This Week in SeniorsSkiing.com (Aug 12)
V for Vail, Vandals, Volcanoes…and Vacation!!!!
This week we report on V‘s: Vail (purchasing WhistlerBlackcomb), Vandals (destroying the world’s oldest skier image), and Volcanoes (erupting in Chile’s Nevado de Chillan ski resort). We figure it’s an appropriate use of the alphabet, since both Mike and I are taking Vacations next week. He’s with family on Prince Edward Island. My wife and I will be on a road trip to Colorado’s Western Slope, hiking, soaking in hot springs, taking it easy.
Out of respect to the adjacent letter, “W,” we’re including a quirky video from Whakappa in New Zealand. If you’re in a hot and humid place, watch it. You’ll shiver!
If you’re contemplating purchasing a season pass, now is the time to do it. The cost of resort and multiple resort passes generally increases after Labor Day. Some resorts, like Snowbird, include a variety of goodies for early purchasers.
SeniorsSkiing is taking a break next week — our first since we started publishing in 2014. We’ll have some interesting and exciting developments to share as we approach the 2016-17 season. More on those when we return August 26!
In the meanwhile, keep doing what you do to condition for Winter. It’s going to be a great season for older skiers. There are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away!
Vandals Destroy World’s Oldest Skier Image
Picture Used as Lillehammer Games Logo.
5,000 year old Tromso rock art skier before and after
The world’s oldest known image of a person on skis — a 5,000 year old petroglyph on the Norwegian island of Tro — has been destroyed by vandals. The image was used as the logo for the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics.
Image used for Lillehammer Olympics
This is a tragedy for those interested in skiing history. It also is a tragedy for Norway, which considers the picture among it’s national treasures.
The vandals were young people who claim they were trying to improve the visibility of the faint petroglyph.
I live in an area with an abundance of ancient rock art. A short walk from my home takes me to a major panel made by people from the Fremont Culture, who were here about 1,000 years ago. There are pictographs (painted images) and petroglyphs (pecked and carved images). Over the past century, visitors have carved names and dates. Archaeologists consider these more recent markings “historic.” Over the past few years, the site has degraded as vandals have defaced the 1,000 year old images, scratched in their own graffiti, and used charcoal from the site to leave drawings, names, and stupid sentiments.
Ancient rock art is rare. Many people do not understand its importance as a connection to prehistory. Nor do they understand that it should be left alone.
Some educational programs encourage people to “Respect and Protect” ancient rock art. I recently met with personnel from the Bureau of Land Management to discuss ways to protect the panel near my home.
For a cultural treasure so important to the Norwegians, what measures were in place to prevent young idiots from to destroying this iconic ancient skier?
Volcano Erupting On Ski Hill? No Problem.
It’s only ash. Volcano erupts at Chile’s Nevado de Chillan ski resort. Let the lifts spin and the skiers slip along!
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