Comments on: Short Swings!

By: cansnowplow

cansnowplow — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 18:25:17 +0000

Perhaps our ski areas should follow a closer statistic. Most families and young mountaineers are not early arrivals. With most ski areas I visit, the weekend lift line witching hour is 10:30 -11:45 AM. High demands on lifts are also from 12:45 PM to 2:45 PM. So, why not start lobbying Senior lift tickets for the slack time periods of 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM = 2.5 hours plus 2:30 to 4:00 PM =1.5 hours (daylight changes and adjustments to goggles may be needed) With RFID, the permitted time slots could easily be managed. Between 10:30 to 2:30, seniors could take their boots off and hit the restaurant and coffee bar. Since it takes .5 hours to suit up and another .5 to un-suit, it is easy for social skiers to gobble up 3 hours of down time. Gross discounts should be offered to fill these slack periods with seniors. Life long skiers are usually ready for first tracks every morning. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a wo(man) healthy, wealthy and wise.

By: Paul Beck

Paul Beck — Wed, 26 Dec 2018 18:02:56 +0000

The reader survey that stated: seniors skiers spend $100. Per day is grossly in error. A more accurate estimate would be in the $25- $50 range Day midweek tickets in NH are free Cannon (65 residents) or $25. Bretton Woods. Add coffee/cocoa and bag lunch $5.00 max

By: Bruce Lund

Bruce Lund — Sun, 23 Dec 2018 20:54:52 +0000

I am 86 years old and started skiing when I was 31. I recently wrote “My 50+ year Love Affair with Skiing’ in which I chronicled skiing over 36 western mountains I skied many of them multiple times. This number does not include the midwestern “mountains that I skied. I believe I paid my dues. I am now fighting multiple ailments to get ready to ski this season. Of course, I will not have the advantage of paying senior rates because they have been stripped away by large corporations in their quest to consolidate ski areas in order to turn over even greater profits. I am, fortunately, financially able to pay the exorbitant rates now being charged but many of my fellow seniors can not. Their pensions have been stripped away or drastically reduced in the name of greater profits.

By: Rich Spritz

Rich Spritz — Sun, 23 Dec 2018 15:47:16 +0000

Jon,

While spending $100 or even $250 on skiing may seem a big deal to seniors on a fixed income, the guy who brings his wife and two kids to Breckenridge from Florida is probably spending $5000 per day, all in, much of it going either directly or indirectly to Vail Resorts. Guess who VR builds their business model around?

Rich

By: Carlan Silha

Carlan Silha — Sun, 23 Dec 2018 00:08:51 +0000

I ski at Big White in British Columbia, Canada and mountain offers special ski instruction for seniors 50+ on Monday. The name we use is Master Monday and it consists of a 2 hour group lesson followed by a gourmet lunch with a glass of wine…..how much better does it get?

By: John Irvine

John Irvine — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 13:21:20 +0000

ORC, Outdoor RV in Oregon make RVs that are well insulated and ready for winter.

By: Renee L'Abbe

Renee L'Abbe — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 12:41:41 +0000

At 60, I became a ski instructor. This fall, I went back to the gym to prepare for this season. I still work full time, and now I teach kids to ski on the weekend. I am fitter and happier than I was in my 20s!