Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/4 Comments/in , , /by

A few bizarre developments from ski country:

Source: American Museum of Natural History

Did you see the recent article about the frozen fish blizzard in the Altai Mountain region of China? It’s the same region where for thousands of years, indigenous people have been navigating winter on homemade skis. Apparently, a tornado-like waterspout touched down in Kanas Lake, picked up a large school of 5” – 7” fish and deposited them across several small villages in the region.

A naturally occurring avalanche in a remote section of the Dolomite region of Italy, uncovered the remains of a German bi-plane that crashed there during World War I. Inside was the preserved body of the pilot, as well as a partially eaten loaf of bread and an unopened bottle of beer.

Source: American Museum of Natural History

Park City chiropractor, Ben Dover, was repairing a plumbing leak in the basement of his 100+ year old home when he noticed cool air blowing through the wood paneled wall. Curious, he carefully removed a few boards and found the entrance to an old mine. Flashlight in hand, he walked into the space where he saw something hanging on a wall. It was a calendar from 1909 with a date circled in red: April 1!

Happy April Fools Day!!!

It’s part of the human condition that, regardless of our age, every one of us has an unknown expiration date. I believe we should be aware of the news of the day and have empathy for those who suffer. Among the ways we can help is through volunteering and financial and other forms of support. We can also make an extra effort to be kind to ourselves and to each other. Next time you’re being jostled in lift line or cut off before you pull into that ideal parking space, give the other person a smile. When you get to the chair, thank the liftee. On the trail, do what you can to avoid a collision. There’s a lot wrong with the world of skiing: the crowds, reckless people, etc., etc. But there’s a lot right with it, too. Otherwise we wouldn’t go to the effort.

Spring has arrived. Delicious warm days await us on the hill. Soon we’ll be hanging up our boards and thinking about next season.

Enjoy April Fools Day. Enjoy the pond skim. Enjoy the live band and the cold beer. Enoy it all. It’s skiing.

Fashion Statement?

Tommy Hilfinger’s ski-in/ski-out home sold for a $19 million profit after three months of ownership.

Fashion Designer/manufacturer, Tommy Hilfiger, sold his Aspen ski in/ski out home last week for $50 million. He purchased in in December for $31 million. Yes, you read that correctly. He made a $19 million profit in three months…reflecting the current hot mountain town real estate market.

The Future of XC Skiing

If you’re associated with a XC ski club or facility, be sure to set aside time April 5 and 6 to attend (by Zoom) the Cross Country Ski Areas Association 2022 Spring Conference. Topics will cover current trends and events impacting the XC industry and maintaining growth and optimizing the guest experience. Cost:$45; https://ccsaa.org/annual-conference-2021/.

OR Returns to Salt Lake City

Five years ago, the twice-yearly Outdoor Retailer trade show decamped from Salt Lake City to Denver. Among the numerous reasons for the move was the State of Utah’s resistance to protecting its wilderness lands from development by extraction industries and from continued illegal use by ATVs and other motorized vehicles. Given that the outdoor recreational industry is based, in large part, on use of public lands, numerous big brands threatened to withdraw from the trade show if it continued in the state. Now, with support from the mayor of Salt Lake City, the twice-annual show will return to its roots. The past five years has seen unprecedented growth in Salt Lake City and the surrounding area. The new international airport, a $5.5 billion investment, is the first major hub airport replacement built in the 21st century.

Telltale Signs of Stroke

This valuable information arrived in my inbox along with the story of a woman who died after the signs of her stroke went undetected. If treated within three hours of onset, chance of recovery is increased. To determine if someone is experiencing a stroke ask the person to 1) smile; 2) talk and speak a simple sentence; 3) raise both arms. If there is difficulty performing any of these, immediately call 911 and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. An additional sign of stroke: Ask the person to stick out the tongue. If it goes to one side or the other, the person may have had a stroke.

Ski Mo

Lauren (l), Tom, and Liz costumed-up for the last Park City SkiMo event of the season.

If you’re not already familiar with this soon-to-be Olympic event, chances are, you soon will be. SkiMo (short for Ski Mountaineering) is a competitive event in which participants race up the hill on skins and/or carrying their boards, then clicking in and skiing down. It has many variations, including the one I witnessed one evening last week at Olympic Park in Park City. There, participants tried to make as many laps of the 300′ vertical as they could in an hour. One person clocked six or seven laps.

Remembering “Super Skier”

Remember the song, Super Skier, from the Chad Mitchell Trio? Released in 1963, it tells the amusing tale of of a guy  whose sense of his skiing self far exceeds his skiing skills. Click on the above image and listen with fresh ears.

Important Notice

The annual fundraiser is over. Again, I want to thank all who provided support for the site. Your gifts help defray the cost of publication. The majority of posters, stickers and thank you notes have been mailed, but I’m a few weeks behind completing the chore. Too many doctors visits and our move to a new (for us) home have complicated matters. Also, several mailings to reader-provided addresses were returned. Thanks for your patience. 

Skier painting
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/4 Comments/in , , /by

This edition of Short Swings! is dedicated to the many readers who generously donated during the fundraiser. The funds will help us continue to send you, free, original articles and other content created specifically for older snowsports participants. Thank you!

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

As in other areas of our culture, we older skiers become less and less visible as we age. You may not have noticed this if you’re in your fifties or sixties. But become a septuagenarian or older, and it becomes obvious. Some cultures honor, respect and value the experience and wisdom that often accompanies longevity. There are exceptions, but it is less common in ours.

Bluebird.                                                               Artist: Aaron Hazel

French philosopher, Simone de Beauvoir argued that aging isn’t only biological decline; societal ageist discrimination helps add insult to that injury. These and other observations by Beauvoir about the psychological effects of aging appear in an article by Skye C. Cleary in the March 11 edition of aeon, the free online magazine exploring big issues in science, philosophy, society and the arts.

According to Beauvoir, while, inside, we may not feel old, others judge us as old when they look upon our faces and bodies. That helps form a context in which we’re excluded.

Obviously, you won’t feel that alienation in the lift line or on the slope. But get into a conversation with younger people on a gondola where you’re face-to-face, and it’s quickly evident.

A few weeks ago, on a long gondola ride at Park City, I was, by far, the oldest. One couple was in their forties. The others were in their twenties. I broke the ice by asking if they were visiting. Once they recognized my age (one of them may have asked), I was promptly left out of the conversation.

Beauvoir wrote, “There is only one solution if old age is not to be an absurd parody of our former life, and that is to go on pursuing ends that give our existence a meaning – devotion to individuals, to groups or to causes, social, political, intellectual or creative work.”

I agree with her thinking but would add one more factor for good measure. Do what you do well and to the best of your ability.

When I exited the gondola and clicked into my skis, I saw that several of the youngsters who had excluded me from the conversation were standing nearby, looking at the old guy with whom they had ridden up. I took some slow, graceful turns down the edge of the steep trail…my quiet way of giving them the classic one-finger salute.

Cautionary Tale

Reader David Engel was hit while skiing. He’s been told it’s unlikely that his shoulder can be repaired. Read the following (slightly edited) account he posted in Comments and his appeal to ski areas to take action to improve on-snow safety:

On a recent ski trip to Northstar, California, I was skiing on Burnout, an easy black diamond groomer with a friend. We were skiing at a moderate speed, working on our technique and staying well clear of other skiers.

After trips to the emergency room, to other doctors, x-rays and meetings with surgeons, I’ve learned that it is unlikely my shoulder can ever be repaired. A separated clavicle and three torn ligaments causes my arm to hang limply. Prior to this, I was an avid rock climber and raft guide, even at age 66. The surgeon said that I should wait 6-12 months, and if I decide surgery is needed, there is still a 30% failure rate.

A teenage girl skiing out of control has changed the trajectory of my life.

I write this because it’s imperative that ski patrol, courtesy patrols and ski instructors start to take an active role in stopping skiers/boarders from skiing out of control. There needs to be an enforcement of a safe area around each snow participant. There is no need to pass within 20 feet of someone else. This is a very serious situation that winter resorts MUST start to enforce.

Now I live a compromised life because ski areas are not taking enforcement of safe skiing rules seriously. Safe skiing can only result if all those involved in the ski industry take this seriously and stop out of control and wild skiers/boarders.

Ski Town Game-Changer

Vail Resorts announced that a $20 minimum wage is being instituted at its 37 North American resorts. The minimum for Patrol, maintenance technicians and drivers will be $21. The much-needed increases should give VR a hiring advantage and, hopefully, cause other resorts to up their minimums.

RIP: Suzy Harris Rytting

Suzy Harris Rytting        Source: J. Willard Marriott Digital Library

 

In the 1940s and 50s, Suzy Harris Rytting was one of America’s greatest feamale ski racers, winning one important event after another. She was a member of the 1950 US Women’s FIS Team and the 1952 US Olympic Team. While training for the Games in Oslo, she and her husband learned she was in her early days of pregnancy. Doctors cleared her to race, but Avery Brundage, in his first year as president of the International Olympic Committee, was outraged upon learning of her situation. She was removed from the US team and sent home. Born January 21, 1930, she passed away February 28, 2022.

The Future of Skiing?

A ski through the park.

An article about Big Sky in the March 15 edition of The New York Times suggests that the resort’s modern lifts, vast terrain, and high ticket prices provide a glimpse into the future of successful ski resorts. Like so many other prognostications, there may be some of truth in the piece. High prices are a barrier to access, which, combined with thousands of acres of terrain, keep slopes and trails uncrowded. But doesn’t that run against the industry’s current emphasis on making skiing more accessible and inclusionary?

Happy Birthday, Bob!

Happy 98th, Bob!!!                                                           Photo: George Ramjoue

At 98, Bob Murdoch of Salt Lake City is the oldest member of Alta’s Wild Old Bunch. Many of his fellow WOBs showed up a few weeks ago to help celebrate his birthday. Even though he hung up his boards a few seasons back, he enjoys memories of many years on Utah’s trails.

The Failure of the Mt Hood Skiway

The Mt Hood Skiway was a bizarre engineering project intended to transport skiers and tourists from the small community of Government Camp, Ore to Timberline Lodge. This video tells the story of its creation, its short life, and its demise.

 

Ukrainian flag
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/1 Comment/in , /by

There’s a weird age game I often play with myself and others. Simply take your age and subtract it from the year you were born. In my case, born in 1943, it takes me to 1865. It’s a bit of a mind-bender, providing a different perspective on our number of years and, at least in my case, honing my awareness of where I am on the clock.

Most of us perceive ourselves to be 20 years younger than our chronologic age, a factor informing decisions influencing what we buy, where we travel, and how we live. The other day at Park City, I found myself on a steep, wildly bumpy slope. I worked my way down slowly and, with some exceptions, smoothly. During one of numerous catch-my-breath stops, four guys skied fast and straight through those mega-moguls. It was a demonstration of skill, nerve, and beauty. My knees hurt watching them. Even when I was a youngster, I never mastered bumps like they have. That, too, was a reminder of my limitations.

Mid-slope, I felt my age, maybe older. When I got toward the bottom, where the bumps and the pitch mellowed-out, the years peeled away. My body told me how I was feeling. It generally does. That subtract-your-age game may have placed me in the mid-1860s. When I skied through the mild moguls at the bottom of Double Jack, I was young again.

Skiing Responds to Russian Aggression

The International Olympic Committee recommended that all International Federations stop participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in their competitions. This was followed by the International Ski Federation (FIS) announcement discontinuing all events in Russia and banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from further events this season. Then, Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned from the Beijing Paralympics. Bukovel Ski Resort, in Southwestern Ukraine, is offering two free meals a day to people displaced by the war. Wyoming’s Sleeping Giant ski area pledged 100% of its Saturday, March 5 ticket sales to help Ukraine. Curiously, soon after making the announcement, the area’s site was hacked. Numerous areas around the country have removed Russian vodkas from their bars, and Beaver Creek took down a Russian flag from one of its base lodges.

Trapped in Swiss Covid Hell

Despite its reputation for fine hospitality, impeccable order and trains running on time, Switzerland’s inconsistent Covid policy wreaked havoc recently for a group of upstate New York senior skiers. While riding crowded telecabines at St Moritz, twelve of the group of 34 tested positive just hours before they were scheduled to return to the States. They quarantined for five days in their hotel rooms. But getting home became super-complicated because of inconsistent Covid policies between Swiss cantons, airlines, insurance companies, and the US-CDC. This caused additional extended delays for some of the travelers. Once resolved, a few of them, their car at Newark, landed at JFK. Skiing the Alps is a wonderful experience on many levels. But the hardships experience by this group older skiers is chilling. Thanks to SeniorsSkiing readers Harold Goldberg and Steve Cohen for sending these details.

Snowbird Surprise

Skiers in Snowbird’s Mineral Basin witnessed an unusual sight on Tuesday, February 22 (Tue 2/22/22): two Utah National Guard Blackhawk helicopters collided and crashed. No injuries reported.

And More News from the Bird

New tram cars will have outdoor balconies for Summer rides

The resort’s two tram cars will be replaced this Spring with sleek new ones featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and a rooftop balcony for summertime outdoor rides. The original cars have been in continuous use since the tram was opened a half-century ago. In the interim, they’ve travelled almost 800,000 miles; the equivalent going to the moon and back one and one-half times.

PCMR Unmasked

Am I the only one who sees the word “ass” in Park City’s logo?

Earlier in the week, Park City Mountain Resort dropped mask requirements in gondolas and indoor spaces. The announcement said “guest proof of vaccination is still required for cafeteria-style dining establishments.” All well and good, except, in my experience, for the past few months, no one monitored mask-wearing in the resort’s gondolas and last Saturday, no one was checking proof of vaccination or anything Covid-related in the area’s Summit Lodge.

Arapahoe Basin at 75 Years

A-Basin then.

A-Basin today.

A-Basin will celebrate its 75th the weekend of April 1-3 with a series of events including a 1940s themed dinner, retro events and retro costumes, a scavenger hunt, parties, live music, birthday cakes, etc. Sounds like a lot of fun. If you plan on attending, purchase lift tickets in advance online. They won’t be available on site.

Mama and Her Cubs

This Bear family recently stopped traffic on a road in New England. If you’re a parent, you’ll relate.

 

Susie Chaffee
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/2 Comments/in , , /by

It was pretty cool watching skiers race that tough Olympic course in falling snow. Their power, speed and control were remarkable. I only wish they were being cheered on with shouts and cowbells.

I’ll confess that the head-spinning ski and snowboard gymnastic events fascinate and confuse me. No clue of how they and most other events are scored. I prefer simple metrics like first to finish, most goals, or longest jump.

I also like events that are easy on the eyes. Figure skating and ice dancing fit that bill. Biathalon? That’s a whole other story.

It would be nice if the ancient sport of ski ballet were to return to the Olympic hill, or any hill. The terrific article on Ski Ballet by Margaret Fuhrer that appeared February 11 in The New York Times contains videos of Susie Chaffee and others doing things on skis that are slower and more graceful than any ski event I’ve seen in the current games.

Susie Chaffee, grande dame of Ski Ballet.            Photo: Hank de Vre

Ski Ballet was the only of the three original freestyle events that didn’t survive. The others, aerials and moguls, are entertaining millions tuned into the Games. Indeed, there may be some viewers who think that’s all there is to skiing.

Watching good Ski Ballet is watching a thing of beauty. Music accompaniment could be classical, jazz or rock. Watching aerials or moguls, my mind tunes into a soundtrack of hip hop and rap. Those downhill and Super G racers? The sound of fast skis on hard, icy snow is the best music of all.

Alyeska: 500”

Source: Alyeska Ski Resort

Alaska’s Alyeska ski resort recently surpassed 500″ of snowfall.

Visa Olympic Commercial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlz65YT8MBM

If you’ve been watching the Olympics, you’ve probably seen “Everyone Wins,” the Visa Olympics commercial that bends over backward to include a universe of diversity. The producers may have meant to satirize the crowded slopes problem. Instead, for active, older skiers, they produced a nightmarish scenario.

Aspen Bumps Minimum to $20

Old Aspen logo. Source: Aspen

Since November, Aspen has upped its minimum wage $5. The increase came in two installments, the most recent — $3 – bringing the minimum to $20 per hour. It’s significant on several fronts: It’s costly to live in or near most mountain towns, and Aspen is no exception. The increase may give Aspen a competitive hiring advantage over other nearby ski areas.

Skier’s Side Trip Saved Many Lives

I just read Nicky & Vera, the exceptional children’s picture book written and illustrated by Peter Cis. It tells the true story of Nicholas Winton, the Englishman whose delayed ski vacation resulting in saving the lives of 699 Czechoslovakian Jewish children during the Nazi occupation of Prague. I mention the book here, because many of its wonderfully simple illustrations picture “Nicky” Winton with skis and poles. Winton arranged for the children to travel to England and be placed with families there. He kept his accomplishment a secret until later in life, when his wife, rummaging through their attic, discovered numerous scrapbooks filled with the children’s records. Eventually, he was featured on a British TV program where dozens of the people he had saved were present. The “Vera” of the title was one of the children. Nicholas Winton died in 2015 at the age of 106. Nicky & Vera was published in 2021 by Norton Young Readers.

 

3.7% of Boomers Participate in Winter Sports

That, accoring to a new report by The Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the trade association of leading industry sports and fitness brands, suppliers and retailers. In 2021, 3.7% Boomers (1945-1964) and 8.2% Gen-Xers (1965-1979) participated in winter sports. According to the report, in 2021, a total of more than 13.6 million people participated in Alpine skiing,  and more than 4.4 million in cross country skiing.  The report also shows that 35.5% of people 65+ are classified “inactive” in 2021. In 2018, the percentage of “inactive” was 40.7%. The study was compiled from 18,000 online interviews.

Alta Interlodge

Interlodge is Alta terminology for being confined to where you’re staying due to avalanche danger. My first was in the early 70s, long before cell phones, video games and other, more modern forms of entertainment. This short video explains Interlodge and includes Junior Bounois discussing a famous Interlodge event of the past. It’s a good one.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/2 Comments/in , , , /by

Each season, at this time, we pass the fund-raising hat. Your contributions, modest and generous, help keep SeniorsSkiing.com arriving to your inbox free of charge.

Please click here to access our fundraising page. We’re requesting a minimum contribution of $14, or $1 per issue. Readers contributing $50 or more will receive Licensed To Ski, the original 28” x 22” poster of clever ski-themed license plates from around the US. All readers who make a gift of $14 or more will be mailed the new “Senior Skiers Rock!” stickers for use on helmet, skis, car, locker, wherever you choose to express support for and pride in older skiers.

SeniorsSkiing.com started in 2014 to provide an information source for 50+ skiers and snowboarders. After a few seasons, it became evident that the site also serves as a virtual community, connecting older snowsports enthusiasts around the globe.

To date, we’ve published almost 1,700 original articles about issues relevant to the older participant, resorts, people, equipment, technique, injury and recovery, etc.

Keeping the lights on carries a price tag: maintaining the site’s platform and its subscriber mailing lists; employing parttime services of webmaster, graphics people, etc.

Your gifts, along with revenue from a handful of advertisers, allow this shoestring operation to collect and distribute, free, original content written specifically to your interests.

Over the next four issues, reminders of the fundraiser will be posted with each article. Please take a minute now by clicking here and making a contribution.

Thank you for subscribing and for your support!

SeniorsSkiing Featured on The Storm Skiing Podcast

For the past few years, Stuart Winchester, of The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast has been interviewing ski industry insiders and thought leaders. He takes an informed approach with the 90-minute podcasts, that many followers listen to while driving to the mountain. In the current Storm Skiing Podcast, Stuart and I discuss SeniorsSkiing.com and the role and influence of older skiers in the US. Click here to tune in to this just-published interview and the 70+ others in The Storm Skiing Podcast archive.

Update: Stevens Pass Passholders vs. Vail Resorts

A few weeks ago we reported that 20,000 Stevens Pass (WA) pass holders had signed a petition asking owner Vail Resorts to refund 60% of their pass cost because only 40% of the area is open. As of this writing, the number of signatories had grown to almost 45,000. The ski area, now with a newly installed manager, has opened far more terrain, and Vail Resorts is offering discounts on next season’s Stevens Pass and Epic season passes.

Vail Introduces “Phone Free” Zones

Credit: John LaConte/Vail Daily

In an effort to reduce lift line delays due to skiers distracted by their cell phones, the resort has started “Phone Free Zones.” Not a bad idea, especially if they extend it to the chair ride, itself. A few days ago, I was riding a four-seater at Alta while the guy next to me gave a Zoom lecture on economics. Interesting info. Wrong venue.

Klaus Obermeyer Is 102

Happy 102 Klaus!!

Aspen legend, Klaus Obermeyer, celebrated his 102nd birthday last week. An early instructor at the resort, he went on to develop such skiing staples as the quilted down parka, the first nylon windshirt, the dual-liner ski boot and the 2-prong ski brake. Klaus once told me that as he aged, he found it easier to ski than to walk. Happy Birthday, Klaus!!!

Alan Engen Reflects on His Father, Alf

Alf (l) and Alan Engen in 1989, when Alf was 80. Source: Ski Utah

Ski Utah podcaster, Tom Kelly recently interviewed Alan Engen about his father, Alf, and his own experience as a member of one of the nation’s most prominent skiing families. Listen to it by clicking here.

South Korean Chair Rolls Back

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9LNcmi6H9g

No serious injuries occurred recently when a chair at South Korea’s Bear’s Town Ski Resort lost control and rolled backward. Passengers jumped to safety before the chairs piled up in the terminal.

Fan Mail

Jim Cobb, manufacturer of The Bootster ski boot shoehorn, received this note last week from a SeniorsSkiing.com reader: I tried a friend’s Bootster and had to get my own because it works so well!   I have very limited range of motion in my left big toe joint due to bone spurs, so it is VERY difficult getting my ski boot on.  The Bootster makes it so much easier!

Mikaela Outskis T-Rex

More from the world of bizarre Beijing Olympics promo videos. Readers in the US may already be seeing this on their screens.

BABY OLYMPICS

How can we not fall for this three-minute video of toddlers in Olympic garb competing for Gold? (Be sure to click “Watch on You Tube.)

An Interesting Ski Video

Those of you who follow Short Swings! are aware of my general criticism of me-too ski videos. This one, featuring Sam Cohen and Michelle Parker, takes a different and more interesting approach. It documents a ski mountaineering expedition into a remote region of the North Cascades. The two adventurers carry gear for several days in North Cascades National Park, eventually taking the steep climb to a thrilling ski descent. 12 minutes of really interesting scenery, climbing and skiing.

Beijing Winter Olympics

The games start today. As you already know, a lot will be different: virtually all ski and board events will be on manmade snow; there won’t be big, international crowds, and a lot of attention will be on non-sporting activities. But, like every other Olympics, this one will be exciting to follow. I can’t wait for the men’s and women’s downhill. The course has some heart-stopping drops and jumps. Enjoy the Games!!!!

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/15 Comments/in , , , /by

I don’t mean to be a bummer, but I really need to get this off my chest. Does anyone else out there get the feeling that things, in general, are falling apart?

You call a company “help” line and wait for 15-20-30 minutes to speak with someone…that is, if you’re not disconnected. All that while being told “your call is important to us.”

Yes, it’s hard to find and hire people. But does that justify the Target cashier rudely refusing to verify the price of an item when politely asked?

What about reserving and purchasing a Powder Mountain lift ticket online? Several of the resort’s owners are from tech. Wouldn’t you think the online process they set up would work? It didn’t for me, and based on comments from people who work there, it doesn’t work for others. Fortunately, real people answer the phone and are helpful.

The other day, at Park City Mountain Resort, I tried downloading a free App to request a ride from the shuttle service. Completing the process required clicking twice on the button on the right side of my phone; the same process that shuts the phone down.

Compared to what’s going on the world, these are minor irritants; incremental reminders that things are not as promised; that, perhaps, the sky is falling, but not right away.

If you haven’t seen “Don’t Look Up,” Netflix’ star-studded comedy about the end of the world, you may want to. I fall in the camp of those who enjoyed it. Others find it more irritating than entertaining. At first glance, it’s about a large comet on a direct collision course with Earth. Metaphorically, it’s about the long-term perils of climate change or, more immediately, the effects of Covid.

I know from past comments that some of you prefer not to pay too much attention to the pandemic. From a skier’s perspective, ski areas, from Sun Valley to Ischgl have served as super-spreaders: places where people from afar have transported the virus, infecting others who carried it back to their home communities. By now that’s old news. But the ongoing resistance to wearing masks and/or getting vaccinated – also old news – is giving the virus more opportunity to keep spreading, killing, and interrupting our lives.

What’s the point of this venting? I’m reaching a point that, knowing I have just so many years ahead of me, I’m reducing exposure to the aggravatingly repetitive drumbeat of news, pundits, etc.

Maybe it’s time to reduce the volume and focus more on things that bring me happiness and joy. It will be a narrower vision but, possibly, a happier one.

Stevens Pass Petition Update

As previously reported, about 20,000 Epic Pass holders at Washington’s Steven’s Pass petitioned Vail Resorts (VR) to refund 60% of the cost of their passes. That, because VR sold passes, knowing that only 60% of terrain and lifts would be open this season. Now, the signatories are being urged to email VR cancelling the “auto renew” feature for their 2022-23 season passes.

Park City Patrol Averts Strike With New Contract

Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association voted to approve a new contract with Vail Resorts. The agreement gives the ski patrollers a $19/hr average wage and tenure recognition. It also provides wage parity with Colorado residents, meaning that a rise in Colorado’s minimum wage will be matched for patrollers at Park City.

Duck, Duck, Moose

Two moose crossed a heavily used trail at Steamboat recently. A skier captured the scene. A few weeks ago, on The Canyons side of Park City Mountain Resort, moose (without skis) on two trails, prompted those trails to be closed. Moose-sightings at The Canyons is not unusual.

Be Happy You Weren’t on THAT Chair

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKyk1iWrX6I

Skiers on a chair at Beech Mountain (NC) had the unpleasant experience of riding through a cold geyser resulting from a ruptured water line. A few unfortunate souls were stuck in the powerful spray for extended periods when the lift stopped. Why management did not stop the lift to prevent people from being sprayed is a question that may be asked by their attorneys. Yet another example of things, in general, breaking down.

IDAHO DOG SLED RACES

Photo by Melissa Shelby

If you’re in or around Cascade, Idaho Jan 30 – Feb 3, try to take in the Idaho Sled Dog Challenge. World-class mushers will compete on the 300-mile qualifier for Alaska’s Iditarod. The Idaho event is considered one of the world’s toughest. For more details visit idahosleddogchallenge.com.

Getting Back to Basics

The winter sports market in China is touted to be more than $126 billion, growing to $160 billion by 2025. Among the drivers, hundreds of new ski areas and the Beijing Winter Olympics. Tmall Winter Festival is the country’s major annual Winter shopping event. Click on the image (above) to screen the curious video promoting snow sports. At least, that’s my interpretation of the piece.

Children of Patrol

This video is much easier to understand. It’s about the children of members of the Jackson Hole Ski Patrol. Several of the kids have become patrollers. It is six-minutes, family-oriented, and  delightful!!

Calgary’s Ghost Area

Fortress Mountain reached its peak sometime in the 1980s. This 10-minute video sponsored by Black Crows Skis tells the area’s story and that of the crew determined to bring it back to life.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/10 Comments/in , , , /by

This is the first issue of SeniorsSkiing.com of 2022. I wish all readers good health, happiness, and peace for the New Year. But Covid’s omicron variant is challenging that wish for good health. It’s spreading fast, even among those who have been triple vaxxed. For most of the infected, it appears to be less taxing than Delta or earlier iterations. One side effect reported by several people I know, is hearing loss.

Ultimately, omicron’s virulence may cause such widespread infection that we’ll achieve herd or crowd immunity. That remains to be seen.

We’re older skiers and, by definition, more vulnerable to serious illness from the virus. For simplicity’s sake, I’ll divide our cohort into two categories: those who stay at lodges when they go skiing and those who ski and return home. Each is subjected to infection on lifts and in day lodges. Those overnighting in lodges have the additional risk of exposure from employees and other guests.

I don’t know if Utah is typical, but in terms of looking at the intersection of skiing and Covid, it is relevant.

Alta has no mask or vaccination-proof requirements. That, according to several friends who have skied there multiple times this season. The area recently closed its Watson Shelter because some staff tested positive. Alf’s remains open but with no mask or vaccination-proof requirements. The midmountain day lodge does keep windows open, according to a source working there.

Alta’s Smiling Rock                                               Photo: Harriet Wallis

By comparison, day lodges at Park City Mountain Resort (indeed, all Vail Resorts ski properties) require proof of vaccination and masks to access food-service and tables.

On the day I’m writing this, a front-page article in The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Covid swept through several of Alta’s overnight lodges, causing some guests to leave early, rather than risk getting ill. Of the five lodges, the only one requiring proof of vaccination is The Rustler. Snowpine, totally rebuilt a few years ago, follows Utah’s libertarian spirit and requires neither vaccination nor masks. The lodge’s website is devoid of any reference to Covid.

The Tribune quoted a 74-year-old guest who beat it back to her California home: “I’m not going back to Utah. It’s a COVID [nightmare]. Nowhere has better powder than Alta. Too bad it’s in Utah.”

The Christmas feast at our friends’ home was a lot of fun. Three guest couples, all contemporaries; all skiers; all known to the host and hostess but not to each other. Following festive fare, our ever-creative hostess, asked each of us to talk about the first time we skied and about a time we got into trouble while skiing.

The answers to Question #1 revealed surprising similarities among the men: none had been particularly “athletic” in youth. But then they were introduced to skiing. Each of the wives became interested through their husbands.

Getting into trouble on skis produced stories of literal, cliff-hangers; skis lost in deep powder, etc. Listening to these tales of woe, reminded me of the time I inadvertently became the end-of-the-day Pied Piper to a bunch of kids whose anxious parents awaited their return.

It was in the mid 70s and Pam and I were skiing Plattekill, an 1100’ ski hill with a variety of interesting terrain in the Northwestern Catskills, a few hours north of New York City.

Pam returned to the day lodge as I took one last run. At the top, I entered a trail I hadn’t noticed before. It was more of a road than an actual trail, one of those endless runs looping back and forth through the forest. A few minutes in I heard laughter behind me. I looked back and counted 12 little ones following.

Back to Pam waiting in the lodge; wondering, Where’s Jon? Around her, clutches of agitated parents wondering, Where are our children? Several minutes later, I walk in, followed by the kids. Emotional parents embraced their missing ones.

The angry area owner yelled at me from across the large room, accusing me of taking the kids on a closed trail. I called back: “The trail wasn’t roped off, and I didn’t know the kids were following.” His response: “Do you know how much it costs for rope?” 

I was banned from returning to Plattekill; a punishment promptly ignored. Those kids must now be in their 50s!

Have you gotten into trouble while skiing? Send in your stories. We’ll publish the most interesting.

Stevens Pass Petition: 20k Signatures

In a mere five days, more than 20,000 Epic Pass holders at Stevens Pass ski area in Washington, signed a petition demanding that Vail Resorts refund 60% of the cost of their passes. Why 60%? They claim that VR sold passes while knowingly planning to keep 60% of Stevens Pass terrain and a majority of lifts closed for the season. The petition gives VR a deadline to act by January 15 before filing a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division and the Attorney General of Washington State. Click here  to read the petition.

Incivility at Beaver Creek

According to a posting by the victim’s wife, her husband was struck by someone skiing in a group. When he confronted the person, another man in the group removed his skis and gave her husband a severe beating, leaving him with a broken rib and other injuries. The group, thought to be in their 30s, skied off and were not found. The incident was reported to patrol and the Sherriff’s office. It occurred December 31 at Beaver Creek.

Park City Patrollers Seek Raise

The Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) rejected Vail Resorts’s offer of a starting wage of $15 per hour. The patrollers want $17. Current wage is $13.25. More than 200 patrollers are working without a contract. Other Park City Mountain Resort employees receive $15 per hour minimum. Patrolling requires extensive training and patrollers generally are responsible for supplying their own equipment. If VR blinks, minimum wages for patrol throughout its many holdings will climb.

Timberline and Ski Bowl Discontinue Free Skiing for Seniors

Subscriber, Thomas Levak, informs us that Timberline and Ski Bowl (OR) have discontinued free skiing for super seniors (73+). Lift tickets for 65+ skiers are $65 (days) and $45 (nights), and skiers are required to make advance reservations for the days and times they want to ski (perhaps not a bad idea given that limited numbers of skiers are allowed for different time slots). Thanks for the info, Thomas!

New Advertisers: Booster and Slide On

The Booster Dynamic Power Strap is an elastic power strap that replaces the power straps found on most boots and helps you ski better, regardless of skill level. It is used by 80% of all Olympic skiers. Slide On is a dry lubricant spray that helps your feet slip in and out of your ski boots. One application lasts for a month of frequent boot use. One 2 oz. can is good for the entire season. Click on the Booster/Slide On ad for more information.

Snowbird’s Golden Anniversary

Believe it or not, The Bird opened 50 years ago. Those of you who have been there, know its magic. If it’s still on your “to do” list, take steps to get it done. Its 2500 skiable acres are accessed by tram and 10 chairs. It connects to Alta, for a combined 5000+ acres terrain. I have many memorable days skiing thigh-deep (sometimes waist-deep) Snowbird powder with friends. The resort produced a 3-minute video telling its history. Click on the image, above.

Patagonia Walks the Talk

Patagonia makes superb, durable outerwear and redirects a portion of its profits to support environmental and other worthy causes. Another example of the company’s progressive policies is its closing all its stores from Christmas through New Year’s while paying employees.

Austria Tightens Covid Rules for Brits

Austria has classified the UK as a “virus variant” region. Effective December 25, visitors from the UK are required to quarantine 10 days upon arrival, even if fully vaccinated. Given that Austria is a major destination for UK skiers, this is a big deal. Exceptions: Those fully vaccinated and boosted who have a negative PCR test. Children under 12 are exempt. Teens meeting certain conditions also may enter the country.

Record Snow Records

More than 200″ (almost 17′) fell in the Sierra’s in December. Utah is getting hammered with one pulse after another. Revelstoke (BC) has received 21’+ so far this season. All that snow prompted me to look into snow accumulation records. An amazing 1,140″ (95′) was recorded at Mount Baker Ski Area  (WA) (4,200 feet elevation) during the July 1, 1998 to June 30, 1999 snow season. Mt. Ibuki (Japan’s Honshu Island) measured 465.4″ (38.8′) February 14, 1927. The most snowfall in 24 hours (6.3′) was measured in Silver Lake, CO, April 14-15, 1921. Mount Shasta Ski Bowl (CA) recorded the most snow from a single storm: 189″ (15.75′), February 13-19, 1959.

Brrrrrrr: New Ice Hotel on Italian Glacier

A bedroom is the ice hotel next to Capanna Presena Refugio

A new ice hotel is now booking reservations. The luxury facility is on Italy’s Presena Glacier at Passo Tonale in Trentino and features intricate ice carving on both interior and exterior surfaces. The three-igloo-room facility is next to the Capanna Presena Refugio.

Vintage Cars in Snow

Here, from Weather.com, are 53 photos of cars in snow…most of them stuck in the snow. They’re from both sides of the pond and fun to see. Click here to view.

Another Weather.com entry: 91 vintage images of people playing in the snow. Notice that virtually every person pictured is smiling. Of course, they are! They’re in the snow. Click here to view.

Do you have information you want to share with other members of the growing SeniorsSkiing.com community? Send it to jon@seniorsskiing.com. Use the same address if interested in contributing articles. Please forward SeniorsSkiing.com to other older skiers who may enjoy receiving it. Or simply tell them about the site. 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/8 Comments/in , , , /by

Yes, age does give many of us some advantages. Wisdom is often cited, but, I, for one have made enough errors in judgment to be exempted from checking that box. I’m probably not alone.

Financial well-being is another frequent citation. Fortunately, along with about two-thirds of SeniorsSkiing readers who say they’re financially independent, I’m okay in that category. But I know too many older skiers whose fortunes took them in another direction. Many have adjusted lifestyles so they can continue to pursue their favorite sport.

Outlook and attitude also are advantages for some of us. My old friend, Frank Burgmeier, is 98. A veteran of 65+ bomber flights in WWII, he continues to have a sharp mind and a great attitude. “I’m blessed,” he tells me. That, despite disappointments from some family members. “When I peel all of those things away, I’m happy and at peace.” If I make it to that age, I hope my mind and spirit are as healthy as his.

Jim Cobb is another example. Jim is 89 and the developer and manufacturer of The Bootster, the ski boot shoehorn that advertises on these pages. He skied many years with the National Brotherhood of Skiers before age caused him to retire. When I mention that we just had a 24-hour snowstorm here in Utah, he sighs with resignation and says, “I’m envious that you’ll be skiing. That part of my life is behind me.”

Some are fortunate enough to ski on and on. George Jednikoff continued past 100. At 99, Claus Obermeyer is still going. I know there are others, but I don’t know their names.

Luck also is a big factor. I recall being at a luncheon where the speaker was Mike Singletary, then coach of the San Francisco 49ers. One comment that stuck with me was the 20% luck factor. Being in top physical condition and having outstanding skills were essential for his players’ good results, he said. But luck always plays a role on the field; he thought about 20%.

Luck (good or bad) also is a factor as we age. Like many other senior skiers, I’ve had my fair share of bad luck. Much of it seems to have occurred health-wise in 2021. I’ve been climbing out of that hole for the past six months, and I’m now ready to get back to what I love: skiing. I readily admit that the goal of publishing SeniorsSkiing.com kept me motivated during some dark and difficult times.

Wisdom. Financial well-being. Outlook and attitude. Good luck. They can keep us going as we age. Whether we possess all of them or a few, we should be grateful for what we have, while we have it.

Wishing all readers good health, good skiing, and good times for the Holidays, and beyond.

[[Taking Christmas and New Year’s off. Next issue of SeniorsSkiing.com will be sent January 7. You always have access to all articles by visiting seniorsskiing.com. New articles are posted on the site during the week leading up to each publication date. Please help us grow the seniorsskiing.com audience by sharing seniorsskiing.com with other senior skiers.]]

232 Skiing Santas Raise Charity $$$s

For the past 21 years, Sunday River (ME) has kicked off the Holiday Season with Santa Sunday, a fund-raiser for a local charity. This year, 232 Santa-clad skiers each paid a $20 entry donation, raising more than $5000 for The River Fund, which invests in the education of young people in the region.

Vail Resorts Tops Season Pass Sales

Vail Resorts reported it sold more than 2.1 million season pass products for this season. That’s 700,000 more than last year, a record for the company. Also, for the second year in a row, Newsweek named VR one of America’s Most Responsible Companies.

Jackson Hole Ups Hourly Wage

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is increasing its minimum wage for all non-tipped positions to $18 per hour, up from $15 per hour. The increase is intended to attract new and retain existing employees.

Really Smart Helmet Technology

Source: Twiceme

Twiceme, a Swedish company, has teamed up with Salomon to produce “smart” ski helmets. To be available late 2022, the helmets will utilize twICEme® technology to provide a suite of safety information ranging from personal medical records to finding a lost child. It will be readily accessible to ski patrol and search and rescue.

NE Areas Banning Boot Bags?

SeniorsSkiing subscriber, Torry Hack, writes: “As a grey-haired skier who likes to put on his boots in the lodge vs in his car, I am disappointed to find that many New England areas are still banning bags.”

New England skiers: Please email info@senioirsskiing.com to let us know if your area bans bags in the day lodge, and we’ll publish the list.

Shipping Container Ski Lodge

The Pad Hotel, Silverthorne, CO

The town of Silverthorne, in Summit County, Colorado, is home to The Pad, a  hotel constructed from 18 shipping containers. Private rooms are $350. per night; bunk rooms, $50. It’s not far from Copper, Keystone, Breckenridge, and A-Basin.

Surprise Storm

Reader Donna Ohanian in New Hampshire, sent in this photo along with a note stating, “This storm was supposed to be 3-6”. Nope. 30!”  Note the LUV-SNO license plate. Thanks, Donna!

Snowball Fights in Art

Detail from a fresco depicting the month of January at Buonconsiglio Castle in Trento, Italy, ca. 1400

Public Domain Review is a British-based organization that issues interesting articles and illustrations outside of copywrite restrictions. Click here to enjoy PDR’s history of snowball fights in art over the centuries and in a variety of cultures. It’s a treat.

 

 

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/3 Comments/in , /by

We live in what some call an attention economy. Those who attract attention – regardless of how they go about it – appear to be the victors in our narcissistic new world. The companies making skis and related gear are no exception. One of their primary ways of competing for attention is producing short videos of pro skiers using their gear in wild and wooly terrain.

Videos of people doing amazing things on skis are similar to porn: there are just so many tricks in the bag, and it’s not long before they get boring. That said, ski manufacturer lemmings invest in making videos that, in one way or another, try to outclass their competition.

The New Age of Reason is a new addition, from a company named WNDR (Wonder Alpine). It combines a soundtrack of barely audible British voices making quasi-intellectual statements, while pro skiers make deep powder turns and jump cliffs in some easy-to-watch and quickly forgettable scenes. Unlike most other short promotional videos which depend on big-name super skiers and/or pulsing rap music to appeal to their intended audience(s), this one relies on pretense. That said, WNDR appears to be a company with good policies and good products.

Will its video approach help the the company break through the rest of the promotional ski video clutter? Maybe for a few minutes while the ski marketing echo chamber resonates with email congratulations.

A few years ago, at the Winter Outdoor Retailer Show, I attended a presentation that discussed a variety of advertising and promotional investments. The activities were listed in order of their perceived effectiveness in contributing to product sales. As I recall, in-store salespeople and word-of-mouth were most effective. Way down on the list…I mean toward the very bottom…were promotional videos. They cost a lot to produce. They reach a relatively small audience. They make their sponsors feel good about their investments. But do they move the needle when it comes to sales? You know the answer.

As I finished drafting this, yet another video landed in my inbox. At 21 minutes, it’s a bit on the long side. But if you want to see what has become possible on skis in entirely impossible terrain, “Good Luck” will get you up to speed with a smile. Click here to screen.

Ski Journalist Dies Following Collision with Snowboarder

Ron LeMaster, 72, was killed earlier this week after colliding with a snowboarder on Eldora Mountain (CO). LeMaster, a ski writer and photographer, was a certified PSIA instructor. No charges were filed against the boarder. The tragedy is a reminder for older skiers/boarders to exercise extreme caution on the hill. R.I.P.

Realskiers.com: Ski Industry Is in Trouble

Jackson Hogen publishes realskiers.com, a long-established website featuring in-depth reviews of each year’s new skis and a host of observations about the sport. The self-proclaimed Pontiff of Powder periodically sends out thought pieces under the heading, “Revelations.” A few weeks back, he took a dystopic and disturbingly realistic view of the future of skiing. It’s titled, “Will the Next Generation of Skiers be the Last?”, covering, among other big issues, cost, accessibility, competing interests and climate change. To read the short essay, click here. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers are eligible for a 50% discount off the annual realskiers.com rate of $19.95. Use Code SS21 at checkout.

Klaus Obermeyer is 102!

Klaus created the ski apparel line bearing his name. He is credited with making the first down-filled parka. When I interviewed him a few years ago, he said that he found it easier to ski than to walk.

Winter Park to Donate Uphill Ski Pass Revenue to Charities

Source: Winter Park Resort

The area will donate proceeds from sales of its uphill ski passes to local charities. The passes cost $25 each. It’s good policy, given that paying to climb on the slopes is a relatively new development that has been met with some criticism.

Aspen Bumps Minimum Wage

Aspen Skiing Co. will increase starting wages to $17 per hour, a significant bump from Colorado’s current $12.32 minimum. The company also increased employee housing to 1,000 beds.

High Tech Bandage Changes Color

DrySee is a long-lasting bandage that changes color when it needs to be changed. Cost depends on bandage size. Manufacturer of this interesting new product is offering SeniorsSkiing.com readers 20% off when they enter “Facebook 20” at checkout. Visit www.drysee.com to learn more.

Last Minute Gift for Senior Skiers

The Bootster ski boot shoehorn is ideal gift for older skiers

Get them The Bootster. It’s a clever, fit in your pocket ski boot shoehorn that is solidly made and will last many, many seasons. Handmade by company founder, Jim Cobb. At $25, it’s one of the best bargains around. Click on the adjacent ad and read the rave reviews.

Dep’t of Wretched Excess

The world’s most expensive “hotel” room costs $175,000 per night. Lover’s Deep is a luxuriously tricked-out submarine in St Lucia. Amenities include captain, cook and helicopter.

Diamonds Are Forever Martini

The world’s most expensive cocktail is now available at Tokyo’s Ritz Carlton hotel. The Diamonds Are Forever Martini costs $22,880 and is garnished with a one-carat diamond. Kampai!

New 10th Mountain Division Documentary

https://youtu.be/x6BpDQ85ZN8

“Mission to Mt. Mangart” is a new documentary exploring the famed 10th Mountain Division, whose members relied on skis. Click on the trailer (above) to see the slalom they organized in June, 1945.

Update: Jackson Hole’s Skiing Wunderkind

I wrote about Kai Jones when he was 12. Kai, now 14, is the Jackson Hole ski wunderkind whose skiing is a joy to behold. This short video was shot last season, when he was a high school freshman.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/14 Comments/in , , /by

Many in the ski resort industry harbor an image of older skiers taking up otherwise profitable space in day lodges while consuming their bag lunches and lingering over a cup of coffee. I take offense at that stereotype. I prefer a cup of hot tea to coffee and I take my own teabag from home.

Clearly, the facility makes more selling beers than charging $0.25 for a cup of hot water. And, like it one not, a few lunchtime drafts are more likely to produce on-hill crashes than coffee or tea.

On a recent trip to the skateboard park with my grandson, I realized that good pre-season safety training might involve dodging boarders while wandering through the half-pipe.

Most areas have well-known secret places where skiers and boarders go for a bowl. Some claim it gives them greater awareness and control. I can see it working that way in mature minds and bodies. But teenage boarder boys and girls? Those are accidents waiting to happen.

Which brings me back to what we quote most from that American patriot, Spiro Agnew. I don’t intend to be a nattering nabob of negativism but looking at the hypocrisy in the industry (what industry, government, institution doesn’t have its fair share of hypocrisy?), all I’m asking is that the people in charge recognize that older skiers are a good thing. We keep their lifts occupied mid-week. We ski more. We make more skiing-related purchases for ourselves, our kids and our grandkids. We tend to ski in control and show consideration for others on the lift, in the lodge, and on the hill.

Rodney Dangerfield

Most of us have supported the industry through bad and good times. Yet, they keep taking away the discounts and other privileges. The majority of those still offering discounts have upped the age threshold…most now at 80; some as high as 90. It’s not that we need the discounts, but it would be nice to have greater respect. Rodney Dangerfield was right.

 

Killington Now Skiing

Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard destination in Eastern North America launched its 2021-22 winter season last Friday. It was the first Eastern resort to open for skiing and boarding.

Steamboat’s $269 Lift Ticket

Steamboat Ski Resort (CO), announced that a holiday/weekend day ticket will cost $269 when purchased at the window that day. Last season, Steamboat upped its day pass to $225 from $199. Most skiers will purchase in advance at a lower rate or ski Steamboat on their Ikon pass.

What a Run!

Markus Eder is an Italian freestyle skier of great nerve and grace. This 10 minute video shows him negotiating some remarkable terrain. Enjoy the show.

Ski Maps Galore

Remember the area ski maps of your youth? Skimap.org is a site with 16779 images of ski area maps. For example, listings for Mount Snow in southern Vermont shows more than 50 maps from 1957 to 2021. The Americas shows 8849 maps; Europe, 5100; Asia, 1633. There’s even 232 maps for fantasy ski areas shown. Viewers can upload maps after registering.

Reality TV at Mount Baldy

Given the ski area labor shortage, it made sense that the CBS reality TV series, Tough As Nails, would have its two teams race to fix chairs at Southern California’s Mount Baldy ski area. It broadcasts as Episode 2 of the show’s third season. Click here to preview.

Snowbird Patrol

Safety Keepers, produced with support from Mammut, documents a day in the life of two Snowbird patrol people. It’s short and worth watching.

Ski Area Map Making Made Easy

Here’s a fun time-lapse video of ski trail map artist, Kevin Mastin, painting Tennesee Creek Basin at Ski Cooper (CO).

IMG_0347
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/5 Comments/in , , /by

Every industry benefits from a mix of offerings. The ski area industry is no exception. I find it enjoyable to ski big corporate resorts as well as independently-owned areas. Some, like Alta, Big Sky, and Jackson Hole offer both big terrain and an attractive level of smaller resort intimacy.

SUN VALLEY in the old days

 

It may surprise you that, according to the National Ski Areas Association, of the 37 states with ski areas, New York State has the most with 51…almost 11% of the country’s 470 areas. Next is Michigan with 40 areas, then Colorado and Wisconsin (31 each); California and New Hampshire (30 each), followed by Pennsylvania (26), Vermont (23) and Minnesota (20).

The majority of these are smaller and either independent or part of small group ownership.

Many smaller areas make it because they’re close enough to population centers and/or they’re the only game around. They get a large enough following to sustain them season-after-season.

Skiers in Norway: 1907

I like to mix up my skiing experience with visits to big and small. A few seasons ago I spent a delightful day exploring Pomerelle, a smallish area in southern Idaho. The terrain wasn’t challenging but it was interesting. And the base lodge was like going back in time…including the price of lunch.

Skiing big resorts is a different kind of experience. Vail is endless. Aspen, Breckenridge, Jackson Hole and others are challenging. Ditto with my home resorts Alta and Snowbird. I know them and their hidden stashes well. Alta, especially, combines great skiing with local friendliness and warmth. There’s a reason it’s a magnet for skiers from around the globe.

Teton Gravity Research recently produced “In Pursuit of Soul,” a short film celebrating smaller ski areas. To view the trailer click here. It builds the case for independently owned areas and was sponsored, in part, by Indy Pass, the reasonably priced pass that offers skiing privileges at 80 independently owned areas in North America and Japan.

Two skiers. Two skis. One turn.

If I had a few long weekends each season to ski and deep-enough pockets, I’d book at one of the big places in a region with reliable snow. For a family ski holiday with young grandkids, I’d choose a smaller resort with trails that funnel into one or two bases. That way there’s less chance for them to get separated or lost.

I like big mountains with a variety of terrain, and, frankly, it doesn’t matter much who owns them. They just need to be well-covered in snow.

Newly Found: 1300 Year-Old Ski

Archaeologists in Norway recently dislodged a 1300 year-old ski from the Digervarden Ice Patch. They believe it matches another ski found nearby in 2014. The newly found ski has an intact binding of twisted birch and leather. Click on the video (above) to witness the discovery in real time. A more detailed account appears in the Secrets of the Ice website which documents glacial archaeology.

The Superior Rx Goggle

SnowVision Rx goggles integrate prescription with inner lens

If you wear prescription goggles you owe it to yourself to learn about SnowVision‘s unique prescription lens. Unlike other Rx goggles, SnowVision integrates the prescription lens onto the inner lens of the goggle (see middle lens in picture above). Among its numerous advantages is the total lack of fogging. Another is remarkable visual clarity and full range of vision, including around the periphery of the lens. This is virtually unheard of in conventional prescription ski goggles and results from the curvature in SnowVision’s prescription and outer lenses. The lens – fully photochromic so it gets dark or light depending on conditions — is available as unifocal, progressive or bifocal. SnowVision’s components are made by high-quality vendors in Germany, Italy and Japan. Every senior skier who wears glasses should take special care when it comes to prescription goggles. There are some unsatisfactory products on the market, as I, unfortunately, have encountered. SnowVision is a breakthrough.

Please Help with This SeniorsSkiing Crowd-Sourcing Project

Numerous readers have asked about groups for older skiers. Some, like the Wild Old Bunch (Alta) and the Over The Hill Gang (multiple areas) are fairly well-known. SeniorsSkiing.com wants to compile a list of groups. If you know of any, please email name, location(s), a contact name and email and/or phone number to jon@seniorsskiing.com. The info will be posted on the site and updated as new info is received.

Special Discounts

EZ•Fit Auto Adaptable Insoles

Masterfit is offering 20% off any of its EZFit insoles (Snow and Universal models), Tongue Eliminators, Boot Horn and SkiSkootys. To learn more about these products, and/or make a purchase, visit https://masterfitinc.com. The Tongue Eliminators, Boot Horn and SkiSkootys can be found under “Fit Aids.” The 20% discount is good at any time. Simply enter the code SS21 during check out.

Use code SENIORSSKI to receive a 30% discount on online orders for any of Arcadia Publishing’s 27 ski titles. The offer is valid through November 7.

Holiday Shopping for Older Skiers

The Bootster ski boot shoehorn: ideal gift for older skiers

It’s really quite easy…and reasonably priced. The Bootster is an ingenious ski boot shoehorn so compact that it easily fits in a parka pocket. The little device unrolls to reveal a slippery surface that helps the foot slide easily into the ski boot…even when the boot is cold. Each Bootster is hand assembled and very well made. The price is $25 plus shipping. I can’t think of a better or more appropriate gift for older skiers on your list.

FeedSpot Now Delivering SeniorsSkiing.com Content

FeedSpot is an online service that consolidates and delivers news based on the user’s preferences. Happy to report that for FeedSpot subscribers seeking ski-related news, SeniorsSkiing.com articles are now part of their package.

Skiing in Taiwan?

Before global warming had taken it’s toll on so many places with snow, skiers in Taiwan frequented the island nation’s Hehuanshan ski resort. Alas, like so many other locations around the globe, there no longer is enough snow to ski there.

RIP: The Farmer

Dave Van Dame, The Farmer, was an Alta ski legend, skiing deep powder there for 48 years. He recently passed away. Those of you who were privileged to witness his technique are fortunate. Alta recently issued this short video tribute.

The Best Car Commercials

A thing of beauty: my Willys 1/2 Ton Pick Up

I recently sold my (unrestored) 1950 Willys half-ton truck. It was love at first sight several years ago when I saw it on a side street in Ouray, Colorado…a foolish purchase requiring far more skill than I had and more money than I wanted to spend. I concluded that, like many things, old cars can be enjoyed without ownership. During my infatuation I started to follow Hagerty, which insures vintage vehicles and publishes online and print content about them. This article about 10 “unforgettable” car commercials contains links to some funny and moving examples. Not skiing but a lot of fun. Click here to access

Glowing Down the Mountain

I’m glowing
byu/hinterland_skis inskiing

This is what happens when you don your glow-in-the-dark one-piece and go night skiing.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/13 Comments/in , , /by

Would you pay an additional $49+ not to wait in the lift line? Express lines have been available for years for members of exclusive clubs and for skiers accompanied by instructors. Now it will be available for a fee on a day-by-day basis at Snowbird (UT), Killington (VT), Copper Mountain (CO) and Mount Bachelor (OR), all areas owned by Utah-based Powdr Corp.

Years ago, friends at Snowbird with “black passes,” went to the head of the line on the Tram and other lifts as a benefit of membership in the resort’s pricey Seven Summits Club.

In the late 60s I skied Chamonix with an American photographer living there. Organized lift lines were nonexistent. He pushed his way to the front of the pack and slipped some francs to the lift attendant. It was uncomfortable to me, but perfectly normal to him.

Now that privilege will be accessible to anyone with spare change. Dedicated fast access lanes are being established at the most popular lifts at each of the participating resorts (Snowbird’s Tram, not included). Starting Nov 1, skiers can purchase the Fast Tracks add-on in advance or on-mountain. Fast Tracks — quantity to be capped daily –will be available to all skiers holding day passes, season passes or Ikon Passes.

Is this new level of premium pricing a natural evolution of how lift tickets are valued? I think so. A few years back, areas assigned different values to lift tickets based on how far in advance they were purchased, day of the week, holidays., etc. Some areas discount passes based on military service, student status and age. Remember when 60 year olds got free skiing? In the US, the age threshold has been steadily increasing. Now, generally, you need to be 75 or 80 to get a deal, if any exists.

Most resorts and the bundled pass offerings discount for early purchases. Their purveyors get to invest that capital any number of ways.

Who will make the add-on Fast Tracks purchase? Anyone with a cushy account planning a trip to the mountains. They paid for the flight, the lodge, lift tickets, etc. Why spend time on the hill waiting in line? That’s the market…and those to whom the added cost means nothing.

So much about skiing, like life in general, has changed, and those changes may grate on those who have been enjoying it for decades. If this works for Powdr Corp, it’s just a matter of time before paying the additional fee to get to the head of the line will be commonplace.

The Season Is Underway…

…at least in Finland where Levi and Ruka have opened with the benefit of recycling last season’s snow. The procedure, know as “snow farming” stores snow from the previous season in protective structures and redistributes it on trails once temps have dropped enough to keep it from melting. Here in the US, Copper Mountain (CO) fired up its guns last week to prepare for US Ski Team training staring October 22 and its general opening on November 22. And, as of this writing, resorts around the West have been dumped on. Alta has about 18.” Wolf Creek opens Saturday; Arapahoe Basin on Sunday. Winter is here!

Welcome Ski Idaho!

Ski Idaho, which promotes the state’s 17 ski areas, is our newest advertiser. The best known of the resorts is Sun Valley. Less frequented but with substantial vertical and snow are Grand Targhee (actually in Wyoming but a participant in the Ski Idaho initiative), Schweitzer, Tamarack, and Pebble Creek. Many private jets are parked at the airport in Hailey, the gateway to Sun Valley. Not so at the other areas. Any senior skier wanting to expand the list of areas skied or planning a reasonably priced family ski holiday is well-advised to look into Idaho. Its official nickname is “the gem state.” Precious minerals and stones aside, it is one gem of a place to explore and ski!

Snowboarder To Be Featured on $1 Coin

Source: US Treasury

Vermont will be represented in a series of new $1 coins issued by the U.S. Mint.The coin will feature an image of a snowboarder. The “American Innovation” series of $1 coins started in 2018 and will eventually include a coin for each state, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. Vermont’s coin, to be released in 2022, shows a snowboarder holding the edge of her board while doing a trick.

Full Tilt to be Retired

Source: Full Tilt Boots

The 3-piece  boot, particularly popular with many SeniorsSkiing.com readers, will be retired after this season. It is made and distributed under the K2 umbrella.

Man Completes London Marathon in Ski Boots

Credit: Guinness World Records

Paul Bennett ran the London Marathon in ski boots, as a fund-raiser supporting injured military personnel. His time: 5 hour, 30 minutes, 20 seconds. He was 7 seconds faster than the last ski boot marathon runner.

On this side of the pond, last week, 87 untramarathoners in Utah ran into a blizzard that dumped 12″ – 18″ on portions of the high-elevation, 5o mile course. Officials called off the race, and there were no injuries; a far different outcome from last May’s mountain race in China when 21 runners died from exposure.

New Aspen Logo

Old Aspen logo. Source: Aspen

New Aspen logo. Source: Aspen

 

 

The original aspen leaf design was introduced in 1946. Now, 75 years later, it has a cleaner, new look. The design’s last iteration was an aspen leaf with ski tracks forming the stem. The new version is an outline of an aspen leaf. More on how the resort will be celebrating its 75th in future issues.

 

Big Expansion for Sunday River

Sunday River to expand into Western Reserve. Source: Sunday River

Sunday River (ME) announced a major expansion that will get underway in 2022. This, as reported in The Storm Skiing Journal website. The terrain expansion will eventually double the size of the resort. Click here for resort’s explanation.

30% Discount on Ski Books

Use code SENIORSSKI when placing online orders for any of the 27 ski titles published by Arcadia Publishing. The offer is valid through November 7.

Air Access to Mammoth Mountain Increases

United Airlines is starting flights from L.A., San Francisco and Denver to Eastern Sierra Regional Airport in Bishop (CA), about 49 miles from Mammoth Mountain. Another service, Advanced Airlines, which bills itself as providing “public charter flights,” will provide flights to Mammoth Yosemite Airport from three Southern California airports (Burbank, Carlsbad and Hawthorne). It’s 12 miles from the resort.

This Ski Film Was Made 101 Years Ago!

Arnold Fanck, a German documentary filmmaker and pioneer of the mountain film genre, is credited with creating one of the first ski films. “The Wonder of Skis” (Das Wunder des Schneeschuhs) was issued in 1920…101 years ago! It shows skiers in a variety of alpine beauty spots, executing surprisingly beautiful turns. Length of this segment: 30 minutes. Click on image to screen.

 

Jon Weisberg

ShortSwings!

/2 Comments/in , , /by

This is to thank the 3000+ of you who completed our August reader survey. We learned that on average, those of you who did not take last season off skied an average of 26 days. That’s down from a few seasons back when the average was more than 33 days. But, when you figure that the national average is 6.5 skier/boarder days, you quickly realize that we’re the ones using the resorts…especially midweek.

We seniors are a very luck lot, doing what we love, when we want to.

Like many of you, I missed last season. That was a first since I started at age 10. Now I’m psyched about getting back on the hill. Skiing brings me immense pleasure. Each of you feels this in your own way. Whether it’s snaking slowly through a mogul field, cruising down a well-groomed slope or floating through thigh-deep powder, you understand.

Ski often enough and you’ll experience a great mix of conditions. Although I haven’t done so in several years, I’ve found pleasure skiing in a blizzard. Very cold days bring their own form of bliss. Warm, bluebird days are a form of skiers’ nirvana.

It is wonderful to age and ski and to be outside in the snow. It doesn’t matter the size of the mountain or the number of runs. It’s simply being there and skiing that brings joy.

This is the first issue of SeniorsSkiing.com for the 2021-22 season. We’ll be posting new articles each week and emailing them to you as a package every other Friday. As a heads up, we’ll  occasionally email advertisements. Each of these ads has been vetted to be relevant to your skiing interests. 

I hope you continue to enjoy SeniorsSkiing.com. Best wishes for a great 2021-22 season!

Patagonia Offering Store Credits for Trade-Ins

With the goal of keeping its stuff out of landfill and improving the environment, Patagonia has introduced a program that gives credit for old and worn Patagonia products. The credits can be used in its retail and online stores. Click here for details about the program and the amount of credit offered.

Will This Replace Day Lodge Burgers and Fries?

A new eatery — Oxygène Café — in the French ski resort, Tignes, specializes in vegan, vegetarian and gluten free food. Started by Oxygène, the French Alps based ski school specializing in English speaking ski and snowboard lessons. The company is partnering with Caffè Vergnano, a socially and environmentally friendly Italian coffee brand.

Snowbasin to Add Base Village and Club Med

Source: The Salt Lake Tribune

Snowbasin, the vast ski area north of Salt Lake City, near the city of Ogden, was the site of the 2002 Olympic Downhill events. The place offers terrain for every ability. What it hasn’t offered is a place to stay at the mountain. All of that is about to change as Club Med builds a 300 room facility (projected opening: December 2024) and as plans develop for a base village with restaurants, shops and lodging (project to start in 2025). 

Sundance Mountain Resort: New Owners Make Changes

Sundance

Founded by Robert Redford in 1969, Sundance changed hands last December. Over the summer, the new owners installed two new lifts and upgraded snowmaking services, among other changes. A high-speed detachable quad will access the mid-mountain summit. The second lift will provide expanded terrain choices to guests returning from the back mountain. Sundance is a Utah gem. Off the beaten path, it’s not far from Salt Lake City, Park City and Provo and rarely has crowded slopes. Lodging is primarily in the form of condos and it has always been a foodie destination. Most importantly, there’s a range of excellent terrain. 

Squaw Valley’s New Name: Palisades Tahoe

According to a news release issued by Alterra, the company that owns the resort, the “…name change was an important initiative for our company. At the end of the day, “squaw” is a hurtful word, and we are not hurtful people. It was a change that needed to be made for us to continue to hold our heads high as a leader in our industry and community. We have a well-earned reputation as a progressive resort at the forefront of ski culture, and progress can’t happen without change.”

Deep Discount on Stocking Stuffer Ski Books

Arcadia Publishing has a roster of 27 books covering localized skiing history. They paperback books are loaded with vintage photos and have titles such as Skiing in the Mad River Valley, New Hampshire on Skis, and North Carolina Ski Resorts. Part of the series explores “lost ski areas,” those that existed years ago but no more. Among them, Lost Ski Areas of the Berkshires, Lost Ski Areas of Southern Vermont, Lost Ski Areas of Tahoe and Donner, and Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Front Range and Northern Mountains. Arcadia is offering SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers a 30% discount on all of its skiing titles. Click here to shop the books and enter the code, SENIORSSKI, when checking out. The offer is good from October 7 to November 7.

The Perfect Gift for Older Skiers

Bootster is a clever, compact device that makes it easy to get into a ski boot – even when it’s cold. It has a super slippery surface that helps the foot slide in effortlessly. And unlike shoehorns, sprays, etc., Bootster is compact and easily carried in a parka pocket (click on the video above). If you or an older skier you know likes to shed boots during lunch, getting them back on with Bootster is a breeze. It is pretty much indestructible, making it ideal to pass on to the next generation of skiers. At $25 (+ shipping) the price is right. Looking for something to give your favorite older skier? Bootster will be appreciated for years to come.

Boston and Denver Ski Shows Cancelled

This is second year in a row. The cause? Covid.

It’s a Bird?

People have been dreaming about being able to fly without a plane for years. Technology is finally making it possible, as shown in this video compilation of several different approaches from around the world. Who knows? At one point, some version of these flying machines may eliminate the need for ski lifts. About 16 minutes.

 

 

Jon Weisberg

Older Skier? Here’s a list of the Best Skis for You

/17 Comments/in , /by

When it comes to skis, buying without trying can be confusing. I prefer demo days or demo-ing from shops at or near the mountain. Reading how a ski performs can provide helpful guidance in your selection process but using those skis – especially on familiar terrain – really helps in deciding how to make the best purchase.

That said, we’ve posted the annual list of skis recommended for older skiers. They include models from Atomic, Blizzard, Dynastar, Fischer, Head, K2, Kastle, Nordica, Rossignol, Salomon, Stockli, and Volkl. 

You’ll find the list by clicking here.

Most of the recommended skis have relatively soft flex, allowing the ski’s sidecut to engage with snow with minimal exertion. This ski design component requires less physical effort to turn and, regardless of your physical condition, reduces loss of stamina. 

The recommendations come from data assembled during last Spring’s ski tests conducted by RealSkiers.com, the go-to site for in-depth ski equipment evaluations. The 45 recommended skis are organized by ski width categories, which correspond to types of terrain and snow conditions, factors considered in their design and engineering.

While many consider skis to be unisex, some women prefer skis with weight and flex more suitable to their size and physique. The list identifies 10 women’s skis.

What’s the best way to use the information on the list? First, identify the ski category you want to add to your quiver. Then work with a quality ski shop. And, as mentioned at the start of this article, if possible, demo the selections to compare before making your purchase.

BTW, SeniorsSkiers.com subscribers enjoy a 50% discount off subscriptions to realskiers.com subscriptions. Use Code SS21.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/7 Comments/in , /by

Last week was the single deadliest avalanche week in the US since 1910. Avalanches claimed 15 lives: five in Utah, four in Colorado, three in Alaska, and one each in California, Montana and New Hampshire. To date, this season, 21 people perished.  According to avalanche.org, all but five of the fatalities were skiers or boarders. 

Experts attribute the dangerous conditions to the thin early-season snowpack which weakened under the snow from  recent storms. That, of course, has been exacerbated by the increase in backcountry skiing, some of which is the result of Covid restrictions at the resorts. An increase in any activity means many novices who are not adequately educated about what they’re getting into. 

And, as we all know, there’s the element of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bad luck.

I have several friends whose passion is backcountry skiing. They have the proper gear and know how to use it. They’ve learned how to scope out terrain and how to study snow. They know what they’re doing. That said, one of them was caught in a terrible slide with life-altering consequences. 

Whether or not you’ll ever leave the resort, this first-rate 15-minute orientation film from avalanche.org is worth watching.

Sun Valley Expansion

Sun Valley has added 380 acres of expert terrain.  Called Sunrise, it’s served by  the new Broadway detachable quad. It replaces the Cold Springs chair, until recently the resort’s oldest. Click on the image to learn more.

Lower Covid Risk on Ventilated Gondolas

Swiss researcher measures gondola’s air volume.

Risk of Covid during a 12-minute gondola ride is 1000 times less risky than a dinner in a closed room with eight people. That, according to scientists at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology. Personally, I prefer gondola rides to good terrain far more than restaurants with good terrine. 

History of the Chairlift

Early Sun Valley chair

James Curran, who never skied a day in life, invented the chairlift at the request of Averell Harriman who was developing Sun Valley. This article in the current issue of Smithsonian Magazine tells the story of the chair and other lifts. It’s good reading.

Generous Discount for Readers

I’ve reported on a few of the Biofit 360 CBD products. The company’s Deep Sleep CBD drops is the first product — Rx or OTC — to give my wife a full, uninterrupted night of sleep without side effects. It is exceptional. I’ve used its Relief CBD Cream as an alternative to OTC pills, and it really does the job. Now, Biofit is offering SeniorsSkiing.com readers a 20% discount. To enjoy this benefit, click on the Biofit 360 ad on the right of the screen, shop, and enter SKIING in the discount code field when checking out, 

90,000+ Vertical in One Day

Jonathan Boblitt

Jonathan Boblitt skied 90,073 vertical feet at Beaver Creek (CO) on January 26. According to Vail News, he was inspired by his late grandfather who told him a good day of skiing is when he could get it down to 10 cents a run. Boblitt did 39 laps on the Birds of Prey lift. Those and the runs he took to reach Birds of Prey helped him get to 90,000 vert. Congratulations, Jonathan!

Kai Jones Skis Targhee

This two-minute video of 13-year old Kai Jones at Grand Targhee brought a big smile. Targhee is a powder magnet and a joy to ski. Watching this kid make his way down slopes, over cliff bands and through the park is a lot of fun.

We Appreciate Your Support

This is a brief thank you to readers who, over the past week, donated to SeniorsSkiing.com. You will be receiving a mailing with stickers. And, if you contributed $50. or more, you will receive the terrific BBQ apron specially imprinted with the vintage skier woodcut (see below). We’re encouraging readers to make a minimum gift of $10 to help defray the cost of publishing SeniorsSkiing.com. To participate, please click here. The fund-raiser will last through February.

Please, Take A Run For Me

I’ll be in the hospital and out of commission for a while. The coming months will require effort, grit and good luck. For the majority of SeniorsSkiing.com readers blessed with good health or who have gotten through rough periods, I hope you remain well. For those facing health issues, I hope you get better soon.

Because of this situation, it will be some time before I get back to writing Short Swings!

For each of you fortunate enough to be on the slopes this weird (now, snowy)  season, I ask this favor: Next time you’re on the hill, please, take a run for me.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/3 Comments/in , /by

This week’s Short Swings! message is straight-forward:

If you enjoy receiving SeniorsSkiing.com, please support us financially.

Many of you have been generous in our past February fundraisers.

This month, we hope to expand the number of donations by asking more of you to donate a minimum of $10; not much considering the cost of a hot chocolate or a bowl of chili.

For those readers donating $50 or more, we’ll send a terrific navy blue BBQ apron imprinted with this striking vintage skiing woodcut.

All donors will receive a personalized thank you note and some SeniorsSkiing.com stickers.

The fundraiser will continue through the month.

To donate, click here.

Thank you!!!!

Ski Patrol Drones Used at Val Thorens

Many ski resorts outlaw drones for a variety of safety reasons. But ski patrol in Val Thorens, the French mega-resort, are employing drones to monitor lifts and avalanche management systems, and to perform a host of other duties. Among the examples you’ll see in this short video produced by drone-manufacturer, DJI Technology, is how an infrared-equipped drone, is able to detect a skier buried in an avalanche. This is impressive stuff that, before long, we’ll be seeing at many areas.

Idaho’s Tamarack Resort Plans Expansion

Tamarack Resort

Tamarack, which opened in 2004, went bankrupt in 2008, and got new owners in 2018, recently applied to the US Forest Service to add 3000 acres to its existing 1100. The addition, including multiple lifts, would elevate it to one of North America’s biggest. Tamarack, in west central Idaho, averages 300” a season.

Elan’s Folding All-Mountain Ski

Elan, the Slovenian ski brand, is big on innovation. I used their asymmetrical skis a few seasons ago in the Dolomites. Right and left ski were used on hard pack. Switch the skis and they performed differently in powder and soft, heavy snow. Now, Elan is using a similar approach in its new, folding Voyager model. The technology was developed as tactical equipment for the Slovenian Army. It incorporates a hinge and locking swivel-plate which holds the binding.  The company appears to be promoting Voyager for ease of carry-on and transport. Click here for an amusing explanation. Another Elan product currently under development is a “smart ski”, embedded with sensors that will provide real time coaching feedback through a headset. Couldn’t find a price for the Voyager.  

Yellowstone Club’s New Trail Map

Yellowstone Club, adjacent to Big Sky

The closest I ever got to the Yellowstone Club, was skiing a perimeter trail at Big Sky in Montana. Yellowstone Club is the “private and secure” ski and golf resort where business and entertainment celebs have homes. Bill and Melinda Gates are there, as are Tom Brady, Justin Timberlake, and before his death, Warren Miller. Click here to see the resort’s new trail map.

Two Idaho Areas Join Low Cost Multi-Pass

They are Soldier Mountain and Pomerelle Mountain. Indy Pass costs $259 and gives passholders two days of skiing at each of 61 participating areas.

Death and Fantasy Ski Videos

Arianna Tricomi is a three-time Freeride World Champion. In 2018, the Italian was Euro Skier of the Year. She recently recorded this touching and informative video after being unable to save a 15-year-old buried in an avalanche. The point she makes is that little is discussed publicly about risks and preparations made when filming fantasy skiing in challenging terrain. The final edited versions may attract less prepared skiers to mimic the lines, often with tragic results. Her message, while it may not apply to many older skiers, is still an important one: In order to prevent more unnecessary deaths, there needs to be more open discussion and disclosure about behind-the-scenes planning of extreme skiing videos.

Classical Guitar Après Ski

Dr. Jon Paul Yerby is a gifted classical guitar artist and educator who performs globally. He’s not a skier, although, he’s told me that skiing is one of his aspirations. But he is an outstanding musician, as demonstrated in this performance of the  J.S. Bach Prelude. This and other of Jon’s performances are a nice way to enjoy a relaxing senior skier après-ski.

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/2 Comments/in , /by

Pam and I got our first shots of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine last Sunday. It was a big relief. The second round is scheduled for Valentine’s Day.

Pfizer Covid vaccine

She estimates spending about 20 hours over the previous weeks trying to get the appointment. That involved phone calls to places listed on New York State’s Covid website and to area hospitals. It also involved being on hold for hours at a time. She was able to get a late February appointment for me because I’m over 75. Then the state changed the threshold to 65. She made yet another call and got lucky. We secured an injection time for early last Sunday at Javits Center, the massive exhibit hall on the west side of Manhattan.

Check out the sticker.

As disorganized as the scheduling was, the order in Javits Center was pristine. Camo-garbed National Guard guided us through well-marked mazes leading to a station where we filled out a two-page form and signed releases. Then we were shown to a station where a nurse administered the injection while another person entered information into the system. I have NEVER experienced as painless an injection in my 77 years.

The final step was to wait 15-minutes in a socially distanced seating area where help would be immediately available in the event of a bad reaction.

The entire process took about 45 minutes, and it was flawless. But there were many underutilized stations. I don’t know if that was because of vaccine availability, being early on a Sunday morning or something else.

While Pam was dedicating herself to securing our slots, some former colleagues emailed about places where they were able to get shots. One hospital, not far from us, was getting rave reviews for ease of scheduling and friendly service. We already were scheduled and decided not to change, but we gave the contact information to some friends who called and got their shots the next day. 

The lack of vaccine distribution coordination suggests that each of us is on our own when it comes to securing personal protection. If you plan to get vaccinated, my suggestion is to stay abreast of availability where you live and book as early as possible. It didn’t have to be this way, but it is.

The more people vaccinated, the sooner we’ll get back to normal. Whatever that is anymore.

World’s First Urban Ski-Share

Lahti (pop. about 120,000), in southern Finland, is rolling out City Ski, the world’s first urban ski-sharing program.  Skis and poles are borrowed and returned on the honor system. The program is part of the city’s commitment to reduce transport-related carbon emissions. Over the past 30 years, Lahti has reduced total greenhouse gas emissions by 70%. Within Lahti’s 180+km of trails is a newly constructed trail system in the city center. Lahti is seven-time host of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.  

Vail Not Negotiating with Stevens Pass Patrol

Stevens Pass Patrollers Demonstrating

After publishing an item last week about the possibility of the Park City Ski Patrol going on strike, we learned that patrol at another Vail Resorts-owned resort – Stevens Pass (WA) – has been going in a similar direction. In 2019, that patrol, seeking sustainable wages and co-equality as resort stakeholders — voted to join the Communications Workers of America. According to a report in Outside Magazine, Vail has yet to participate in negotiation sessions. The president of the Stevens Pass patrol group is Brianna Hartzell, who explains that it takes several seasons to build expertise needed to perform the multiple first-aid and safety tasks associated with good patrolling. An article in High Country News summarizes the conundrum facing patrollers with 3-5 years experience: “Embrace a lifestyle that leaves you earning barely more than minimum wage, or hang up the red coat and trade passion for practicality?”

Need Your Help Identifying Areas With Senior Programs

We’re asking you to help SeniorsSkiing.com assemble a list of all North American ski areas offering programs for seniors. Some, we know, sponsor local groups, others offer workshops through the ski school, etc. We’ve heard of a few with weekly gatherings (similar to Women’s Workshops) that provide workshop, speaker, discounts, etc. If you know about these senior-oriented programs, please let us know by emailing info@seniorsskiing.com. No need to be exhaustive. Simply name 0r describe the program, name the area, and, if possible, a contact person with email and phone. We’ll follow up to get the details. Our goal is to publish the list for 2021-22. Thank you!!!

Got Pain? 

Biofit’s Relief CBD Cream works extremely well.

Sometimes I hurt. Maybe I pushed it too much on a hike. Or it’s an old injury acting up with a change of weather. Inevitably, my right wrist hurts after a day of skiing. Some over-the-counter meds work; others don’t. Recently, I’ve been rubbing the painful areas with Relief CBD Cream. It’s an anti-inflammatory, and it works very well.  Biofit 360, an advertiser, makes the stuff, and frankly, I was skeptical that it might be just another of the many CBD products found in every grocery, convenience, and drug store. Not the case. Like the company’s Sleep drops which have helped my wife get a good night’s rest after years of insomnia, Relief CBD Cream helps me keep doing what I’m doing without needing to gulp down more pills. If I were skiing this season (unfortunately, I’m not), I’d use a little on that wrist and around my knees in the morning and at the end of the day. In the meanwhile, it gets rid of my discomfort, whatever its cause. To learn more click here.

Before I forget…

…February is when we ask readers to donate to SeniorsSkiing.com. Your support (along with our advertisers) allow us to deliver a weekly package of articles about skiing and boarding through the eyes of the older participant. More on this year’s initiative next week.

and Finally…

The Kings and Queens of Corbet’s is an annual invitational in Jackson Hole’s Corbet’s Couloir. Each of the 24 competitors are drawn from the ranks of the world’s top skiers and riders (plus a handful of locals). They get two runs in the competition for the title, King or Queen of Corbet’s. This year’s event will be Feb 16-21. To get an idea of what happens among these mostly twenty-somethings, click on the highlight video of the 2020 event (above). It is nothing short of AMAZING! 

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/23 Comments/in , /by

 

A segment of the population is getting out of hand. We saw it at the Capitol, and we’re reading about it on airlplanes, in restaurants, and, now, of all places, ski areas. Pent up anger and resentment, stoked by misinformation and lies, is erupting in public places. It’s ugly, and it’s upsetting. Unfortunately, it’s not going away.

Most ski areas now require masks and social distancing. But not all skiers and boarders want to comply. Their resistance has led to verbal abuse of employees tasked with enforcing policy. Maybe those opposed to the rules think their freedom is being challenged. But, as history tells us, there really is no freedom without responsibility and that responsibility is to the rule of law and the public’s well-being. Without it, you could selfishly do whatever you choose…the rest of society be damned.

It’s good that some areas are enforcing their policies. The fact that Schweitzer Mountain closed night skiing for MLK weekend and this weekend suggests direct punishment for night skiers/boarders resisting mask and distance policies. Other resorts are issuing notices re-empathizing Covid requirements.

Ultimately, Covid concerns will be short term, whereas on hill collisions from reckless and/or out-of-control skiers/boarders will continue to be an issue. I can only hope for myself, other senior skiers, our children and grandchildren, that the areas will pay more than lip service to this more permanent and potentially lethal situation.

Alyeska Tops 45′

This is what 24′ of snow looks like. Think about 45′!

A few weeks ago we reported that Alaska’s Alyeska Resort was the first in North America to get more than 400’. As of this writing, Alyeska has a season total of 541”.

Park City Patrol Demonstrates for Pay Increase

The Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association, representing 200 patrollers and mountain safety personnel, demonstrated this week for a salary increase and better sick leave. The group, which has been operating without a contract since January 1, claims Vail Resorts (VR) is refusing federal mediation. The head of the group explained it wants VR to recognize ski patrolling as a full-time career, deserving salaries and benefits comparable to other Vail Resorts staff. They have a point, don’t they? And how would VR or any ski resort function without patrol? They also have a sense of humor with their picket signs: “Not on Strike. Just practicing.”

Snow in the Sahara

For the first time in 37 years, snow fell in North Africa’s Sahara Desert. With average winter temps of 57F (summer, 100F), desert snow is rare. But in the Atlas Mountain range looming above the desert, there’s a ski resort and vast backcountry terrain accessible by climbing (there are three tour operators) and Africa’s only heli-ski operation.

Canadian Teen Survives in Snow Cave

Snow cave built by Canadian teen

Last Saturday, 17-year old Robert Waldner got separated from his family while snowmobiling in a mountainous area of British Columbia where this time of year temperatures can drop to -58F. Realizing he was lost, the high schooler shoveled out a snow cave and hunkered down for the night. His breath caused the interior of the cave to ice over, stabilizing the interior temperature. Fortunately, search and rescue spotted his snowmobile and found the lad, unharmed, before midnight.

Outstanding New Skiing History

 Just-published, Ski Jumping in Washington State: A Nordic Tradition is exceptionally well-researched and a first-rate read. While the  224-page paperback focuses on the development and evolution of ski jumping in the Northwest, it’s scope covers the golden age of ski jumping throughout the nation. The volume is filled with wonderful illustrations and photographs from early to mid-Twentieth Century. It tells the story of Norwegian immigration to the US and how many of those immigrants — Alf Engen, Torger Tokle, Art Tokle, Olav Ulland, Birger and Sigmund Ruud and others — contributed to ski jumping competition. John W. Lundin, a ski historian and attorney, authored this gem. The book has a Foreward by Eric Nelson, CEO of the National Nordic Museum. Ski Jumping in Washington State: A Nordic Tradition (Arcadia Publishing) accompanies an exhibit on the same topic organized by the National Nordic Museum and the Washington State Ski and Snowboard Museum.

Drive the Streets of 50 Cities

Click here to take a virtual drive through more than 50 cities worldwide. You’re able to set vehicle speed, street noise, etc. Return to the city after one drive and you’ll be on a different route. I took the drive up Park Avenue in Manhattan and passed the building where I used to work.

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/6 Comments/in , /by

Friends in Vail recently got their Covid vaccinations. Colorado is making them available to people 70 and older.

If we were in Utah where we have a place, my wife and I would be able to get shots on Monday, January 18. But we’re in NY where, over the past few days, the Governor announced that people 65+ are now eligible. Scheduling the shot is confusing. The state’s vaccination registration website listing places administering vaccine has hundreds of drugstores, hospitals and dedicated vaccine administration sites. Virtually everyplace we called had no idea when the vaccine would be available.

Eventually, one of us was able to schedule an appointment at a freestanding vaccine administration site for the end of February. We’re still searching for another time slot.

Our friends in Vail were given cards verifying they’ve been vaccinated (the first of two doses). It will be interesting to see if a more sophisticated digital system will evolve to identify who has been vaccinated. If it does, it probably will raise issues about privacy. I’m all for maintaining individual digital privacy, but I’m also aware that most Internet users reveal far too much personal  detail on Facebook and other social media platforms, often in contrast with their concerns about government knowledge of their personal lives. Articles I’ve read suggest that at one point, those of us who’ve been vaccinated will be part of a national digital registry. Eventually, when airlines and other enterprises limit access only to those who’ve been vaccinated, they’ll get that info from the registry. 

It wouldn’t surprise me if, at one point in time, that info also will be registered on your electronic ski pass…the one that provides access to the lift. When that happens, it will help determine who has access to restaurants, rental facilities, etc. That’s probably several seasons out, but don’t be surprised when it happens.

Schweitzer Mountain Fights Back

Schweitzer Mountain’s Twilight skiing suspended because of disrespectful clientele

Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Sandpoint, Idaho, announced it will close its twilight skiing operations for two weekends as retribution for “…the verbal abuse…directed towards our staff as they have attempted to enforce our safety requirements…” Some customers have resisted wearing masks and social distancing.

$10,000 Reward to Identify Hit and Run Teen Skier

The collision occurred in Vail’s China Bowl on January 6. A teenage boy on skis crashed, full force, into Betty Benjamin, 74. She’s now hospitalized with a collapsed lung and all right-side ribs broken. Her brother is offering the reward. Colorado law makes it illegal for anyone involved in a ski accident in which someone is injured to leave the scene without giving name and address to an area employee or member of patrol. In a related matter, last week a panel for Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed use of waivers protecting ski resorts from lawsuits filed by people injured while skiing/boarding. It appears to be a win for the resorts, not the people who use them.

Own an Epic Pass but Unable to Use it? Read this.

This article from The New York Times explains the dilemma faced by Epic Passholders unable to cross stateliness because of Covid restrictions and and Vail’s response to the issue.

Alyeska Reports 460+”

Alyeska under the Northern Lights

Alaska’s Alyeska Resort is the first North American resort to top 400′ this season. Storms over the paset several days dumped almost 5′.

Indoor Dining Suspended at Aspen Snowmass

Pitkin County, where the resort is located will allow outside dining and takeout. The county has the second-highest Covid incidence rate in Colorado. One in 35 residents is infected.

Remember Eddie the Eagle?

He was the British ski jumper who bedazzled spectators during the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics with his barely competent but highly courageous derring-do. I’ve been thinking about Eddie’s pluck during this time of confinement. He didn’t win any medals but he inspired a world of onlookers with his grit and determination. His story was the subject of a feature film a few years ago starring Hugh Jackman. To watch the trailer, click on the picture. This brief, upbeat report about Eddie, now in his mid-50s, also is worth watching.

And Now For Something a Little Different

Chuck Patterson is a California freeskier who has graced the cover of Powder Magazine. Over the past few years, using ski boots and skis, he’s shifted from flakes to surf . Enjoy this video produced by Salomon.

Boldog
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/1 Comment/in , /by

My deadline for wishing people Happy New Year is getting shorter.

Boldog új évet is Happy New Year in Hungarian. Numerous postcard artists in the 1920s/30s incorporated kids on skis.

Centuries ago, when I worked in an office (remember when people worked in offices?), it seemed like New Year’s greetings extended through at least the first week of the year. You’d bump into a colleague and offer the obligatory phrase. Once, many weeks after the New Year, I said “Happy New Year” to a co-worker. That prompted a discussion about time-limited greetings.  We decided that, unlike birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and deaths, New Year’s greetings should be limited to a few days. That said, and the fact that this is reaching you about a week after this year’s not-so-sparkling event, let me bend that rule and wish you Many Happy and Healthy Turns in 2021!

 

“When” by John O’Donnell

Award-winning Irish poet John O’Donnell lives in Dublin. His work is widely published. His poem, When,  was published last week in The Irish Times. It’s a good read for this New Year.

And when this ends we will emerge, shyly
and then all at once, dazed, longhaired as we embrace
loved ones the shadow spared, and weep for those
it gathered in its shroud. A kind of rapture, this longed-for
laying on of hands, high cries as we nuzzle, leaning in
to kiss, and whisper that now things will be different,
although a time will come when we’ll forget
the curve’s approaching wave, the hiss and sigh
of ventilators, the crowded, makeshift morgues;
a time when we may even miss the old-world
arm’s-length courtesy, small kindnesses left on doorsteps,
the drifting, idle days, and nights when we flung open
all the windows to arias in the darkness, our voices
reaching out, holding each other till this passes.

Six Word Challenge Winners

Over the past month several readers submitted six words summarizing the current situation in their ski lives. Two winners were selected. Their entries are below. They’ll each receive The Bootster ski boot shoe horn. 

Boots in car. Pee In Woods

Norm Reynolds, Golden, Colorado

Mask, balaclava, gaiter, helmet, goggles. Breathe? 

Susan Zangrilli, Sandy, Utah

Thanks to all who sent in their creations!

Western Snow Magnets

Alyeska Resort  (AK): 336”. Stevens Pass (WA): 221”. Jackson Hole (WY): 212”.  Whistler Blackcomb (BC): 201″.

Austria Closes Schools and Stores; Not Ski Areas

Covid closures have affected virtually every aspect of public life for Austrians, except ski areas, which continue to function. News reports describe intense crowding in lift lines and elsewhere. Last season, Ischgl, near St. Anton, which attracts big numbers for it’s apres ski scene, was linked to the spread of the virus throughout Europe. Ski area operators lobbied hard for their facilities to remain open during lockdown. Swiss areas also remain open. However both countries have imposed quarantines for those crossing their borders, effectively making the hills off-limits to those living elsewhere.

Superyacht Heli-Skiing

La Datcha, the first ice-breaker superyacht, is available for heli-skiing adventures this season in Russia’s remote Kuril Islands and Kamchatka Peninsula. The cruise will focus on first descents. The 252’ superyacht carries a staff of 25, two helicopters in a below deck hangar, and a 3-person submersible. Cost for 7-days start about $1,225,000 for up to 12 guests and include heli-skiing, guides, equipment, meals, beer/wine, and use of the submersible. Website: https://www.eaheliskiing.com.

First Wood RFID Pass

Source: Skidata

SKIDATA, which produces tech associated with paperless lift tickets, has a new pass made of wood. It’s being used by Austria’s Kitzbühel Bergbahn.

14 Year Old Skiing Wunderkind

At 14, Jackson Hole‘s Kai Jones may be the youngest ski pro. When he was 11, his amazingly graceful form and derring-do helped him win the International Freeskiers Association’s North American championship for skiers younger than 12. The New York Times recently featured his skiing career: click here to read. Click on the video to see Kai in action. Wowee!!!!

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/1 Comment/in , /by

 

This is our final issue of 2020. We’re not saddened to see the year go. Whatever your holiday of choice, please enjoy it safely. And celebrate the arrival of the New Year. It’s time to turn the page on so many things. Here’s wishing you a great season and many bright and promising days ahead!

What Do Vaccines and Ski Areas Have in Common?

Vaccine development and ski areas have something loosely in common: the public-private partnership. This may be a stretch, but hear me out.

Several Covid vaccines, like many other drugs and technologies, were developed with some level of government participation. In the case of  Pfizer’s, the government guaranteed to purchase $1+ billion of product long before it was approved. For decades, technology transfer programs have helped medical and other technologies — discovered, invented, and/or developed with public funds — get picked-up and commercialized by the private sector.

What does that have to do with skiing? At least 122 ski areas lease property from the Forest Service. Among the more prominent are Vail, Aspen, Snowbird and Mammoth.

Next time you’re making turns on leased -government land, consider the public-private partnership helping you enjoy the sport and, hopefully, protecting you from Covid.

Six Word Challenge

Tom Irving, 82, is a volunteer instructor for the Two Top Mountain Adaptive Sports Foundation. He says  teaching in the program is “the best decision I ever made.” He mostly teaches disabled veterans 3-4 days a week at Whitetail Resort (PA). Tom’s scheduled PSIA clinic was cancelled, as were two group ski trips he had booked. And he has high hpes for the vaccine. All of which leads to his six-word summation: Missed one. Cancelled two. Future’s Bright.

Corky Miller, 75, loves skiing Buena Vista (230’ vert) near Bemidji (MN), which explains his six-worder: Local fast hill, ski all day!

Brian Frias is a California skier. As part of the Masterfit organization he has developed a keen eye for the sport. Looking at the bright side of Covid, he offers this one: Long lines lead to empty slopes.

Please keep sending your six-word entries. A few winners will receive the Bootster Shoe Horn for Ski Boots. Please post your entry to Comments or send to jon@seniorsskiing.com.

A Completely New Approach to Prescription Goggles

SnowVision Rx goggles integrate prescription with inner lens

SnowVision makes a unique goggle with your prescription integrated into the inner lens. Unlike conventional Rx inserts, in which the insert is a separate component subject to fogging and often limiting vision range, this goggle maintains the eye-to-lens distance, resulting in fog-free wider range-of-vision. I’ll be reporting on my experience with the SnowVision goggle in an upcoming issue. But from everything I know about it, the goggle is a breakthrough, especially for older skiers. For more, click here or on the SnowVision advertisement.

Wolf Creek Has 10 Feet!

Wolf Creek Ski Area in Southwest Colorado keeps on getting the goods. As of this writing, the area has received more than 129″.

Alta/MIT Study: Silence Reduces Risk of Infection

The more and louder we speak, the greater infected individuals transmit the virus. A team of MIT students scientifically analyzed how and where residents and guests of Alta have the greatest probability of catching Covid. They determined that people in loud indoor dining areas have a 60% chance of catching the virus – even with tables 6 feet apart. Analyzing space, air circulation and time spent in public buses transporting people to/from the resort, they learned that if no one spoke, the busses could carry 60 masked passengers vs the 20 masked and socially distanced passengers Utah Transit Authority has mandated for this season.

New Chapter in Skiing Haves vs Have Nots

Luxury seating in the VIP gondola

The Eiger Express, a new tri-cable gondola system was launched earlier this month on Switzerland’s famed Jungfrau. It “…combines all the advantages of the aerial gondola and the funicular,” being able to run across long expanses with fewer support towers – only 7 for a length of more than four miles! A ride that used to take more than an hour is now reduced to 15 minutes. Among other Eiger Express features is the Platinum Club which includes a VIP lounge, where members can await their own VIP Gondola car. The car holds 8 people and features leather chairs and a champagne bar. Couple’s membership is a mere 18,000 CHF ($21,000+) a year. Numerous US resorts already have VIP clubs and passes. How long before they, too, get their own gondola car?

Redford Sells Sundance

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Movie star and environmental activist Robert Redford sold Utah’s Sundance Mountain Resort to two high-end real hotel development companies. The new owners plan to add a high-speed lift and new trails. Sundance is a jewel long in need of infrastructure improvement. I’m looking forward to seeing what the new owners do. Redford started the resort in 1969 after purchasing the small Timp Haven area and renaming it Sundance after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, in which he and Paul Newman co-starred.

Saddleback Re-Opens

Saddleback covered in snow

Saddleback Mountain (ME) reopened earlier this week after being dark for the past 5 years. Arctaris Impact Fund purchased the mountain less than a year ago and has invested $18 million.

Two Short Videos

Mount Cain is an old-fashioned powder magnet on Vancouver Island (BC). Average snowfall is 38′. Vertical drop: 1,499′. Two T-Bars and one rope tow. May be on the small side, but as you’ll see in this 15 minute video, it is well-loved and skis big.

Ski Rio in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico has been closed since 2000. This eight minute video shows its abandoned state and the turns still possible for those who choose to climb.

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/4 Comments/in , /by

Last week’s column highlighted responses to a question posed to several friends: How much vertical footage is needed to have a satisfying day on the hill? For this week’s column, I posed the same question to all readers. Your input over the past several days says a lot about your passion for the sport. Not enough room to include all responses, but here’s a selection:

Fellow ski journalist, Dave Irons, 82, reports, “…all I need is a morning that includes 5-10 runs.” He and his 60-year old daughter ski Shawnee Peak (ME). “The 1200 feet of vertical is plenty. She’s…in great shape, which is why she is good for a few more runs after the old man is ready for a beer.”

John Emery, 67, and his wife ski Bogus Basin (ID). “I still track and log my vert, not for bragging purposes but to keep myself honest.” 

Rick Hovey is 66 and a resident of Park City (UT) since the mid-70s. Typically, he skis one million vertical and 80 days a season. Poor guy, last season he clocked 58 days and 900K vert. He writes, “I expect to meet my goals this year but will try to be satisfied with what I get.”

Rich Spritz writes, “My goal is to ski my age, though this year I may miss 70.” His family has a rule: “three runs counts as a day.” To anyone challenging the rule he suggests skiing three at “Breckenfridge” when it’s 7°F with wind howling, “then come meet inside by the fire and tell me that doesn’t count as a ski day!”

Susan Shaffer, Chapel Hill, NC, has skied one million vertical for several seasons. Last March, when areas closed, she was three days short of skiing her age. 

Tony’s local area is Cannonsburg (MI) with 250’ vertical. The area is a few miles from where he and his wife are on patrol (99 years of patrolling between them). For Tony, a light day is 100 runs or about 25,000 feet. “It’s a lot cheaper than the gym and lots of fresh air.”

At 74, Kevin Toolan’s perfect day is about 4 hours with his 6 and 10-year old grandsons at Okemo (VT) followed by lunch, a glass of wine and a nap. 

Peter Hogan skis Copper Mountain with his step-son. They enjoy lunch at a sheltered woodsy spot with a view, then ski the bowls and take a long “butt-kicking” mogul run before a few beers.

Connie Grodensky writes, “Skiing local is what skiing is about this year.” She takes 10-run days at Mt. Bachelor (OR) and is happy to leave before the crowds arrive. 

Ed Schultz, 76, skis 15 runs at Brantling (NY), with 250’ vertical. It’s small but in region that receives lots of snow.

Bob Ohrt, provides these words of wisdom: “Have been skiing local for many years. Depending on the year, ‘local’ might be a 300′ valley or a 3,000′ resort. It really doesn’t matter. Skiing is the experience and the sensation. Every ‘where’ can offer different joys. Ski what you have got.”

Many thanks to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts.

Skier’s Six-Word Challenge

Here’s the challenge: summarize your thoughts about the season in 6 words. Several have been received. If you want to enter SeniorsSkiing.com’s Six Word Challenge, you may win a Booster ski boot horn, a great gift for any older skier. 

Here’s a selection from the past week.

Louis Vigorita, Ventura, CA, commented on escaping Covid isolation: 

Out of the bubble, into the snow.

Susan Zangrilli, Sandy, Utah, expressed one of this season’s dilemmas: 

Mask, balaclava, gaiter, helmet, goggles. Breathe? 

Her husband, David, laments not being able to boot-up in the Alta locker-room: 

Boots on. Boots off. Sans bench.

Bob Ohrt puts this optimisitc spin on the season:

It’s the smiles not the miles.

And Jan Brunvand, Salt Lake City, who’s already skied seven days, sent this about his season’s goals: 

Fifty days? Good luck with that!

Enter SeniorsSkiing.com’s Six Word Challenge. Summarize how you feel about this season in six words. Winners will receive a Bootster ski boot shoe horn! Send entries to jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Passes Surpassed Lift Tickets Last Season

National Ski Areas Association reports that last season, skier/boarder visits using season passes were greater than visits using single and multi-day lift tickets…a first for the industry.

May Be Best Lift Deal in the US

Colorado Ski Country USA’s $35 Gems Card provides two 2-for-1 adult lift tickets or two 30-percent (30%) off adult lift tickets at each of these Colorado resorts: Arapahoe Basin, Cooper, Echo Mountain, Eldora, Granby Ranch, Hesperus, Kendall Mountain, Loveland, Monarch, Powderhorn and Sunlight. For more information: www.ColoradoSki.com/Gems.

Better Mapping

You may have noticed a new look in the trail maps at places like Vail, Sun Valley, Squaw and Alpine Meadows, Stowe, Mt Snow, and Killington. They are among the areas utilizing  the services of VistaMap, a company providing a comprehensive system for creating and maintaining trail and guest maps. Like any good map, these are easy to read and understand. The technology utilized let’s them be updated easily. Click here to visit Vistamap‘s website.

Liftopia’s Assets Acquired

Remember Liftopia, the online ticket seller, which advertised extensively over the past few seasons? The company went under earlier this year after several resorts were not paid for the tickets Liftopia sold. The company’s liquidated assets were acquired by Skitude, a European ski-oriented tech.

Two Interesting Short Ski Films

Abandoned (24 minutes) tells the stories of several defunct Colorado areas.

Made Back East (21 minutes) follows a group of ski friends as they ski backcountry in New York and Vermont.

One Wonderful Ski Video

Twelve year old, Jacob Smith was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 8. After years of surgery, he is well  but legally blind. This 7 minute video tells Jacob’s story, including his descent on skis of Big Sky’s Big Couloir. Need a pickmeup? Don’t miss this one!

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/14 Comments/in , , /by

This season will favor those living close to the mountain. Older skiers who aren’t a short walk or reasonable drive away probably will avoid the hassle and risk of commercial flights to get there. They’ll spend more time on local slopes. 

Currently, we’re in our place several miles north of New York City. The closest reasonable skiing is about 2.5 hours to the north where there are several areas with vertical drops ranging from 1,100’ to 1.600’. 

Which got me thinking: how much vertical feet is needed for a satisfying day of skiing?

I posed the question to several skiing friends around the country. Their responses offer insight into what makes us happy about the sport.

Travel Writer Roger Toll, 75, lived in Park City and Santa Fe and has been skiing for 60 years. In his 60s his daily diet ranged from 20k’ to 40k’. When he moved from Park City to New Mexico, he was lured by free skiing at Ski Santa Fe, an area with about 1,200’. Enjoyable as he found some parts of the mountain, its 1,200’ vertical entertained him for about 10 runs or 12k’; “…enough to have a great day, especially when it’s free.”

At the other end of the country, Howard Vipler finds skiing Hunter Mountain’s 1,600’ satisfying but generally calls it quits by noon. He retired from Hunter’s Ski Patrol after 40 seasons there, so he knows where to find fewer people and better conditions. Even so, for him, 1600’ has it limitations.

Back to the west, where Dick Chapman,  retired pain researcher of international renown, skis Wolf Creek in Southwestern Colorado. Dick was 58 when he started. He’s now 76.  Wolf Creek has about the same vertical as Hunter Mountain, but far more snow. Its tagline: “The Most Snow in Colorado.” Dick’s measure for a satisfying day on the hill isn’t vertical. He writes, “Fun is skiing at the edge of my ability and successfully meeting little challenges.”

Now to Colorado’s I-70 corridor and Vail, where David Orlinsky books a minimum of 10 runs and/or 15,000’ to qualify for a satisfying day on the hill. Having skied with him, I know that’s an understatement. Over the past two decades, the retired businessman has averaged one million vertical feet per season!

One state over, in Utah, Jan Brunvand and Harriet Wallace have different takes on what it means to have a satisfying day. Their names often appear with their SeniorsSkiing.com articles.

Jan, professor emeritus of English at the University of Utah and widely recognized as popularizing the concept of the “urban legend,” doesn’t count daily vert. At 87, he requires skiing a minimum of five runs in order to log the day. Usually he’s in the 7-10 run range. I’ve taken a few runs with Jan and hope I’ll be as graceful and having as much fun when I’m 87.

I’ve also skied with Harriet, 80, whose optimistic outlook is infectious. As she explains it, “It’s not about vertical. It’s about being outdoors…dancing down the slope…blue skies and whiteouts. It’s all about friends, no app needed.”

There were several other responses which I’ll try to include in a future column. I’d like to hear what you think makes for a satisfying day on the hill. Please post a comment or drop me a line: jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Your Six Words About This Season

Hemingway may have started this form. Six words that express a thought. What six words express this season? Send your entries to jon@seniorsskiing.com, please. Planning to select some good ones. Author credits will appear with each. Reminder: six words about this season. I came up with the following. “Escaping Covid. Skiing in my mind.”

Covid Victim: Ski Patroller Beards

Before/After: Arapahoe Basin Patroller, Thomas Olsen, Credit…Ian Zinner/Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

It’s all about getting a proper fit for masks, and it’s changing the traditional face of male ski patrollers. As this recent New York Times article explains, patrollers’ beards are going, going, gone!

Big White Ski Resort, BC Pulling Anti-Maskers’ Passes

British Columbia’s third-largest ski resort is ending skiing privileges for pass holders refusing to wear masks. First offenders lose a week; second offenders, a month. “It’s pretty simple, if they don’t wear their mask, we pull their pass. Once we told them they lose their skiing privileges, the argument stopped pretty quick,” said  Michael Ballingall, senior vice president, Big White Ski Resort.

Crans Montana HotelPass

Here’s a Swiss lift ticket concept, US areas might consider: Crans Montana, the large, seniors and family-friendly Swiss ski resort has a new HotelPass allowing those lodging in participating hotels to purchase last minute lift passes at deep discounts. No advance reservations. Total flexibility of when to use. Click here for more info on the HotelPass. Participating Crans Montana hotels also have new, highly flexible cancellation policies.

Final Laps on the Covid Track

We’re taking the final laps before crossing the vaccine finish line. Do what you need to do to avoid getting infected. If you already have been or are, do whatever you can to get well. Above all: Think positive. Test negative.

One Of The Best Short Ski Films…

The Chairlift is one of the best short ski films to date. A little over 12 minutes, it’s an homage to the chairlift and it’s unique culture. A production of Salomon, which released it a few days ago. 

SeniorsSkiing.com Email Blasts

You’ll start receiving occasional emails from some of our advertisers. Each will be relevant to skiing and related topics. SeniorsSkiing.com will distribute the emails; we don’t sell our list or your email addresses to third parties. We hope you’ll find them of interest.

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/0 Comments/in , /by

This week I participated in a media briefing about the coming season. It was organized by Ski Utah and featured presenters from most of the state’s areas.

They confirmed what most of us already know. This will not be a normal season. Resort skiing will require more advance planning than we’re used to. Some of the details, as presented in the aforementioned media briefing, are outlined a few paragraphs down.

Those of you who live close to where you ski won’t feel the pain. Not so for those of us who must travel.

That’s one of the reasons I plan to try cross country this season. I won’t be alone.  

Cross country skiing is about to boom. Since its impact was first felt, Covid has prompted many more people to pursue solo outdoor sports. 

According to Reese Brown, executive director of the non-profit Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA), early sales of entry-level gear packages were up over 200% in August and September. This bodes well for that branch of the sport.

This issue of SeniorsSkiing.com is dedicated to cross country and other Nordic activities. When Covid entered the scene, we anticipated that many of you, turned off by new obstacles, might look to Nordic activities as an alternative. That’s why we introduced the Make More Tracks: Nordic Resource Guide and are featuring a Nordic article in each issue. You’ll note that Alpina, which makes top-of-the-line Nordic ski boots and other gear is supporting the initiative.

Cross country, skate skiing, snowshoeing, and snow biking don’t always require traveling great distances to enjoy. If you live where there’s snow, many parks and local golf courses have groomed trails. If you’re fortunate enough to be near a cross country resort, you can enjoy extensive trail networks with many amenities. 

Clearly, Covid has turned skiing on its head.

What did I learn in that media briefing mentioned earlier? Among other things, advance ticket reservations will be required. It’s one of several ways areas will limit access. 

Places like Snowbird will regulate the number of skiers by requiring parking reservations. And at least for the first part of the season, parking spots will be for morning arrivals only.

For several seasons, Utah has encouraged people skiing the Cottonwood Canyons (Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude) to take public transportation. Depending on time of day or day of week, ski buses were at their 60 passenger capacity. This season, each bus will be limited to 20.

Many senior skiers enjoy the amenities of a locker room. Now, in an effort to improve social distancing, Deer Valley will limit access locker room access. The resort already has removed all seating. 

Snowbasin is introducing portable “executive” restrooms.

Restaurants will require reservations or ordering by app. Powder Mountain will do both as well as increase take-out locations around the resort.

These changes are representative of what to expect at resorts throughout the U.S. 

In closing the media briefing, Nathan Rafferty, who heads Ski Utah, shared his metric for success for the coming season. As I recall, in the past it has been increasing the number of skiers and the number of skier days. This year, it’s simply “Get open and stay open.”

Vail, Killington, Park City Mountain Resort, Alta Opening 

source: Alta

Vail, Park City Mountain Resort and Killington each announced season openings on Friday, November 20. Alta will open Monday, November 23. Check your email and favorite mountain website for more opening dates.

The Nordic Approach

That’s the name of the new online magazine for cross country skiers. Click here to visit the free site and find resorts, retailers, lots of good articles and tips for everyone interested in or already enjoying the cross country skiing lifestyle.

Parlor Skis Backcountry Emails

Parlor Skis is the Boston-based custom ski manufacturer known for high quality skis designed for the purchaser’s individual skiing style and needs. I know several skiers who’ve invested in Parlor skis, and they absolutely love them! The company takes an intelligent and analytical approach to the customization process. Its New England heritage is reflected in a new email series exploring back country skiing in the Northeast. If you’d like to receive Parlor’s emails, send your request to mark@parlorskis.com.

ISHA Needs Your Support

International Ski History Association

ISHA (International Skiing History Association) is the non-profit that, among other things, publishes Skiing History magazine. If you’re not already a member, I urge you to join. You’ll receive Skiing History every other month. Click on ISHA’s ad at the bottom of the stack of ads on the right and you’ll receive the free digital version. But at this time, it’s important to send ISHA money. Like so many other non-profits, the group is feeling the effects of Covid, especially from corporate sponsors cutting back because of reduced revenues. Please help ISHA weather this particularly tough storm. A one-year membership is only $49.

U.S. Ski-Snowboard Hall of Fame, Too

This is another worthy non-profit whose revenues this year were interrupted by Covid. The Hall of Fame‘s mission is to honor and celebrate the athletes, pioneers and visionaries of the United States who have significantly enriched the global sports of skiing and snowboarding and to showcase their stories and historic memorabilia…” To learn more and/or make a donations, click here.

A Skier’s Thanks

Next Thursday the U.S. celebrates Thanksgiving, a time when we give thanks for our good fortune by stuffing our faces and tolerating people we’re obligated to have at our tables. I apologize for the cynicism. This year will be different. Like others we know, Pam and I will be alone for our traditional feast. We’ll eat well, knowing that many will not and that many will be alone. As we do on every Thanksgiving and throughout the year, we’ll remember those no longer with us and those less fortunate. As skiers, we should be expressing thanks to the people who work hard so we can enjoy our good times on the hill. There are the groomers who work throughout the night, often in dangerous conditions, to prepare slopes and trals for our enjoyment. There are the lifties, standing in bitter cold to assist us onto the chair. And patrol, up early to control avalanches and working throughout the day to make trails safer. The people preparing and serving food. Those clearing the lots. There are many we never see and whom we never have the opportunity to thank. Maybe it’s not the purpose of Thanksgiving to thank them, but this year, let’s do it anyway. And while we’re at it, let’s thank the medical researchers, especially those at Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. It sounds like their commitment to developing Covid vaccines will soon get us back to some form of normal, including a more normal ski season. Thank you! 

Frustration #1. Frustration #2.

Frustration #1: Readers are reporting that SeniorsSkiing.com requires re-entering name and email address each time you try to open the site. We believe the issue may be the need to enable cookies on each device used to access SeniorsSkiing.com. If you’ve done that on your laptop and want to open the site on your phone, you must enable cookies on each device. On my iPhone, I went to Settings, scrolled to Safari, turned off  (grey bubble) “Block All Cookies”  and turned on (green bubble) “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking.” Other phones may require other steps. 

Frustration #2: We’d like more classified advertisers. It’s a great deal. Advertise for four weeks for $1. Once the classified section takes hold, we plan to increase the cost of advertising. For the immediate future, however, you can advertise something for sale, something for rent, a club trip, look for someone to ski with, etc. for a buck. 

Back December 4

SeniorsSkiing.com is taking next week off. See you December 4!

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/1 Comment/in , /by

Every now and then, we give readers a status report on the state of the older skier and the status of SeniorsSkiing.com.

It’s fair to say that we’re all doing well. The magazine started in the Fall of 2013 with exactly “0” subscribers. Today there are 17,000 of you, and the number is growing.

We know from industry trade association statistics that in the US, 20% of all skiers and boarders are 52 and older. We also know that the number of skiers/boarders in this country has fluctuated between 8.3 million and 10.2 million for 25 years. The market is not expanding.

Our annual reader surveys tell us a lot about the older segment of that market. Almost 3500 readers – more than 21% of the subscriber base — responded to our last survey. 

Your average age is just shy of 70. When we started, it was closer to 67. Two-thirds of you are male. When we started, the split was 60/40 (m/f).

A few seasons back, you skied about 15.5 days per season, compared to the national average of 6 days per season. Last season, short as it was, you skied, on average, almost 33 days!

Contrary to the perceptions of some in the industry, you are a significant economic force. When asked how much you spent on all aspects of skiing during the past season for yourselves and others, 51% reported up to $2500; 29% spent between $2500 and $5000, and 20% spent more than $5000. We expect that while there are larger numbers of younger skiers, the amount they spend in a season as individuals is considerably less. Two-thirds of you have told us that you’re financially independent.

Publishing SeniorsSkiing.com every week takes a lot of effort. No one – writers or publishers – gets paid. Ad sales and reader contributions cover costs, and the more we grow, the higher those costs. Our annual fund-raiser is conducted in February.

Sometimes we slip behind. Last season’s Trail Masters list is overdue, as is the annual report of North American ski areas where seniors ski free or at deep discount. It’s a lot for two older guys working with some younger people for technology, graphics and other specialized needs.

It would be nice to wave a wand and attract ads from companies selling pain relievers, financial services, and health plans. We’ve tried, but our audience isn’t big enough for their needs. It also would be great if ski makers and/or ski pass companies chose to advertise. When approached, they show minimal interest.

Is it because we’re focused on the older end of the market? Do they figure that SeniorsSkiing.com readers will buy skis and passes regardless of whether or not they advertise? Perhaps.

Skiing is a youth-oriented sport in a youth-oriented culture. When is the last time you saw an age-contemporary featured in an advertisement for skis or a ski destination? In an editorial feature in one of the few remaining ski magazines? In a recently released ski video?

SeniorsSkiing.com exists to show the world of non-mechanized snowsports through the eyes of the older skier.  If you like what we’re doing, forward an issue to other older skiing friends. 

Snow in the West

Source: Alta

Winter arrived at the Western ski resorts this week. Snowbird, in Utah‘s Little Cottonwood Canyon, got 29″. Alta, next-door, reported 30″. Wolf Creek in the Southwest corner of Colorado reports a 50’base, 7 out of 10 lifts open and 127 out of 133 open rails. Another pulse is expected over the coming weeks.

Vermont Covid Policy Places Season in Jeopardy

This week, the State of Vermont, suspended its policy allowing travelers from the Northeast to visit the Green Mountain State without quarantining. If Covid rates drop, the policy will probably allow more visitors in the state without requiring quarantine.

Utah: Too Little, Too Late

The Governor of Utah finally issued a statewide mask mandate. Cases there have been skyrocketing and wide portions of the population are defying suggested precautions. Among other reports from The Salt Lake Tribune, people in Utah County (south of Salt Lake County) have hosted large-scale, maskless dance parties. Mothers in the county are reported to be applying icepacks to children’s foreheads to help them pass school temperature checks, and coaches have been encouraging team members to conceal if they’re feeling flu symptoms. Prior to the new mandate, the governor’s mantra was that citizens of Utah “will do the right thing.“

Mask = Specs = Foggy Lenses

Using 3M Nexcare paper tape (available in most drugstores), tape the gap between top of mask and your face. It should eliminate fogging by preventing warm breath from reaching the glasses.

Joe Biden Skis

There are numerous Internet references to sightings of Joe on the hills of Aspen and Vail but no pictures of the President-elect on boards. If anyone has one, please email to jon@seniorsskiing.com, and we’ll publish with credit.

Tricks on Skis: 1937 Newsreel

This 1937 Pathe newsreel isn’t graceful but it’s worth watching.

Snowball Fight 1896

https://youtu.be/-rAMRBWy2to

 

This early film of a snowball fight was shot in 1897 in Lyons, France. Less than a minute long. Keep watching to see the modern, colorized version. It’s pure joy!

$1 Buys 1 Month of Classified Advertising

We’ve extended the offer to December 4. Purchase one month of classified ads for $1. Click on Classifieds on the dark blue bar at the top of the Home Page to place ad or see what’s being offered.

Nordic to be Featured in Next Week’s Edition

As part of our commitment to Nordic activities, next week’s edition will be dedicated to all things Nordic. Numerous Covid-related obstacles are interfering with the coming Alpine season. We expect many of you to shift at least part of your skiing attention to cross-country, skate-skiing, snowshoeing, etc. If you have not already done so, please visit our new Make More Tracks Nordic Resource Guide. And enjoy our weekly Nordic features.