out, hoar frost is used by guides and ski patrollers to assess the risk of avalanche in back country. Find out how by clicking here.
Co-Publisher Jon Weisberg writes about the innovative Apex boot which provides both comfort and support for senior skiers who dread the aches and pains of “regular” ski boots. When we first started SeniorsSkiing.com, we noticed an article about Olympic star Billy (the) Kidd who said that he wore the boots as a way to adapt to his more senior style of skiing. These boots were designed by Denny Hanson who revolutionized the industry in the early 70s with his Hanson rear-entry boot that many people regard as a major advancement in boot design. Readers of SeniorsSkiing.com can get a 20 percent discount on Apex boots until Dec. 31. Jon will tell you all about it by clicking here.
Finally, Harriet is back with a tribute to a SnowSports leader, Jim Gaddis, who made his mark as a fundraiser for a number of important snow sports institutions.
Thanks very much for reading SeniorsSkiing.com. Tell your friends and remember, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away!
SeniorsSkiing.com is taking a break during the Christmas week. See you in 2019!
Drive safely this week!
Short Swings!
Some interesting comments on last week’s Short Swings! asking if older skiers and boarders are invisible to the people making business decisions about skiing.
Reader Rich Spritz, a Breckenridge instructor, wrote that seniors don’t spend money and it makes sense that, resorts, being businesses, don’t give seniors their attention.
- There’s no question that the group he describes exists. I see them sitting around lodges, nursing a cup of coffee; shooting the breeze. But they don’t represent all older skiers. Our reader surveys indicate that on day trips, seniors spend about $100 per person per day and, on vacation, $250 per person per day. Last year we asked how much they spent per person on skiing and skiing-related activities for the season. 56% reported they spent between $1000 and $5000 per person for the season. More than 10% spent $5000 or more. Note that their ages averaged around 67. It may be that older people like to sit around and socialize. But even the most hard-hearted corporations should keep a soft spot for loyal customers who for decades have supported their (or their prior owners’) operations. Considering that most older skiers are at the mountain mid-week, when operations are at full capacity and usage is not, letting older, dedicated skiers hang out over a cup should not a hardship for anyone.
Catherine Meyer wrote that PSIA now offers Senior Specialist credentials to instructors interested in working with older skiers. Many of these instructors are organizing special programs at their home resorts to cater to older skiers and riders.
- SeniorsSkiing.com would like to publish a list of areas offering special programs for older skiers and boarders. We’d appreciate information about those programs from readers.
Bob Ohrt wrote that skiing has always been young adult oriented. The pics you see in ads are almost always the young and the beautiful. That is fitting…When skiing we don’t think of ourselves as Seniors.
- Bob is correct. One of our reader surveys asked for actual age and how respondents felt after a good day on the hill. The average actual age was 67; the perceived age was 47. That’s consistent with age perception surveys in non-skiing sectors. For most people, behavior (e.g. spending and lifestyle decisions) is influenced by perception, and when we perceive ourselves as younger, we behave that way. I’m in favor of keeping that 20-year subtraction in our age arithmetic.
And Ellen wrote, Senior skiers are the healthiest seniors I know, it would be awesome to see us depicted in some ski ad!! I…bet lots of the youth and families out there are being bankrolled for these pricey endeavors by grandma and grandpa.
- Ellen, you are spot on!
Summit County (CO) 50+ Winter Games to be Held Feb 10-12
The 39th Annual 50+ Winter Games in Summit County, Colorado will be held February 10 – 12. Seniors compete in Alpine and Nordic events, figure and speed skating, and “hockey shoot skills.” The event also features a series of social events. It’s a fund-raiser for the Summit County Senior Nutrition Programs. Inexpensive to participate and sounds like a lot of fun. Click here to register or for more information.
Tribute to Stein and Best Pow Vids of the Year
Stein Eriksen was born in and died in the month of December. His grace on skis transformed the sport. I had the good fortune of riding the lift and skiing with him a few hours one morning at Deer Valley. It was in the late-80s or early-90s. This 41/2 minute tribute to his skiing accomplishments is wonderful.
Powder Magazine,which always publishes mind-boggling ski pix, issued this 3 minute video compilation of the best powder videos of the year. My guess is that the skiers pictured are between 16 and 24.
Ski Cakes!!!!!
Last week I showed a picture of my ski-oriented brithday cake and asked to see some of yours. Please keep them coming…
Marilyn Edman sent in this beauty made by her friend Sue McEvoy on the occassion of Marilyn’s 70th.
And Kelli Majiros sent in this from her Tuesday morning Ski Divas group at Jack Frost in the Poconos. Group leader, Bernie Oldroyd, leads an annual Susan B. Komen Ski for the Cure fundraiser.
Skiers’ Travel Trailer?
Reader Scott Colesworthy asks if anyone can recommend a travel trailer made for winter conditions: insulated, cold-resistant plumbing, etc. Please register suggestions in Comments following this article.
Happy Holidays!
Mike and I are taking a break for the holidays. SeniorsSkiing.com will be back January 4.
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