Dancing With Skis
Many Readers May Remember Ski Ballet, The Graceful, Sometimes Amusing, Phenomenon From The 1980s.
Costumed performers on skis took skiing to new levels as they executed freestyle moves to a variety of musical themes.
It was the snow equivalent of free style figure skating with individual and pair performances.
Ski Ballet with Suzy Chaffee and Mark Steigemier
Some observers saw ski ballet as liberation from the restricted forms imposed by European techniques, a natural outgrowth of the freewheeling youth movement of the 60s and 70s.
Shorter skis and smooth slopes were used. Occasionally, moguls played a role. When participants took air, it generally was close to the snow. In 1988, it was exhibited at the Canadian Winter Olympics in Calgary. It appeared again in ’92 in Albertville, France. But it never made it to a full Olympic event. FIS ended formal Ski Ballet competition after 2000.
Every now and then you may spot a rare bird linking ballet moves together on the hill. When I’ve encountered this endangered species, it’s been on gentle terrain. Terrain park acrobatics — another form of pushing limits on skis — are far more aggressive.
To me ski ballet represents a different, youthful and more innocent time. It is a historical curiosity that, like other things, from our past, may one day be rediscovered.
Are there any SeniorsSkiing readers who performed back in the day? If so, let us know. Better yet, send stills or video.
Many of you will remember Suzy “Chapstick” Chaffee. She performed ski ballet with grace and beauty. In this vintage video from Bogner she performs with John Eaves.
Best Time to Buy Senior Ski Passes is Now
The Deals Are Out There. Time To Act.
Mike “Bear Trap” Warner is a former ski instructor committed to finding discounts for seniors.
[Editor Note: Mike “Bear Foot” Warner produces SeniorsSkiDeals.com which publishes the prices of top ski resorts and offers advice on where to find the best discounts and when to buy.]
If you are a senior skier and are planning to ski over a week this winter, you might want to consider buying a season pass. The ski resorts’ season passes listed here are worth buying if you plan on skiing four or five days at one area. Telluride 70+ Season Pass is $900 while Aspen is $499. With daily lift tickets at $114 on a week’s ski trip you would buy the pass in Aspen but not at Telluride. There is also insurance available for your pass if you need to cancel your trip.
When Alex Cushing owned Squaw Valley, kids up to 12 and seniors 65 and over skied for free. His thinking was the kids would love the sport and come back for 60 years, and the seniors were being rewarded for a lifetime of lift tickets. Now seniors are a profit center for most resorts. An article appeared in Huffington Post in 2015 of 108 ski area’s with free lift tickets for seniors. This year of the 100 top rated ski resorts from ZRankings.com only four offer free skiing for 70+ skiers.
There are a number of ski areas that still offer very good senior season pass rates. Below is a list of the resorts that still offer real deals to 65+ or 70+ senior skiers. These resorts make it worthwhile to buy their pass if you plan to ski there five days or more.
Eastern skiers will be surprised, or already know, that there is only one good deal offered out of the top ranked 17 ski resorts. Out of the top 11 Canadian ski resorts, again only one deal is posted. An example is Killington’s senior pass 65-79 costs $659. The online daily lift ticket is $70. So you’re better off buying lift tickets if you ski nine days or less there.
California:
Heavenly Valley 65+ Epic Value Pass $389
Also good discounts with restrictions at Northstar and Kirkwood.
Homewood 62-69 $349
Diamond Peak 65-69 $169
Mammouth: 65-79 $499
Also good discounts at June, Bear Valley, Snow Summit
Utah
Sundance 65+ $150
Beaver Mountain 70+ $100
Eagle Point 62-69 $ 239 70+ $199
Idaho
Bogus Basin 70+ $229
Tamarack 70+ $199
Colorado
Aspen 70+ $499
Winter Park 60-69 $ 429 70+ $339
Loveland 60-69 $ 399 70+ $99
Copper Mountain 65+ $319
Wolf Creek 65+ $323
Also good discounts at Snowmass, Buttermilk, and Highlands
Montana
Whitefish Mountain 70+ Free
Oregon
Timberline 65-70 $ 169 71+ Free
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl 65-70 $ 149 71+ Free
Washington
Mt. Baker 70+ $ 125
Stevens Pass 70+ $ 99
White Pass 73+ $ 20
Vermont
Smugglers Notch Resort 70+ $29
British Columbia
White Water 70+ Free
Cycling Series: Update On “Arthritis Proof” Never Flat Bicycle Tires
I’ve Learned A Lot And Here Are The Lessons.
Find out what Harriet thought about these tubeless, foam-filled tires. Credit: Harriet Wallis
If your hands are arthritic, you know how hard it is get a tire back on the rim after fixing a flat. Lightweight Tannus tubeless foam tires were recently introduced into the U.S., and I was quick to buy a set. They don’t take a tube, and since they are filled with foam, they can never get a flat. Never. And they’re good for 5,000 miles. That seemed to be the perfect solution for my hands.
I had them installed just before a charity ride in the cool weather of early June. They rode wonderfully. They were the cat’s meow.
But as summer temperatures heated the road surface, the road softened the tires, and they became sluggish. The hotter the day, the slower they rode. Hot weather riding and hill climbing became work. Dang!
I think the lightweight, solid foam, Tannus tubeless tires live up to their reputation that they can never get a flat. My tires picked up several of those dreaded goat head thorns. I pulled them out and rode on. No problem. No flat. I think casual riders and commuters who face road debris will enjoy them. And they come in 12 lively colors.
But for me, it was time to move on and find another “arthritis proof” bicycle tire. Stay tuned for my review of the Bontrager brand tubeless tire-wheel system.
To read more from Harriet click here for her stories on SkiUtah.
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