More Senior-Friendly Ski Areas
Our Readers Offer More Places For Senior Friendliness and Significant Discounts.
Sundance offers senior discounts as well as season passes that include public transportation from Provo.
Credit: Sundance
Since then, we’ve heard from our readers. Lots of reactions, some criticism, many additional ski areas to add to the senior-friendly list. Here’s what you told us :
- Paul from the UK: I can’t believe you have included Snowbird with no seniors program at all and a seniors pass costing $799 for 65+ while excluding Copper Mountain at $316 for 65+ with an all-season 4 days a week program of instructor-guided ability-based groups for only another $380! I ski Alta and Snowbird for 3 weeks each year so an Alta 65+ pass at $599 with $30 upgrades to ski days at Snowbird is the best senior package there. Even better, the Alta season pass is FREE for 80+ ! Copper Mountain remains top of my own senior-friendly ski areas list for quality and fun but thank you for news of areas offering free skiing for over 70s or very cheap senior season pass rates and free senior skiing programs, especially Sundance which sounds very welcoming and can be reached from Salt Lake City by public transport.
- Linda: Brundage Mountain Resort, McCall, Idaho. Steep discounts for seniors, for example, $26 for weekend ski days.
- Stewart: Berkshire East in western Massachusetts on weekdays. Reasonable price, short walk, excellent groomed trails, short lines. (Ed. Note: Weekday lift tickets are $28 for 65+).
- Leslye: I’ve only skied two of the areas in this list: Purgatory and A-Basin. Both are great mountains, but the Purgatory I skied was challenging at any age. A-Basin is one of my favs. Get there early, and it’s a very short walk to the lodge. There are runs for every skill level, and the view from the top cannot be beat. Waiting for last run at 12 thousand feet is one of my fondest memories. Burgers and Brats from outdoor grills at midway. I always found the staff and skiers among the friendliest in Colorado. At 67 I’d still give it a go. (Ed. Note: Arapahoe Basin has “semi-senior” (60-69) and “senior” (70+). Deep discounts.)
- Tom: You missed one of the best. Loveland ski area on top of the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 in Colorado has an unlimited senior ski pass for 70 years old plus with discounts on food, and friends who want to ski with you for $89.00, a hell of a deal. I live in Breckenridge, and I have a full EPIC Pass to all Vail Resorts ski areas and bought this one also.
- Stan: It’s not all about price for seniors, you know. Another big factor is ease of access, and although this article seems to want to ignore Vail Resorts areas, the ease of access to Beaver Creek’s slopes is unmatched anywhere. Besides the free parking and frequent bus shuttles to the base village, the escalators from there to the main lift area means that we older folks don’t have to expend as much energy getting to the lifts, and therefore have a lot more energy to expend on the skiing itself. For my money, Beaver Creek belongs prominently on this list.
- DL: I have been a skier for 56 years – since college. We go to Colorado for the winter season and ski almost daily. The best place for Senior Skiers in my opinion is Copper Mountain. They have a most reasonable season pass as well as a very active Over The Hill Gang that meets four days a week to ski in small ability and friendship based groups. We have tried almost every ski area in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, California, and the Canadian Rockies. Nothing compares to the skiing at Copper with the Gang.
- Bill: Mountain High (southern California) Senior Program is in its seventh year this season. They average over 50 seniors each week. (Ed. Note: 70+ ski free every day)
- Lee K. in Albuquerque: It seems foolish that a ski area doesn’t offer extras for seniors. Seniors are more than happy to go to a ski area during the week and not ski on weekends. The ski area has a resource that is not being used to any way near capacity. Seniors should be looked at as newfound money. As a senior living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I would like to suggest Ski Santa Fe as a great seniors ski destination.
The Rio Metro Regional Transit District offers something special that can be truly awesome for Seniors —Take the Train to Ski and Play in Santa Fe
A senior gets a reduced fare on the Rail Runner so you could stay in a hotel in either Albuquerque or Santa Fe and ski all day at Ski Santa Fe for a very reasonable cost. Also a Super Senior (72 +) can ski for free! One of the best things I’ve seen at Ski Santa Fe, there are no or few lift lines during the week!
I have a Bronze Pass (weekdays only) for the season and as a veteran (with a VA medical card) I can ride the Rail Runner for free. My transportation costs from Albuquerque to and from Ski Santa Fe amount to five dollars a day.
Take the train to ski at SkiSantaFe. 72+ ski for free! That’s senior-friendly.
Credit: Lee Kniess
We thank all our readers who commented on senior-friendly areas. Your comments validate our publishing philosophy—It pays to be friendly to senior skiers. We are often your best customers, and there are more of us every day.
Do you have a senior-friendly area that needs to be included? Please let us know.
My Fitness Journey Continues: Part Eight
Correspondent Rose Marie Cleese reports on her fitness journey, noting that regular exercise makes a big, big difference in how you feel.
Credit: Pinterest
The Journey That Began With A Single Step Isn’t Over Yet!
Although this will be the last official installment of my personal fitness journey series that began on May 1st, it’s definitely not the end of the journey. I have many more pounds to lose before I sleep and promises to myself to continue to keep. I’ll be posting an update some time in the next three months, at which time I hope I can tell you that I’ve met all of my goals, including losing that last 20 pounds and tipping the scales at 130 pounds. I’ve already lost 20 pounds so I’m halfway there.
Even though I haven’t yet reached my desired weight, I’ve added a number of habits to my life that have made me a healthier, happier person with a body that’s so much better prepared to hit the slopes (hopefully in the next couple of weeks) than the one that floundered on them last March. I tried on my ski clothes last week and they fit comfortably rather than my feeling like a stuffed sausage. People who haven’t seen me in a few months are noticing my weight loss and telling me how good I look. Most importantly, I feel so much healthier…and bouncier.
So what am I taking away from these past seven months? The number one lesson I’ve learned is how important regular exercise is. My twice-weekly aerobics classes and my once-a-week stretching classes and weight classes have had a considerable effect on me. I don’t get out of breath exerting myself anymore, my balance has improved 100%, and my arms and legs actually look and feel toned. I’ve rarely missed my classes because I feel so energized at the end of them. This is one habit that has become solidly entrenched. In the near future I’d like to add some yoga to my exercise regimen and I’ve put a Fitbit on my Christmas wish list.
Regarding my weight loss, I’m happy that I haven’t gained back any of the weight I’ve lost (even over the Thanksgiving holiday!), but I do need to get back on track in the coming months. I plan on being more religious about mindful eating, portion control, food choices (less “white” food, more fruits and vegetables), not eating late meals, and saying “no” at least a couple of times a day when I’m tempted to snack or eat something that’s unhealthy. I’ll continue the daily food diary that I’ve been faithfully keeping the last seven months, and I’ll continue to weigh in once a week and also check my measurements once a month. If I find that the pounds are refusing to come off, I may participate for a couple of months in one of the several diet plans out there that are the top choices of the medical establishment.
As I write this article at 3 AM, I have to admit that I have failed miserably at getting enough sleep and am beginning to wonder if a night owl can ever be an early bird. I’ll let you know in my update in a few months if I’ve found an answer to this perennial problem of mine. Suggestions welcome!
Speaking of suggestions, I want to thank all of you out there who have sent me your thoughts, insights, and encouraging words over the past seven months. It really does make it easier when you’ve got some cheerleaders urging you on. In the meantime, there are some snowy slopes out there that are calling my name, and I can’t wait to make some tracks on them. Stay fit…stay tuned…and have a great winter!
Editor’s Note: SeniorsSkiing.com salutes our correspondent Rose Marie Cleese for sharing her journey with our readers over the last few months. Her project took courage and fortitude. Please join us in acknowledging her efforts and her willingness to tell us about her experience.
Are Heated Gloves Worth It?
Some Things To Consider Before You Buy.
Luke Larsen, owner of the Lift House in Salt Lake City, demonstrates the Hestra brand of heated mittens. Hestra also makes heated gloves.
Credit: Harriet Wallis
If you google “heated gloves”, you’ll find two dozen brands in all price ranges. And more brands are advertised in ski magazines. It seems that many companies have jumped into the heated glove market. To make matters confusing, the descriptions all sound alike.
“Heated gloves that work well cost about $300 – $400” said Luke Larsen, owner of the Lift House, a premier Salt Lake City ski shop. “It’s the same technology as heated ski boots.”
Consider these tips before you invest in heated gloves.
- What about batteries? The battery should be located on top of the palm/wrist area and well covered by the glove’s insulation. Why? Batteries are heavy so it’s the best place to put them. And it’s also a good place for you to see the heat setting light. Be sure the battery in the brand you consider is well protected by glove material and not close to the surface. Batteries and wires must stay warm to work well. And check how long the battery should run between charges.
- How’s the plug? The battery recharger plug should be stout and easy to grasp. Plugs that you have to wiggle with can break with wear.
- Do these gloves make my hands look fat? Many women’s gloves boast a slim profile. That means less insulation. The battery and the wires must be kept warm to keep you warm.
- Try them on. Check how the gloves work with your jacket sleeve. Some gloves are slightly curved to make grasping a ski pole easier. Check your grasp. Heated mittens are warmer than heated gloves.
- Talk to other skiers. Look for skiers with a light on their gloves. It’s the give-away that they’re wearing heated gloves. Pick their brains.
- Buy from a ski shop with great service. A quality ski shop will go to bat for you if you have any problems.
- Follow the directions precisely. If you want the gloves to last, do exactly what the directions tell you about recharging, transporting and storing them off season. If they come with a case, use it. Heated gloves aren’t fragile, but they don’t deserve having a ski boot dropped onto the wires.
Here’s what skiers are saying about their heated gloves:
“Last year was the first year I used battery powered gloves for skiing, and they are the best. If my hands are warm, I am warm all over,” says Arlene Maginn of Hamilton, MA. “On medium setting, they last all day! They are Core Heat Snow Gloves, and I recommend them for all kinds of winter activities.”
Salt Lake City skier Laurie O’Connor agrees. She can stay toasty all day. However, instead of heated gloves, she opted for heated Thermo Gloves liners. That way she can wear different outer gloves.
Todd Reynolds, a commercial fisherman from sunny Florida, has heated Hestra gloves. “I love them” he said. “I’d freeze without them.”
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