Guest Ski Tester
SKI Magazine Ski Testers Meet The Sundance Kid.
Gene Hackman and Robert Redford in “Downhill Racer” (1969). This heart throb really loved to ski.
Back in the early ‘70s, SKI Magazine (remember it?) developed a program called SKIpp that stood for “ski performance prediction” developed by the late John Perryman. He was a talented engineer who spent years in aerospace and worked with Howard Head at Head Ski Company. SKIpp had two parts, the laboratory analysis that predicted how the ski would perform and on-snow testing. Each year we tested 200+ skis.
John did the analysis and I ran the on-snow testing. Our testers were a mix of male and female skiers, primarily ski instructors with some racing experience. In March, 1974, we were at Park City which let us set up our testing tent near the base of the Shaft lift. Every morning, we tested ten pairs of skis. After lunch, each tester picked his favorite ski from the day or prior days and headed for the lifts.
One bright sunny morning, my lovely wife Betty was collecting test forms in the tent along with Joan, John’s wife, when one of the testers who was, at the time, the ski school director of Sundance Ski Area, walked into the tent and asked a simple question. “Would we allow Robert Redford ski on some our skis?”
We had skis that weren’t on sale yet, some that wouldn’t make it to the market, some that should never been sold to skiers, and Redford hadn’t signed the liability waiver. All of this went out the tent flap when Redford walked into the tent.
I tried to be my best cool, calm and collected Naval Aviator self, but the look on our wives’ faces was priceless – eyes and mouth wide open. Both were speechless that, if you knew them, was rare. His presence attracted the other three female testers who were nonchalantly trying to swap skis or ask Betty, John, or me a question just so they could get in the tent with Redford.
John looked at me, I looked John, and we shrugged. While our wives stared at the famous movie star, I managed to ask, “Can you ski 200 centimeter skis?”
“Yes.”
“What size boot do you wear?”
He gave me a size that I don’t remember. This was back in the days when boot sole shapes weren’t standardized, and we were using Market Rotomat rental bindings that took some fiddling to adjust. None of the easy-to-adjust bindings that we see today existed.
To this day, Betty will tell you she talked to him for a few minutes but has no idea what she said or was she coherent. What we do remember was that Redford was as good-looking in person as he was on the screen.
Oh, and one more thing. By the time he returned the skis, the word was out that Redford was around and a larger than usual crowd had gathered around the tent. None of us were smart enough to get him to autograph the test card he graciously filled out. Oh well!!!
This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Dec. 7)
Weather Factoids, Driving School, PA Trail Names, Utah Poet, Special Birthday For Klaus.
Sno Country’s Martha Wilson slides thru a turn under Tim O’Neil guidance.
Credit: Martin Griff
Busy week here at SeniorsSkiing.com. We attended the Northeast Winter Weather Summit at Stratton Mountain, VT, and met with meteorologists, ski resort operators, and lots of journalists to discuss matters of mutual interest. And we picked up some amazing fun facts from hanging around with some weather people:
- Add this to climate change anxiety. A veteran weather man said the number of sun spots is on the increase. More spots means the sun is burning less hot than the past. The meteorologists call this the “solar minimum”, where sun spot activity causes the upper atmosphere to cool down. Apparently, it’s a cycle, and we are in the coolest part. Expect: Bitter cold winters, cool summers, perhaps a new Ice Age. (Not kidding, watch the news.)
- For every 1,000 feet of altitude you ascend in going from a low lying area to a ski resort in the mountains, there is a drop of 3.7 degrees F. So, if it is 32 degrees in Boston, when you travel up 1,900 feet to the base lodge of Cannon Mountain, the temp will be roughly 24 degrees.
- The record wind speed at the top of Mount Washington was 231 mph in 1934. Since then, the record has passed on to Australia where a speed of 253 mph was recorded during Cyclone Olivia in 1996.
- The crew at the top of Mount Washington has to de-ice their manual wind anemometers and other instruments by hand, climbing a ladder to the top of the station and banging off the ice with a hammer, regardless of the weather. That happens as much as every 15-20 minutes, if a storm keeps building up the ice rime. Note: during storms on Mount Washington, the wind can be up to 140-170 mph. Here’s a 38 second video of a guy outside the MWO when the winds are only 109 mph. Click on the image to play.
Winter Driving Tips
My Big Red Truck sliding thru a turn, under the guidance of the Team O’Neil Rally School. Credit: Martin Griff
We also had a lesson in how to drive in winter conditions from the Team O’Neil Rally School in Dalton, NH. In a separate story, we’ll show you the one extremely important driving control button on our Ford truck we never knew existed and what happened when we pushed it. This was a counter-intuitive eye-opener, and we want to make sure you know about what your special button does in your car because it is imperative you understand how to use it in certain conditions. In addition, we learned about lower tire pressure for deep snow (up to a point), and the importance of being prepared for the mountains. You can watch lots of different videos on driving techniques from Team O’Neil by clicking here.
Click here for our story on “the button”. Incidentally, if you have a teenage grandchild, the driving school might be an excellent holiday gift.
This Week
Correspondent Don Burch’s series on ski trail names continues east to Pennsylvania. Writer and cartoonist Mike Roth offers a whimsical take on trail names, too. Jan Brunvand brings us a poem from a Utah poet with advice for a new skier. Our Mystery Glimpse presents a new challenge with two photos of a legend who was gone before his time and the answer to last week’s puzzle. Someone actually got the right answers, others were pretty close.
Finally, we honor Klaus Obermeyer, the venerable ski fashion icon, who is 99 this week.
Please remember us to your friends. There are more of us every day and we aren’t going away.
Short Swings!
Twenty-seven thousand, three hundred and ninety-four days. Exactly, nine hundred months. On Wednesday I turned 75. For all but the first nine years, skiing has been my passion.
Two things about me contribute to this craziness: I love being outside in the cold, and what I lack in 
athleticism, I’ve made up for with persistence.
In Okemo’s early days, when I was 11 or 12, I spent the better part of a season determined to ride the Poma without falling. Eventually, I conquered that demon.
For several years, it seemed I was condemned to the stem, functional but awkward. I remember the moment at Mount Snow when a mogul inadvertently caused me to parallel turn. Before long, I had to think twice before stemming.
There were times when I was bedridden. Regardless of time of year, crumpled sheets became mountain ranges, and my mind took me places where I would ski.
In my teens and twenties, friends and I would jump-turn down Eastern trails, stopping with the occasional tip roll. We wore double leather boots wrapped with long thongs. More than once, I’d get to the bottom and realize my skis were splintered.
There were long weekend rides from Manhattan to Killington and Stowe. On the Stowe Road, the LaMarr’s provided a bunk bed and a hearty breakfast for $5.00. On one of those trips another car spun out of control and wrecked my new MG Midget. Hitchhiking that weekend put me on the road to getting hitched. One of the girls who picked me up became my bride.
Soon, skiing shifted to the West, starting in Alta in 1972. It’s been a rare season since when I haven’t
skied that magic mountain. At one point I fell in love with powder. Those of you who have been up to your knees or thighs or waist will understand. When it’s that deep, steep is your friend. It’s a joyful experience, and, like the word, “joy,” it’s ephemeral.
Over the years, I’ve learned to follow the snow. It’s great to spend the day seeking out the best conditions. It might take you to blacks, blues, or greens. If you know how to use your equipment with the least amount of effort, and if you enjoy making graceful turns, you’ll understand this preoccupation with the physics of poetry.
These days, I’m deliberately slow. Wherever I go – and if I feel up to it – I like to play with the fall line, skiing slowly, making well-formed turns. Some kid me about getting more turns per vertical foot. Others get tired of waiting.
I view skiing as a metaphor for life. We develop and use a range of skills. Some days are bluebird; some are dark. There are times of confusion when we feel our way into clarity. Other times it can be cold, miserable, and ugly. But most of the time, skiing is an expression of love.
Legally Younger?
A 69 year old in the Netherlands tried to legally change his age to 49, which, he says, is how old he feels. The Dutch government rejected the request. He plans to appeal, based on the idea that other forms of personal transformation, such as name and gender, are gaining traction in the Netherlands. In one of the SeniorsSkiing.com reader surveys we asked about your actual age and how old you felt after a good day on the slopes. Your ages averaged about 67. How old did you feel? Twenty years younger!
Rare 20% Discount from Apex Ski Boot System
If you’ve been thinking about slipping your feet into a pair of Apex boots — they provide comfort and performance and, like the ad states, let you Ski Hard and Walk Easy — now is a good time to do it. The company is offering a 20% discount to the first 50 SeniorsSkiing.com readers who respond (shipping to the lower 48, included). Offer ends Christmas day. Go to the Apex website, make your selection, and enter SENIOR3000 on checkout.
Ski Whiteface with an Olympian
Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid, is a lovely place to stay when visiting Whiteface Mountain and other North Country attractions. Starting this season, Andrew Weibrecht, son of the Inn’s owners and an Olympic medalist, is available to ski with Mirror Inn guests at Whiteface. It’s on the pricey side ($450 for 8:00AM to noon, lift ticket included), but for the deep-pocket set, it sounds like a fun experience.
Vermont Adaptive Honors Volunteers
Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, the nationally-recognized group empowering people of all abilities through inclusive sports and recreational programming, announced its Volunteers of the Year. They are Phil Crowell, of Plainfield, N.H., and Jackie Levine, Barry Whitworth, and Ryan Kennedy, all of Burlington, VT. Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports provides services regardless of ability to pay.
Stoking Your Inner-Pow
I don’t know where this video was shot, but it’s titled “First lines of 2018 – skiing some powder.” Enjoy.
More Great Holiday Gifts for Older Skiers
I just purchased a dozen GearBeasts– all different colors – as holiday gifts for my skiing friends. They’ll use and love this neat, little smartphone carrier. It fits over the neck and under the parka, keeping the phone warm, accessible, and safe. Warm, because it’s close to the body and helps keep the charge. Accessible, because it’s always there and no need to search pockets. Safe, because the phone can be used on the lift without concern for accidental drops. GearBeast has a little built-in pocket to carry credit card, driver’s license and a few bills. When I use it – and I use it often — I leave my wallet in the car. As a holiday gift to SeniorsSkiing.com readers, the company – an advertiser – is giving 20% off its regular prices that range from $9.99 to $12.99 (I bought the $9.99 version.) Go to gearbeast.com (or click on the adjacent ad) and enter SENIORS-SKIING when checking out.
A thoughtful gift for any older skier visiting Aspen/Snowmass is a one-day Ski Younger Now session with Seth Masia: $820 with 7 day advance booking.
Other Recent Gift Giving Suggestions:
Wild West Jerky makes great-tasting, all-natural, jerky products. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers receive a 20% discount off full retail. Enter seniorsskiing in the promo code window at checkout
The Buffalo Wool Company makes socks, gloves, hats from bison down mixed with silk, yak, wool, and cashmere. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers get a 10% discount. Enter SeniorsSkiing in the discount code window at checkout.
Panda Poles have bamboo shafts and are beautifully hand-crafted in Idaho. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers get a 30% discount off the regular price of $95. Enter SENIORS30 at checkout.
Orsden makes wonderful parkas and pants in great colors. They’re sold only online. Comparable products in stores sell for twice as much. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers get a 30% discount through December 31. Enter WINTER30 at checkout.
DeBooter is a skiboot jack, that makes boot removal a breeze. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers get a 20% discount. Enter SENIORSSKIING at checkout.
The Bootster is a compact skboot horn. It’s small enough to be carried in a pocket. $25.00
Safe Descents is emergency ski and snowboard evacuation insurance. Among other benefits, it covers ambulance or air evacuation services if injured in-bounds at any ski resort in the United States. The policy is available to residents of all but five of the lower 48. $56.99 for the season.
Join Us in the Alps
Join us the week of March 10 when we ski in the Aosta Valley with guides from Alpskitour. Each day, we’ll go to a different resort in Italy, Switzerland and France. The all-inclusive price — $4500 to $5500 per person– depends on where you fly to and whether you stay in a 3 or 5 star hotel. Orsden is a sponsor and giving a parka to each participant. If interested, email me: jon@seniorsskiing.com.
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