Short Swings!
Congratulations!! Two SeniorsSkiing.com Advisory Council members have been named to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame:
Gretchen Besser “…for her unprecedented career as a ski patroller and first aid instructor… and her impact as an historian, international liaison and visionary in the world of skiing…”
Bernie Weichsel “As an advocate and creator of an organized freestyle competition circuit. His innovative SKI USA worldwide promotions continue to bring thousands of international skiers to U.S. slopes and his consumer ski and snowboard expos attract tens of thousands of visitors each year.”
CALIFORNIA
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows got 15 inches and was planning to open this week. Last season delivered 41 feet. The resort has a new lift-accessed guided backcountry skiing/boarding operation.
Sequoia National Park hosts its annual Trek to the Tree event on December 11. Visitors walk to The General Grant Tree, designated as the Nation’s Christmas Tree. Since 1925, Trek to the Tree has honored the Armed Forces.
CANADA
Whistler Blackcomb opened this week with almost three feet of coverage. More expected over coming days.
COLORADO
Purgatory opened last week, just got 17″.
Wolf Creek opened Thanksgiving Day, with 16″ of new.
Telluride received 11″.
Copper Mountain opened with two feet of base and fresh.
Arapahoe Basin and Loveland are open. Each just received 7″.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Bretton Woods has opened for its 43rd season.
UTAH
Ski Utah reports that high elevation Brian Head, in the south of the state, received 15” this week. Any Utah resort receiving a foot or more is designated as a Monster Dump on Ski Utah’s outstanding website.
Deer Valley Resort was named United States’ Best Ski Resort by the World Ski Award. The resort has received the title for four consecutive years.
Other
VinniBag protects and insulates anything that might break or leak, including wine & spirit bottles. The reusable travel bag uses inflatable air chambers and stores flat, rolled or folded when not in use. A terrific and unusual gift at $28 ($25@ for two or more).
Gripforce is a dual-purpose boot that, with the flip of a switch, transforms a boot into an ice cleat in less than a second. Developers say It is as safe to wear on glistening ice as it is on hardwood floor.
Patagonia is donating 100% of its Black Friday store and online sales to grassroots environmental groups.
Who’s Open, Opening, And When?
How To Find Out Where The Snow Is Without A Lot Of Clicking.
Arapahoe Basin this morning (11/23) via webcam.
A reader’s question came in yesterday. He said: “You would do us seniors a service if you listed what ski areas in New England were opening early now that we are getting snow.”
Great question, and here’s the answer. And let’s go beyond New England.
States where skiing is a major attraction have non-profit associations that promote resorts within the state. So, the first places to look are those websites. Search for their sites for a menu item something like, “Areas and Conditions,” or “Current Conditions”. For example, here’s a sampling of state association sites from different regions:
New England: Ski New Hampshire, Ski Vermont, Ski Maine.
Mid West: Ski Michigan, Ski Wisconsin
Rockies: Ski Utah, Colorado Ski.
Far West: Ski Washington, Ski Oregon, California’s Lake Tahoe Region.
There are many more, but you get the idea.
Even more efficient, go to the sites that aggregate snow conditions nationally and even internationally. Here are four big ones; there may be others:
Powderhounds.com, Ski Central.com, OnTheSnow.com, Liftopia.com, and SnoCountry.com which also has cross-country resort listings.
As you are probably aware by now, if you buy online several days before you go, you will get a discount off the walk-up price for a lift ticket. And don’t forget to check discounts at Mike “Bear Trap” Warner’s Seniorskideals.com.
Killington, VT, will host FIS World Cup on 11/26-27. Here’s view this morning (11/23) via webcam.
Senior Season Pass And Lift Ticket Deals
Seniorskideals.com Inventories Discounts At Popular Resorts.
Deals are out there. Here’s a website that will help seniors find them.
We are very pleased to hear that Seniorskideals.com has updated more information on its site, a source for season pass and lift discounts for seniors. The site’s publisher, Mike “Bear Trap” Warner, has been busy since we last checked in back in mid-Sept.
Last year, Bear Trap started collecting discounts at Tahoe area resorts, now he’s expanded to 93 top resorts across North America. The updated list includes season pass and day lift tickets at these selected resorts.
We think its a great start and a great place for you to start looking for where you can ski for less. Bear in mind, this is a work in process. And Seniorskideals.com focuses only on top resorts defined by Zrankings.com, a site that ranks ski resorts in North America.
As we have learned, you can probably ski for less if you 1) go to a local hill that isn’t a “name” resort, 2) buy tickets online through the resort website or Liftopia a few days before you go, 3) buy a season pass in the summer, or 4) go with a ski club.
As with all things online, double check with the resort to confirm prices and restrictions.
Many thanks to Bear Trap for providing this information to senior skiers.
Mike “Bear Trap” Warner is publisher of Seniorskideals.com and a former ski instructor.
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