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This Issue: February 4, 2022

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Today, we start passing the fund-raising hat. Your contributions allow this shoestring operation to send you 8-10 original articles and other content, every-other-week, free-of-charge. We’re requesting a minimum contribution of $14, or $1 per issue; more if you can. All donors will receive the new Senior Skiers Rock! stickers. Donors of $50 or more will receive the Licensed to Ski poster displaying photos of ski-themed license plates from around the U.S. Click here to make a donation.

Fund-raising reminders will appear on SeniorsSkiing.com for the next three issues.

This week you’re in for a treat.

Jon’s Short Swings! column carries a link to an interview with him in The Storm Skiing Podcast, one of the fastest growing ski podcasts in North America.

Herb Stevens, The Skiing Weatherman, has a lot to comment on recent weather events favoring the Middle Atlantic and Northeastern states.

John Gelb addresses a skiing menace putting all of us at risk: dangerous. reckless skiers and what can be done to avoid and, hopefully, stop them.

Harriet Wallis has done a superb job pulling together reader and other input about ski groups where older skiers can meet up with others to take some runs.

With a tongue in cheek title, Don Burch captures the cold, windy nature of Eastern skiing with his newest short video: Breezy Days Skiing the Ice Coast.

Mike Roth brings a reader’s story to life with one of his highly descriptive and amusing cartoon illustrations.

And Jonathan Weisel gives a first-rate description of the work of the Cross Country Ski Areas Association and how it is improving XC skiing for its growing body of participants.

Finally, see if you can come up with the correct answer to this issue’s Test Your Skiing Knowledge feature and enjoy the newest additions to SeniorsSkiing’s growing collection of ski-themed license plates.

Enjoy the Beijing Winter Olympics!

John Gelb

Can’t We Stop the Fast & Dangerous Skiers/Riders?

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Source: #RideAnotherDay

In the past couple days many of you have read about two skiing tragedies: one affected multiple lives (a 5-yr old girl who was killed by an out-of-control skier), and the family she leaves behind, plus the alleged “killer,” a 40-yr old skier who has been charged by French authorities with manslaughter.   As always would love to hear your thoughts and ideas about this.

The above is horrifying to all of us, and a true example of the most disturbing  trend I’ve noticed over 30+ years: an explosion in reckless skiing and riding.  As a ski instructor I see this ALL the time, and I’m always wary of super fast skiers/riders, particularly when I’m teaching, because then I’ve got real people with me for whom I feel incredible responsibility to keep safe.

Clearly something should be done about this epidemic on our slopes.  But what?

First, I’ve made it a point to start reporting instances of too-fast, or out-of-control skiers/riders. I’ll report occurrences to either “courtesy” patrol or ski patrol, and also ask them “why don’t you position staff on green and blue runs which attract too-fast skiers, and move them off under a threat of getting their ticket pulled”?  If patrollers hear this frequently, they’ll do something – they’re first responders.

On trail signage at Park City Mountain Resort          Photo: Jon Weisberg

Second, whether I’m in a lesson teaching kids/adults, or simply free skiing myself, I take great care to constantly look uphill before starting down, to see whether or not I’ve got clearance for my next 15-30 seconds of turns.  And I’ll always wait the extra time to let fast people go by me.

In a lesson, I’ll make sure to place myself in a constantly turning series of arcs that place me between my students and faster skiers above.  I can still observe them do a skiing task, and yes, it’s risky for me, but I believe the combination of my turning back and forth, along with my students immediately below me, makes that section of trail unappealing to super-fast skiers.

It’s sad ski areas don’t do more to police the trails.  But they don’t need to…by law.  If you read the all-encompassing “waiver of liability” contained on the backs of all day ski tickets, and included as a mandatory item to read and e-sign before you’re allowed to purchase tickets/passes online, ski areas in general have zero liability for bad things that happen on their hills…it’s all part of the inherent risk of skiing.

For me, I’ve got to TELL ski area courtesy patrol, ski patrol or management when I experience a dangerous situation, especially on green/blue terrain where there’s the expectation that skier proficiency is lower; therefore the speed of guests on that terrain should be lower!  If we don’t tell responsible ski area people about dangers we witness, then we shouldn’t expect anyone to take reasonable actions.  It’s up to all of us, because no one wants to hear about an innocent skier or rider being killed by an out-of-control skier – but’s it’s happening.

Jonathan Wiesel

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH CCSAA

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I recently was part of a conference call of U.S. and Canadian cross country ski area operators. The conversation touched on who our guests are, their wants and their needs; whether we’re in a growing business (short and joyful answer: yes!); and what we need to do to create new skiers and to retain past visitors. The questions are all part of the normal agenda at these monthly meetings; they’re survival matters in our industry.

On the call were Board Members of Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA, usually pronounced “Kssaa”), an unassuming but extremely effective force in the Nordic ski world in North America. It’s a familiar name among Nordic area operators and suppliers; less so among the several hundred Nordic clubs with groomed trails; and an enigmatic acronym to most retailers.

Group Lesson Source: Jackson Hole Nordic

As for the skiing public, about the only folks who know about CCSAA have learned of it through the logo on its exceptionally useful consumer website, https://xcski.org, which provides information on why, where, etc. to enjoy XC skiing. If you have any interest in XC, take a look at the site – it’s incredibly informative about the value of groomed trails, benefits of instruction, spotlights on XC areas and regions, etc.

That unfamiliarity is ironic but not surprising when you consider that CCSAA is a trade organization that promotes the sport but historically hasn’t tried to promote itself to the public. At the same time, it not only represents the entire recreational side of the Nordic industry (including ski publications and organizations) but generates and serves as a resource for much of the media coverage of cross country skiing.

Reese Brown, Executive Director, Cross Country Ski Areas Association.

CCSAA’s Executive Director is 62-year-old Reese Brown, a vigorous and versatile leader who has given the organization a more recognizable face and name in the industry at in-person meetings, frequent Zoom calls that discuss implications of the COVID era, and bi-weekly newsletters. Most of CCSAA’s Board are in their 50s and 60s, with, literally, decades of experience in a challenging industry.

For XC skiers, CCSAA’s accomplishments are pervasive but often may seem subtle or even mundane. Examples include helping persuade major snowcat manufacturers to explore Nordic markets; working with insurance companies to provide liability coverage at reasonable premiums (otherwise your trail pass would cost many times the current rate); and negotiating with the U.S. Forest Service to grant multi-year use permits.

CCSAA has developed a consistent signage system so skiers understand what direction to ski in; whether

CCSAA trail signage

skating/snowshoeing/fatbiking/walking is allowed on certain trails; what difficulty rating suits you best, etc. There’s also a defined way to measure trail length (sometimes called “non-repeat kilometers”). This approach may seem self-evident, but years ago some managers measured two-way routes in both directions. In one instance, a trail “network” advertised 30+ kilometers for a single non-repeat two-way 6-kilometer trail.

New in the CCSAA repertoire is primary-level consumer, retailer, and operational research, so we’re able to determine what’s growing, shrinking, or has plateaued. Knowing that you’re in a healthy business not only encourages improved services and facilities but may also enable XC areas (for example) to find new investors or loans, community partners, event sponsors, and media coverage.

So next time you’re out on the XC trails, smile at the signage, enjoy the grooming, and recognize that CCSAA may also be responsible for sensible COVID policies, inexpensive trail passes, and your use of public lands.

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Test Your Skiing Knowledge

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Each issue of SeniorsSkiing.com has a picture to help test your skiing knowledge. Generally, the pictures are from collections in a variety of participating ski museums, which we encourage readers to visit. Note: this picture is not from a ski museum.

Look closely and you’ll see that these dogs are towing a very large tire. It was not being sledded to an 18-wheeler stuck on the Interstate. But it was on its way to an extremely large, unusual and briefly famous snow vehicle from the late 1930s and early ‘40s. The first reader to correctly name the vehicle and the expedition it was part of will win an as-yet-to-be-determined, but useful, prize. Note: only answers sent to jon@seniorsskiing.com will qualify. Please do not post your answer as a Comment.

 

Numerous readers sent in “Bronzey” as the name of the item pictured in the January 21 Test Your Skiing Knowledge. They were almost right. The correct brand name, submitted by Norm Morin of Winterport, Maine, was Ski Spree. The wax was made in the 1960s and 1970s by Ray Letarte in the kitchen of his Westbrook, Maine home. He poured the hot, melted, wax into muffin tins to cool, giving the wax its distinctive shape. It was sold primarily in New England with the slogan “Ski On Bronze”. Many readers remember it worked best on warm spring days with wet snow. Norm, who’s been on boards more than 60 years, mostly skis at Sugarloaf.

The picture comes from Made In Maine, an exhibit of the Maine Ski and Snowboard Museum.

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LUV2SKI: The Poster

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We’ve selected some of the cleverest plates for the new “Licensed to Ski” poster. It is available as a gift in our annual SeniorsSkiing.com fundraiser which starts now and runs for the next three issues. Click here to donate.

 

 

 

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This Week: January 21, 2022

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Last issue, a handful of readers had difficulty accessing articles. If you find yourself in that situation, please see the guidance at the end of this document.

Several weeks back, we introduced LUV2SKI, the photo gallery of of skiing-oriented license plates.

So far, we’ve collected about 100 of these clever combinations of letters and numbers gracing vehicles around the country. Many of the images will be included in the Licensed To Ski poster we’re producing as a gift for the upcoming SeniorsSkiing.com fund-raiser.

This week, we’re introducing a new, yet-to-be named feature. Fellow ski journalist, Mike Roth, is a talented cartoonist, whose work has appeared on this site and elsewhere. Mike will be illustrating personal stories submitted by SeniorsSkiing readers. Take a look at Hanging On for Life and (Almost) Getting Eaten by the Rope Tow to see his clever take on two reader tales. Send in any story from your skiing experience. We’ll publish the most interesting along with a Mike Roth illustration.

In this week’s Short Swings! column, Jon contemplates what to do when the sky is falling. He also reports on current industry developments and a variety of timely skiing curiosities.

Snow seems to be selective where it chooses to fall. Skiing Weatherman, Herb Stevens, explains the dynamics of the weather and gives an accurate forecast of what that means for ski areas across North America. Paying attention to Herb’s reports provides a good education in meteorology.

At 96, Junior Bounous is an American deep powder icon. Frequent contributor Harriet Wallis, temporarily sidelined with a ski-induced fracture, wrote this terrific profile.

Don Burch shares his love of skiing by producing short artistic videos. His most recent, Fun Times at Mount Snow, Okemo & Stratton, has me longing for those sweet New England ski days of my youth.

Frequent contributor, Pat McCloskey, reports on a day of skiing with Kathy Brennan, new CEO, PSIA- Eastern Division and her interesting take on lifelong learning. Jonathan Weisel reviews Celebrate Winter, the third book from Nordic Olympian, John Morton. And don’t miss the opportunity to win a prize in the Test Your Skiing Knowledge feature.

 

Having problems linking to SeniorsSkiing.com? Any of these steps will get you there: 1) Access full article content from this email by clicking on the headline in the synopsis, the [Read More…] link, or the “Read in Browser” link. 2) Go directly to www.seniorsskiing.com for full access. 3) Wait a few minutes and try again. 4) Still not working? Email saucutt@seniorsskiing.com with brief description of problem including your operating system, web browser, and if you received an error message.

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stevens Pass Petition Update

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

Park City Patrol Averts Strike With New Contract

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

Duck, Duck, Moose

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

Be Happy You Weren’t on THAT Chair

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

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

IDAHO DOG SLED RACES

Photo by Melissa Shelby

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

Getting Back to Basics

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

Children of Patrol

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

Calgary’s Ghost Area

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

Herb Stevens

The Skiing Weatherman-January 21, 2022

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East stays stormy…snow returns to the West

As we approach the approximate halfway point in the skiing/riding season, the slopes in all regions of the U.S. and adjacent to Canada are in good condition, with the western half of the continent still benefitting from the astounding amounts of snow that fell in late December.  This season got off to a roaring start in the West and a sluggish one in the East, but the jet stream pattern that delivers cold and storms has favored the Midwest and East for a couple of weeks now.  A western ridge/eastern trough couplet has dominated, and that setup will remain in place much of the time for the rest of this month.  In early February, a subtle change will lead to a turn to milder weather in the East.  If we look at the jet stream map as this forecast gets underway, we see strong ridging that stretches up to Alaska where the clockwise flow around that ridge can tap deep cold air over northern Canada. 

In that position, the ridge is far enough west to allow small packages of jet energy to slide down its eastern flank and bring some snow to the inland ranges of West.  Not major snow, due to the lack of a direct tap into Pacific moisture, but after lots of bluebird days of late any new snow is very welcome.  The coastal ranges from B.C. down through California will be kept rather dry by the eastern flank of the large upper ridge sitting offshore.  The jet level flow along the coast is nearly northerly right now, so the disturbances will be able to dive all the way to the Mexican border, which would bring the resorts south of I-70 some light snow this weekend…the fast movement will limit the input of Pacific moisture, but the “freshies” will do a nice job of softening the surfaces a bit.

As has been the case for the past couple of weeks, the real forecast challenges will come over the eastern half of the country, where the interaction of the northern and southern branches of the jet stream determine the track and intensity of surface storms.  In the Rockies, the track of the storm determines who get heavy snow and who gets light snow.  In the Midwest and East, it determines much more, with sleet, freezing rain, and plain rain often part of the landscape.  If we look at the Monday morning 1/24 jet stream, we can see a good example of the forecast challenge. 

The systems that swings through the Southwest is headed out to the southern Plains, where it could join forces with northern stream energy moving into Minnesota.  If they phase into one larger trough, another substantial winter storm would impact the Midwest and East.  Just where the two branches of the jet combine will determine whether the surface low goes up west of the Appalachians, just east of the mountains and along the coast, or it stays off to the south.  All three have vastly different outcomes in terms of “who gets what”.   Right now, I favor the two streams staying separate with light snow in the Lakes and Northeast.  This busy pattern will persist until the trough eases west at the end of the month, perhaps supporting a “cutter” low into the Lakes at that time.

Junior Bounous
Harriet Wallis

Meet 96-Year-Old Ski Legend: Junior Bounous

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Ski industry icon Junior Bounous, 96, is a mover and shaker whose passion is to keep people skiing throughout their lives. In a nutshell, he tells seniors: Just “keep moving.”

Junior’s career spans nearly eight decades with a list of accomplishments and awards longer than both my arms: Intermountain cross country and national gelande jumping champion, national race course setter, ski patroller, founding member of Professional Ski Instructors of America, father of today’s American Ski Teaching System, an advisor to ski manufacturers, a ski trail designer for resorts, and the director of skiing in California and Utah including Sundance and Snowbird. In 1996, he was inducted into the National Ski Hall of Fame.

Snowbird’s Pipeline

Junior takes his own “keep moving” advice. To celebrate his 80th birthday he skied Snowbird’s treacherous Pipeline chute, a couloir lined with jagged rocks and with no room for error.

And he keeps on moving. On a bright spring day in 2021, he heli-skied from the 11,489’ Twin Peak summit, the highest point in the Little Cottonwood Canyon range, making him — at 95 years and 244 days — the Guinness World Records’ oldest heli-skier. Getting out of the helicopter was difficult because his knees don’t bend as well as they used to.  “The skiing was the easy part,” he said.

Follow the legend

A role model for seniors, Junior continues to ski for the joy of it.

A few days ago my senior ski friend Beth Tait was skiing at Alta when she saw a yellow helmet. Junior always wears a yellow helmet. As she got closer, she saw it really was Junior. He was talking with skiers around him, and she joined in. Later, Beth followed him, trying to ski as smoothly and fluidly as the 96-year-old.  “Junior is an incredibly athletic skier not to mention his heartwarming personality,” she said.

From barrel staves and manure piles to Alta and Snowbird

Junior was the youngest of six children in an Italian farming family in Provo, Utah. His first ski experience was on the farm at age 8 when he attached barrel staves to his feet and skied down a slope trying to miss the manure piles at the bottom.

Alf Engen (l) and Junior Bounous Source: J.Willard Marriott Digital Library

Fast forward to 1948, when, at age 22, he became one of the first certified instructors in Utah, and he began a long-lasting relationship with his cherished mentor, Alf Engen. For the next 10 years, Bounous was Engen’s primary assistant in Alta’s Alf Engen Ski School known worldwide for teaching students how to ski powder. His skiing and teaching careers kept accelerating.

When Snowbird was on the drawing board, founder Dick Bass recruited Junior to lay out the trails, and when it opened in 1971, he became its Ski School Director inspiring generations of skiers.

Junior’s top tips for Seniors

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Junior in the air in 1957. Photo credit: Harriet Wallis

Balance and coordination are major factors for senior skiers. “Older people have trouble with their eyes and ears, but you can extend the life of both senses if you practice,” he said.

He advises cross training. “Stay active. Do not confine yourself to just skiing. Play golf, ride a bike, take a walk. Do whatever you enjoy – but do it. It will help you get out of the bathtub, get out of the car, and go up the stairs.”

He also recommends improving balance by skiing slightly different terrain and snow conditions. Don’t get stuck skiing only on bluebird days or just on your favorite trails. “It boils down to just doing it. Stay active in as many ways as possible,” he said.

Take Junior’s advice: Just do it.

However, “Many older people drop out because they no longer have anyone to ski with. They’re physically capable, but they’ve lost the social fun of skiing. Find somebody to ski with,” he said.

Help Us Compile SeniorSkiing.com’s list of senior ski groups

To help seniors find someone to ski with, SeniorsSkiing is starting a list of senior ski groups around the country. If you know of a senior ski group, please use Leave a Reply at the end of this story. Include as much information as possible about the group.

Pat McCloskey

A Day With Kathy Brennan, New CEO, PSIA-East

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Kathy Brennan, new CEO, PSIA-East, at Seven Springs, PA

I recently skied with Kathy Brennan, the new CEO of PSIA -E (Professional Ski Instructors of America- Eastern Division).  Kathy has an impressive background in the snow sports industry and is currently on staff at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. She has been touring areas in her division which extends from Maine to North Carolina.

An accomplished skier and excellent teacher, Kathy did something at the beginning of our session suggesting how she‘ll function in her new role:  She asked everyone for feedback on how to make PSIA better, any suggestions or comments on the organization and, in short, what she could do to improve the organization’s mission of being an education platform.

She received numerous comments and suggestions. I asked what PSIA was doing to retain older instructors. She said we never stop learning even after seniors are long past their certification exams.

She also explained that she’s dedicated to assuring that PSIA partners effectively with areas, suppliers, patrol, race programs, and the industry, in general. Educational programs can be utilized by any member, especially seniors who want to stay in the game and improve their skiing and teaching abilities. In her words, PSIA has changed from a “pin chasing” entity to an organization dedicated to providing programs for skiers and boarders of all ages. She’s meeting with area management to educate them on the value of the organization and how its current direction will lead to better instructor education, better lesson quality, and greater customer satisfaction. This approach also will help areas retain good quality certified instructors.

Our conversations were held on chairlifts. On the snow, she gave us – skiers, tele-skiers, and snowboarders – a clinic. Her emphasis, common to the three approaches: balance,rotary movement, edging, and pressure control.

I’m retired from ski teaching but maintain my membership in PSIA with the goal of learning something new every year.

Kathy’s goal is to unite the entities in the ski industry and to make them aware of the value of what PSIA brings to the table. From my time with her at Seven Springs, I’m confident she’ll have great success.

Jonathan Wiesel

Celebrate Winter: Anecdotes and Insights from a Cross-Country Skier’s Experience

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Over the past 50+ years, John “Morty” Morton has cross-country skied around the world, been an international-caliber racer and coach, and, as far as I’m concerned (this is homage from a friendly competitor), is the premier Nordic ski trail designer in North America.

Morty has seen dramatic evolutions in the sport – from wood skis to synthetic, wool to spandex, the introduction of skate technique, grooming snowmobiles replaced by snowcats, narrow trails sometimes giving way to highways, etc. Over these years, he served in Vietnam, taught high school English, and has served as broadcast journalist and newspaper columnist.

Now he’s written Celebrate Winter, a book filled with anecdotes and insights based on his intriguing life. It’s his third book, preceded by Don’t Look Back (1992), where he shared his story and training program, and A Medal of Honor: An Insider Unveils the Agony and the Ecstasy of the Olympic Dream (1998), a novel about biathlon.

John Morton, age 76.

Celebrate Winter is a compilation of memories, from John’s days as a kid in New Hampshire to skiing for Middlebury College in Vermont; competing and coaching internationally in biathlon; coaching at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire; designing multi-use trails for the past 30+ years; to (most recently) skiing with his young granddaughter in a backpack while she calls out for more downhills!

Biathlon is a theme tying many of the roughly 70 stories together, as are observations on the human condition (ego, anger, generosity, laughter, inspiration). He covers the role TV plays in popularizing biathalon; Coca Cola at feeding stations; weather and altitude as they can affect racing; Olympic politics; doping; saunas; holding the Olympic torch for a moment at the Calgary Winter Olympics; and a constant sense of the magnetism of cross-country skiing, its beauty, diversity, and comraderie.

As trail designer, Morty has worked with schools and colleges, lodges and real estate projects, alpine resorts and pure cross-country areas, communities and private land owners, ski clubs and non-profits. Unlike some other designers, he’s well aware of the fact that really tough trails are only suited for elite athletes, whereas the great majority of us are recreational skiers (and the bread-and-butter for most Nordic ski areas).

If having your own professionally planned and built trail system sounds intriguing (cross country skiing, hiking, running, biking, snowshoeing, equestrian…), John Morton (https://www.mortontrails.com/) is still going strong in his mid-70s.

I recently purchased several copies of Celebrate Winter to give as gifts. Many of the anecdotes are just a few pages long, making for a delightful – no, mesmerizing – read.

 

Mike Roth

Hanging On for Life and (Almost) Getting Eaten by the Rope Tow

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Editor’s note: Spend enough seasons skiing and most of us will get into some form of trouble. Last issue, I explained how I got into hot water by inadvertently becoming end-of-day Pied Piper to a bunch of kids who followed me on a long winding trail, while their parents anxiously waited their return. A few readers emailed their tales of on-slope woe. 

Mike Roth is a ski journalist who writes a regular ski blog for the Albany Time Union. He is also a talented cartoonist and and architect. When asked, last minute, if he had time in his busy schedule to illustrate these reader stories, he responded, “When do you need them?” A few hours later, Mike emailed his drawings.

This cliff-hanger happened to Jeffrey M. Fine when he was 40, but he still remembers the day. Jeffery is now based in Dillon, CO.

Sometime in the 1980’s while living in Indiana, I took a trip out to Squaw Valley.  I thought I could ski KT-22, and it almost cost me my life.  While skiing down the right side of the run, I caught an edge and almost went off a cliff with a 50’ drop.  I managed to fall just before going over the edge and held on with my fingers in the snow (I was highly motivated to grab anything) while my skis hung over the edge in space.  The ski patrol was able to throw me a rope and pull me to safety.  I feel very lucky to have survived!

And here’s a rope tow tale from Ed Schultz, Penn Yan, NY. It happened when he was 30.

Back in the early 70’s skiing a small area in Massachusetts near Wooster, (can’t remember the name), I got on the rope tow. I had one arm behind with my pole straps around my wrist. What I didn’t realize was that the poles were bouncing in the snow behind and my pole straps somehow got twisted so when I went to get off I was caught on the rope. The rope tow rose up at the end toward a building housing some of the tow’s mechanism. I had visions of being carried up and going splat on the building. There were no safety stops in those days. Fortunately, I wriggled and twisted, freeing the straps and exiting the tow just in time.

Have a personal ski story you’d like to share? It can be about almost anything. Send it to info@seniorsskiing.com. We’ll share the most interesting with SeniorsSkiing’s 17,000 subscribers, along with an original Mike Roth illustration.

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Test Your Skiing Knowledge

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Each issue of SeniorsSkiing.com has a picture to help test your skiing knowledge. The pictures are from collections in a variety of participating ski museums, which we encourage readers to visit.

The object pictured here was made in the kitchen, but its nothing you’d want to eat. It was available throughout New England in the 1960s and 70s. One more clue: The image comes from the Maine Ski and Snowboard Museum‘s exhibit, “Made in Maine.” What was the brand name for this useful little object? The first reader to send the correct answer to info@seniorsskiing.com wins a soon to be determined but useful prize.

The Maine Ski and Snowboard Museum shares many stories from Maine and  the state’s role in the development of skiing and snowboarding. Last summer, the museum moved from Kingfield to a new home on the Access Road to Sugarloaf. The current “Made in Maine” exhibit explores the development of skiing and snowboarding through equipment made in the Pine Tree State. If you’re in the area, be sure to visit.

Michael Bannon, Bartlett, NH, was the first reader to correctly identify the picture in the last Test Your Skiing Knowledge. It’s the upper chairlift at Thorn Mountain, Jackson, NH. Thorn Mountain opened in 1949 with two single chairlifts stacked one above the other to give a vertical rise of more than 1,000 vertical feet. Thorn closed about 1956. Michael has been a Level 3 PSIA instructor since 1966. He’s been a SeniorsSkiing.com subscriber for 5 years. Congratulations, Michael! You’ll soon be receiving a container of Slide On, the dry lubricant spray that helps your feet slip in and out of ski boots. One application lasts for a month of frequent boot use. One 2 oz. can is good for the entire season. The picture was submitted by The New England Ski Museum, located in Franconia Notch State Park, New Hampshire. Admission to the museum is always free.

 

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This Issue

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Unfortunately, Covid continues to impact our lives…even on the hill. Jon’s Short Swings! column explores the different ways two neighboring Utah ski areas – Park City Mountain Resort and Alta – are handling Covid. He also describes the time he was banned from a ski area in the 1970s. Don’t miss the link to an informative critique of the trails constructed specifically for the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics.

Skiing Weatherman, Herb Stevens, has another clear-headed report on what’s happening, weatherwise, throughout ski country.

In her debut piece for SeniorsSkiing, Cynthia F. Jones explains the joys of skiing after a 30-year absence and her contentment with staying on the greens. It’s a fun read.

Veteran ski writer, Karen Lorentz reports on new lifts and other infrastructure improvements at Okemo. You’ll find her in the photo of the first people to ride one of the new chairs.

A piece by Jon on managing flat light while skiing has been updated from when it first appeared several years ago in Huffington Post .

Don Burch’s newest video production, December Skiing, is a gentle and beautiful visual summary of the month. His soft touch is a welcome contrast at this time of the fast-paced ski video.

Taking a cross-country ski vacation? Roger Lohr, SeniorsSkiing.com’s X-C ski editor, recommends four locations for the classic New England experience.

Seth Masia, editor of Skiing History Magazine, summarizes that publication’s most recent issue. Skiing History, produced by the International Skiing History Association (ISHA), is a consistently good read and well worth the modest cost of ISHA membership. Free digital copies are available by clicking on the adjacent ISHA advertisement.

Finally, try guessing the name of the short-lived New England ski area pictured in Test Your Skiing Knowledge. No one correctly identified the ski instructor pictured in the last issue. Read about his interesting background. And the latest reader-submitted crop of ski-oriented license plates is shown in LUV2SKI.

Please tell others about SeniorsSkiing.com. It’s an important way to grow our community of older snowsports enthusiasts. Do you have ideas for articles? Please send a note to info@seniorsskiing.com. Problems with accessing the site (yes, there are occasional problems)? Please email the same address. Thanks for reading and look for the next full issue on Friday, January 21.

Roger Lohr

Four Bucket List New England Cross Country Ski Towns

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XCSkiResorts.com recommends these classic New England towns and areas for a cross country  ski vacation:

Stowe, VT, is quintessential New England with its white steepled church and main street lined with stores.

Source: Trapp Family Lodge

  • It’s also the home of the Trapp Family Lodge of Sound of Music fame. Trapp Family Lodge has a 110 km trail network with 60 km of groomed and machine-tracked trails. Stowe has a full range of dining and shopping options. Other nearby XC resorts include Bolton Valley, Stowe Cross Country Center, and Edson Hill.

Woodstock, VT is another winter mecca with inns, restaurants, unique shops, and a national historical park.

  • The Woodstock Nordic Center operated by The Woodstock Inn & Resortoffers two trail systems right in town covering more than 45 km. The Mount Peg trails begin on the golf course at and climb to the summit overlooking the village below. On nearby Mt. Tom, the Center grooms more than 20 km of trails on old carriage roads in the midst of Vermont’s first tree farm and Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park.

The Mt. Washington Valley in the White Mountains of New Hampshire has some of the best cross-country skiing in the East.

  • “Enchanting” is the best word to describe Jackson, the paragon of New England towns and home to Jackson Ski Touring Foundation, a non-profit organization chartered to provide and maintain XC trails on more than 80 private properties and national forest. Country inns are scattered throughout the region. The base lodge is accessed through a scenic covered bridge.

Covered bridge at Jackson Ski Touring Center, New Hampshire Photo: Roger Lohr

  • Great Glen Outdoors at the base of Mount Washington is a magnificent setting with 45 kilometers of XC skiing, snowshoeing, and an ol’ fashioned tubing hill. Great Glen’s scenic trail system offers an enjoyable combination of well-protected spruce and fir-lined trails plus wide-open areas with breathtaking views of Mt. Washington and surrounding peaks. On the trails is the classic New England Glen House Hotel, with 68 rooms, a pub and restaurant. For even more adventure, enjoy a comfortable winter tour on the 9-passenger Mt. Washington SnowCoach, which transports guests to an unforgettable journey to a sub-Artic world on Mt. Washington.

Skiing at Bretton Woods, NH Photo: Roger Lohr

  • Bretton Woods Nordic Center is a thriving cross country ski center on the grounds of the Omni Mt. Washington Hotel. It. The grand Bretton Woods hotel has 100 km of XC ski laced throughout 1,700 acres of spectacular scenery. The Mountain Road, accessed via a lift at the Bretton Woods alpine ski area, offers spectacular vistas of Mt. Washington from a 7 km groomed trail down to Route 302.

Bethel, Maine is home to the Bethel Inn and Carter’s XC Ski Center, and Sunday River Resort’s alpine ski trails. The town settled in 1774, retains its small-town lifestyle.

Bethel Inn Resort , Bethel, ME

  • The XC ski trails, which meander through forest to a picturesque, covered bridge are canine friendly. Several inns along the trails are operated by the nonprofit Bethel Inland Woods and Trails organization. The Carter’s XC Ski Center has beautiful views of the Mahoosuc and Presidential mountain ranges. Alpine skiing, dogsledding trips, and snowmobile rentals are available nearby.

Many businesses in each of these New England ski towns organize special events on winter weekends and vacation weeks to encourage people to get out and enjoy the snow.

If you’re into XC skiing and keep a bucket list, Stowe and Woodstock, VT, the Mt. Washington Valley, and Bethel, Maine are classic New England destinations not to be missed.

Thorne Mountain
seniorsskiing

Test Your Skiing Knowledge

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Each issue of SeniorsSkiing.com has a picture to help test your skiing knowledge. The pictures are from collections in a variety of participating ski museums, which we encourage readers to visit.

This picture, submitted by The New England Ski Museum, shows a chair that serviced a New England area in the 1950s. It was the upper of two lifts that, combined, providing more than 1000′ of vertical. The area closed in the mid-50s. What was the name of this short-lived ski area?

The first person to submit the correct answer to jon@seniorsskiing.com wins a yet to be determined, but skiing-related prize. Note, only answers sent to that address will qualify.The correct answer and the name of the winner will appear in the next issue of SeniorsSkiing.com.

Unfrtunately, there were no correct answers to the last Test Your Skiing Knowledge quiz. Perhaps the answer was a bit arcane. Nonetheless, it is quite interesting.

Source: New Mexico Ski Museum and Ski Hall of Fame

The man in the middle is Bruno Hans Geba, and he’s shown instructing two coeds from the University of New Mexico at Sandia Peak Ski Area in 1968. Several readers thought it might be Ernie Blake at Taos, probably because the image was submitted by the New Mexico Ski Museum and Ski Hall of Fame. Geba was born in 1927 in Salzburg, Austria. After World War II, he received bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in medical science, psychology and physical education from the University of Vienna. In 1955 he was invited to the US to serve as a consultant for the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies. At about the same time, he received his American doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of Colorado. While in Aspen, he trained the U.S. men’s and women’s Olympic ski teams and coached the International Professional Ski Racers Association. In 1966 he started a private psychotherapy practice in San Francisco; later becoming a professor at San Diego State University. He retired in 1992, moved to Hawaii. and passed away there at age 74.

 

 

Source: New Mexico Ski Museum and Sk Hall of Fame

seniorsskiing

LUV2SKI (con’t)

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Isn’t it fantastic what a good imagination can do with six or seven characters…especially when a passion for identifying with skiing is involved?

These new additions to the license plate gallery came from Margery Martin, Minneapolis; Jack Whalberg, Cape Cod, and Hamlin “Ham” Pakradooni, Cape Cod.

If you run across a skiing license plate and want to add it to the SeniorsSkiing license plate picture gallery, take a picture (preferably close up and straight on) and send it to info@seniorsskiing.com. We’ll do our best to credit each contributor.

Jon Weisberg

This Issue

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This is being written from Salt Lake City, the day after 20” fell at Snowbird. It’s almost at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon and just a short distance from Park City, where the total was 10”. Compare that to Mammoth Mountain in California’s Sierra range… 44” in 72 hours!

Jon’s Short Swings! column is a bit self-confessional this time, speaking to the factors that help us age gracefully. As usual, it also reports on industry news and recent curiosities. The link to a history of how snowball fights have been shown in art shouldn’t be missed.

Herb Stevens, the Skiing Weatherman, reports on winners and losers in the most recent storm cycles. His articles are always good reading.

We really should appreciate our ski buddies because, as we age, they become like hen’s teeth. Harriet Wallis advises how to find others with whom to ski.

Longtime ski instructor, John Gelb, addresses a common and often undiscussed issue among skiers of all ages: fear. He offers good guidance on conquering what he calls, the Fear Monkey.

Contributor Pat McCloskey, who is accustomed to skiing in his home state of Pennsylvania, explains how to use smaller mountains to hone skiing skills for trips to bigger terrain. Pat has skied them all and offers readers excellent counsel.

XC editor, Roger Lohr, presents 10 places around the country where XC beginners can learn the basics.

The winner of our last Test Your Skiing Knowledge feature is presented along with the new challenge. Remember, first correct answer mailed to jon@seniorsskiing.com wins the prize.

And, thanks to the contributions from numerous readers, the ski-oriented vanity license plate photo gallery has expanded.

Enjoy the issue. Have a great Holiday Season. Next issue: January 7.

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Herb Stevens

The Skiing Weatherman-December 16, 2021

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Colder, snowy pattern evolving coast to coast…

As we hit the holiday season, the weather pattern is changing to one that will soon be dominated by colder than normal air.  Cold air has been in relatively short supply for a couple of weeks now, but in the past week, a series of troughs have descended into the West, leading to several sizable snow events that have given the season a badly needed jump-start in the coastal ranges with lighter but helpful snow further inland.  Elsewhere, snowmakers have had to pick their spots for cranking out crystals, and trail counts have been creeping upward in the Midwest, Northeast, and central and southern Appalachians.  What is needed is a jet stream pattern change that taps more cold air from Canada and thankfully, here it comes.

Here’s the current state of the jet stream…

There are several features of note on this map, which is valid on Friday the 17th.  First, there is the broad ridge over the eastern U.S., with the center of the feature the closed circle that you see north of the Bahamas.  This ridge is a common feature in a La Nina winter…when it is strong, as is the case now, mild air spreads north.  When it is suppressed, cold air penetrates further south from Canada.  There are two troughs over the western half of the country…one over the Dakotas and the other over Baja California.  Both were responsible for snow earlier this week.  The northern feature will help to break down the ridge and produce a light to moderate snowfall over the interior Northeast this weekend.  The last item is the ridge over Greenland and the trough south of it, over the waters of the Atlantic.  This couplet forms a classic “Negative NAO”, or North Atlantic Oscillation.  When the NAO goes negative, it blocks the progression of jet stream features over much of North America.  Typically, a negative NAO leads to a persistent trough over the eastern half of the U.S. and that is where we are headed.

Here is a forecast for the jet stream on Christmas Eve, which I generally agree with…

You can see the negative NAO ridge/trough couplet top right.  The troughs over the east coast AND west coast hold the promise of colder weather and natural snow in both regions.  The ridge over Alaska, with its clockwise circulation, will tap into the very cold air stored over the northwestern part of the continent and send it further south.   As the holiday week progresses, the Yukon connection will bring about a trend toward colder temperatures from the upper Midwest into the East, all the way down into the mountains of North Carolina.  The jet stream setup that you see on this map is just about perfect for benefitting resorts coast to coast…those trail and lift numbers should be on rise from this weekend right through the holiday week.  Here’s a look at snowfall predicted through Christmas Day…              

During the holiday week I expect the snowfall numbers to increase in the East and spread down the Appalachians, in anticipation of the presence of the trough that will enhance snowfall opportunities.

Here are regional highlights…    

Northwest U.S./Western Canada:  Pattern favors a trough offshore for a while…leads to frequent episodes of moderate/heavy snow.          

Sierra:  Quiet weekend but significant snow returns Tuesday-Thursday next week.  Another storm around Christmas Day           

Rockies:  Northern resorts in a good position for snows in the next week…south of I-70 best chance will come late next week 

Midwest:  Upper trough, Clippers, lake effect, and snowmaking keep trail counts growing through the holiday period 

Mid Atlantic/Southeast:   Productive snowmaking next week…natural snow a good bet Christmas Week.        

Northeast/QB:  Moderate snow this weekend north of I-90 in NY/NE.  Snowmaking and natural snow push trail counts up going forward through the holiday 

Mt. Peg
Roger Lohr

New To Cross Country? These Nordic Centers are Great Places to Start.

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If you’re among the many newcomers to XC skiing, I suggest that you take a lesson. XCSkiResorts.com recommends starting at one of the following locations:

Metropolitan Boston — Weston Ski Track, a county-owned golf course accessible by public transportation. Snowmaking guarantees good cover and lights allow for night skiing. A 75-minute session covers the basics (i.e. motion, turning and negotiating small hills). A package of rental gear, lesson, and trail access starts at $44 for kids and $64 for adults. There are well-priced multiple session packages, too.

New Hampshire — Great Glen Trails, Gorham, encourages booking on line because of capacity limits in its 75-minute group lessons. Coaching goes at a pace that is comfortable for the whole group to learn gliding, stopping, and getting up (just about everyone falls on the snow when they begin skiing). The views of Mt. Washington from Great Glen Trails are astounding.

Mt. Peg at Woodstock Nordic Center

Vermont — Trapp Family Lodge (the Sound of Music family), Stowe, starts newcomers by teaching basic techniques which help beginners get control (e.g. kick and glide motion, using poles, and stopping).  They use soft skis, which make it easier to turn and stop. Woodstock Nordic Center, Woodstock Inn & Resort, offers a 20-minute “Mini Clinic” for first timers ona golf course behind the inn. It includes a lesson, trail pass, one hour equipment rental  for $50.

New York — Lapland Lake Vacation Center in Northville customizes the introduction to XC skiing to the skier’s level of ability. There is terrain with a wide modest downhill and a run-out to make skiers feel more comfortable.

Michigan — Cross Country Ski Headquarters, Roscommon, offers free lessons on weekend mornings for beginners in classic or skate skiing. Their Winter Trails Day on January 8 provides free access and a lesson with a complimentary hot cocoa and hot dog cookout for only $9.

Minnesota —   Maplelag Resort, Callaway, is a family-oriented operation that goes out of its way to make people comfortable with new adventures like XC skiing or snowshoeing so they’ll want to come back for more. Maplelag is a community-based experience and often, experienced guests provide extra attention to first time skiers.

Breckenridge Nordic Center lodge

Colorado — Breckenridge Nordic Center specializes in working with those who are first timers. The Center gives a 20% discount on group lessons booked on line. All resort staff are ambassadors who freely offer ski tips to all. As soon as the skier steps out the door, staff is available to help skiers put equipment on, review the trail map, talk about body balance, and provide other tips.

California — Tahoe Donner Cross Country has low cost opportunities to help people learn basic ski skills. The $87 member price is for a group lesson package that includes rental gear, trail pass, and a 75-minute lesson or tour with an instructor.

Washington – Located in eastern Washington, Methow Trails has one of the largest trail networks in the U.S. On January 21. It hosts Free Backyard Ski Day with free access to the trails, free rental gear, and free lessons available for beginners.

XC skiing delivers physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Spending time in a snowy landscape can be magical. Do yourself a favor and give it a try.

seniorsskiing

Test Your Skiing Knowledge

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Each issue of SeniorsSkiing.com has a picture to help test your skiing knowledge. The pictures are from collections in a variety of participating ski museums, which we encourage readers to visit.

Source: New Mexico Ski Museum and Sk Hall of Fame

The hairdo’s scream late 1960s. But these co-eds weren’t the only students of the man in the middle. He trained members of the US men’s and women’s Olympic ski teams and went on to write books on finding inner peace. What is his name and what is the name of the area where this picture was taken? One clue: it was submitted by the New Mexico Ski Museum and Ski Hall of Fame.

The first person to submit the correct answer to jon@seniorsskiing.com wins a yet to be determined, but skiing-related prize. Note, only answers sent to that address will qualify.The correct answer and the name of the winner will appear in the next issue of SeniorsSkiing.com.

The winner of the last Test Your Skiing Knowledge is Jimme Quinn Ross of Stephentown, NY. He was the first of several readers to correctly identify the top terminal of the Lynx chairlift being helicoptered into place at Wildcat, NH. The Lynx chair was a Riblet double that opened in the winter of 1970-1971. Jimme’s prize is a container of Slide On, the compact spray that helps ski boots slide on effortlessly by forming a layer of dry lubrication. One can is a full year’s supply. Value: $12.95.

Jon Weisberg

LUV2SKI (continued)

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Ski license plates are definitely a thing. The call for additions to the gallery published in the last issue received a healthy response from readers around the country.

Margery Martin, who lives near Minneapolis, has been collecting pictures of ski-oriented license plates for years. Several of her favorites have been added to the gallery; more to follow.

Boyd Allen, Exeter, NH, frequents Mad River, Gunstock, Waterville Valley and Wildcat. Given his 3-PIN plate, we assume he’s a tele-skier.

Richard Brewer, Cohoes, NY, writes that he’s “a proud member of the Corduroy Cowboys.” He skis mostly Mt. Snow, Hunter and Gore. In the past it was Whiteface, hence the Ski Face plate.

Scott Paine, a subscriber since 2017, sent in the ALTA license.

Andrew Howe’s SAILSKI plate states his two main interests.

John Vyverberg sent SKI ONE.

Arthur Sexauer’s Wisconsin plate reads ARTSKI. He also submitted BMPSKR.

Mike Rector’s Missouri plate states, SKI BUM.

Tony McCurdy’s Pennsylvania plate is ESQUIAR,”Spanish for “to ski.”

And Nancy Wilson’s New Jersey plate reads, SGRBUSH.

Finally, Cyndy Gal Scholz’s Colorado plate (she’s a longtime Copper Mountain instructor who guides and teaches in the area’s Over the Hill Gang program) is in the form of a practical advertisement: LRN2SKI.

If you run across a skiing license plate and want to add it to the SeniorsSkiing license plate picture gallery, take a picture (preferably close up and straight on) and send it to info@seniorsskiing.com. We’ll do our best to credit each contributor.

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Herb Stevens

The Skiing Weatherman-December 2, 2021

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Pattern coming alive on both coasts…

Thanks to snowmaking and a nice dump of fresh snow last Friday, I kicked off my season with a nice day on the trails of Killington this past Tuesday. The surface midwinter stuff and it was fantastic to be making turns again. The storm late last week helped out across much of the Northeast, but more is needed not only in that region, but across the entire country, as trail counts and opening dates are lagging nationwide this year. Fear not, though…help is on the way!

The current jet stream setup has been in place for a few weeks now, with a western upper ridge coupled with a broad trough over the eastern half of the country, as illustrated by this map, valid the morning of the 3rd….

The ridge (orange) has kept the West high and dry while the trough (blue) further east has supported weak systems that have spun through the Lakes into the Northeast. Each one of those disturbances has delivered a modest shot of colder air, allowing snowmakers from Ontario and Quebec to North Carolina to get the season rolling on a limited basis. The trough will remain in place for the next several days, but by the 6th, changes will get underway. A new trough will dive into the center of the country and deliver a significant shot of cold air…good news in the upper Midwest. To the east, a mild upper ridge will pop up in response, with low pressure taking a track between the two jet stream features, from the mid-Mississippi Valley up through the Great Lakes and on toward Toronto and Montreal. In the East, that track will produce rain and then snow as cold air rushes in on the backside of the storm. Next, a weaker midweek disturbance will bring light to moderate snow from the central Appalachians into New England and eastern Canada.

The biggest pattern change is coming to the West and not a moment too soon with the holidays just a few weeks away. While the initial thrust of cold air will move into the northern Plains, several additional systems will move south from Canada in the coming week, breaking down the ridge in the process. The first will impact the far northern Rockies and southern Canada this weekend, the second will reach the central ranges Monday and Tuesday, and then a late week trough will dive all the way into the Southwest, producing the biggest snowfall of the young season in the southern Sierra and Rockies as it does. Here is a forecast of snowfall through next Friday night…

You can see that significant, beneficial snow can be expected not only in the West, but also in the upper Midwest and the northern regions of New York and New England. Deep cold is still a little tough for the pattern to access, so snowmaking will still be hit and miss in the near term. Longer term, the week of the 13th will bring a western cold trough/eastern mild ridge couplet, with the potential for a nationwide cold and snowy pattern developing the week of the 20th. Here are the regional highlights…

Northwest U.S./Western Canada: Snowy week unfolding…snow levels lower than recent two weeks will help.

Sierra: Dry start, but pattern turns snowy mid to late week onward(north to south)
Rockies: Snowy pattern develops from northern (early week) to central and southern resorts (mid to late week).

Midwest: Favorable storm track and cold period unfolding next 1-2 weeks. Trail counts and bases will grow quickly.

Mid Atlantic/Southeast: Mild weekend/early next week. Colder air supports snowmaking and some snow by midweek.

Northeast/QB: Cold weekend with some light snow. Rain and backside snow early in the week. Light to moderate snowfall midweek.

Jonathan Wiesel

Latigo Ranch: High-Country Nordic

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Sometimes life exceeds expectation. That’s what I’ve found with winter ranches in the Rockies.

In summer, hundreds of dude ranches draw thousands of visitors. They’re crazy-diverse: homespun and elegant; private and heavily peopled; mostly self-service or with staff at your call. You’ll find Spartan working ranches as well as places with canapés and kidney-shaped swimming pools.

The few ranches open in winter are outstanding – magnificent settings and staff, excellent facilities and food, and snow so delicate it drifts through the air like cold smoke. They’re run for cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and, increasingly, fat bikers by people who love the season and their profession.

Wecome to Latigo Ranch

A prime example is Latigo Ranch, near the town of Kremmling in north-central Colorado’s Gore Range. It’s owned and managed by Lisa and Randy George and their kids.

Latigo used to run cattle, sheep, and “dudes” before it totally converted to guest ranching in 1987. Once you turn off Highway 134, you start climbing, trading sage for pine, spruce, and aspen, interspersed with vast meadows. It feels like the top of the world.

Latigo can cater to pretty much any culinary taste, be it red meat, vegetarian, kosher, low carb, or low fat. Breakfast is my favorite meal. I have fond memories of buttermilk pancakes imprinted with the ranch brand, complemented by genuine maple syrup.

Latigo comfortably handles 22 guests, but you’ll seldom find that number except during holidays. Cabins are ski-in/ski-out, nestled in pines above the lodge with wood-burning stoves. This is a ski ranch, not a resort (no phones or TVs in the rooms).

50km of groomed trails lace through Latigo

Latigo grooms 50 kilometers of trail for track, skating, and fatbiking.

This is gorgeous, rugged country, with some of the most enjoyable skiing and diverse trails I’ve ever experienced. For example, the descent on Arena Run can be like silk in fresh snow; lightning in the spring.

High up on windswept Jumper Flats, you’ll find a broad panoramic view. You can tear down The Luge at sunset, when you may be greeted with a spectacular play of colors over the Indian Peaks Wilderness – 70 miles of mountain and valley snowscape.

If you’re altitude-sensitive, book a longer stay and take it easy for at least the first day. (Latigo’s trails range from around 8,600’ to 9,400’ above sea level.)

It’s a wonderful thing to ski back to the ranch on a crisp afternoon, saunter over to the Social Center, and finish the day with a sybaritic Jacuzzi soak!

When You Go

Latigo is 150 miles from Denver International Airport. In addition to trails, you can go sledding, tubing, and snowshoeing. Skis, snowshoes, and pulks can be rented at the ranch, but you’ll need to bring your own fat bike.

Adult rate for winter 2021-’22 is $225/day and covers lodging, meals, trails, and “100 % free views.” The season begins just before Christmas and runs into early March. Interested in learning more? Call 970-724-9008; email Randy@LatigoRanch.com, or visit www.latigoranch.com.

psia-podcast
Pat McCloskey

PSIA Podcast: Not Just for Pros

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The Fall Line with Chaos and Company is a podcast hosted by PSIA Alpine Education staff members, Dave Capron and Angelo Ross. Now in Season 2, the podcast is usually about an hour long and features conversations with ski industry leaders with something to say.  You don’t have to be a ski instructor to reap the podcast’s benefits. Angelo happens to be a friend with whom I’ve skied for a long time.

A recent one features PSIA Alpine Team Coach Michael Rogan. His knowledge of skiing is extensive.  When asked about his thoughts on the World Cup, Michael says that watching the races with a discerning eye can be informing, even for amateurs.  The winners have good connection to the snow, a keen sense of where the fall line is, and when the turn should happen. He goes on to say that any turn after the fall line or outside of the fall line with poor connection to the snow will lead to “the wrong side of the clock.”

He mentions that  Penn State was contracted to develop a standardized certification process for ski instruction that hopefully will eliminate the variance of expectations that exists between divisions of PSIA.  In other words, no matter where a candidate would take an exam to be certified in ski instruction, the same protocol would be followed, thus eliminating  nuanced legacy behavior among examiners in PSIA that sometimes can lead to biases impacting how candidates succeed.

Click on the image above to listen to The Fall Line with Chaos and Company. Or click here to connect with the entire catalog of podcasts.

It’s interesting dialog that will ready you for the season and, in general, make you better informed.