Jan Brunvand Turns 90!
Congratulations to SeniorsSkiing correspondent Jan Brunvand on schussing into his 90’s!
Alta’s Wild Old Bunch celebrates Jan’s 90th. Jan center. Photo by WOB member George Ramjoue.
Enjoy Jan’s top ten reasons he enjoys being a senior skier. (Originally published December 2017)
#10. I have nothing to prove.
I don’t need to ski bumps, steeps or crud. It’s challenging enough just skiing blues at age 84.
#9. Skiing impresses my non-skiing peers.
When folks ask “Are you still skiing,” they mean “still” as in “At your age?” not “still” as in “Is there still any snow up there?” I try to be a ski missionary and convince some old friends to return to skiing or to try it for the first time.
#8. Everything works better than when I was a kid.
Skis turn more easily, bindings release when they’re supposed to, and boots are actually comfortable. Ski clothes are lighter, warmer, and drier than in the good old days of wool and windbreakers.
#7. I have a built-in excuse for just about anything . . .
. . . like taking green runs, skiing half days, having extra coffee breaks, asking the liftie to slow it down, and forgetting where I parked.
#6. Skiing half days.
Did I mention this? I forget. Anyway, my wife and I ski what we call the “middle half”—start about 10:00 and quit about 3:00. We take at least five runs to count it as a ski day.
#5. Skiing with grandkids.
Until they’re about ten, the grandkids ski at about the same pace as us, and afterwards they’ll fetch us a coffee while we sit out a couple of their runs on the steeper stuff. If you ski with the kids you may be able to keep them from going to the dark side—SNOWBOARDING!
#4. Skiing midweek.
We avoid Saturdays, but sometimes ski Sundays, starting early, if that’s the only other time the grandkids are free. (If brought up properly, they can sometimes be convinced to skip school.) If you must ski weekends or holidays, split with your partner and use the singles line. You might meet someone interesting, hopefully not more interesting than your partner.
#3. Meeting other active seniors.
The 60+,70+, 80+ occasionally even 90+ jacket patches give your fellow oldsters away. Thin and graying hair under the helmets IDs them in the lodge. I always chat with peers asking where they learned to ski, and moving on to other important topics like how many grandkids do they have, are they fly fishers, and do they remember Studebakers. (I have a ’53 Commander, a good conversation starter with older people.)
#2. It’s a good kind of tired.
After a nice half day of skiing, by the time I get the boards off the car and myself out of my long underwear, I’m very sleepy and mellow, ready for a nap, a shower, and a drink before dinner. Ah, bliss!
And the #1 reason I enjoy being a senior skier. Senior discounts.
At my age in my area, season passes are free at Alta!
When Errol Flynn Skied at Alta
Many famous Hollywood movie stars came to Alta to ski during the 1940s. Two of the best known were Claudette Colbert and Ray Milland, but most famous of all was Errol Flynn, the swashbuckling leading man.
My uncle, the late Sverre Engen, was Alta’s Ski School Director in 1946 when the legendary action hero visited Alta for a ski outing. I remember my uncle telling me, with a big grin on his face, about the experience.
As I remember, Sverre said that Flynn arrived with great “fanfare,” accompanied by several assistants to make sure that he received the finest treatment possible, on and off the slopes.
The morning after his arrival, it was snowing and visibility was somewhat marginal. However, Flynn made it known among the other guests at Alta Lodge that he was not intimated and was going to tackle the challenging Alta mountain terrain regardless of limited visibility conditions.
My uncle was requested to be Flynn’s personal escort for the anticipated ski outing. Sverre wrote about the experience with Flynn in his book, Skiing a Way of Life (1976). Here is what he had to say:
“When Errol Flynn got to the Alta Lodge, he wasn’t in very good physical condition, but was anxious to get up on the mountain. In the morning, the porch was full of people watching him put his skis on, curious to see what kind of a skier he was. This was his penalty for being famous.
Flynn insisted on taking the lift to the top, but this was something he never should have done. It took most of the day to get halfway down.
I would get him started in a slow traversing position, but he would gain more speed than he could handle, head for the trees, and sit down. I would help him up, and we would do the same thing over again. We worked our way down the mountain until he wore himself out completely.
Finally, I had to call the ski patrol for help. He gratefully crawled up on the toboggan, and the patrol took him the rest of the way to the Alta Lodge. His pride was bruised a little, but he was still a good sport and smiled when he got up from the toboggan and walked into the lodge.”
Personally,I have always wished I could have been there to see the famous “swashbuckling” actor arriving back at the Alta Lodge, without his skis, and facing his adoring public. As my uncle inferred, I am sure Flynn’s ego was impacted – perhaps even deflated – at that particular moment.
I mentioned a few of the celebrities who frequented Alta ski area in the 1940s. Since then, there have been many others, from film and politics, and I was lucky enough to know some, including skiing with them. To name a few –
Lowell Thomas, the national commentator who pretty much invented travelogues; “Gunsmoke” star James Arness; famous TV host Art Linkletter; Senator Charles Percy; Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara; former Ambassador to Belgium Tom Korologos; and Dr. Henry Heimlich, who invented the maneuver named for him, which has saved many lives from choking.
All were outstanding individuals and several, like Senator Robert F. Kennedy – who skied at Alta just a few months before his tragic assassination in 1968 – were excellent skiers. Senator Kennedy, as I remember, liked to ski fast.
Time continues to move forward, and even though I retired as Alta Director of Skiing in April 2012, I am sure there are many more celebrities who have since frequented the beautiful mountainous resort of what some have referred to as “Romantic Alta.”
Ski Heil!
Historic photos provided by Alan K. Engen
Photo of Errol Flynn at the bottom of the old Collins chairlift, circa 1946 is by Ray Atkeson. It has been provided to Alan Engen by Alta Ski Area with the understanding that it would be used exclusively for Alta related ski history.
Photo of Alan, Alf, Corey and Sverre Engen is circa mid-1950s. All four are inductees of the National Ski Hall of Fame. Photo part of the Alan Engen Ski History Collection, which resides at the University of Utah J.Willard Marriott Library, Ski and Snow Sports Archives.
Winter Sports at Aspen Snowmass Besides Skiing/Snowboarding
I’ve always said that life should be downhill in winter. But sometimes it’s fun to try something else besides skiing, riding, or even X-C skiing or snowshoeing. Here are five other winter sports available in Aspen/Snowmass, including one that is an Olympic sport.
Curling
If you’ve ever been bowling and thought, “we should be doing this on ice” then curling is for you. Dating back to 16th century Scotland, curling pits two teams of players against one another.
But instead of rolling balls at pins at the end of a long polished wooden alley, curling competitors slide 40-pound stones with handles across a sheet of ice towards targets of concentric circles. The name referrers to the rotation of the stones on the ice, as they “curl” towards their targets.
The Aspen Curling Club hosts matches every Wednesday at the Aspen Ice Garden, and Aspen Snowmass offers a quick introduction to the sport at Game Of Stones each Thursday at the Snowmass Base Village Ice Rink.
Fat Biking
Aspen is a cycling mecca in the summertime, but a little snow on the ground doesn’t mean the wheels stop spinning. So-called fat bikes, which feature oversized tires and fenders to protect riders from the elements, allow for comfortable year-round riding.
The fat tires are typically run at a lower PSI. Such under-inflation allows more surface area to contact the ground, and that provides better grip and stability even on snow. Note that under-inflation is okay for bikes, but not for cars.
Fat bikes are available for rent at bike shops around town or at the Aspen Snowmass Nordic Center. They are perfect for conquering trails around town or for a ride to the Maroon Bells if you’re feeling especially adventurous.
Snowbikes
Snowbikes—not to be confused with fat bikes—do not have pedals and are actually designed to be ridden downhill on ski slopes.
Originally known as skibobs, snowbikes have seats and frames similar to bicycles, but the wheels are replaced with skis. Riders wear boots with small skis attached to assist in steering. Rentals and lessons are available on Snowmass.
Ice Karting
Sliding sideways behind the wheel of a vehicle on ice or snow normally is a harrowing experience. But it’s all part of the fun at Aspen Ice Karting, a pop-up cart racing operation on Kodiak Lake in Willits, where a little drift is expected – even welcomed – through the turns.
Ice karts are equipped with spiked tires for traction on their frozen lake. Speeds can reach 50mph on the straightaways, ensuring a heart pumping winter driving experience.
Uphilling
We said earlier that life should be downhill in winter – but have you tried uphill?
Aspen Snowmass is an uphill-friendly ski resort, meaning uphillers can enjoy climbing the four mountains and skiing down them via designated routes. Locals across the Roaring Fork Valley — and elsewhere in the Rockies — are passionate about uphilling, and you can get in the game by renting uphilling skis of your own.
All four mountains at Aspen Snowmass, including Highlands and Buttermilk, accommodate uphill travel, but an uphill pass is required. Uphillers are asked to follow the designated routes to ensure safety as well as a scenic and enjoyable route to the top.
Know before you go: There are occasional closures for safety reasons, crowd-control, and snow mitigation, so it’s important to stay up-to-date with this information.
Learn more here about each mountain’s rules and routes, including elevation gain. https://www.aspensnowmass.com/discover/experiences/guides/uphilling-guide
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