Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Last evening we celebrated our fifth year of publishing with a party in New York City. The crowd that showed up had a good time. Many walked away with raffle prizes.

 

 

 

The idea for a magazine dedicated to older skiers, boarders, and snowshoers developed over several years. Living in Park City, I saw that, midweek, almost everyone on the lift was my age or older. Ski magazines, by contrast, were publishing things mostly for and about younger people.

As the concept formed, I used the lift to bounce ideas. For those of you familiar with market research, the chair ride became a series of 8-10 minute focus groups.

 

 

MikJone Maginn and I are friends from college. We both graduated when giant green animals with pea-sized brans were feeding from tree tops. Following graduation, he spent time on the editorial staff of Skiing Magazine. We stayed in touch over the years, and I suspected that despite a busy consulting practice, he might have some time. He understood the concept immediately – a growing cohort of older skiers without a core. Would he be interested in partnering? The next day he agreed, and we immediately started to plan.

SeniorsSkiing.com launched less than a year later with zero subscribers. As we enter our fifth year of publication, we have subscribers, worldwide, who, last season, generated up to 50,000 monthly page views. The numbers keep growing.

The earliest advertisers – Masterfit, DeBooter, and 70+ Ski Club – have been joined by others wanting to reach active, outdoor-oriented seniors.

SeniorsSkiing.com is a true labor of love. Contributors aren’t paid, but they like to share their experiences and stories with an ever-growing audience. We go through considerable effort to publish annual lists of areas where seniors can ski free, the best skis for seniors, and the best boots for seniors. Realskiers.com and Masterfit provide the data for the ski and boot lists.

The party last evening was terrific. Numerous attendees told us they made plans to ski with new friends they met there. Several walked away with excellent raffle prizes, including a four-day trip to Okemo Mountain in Vermont (courtesy, 70+ Ski Club), a pair of Apex ski boots, and two Orsden parkas. Others won DeBooters; Bootsters; GearBeast cell phone holders; Buffalo Wool Company bison wool socks; Safe Descents, ski and snowboard insurance, and lift tickets to Powder Mountain in Utah. The SWAG tables were heavy with materials from Skiing History Magazine, Powder Mountain, Solitude, Ski Pennsylvania, Mont Saint Anne, and Sunday River.

The person travelling the longest distance to get there was Mauro Cevolo of Alpskitour. He came from the Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps, where his company conducts weeklong guided skiing to Courmayeur, Mont Blanc, Zermatt, and other snow-covered marvels, returning each night to a classic hotel in the scenic town of Saint Vincent.

You’ve helped us get to five years. Please tell your older skiing friends about SeniorsSkiing.com. As for our part, we plan to keep you informed with relevant and timely information of interest to the older snowsports enthusiast.

News of resort openings from the mountains.

Here are a few from this week’s email:

Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows (CA) Nov. 16

Brighton (UT) Nov 15

Brianhead (UT) Nov 16

Copper Mountain (CO) Nov 16

Grand Targhee (WY) Nov 16

Okemo Mountain (VT) Nov 16

Stowe (VT) Nov 16

Sugarbush (VT) Nov 17

Crystal Mountain (MI) Nov 22

Skier vs. Drone

Salomon released this clever video of French racer, Victor Muffat-Jeandet competing on a GS course against champion drone racer, Jordan Temkin. Most resorts have no-drone policies, but Snowbird, where this was taped, must have given special permission. Short and amusing, with a surprise end: click here.

Great Holiday Gifts for Older Skiers

Over the next month, I’ll highlight unique and useful gift ideas for older skiers.. The following, which I’ve mentioned before, advertise on SeniorsSkiing.com. Simply click on the ads to reach the sites.

  • GearBeast is a $9.95 rubberized cellphone carrier, worn around the neck and with a small pocket to hold ID, a credit card and some cash.I’ve been using it for several months and consider it essential. I no longer misplace the phone. Equally important for skiers is that there’s no way you’ll drop the phone on the lift. Because it’s around the neck and under the parka, the battery doesn’t drain lie it does in a parka pocket. Mine is black, but GearBeast comes in a variety of colors. A very good item.
  • Bootster is a compact device that serves as a ski boot horn. It rolls up and fits in your pocket. Some of you have written in about DIY devices for getting boots on. One of the beauties of Bootster is that it goes where you go, making it ideal to get boots back on after lunch on the hill. $25.00
  • DeBooter is a skiboot jack.I keep mine in the car and loan to others in the lot. It works extremely well, even with stiff, cold boots. Your foot comes right out without difficulty or pain. One of my friends reports that his grandkids love his DeBooter. $39.95, less 20% SeniorsSkiing.com discount.
  • Safe Descents is emergency ski and snowboard evacuation insurance.It covers ambulance or air evacuation services if injured in-bounds at any ski resort in the United States. That’s in addition to other coverage like sending a loved one to the hospital and/or getting back home following a hospital stay. These and other benefits have a maximum of $25,000. A thoughtful gift to drop into any stocking. $56.99 for the season.
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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I keep a list of the places I’ve skied since I was 10. In a few weeks, I’ll be 75. The list totals 85 areas, mostly the US and Canada. The others are in the French and Swiss Alps. One, an indoor area that no longer exists, was in Japan.

Photo: Rylo

That, and the recent addition of Canada to our annual list of paces where seniors can ski free, got me thinking about just how many areas there are. Note that I used the term “areas,” not “resorts.” Some of the places I found are indoor ski centers. Others are quite small and have few amenities. I don’t want to give the term, “resort” a bad name.

According to one Google reference, as of last season, Europe had 3,478 ski areas. That’s a lot more than the 472 in the US. When you add Canada’s 219 areas, and Mexico’s one little ski resort, North America totals 692.

By comparison, Australia and New Zealand, combined, have 62. And all of South America has 30.

Africa has seven areas: two in Algeria, one in Lesotho (I once travelled there on non-ski-related business and met the king), three in Morocco, and one in South Africa.

I counted a total of 728 areas across Asia; most of them in Japan. The list of Japanese areas I used was a bit confusing, so my count may be off. There certainly are more than 500 Japanese areas. Currently China has 7 areas, but as reported here last year, there are plans to build 500 more by 2022, when China hosts the Winter Olympics.

India has 11 areas; Pakistan 9. A few years ago, I wrote a piece about North Korea’s newest resort. The country has two. South Korea has 20. And, in case you didn’t already know this, there are areas in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Even Mongolia has a ski area. And in the Middle East, there’s skiing in Lebanon, Iran, Israel, Syria, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates (indoor, of course).

Add them up and they total 4997 ski areas. I’ve only been to 85! If any of you have skied unusual or out of the way places, tell us about them in “Comments,” or drop me a line at jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Pass the Bucks

Last season Vail sold 750,000 Epic Pases. This season, Alterra expects it will sell 250,000 Ikon Passes in this, the first full season for the Ikon Pass. These passes come with a cost for senior skiers – the elimination of local area passes and the senior discounts they offered. While on the subject, Valle Nevado in Chile, just became part of the Ikon Pass.

LGBTQ Skiing

ELEVATION is a series of annual gay ski and snowboard weeks. It started 16 years ago at Mammoth and has been a presence in Park City for the past eight years. This season, the event will also be held at Mont Tremblant.

Colorado Has the Goods

Breckenridge and Keystone received 5’ since mid October. Both open this week.

Skiing With Grandkids

This article from the Ski Utah website gives practical advice for parents of young skiers. If you’re a grandparent, taking young ones out on the hill for the first time, it will helpful.

Maine Ski Hall of Fame Inducts Seven

The Maine Ski Hall of Fame recognizes Maine skiers who have brought distinction to Maine skiing or made significant contributions to the sport. This year’s inductees are US Freestyle Champions, Karen Colburn and Anne Dowling; Leon Akers, cross country coach and ski shop owner; David Stonebraker, prep school ski coach; Warren Cook, Sugarloaf ski executive; Kristina Sabasteanski, biathlete; and (posthumously) Norman Libby, Bridgton winter adventurer who was the first to ski Pleasant Mountain (Shawnee Peak) in the 1890’s.

The Hall of Fame is a program of Ski Museum of Maine.

SeniorsSkiing.com Readers Get Free Subscriptions to SKI Magazine and Skiing History Magazine

Go to the top of the page. Click “Community.” Scroll down to the two offers.

Short Swings
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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We tend to give our gear more attention when storing it after the old season than when getting it ready for the new one. Whether or not that describes your approach, it’s important to give skis and boots a careful once-over before getting back on the hill.

You may have gained or lost some pounds, or your skill level may have improved. Both can impact your binding adjustments.

It’s always smart to take your boards into a good shop for a once-over. “I recommend getting a binding adjustment  once a season,” says Skip Beitzel, owner of Hickory and Tweed in Armonk, NY. Ski Magazine once named it the best ski shop in the nation.

If you put your skis to bed last Spring without a tune (I don’t mean a lullabye), now’s the time to do it. Sharp edges are essential to navigate early-season hardpack. And it’s always wise to have bottom gouges and other damage repaired.

If you like your boots, treat them well. They’re your most important equipment. Mine were cleaned at the end of the season and stored in a boot bag. A few of you have posted comments about finding dead furry things in unprotected boots left for the summer on the garage floor.

Check clothing for broken or malfunctioning zippers, tears; other issues. I keep finding things in my closet long past their “use by” dates. A new parka, gloves, or pair of pants can fit and perform better. And if you’ve delayed the helmet purchase, delay no more! New technologies are improving the ways they protect your noggin.

It’s Snowing!

https://www.facebook.com/telluride/videos/1925721831068537/

The good folks at Telluride sent this video of snow falling. Like the real thing, it’s mesmerizing. In October, alone, Telluride received 37″ of natural. The resort’s snow guns have been on overtime, all in prepration for the mountain’s anticipated November 22 opening.

R.I.P. Lou Batori, 107

Lou Batori passed away last February at the age of 107. He started skiing when he was 10. He was a legendary fixture at Crystal Mountain, in Michigan. He was active in NASTAR racing, and was #1 in its 90+ category. Lou was recognizable both for his age and his full-body white ski jumpsuit, complete with silver helmet. According to an article in the Traverse City Eagle-Record, he learned to ski at age 10. His family emigrated frrom Hungary to New England. He attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology and became an aeronautical engineer. Among his career highlights, he worked on NASA’s lunar landing module. In recent years, Lou got on the hill at least once a season. H liked to say, “One run on one weekend justifies existence.”

 

A Few Videos to Enjoy

Remember these outfits?

 

Origins of Freestyle Skiing

This, from Dick Barrymore’s “The Golden Years of Ski Films,” highlights the origins of skiing in North America and Hot Dog Skiing in particular.

Monterreal, a Mexican Ski Resort

This came as a surprise to me, but Mexico has a small ski resort, 90 miles from Monterrey in Coahuila state. Natural snow falls in December and January. The two runs are covered with a brushy surface which allows skiing year-round.

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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World War II produced many heroes. One of Norway’s best known died earlier this week. Joachim Ronneberg led the ski-assisted raid that destroyed the facility where Nazis were producing “heavy water,” a component they would have used to produce an atomic bomb.

He was 23 when, according to his obituary in the The New York Times, he and eight other “…Norwegian saboteurs skied across the Telemark pine forest in winter whites, phantom apparitions gliding across moonlit snow. . They halted at a steep river gorge and gazed down at a humming hydroelectric power plant where Nazi scientists had developed a mysterious, top-secret project… Hours later, in one of the most celebrated commando raids of World War II, Lieutenant Ronneberg and his demolition team sneaked past guards and a barracks full of German troops, stole into the plant, set explosive charges and blew up Hitler’s hopes for a critical ingredient to create the first atomic bomb.” Ronneberg was 99. The complete Times obituary provides a brief history lesson on the epic event.

Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris starred in “The Heroes of Telemark,” a 1965 British film based on the raid. The most definitive book on the raid, “The Winter Fortress: The Epic Mission to Sabotage Hitler’s Atomic Bomb” (2016) was written by Neal Bascomb. Click here for “X-C Skiing Saves the World,” SeniorsSkiing.com’s 2016 book review.

RSVP for SeniorsSkiing.com’s 5th Birthday Party!

Help celebrate our Fifth Anniversary, 5:30 – 8:00 PM, Wednesday, November 14, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Meet other metro area senior skiers. Win Apex Ski Boots, a trip to Okemo in Vermont, Orsden ski parkas, a season of ski insurance from Safe Descents, The Bootster device to help get boots on, the DeBooter device to get them off, discounts on Masterfit boot products, etc.  Lots of SWAG from areas all over the country. Meet a representative of Alpskitours based in Italy’s Aosta Valley. All free except for cash bar. RSVP, jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Buying Boots? Use a Professional Bootfitter.

If you’re considering buying boots, PLEASE, use a professional bootfitter. It is one way to assure the positive outcome of your purchase. We highly recommend using the services of bootfitters who have gone through training with Masterfit’s America’s Best Bootfitter (ABB) program. To find one near you visit: https://www.bootfitters.com/find-shop.

New England Areas Get a Head Start

Sunday River, Maine, opened last weekend. Mt Snow will open this weekend, the resort’s earliest opening in its 64- year history.

Mind-Boggling Ski Videos

These feats are not to practiced on your home hill.

Skiing East Face of Matterhorn: The six-minute video starts with the climb up Mt Cervin (aka Matterhorn). The skiers unrope themselves from bolts in a rock face and ski — ever so cautiously — a steep, rocky face, until they let loose on saner terrain.

Line of Winter: This three-minute selfie from GoPro shows Nicholas Falquet skiing what appear to be high elevation vertical walls covered in deep powder. Can’t tell if he has a cable attached to his back. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

 

Caught in a Crevasse: This one is 17 minutes and shows a skier falling into and being rescued from a deep crevasse. Lesson here is to avoid crevasses and if you’re in those conditions, to ski with others with rescue skills and equipment.

 

 

Park City’s BIG SHOT!

Sunrise Rotary Club in Park City (I was a member during my Park City years) set a world record on Saturday, October 13 with its 3rd annual Shot Ski Event. If you’re not familiar with shot skis, they’re skis affixed with shot glasses. For competitions — or just for fun — the glasses are filled with booze (in this case from Park City’s High West Distillery).  The entire ski is hoisted and the contents guzzled by the participants. To reclaim the record from Breckenridge, 1275 Parkites showed up to lift 508 skis (2570 feet long) off Main Street. Congratulations, Sunrise Rotary for raising almost $30,000 from the event!

Axe Throwing and New Pod Hotel at Whistler

Among other new developments at Whistler this year are the Pangea Pod Hotel and apres ski axe-throwing. Two more reasons to visit Whistler Blackcomb, one of North America’s largest and most fascinating resorts. It has an added benefit for seniors — its relatively low elevation (long vertical, nonetheless) makes it easier on the lungs.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Most people who love skiing take an interest in its history. Preserving and promoting that history is the mission of the International Skiing History Association (ISHA), a volunteer and membership organization that deserves our collective support.

Among other things, ISHA publishes Skiing History, a delightful bi-monthly magazine available in digital and print versions. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers are eligible to receive a free one-year digital subscription. Click on “Community” at the top of this page.Then click on “Subscriber Only Content” in the drop down box. Scroll to”Free One Year Subscription to Skiing History Magazine” and follow the instructions.

Earlier this week, I attended ISHA’s Skiing History evening at Hickory and Tweed, the venerable ski shop in Armonk, NY. About 60 people showed up for a nice spread and an entertaining presentation about the relatively negative but highly amusing portrayal of skiing on TV sit coms. Jeff Blumenfeld, a member of ISHA’s Board put the show together. The program started with the popular 1950’s Topper program (in which two main characters and a drunken Saint Bernard are buried in an avalanche) and continued with a variety segments from the Dick Van Dyke Show, Here’s Lucy (when Lucille Ball actually had a broken leg), The Brady Bunch, Ellen DeGeneres (on a broken chairlift with two nervous friends), Cheers, and others. ISHA intends to promote use of the presentation by ski clubs, thus building awareness of the association and increasing its membership.

If your club is interested in using the presentation, email: jeff@blumenfeldPR.com.

An article on the same topic, by Jeff, appears in the September/October 2018 issue of Skiing History.

NYC Ski Gatherings

SeniorsSkiing.com Birthday Party!! — We’re ramping up for our 5th Anniversary party, 5:00 – 8:30PM, Wednesday, November 14 in The Rumpus Room of E’s Bar (Amsterdam Avenue, between 84th and 85th Streets) in Manhattan. We’re providing the place and the food. Advertisers and others are providing raffle prizes and SWAG. Prizes include a pair of Apex Boots (courtesy Apex Boot Systems); a ski trip to Okemo in Vermont (courtesy 70+ Ski Club), two Orsden parkas (courtesy Orsden); DeBooter ski boot jacks (courtesy Outdoor Logics Solutions); Bootster ski boot horns (courtesy Bootster); discounts for a variety of Masterfit ski boot products(courtesy Masterfit), GearBeast cell phone carriers (very cool product), and superbly warm socks from The Buffalo Wool Company. Except for your bar bill, it’s all on the house. You’ll meet other older skiers. You might win a prize. You’ll certainly have fun. Add it to your calendar. Your RSVP will help us plan for the event: jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Friends of Alta is the non-profit protecting Alta’s environment, preserving its unique character and heritage; and encouraging stewardship and sustainability of Alta’s environment and community. The group ishosting an event, 6:00PM – 8:30PM, Thursday, November 15, at The Explorers Club in Manhattan. For more information, click here.

Five Minutes of Deep Powder Joy 

Icelantic Skis produced this outstanding deep powder short film on the slopes of Mt. Yotei in Japan. There’s some cliff-hucking and one scene where a skier skims off a powder-topped tree branch…the stuff of younger skiers. But the shots of deep powder turns are dreamy.

An Offer No Serious Skier Should Refuse

Realskiers.com is a website that reviews skis. The reviews are more detailed and refined than what you’ll read in one of the ski magazines. And the site is rich with opinion about the sport. Realskiers.com is a written and published by Jackson Hogen, whose irreverence is reflected in his self-proclaimed moniker, the Pontiff of Powder. For youngsters, an annual subscription is $19.95. For SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers, it is $9.95. To subscribe at the reduced rate, click here and enter SS18 for the discount code.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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I rode a chair last season with a couple who got upset when they saw a dead porcupine on the trail below. They “knew” the animal from skiing there for several months. It looked like it had been attacked.

I’ve seen a lot of animals while skiing over the years. Nothing larger than the moose who frequented part of The Canyons. I’m confident that even with Vail’s acquisition of that wonderful area (now part of Park City), the herd still hangs there, occasionally moseying out on a trail .

Deer Valley had many weasels and, if I have it right, ermine. The critters are long hot dogs making a slinky wave as they run across trails. I had to swerve more than once to avoid trail-kill.

The Catskill and Adirondack areas had occasional deer and lots of porcupines. I remember one tree where the chair passed a porky perched there most of the season.

Rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, birds of all persuasions, an occasional raccoon. They appear on slope and trail. More often it’s their tracks, but look, and you’ll see them.

And dogs, especially those trained for avalanche rescues. Bless them for their excellent skills and stellar service.

Among the most curious creatures encountered to date are Snowbird‘s and Alta‘s leopard and zebra. They’re a couple who frequent the place and everything they wear — cape to boot — is themed accordingly. He’s the leopard. I’ve bumped into him, solo, a few times on the tram or in the lot and told him how much I enjoy his outfit. His response is always the same: “You ought to see my wife. She’s a zebra. I’m always chasing her down.”

SeniorsSkiing Fifth Anniversary Party!!

5:00 – 8:00PM, Wednesday, November 14, Manhattan.

We’d love you to be there, meet other senior skiers, win cool raffle prizes and help us celebrate our fifth. Prizes and SWAG from Apex Boots, 70+ Ski Club, Masterfit, Orsden Parkas, Buffalo Wool Company, Solitude, Powder Mountain, DeBooter, Bootster, GearBeast (the perfect skier’s cellphone carrier), International Skiing History Association, and others. We’ll provide the nibbles. Open bar. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to jon@seniorsskiing.com. Location: E’s Bar (Rumpus Room), 511 Amsterdam Ave. (bet 84th and 85th Streets), Manhattan.

Snowing Across the West!!!!

The resorts and state ski associations are reporting snowfall, snowmaking, and opening dates. A few examples: Wolf Creek in southwest Colorado got 20″ and will have limited skiing this weekend. The Utah resorts received more than a foot of snow. One of them, Snowbasin, got its first big dump in September! Opening days at the Utah areas range from November 21 to December 21.

Warren Miller, Posthumously

Face of Winter is this season’s Warren Miller film, the first since his passing earlier this year. Click here to find when it will be playing near you and to purchase tickets.

Squaw Valley Extremes

For six minutes of pure skiing fun, watch Drop Everything, a video of the recent history of extreme skiing in Squaw Valley. Click on the name to get you there.

New Ski Utah Magazine

Ski Utah outdid itself with this new, free annual magazine. There 100+ pages. Available in print and digital editions. Not your typical ski industry promotional fare. There’s a page dedicated to the wisdom of George Jedenoff, who celebrated his 100th birthday last July with several runs at Snowbird. Ski Utah is essential reading for everyone from regulars to those planning their first visit. To order a copy or send one to a friend click here.

Skiing History Night

If you’re in the New York area, International Skiing History Association is hosting a free pizza/wine/beer Skiing History Night at Hickory & Tweed (410 Main Street, Armonk). 6:30-9:00 PM, Monday, October 15. Highlight of the evening: ISHA’s Jeff Blumenfeld will present how skiing has been portrayed on TV over the decades. RSVP requested: kathleen@skiinghistory.org.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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I heard a massive avalanche one time. Chamonix in the late 60s. Several minutes later a fine dust covered everything. When it stopped, it was an inch or two deep.

When you ski in the West, you often hear the early morning thuds of dynamite and bombs dislodging unstable slopes. It’s impressive.

I like to seek silence, pausing in the trees, away from the sound of cable and the chatter of other skiers. When its fresh, snow muffles its surroundings. Maybe you’ll hear a bird, a squirrel in a tree, or nothing.

Quietude can be part of the experience. But like other life wonders, we need to slow down to hear it. Being aware of our surroundings, wherever we are — but especially on mountains in winter — is part of the richness of our experience.

It doesn’t matter if you’re skiing Hunter Mountain, Jackson Hole’s Hobacks, or Catherine’s in Alta. Simply enter the woods and listen.

November 14 Party in Manhattan

RSVPs are being emailed in. We’re looking forward to meeting you in person. If you’re in the New York area and want to attend, please send me a short note at jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Last week, I mentioned that APEX Boot Systems is providing an $800 pair of its ultimately adjustable and superbly comfortable boots. 70+ Ski Club is giving a free 4-day trip to Okemo in Vermont. Richard Lambert, who heads 70+, will be on hand to answer questions about upcoming trips. Orsden, which makes incredibly comfortable and good looking parkas, is giving two parkas for the event. Sara Segall, the company founder expects to attend. There will be Bootsters to help you get your boots on and DeBooters to help get them off. The Buffalo Wool Company, which makes remarkable socks from bison and silk is sending a selection of products. And GearBeast, which makes the perfect cell phone carrier for skiing and other activities, will have numerous pieces to give away. Different resorts and state ski associations are sending lots of SWAG. And if you want to learn about fantastic skiing packages based in Italy’s Aosta Valley, where you ski in Italy, Switzerland and France, Mauro Cevolo of advertiser, Alpskitour will be there. For more on the party, click here.

Trail Masters

We sent 100+ patches, stickers, etc. to last season’s Trail Masters. The only one returned was addressed to Thomas Bolstad. If we receive your correct address, we’ll resend.

The Art of Fear Ski Camp

I know several older skiers who are unable to realize their potential on the slopes because they’re afraid. A few are afraid of injuring or reinjuring themselves. Others limit themselves to the same terrain because they fear taking it to another level. My wife, an athletic person with excellent skiing form, gets concerned when we approach the steeps. Kristen Ulmer is an author and life coach who helps people overcome their miscellaneous fears. She will host The Art if Fear Ski Camp, March 9-10, 2019 at Alta. The cost is $579. For more information visit The Art of Fear 2-Day Ski Camp.

 

seniorsskiing

A Message From Mike And Jon

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SeniorsSkiing.com is entering its fifth publishing season. When we started in 2014, we had a vision of creating an online magazine for snowsports enthusiasts over 50 and with it a community.

Getting the magazine off the drawing board required many decisions. What should we call it? How frequently should it publish? Should it be free? Should we pay contributors? Etc. Etc.

We struggled with the name: ElderSkier seemed too religious. SkiGeezer, too self-effacing. MatureSkier, too staid. We settled on SeniorsSkiing.com with full knowledge of its limitations. People in their 50s don’t perceive themselves as “seniors.” That moniker starts to fit after 65. Interestingly, the average SeniorsSkiing.com reader age is about 67.

Frequency of publication is something we’re still thinking about. For the past year, we published every Friday in season and once a month off-season. This season, we’re back to our every Friday cadence. What amazes us is that even off-season, readers continue to sign up.

We started by making SeniorsSkiing.com free and have kept it free. From time-to-time we’ve considered charging a small fee for premium subscriptions that would provide access to a variety of services and products. At present, we have no plans to go there.

Contributors are an essential asset. Over these five years, almost fifty writers have published with SeniorsSkiing.com. Some are professional journalists. Others are amateurs who love to write about their special interests. Still others are simply people with wonderful stories to tell.  We rely on our contributors and appreciate what they do for us and for you.

When we launched in 2014 we had virtually no subscribers. Word of mouth and articles in Huffington Post and other places brought in several hundred readers. Then, The New York Times published a half-page interview, and the floodgates opened. We started publishing the annual list of US ski resorts where seniors ski free. As word got around, more and more people signed up. That was followed by the annual lists of the best skis for older skiers compiled by realskiers.com and the best boots for older skiers compiled by America’s Best Bootfitters. More subscribers.

Then we added access to Experticity’s deeply discounted access to outdoor products. That lasted a few years before the company changed policy. Currently, SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers have access to free subscriptions to Ski Magazine and to Skiing History Magazine.

Since we started, we’ve published almost 900 articles. Subscribers have access to the annual reports of places to ski free (this year Canadian resorts will be included), best skis, best boots, and other subscriber-only materials explaining ways to improve technique, etc.

To celebrate our 5th, we’re hosting a party, Wednesday, November 14 in Manhattan. If you’re in the NYC area, please come. Areas and ski-related companies are sending products and SWAG. Among other things 70+ Ski Clubis providing a free trip to Okemo; APEX Boot Systems, a free pair of boots; Bootsteris sending some of it’s compact ski boot horns to help you get your boots on, and DeBooteris sending several of its ingenious skiboot jacks to help you remove them. Orsdenis providing a few ski parkas for the raffle. Jon wears the Orsden parka. He loves it! For invitation and RSVP info click here look at the top of the home page.

Before closing, we want to share with you our mission:

SeniorsSkiing.com is committed to advancing the interests of older snow sports enthusiasts by

  • Publishing relevant and useful information
  • Encouraging an engaged online community, and
  • Advocating on their behalf.

Thank you for subscribing to and supporting SeniorsSkiing.com. We’ll continue to do our best to keep you interested in and on the snow.

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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“Snow is the cosmetic of the Earth.” That’s one of many memorable lines from Moby Dick, Herman Melville’s masterpiece about one man’s obsession with the destruction of a gigantic white whale.

Riding early morning lifts, especially on a powder day, brings Melville’s observation to life. The smooth, undulating surface conceals what’s below. My skiing dreams and day-dreams invariably show untouched surfaces. There’s a reason we call it virgin snow.

With rare exception, conditions like that don’t last long. Dropping into an untracked slope and leaving your own lines is a joy. By definition, joy is ephemeral — a fleeting moment of intense happiness. Powder snow is ephemeral. Anything that is temporary is ephemeral. We’re about to enter another season, and we’re not getting younger. Relish the anticipation. Experience the joy. Embrace it all.

Bootster Is THE ESSENTIAL Older Skier’s Accessory

Our newest advertiser is Bootster, a compact ski boot shoehorn that makes boot entry effortless — even when they’re cold and stiff. It utilizes a super slick material that eases foot into boot. It is compact and fits into a pocket. Many of you will have your own techniques: talcum powder; various sprays; etc., etc. but Bootster does the job with perfection. No need for contortions. It’s one of those simple solutions for a persistent problem. Having used an earlier version of the design, I fully endorse its effectiveness. And at $25, it’s an ideal gift for any older skier on your list.

 

Documentary Explores Abandoned Colorado Ski Areas

Abandoned is the title of a soon to be released documentary about independent Colorado ski areas that no longer exist. The film explores skiing before the influence of corporate resorts and current effects of climate change. I’ve only seen the trailer. It’s well worth watching.

Tremblant Video Shows Latest Improvements

Last week’s Short Swings! column described Mont-Tremblant’s new high speed quad and the expanded glade areas it serves. This very cool short video shows it with unusual creativity.

Jiminy Peak, Bromley, and Cranmore offer savings through their respective value cards (check websites for details):

  • Jiminy Peak‘s costs $62 and includes two days of skiing followed by savings of lift tickets purchased throughout the season.
  • Bromley‘s costs $81 before December 14 and includes one day ticket and $30 off additional tickets throughout the season.
  • Cranmore‘s is $89 and includes one day ticket and $20 off additional tickets throughout the season. Every seventh ticket is free. Cranmore also allows those purchasing a ticket after 2:00PM to use the same ticket the following day.

Ikon Pass Price Increases Oct. 10

The full adult pass (unlimited access to 14 destinations and 7-days or 7-days combined at 21 destinations; no blackouts) is currently available for $999. Starting Oct. 10, it increases to $1,049. The IKON Base Pass (unlimited access to 12 destinations and 5-days or 5-days combined at 23 destinations; 10 blackouts) is currently available for $699. Starting Oct.10, it increases to $749. More at www.ikonpass.com.

Maine Ski Hall of Fame To Induct 19th Century Adventurer, Others

Norman Libby, the winter adventurer who was the first to ski Pleasant Mountain (Shawnee Peak) in the 1890’s will be inducted (posthumously) to the Maine Ski Hall of Fame, Oct 27 at the Grand Summit Hotel at Sunday River. Also being added to the Hall of Fame are Karen Colburn and Anne Dowling, US Freestyle Champions; Leon Akers, cross country coach and ski shop owner; David Stonebraker, prep school ski coach; Warren Cook, Sugarloaf ski executive, and Kristina Sabasteanski, biathlete. The Maine Ski Hall of Fame is a program of the Ski Museum of Maine.

Skiing the Great Indoors

The world’s largest indoor ski resort will open in Shanghai, China in 2022. It will feature three slopes, numerous other attractions, and four hotels with a total of 1,000 rooms.

 

Short Swings
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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In my never-ending  battle with weight, I found myself wondering if we weigh more at sea level than we do in the mountains.  We do.

It’s not a lot, but it is physically factual.

The science of it has to do with gravitational pull, which is what weight is, and the size difference between the entire planet and you. Pretty weird, huh?

Another factor is that gravity decreases as it leaves the part of the planet with the greatest mass; in other words, the higher you are in altitude, the less you weigh.

One estimate I found stated that a 150 lb person standing at 10,000′ above sea level (e.g. 500′ or so below the top of Vail Pass) would weigh 149.92 lbs.

Not enough to tighten the belt, but another good reason to be in the mountains.

You’re Invited to Help Celebrate Our Fifth!

 

We’re hosting a party to celebrate SeniorsSkiing.com’s fifth publication year. It will be on Tuesday, November 14 on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Lots of neat raffle prozes (e.g. ski trip to Stratton from 70+ Ski Club; APEX boots; Orsden ski parkas, DeBooters, Bootsters, etc.) plus food and SWAG. Click here for the full invitation and RSVP link.

New This Season

This is the time of year when Northern Hemishphere ski resorts tout improvements for the coming season. In addition to many snowmaking and lodge upgrades, look for the following:

California

Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows reports that electricity will be sourced from 100% renewable resources, thus reducing its carbon footprint by 49%. In a related green initiative, the resort is increasing convenient parking facilities for carpooling customers.

Tahoe Donner: New triple chair replacing the original double from 1971.

Mammoth Mountain New daily, year-round non-stop service from LA on United, starting Dec. 1; new daily, seasonal non-stop service from Denver on United, starting Dec. 19; and new seasonal non-stop service from Orange County on JetSuiteX.  

Colorado

Arapaho Basin: New four-person Beavers chairlift will access 468-acre  expansion into Beavers and Steep Gullies.

Copper Mountain: Two new chairs at Center Village. American Flyer will now be a high speed six-person chair with bubble enclosures, the only active bubble chair in Colorado. American Eagle will be a high-speed combination lift featuring six-person chairs and eight-person gondola cabins.

Loveland: Inaugurating Chet’s Dream, the first high-speed quad in Loveland’s history.

Silverton:Introducing new heli-skiing terrain, featuring diverse high-alpine terrain and early-season snow. Area also is expanding its Unguided Season Pass to include a 150 percent increase in available ski days to the unguided season.

Winter Park: Features a new 10-person gondola, the resort’s first new lift since 2007.

Wolf Creek: New high-speed, detachable quad, the 10th lift in its system. 

Quebec

Mont-Tremblant: A new high-speed quadon the North Side will boost capacity to 600 per hour.

Vermont 

Killington: New 6-person high speed bubble chairlift and new lift service at South Ridge.

Magic Mountain: New base-to- mid mountain double chair.

Stratton: New high-speed quad will reduce ride time from 14 to five minutes. 

Ski Insurance

Safe Descents is an affordable ski insurance plan providing coverage for transportation costs associated with accidental injuries sustained while skiing, snowboarding, riding a lift, and participating in a lesson within a resort. It cost $4.75 per day or $56.99 per season.

 

 

 

INVITE
seniorsskiing

Come To Our 5th Anniversary Bash!

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Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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My wife and I have a long-running gag. She’ll say, “Life is short,” to which I’ll respond, “So are you.”

Life IS short.  A brief opinion piece last week in The New York Times makes the point that we should squeeze as much out of our time as possible. The author writes: “…the appreciation of our own lives has much to do with the ever-increasing awareness of its relative brevity. It is this — an awareness and acceptance of our own mortality — that makes us human. And it is the impetus, I’d argue, for living our lives to the fullest.”

Those of us pursuing our passions live life to the fullest. Skiing is my passion and has been since I got the bug 65 years ago. As I’ll explain this week when presenting at the annual meeting of the National Ski Council Federation—the organizing body of ski club councils—older skiers are able to stay with their passion, in part, because of modern technology. Ski and boot technology make it easier to do more with good technique and less effort. Snow-making, grooming, and lift technology improve the process of getting up and down mountains. Medical advances—replacement joints included—give many of us the opportunity to continue to play in the snow.

Last season, I experienced a drop in stamina. I’m working at turning that around. I take a daily brisk 3-mile walk, half of it up a steady incline. I’m into a gym routine, guided by Dominick Juliano, my 85-year-old friend who in 1953 won the professional Mr. America competition. Around the same time, he appeared on stage as part of Mae West’s show in Vegas . For all his years and in the face of many challenges, Dominick has retained his good health, great physique, and his remarkably positive outlook. For seven years, he and wife, Carol, sailed with Carol’s then young son from the West Coast, through the Panama Canal, across the Caribbean and the Atlantic and around the Mediterranean. They met as croupiers in Vegas. His tells his story in The Essence of Being(Balboa Press, 2015).

At the end of next month we’ll return to our normal publishing schedule.

Helmet Tech: Worth the Cost

Helmet-wearing skiers/boarders have fewer head and other injuries according to a paper published in the June issue of Wilderness & Environmental Medicine. The research found that helmets protect more against cuts and bruises than concussions and that those wearing helmets are less likely to be injured. The authors mention three helmet technologies with brain-protecting technologies. They are D3O, MIPS, and EPS 4D. We at SeniorsSkiing.com believe the additional cost for a helmet with one of these technologies is worthwhile.

Rent Vermont’s Pico Peak for the Day

Pico Peak is available for private rental Tuesdays and Wednesdays January 8 – April 4. The cost is $6,500 for up to 250 guests. Food and beverage services are available for an additional fee. In recent years, other areas, including Utah’s remote Eagle Point, have introduced similar offers. If interested, contact groups@picomountain.com.

New York’s Hunter Mountain Expands

Hunter Mountain is investing $9 million to increase its skiable acreage by 25%. The expansion includes five new trails separated by four large glades. The areas will be accessed by a new high-speed six person chair. The upgrade includes an entrance, parking lots and lodge for Hunter North.

Deer Valley, Squaw Get New Management

  • Deer Valley‘s long time president and COO, Bob Wheaton, is stepping down following 38 years at the resort. He’ll take on an advisory role at Alterra Mountain Company, which recently acquired the resort. His replacement is Todd Shallan, a seasoned resort, hospitality and recreation executive. One of his earlier positions was Director of Asset Management for KSL Capital Partners, one of Alterra’s organizing entities.
  • Ron Cohen is the new President and Chief Operating Officer of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, another Alterra-owned resort. Cohen has been interim President & COO since April. An attorney, Cohen previously was Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of Mammoth Mountain.

Clever Device to Save Your Phone

Recently stumbled across this superb and inexpensive product. The Gear Beast  is a smartphone lanyard with a pocket for cash and/or cards. Worn around the neck, it prevents losing or dropping your phone. Gear Beast fits all size phones and retails for $9.99 direct from the company or from Amazon, Walmart, BestBuy and other online sources.

Short Swings
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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An old story tells of a teacher who before summer break would always advise his students to do three things: Take one long walk. Read one good book. Make one new friend.

It’s advice I try to follow.

 

Every day, before the heat sets in, I walk to the end of our road. It traverses a magnificent high desert landscape with tall cliffs and a verdant mountain slope. Some days I continue another 30 minutes across the desert, into a slot canyon and up to a waterfall. The temperature in this lush narrow space can be 20 degrees lower than the desert. It’s wonderfully refreshing.

I’ve read several books over the past few months. One of them is Beneath A Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan. Set in Milan and the Dolomites during the Nazi occupation of Italy, it’s based on the true story of Pino Lella, a teen-ager who uses his climbing and skiing skills to help Italian Jews escape to Switzerland. Pino becomes the driver/interpreter for a Nazi general, has a love affair, and experiences numerous nail-biting adventures. Following the war he moves to America and teaches skiing at Mammoth. Dave McCoy, Mammoth’s founder, is quoted saying seeing Pino in deep powder was “like watching a dream.” I found the book so absorbing that its 500+ pages went by in a weekend.

I thought that approaching 75, as I am, making new friends wouldn’t be so easy. But I was wrong. Just last week, I attended a workshop on conflict resolution taught by a Zen Buddhist monk and an Aikido master. I was the oldest person in the room. Many were half my age. But we were there to learn, to interact and to share stories. It’s nice to be in a group for several days learning new things and making new friends.

SeniorsSkiing.com Trail Masters

Next month we’ll announce the 2017-18 Trail Masters. 106 of you skied or exceeded your age last season. The ten oldest in the group range from 76 to 79. Each will receive our new Trail Master patch.

Indoor Ski Area To Open (FINALLY) in NJ Meadowlands

Year-round skiing and boarding will be available at Big SNOW America, a 12-story, 180,000 square foot indoor ski area in New Jersey’s Meadowlands. the area will be part of a shopping mall with 450+ stores and restaurants. Development of the indoor area started in 2003 and had numerous stops and changes in ownership. Once completed, it’s proximity to New York and it’s airports is expected to turn it into a major destination.

Mount Snow’s Carinthia Lodge is Gone

Built in 1960, it is being replaced by a $22 million structure that will carry the same name. The 38,000 square foot building is expected to open for next season.

SeniorsSkiing.com Fifth Anniversary Gathering

We’re planning a mid- October party to celebrate five years of publication. It will be held in a private room in a pub on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Advertisers and ski resorts are contributing SWAG. More details starting in September.

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Jeeping the High Country

A few weeks ago we took the five hour drive to Ouray, Colorado, to escape our desert heat. Ouray sits at 7792′ surrounded by peaks in the San Juan Mountains in the southwest  section of the state. The scenic Victorian mining town rightfully calls itself “The Switzerland of America.”

Jeep, Jon, Pam, and April high above Ouray, Colorado. Mark is behind the lens.

It’s 47 miles from Telluride on normal roads; about 17 miles via old miner’s roads that ascend to 13,000+’, through meadows, past waterfalls and snow fields. Our friends Mark and April took us on a tour. Mark saw it as an opportunity to demonstrate the super powers of his super Jeep, a high-clearance 4WD,  tricked out to take rough high country roads like a Lexus takes the freeway. What a ride! We climbed “roads” that on foot you’d need to navigate with pitons. We descended cliffs that mountain goats avoid. Given the choice between stream and bridge, you can guess the choice we made. Eventually, we travelled a stream. Others might seek the dry route. With this vehicle, the wet way was just fine. We picnicked near a waterfall before descending back into the valley. If you go, we can recommend staying at the Hotel Ouray, a fine Victorian hotel in the center of town and dining at The Outlaw. There are other good restaurants scattered around the town. Although we’ve never used it, Ouray has a large hot springs facility. The “Million Dollar Highway” (US Route 550) from Ouray to Silverton is gorgeous, and Silverton (home of Silverton Mountain, the legendarily steep lift- and heli-served back country ski area) is filled with neat stores, restaurants, bars and art galleries.

Alterra Purchasing Solitude Mountain Resort

Alterra Mountain Company announced this week the acquisition of Solitude Mountain Resort, the gem in Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon. Alterra was formed last year and owns Deer Valley, Steamboat, Winter Park, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Big Bear Mountain, Stratton, Snowshoe, Tremblant, Blue Mountain, and CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures in British Columbia. It also owns the IKON Pass.

Vail Acquiring Crested Butte, Okemo, Mt Sunapee

Vail Resorts is in the process of acquiring Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Colorado, Okemo Mountain in Vermont, and Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire. The sale includes Vermont’s Okemo Valley Golf Club and Tater Hill Golf Club. The three areas are being sold by Triple Peaks, LLC, owned by members of the Mueller family which purchased Okemo in 1982, Mount Sunapee in 1998, and Crested Butte in 2004. The State of New Hampshire needs to approve the Sunapee acquisition for it to proceed. Vail Resorts announced it will honor previously purchased Okemo, Mount Sunapee, and Crested Butte 2018-19 season passes.

Deer Valley Adding New Chair

Deer Valley Resort, recently acquired by Alterra, is investing $8 million in a new high speed quad, improved snowmaking, expanding its fleet of groomers, and replacing its rental equipment. The quad will replace the Homestake chair which carries skiers from Silver Lake Village to the top of Bald Eagle Mountain.

Utah Skier Visits Drop 10%

Poor and inconsistent snowfall contributed to a 10% drop in skier visits to Utah last season. The state had 60% of average snowfall according to the National Weather Service. Nationally, skier visits were down 3%.

Hedy Lamarr Doc Filled with Surprises

Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story is a documentary film released last month. The exceedingly well-done film tells the story of the Austrian-born actress who helped define Hollywood beauty and informed the visual portrayals of Disney’s animated Snow White and Batman comics’ Catwoman. The surprising part of her biography is that she was an inventor who patented a communications technique contributing to Allied victory in WWII and that is used in virtually all modern telecommunications. Why do I mention this in SeniorsSkiing.com? She also started a lodge in the early days of Aspen. It’s now the Aspen Villas. The film is available on Netflix.

 

Casey Earle

Ski Chile: An Introduction For Neophytes

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Chase The Snow To Summer’s Skiing Headquarters In The Southern Hemisphere.

Come May, you have probably set your skis into hibernation and begun patiently waiting for the snow to fly next fall. But you really don´t have to wait!  Southern America’s greatest mountain range starts getting snowed on in May, and by June the ski areas are normally in full swing.

In Chile the resorts are sprinkled just east of the Pan Am highway along the 700 mile stretch from Santiago south, at roughly the equivalent latitude of central California. With an 80 year tradition of skiing, you will find a whole new world of winter adventure, lasting into October on good years.

Santiago and the Andean foothills, after a rare low altitude snowfall. Credit: Casey Earle

Visitors will be happy to know that within a two hour drive of the airport in the capital, Santiago, there are four good ski areas, and upwards of 70 percent of winter days are sunny. Closest are the Three Valleys, which hang above Santiago on the western slopes of the Andes. At night, you can see the snocats grooming trails from this metropolis of seven million!

The La Parva, Valle Nevado, and El Colorado ski areas are interconnected, and it is possible to enjoy a total of 40 lifts and dozens of groomed runs, with multiple options for lodging and dining. Skiing here starts at 8,000 to 9,000 feet, reaching up to 12,000 feet, and is entirely above the treeline. The sunsets are extraordinary.

Casey looks out from El Colorado ski area towards the upper Valle Nevado and La Parva lifts. The 18,000 foot El Plomo mountain looms in the background. Credit: Casey Earle.

Two hours north of Santiago is the world-renowned Portillo hotel and ski area, smack in the middle of some of the highest mountains in the Western Hemisphere. The hotel sits looking north over the mysterious and beautiful Laguna del Inca lake and boasts a long tradition of great service and entertainment. Here you can rub shoulders with racers and ski fanatics from all around the globe.

Portillo and the Plateau chairlift (spot it!), with the Laguna del Inca. Credit: Casey Earle.

Further south, the ski area infrastructure and access may leave a bit to be desired, but I love it nonetheless. All of the ski areas are situated on volcanoes which have varying levels of activity. They are also surrounded by gorgeous temperate rainforests, lakes, rivers, and hot springs. The main ski areas are Nevados de Chillan, Corralco, Villarrica, and Antillanca. The first three have adjacent towns within a 30 minute drive with plenty of lodging and other touristic services. All but Villarrica have a good hotel at the ski area base.

Villarrica ski area, note the smoking volcano. Credit: Casey Earle.

My recommendation for potential visitors is to contact one of the tour companies operating in Chile, or book directly with one of the on-hill hotels such as Portillo. You will have one of the best and most unusual ski trips of your life. Most of the tour operators

Las Araucarias ski area, west side Volcan Llaima. Credit: Casey Earle

in Chile are mainly for younger, adventurous skiers, such as Casa Tours or Powder Quest. However, for the +50 crowd, I can recommend DreamSki Adventures which offers group guided resort based tours in Chile and Argentina for the 45-70+ skier. Their guides are seasoned ski instructors trained in the CSIA (Canadian Ski Instructor Alliance) and offer a high degree of customer service on and off the snow.

Come on down!

For the latest in conditions in Chile from Casey Earle, click here.

Here are the resorts mentioned.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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The Kindness of (Young) Strangers

Last weekend Pam and I went canyoneering in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, the vast expanse of public land between Capitol Reef National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.

Canyoneering may not be the correct term, as it generally describes the exploration of remote canyons requiring technical equipment and skills.

Leaving Peek A Boo slot canyon.

Our destination was two popular slot canyons, Peek A Boo and Spooky, cut deep in sandstone bluffs a little over a mile’s hike down a fairly steep slickrock slope and across flat desert. Reaching the parking area required driving 26 bumpy miles through a classic Western landscape of sagebrush and rolling hills; cliffs in the endless distance.

I forgot my rule about doing strenuous things in the morning. It took two hours to get there, and we didn’t leave home until 10AM.

A lot of young families were there. As it turned out, that was a very good thing.

People tend to be friendly in the wilderness: a gemütlichkeit not dissimilar to what skiers experience on snow. Different generations attached through a common thread.

Those who had been there before were happy to explain what to expect in the slots.

Yours truly slithering through Spooky.

Website references describe Peek A Boo and Spooky as among the world’s most spectacular slots. They also characterize them as relatively easy. Peek A Boo is a series of sculpted terraces, requiring use of shallow foot and handholds to heft yourself from one level to the next.

Both of us needed assistance, and the other hikers, mostly in their 20s and early 30s, were more than willing to help. Thighs became steps, strong arms became hoists. They were strangers to us and to each other, and they took the time and effort — without our asking — to help and encourage these two older adventurers.

We should not have been there. Mid-way in, I was exhausted and we decided to turn around. A few young families scrambled down the steep rocks with ease.

Not us. We struggled, and when we reached the final descent, another stranger, this time a muscular 40 year old calmly talked us down the steep face. He literally carried Pam off the cliff.

It took a few minutes to collect ourselves, before hiking to Spooky, an adjacent slot. Except for the fixed rope assisted climb at the end of Spooky — we didn’t get that far — the primary requirement to explore it is not to be too overweight. It’s a deep, narrow, sinuous fissure. Even for the thinnest person, it is navigated with front and back to the walls.

On the way home, exhausted from the experience, we made a pact: no more attempts to go beyond our physical limits. Ten years ago — which doesn’t seem that long — Peek-A-Boo would have been a breeze. As septuagenarians, it is no longer for us. That said, we both know highly-fit and agile contemporaries who would have conquered the canyons with ease.

For the future we plan to choose hikes that will not overly tax us or place us in danger. Age-appropriate hikes where, as much as we appreciate it, we won’t need to rely on the kindness of young strangers.

 

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Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows topped 400″ for the season. Almost 19′ fell in March. Last day is scheduled for Memorial Day.

It’s been five months since I took a New York City public bus. Yesterday, I noticed that the signs advising younger passengers to give their seats to seniors had been replaced. The signs now advise giving some seats to those in wheelchairs and other seats to the disabled.

Jackson Hogen, realskiers.com

RealSkiers.com is the superb ski review website available to SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers for less than $10. It’s published by Jackson Hogen, ski industry raconteur and all-around good-guy. His periodic “Revelations” (sent free to those on his list) are personal insights into all things skiing. Since last Labor Day, he published 33 Revelations.

Jake Burton, of snowboarding fame, recently received a custom knee implant made with 3D printing technology. He returned to the hill 3 weeks post-op. His surgeon accompanied him for his first ride.

The lifetime National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass now costs $80, a significant increase from the $10 I paid years ago. But it’s still one of the best bargains around, providing unlimited entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks that normally charge a fee. Park entrance fees are being waived April 21, the kickoff date for National Park Week. If you’re sans Senior Pass and near a park, the visit will be free.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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IKON changed its Mammoth Mountain benefits package. Purchasers of the $599 Ikon Base Pass now have full access with the exception of certain blackout dates.

When originally offered, full access (no blackouts) was available only with the $899 Ikon Pass. Purchasers of the $599 Base Pass were entitled to 5 days at Mammoth. Alterra, the resort company offering the IKON pass, did not respond to our question asking why the policy changed. Not explaining the policy change, Alterra leaves the door open for speculation. Was it in response to pressure from vocal older skiers who were unhappy with the elimination of Mammoth’s season pass and it’s senior discounts? We don’t know. But if that were the case, seniors at other Ikon resorts which have eliminated local season passes might want to take note and express their dissatisfaction. Personally, I think Ikon, like Epic and Mountain Collective, offers excellent value, IF you travel to ski and are not committed or confined to a single area. For those who are, let’s say grandparents who like to ski with family during holidays, Ikon forces them to buy in at a steeper price than in the past.

Vail’s Acquisition of Whistler “Has Canadians Seething”

An article this week in Bloomberg News reports on Canadian dissatisfaction with Vail Resorts’ $1 billion acquisition of Whistler Blackcomb. Among the reasons: the resort’s tickets are priced with a base rate in US dollars. “The exchange rate for the two currencies is published above the ticket prices, which fluctuate daily.” Vail eliminated Whistler’s one and three day prepaid lift tickets, discounted for Canadians and State of Washington residents. Locals and others fear that these and other changes are benefitting “…jetsetters at the expense of locals,” who have established the hashtag: #FailVail.

Springtime in the Rockies

As I write this, the northern Utah mountains are expecting 6″-12″ with the Cottonwood Canyons receiving 12″-24″. Here’s the realistic rub: Powder snow is ephemeral and requires being there when the lifts open. Typically, the snow is trashed within an hour or so, and, if the spring temps rise, powder quickly turns to cement.

Springtime in Massachusetts

Wachusett Mountain will be skiing through Sunday, April 15, one of it’s latest closings ever.

Delicious, Self-Heating Meals in a Pouch

At first I was skeptical of a self-heating “homestyle meal” in a pouch. Then I tasted a few OMEALS dishes. They could rightfully be called OH! MEALS. A game-changer for campers, hikers, boaters, or anyone who wants a nutritious, good tasting hot dish with zero prep. I bought some for the car and my pack. Inside the pouch are sealed bags with food, heating element (similar to a hand warmer), and utensil with napkin. The heating element and sealed food bag are placed in the pouch, a few ounces of H2O added and the pouch sealed. In a few minutes the pouch becomes a steam-spouting mini-Vesuvius. When the seam subsides, open the bag and enjoy! OMEAL products are available at REI and other retailers. A free sample is available by clicking on the OMEALS ad on the SeniorsSkiing.com’s Discounts for Seniors page. The company is offering 20% off first orders. Strong recommendation: stock up for the summer while the discount is available.

 

Watch for SeniorsSkiing.com Reader Survey

In a few days you’ll receive a short online reader survey about how often you ski/board/snowshoe, how much you spend on winter sports, and, if you’re a grandparent, your role introducing grandkids to winter sports. People who skied their age will have the opportunity to be listed as Trail Masters. The survey has 13 questions and should take 2-3 minutes to complete.

Please LIKE us on the SeniorsSkiing.com Facebook Page!

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Sunday at Snowbasin was the last day of my season.

The end-of-season emergence of earth shedding its winter coat is bittersweet. The joy of Winter is being replaced by the joy of Spring. Every year on my last run, I say a prayer of thanks for having completed another season and a prayer of hope for the next. Having reached that certain age, who knows what awaits between now and the next time my skis touch snow? About midway down, there was a long stretch of perfect corn. I made slow arcs, dancing; snow and gravity my partners. The last run of this season; a hopeful memory of what waits for the next.

Tuckerman’s Ravine

Skiing the New Hampshire bowl on Mt Washington is a Spring ritual for Eastern college kids. Many of you have climbed the Fire Trail on Memorial Day weekend to camp, ski, and party. This video from April 1 shows two skiers falling down the Headwall. Apparently, they walked away.

Most Decorated Male Winter Olympic Athlete Retires at 44

Norwegian biathlete, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, 44, is retiring. He won 13 medals (eight gold, four silver, one bronze) over the course of six Winter Olympics.

Epic Water Filters

Epic Water Filters are essential gear for anyone seeking peace of mind about the water they drink. The company makes lightweight, portable products that are perfect for hiking, traveling, taking you places where the quality of water may be questionable. It also makes easy-to-install under-the-sink units. As a participant in the discount code program, Epic is providing SeniorsSkiing.com readers with a 25% discount off its already reasonable prices. For more information or to order, visit https://www.epicwaterfilters.com and enter promo code SKI25 at checkout.

 

 

 

Mountain Collective

The $409 pass gives you 2 days each at 16 major resorts. Twelve are in the US and Canadian West, one in Vermont, two in New Zealand, and one in Australia. Subsequent days are 50% off. Passes for kids 12 and under are $1. Visit https://mountaincollective.com.

Experticity is Now Expert Voice

For subscribers who registered to participate in the Experticity product discount program, the company has changed the name to Expert Voice. The program is not open to recent SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers.

“Like” SeniorsSkiing.com on Facebook

Each week we post articles on Facebook. If you use Facebook, please “Like” us. If you know others who you think would like SeniorsSkiing.com, please let them know.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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“Finding Meaning and Happiness in Old Age” is the title of Jane Brody’s March 19 Personal Health column in The New York Times. The article is about developing a healthy perspective on the aging process.

It gathers information from two recent volumes on aging. She describes them as “inspired and inspiring.” One is The End of Old Age; the other, Happiness is a Choice You Make. Brody writes, “After reading the books, I have a new way of looking at myself: as a “good-enough” aging adult who continues to pursue and enjoy a variety of activities commensurate with the limitations imposed by inevitable changes in body and mind that accrue with advancing years.” One of the authors writes about the late concert pianist Arthur Rubinstein. He “…dealt with age-induced declines in his skills by selecting a more limited repertoire, optimizing his performance through extra practice, and compensating by altering his tempo during certain sections to highlight the dynamics of a piece.” Are there lessons here for senior skiers? Readers who follow Short Swings! know that I advocate slowing down and adjusting technique so we ski as we currently are, not as we were when we were younger. I take my time getting down the hill. Lodge breaks are a bit longer. Reaching a certain amount of vertical is no longer a priority. Staying on the hill for more years and enjoying the experience are what matter. To read Jane Brody’s full column, click here.

ROAM Robotics is a new SeniorsSkiing.com advertiser. The young company is seeking skiers to help it develop its soft robotic exoskeletons. The devices, which strengthen knees, quadriceps, and backs, are being developed in San Francisco where ROAM has an indoor ski deck. Volunteers don the devices and ski while company technicians document a variety of data points that will be used to fine-tune the product’s performance. The company also is scheduling on-hill sessions in Park City and Tahoe resorts. If interested in being a test subject, click on the advertisement with the headline “Robotic Exoskeleton: Looking for Test Pilots,” view the brief video, and answer a short questionnaire.

Several New England areas plan to remain open. Killington expects to be skiing until June 3. Bromley and Jiminy Peak will continue through April 8, Cranmore through Sunday, April 1. In Quebec, Mont-Sainte-Anne will end it’s season April 22.

Visit the Discounts for Seniors page to receive 25% off Brilliant Reflective Strips kits. Each kit has an abundance of durable press-on or sew-on reflective material. This is a fundamental safety item for seniors and their families. The strips turn any garment into the equivalent of a reflective safety vest.

Snowsports Industries of America, the winter sporting goods trade group, predicts that new government tariffs on international trading partners “…would lead to higher costs for outdoor products produced domestically that utilize steel and aluminum imports, like…skis and snowboards.”

Patagonia has a website that matches volunteers with environmental organizations in the volunteers’ locales. Click on Volunteer Your Skills.

Outside Magazine‘s article, “The Boy Who Lived on Edges,” tells the story of extreme skier, Adam Roberts. Roberts was a brilliant back country skier whose mental illness drove him to ski ever riskier slopes. It is well written and worth reading. Roberts was killed by an avalanche in 2016.

Best wishes for a good Easter, Passover, Spring.

Short Swings
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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I’m in the desert with my skis. There’s snow in the higher elevations but the nearest lifts are a few hundred miles away.

It’s nice to be enjoying a respite from winter. But I feel like a city dweller, removed from my favorite pastime. It’s not permanent. I have the good fortune of being able to get in the car and drive to a mountain. One ski friend just had shoulder surgery. Another is recovering from a spine operation. A few have new hips or knees. They’ve been sidelined for the season. Mine is self-imposed R&R. Resting for a few weeks before returning for a few final days on the hill. I need the hill. I need the snow. I yearn to be back on skis.

Discounts For Subscribers

Ear buds are difficult for me. I feel like using Crazy Glue or nails to get them to stay in my ears. Conventional headphones work but can be bulky; they tend to block out other sounds. Aftershokz headphones use bone conduction to deliver sound to the inner ear. Instead of covering your ears, AfterShokz rest against the bone in front of your ears. They deliver superb sound, but they don’t interfer with other sounds around you, like that snowboarder coming in fast or the the approaching car when you’re road biking. The company is selling them to SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers for 15% less than they can be purchased elsewhere. The wireless version costs as little as $110; wired as little as $42.00. Visit the Discounts for Seniors page and click on the Aftershokz ad.

Late Snow

Don’t give up on the season quite yet. Late March and early April generally produce excellent snowfall. I just visited SnowForecast.com, a site reporting on snowfall around the globe. Each area receiving snow in the past seven days is represented with a red dot. The U.S. map looks like it has measles!

Alpskitour

Alpskitour is our newest advertiser. The Italian company organizes 5-day ski tours limited to groups of seven, each accompanied by a professional guide/instructor who knows the best routes and dining locations. General areas covered include Aosta Valley, Breuil-Cervinia, Zermatt, Cormayeur Mt Blanc, and Pila. Unless requested otherwise, the terrain explored is intermediate to advanced. My wife and I plan to try it out next March. If interested in joining us, please drop me a line: jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Other

News from the resorts is slowing down. Most of the announcement have to do with season pass offerings, new snow, and the occasional fund raiser. This week, the most interesting items are from Colorado and Killington.

On March 19, Colorado Ski Country USA reported that resorts across the state received up to a foot of overnight snow, the first wave of several expected by month’s end. Telluride led the state with 12″, Winter Park got 10″, Steamboat and Powderhorn got 9″. The least amount was 6″ at Eldora.

Killington‘s year round season pass, with access to everything at any time, is available to 65+ for $79 a month ($948 for the year) until June 14. The Unlimited Season Pass is on sale through June 14 for $629 (65 – 79). The Mid-Week (M-F) pass (all ages) is $519. 80+ skiers pay a nominal processing fee for free season passes.

If you, your ski area, ski club, or others have information to be shared with the SeniorsSkiing.com community, please email  jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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We need to adjust our skiing to our age.

Some readers will probably react with a “Mind your own business,” and that’s fine.

But I keep running into too many people beating themselves up on skis: either forcing old bodies to ski like they did when they were young, or not knowing how to adjust to a more age-appropriate technique.

Several years back I was skiing with a contemporary in her sixties. She skied like she did as a college racer. Impressive, but way to fast for my taste. I waited a long time at the bottom of a bumpy Snowbird trail where her husband met me after patrol had put her into the sled. Broken leg.

I tell everyone I ski with that I ski slowly. I turn a lot, aspiring to graceful form. There are two downsides: it can be tiring, and it makes me vulnerable to being struck by a speed demon. I frequently glance uphill. A few weeks ago while linking tight turns at trail’s edge, I glanced back and saw a youngish boarder on my tail. “Thanks,” she called out. “I enjoyed following your turns.”

Epic Pass Additions

The Vail-owned bundled pass has added Crested Butte, Okemo, and Mount Sunapee for next season.

Boyne Aquiring 6 Areas

They are: Brighton (UT), Cypress Mountain (BC), Loon (NH), Sugarloaf (ME), Sunday River (ME), and The Summit at Snoqualmie (WA).

Harlem Globetrotter on Skis

Globetrotter, Bucket Blakes took a lesson at Arapahoe Basin to promote the team’s March 16 – March 18 Colorado tour. The resulting short video is a refreshing treat.

Colorado

Copper Mountain will upgrade two of its Center Village lifts. American Eagle will become a combination gondola/chairlift. American Flyer will become 6-passenger high-speed bubble chair.

Winter Park will replace its Zephyr Express quad with a gondola.

Montana

Big Sky will replace its Ramcharger quad with North America’s first eight-passenger chair. The new lift, to be ready for next season, will have heated seats and blue bubbles. The older, high-speed Ramcharger will replace the much slower Shedhord double chair.

Quebec

Mont Tremblant will replace its Lowell Thomas chair with a detachable quad. Its main summit lodge, Le Grand Manitou, will be expanded.

 Vermont

Snow gods seem to be favoring the Green Mountain State. Six to seven feet have fallen since beginning of the month. Great time to plan a Spring Skiing trip. This weekend will be filled with green snow and green beer as Vermont areas celebrate St Patrick’s Day.

Killington, part of the IKON pass, will continue to offer discounts on its season pass for seniors, 65-79. The pass for 80+ is essentially free (nominal processing fee required).

Stratton will replace its Snowbowl chair with a high-speed detachable.

High Fives Foundation

Jan and Judy Brunvand with their special edition Parlor Skis

Frequent contributor Jan Brunvand sent in this photo with his wife, Judy, holding her special edition High Fives Foundation Parlor Skis. Parlor gives 15% of its High Fives design sales to the non-profit which helps injured athletes reach their recovery goals. Jan is holding the trout skis Parlor made for the American Museum of Fly Fishing.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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The first rule for skiing powder is to get to it before anyone else does.

NO FRIENDS ON A POWDER DAY???

It skis best when untracked, and it doesn’t stay untracked for long. The other day at Grand Targhee in Wyoming, I bought a ticket that gave access to the lifts an hour before opening to the public. The other option would have been pricier cat skiing. As it turned out, eight runs in untracked were more than adequate. Once the others arrived — especially the boarders — the snow got cut up quickly and the skiing, while still nice, was no longer the same. It’s a joy to look down a slope devoid of tracks, to drop in, and have that bottomless experience so difficult to convey to those who haven’t. In your wake is a series of cursive turns that are yours. Warren Miller referred to them as your skiing signature.

Speaking of Warren Miller, someone in Montana mentioned he had seen a bumper sticker with this: Thank You, Warren.

Skiing History magazine Honors NASTAR’s 50th

International Skiing History Association (ISHA) will honor NASTAR’s 50th anniversary Friday evening, March 23, in Squaw Valley. The occasion will be featured during ISHA’s 26th Annual Awards Banquet, which also will honor the year’s best creative works of ski history, including books, films, websites and other media projects. Click here to purchase tickets.

 Melting Western Snowpack
A just-published snowpack study by Oregon State University and UCLA shows reduced snowpack since 1955. It’s not snowing less; snow in higher elevations is melting earlier in the season.

Canada

EPIC Pass has added these Canadian resorts for next season: Fernie, Kicking Horse, Kimberley, Nakiska, Mont Sainte Anne and Stoneham. EPIC now provides access to 61 resorts worldwide.

Mont Tremblant is introducing its new Tonik Pass which gives 118-day access to the mountain, including 28 weekend days. It’s on sale until April 9 for $449, plus provincial taxes. A $75 add-on gives first track access, gear tune-up, $200 gift certificate at Boutiques Tremblant, other benefits.

New Hampshire

Cranmore Mountain will host its 22nd annual Hannes Schneider Meister Cup Race, March 9 – 11, honoring the founding father of ski instruction who joined the resort in 1939. Event includes Friday night uphill race, welcome reception and Dual GS Race; vintage skiwear contest and silent auction, Saturday afternoon. Proceeds to benefit New England Ski Museum. Free spectator admission.                                     

Utah

Winter had a late start across the West, but March came in like the proverbial lion. Some Utah resorts received 120″ in the last 30 days!!!

Deer Valley 2018-19 season passes are available. Purchased before Oct 15, the adult price is $2365. Senior (65-71) is $1205, and Super Senior (71+) is $1,100.

Vermont

Killington will install a new 6-person high speed bubble chairlift at South Ridge.

Visit skivermont.com for up-to-date conditions for the state’s 20 alpine ski areas and 30 cross country ski centers.

Grants to Enable Injured Athletes

David Weiner is being helped by High Fives Foundation

In January, the High Fives Foundation granted $30,678.00 to ten US athletes seeking to reach their recovery goals. One of the grants went to David Weiner, an experienced skier who lost control on black ice and hit a tree. Started in 2009, High Fives has helped 188 athletes with living expenses, insurance, travel, health, healing network, adaptive equipment, winter equipment, etc.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Living up to its reputation, at least across the West and Northeast, March is entering like a wild snow lion.

SeniorsSkiing.com is heralding the arrival of March with a new discount service. It provides significant discounts on products Mike and I think will interest you. Some are specifically ski-oriented, others fit with the older, active, outdoors lifestyle.

Each offering is presented at Discounts for Seniors. Once there, simply click on any ad, and it will take you the company’s website. If you decide to make a purchase, enter the code on the ad, and you’ll receive the specified discount.

A few examples:

  • Apex Boot Systems is waiving the $25 demo fee at its 11 demo centers.
  • Stabil slip-prevention shoe attachments are 20% off. Every senior should carry a pair in the car.
  • CP Visor Helmets (I’ve skied with it. Comfortable, stylish, VERY nice!!), also 20% off.
  • Brilliant Reflective stick on/iron on reflective tapes (essential for nighttime safety) 25% off.

We’ll be adding to the discounted product list over time. If you have suggestions for products or services that you’d like to see on the list, send them to jon@seniorsskiing.com and/or mike@seniorsskiing.com.

100 Year Old Skier Explains His Passion

George Jedenoff is 100+ and still skiing!

Many of you commented a few weeks ago on Harriet Wallis’ excellent articles about George Jedenoff, the 100+ year old who still skis. Ski Utah just issued this video of George discussing skiing. It is uplifting!!!

 

 

 

Paralympics and the Rest of Us

With the PyeongChang Paralympics (March 9-18) about to get under way, Mike and I have been thinking about skiers we’ve met who ski despite serious health issues. Many have used their love of the sport as motivation to return to the hill. We’re learning of programs utilizing winter sport as a form of rehabilitation. If you or someone you know has recovered or improved though skiing, boarding, X-C. snowshoe, etc. and want to share that story with our readers, please let us know.

2018-19 Season Passes

Mountain Collective just added Big Sky to its offerings. The early price is $409 which gives two days at each of 16 resorts plus 50% off all additional days. For each adult pass purchased, a pass for children 12 or under cost $1. That includes grandchildren!

 

Ikon Pass goes on sale March 6. It comes in two flavors, both giving access to 25 destination resorts. 

  • The $899 version gives unlimited to 12 resorts and up to seven days at each of the others.
  • The $599 version gives unlimited access to 10 destinations and up to five days at each of the others.

Vail Resorts introduced the $99 Military Epic Pass in recognition of the Vail founders who served in the 10th Mountain Division. All active and retired US, Canadian and Australian military personnel and their dependents are eligible for the pass which provides unlimited 2018-19 access to Vail’s 14 owned and operated resorts. A separate Military Epic Pass will be available for all other US, Canadian and Australian veterans and their dependents ($499 for adults; $269 for children). Vail also will donate $1 the Wounded Warrior Project for each 2018-19 Epic pass sold. Based on this season’s sales that should total $750,000.

Massachusetts

Jiminy Peak will host a Cardboard Box Derby and pond skimming contest March 17-18. The mountain’s STRIDE Great Race is the same weekend. It recognizes accomplishments of skiers/riders with physical or developmental disabilities (stride.org).

Montana

Fifty-year-old, Rob Leipheimer recently seta new record for laps on Big Sky’s Lone Peak Tram. He completed 35, breaking the previous record of 31 set in 1998.

New Hampshire

Cranmore Mountain will introduce its Flannel Festival March 24. Show up in your best flannel, enter your beard in a contest, music, etc. Details at Cranmore.com.

Quebec

Quebec Spring Break is March 3 – 11. Many of the province’s resorts will be celebrating with festivals, races, live music, etc.

Saturday, March 3 is Super Demo Day at Mont Tremblant. Next season’s gear will be available to try.

Vermont

Bromley will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a Scavenger Hunt and other festivities. Find the pot of gold at the top of the mountain and trade it for a 2018-19 season pass. Follow the resort on Instagram for location hints.

            
Ski for MS, Sunday March 11, is a one-day Pico fundraiser benefiting people with multiple sclerosis. People from around the country — including Olympian Donna Weinbrecht — will gather to benefit people with MS and their families.

The private Hermitage Club at Haystack Mountain is on the brink of foreclosure. Three notes for $17.1 million went into default. Club members may take over ownership.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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My Ski/Family Balance

It dumped in Utah a few days ago, and I decided not to go skiing.

It was a choice between playing in the snow with pre-school/pre-ski grandkids and deep powder. Being with grandkids won out. Granted, the weekend’s revelry left me a bit under the weather, and the wind and flat light were convenient excuses. In the past, fresh powder trumped (almost) every other draw for my attention. It was gravitational, pulling me to its seductive pleasures. But grandchildren are a more powerful force, and sledding with them on a small hill in a city park was a special joy. I’ve had many great powder days in my skiing career and hope to have many more. Being in the snow with grandchildren I only see from time to time is more precious than powder. Both experiences are ephemeral. Despite climate trends, the snow should continue to come. Small children, on the other hand, grow. Maybe, one day, if health continues and all is well, we’ll be able to ski powder together.

The Bleak Future of Winter Sports

Watching the Olympic Games is a peek into the future of winter sports. According to an article in the January 27 issue of The Economist, the popularity of skiing — declining in Western countries — is shifting to Asia. In China, the number of skiers and boarders is increasing 20% a year and 500 new resorts are expected to be built ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Accompanying the article is an excellent video explaining the history of modern skiing and projecting the future of the sport. Climate change is having a big effect. 

Odd But (Apparently) True

The disappearance February 7 of a skier at Whiteface Mountain at Lake Placid in New York’s Adirondack Mountains resulted in a massive but unproductive search involving multiple government agencies and ski patrols. Constantinos “Danny” Filippidis surfaced in Sacramento almost a week later wearing his ski outfit, helmet and goggles. It was reported that he was returning to Lake Placid to meet with the police.

New Hampshire

Cranmore Mountain will host its annual Hannes Schneider Meister Cup Weekend, March 9-11. Races on

Hannes Schneider

intermediate terrain will be held for several age categories. Past racers have ranged in age from 4 to 95. Hannes Schneider was an Austrian mountain soldier in WWI; his son, Herbert, was a member of the 10th Mountain Division in World War II. The Meister Cup pays tribute to American mountain soldiers with a special military race, in which active duty soldiers of the 10th and the Army Mountain Warfare School participate. The weekend features a welcome reception and buffet, opening ceremony, ice carving contest, silent auction, a wear-your-own vintage skiwear show, awards ceremony, and ski history presentation. A Torchlight Parade is scheduled that Friday.

Quebec

Mont Tremblant‘s Super Demo Days, Saturday March 3 is its final of the season. Next season’s skis, boards and accessories will be available. The resort’s SnowSchool hosts a variety of family-friendly programs March 3- 11. Click on SnowSchool (above) for details.

Mont-Sainte-Anne and Stoneham Mountain Resort will offer numerous on-mountain activities during Quebec Spring Break. Notably, Mont-Sainte-Anne’s Fulllmoon Descent, March 2, when participants of all ages don headlamps and ski. Stoneham’s activities include a playground, make-up  stand, arts and crafts, campfires, BBQs, winter survival workshops, and, March 6–9, pony rides for the kiddies.

Visit Happy Parents Package for special lodging deals with free tickets for kids as old as 17.

Utah

Presidents’ Day Weekend delivered the goods in Utah. 48 hour totals range from 23″ at Snowbird to 22″ at Brian Head, the state’s most southern resort.

Vermont 

Bromley will hold its Vertical Challenge, March 11. Skiers and boarders compete for medals. The Vertical Challenge is a northeast ski area favorite with participating resorts creating a festival atmosphere.

 

Joan Wallen

Buying A Mountain Home? Ponder This.

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A Veteran Real Estate Agent Shares Tips You Might Not Have Thought Of.

[Editor Note: See Joan Wallen’s earlier article: Commute, Rent, Or Buy? for advice on renting.]

Condo on the mountain?

Want to buy a home in snow country? Perhaps you’ve rented and now decide that a second home is right for you. Or maybe you’re ready to take a leap of faith and go directly into ownership. What are some of the considerations you should take in to account?

Location is key. You may already have a favorite mountain or region that you like to ski. This makes it easier. If you don’t have a preferred area, think about what’s right for you and your family. Do you want to ski one mountain all the time or be in a location where you can reach several resorts? Will a specific resort be good for your family for future years? You don’t want to end up at an area that the kids will outgrow. Do you want to be slope side, in town or out in the countryside? Condo or single family home?

If you decide on a condo, investigate before buying. Is it a new development or an established community? If the development is older you would want to know the history of upgrades to the buildings and grounds, roofs, building siding, roads, etc? If there are amenities like a swimming pool or fitness room, what’s their condition? Are condo fees reasonable or so high as to feel like a second mortgage? Carefully review the condo association documents to be informed not only of their rules and regulations but also their financial status. The capital reserve fund should be adequate for both planned and unexpected maintenance costs so you don’t get hit with a special assessment.

House in the country?

Consider usage of the condo in the off season. If you won’t be coming to the mountains in the summer you may want to rent out the unit. Some associations enforce minimum rental periods of anywhere from two weeks to two months or more. This could impact your ability to secure a tenant. And if you want, or need, to rent it out, be sure it’s in a location where there’s a demand for summer activity.

Although condo fees add to the cost of ownership, there are advantages also. Outside maintenance fees cover snow removal, shoveling, lawn mowing and trash pickup.

Condo living is not for everyone, however. You may prefer the privacy of a single family home either close to town or in the country. But, you’ll have to arrange for plowing, perhaps someone to check on the house after a power outage and of course maintenance will be your responsibility. The advantages are privacy, perhaps a more tranquil setting and if you’re in the country you can likely cross country ski or snowshoe right out your front door. If you wish to rent it,  you’ll be your own boss, no association restrictions. And, more responsibility also. If something goes wrong, you can’t just call the office, you’re on your own to find a repair person.

Finally, does owning make financial sense? What will you do with the property in the off season? Is it in a location where you and your family will use it both in the summer and winter?

Buying a home in ski country is a big commitment but also can bring big rewards. As a gathering place for family and friends to enjoy the outdoors together, many lasting memories will be created. Family members who may not ski will still have a base from which to enjoy other outdoor activities, or to just hang out by the fire and read. And you don’t have to worry about making reservations, finding a place to stay after that two foot snowfall or lugging your gear and clothing back and forth. The home and your belongings are right there waiting for you.