Buddy Up: Senior Ski Clubs Have More Fun
Alan Engen Recounts How Alta’s Wild Old Bunch has been meeting on the mountain since 1969.
With the baby boomers now reaching retirement age, there is a growing population of senior age skiers on the slopes, some of whom are even active in competitive skiing activities.
As a result, senior ski programs are becoming a significant part of many ski area activities in the Intermountain Region. For example, at Snowbird, Junior Bounous has his “Silver Wings” program. I used to have an Alta seniors program called “Silver Meisters.” In addition, various “seniors” ski clubs abound such as The Over the Hill Gang, The One Ski in the Grave Ski Club, The 70 plus Ski Club, and a special group here in Utah called the Wild Old Bunch.
WOB clowning around at Alta circa 1970.
Credit: WildOldBunch.com
In 1969, several senior ski buddies started the Wild Old Bunch by getting together on a weekly basis to enjoy Alta’s famous deep snow conditions. The founders were Art Wilder, Foley Richards, Johnny Bell, and Rush Spedden.
Shortly after, Rush Spedden made a home movie of the group skiing powder. Spedden named the film “The Wild Old Bunch.” This title gained immediate favor with Wilder, Richards, and Bell. It was decided by unanimous decree to
adopt the name on a permanent basis. Foley Richards created a patch for identification purposes which, in turn, became the groups logo. The smile face is well-known around local ski circles and quickly sends a message as to what the group is all about—namely enjoying the pleasure of winter skiing and the companionship that goes with it.
By 1973, the group had grown to about a dozen or so regulars and, by the end of the 1970s, it had about 130 active skiers from ages 50 on up. Because most of the membership consists of men and women retirees from the hectic pace of the corporate world, they have time to ski whenever they wish throughout the week. Rush Spedden solemnly told me the club’s rules when I was given my special membership WOB patch. He said, “The only rule is…there are no rules.”
Throughout the winter ski season at Alta, the Wild Old Bunch can be found congregating at Alta’s ALF’S mid-
WOB is one of the many ongoing senior ski clubs that endure across the country.
mountain restaurant at 11:00 a.m. several times a week. One of the articles written about the WOB said, “There, they swap jokes, agree to disagree, boost a few toddies and welcome other skiers.”
The driving inspiration binding this group was Rush Spedden who passed away at age 97 in late 2013. He served as the WOB primary spokesperson for many years. He was not only an outstanding skier; he was a noted engineer/scientist, teacher and historian in Utah. Rush Spedden’s generous donation to the Alf Engen Ski Museum Foundation made it possible to add a special pair of handmade skis from the Alaska gold rush days of the mid- 1800s to the permanent exhibit in the Alf Engen Ski Museum near Park City.
Intermountain ski history certainly includes the wonderful contributions of senior groups such as the Wild Old Bunch, and they deserve special mention as ambassadors for the joys of skiing at any age.
Alan Engen is a SeniorsSkiing Advisory Council member and recognized ski historian and author.
The Truth About Hand Warmers
A hot tip for happy hands.
The fall hunting season can be the best time to stock up on the “shake ’em up” hand warmer packets that we put into our ski gloves and mittens. In my area—Salt Lake City—some big box stores have special deals on the packets in the fall when outdoorsmen are preparing to head to the woods for the deer hunt.
Beware outdated hand warmers.
Credit: Harriet Wallis
But before you buy a load of special deal packets, examine them for the expiration date. It’s probably embossed or printed into the edge of the foil wrapper. Packets that are close to their expiration date may have lost their oomph.
Last year, my locker room buddies stocked up on hand warmers from a big box store in fall as usual. But then they moaned and groaned all winter about the packets. Many packets heated inconsistently and some never heated at all. On close examination, we found the packets to be nearly outdated, and some were past their expiration date. The store probably had old inventory and stocked the shelves with it first.
On the other hand, I’ve had packets buried in the bottom of my ski bag for several years, and yet they heated well.
The bottom line: To assure warm hands, check the expiration date before you buy. The expiration date should be several years into the future.
What’s your hand warmer story?
Fogless, Wide-Screen View While Wearing Glasses From Osbe Helmet
How To Look Like A Skiing Top Gun
Like many seniors dependent on glasses and contact lens-phobic, I’ve always searched for a way to keep my specs from fogging up while skiing. I overheat easily and goggles steam up so none of the usual tricks (rubbing dry soap on the lenses, etc.) help for long. I tried different goggles with a tiny built-in fan, but those have other drawbacks. A very good solution is
The Osbe’s visor allows a flow of air to evaporate fog.
Credit: Michael Conley
the Osbe Proton Senior, a helmet featuring an integral pivoting visor that covers your face— but not your nose—from the cheeks up. I’ve used mine for a few years now in a variety of conditions, and I’m quite happy with it. There are several advantages to this visored helmet over the traditional helmet/goggle combo.
Most important for me, no fogging of my glasses at all! The visor doesn’t actually contact your face to form a seal like a typical goggle. There is an “air dam” of foam rubber on the inside lower edge to minimize the gap, but a small amount of air can circulate through the inside of the visor. This is necessary to continually clear away any buildup of humidity, and it works very well. Occasionally on the lift a bit of fogging can occur depending on the wind but never while skiing. Another important benefit is a greatly increased field of vision. The Osbe visor, unlike goggles, does not make a frame around your face with thick foam that restricts peripheral vision; this helps avoid what I consider the biggest danger on the slopes: other skiers.
Since the visor does not touch your face there is no pressure to restrict breathing through the nose. Goggles tended to press my glasses into my face, and occasionally I almost pulled my glasses off when removing them. It’s a simple
Admit it. Navy pilot helmets are cool. Check that visor.
Credit: Andrea Salimbeti
matter to pivot the well-made, distortion-free visor up or down as needed. Since the visor is very light, it doesn’t affect the balance of the helmet.
Visors are available in clear, mirrored, smoke and orange and can be easily changed in a few minutes. One minor problem is a small loose part that can fall off in the visor-changing process, so be careful. I just leave the orange visor on at all times and use clip-on shades when needed.
Osbe is an Italian maker of motorcycle helmets with years of experience in helmet design. Maybe being European-designed the sizing seems to run small. I’ve always worn a large in helmets, but the sizing chart on the Osbe website indicated I should wear a medium (my head is about 23-1/2″ around). I ordered a large anyway, and it was definitely too tight, so I ended up with an XL which fits fine.
The Osbe tends to start conversations on the chair—some say it looks odd. I’m 58, and I couldn’t care less at this point in my life if it does. Seeing clearly at all times is key. If I make someone smile, hey, what’s bad about that?
For more information: check Osbe Ski Helmets
What’s your experience been with Osbe?
SeniorsSkiing Contributor Michael Conley re-discovered skiing in his late 40’s when his daughter took up snowboarding. A Brooklyn, NY-based artist and furniture maker, he skis as often as possible (not nearly enough…) in upstate New York and New England, with excursions to Montana where that now grown-up daughter is in college. In warmer weather he kayaks and hikes and bikes with his cold-phobic wife.
Editor’s Curiosity Corner: According to the NSAA, 77% of skiers 55-64 and 81% of skiers 65 and over wear helmets. If you do, what’s your rationale? If you don’t, what’s up? Let us know.
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