Big Sky is not ritzy. It is not pretentious. It is not crowded. And, as one of country’s greatest ski destinations, it is not to be missed. With 4350′ of vertical and 5,800 acres, Big Sky justifiably calls itself “The Biggest Skiing in America.” The last time I skied there was before the acquisition of Moonlight Basin, a smaller adjacent[Read More…]
Hip, Hip, Hooray! Skier Bob Turns 94! You might say that 94-year-old Bob Murdoch is a “senior’s senior” skier. He represents many skiers across the country who are skiing into their 90s and enjoying their mountain friendships as much as the slopes. Ski friends matter. Skiers gave Bob a birthday card that said: Count your age in how many friends[Read More…]
A few rides on the lift can say a lot about an area. At Idaho’s Sun Valley I was reminded of its friendly vibe and older population of very good skiers. Anyone reading this knows Sun Valley is one of America’s oldest and most celebrated resorts. In the late 30s to the 60s/70s, Sun Valley helped establish the glamor of[Read More…]
A New Sport Bridges Snow and Non-Snow Seasons: Fad Or Here To Stay? [Editor Note: SeniorsSkiing.com is interested in bringing new activities to our reader. In this story originally published on XCSkiResorts.com on biking with fat, balloon tires, publisher Roger Lohr does an explainer and reports the adventures of a group of neophytes on Kingdom Trails in Northeastern Vermont.] Fat[Read More…]
Ski Museum Of Maine Holds First Annual Seniors Race. Just when the afternoon light was at its best, the Ski Museum of Maine hosted its first Legends of Maine GS Race at Sunday River. The goal was to benefit the growing museum based in Kingfield as well as to show racing for seniors is both doable and fun. Twenty skiers,[Read More…]
The Half Moon Band Delivers Truth About Living In New England. It’s been snowing a lot around New England this March. Three Nor’easters in less than two weeks delivered plenty of snow and have basically rescued the spring skiing season for most resorts from Pennsylvania to Maine. But, there are people who think that snow is just frozen water that[Read More…]
Long-Time Friends Take To The Maine Woods On An XC Adventure. A fresh three-inch snowfall covered the winter parking lot as we arrived for our annual winter ski trip. We felt a quiet confidence as we loaded gear into the gear shed for transport to the Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC) Little Lyford Pond Camps (LLPC). The camp is on the[Read More…]
I recently visited Pomerelle Mountain Resort, a smallish ski area in the Sawtooth National Forest, 75 miles east of Twin Falls, Idaho. It’s about 25 miles from the Interstate. You get there driving through a long, flat valley and small villages (e.g. Albion, pop 300) before turning onto a road that climbs to the 8,000′ base. Lodge, lifts, and trails[Read More…]
Many readers have expressed interest in learning about lesser-known areas. When I mentioned that to a representative of Visit Idaho, he suggested visiting Pebble Creek and Pomerelle, both in the southern part of the state. First stop was Pebble Creek, 2,200′ of impressive vertical not far from Pocatello. I skied there two days and stayed nearby in Lava Hot Springs,[Read More…]
Staying in Salt Lake City (or Valley) is an excellent option to explore Alta, Snowbird, Solitude and Brighton. Ski City USA offers good value (many hotels include a Super Pass with the room), public transportation to the resorts, and a broad range of restaurants and entertainment venues. Here are some favorites. Check websites for hours and addresses. Breakfast For a[Read More…]
Park City: Visit Silver Mining Museum Sites On Skis. Led by Utah’s Park City Mountain Resort guides, the new Silver to Slopes tour skis you to various relics of the mining history scattered throughout beautiful scenery. More than 1,000 miles of tunnels lie beneath the slopes here. We ride up the McConkey Express with our amiable guide Jim Brown. He[Read More…]
Some People Say The Best Four Letter Word About Skiing Is “Taos.” When I looked up at the main slope, I was speechless, then the words came—steep, moguls, trees. Wow. At 12,000 ft, Taos’ Mt. Kachina is close to the top of the World. The resort is located in northern New Mexico, which one seasoned skier described as “a mix[Read More…]
Smuggler’s Notch Feels Like Way-Back-When But With Up-To-Date Conveniences. Smugglers’ Notch is the well-known kid-friendly ski area in northern Vermont. That same dedication to fun also makes it a good area for seniors. Start with the intermediate trails winding off the two upper Mountains—Madonna, 3,640 feet, and Sterling, 3,040 feet. They urge your skis to turn as they follow the[Read More…]
For many Western resorts this is the season when it’s best to stay on the groomed. There just hasn’t been enough natural snow to enter the woods with confidence. The trail skiing I’ve done at the four resorts closest to Salt Lake City — Alta and Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon and Brighton and Solitude in Big Cottonwood Canyon —[Read More…]
[Many expenses for technicians, designers, and others are associated with delivering SeniorsSkiing.com free each week and developing and publishing Subscriber-Only content. Please help by making a modest donation by clicking here.] Vail was magnificent the day I skied there a few weeks ago. We had bluebird skies, and despite Winter’s temporary retreat the snow was surprisingly good. The resort is[Read More…]
74 Year Old Long Time Ski Host Books 120 Ski Days A Year At Big White. Jealous? It might seem strange that an American from the Spokane area knows this sprawling British Columbia ski resort better than just about anyone. Carlan Silha has been serving as a snow host at Big White for 20 years, longer than anyone at the[Read More…]
The “Beav” Has All The Goods But No Crowds And No Fanfare. For most vacation-seekers, Beaver Mountain falls off the radar because it’s farther than the 10 resorts that are within an hour’s drive from the Salt Lake City International Airport. Beaver is about 100 miles—less than 2 hours from the airport. Nobody knows about Beaver Mountain. Actually, lots of[Read More…]
And Grandparent Hobbitts, Too. Skiing with grandchildren is one of grandparents’ great joys and comes with perks: easier slopes, hot chocolate breaks, and slower (maybe) pace. Some ski areas are more finely tuned to multi-generational skiing than others, based not just on the amenities but the spirit of the area. Pat’s Peak in Henniker, southern N.H., is one such place.[Read More…]
Here Are 10 Tips For Seniors Dealing With Cold Cold Temps. I posted here awhile ago about the benefits of skiing in the rain. Another unpopular time to ski is in extreme cold. The upside is you have the slopes to yourself. Unless you don’t. When skiing in Stowe over the recent holiday in frigid conditions, I was astonished by[Read More…]
Find Winter Activity Opportunities Close To Home. Let’s define what we mean by Urban Wilderness: Open space – wetland, meadow, and/or forested land. Owned by a public entity No parking or entrance fees No visual pollution Offers “peace and quiet” Accessible by either car or public transportation from the nearby urban center Offers a variety of activities (year-round) Urban Wildernesses[Read More…]
Why Wait When Wolves Want Wise Well-Wishers. Okay, in the picture, it looks like she’s being licked by a dog. But trust me, that’s NO dog. It’s a real grey wolf. In the woods. Walking with my friends and me. It was part of our morning at Northern Lights Wolf Centre just outside Golden, BC, Canada, where we learned about wolves[Read More…]
The Whole Summer Was Spent Getting Ready For Winter. It’s 80 degrees at Deer Valley. Mountain snow melted long ago. A summer breeze rustles leaves on the aspen trees and wafts through the open doors of the maintenance shop. The crew wears shorts and T-shirts. It’s mid-July. Gears and gizmos cover the work benches, and the crew is meticulously polishing,[Read More…]
Family-friendly Blandford in southern Massachusetts was poised for extinction or development, but Ski Butternut and its owner Jeffrey Murdock bought it Sept. 1 and saved it. It’s a rescue mission of historic proportions. Right now, crews are working furiously to renovate Blandford’s base lodges, upgrade the grooming equipment, and install new snowmaking to help smooth out fickle weather cycles that[Read More…]
In the winter of 1993, I was in my 29th season, age 55 and still in that happy state of benign self-deception when I believed I skied better each season than the season before. A lifelong wage slave, despite passionate longings to the contrary, I had never given myself the luxury of a ski-bum year. As a weekend-warrior, a good[Read More…]
Ski And Snowboard Show Impresario Bernie Weichsel Reports On The Down Under Scene. For most of us in the international ski community, whether here in the US and Canada, or within the Alpine countries of Europe, there is good news to be found in Australia and, to a lesser degree, New Zealand. Over the past three weeks, I had the[Read More…]
