Tag Archive for: Bootster

Jon Weisberg

ShortSwings!

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This is to thank the 3000+ of you who completed our August reader survey. We learned that on average, those of you who did not take last season off skied an average of 26 days. That’s down from a few seasons back when the average was more than 33 days. But, when you figure that the national average is 6.5 skier/boarder days, you quickly realize that we’re the ones using the resorts…especially midweek.

We seniors are a very luck lot, doing what we love, when we want to.

Like many of you, I missed last season. That was a first since I started at age 10. Now I’m psyched about getting back on the hill. Skiing brings me immense pleasure. Each of you feels this in your own way. Whether it’s snaking slowly through a mogul field, cruising down a well-groomed slope or floating through thigh-deep powder, you understand.

Ski often enough and you’ll experience a great mix of conditions. Although I haven’t done so in several years, I’ve found pleasure skiing in a blizzard. Very cold days bring their own form of bliss. Warm, bluebird days are a form of skiers’ nirvana.

It is wonderful to age and ski and to be outside in the snow. It doesn’t matter the size of the mountain or the number of runs. It’s simply being there and skiing that brings joy.

This is the first issue of SeniorsSkiing.com for the 2021-22 season. We’ll be posting new articles each week and emailing them to you as a package every other Friday. As a heads up, we’ll  occasionally email advertisements. Each of these ads has been vetted to be relevant to your skiing interests. 

I hope you continue to enjoy SeniorsSkiing.com. Best wishes for a great 2021-22 season!

Patagonia Offering Store Credits for Trade-Ins

With the goal of keeping its stuff out of landfill and improving the environment, Patagonia has introduced a program that gives credit for old and worn Patagonia products. The credits can be used in its retail and online stores. Click here for details about the program and the amount of credit offered.

Will This Replace Day Lodge Burgers and Fries?

A new eatery — Oxygène Café — in the French ski resort, Tignes, specializes in vegan, vegetarian and gluten free food. Started by Oxygène, the French Alps based ski school specializing in English speaking ski and snowboard lessons. The company is partnering with Caffè Vergnano, a socially and environmentally friendly Italian coffee brand.

Snowbasin to Add Base Village and Club Med

Source: The Salt Lake Tribune

Snowbasin, the vast ski area north of Salt Lake City, near the city of Ogden, was the site of the 2002 Olympic Downhill events. The place offers terrain for every ability. What it hasn’t offered is a place to stay at the mountain. All of that is about to change as Club Med builds a 300 room facility (projected opening: December 2024) and as plans develop for a base village with restaurants, shops and lodging (project to start in 2025). 

Sundance Mountain Resort: New Owners Make Changes

Sundance

Founded by Robert Redford in 1969, Sundance changed hands last December. Over the summer, the new owners installed two new lifts and upgraded snowmaking services, among other changes. A high-speed detachable quad will access the mid-mountain summit. The second lift will provide expanded terrain choices to guests returning from the back mountain. Sundance is a Utah gem. Off the beaten path, it’s not far from Salt Lake City, Park City and Provo and rarely has crowded slopes. Lodging is primarily in the form of condos and it has always been a foodie destination. Most importantly, there’s a range of excellent terrain. 

Squaw Valley’s New Name: Palisades Tahoe

According to a news release issued by Alterra, the company that owns the resort, the “…name change was an important initiative for our company. At the end of the day, “squaw” is a hurtful word, and we are not hurtful people. It was a change that needed to be made for us to continue to hold our heads high as a leader in our industry and community. We have a well-earned reputation as a progressive resort at the forefront of ski culture, and progress can’t happen without change.”

Deep Discount on Stocking Stuffer Ski Books

Arcadia Publishing has a roster of 27 books covering localized skiing history. They paperback books are loaded with vintage photos and have titles such as Skiing in the Mad River Valley, New Hampshire on Skis, and North Carolina Ski Resorts. Part of the series explores “lost ski areas,” those that existed years ago but no more. Among them, Lost Ski Areas of the Berkshires, Lost Ski Areas of Southern Vermont, Lost Ski Areas of Tahoe and Donner, and Lost Ski Areas of Colorado’s Front Range and Northern Mountains. Arcadia is offering SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers a 30% discount on all of its skiing titles. Click here to shop the books and enter the code, SENIORSSKI, when checking out. The offer is good from October 7 to November 7.

The Perfect Gift for Older Skiers

Bootster is a clever, compact device that makes it easy to get into a ski boot – even when it’s cold. It has a super slippery surface that helps the foot slide in effortlessly. And unlike shoehorns, sprays, etc., Bootster is compact and easily carried in a parka pocket (click on the video above). If you or an older skier you know likes to shed boots during lunch, getting them back on with Bootster is a breeze. It is pretty much indestructible, making it ideal to pass on to the next generation of skiers. At $25 (+ shipping) the price is right. Looking for something to give your favorite older skier? Bootster will be appreciated for years to come.

Boston and Denver Ski Shows Cancelled

This is second year in a row. The cause? Covid.

It’s a Bird?

People have been dreaming about being able to fly without a plane for years. Technology is finally making it possible, as shown in this video compilation of several different approaches from around the world. Who knows? At one point, some version of these flying machines may eliminate the need for ski lifts. About 16 minutes.

 

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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What about that Big Dump last week in the West!!!!!!

If you’re like me — waiting for the first signs of Winter — the season is now on its way.

These areas plan to open in October:

  • Wolf Creek, CO – 13th October
  • Killington, VT – 19th October
  • Sunday River, ME – 19th October
  • Arapahoe Basin, CO – 20th October
  • Loveland, CO – 20th October
  • Wild Mountain Ski and Snowboard Area, MN – 20th October
  • Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, NV – 20th October
  • Mount Snow, VT – 20th October
  • Wildcat Mountain, NH – 27th October

SeniorsSkiing.com is now publishing every Friday.

Two big issues for senior skiers surfaced in recent reader surveys. 

  • One is your interest in finding contemporaries with whom you can ski. 

  • The other is being hit by reckless and out-of-control skiers and boarders.

To address finding skiing buddies, I’ve asked a digital-cartographer friend and avid skier to help us identify a meeting place that could apply to all ski areas. The idea is to set a time (e.g. 10AM) when members of the SeniorsSkiing.com community could show up at a specific location and, displaying a SeniorsSkiing.com sticker, meet other readers with whom to take some runs. 

Courtesy: University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library Ski Archive

What are the unresolved issues? 1) Identifying a location that would apply to all areas. If in the lodge, should it be a table closest to the end of the cafeteria line? Near the main entrance? Etc. If you have any ideas of how to do this – without involving area management – please send an email or post in Comments.  2) Supplying readers with the identifying SeniorsSkiing.com sticker. That’s the easy part: Email me your name and address, and we’ll send you a supply. My email address is jon@SeniorsSkiing.com.

As for the reckless/out-of-control skier problem, take a look at the reader comments in Mike’s This Week message. It’s not a trivial matter. Many readers report on slope hit-and-runs. Many more report near misses. Getting hit when you’re in your 60s, 70s, or 80s has more life-altering consequences than when you’re younger.

Something needs to be done. We’ve approached National Ski Patrol to inquire about their policies and to see if they would be open to exploring a collaborative effort to improve the situation. We’ll report what we learn. In the meanwhile, if you have suggestions to remedy this dangerous epidemic of unsafe skiing, please email them to the same address as above.

Finally, if you like SeniorsSkiing.com, please help spread the word by introducing your skiing friends to the site.  

Despite Serious Neurological Disorder, He Continues to Ski

Nick Manely in France

Nick Manely, a SeniorsSkiing.com reader and avid skier has been managing a Functional Neurological Disorder for several years. He’s based in Colorado where he coaches at Eldora Mountain and works at Larson’s Ski Shop in Denver. In September, Nick presented about his condition and skiing to a group if physicians and researchers at The International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders in Nice, France.

Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports Seeks Volunteer Instructors

Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports is the state’s largest year-round disabled sports nonprofit. The group looking for energetic winter volunteer-instructors. Volunteers will be trained to help teach and lead the organization’s winter programs that include Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, indoor rock climbing, veterans retreats, and wellness programs. For more information or to sign up to volunteer, complete the application at www.vermontadaptive.org/get-involved.
 

Economical Resource for Small to Plus Size Parkas and Pants

Many Senior Skiers have difficulty finding properly fitting ski clothing. One old friend, quite petite, is always checking ski shops for good-looking things. Sometimes she has to settle for children’s items. Another friend is at the other end of the size spectrum. She, too, has difficulty finding quality skiwear in her size. I know they’re not alone. That’s why I’m delighted that NW Sales Connection has become a SeniorsSkiing.com advertiser. The company offers a wide range of skiwear in a wide range of sizes. Their initial ad focuses on women, but the site covers women, men, and children. The cost of ski clothing on the site tops out at $139.99, and everything is marked down. There is a 30-day return policy (longer over the Holidays). Please click on the NW Sales Connection ad and welcome this valuable resource to the SeniorsSkiing.com community. As an additional incentive to SeniorsSkiing.com readers, NW Sales Connection is giving a 10% discount for purchases made between now and October 15. Enter “welcome seniors” in the discount code box during check out.

The Easier Way To Get Your Boots On

This is the surefire solution to getting feet into boots, even when your boots are cold. It’s the compact, never-fail, Bootster, a clever little device utilizing a slippery material that helps feet slide effortlessly into ski boots. Several things make this a particularly nice product: Bootster reduces the effort of getting boots on. And, it fits into your parka pocket, so you can take it with you and use it to get your boots back on after lunch. At $25, it’s highly affordable and makes for a thoughtful gift for the older skiers on your list. To learn more click here or on the Bootster ad on the home page.

Solar Powered Task Light

We receive lots of offers to review products and to try things that companies would like brought to the attention of our readers. Most are irrelevant or unworthy. But this one got my attention. It’s a light weight utility light powered by choice of solar or by your computer’s USB port. The flexible, yellow silicone arm wraps around almost anything to position the light where you want it. It has four settings, three to adjust the light intensity and one to make it flash. I envision this as a nifty addition to camping gear or just to keep in the car or at home. Mpowerd, the company that makes this and other similar products, works with non-profits to send lights to people living without access to electricity. Luci®  Core, MSRP $14.95. Available from most outdoor retailers or directly from https://mpowerd.com

Remember Ski Ballet?

Skis of Glory is a brief video recapping that highly visual and entertaining era.

INVITE
Jon Weisberg

You’re Invited! SeniorsSkiing.com’s Fifth Anniversary Party

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Additional Raffle Prizes: Safe Descents ski and snowboard insurance.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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World War II produced many heroes. One of Norway’s best known died earlier this week. Joachim Ronneberg led the ski-assisted raid that destroyed the facility where Nazis were producing “heavy water,” a component they would have used to produce an atomic bomb.

He was 23 when, according to his obituary in the The New York Times, he and eight other “…Norwegian saboteurs skied across the Telemark pine forest in winter whites, phantom apparitions gliding across moonlit snow. . They halted at a steep river gorge and gazed down at a humming hydroelectric power plant where Nazi scientists had developed a mysterious, top-secret project… Hours later, in one of the most celebrated commando raids of World War II, Lieutenant Ronneberg and his demolition team sneaked past guards and a barracks full of German troops, stole into the plant, set explosive charges and blew up Hitler’s hopes for a critical ingredient to create the first atomic bomb.” Ronneberg was 99. The complete Times obituary provides a brief history lesson on the epic event.

Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris starred in “The Heroes of Telemark,” a 1965 British film based on the raid. The most definitive book on the raid, “The Winter Fortress: The Epic Mission to Sabotage Hitler’s Atomic Bomb” (2016) was written by Neal Bascomb. Click here for “X-C Skiing Saves the World,” SeniorsSkiing.com’s 2016 book review.

RSVP for SeniorsSkiing.com’s 5th Birthday Party!

Help celebrate our Fifth Anniversary, 5:30 – 8:00 PM, Wednesday, November 14, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Meet other metro area senior skiers. Win Apex Ski Boots, a trip to Okemo in Vermont, Orsden ski parkas, a season of ski insurance from Safe Descents, The Bootster device to help get boots on, the DeBooter device to get them off, discounts on Masterfit boot products, etc.  Lots of SWAG from areas all over the country. Meet a representative of Alpskitours based in Italy’s Aosta Valley. All free except for cash bar. RSVP, jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Buying Boots? Use a Professional Bootfitter.

If you’re considering buying boots, PLEASE, use a professional bootfitter. It is one way to assure the positive outcome of your purchase. We highly recommend using the services of bootfitters who have gone through training with Masterfit’s America’s Best Bootfitter (ABB) program. To find one near you visit: https://www.bootfitters.com/find-shop.

New England Areas Get a Head Start

Sunday River, Maine, opened last weekend. Mt Snow will open this weekend, the resort’s earliest opening in its 64- year history.

Mind-Boggling Ski Videos

These feats are not to practiced on your home hill.

Skiing East Face of Matterhorn: The six-minute video starts with the climb up Mt Cervin (aka Matterhorn). The skiers unrope themselves from bolts in a rock face and ski — ever so cautiously — a steep, rocky face, until they let loose on saner terrain.

Line of Winter: This three-minute selfie from GoPro shows Nicholas Falquet skiing what appear to be high elevation vertical walls covered in deep powder. Can’t tell if he has a cable attached to his back. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

 

Caught in a Crevasse: This one is 17 minutes and shows a skier falling into and being rescued from a deep crevasse. Lesson here is to avoid crevasses and if you’re in those conditions, to ski with others with rescue skills and equipment.

 

 

Park City’s BIG SHOT!

Sunrise Rotary Club in Park City (I was a member during my Park City years) set a world record on Saturday, October 13 with its 3rd annual Shot Ski Event. If you’re not familiar with shot skis, they’re skis affixed with shot glasses. For competitions — or just for fun — the glasses are filled with booze (in this case from Park City’s High West Distillery).  The entire ski is hoisted and the contents guzzled by the participants. To reclaim the record from Breckenridge, 1275 Parkites showed up to lift 508 skis (2570 feet long) off Main Street. Congratulations, Sunrise Rotary for raising almost $30,000 from the event!

Axe Throwing and New Pod Hotel at Whistler

Among other new developments at Whistler this year are the Pangea Pod Hotel and apres ski axe-throwing. Two more reasons to visit Whistler Blackcomb, one of North America’s largest and most fascinating resorts. It has an added benefit for seniors — its relatively low elevation (long vertical, nonetheless) makes it easier on the lungs.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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I rode a chair last season with a couple who got upset when they saw a dead porcupine on the trail below. They “knew” the animal from skiing there for several months. It looked like it had been attacked.

I’ve seen a lot of animals while skiing over the years. Nothing larger than the moose who frequented part of The Canyons. I’m confident that even with Vail’s acquisition of that wonderful area (now part of Park City), the herd still hangs there, occasionally moseying out on a trail .

Deer Valley had many weasels and, if I have it right, ermine. The critters are long hot dogs making a slinky wave as they run across trails. I had to swerve more than once to avoid trail-kill.

The Catskill and Adirondack areas had occasional deer and lots of porcupines. I remember one tree where the chair passed a porky perched there most of the season.

Rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, birds of all persuasions, an occasional raccoon. They appear on slope and trail. More often it’s their tracks, but look, and you’ll see them.

And dogs, especially those trained for avalanche rescues. Bless them for their excellent skills and stellar service.

Among the most curious creatures encountered to date are Snowbird‘s and Alta‘s leopard and zebra. They’re a couple who frequent the place and everything they wear — cape to boot — is themed accordingly. He’s the leopard. I’ve bumped into him, solo, a few times on the tram or in the lot and told him how much I enjoy his outfit. His response is always the same: “You ought to see my wife. She’s a zebra. I’m always chasing her down.”

SeniorsSkiing Fifth Anniversary Party!!

5:00 – 8:00PM, Wednesday, November 14, Manhattan.

We’d love you to be there, meet other senior skiers, win cool raffle prizes and help us celebrate our fifth. Prizes and SWAG from Apex Boots, 70+ Ski Club, Masterfit, Orsden Parkas, Buffalo Wool Company, Solitude, Powder Mountain, DeBooter, Bootster, GearBeast (the perfect skier’s cellphone carrier), International Skiing History Association, and others. We’ll provide the nibbles. Open bar. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to jon@seniorsskiing.com. Location: E’s Bar (Rumpus Room), 511 Amsterdam Ave. (bet 84th and 85th Streets), Manhattan.

Snowing Across the West!!!!

The resorts and state ski associations are reporting snowfall, snowmaking, and opening dates. A few examples: Wolf Creek in southwest Colorado got 20″ and will have limited skiing this weekend. The Utah resorts received more than a foot of snow. One of them, Snowbasin, got its first big dump in September! Opening days at the Utah areas range from November 21 to December 21.

Warren Miller, Posthumously

Face of Winter is this season’s Warren Miller film, the first since his passing earlier this year. Click here to find when it will be playing near you and to purchase tickets.

Squaw Valley Extremes

For six minutes of pure skiing fun, watch Drop Everything, a video of the recent history of extreme skiing in Squaw Valley. Click on the name to get you there.

New Ski Utah Magazine

Ski Utah outdid itself with this new, free annual magazine. There 100+ pages. Available in print and digital editions. Not your typical ski industry promotional fare. There’s a page dedicated to the wisdom of George Jedenoff, who celebrated his 100th birthday last July with several runs at Snowbird. Ski Utah is essential reading for everyone from regulars to those planning their first visit. To order a copy or send one to a friend click here.

Skiing History Night

If you’re in the New York area, International Skiing History Association is hosting a free pizza/wine/beer Skiing History Night at Hickory & Tweed (410 Main Street, Armonk). 6:30-9:00 PM, Monday, October 15. Highlight of the evening: ISHA’s Jeff Blumenfeld will present how skiing has been portrayed on TV over the decades. RSVP requested: kathleen@skiinghistory.org.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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I heard a massive avalanche one time. Chamonix in the late 60s. Several minutes later a fine dust covered everything. When it stopped, it was an inch or two deep.

When you ski in the West, you often hear the early morning thuds of dynamite and bombs dislodging unstable slopes. It’s impressive.

I like to seek silence, pausing in the trees, away from the sound of cable and the chatter of other skiers. When its fresh, snow muffles its surroundings. Maybe you’ll hear a bird, a squirrel in a tree, or nothing.

Quietude can be part of the experience. But like other life wonders, we need to slow down to hear it. Being aware of our surroundings, wherever we are — but especially on mountains in winter — is part of the richness of our experience.

It doesn’t matter if you’re skiing Hunter Mountain, Jackson Hole’s Hobacks, or Catherine’s in Alta. Simply enter the woods and listen.

November 14 Party in Manhattan

RSVPs are being emailed in. We’re looking forward to meeting you in person. If you’re in the New York area and want to attend, please send me a short note at jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Last week, I mentioned that APEX Boot Systems is providing an $800 pair of its ultimately adjustable and superbly comfortable boots. 70+ Ski Club is giving a free 4-day trip to Okemo in Vermont. Richard Lambert, who heads 70+, will be on hand to answer questions about upcoming trips. Orsden, which makes incredibly comfortable and good looking parkas, is giving two parkas for the event. Sara Segall, the company founder expects to attend. There will be Bootsters to help you get your boots on and DeBooters to help get them off. The Buffalo Wool Company, which makes remarkable socks from bison and silk is sending a selection of products. And GearBeast, which makes the perfect cell phone carrier for skiing and other activities, will have numerous pieces to give away. Different resorts and state ski associations are sending lots of SWAG. And if you want to learn about fantastic skiing packages based in Italy’s Aosta Valley, where you ski in Italy, Switzerland and France, Mauro Cevolo of advertiser, Alpskitour will be there. For more on the party, click here.

Trail Masters

We sent 100+ patches, stickers, etc. to last season’s Trail Masters. The only one returned was addressed to Thomas Bolstad. If we receive your correct address, we’ll resend.

The Art of Fear Ski Camp

I know several older skiers who are unable to realize their potential on the slopes because they’re afraid. A few are afraid of injuring or reinjuring themselves. Others limit themselves to the same terrain because they fear taking it to another level. My wife, an athletic person with excellent skiing form, gets concerned when we approach the steeps. Kristen Ulmer is an author and life coach who helps people overcome their miscellaneous fears. She will host The Art if Fear Ski Camp, March 9-10, 2019 at Alta. The cost is $579. For more information visit The Art of Fear 2-Day Ski Camp.

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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“Snow is the cosmetic of the Earth.” That’s one of many memorable lines from Moby Dick, Herman Melville’s masterpiece about one man’s obsession with the destruction of a gigantic white whale.

Riding early morning lifts, especially on a powder day, brings Melville’s observation to life. The smooth, undulating surface conceals what’s below. My skiing dreams and day-dreams invariably show untouched surfaces. There’s a reason we call it virgin snow.

With rare exception, conditions like that don’t last long. Dropping into an untracked slope and leaving your own lines is a joy. By definition, joy is ephemeral — a fleeting moment of intense happiness. Powder snow is ephemeral. Anything that is temporary is ephemeral. We’re about to enter another season, and we’re not getting younger. Relish the anticipation. Experience the joy. Embrace it all.

Bootster Is THE ESSENTIAL Older Skier’s Accessory

Our newest advertiser is Bootster, a compact ski boot shoehorn that makes boot entry effortless — even when they’re cold and stiff. It utilizes a super slick material that eases foot into boot. It is compact and fits into a pocket. Many of you will have your own techniques: talcum powder; various sprays; etc., etc. but Bootster does the job with perfection. No need for contortions. It’s one of those simple solutions for a persistent problem. Having used an earlier version of the design, I fully endorse its effectiveness. And at $25, it’s an ideal gift for any older skier on your list.

 

Documentary Explores Abandoned Colorado Ski Areas

Abandoned is the title of a soon to be released documentary about independent Colorado ski areas that no longer exist. The film explores skiing before the influence of corporate resorts and current effects of climate change. I’ve only seen the trailer. It’s well worth watching.

Tremblant Video Shows Latest Improvements

Last week’s Short Swings! column described Mont-Tremblant’s new high speed quad and the expanded glade areas it serves. This very cool short video shows it with unusual creativity.

Jiminy Peak, Bromley, and Cranmore offer savings through their respective value cards (check websites for details):

  • Jiminy Peak‘s costs $62 and includes two days of skiing followed by savings of lift tickets purchased throughout the season.
  • Bromley‘s costs $81 before December 14 and includes one day ticket and $30 off additional tickets throughout the season.
  • Cranmore‘s is $89 and includes one day ticket and $20 off additional tickets throughout the season. Every seventh ticket is free. Cranmore also allows those purchasing a ticket after 2:00PM to use the same ticket the following day.

Ikon Pass Price Increases Oct. 10

The full adult pass (unlimited access to 14 destinations and 7-days or 7-days combined at 21 destinations; no blackouts) is currently available for $999. Starting Oct. 10, it increases to $1,049. The IKON Base Pass (unlimited access to 12 destinations and 5-days or 5-days combined at 23 destinations; 10 blackouts) is currently available for $699. Starting Oct.10, it increases to $749. More at www.ikonpass.com.

Maine Ski Hall of Fame To Induct 19th Century Adventurer, Others

Norman Libby, the winter adventurer who was the first to ski Pleasant Mountain (Shawnee Peak) in the 1890’s will be inducted (posthumously) to the Maine Ski Hall of Fame, Oct 27 at the Grand Summit Hotel at Sunday River. Also being added to the Hall of Fame are Karen Colburn and Anne Dowling, US Freestyle Champions; Leon Akers, cross country coach and ski shop owner; David Stonebraker, prep school ski coach; Warren Cook, Sugarloaf ski executive, and Kristina Sabasteanski, biathlete. The Maine Ski Hall of Fame is a program of the Ski Museum of Maine.

Skiing the Great Indoors

The world’s largest indoor ski resort will open in Shanghai, China in 2022. It will feature three slopes, numerous other attractions, and four hotels with a total of 1,000 rooms.