Tag Archive for: Bernie Weichsel

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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A Fort Lauderdale resident asked, “Do you know where we Floridians go when we want to ski?” It was a joke. Her punch line: “The airport.”

From the way things appear to be shaping up, fewer and fewer older skiers will be using planes to get to their favorite resorts. There’s a reluctance to get on planes until the virus is under control.

I get it. Regardless of our individual states of health, as a group whose age averages 69.8, we are high risk. Boarding a crowded flight – even in first or with the middle seat  empty – isn’t appealing.

I think big resorts get it, too. In normal seasons, big western resorts rely on skiers flying to their destinations. Recently, some resort tourism executives told me they’re shifting attention to skiers within a 6 – 8 hour drive. 

In the June readers’ survey, 92% of you indicated you definitely or probably would ski during the coming season, and 71% said you plan to take one to more than 4 long distance ski trips. 

Of those planning long distance trips, 40% plan to drive and 41% plan to fly then drive a rental car.

That was in June. The way infections and fatalities have been accelerating, I’m guessing that now, about a month after that survey ended, fewer people would want to fly.

I know I wouldn’t. 

In a recent media briefing, the heads of National Ski Areas Association and Vail Resorts’ mountain operations explained how they’re patching together best practices from the restaurant, hotel and other industries to protect skiers from the virus (and, I expect, themselves from liability). Based on what they said, we can expect limits on numbers of skiers/boarders, temperature checks, social distancing, fewer people on lifts, and more outdoor dining.

My biggest takeaway from the briefing was that for the coming season, we’ll need to plan before we go. “No more rolling out of bed and deciding to head to the hill,” is how one of the briefers described it.

Those living close to or at an area will do well. Those of us within a few hours drive will have their fair share of the fun. But for those who are high risk and relying on airplanes, you’ll need to make the “is it worth it?”  decision.

One point of view, expressed by several of you is, why not? At this age, how many more seasons will we have? 

EPIC’S $169 Unlimited Military Pass

Marc Liebman is a gifted military novelist, public speaker, and occasional SeniorsSkiing.com contributor. A combat veteran of Vietnam and Desert Shield/Storm, he flew helicopters on combat search and rescue, special operations missions, anti-submarine warfare and logistics support missions. He retired as Navy Commander after 24 years of service. His six novels are based on his experience and are really good reads. Recently, he emailed this tidbit about what he calls “the lift ticket deal of the century.” Epic Pass is offering an unlimited pass to ski at any of their 30+ resorts (Xmas excluded) to members of the military – active, reserve and retired, dependents – for $169. Details: click here.

$75 Parka; $50 Pants Deal

Orsden Parkas: Great Colors; $75

Here’s another “deal of the century.” Orsden, the parka and ski pants manufacturer, is having a “Mystery Sale.” Visit the company website, select a men’s or women’s parka, and let the company pick the color. You really can’t go wrong. Like Orsden’s styling, every one of it’s colors is good. I’ve been wearing my Orsden parka for 3-4 seasons. It’s held up exceptionally well, and has many nice features (e.g. underarm zips, RFID pass pocket, built-in goggle/glasses wipe, detachable powder skirt). The company specializes in direct-to-customer sales. It’s parkas sell for $300 and, if sold through retailers, would be double that. My wife purchased one a few years ago on sale for $175. She loves it. Now, Orsden parkas are going for $75!!! The only catch: the company picks the color and final sale/no returns. While visiting the site, check out the men’s and women’s ski pants; normally $200; now $50. Some sizes are sold out and final sale/no returns policy applies to sale pants, as well.

Liftopia Faces Bankruptcy; Collects PPP Funds

According to a Federal database, Liftopia, the online ticket-seller, received a Paycheck Protection Program loan between $350,000 and $1 million. This, while the company may be forced into bankruptcy by a group of resorts claiming Liftopia owes them $2+ million in advance ticket sales.

Elevate Suspends Operations

Roam Robotics, which makes the innovative Elevate Ski Exoskeleton, announced that due to the uncertain context caused by COVID, it is temporarily suspending investment in its unique Elevate product. The company will not be producing pre-ordered product (all deposits have been refunded) and will not be renting/demoing Elevate during the 20/21 season. The announcement said that the company would continue to develop and improve all products in its line up.

In Person 2020 Snowbound Festival Canceled 

Organizers of the Boston and Denver Snowbound Festival (formerly the BEWI Ski and Snowboard Expos) announced cancellation of the 2020 events. The reason: COVID-19 and the safety of attendees, exhibitors, and staff. They’re working on a digital version as a possible substitute. For decades,the shows have served as  “the unofficial kickoff to Winter.” Last Fall, Snowsports Industries America (SIA), acquired the Boston and Denver expos from BEWI Productions. SIA is the winter industry’s non-profit trade association representing snow sports suppliers, retailers, sales reps and resorts. BEWI was founded in 1980 by Bernie Weichsel, a member of SeniorsSkiing.com’s Advisory Council.

Suicide Increasing Among Sledding Athletes

A feature in The New York Times last Sunday reports on the disproportionately high number of bobsled, luge and other sledding athletes who have taken their lives. Brain experts suspect the symptoms stem from years of crashes, brain-rattling vibrations and strong gravitational acceleration forces. The athletes often experience an exhausted fog, which they’ve named “sled head.”

Your Own (Miniature) Cable Car (and Skiers)

FelinaWorld bills itself as the world’s largest online store for Christmas villages. Among its many miniature trees, chalets, scenes, etc. is a selection of HO scale ski lifts. They’re miniaturized versions of the real ones at a numer of Austrian ski resorts. It looks like they’re motor-driven. They even have miniature skiers for the lifts. The site also sells gondola-shaped key chains. When I visited, many of the products were discounted. Click here to get to one of the ski lift pages.

 

 

Don Burch

Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo Highlights

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Didn’t Make It This year? Here’s A Snapshot Of The Show.

Correspondent Don Burch covered the recent Boston Ski & Snowboard Expo at the World Trade Center. It’s the last year the show will be held at this venue and it’s also the last year it will be produced by Bernie Weichsel and BEWI. Next year, SIA takes over.

Bernie Weichsel

Oz And EnZed: Skiing The Antipodes

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Ski And Snowboard Show Impresario Bernie Weichsel Reports On The Down Under Scene.

Bernie (r) at Thredbo’s highest lift.
Credit: Bernie Weichsel

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 opportunity to visit a number of ski areas in New Zealand’s South Island and in Australia’s states of Victoria and New South Walks. I skied at the four areas around Queenstown and Wanaka (The Remarkables, Coronet Peak, Cardrona and Treble Cone and in Victoria (Mt Buller and Falls Creek) and New South Wales (Skiing at Perisher, Thredbo, and the unique Charlottes Pass. I am glad to report in both countries skiing, and, in contrast to the US at least, snowboarding, too, seemed to not only being doing well, but to be thriving.

Skiing The Remarkables, Queenstown, NZ. Anyone notice any hobbits?
Credit: Bernie Weichsel

New Zealand areas’ growth seemed to be coming from visitors from Asia. There were loads of Chinese and Koreans, plus a lot of athletes from Northern Hemisphere countries taking advantage of the snow to prepare for the upcoming Olympics, including Lyndsey Vonn among other US athletes.

But it was in Australia where the growth in the local market was most evident. All the resorts I visited were crowed with families and students, and it wasn’t even vacation time. Resort management all said that they were witnessing growing interest and participation in SnowSports which might be the only SnowSports market in the world where that can be said!

One effort that is propelling growth is a program called Inter-School, a regional wide, multi-discipline, competitive program with local races that lead to regional events and ends in a National Championship. The regional event I saw at Mt Buller—the Victorian State Championships—had 6,000 participants, in many cases, with their parents on hand for a whole week. I am not aware of a similar program in our country. I presume the best analogy is an NCAA program but for High Schools. We all know how school programs for soccer, football, etc. dominate American youths’ time and keeps them—and their families—away from the slopes. Maybe the Australians have found something for us to think about!

All the resorts had decent facilities—from lifts, snow-making and day lodges—and pretty good grooming. New Zealand, for us spoiled North Americans, is a bit of a challenge since there is virtually no on-snow lodging. Most of the lodging is in Queenstown and Wanaka, where it almost never snows;  to get to the skiing you must drive with chains always at the ready in your “boot”—or take a bus.

Weather is also a consideration in New Zealand since all the skiing is above timberline, leading  to some serious white-outs when the clouds hang low, which is often.  But the snow quality is good, the runs decently long— think Northern New England. When it is clear, you can see some of the most stunning scenery anywhere.

Australia, on the other hand, has lodging right on the mountains making it possible to ski in, ski-out. However, the mountains are not as high as New Zealands’ and are wider rather than high, that is, many runs over a number of hills.  That is, except for Thredbo which has a vertical of about 2,000 ft. What really intrigued me was how popular skiing was given that in Australia, there were many road-blocks one has to overcome to get the mountains.  You have to pay an entry fee to enter the Park; all the ski resorts are in state or national parks, you have to pay to park and again pay for a snow taxi to take you to your lodging—not in all resorts but the majority.  And lodging isn’t cheap. The resorts, though, have copied—or might have pioneered—the idea of expensive day tickets versus reasonable priced season pass.

Usually, so I was told, New Zealand gets the better snow.  But, during my visit, it was the opposite: I had basically spring skiing in New Zealand and super mid-winter conditions in Australia—packed powder and blue-bird days. And recently Australia’s resorts have had some of the biggest snow dumps in almost two decades!

One oddity worth noting. The small area near Perisher, Charlottes Pass, might be —I can’t think of any other resort that can only be accessed—in and out—by Sno-Cat . It’s a 30-minute ride each way. Nice, but small skiing, once you get there,  and it’s pretty private and worth the effort.

A unique arrangement: No lifts at Charlotte Pass, just a 30-minute Sno-Cat Ride each way to the slopes.
Credit: Bernie Weichsel

seniorsskiing

Short Swings!

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Snow Sports Industry Leader Bernie Weichsel Is Honored

SeniorsSkiing.com Advisory Council member and Snow Sports industry leader, Bernie Weichsel, was honored with the YES Lifetime Achievement Award in Boston last weekend. YES (Youth Enrichment Services) serves the urban youth of greater New England by providing outdoor adventures in skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, canoeing and camping.  Bernie has been an outstanding supporter of YES for more than 40 years. Bernie’s generosity has provided thousands of Boston youth with the opportunity to experience the outdoors and benefit from enrichment programs at YES. We are proud of you, Bernie!

ISHA Fund Raising Campaign

If you’ve not yet made an annual contribution to the International Ski History Association, please consider a donation today. It’s fully deductible in the United States for the 2016 tax year if posted by December 31. Your ISHA contribution will support the expenses incurred in publishing Skiing History magazine, maintaining the skiinghistory.org Website, and running the annual ISHA Awards program.

Skiing History was recently featured in the Huffington Post as a unique holiday gift! Click here to read the article by Jon Weisberg of SeniorsSkiing.com. And  to send a Skiing History gift, just fill in the gift subscription form. For an even better deal, give your favorite away-from-home student a digital subscription for just $29.

Canada

Quebec City has announced it has won the USA Today online vote for Best Winter Wonderland in North America.  We’ve been to the famous Winter Carnival in January, and it is an amazing and festive celebration of ice and snow.

Monte-Sainte-Ann and Stoneham in Quebec are celebrating incredible snow conditions with 55 received since the beginning of the season. Christmas activities are starting. Why go to Europe when Quebec is a drive or quick flight away?

Colorado

Sunlight Mountain Resort celebrates it’s 50th anniversary with the most expensive lift ticket in the country.  The $700 per ticket price includes one full day of skiing at the resort as well as a pair of limited edition Sunlight 50th anniversary Meier skis and a ticket to the Iron Mountain Hot Springs. The $600 version gets you a 50th anniversary snowboard.

Utah

Deer Valley Resort has won the distinction of the United States’ Best Ski Resort by the World Ski Awards for the fourth consecutive year. The World Ski Awards’ 2016 Ski Oscars winners represent excellence in ski tourism and the leaders shaping the future of the ski industry.

Enjoy midweek skiing and snowboarding for free at Snowbasin Resort when you fly Alaska Airlines into Salt Lake International Airport. From December to April, snow enthusiasts can “Fly Alaska, Ski Free” or simply take a scenic gondola ride at Snowbasin Resort for free within 24 hours of landing at the Salt Lake International Airport Tuesday through Thursday.

Quad Wednesdays are back at Brighton this year! With a charitable donation, you can purchase a lift ticket for only $20. December 14, 2016:  Donate a warm article of clothing such as hats, jackets, pants or anything that will keep someone warm this winter.  Proceeds go to The Road Home Charity. December 21, 2016: Donate a grocery bag of non-perishable food items.  Proceeds go to the Utah Food Bank.

Solitude Mountain Resort is set to host a U.S. Grand Prix/FIS Snowboard World Cup and FIS Skicross NorAm Cup January 19-22, 2017, as part of a test event for the 2019 FIS Freestyle, Snowboard and Freeski World Championships. The event will be the second stop of the U.S. Grand Prix tour for the 2016-17 season and the first major international skiing and snowboarding competition Solitude has hosted.

After two years of construction and licensing, the New World Distillery will be opening this week in Eden, UT. The state of the art distillery is featuring its “Oomaw” gin, soon to be followed by “agave
spirits and Ogden Valley Vodka.  New World will also offer classes in distilling in the Spring.

California

The second season has started for the Mountain Playground Group, a coalition of nine community and independent ski areas from California to Maine. Under the Mountain Rider’s Alliance, these ski areas have teams up to increase market awareness, share in best practices and identify expense-reducing initiatives.

Participating ski areas include Arctic Valley, AK; Bald Mountain, ID; Beartooth Basin; MT/WY; Elk Ridge Ski and Outdoor Recreation, AZ; Hurricane Ridge, WA; Mt Abram, ME; Mt Timothy and Phoenix Mountain, British Columbia.

New Hampshire

SkiNH reports that over the weekend of Dec 10-11 ski resorts received eight inches of fluffy stuff, and it was still coming down.  Check with SkiNH for latest conditions.  Season on in New Hampshire!

Jackson Ski Touring Center opened Dec. 12 with both classic and skate skiing on nine out of 55 trails (29 km groomed) thanks to a cross-country snowstorm.  Also, Jackson XC has announced a series of money-saving packages for beginners as well as more experienced XC skiers.

Vermont

Stowe’s $80 million Adventure Center at Spruce Peak sees its first winter. The sleek center is base camp for the resort’s children’s programs, from day care to ski and snowboard lessons. It’s also home to family-friendly eating in The Canteen and the indoor Stowe Rocks Climbing Center.

Maine

Sunday River skiers will find a new Locke Mountain top terminal on the triple, but will have to wait until 2017-’18 before the Spruce Peak Triple is replaced with a $2.1 million fixed-grip chair.

Massachusetts

Wachusett in Princeton is now more readily accessible for Boston-area skiers, thanks to the MBTA’s new Wachusett Commuter Rail Station in West Fitchburg on the Fitchburg Line.

mikemaginn

Snow Sports Leaders: Bernie Weichsel, BEWI Ski And Snowboard Expos

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"Bernie Weichsel speaks at the Jerry Awards at the Ishpeming 100 Film Festival during Skiing History Week in Steamboat Springs."

Bernie has been in the ski biz for over 45 years.

Bernie Weichsel is the country’s major producer of ski shows and expos. He founded BEWI Productions, Inc. in 1979 and has successfully marketed snow sports to audiences in the US and internationally. He assists with fundraising for the U.S. Ski Team and other non-profit organizations. Bernie also is a valued member of the SeniorsSkiing.com Advisory Council.

How did you start skiing and become a major player in ski promotion?

Skiing is my first love. I was lucky, my parents, both refugees from Germany, passed on their love of skiing and the Mountains  at any early age. We lived in Manhattan, and I got started at Belleayre Mountain, in the Catskills, when I was four. Due to my mom I got introduced to Trailside Ski Camp, at Killington, during High School – Brooklyn Technical, where I had organized the school’s first Ski Club – where I washed dishes in exchange for lodging and transportation from N.Y.C. Around the same time, I took on the duties of promoting the New York Ski Show that the owner of Trailside – Mike Cohen – had committed to do (in exchange for Trailside’s booth). That action, in turn, led me to get to know Harry Leonard, the creator of ski shows. Harry loved the “stunts” we did to promote his how – like the time I got a group of friends to stencil “Go Go Ski Show” on Manhattan sidewalks. Wasn’t popular with the police, but Harry loved it!

I ended up working for Harry for six years. The shows were in the Fall. It gave me time to “ski bum” – pursuing each winter a different “vocation” (ski guide, rep, etc.), which I did with enthusiasm from Aspen to Innsbruck.

In 1974 I got involved with the International Freestyle Skiers Association (IFSA) tour which was sponsored by Chevrolet & Skiing Magazine. It was the first organized professional Freestyle Skiing competitive circuit with events at five resorts nationwide. Huge crowds would show up to watch the stars of “Hot Dog” Skiing – like Wayne Wong and John Clendenin compete in mogul skiing and aerial acrobatics on skis. It really was the beginning of Freestyle, which is now a major Olympic event.

My ski expo experience led me to create and produce other large scale gatherings promoting sports and travel and music. The longest lasting was the New York City Winter Festival, held annual – weather permitting – in Central Park, from 1979 thru 1996!

I founded BEWI Productions, Inc. in 1979 and soon after purchased the Boston Ski Show from Harry. Audiences had declined, but we figured out how to bring them back.

The number of skiers in the US has been stagnant for 20 years. Why?

The good news is that it hasn’t really changed much. Estimates of how many people ski or snowboard vary between 8 and 22 million; the number is probably around 12 million. As to why it hasn’t grown, there are several reasons, I believe.

Snow sports are not really a sport with teams like baseball. It’s recreation, and it’s a physical activity. That makes it intimidating to many people.

I also believe our society’s perception of winter, and cold weather,— always loudly promoted negatively—pushes people away. It’s a fact of life today but most people just don’t like winter and cold weather. We’re actually taught to “beware it’s going to be cold and snowy,” starting with our parents and the news media, especially television weathermen. It’s something the industry doesn’t talk enough about, but I think it’s a big reason people don’t engage in snow sports.

Then you throw in the economy, having to travel on winter roads to resorts, the perception that skiing is an elitist sport and add in competing family activities, you find the number of people willing to commit to snow sports is small. But, once you get started, chances are you’re going to stick with it.

What role do older skiers have in sustaining the ski industry?

Seniors have a huge role. Chances are they bring their families into the sport. They are more social, skiing in groups and, most important for ski resorts, skiing mid-week. They dine at mountain resorts with friends and family. And manufacturers are making more products for seniors. In a way, they keep the whole industry going. With cheap season passes for seniors, it’s easy to remain active. On the other hand, I notice that when one spouse or another decides to quit, they other one will, too. So, the challenge is to keep them going.

Why do you think older skiers don’t get more attention from the ski industry?

It’s really a strategic business decision to focus on the younger market and youth culture. The industry is over-focused on flashy, free-style, extreme-skiing videos and the like. Maybe it’s because most marketers are young. Frankly, I don’t think marketers know how to approach the senior market. After all, seniors can be counted on to buy season passes, so that segment is almost a “given”.

You were involved with Y.E.S. to get inner city kids on the slopes, and the New England Ski Museum honored you with its “Spirit of Skiing Award.” What are your proudest accomplishments in the world of skiing?

Couple of things. I try to ski my age every year. I’ve done that most years. I slipped a little last year, only 57 days and I’m 68, but I’m going to be trying for 70 days when I’m 70. I’m proud of being able to do that.

I am proud of starting Ski USA, an overseas marketing venture. When I started promoting skiing in Europe in 1981, only a small number of people were coming here to ski in North America. Now, 10-20% of Vail’s business comes from international skiers, and Nationwide the figure is close to 10%. And on a personal level Ski USA opened up doors around the world to friends in so many countries!

I am also proud of the BEWI shows, especially our expos in Boston and Denver, and being able to run them successfully for so many years. And the US Ski & Snowboard Ski Hall of Fame, where I served as chairman for six years. So many things.

What else would you like to add?

I feel very lucky to be involved with snow sports, a healthy, fun-filled activity that I can do with my friends. It’s a life-long sport, and I’ve formed life-long friendships because of it.

One big worry of mine, though, is climate change. That’s something the industry has to be thinking very seriously about right now. After all, it’s happening now.