Top Ten Reasons I Enjoy Being A Senior Skier
#10. I have nothing to prove.
I don’t need to ski bumps, steeps or crud. It’s challenging enough just skiing blues at age 84.
A guy with the right attitude that I met at Deer Valley a couple of years ago. He told me he wanted to add to the message on his helmet, “ . . . but not today.” Credit: Jan Brunvand
#9. Skiing impresses my non-skiing peers.
When folks ask “Are you still skiing,” they mean “still” as in “At your age?” not “still” as in “Is there still any snow up there?” I try to be a ski missionary and convince some old friends to return to skiing or to try it for the first time.
#8. Everything works better than when I was a kid.
Skis turn more easily, bindings release when they’re supposed to, and boots are actually comfortable. Ski clothes are lighter, warmer, and drier than in the good old days of wool and windbreakers.
#7. I have a built-in excuse for just about anything . . .
. . . like taking green runs, skiing half days, having extra coffee breaks, asking the liftie to slow it down, and forgetting where I parked.
#6. Skiing half days.
Did I mention this? I forget. Anyway, my wife and I ski what we call the “middle half”—start about 10:00 and quit about 3:00. We take at least five runs to count it as a ski day.
#5. Skiing with grandkids.
Until they’re about ten, the grandkids ski at about the same pace as us, and afterwards they’ll fetch us a coffee while we sit out a couple of their runs on the steeper stuff. If you ski with the kids you may be able to keep them from going to the dark side—SNOWBOARDING!
#4. Skiing midweek.
We avoid Saturdays, but sometimes ski Sundays, starting early, if that’s the only other time the grandkids are free. (If brought up properly, they can sometimes be convinced to skip school.) If you must ski weekends or holidays, split with your partner and use the singles line. You might meet someone interesting, hopefully not more interesting than your partner.
#3. Meeting other active seniors.
The 60+,70+, 80+ occasionally even 90+ jacket patches give your fellow oldsters away. Thin and graying hair under the helmets IDs them in the lodge. I always chat with peers asking where they learned to ski, and moving on to other important topics like how many grandkids do they have, are they fly fishers, and do they remember Studebakers. (I have a ’53 Commander, a good conversation starter with older people.)
#2. It’s a good kind of tired.
After a nice half day of skiing, by the time I get the boards off the car and myself out of my long underwear, I’m very sleepy and mellow, ready for a nap, a shower, and a drink before dinner. Ah, bliss!
And the #1 reason I enjoy being a senior skier. Senior discounts.
At my age in my area, season passes are free at Alta, $49 at Snowbasin, $20 at Powder Mountain, with other discounts and deals elsewhere. Check out the Senior discounts where you live.