This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (April 13)
Looking Back, Mystery Glimpse, Spring XC Skiing, Riding With The Cats.
Spring in Appleton Farms, Ipswich, MA. Credit: Mike Maginn
It’s hard not to get a bit philosophical at the end of a season. And yes, we know that there are those who are still finding newly fallen snow out there, but we are done. Highlights for us: We re-discovered our interest in ski history, launching the Mystery Glimpse series this year with the cooperation and contributions of many fantastic ski museums around the country. And re-publishing Ray Conrad’s collection of ski songs from the 60s, a technical challenge, but we hope it is worth it for our readers.
We managed to become comfortable with our emerging carved turn, not yet there, but closer than before. We also realized that skiing on broad, green trails was perfect for us, even skiing the same damn trail all day long was okay. Such is the lesson from listening to your body. We have new-found Alpine skiing enjoyment by approaching the hills with a whole new mindset. In a nutshell: Slow, poised and in control.
We also revived much appreciation for the joys of cross country skiing and the pleasure it brings on a beautiful, blue-sky, brilliantly cold day with new fallen snow. Nothing can beat the silence of the woods with the only sound your breath and perhaps your heart beating in your ears. Stopping and listening. Even better in your knickers and on your wooden skis. Perhaps a can of beer in your knapsack. Good for what ails you.
We loved mid-week discounts for seniors are major resorts, we loved the empty lift lines, the pleasant cashiers in the cafeteria, the pretzels in the bar apres-ski, the hot tubs at hotels. And of course, the snow that finally showed up in earnest here in New England just a month or so ago.
As we said, there is still skiing out there, some of the best we are told. But now, we find ourselves heading to the boat store for bottom paint and sandpaper. Weekends have suddenly become nautically oriented. Happy Spring.
Please BOLO For Our Spring Survey. COMING SOON.
Our survey will be heading your way very shortly. We’ve had impressive response rates in our past surveys, and we really hope our readers respond like that again. This time, we’re trying to pin down the role grandparents have in introducing snow sports to their grandkids. We’re also trying to find this year’s collection of Trail Master, those skiers who have skied the equivalent of their age in days. We know you are out there.
PLEASE RESPOND TO OUR SURVEY WHEN YOU SEE IT IN YOUR INBOX.
Mysterious Pics
In February, we found a curious set of pictures on the walls at the Mittersill Mountain Inn in Franconia, NH, an iconic, venerable hotel with roots going back the the 40s. The staff did not know the provenance, but these are so idiosyncratic and distinctive, we thought one of our readers might know where these came from. Of the dozen or so, here is a sample:
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Exquisite, aren’t they? Anyone know the story behind these?
This Week
We reveal the identity of the Mystery Glimpse ski train, its history, and its recent fate. And we introduce another ski hero we bet very few people will know but should. Check it out there.
We hear from our cross-country ski editor Roger Lohr, who also publishes XCSkiResorts.com, on spring XC skiing. It’s out there, and it is glorious. Yvette Cardozo, our correspondent in the Northwest, managed to get herself booked on a ride in a grooming cat at Sun Peaks Resort, BC. She has a really interesting report on how they do it and what it’s like to be on a massive steep in a boxed-in machine.
Onwards
Thanks for reading SeniorsSkiing.com. Remember there are more of us every day and we aren’t going away.
Enjoy Spring Skiing when you can.
Short Swings!
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 resort company offering the IKON pass, did not respond to our question asking why the policy changed. Not explaining the policy change, Alterra leaves the door open for speculation. Was it in response to pressure from vocal older skiers who were unhappy with the elimination of Mammoth’s season pass and it’s senior discounts? We don’t know. But if that were the case, seniors at other Ikon resorts which have eliminated local season passes might want to take note and express their dissatisfaction. Personally, I think Ikon, like Epic and Mountain Collective, offers excellent value, IF you travel to ski and are not committed or confined to a single area. For those who are, let’s say grandparents who like to ski with family during holidays, Ikon forces them to buy in at a steeper price than in the past.
Vail’s Acquisition of Whistler “Has Canadians Seething”
An article this week in Bloomberg News reports on Canadian dissatisfaction with Vail Resorts’ $1 billion acquisition of Whistler Blackcomb. Among the reasons: the resort’s tickets are priced with a base rate in US dollars. “The exchange rate for the two currencies is published above the ticket prices, which fluctuate daily.” Vail eliminated Whistler’s one and three day prepaid lift tickets, discounted for Canadians and State of Washington residents. Locals and others fear that these and other changes are benefitting “…jetsetters at the expense of locals,” who have established the hashtag: #FailVail.
Springtime in the Rockies
As I write this, the northern Utah mountains are expecting 6″-12″ with the Cottonwood Canyons receiving 12″-24″. Here’s the realistic rub: Powder snow is ephemeral and requires being there when the lifts open. Typically, the snow is trashed within an hour or so, and, if the spring temps rise, powder quickly turns to cement.
Springtime in Massachusetts
Wachusett Mountain will be skiing through Sunday, April 15, one of it’s latest closings ever.
Delicious, Self-Heating Meals in a Pouch
At first I was skeptical of a self-heating “homestyle meal” in a pouch. Then I tasted a few OMEALS dishes. They could rightfully be called OH! MEALS. A game-changer for campers, hikers, boaters, or anyone who wants a nutritious, good tasting hot dish with zero prep. I bought some for the car and my pack. Inside the pouch are sealed bags with food, heating element (similar to a hand warmer), and utensil with napkin. The heating element and sealed food bag are placed in the pouch, a few ounces of H2O added and the pouch sealed. In a few minutes the pouch becomes a steam-spouting mini-Vesuvius. When the seam subsides, open the bag and enjoy! OMEAL products are available at REI and other retailers. A free sample is available by clicking on the OMEALS ad on the SeniorsSkiing.com’s Discounts for Seniors page. The company is offering 20% off first orders. Strong recommendation: stock up for the summer while the discount is available.
Watch for SeniorsSkiing.com Reader Survey
In a few days you’ll receive a short online reader survey about how often you ski/board/snowshoe, how much you spend on winter sports, and, if you’re a grandparent, your role introducing grandkids to winter sports. People who skied their age will have the opportunity to be listed as Trail Masters. The survey has 13 questions and should take 2-3 minutes to complete.
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Mystery Glimpse: He Was The First
This Well-Dressed Athlete Was The First Of Many.
Thanks to the Colorado Ski And Snowboard Museum for sending this picture along. We’re reaching deep here, dear readers, and if you can get this one, we will be really impressed. Who is he and what did he do that gave him a place in ski history?
Last Week
This is a glimpse of the famous Winter Park ski train that has recently shut down after 69 years of service. Ski trains were very popular with skiers from metropolitan areas on both coasts and the Rockies during the 30s and 40s. But, with roads and interstates, the trains became unprofitable. According to the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum, the ski train that brought Denver citizens to the mountains was one of the few that survived.
You can only now imagine how convenient and almost luxurious it must have been to take a train to a station near a ski area and get picked up by a bus or horse-drawn sleigh to be taken to a mountain hotel or base lodge. Must have been some fun times on those trains going back and forth.
Anyone remember taking a ski train to and from the mountains? What was it like?
To read more about the history of the Winter Park ski train, click here.
Visit A Ski Museum
SeniorsSkiing.com salutes the many ski museums who have contributed to the Mystery Glimpse series this season. Our readers should be aware that these often very small museum carry the stories and pictures of the past years of snow sports, going back to the early renderings of hunters and warriors on skis and ski-like gear. If you have a ski history museum near you, visit and support their efforts.
Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum
Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum
National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame
We very much appreciate the contributions these ski museums made to SeniorsSkiing.com’s Mystery Glimpse. It was our way of keeping ski history and heroes alive and in front of an audience who appreciates the value of nostalgia. Next season, we hope to expand our list of contributors.
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