Tag Archive for: COVID and skiing

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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This is the first issue of SeniorsSkiing.com of 2022. I wish all readers good health, happiness, and peace for the New Year. But Covid’s omicron variant is challenging that wish for good health. It’s spreading fast, even among those who have been triple vaxxed. For most of the infected, it appears to be less taxing than Delta or earlier iterations. One side effect reported by several people I know, is hearing loss.

Ultimately, omicron’s virulence may cause such widespread infection that we’ll achieve herd or crowd immunity. That remains to be seen.

We’re older skiers and, by definition, more vulnerable to serious illness from the virus. For simplicity’s sake, I’ll divide our cohort into two categories: those who stay at lodges when they go skiing and those who ski and return home. Each is subjected to infection on lifts and in day lodges. Those overnighting in lodges have the additional risk of exposure from employees and other guests.

I don’t know if Utah is typical, but in terms of looking at the intersection of skiing and Covid, it is relevant.

Alta has no mask or vaccination-proof requirements. That, according to several friends who have skied there multiple times this season. The area recently closed its Watson Shelter because some staff tested positive. Alf’s remains open but with no mask or vaccination-proof requirements. The midmountain day lodge does keep windows open, according to a source working there.

Alta’s Smiling Rock                                               Photo: Harriet Wallis

By comparison, day lodges at Park City Mountain Resort (indeed, all Vail Resorts ski properties) require proof of vaccination and masks to access food-service and tables.

On the day I’m writing this, a front-page article in The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Covid swept through several of Alta’s overnight lodges, causing some guests to leave early, rather than risk getting ill. Of the five lodges, the only one requiring proof of vaccination is The Rustler. Snowpine, totally rebuilt a few years ago, follows Utah’s libertarian spirit and requires neither vaccination nor masks. The lodge’s website is devoid of any reference to Covid.

The Tribune quoted a 74-year-old guest who beat it back to her California home: “I’m not going back to Utah. It’s a COVID [nightmare]. Nowhere has better powder than Alta. Too bad it’s in Utah.”

The Christmas feast at our friends’ home was a lot of fun. Three guest couples, all contemporaries; all skiers; all known to the host and hostess but not to each other. Following festive fare, our ever-creative hostess, asked each of us to talk about the first time we skied and about a time we got into trouble while skiing.

The answers to Question #1 revealed surprising similarities among the men: none had been particularly “athletic” in youth. But then they were introduced to skiing. Each of the wives became interested through their husbands.

Getting into trouble on skis produced stories of literal, cliff-hangers; skis lost in deep powder, etc. Listening to these tales of woe, reminded me of the time I inadvertently became the end-of-the-day Pied Piper to a bunch of kids whose anxious parents awaited their return.

It was in the mid 70s and Pam and I were skiing Plattekill, an 1100’ ski hill with a variety of interesting terrain in the Northwestern Catskills, a few hours north of New York City.

Pam returned to the day lodge as I took one last run. At the top, I entered a trail I hadn’t noticed before. It was more of a road than an actual trail, one of those endless runs looping back and forth through the forest. A few minutes in I heard laughter behind me. I looked back and counted 12 little ones following.

Back to Pam waiting in the lodge; wondering, Where’s Jon? Around her, clutches of agitated parents wondering, Where are our children? Several minutes later, I walk in, followed by the kids. Emotional parents embraced their missing ones.

The angry area owner yelled at me from across the large room, accusing me of taking the kids on a closed trail. I called back: “The trail wasn’t roped off, and I didn’t know the kids were following.” His response: “Do you know how much it costs for rope?” 

I was banned from returning to Plattekill; a punishment promptly ignored. Those kids must now be in their 50s!

Have you gotten into trouble while skiing? Send in your stories. We’ll publish the most interesting.

Stevens Pass Petition: 20k Signatures

In a mere five days, more than 20,000 Epic Pass holders at Stevens Pass ski area in Washington, signed a petition demanding that Vail Resorts refund 60% of the cost of their passes. Why 60%? They claim that VR sold passes while knowingly planning to keep 60% of Stevens Pass terrain and a majority of lifts closed for the season. The petition gives VR a deadline to act by January 15 before filing a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division and the Attorney General of Washington State. Click here  to read the petition.

Incivility at Beaver Creek

According to a posting by the victim’s wife, her husband was struck by someone skiing in a group. When he confronted the person, another man in the group removed his skis and gave her husband a severe beating, leaving him with a broken rib and other injuries. The group, thought to be in their 30s, skied off and were not found. The incident was reported to patrol and the Sherriff’s office. It occurred December 31 at Beaver Creek.

Park City Patrollers Seek Raise

The Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) rejected Vail Resorts’s offer of a starting wage of $15 per hour. The patrollers want $17. Current wage is $13.25. More than 200 patrollers are working without a contract. Other Park City Mountain Resort employees receive $15 per hour minimum. Patrolling requires extensive training and patrollers generally are responsible for supplying their own equipment. If VR blinks, minimum wages for patrol throughout its many holdings will climb.

Timberline and Ski Bowl Discontinue Free Skiing for Seniors

Subscriber, Thomas Levak, informs us that Timberline and Ski Bowl (OR) have discontinued free skiing for super seniors (73+). Lift tickets for 65+ skiers are $65 (days) and $45 (nights), and skiers are required to make advance reservations for the days and times they want to ski (perhaps not a bad idea given that limited numbers of skiers are allowed for different time slots). Thanks for the info, Thomas!

New Advertisers: Booster and Slide On

The Booster Dynamic Power Strap is an elastic power strap that replaces the power straps found on most boots and helps you ski better, regardless of skill level. It is used by 80% of all Olympic skiers. Slide On is a dry lubricant spray that helps your feet slip in and out of your ski boots. One application lasts for a month of frequent boot use. One 2 oz. can is good for the entire season. Click on the Booster/Slide On ad for more information.

Snowbird’s Golden Anniversary

Believe it or not, The Bird opened 50 years ago. Those of you who have been there, know its magic. If it’s still on your “to do” list, take steps to get it done. Its 2500 skiable acres are accessed by tram and 10 chairs. It connects to Alta, for a combined 5000+ acres terrain. I have many memorable days skiing thigh-deep (sometimes waist-deep) Snowbird powder with friends. The resort produced a 3-minute video telling its history. Click on the image, above.

Patagonia Walks the Talk

Patagonia makes superb, durable outerwear and redirects a portion of its profits to support environmental and other worthy causes. Another example of the company’s progressive policies is its closing all its stores from Christmas through New Year’s while paying employees.

Austria Tightens Covid Rules for Brits

Austria has classified the UK as a “virus variant” region. Effective December 25, visitors from the UK are required to quarantine 10 days upon arrival, even if fully vaccinated. Given that Austria is a major destination for UK skiers, this is a big deal. Exceptions: Those fully vaccinated and boosted who have a negative PCR test. Children under 12 are exempt. Teens meeting certain conditions also may enter the country.

Record Snow Records

More than 200″ (almost 17′) fell in the Sierra’s in December. Utah is getting hammered with one pulse after another. Revelstoke (BC) has received 21’+ so far this season. All that snow prompted me to look into snow accumulation records. An amazing 1,140″ (95′) was recorded at Mount Baker Ski Area  (WA) (4,200 feet elevation) during the July 1, 1998 to June 30, 1999 snow season. Mt. Ibuki (Japan’s Honshu Island) measured 465.4″ (38.8′) February 14, 1927. The most snowfall in 24 hours (6.3′) was measured in Silver Lake, CO, April 14-15, 1921. Mount Shasta Ski Bowl (CA) recorded the most snow from a single storm: 189″ (15.75′), February 13-19, 1959.

Brrrrrrr: New Ice Hotel on Italian Glacier

A bedroom is the ice hotel next to Capanna Presena Refugio

A new ice hotel is now booking reservations. The luxury facility is on Italy’s Presena Glacier at Passo Tonale in Trentino and features intricate ice carving on both interior and exterior surfaces. The three-igloo-room facility is next to the Capanna Presena Refugio.

Vintage Cars in Snow

Here, from Weather.com, are 53 photos of cars in snow…most of them stuck in the snow. They’re from both sides of the pond and fun to see. Click here to view.

Another Weather.com entry: 91 vintage images of people playing in the snow. Notice that virtually every person pictured is smiling. Of course, they are! They’re in the snow. Click here to view.

Do you have information you want to share with other members of the growing SeniorsSkiing.com community? Send it to jon@seniorsskiing.com. Use the same address if interested in contributing articles. Please forward SeniorsSkiing.com to other older skiers who may enjoy receiving it. Or simply tell them about the site. 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Last week was the single deadliest avalanche week in the US since 1910. Avalanches claimed 15 lives: five in Utah, four in Colorado, three in Alaska, and one each in California, Montana and New Hampshire. To date, this season, 21 people perished.  According to avalanche.org, all but five of the fatalities were skiers or boarders. 

Experts attribute the dangerous conditions to the thin early-season snowpack which weakened under the snow from  recent storms. That, of course, has been exacerbated by the increase in backcountry skiing, some of which is the result of Covid restrictions at the resorts. An increase in any activity means many novices who are not adequately educated about what they’re getting into. 

And, as we all know, there’s the element of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bad luck.

I have several friends whose passion is backcountry skiing. They have the proper gear and know how to use it. They’ve learned how to scope out terrain and how to study snow. They know what they’re doing. That said, one of them was caught in a terrible slide with life-altering consequences. 

Whether or not you’ll ever leave the resort, this first-rate 15-minute orientation film from avalanche.org is worth watching.

Sun Valley Expansion

Sun Valley has added 380 acres of expert terrain.  Called Sunrise, it’s served by  the new Broadway detachable quad. It replaces the Cold Springs chair, until recently the resort’s oldest. Click on the image to learn more.

Lower Covid Risk on Ventilated Gondolas

Swiss researcher measures gondola’s air volume.

Risk of Covid during a 12-minute gondola ride is 1000 times less risky than a dinner in a closed room with eight people. That, according to scientists at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology. Personally, I prefer gondola rides to good terrain far more than restaurants with good terrine. 

History of the Chairlift

Early Sun Valley chair

James Curran, who never skied a day in life, invented the chairlift at the request of Averell Harriman who was developing Sun Valley. This article in the current issue of Smithsonian Magazine tells the story of the chair and other lifts. It’s good reading.

Generous Discount for Readers

I’ve reported on a few of the Biofit 360 CBD products. The company’s Deep Sleep CBD drops is the first product — Rx or OTC — to give my wife a full, uninterrupted night of sleep without side effects. It is exceptional. I’ve used its Relief CBD Cream as an alternative to OTC pills, and it really does the job. Now, Biofit is offering SeniorsSkiing.com readers a 20% discount. To enjoy this benefit, click on the Biofit 360 ad on the right of the screen, shop, and enter SKIING in the discount code field when checking out, 

90,000+ Vertical in One Day

Jonathan Boblitt

Jonathan Boblitt skied 90,073 vertical feet at Beaver Creek (CO) on January 26. According to Vail News, he was inspired by his late grandfather who told him a good day of skiing is when he could get it down to 10 cents a run. Boblitt did 39 laps on the Birds of Prey lift. Those and the runs he took to reach Birds of Prey helped him get to 90,000 vert. Congratulations, Jonathan!

Kai Jones Skis Targhee

This two-minute video of 13-year old Kai Jones at Grand Targhee brought a big smile. Targhee is a powder magnet and a joy to ski. Watching this kid make his way down slopes, over cliff bands and through the park is a lot of fun.

We Appreciate Your Support

This is a brief thank you to readers who, over the past week, donated to SeniorsSkiing.com. You will be receiving a mailing with stickers. And, if you contributed $50. or more, you will receive the terrific BBQ apron specially imprinted with the vintage skier woodcut (see below). We’re encouraging readers to make a minimum gift of $10 to help defray the cost of publishing SeniorsSkiing.com. To participate, please click here. The fund-raiser will last through February.

Please, Take A Run For Me

I’ll be in the hospital and out of commission for a while. The coming months will require effort, grit and good luck. For the majority of SeniorsSkiing.com readers blessed with good health or who have gotten through rough periods, I hope you remain well. For those facing health issues, I hope you get better soon.

Because of this situation, it will be some time before I get back to writing Short Swings!

For each of you fortunate enough to be on the slopes this weird (now, snowy)  season, I ask this favor: Next time you’re on the hill, please, take a run for me.

Tamsin Venn

Loon Mountain Resort Update

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Lodges Closed. Back To Basics.

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Sunny day at Tote Road Quad.

Kudos to Loon Mountain Resort, N.H., for managing COVID restrictions so well.

Our family bubble all agreed the best thing Loon had done was shut down all the lodges to indoor food service. That simplified one’s strategizing. Grab ‘n Go food windows and indoor order options provided al fresco sustenance with outdoor seating. Canvas tents were pop-up dining halls. Quick stop locations on the mountain provided places to duck in with little ones to get out of the wind. Space heaters are placed in certain areas when weather permits. Rest rooms were available at all lodges even if closed (outdoor access) and one fancy trailer near the gondola.

We parked our rolling base lodge in the Main Lot with an easy-ish schlep to either the Gondola or Kancamagus Express Quad, booted and masked up. Lunch break was pleasant with hot soup, the heater run sparingly, and radio dial set to NH public radio. Loon does not allow open-fire grills in the parking lot.

Contactless pickup boxes, PUBs, are where you can pick up a RFID card bought online or scan a QR code to reload. Ikon pass holders need to reserve, but because of popularity can cancel, even day of (blizzard anyone?).

Ghost lines leave plenty of room. Credit: Tamsin Venn

Loon set up intervening ghost lift lines for social distancing (a few jerks zoomed down these). One employee did mask patrol. A lift attendant kept necessary order. Social distancing worked less well in the gondola line without the natural six-foot ski separation. Plexiglass barriers inside the gondola building separated the snaking queue. Some in our pod refused to ride the gondola. Nowhere was there pushback on riding a lift alone.

 

 

PUBs replace ticket windows.

Masks are required in the parking lot, lift lines, when loading and unloading. This routine broke down in the parking lots.

Nearby Plymouth State College is on a hybrid schedule so you get many college skiers all the time, not just January break, which lends a convivial air. Everyone seemed grateful to be outside skiing and letting off steam.

We deferred our Ikon passes because of New England travel restrictions. Loon is the only New Hampshire Ikon resort. Massachusetts residents, as are we, are allowed into New Hampshire but have to ten-day quarantine or produce a negative COVID test on return.

 

Snowy day in the Lincoln Woods. Credit: Tamsin Venn

Loon’s senior 65-79 pass averages $65 midweek, non-holiday through mid-March, free passes for those ages 80 and up and as a courtesy you don’t need to reserve. (Bretton Woods senior midweek pass is $39, FYI).

On the last day, we went XC skiing in the popular Lincoln Woods owned by the U.S. Forest Service The snow had newly fallen, the woods quiet. You follow a trail on either the east or west side of the snow-clad Pemigewasset River with snowshoers and dog walkers. 

In all, the experience felt pared down. You got out of your car, went to lifts, skied and rode, went big-ish then went home. That is a good thing. What will we do with the many usual options when we return to normal? And the snow conditions were outstanding.

Loon Trail Map

Loon Web Cam 

Uphill Access Policy 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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This is our final issue of 2020. We’re not saddened to see the year go. Whatever your holiday of choice, please enjoy it safely. And celebrate the arrival of the New Year. It’s time to turn the page on so many things. Here’s wishing you a great season and many bright and promising days ahead!

What Do Vaccines and Ski Areas Have in Common?

Vaccine development and ski areas have something loosely in common: the public-private partnership. This may be a stretch, but hear me out.

Several Covid vaccines, like many other drugs and technologies, were developed with some level of government participation. In the case of  Pfizer’s, the government guaranteed to purchase $1+ billion of product long before it was approved. For decades, technology transfer programs have helped medical and other technologies — discovered, invented, and/or developed with public funds — get picked-up and commercialized by the private sector.

What does that have to do with skiing? At least 122 ski areas lease property from the Forest Service. Among the more prominent are Vail, Aspen, Snowbird and Mammoth.

Next time you’re making turns on leased -government land, consider the public-private partnership helping you enjoy the sport and, hopefully, protecting you from Covid.

Six Word Challenge

Tom Irving, 82, is a volunteer instructor for the Two Top Mountain Adaptive Sports Foundation. He says  teaching in the program is “the best decision I ever made.” He mostly teaches disabled veterans 3-4 days a week at Whitetail Resort (PA). Tom’s scheduled PSIA clinic was cancelled, as were two group ski trips he had booked. And he has high hpes for the vaccine. All of which leads to his six-word summation: Missed one. Cancelled two. Future’s Bright.

Corky Miller, 75, loves skiing Buena Vista (230’ vert) near Bemidji (MN), which explains his six-worder: Local fast hill, ski all day!

Brian Frias is a California skier. As part of the Masterfit organization he has developed a keen eye for the sport. Looking at the bright side of Covid, he offers this one: Long lines lead to empty slopes.

Please keep sending your six-word entries. A few winners will receive the Bootster Shoe Horn for Ski Boots. Please post your entry to Comments or send to jon@seniorsskiing.com.

A Completely New Approach to Prescription Goggles

SnowVision Rx goggles integrate prescription with inner lens

SnowVision makes a unique goggle with your prescription integrated into the inner lens. Unlike conventional Rx inserts, in which the insert is a separate component subject to fogging and often limiting vision range, this goggle maintains the eye-to-lens distance, resulting in fog-free wider range-of-vision. I’ll be reporting on my experience with the SnowVision goggle in an upcoming issue. But from everything I know about it, the goggle is a breakthrough, especially for older skiers. For more, click here or on the SnowVision advertisement.

Wolf Creek Has 10 Feet!

Wolf Creek Ski Area in Southwest Colorado keeps on getting the goods. As of this writing, the area has received more than 129″.

Alta/MIT Study: Silence Reduces Risk of Infection

The more and louder we speak, the greater infected individuals transmit the virus. A team of MIT students scientifically analyzed how and where residents and guests of Alta have the greatest probability of catching Covid. They determined that people in loud indoor dining areas have a 60% chance of catching the virus – even with tables 6 feet apart. Analyzing space, air circulation and time spent in public buses transporting people to/from the resort, they learned that if no one spoke, the busses could carry 60 masked passengers vs the 20 masked and socially distanced passengers Utah Transit Authority has mandated for this season.

New Chapter in Skiing Haves vs Have Nots

Luxury seating in the VIP gondola

The Eiger Express, a new tri-cable gondola system was launched earlier this month on Switzerland’s famed Jungfrau. It “…combines all the advantages of the aerial gondola and the funicular,” being able to run across long expanses with fewer support towers – only 7 for a length of more than four miles! A ride that used to take more than an hour is now reduced to 15 minutes. Among other Eiger Express features is the Platinum Club which includes a VIP lounge, where members can await their own VIP Gondola car. The car holds 8 people and features leather chairs and a champagne bar. Couple’s membership is a mere 18,000 CHF ($21,000+) a year. Numerous US resorts already have VIP clubs and passes. How long before they, too, get their own gondola car?

Redford Sells Sundance

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Movie star and environmental activist Robert Redford sold Utah’s Sundance Mountain Resort to two high-end real hotel development companies. The new owners plan to add a high-speed lift and new trails. Sundance is a jewel long in need of infrastructure improvement. I’m looking forward to seeing what the new owners do. Redford started the resort in 1969 after purchasing the small Timp Haven area and renaming it Sundance after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, in which he and Paul Newman co-starred.

Saddleback Re-Opens

Saddleback covered in snow

Saddleback Mountain (ME) reopened earlier this week after being dark for the past 5 years. Arctaris Impact Fund purchased the mountain less than a year ago and has invested $18 million.

Two Short Videos

Mount Cain is an old-fashioned powder magnet on Vancouver Island (BC). Average snowfall is 38′. Vertical drop: 1,499′. Two T-Bars and one rope tow. May be on the small side, but as you’ll see in this 15 minute video, it is well-loved and skis big.

Ski Rio in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico has been closed since 2000. This eight minute video shows its abandoned state and the turns still possible for those who choose to climb.

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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How often do you think about skiing?

To my wife’s dismay, it’s always top of mind.

A few months ago, camping in a remote, high mountain location with some fellow skiers, we realized we were simultaneously having the same thought: What would be the best line down those North-facing slopes? Chuckles and beers followed.

Harder evidence trickled in throughout summer in the form of hundreds of new subscribers. Curious about that phenomenon (it happens every summer), I did a fast check of where these new subscribers live. The majority were in locations experiencing hotter than usual conditions.

Thoughts of skiing are a pleasant, if temporary, escape from the heat.

A corollary would be sitting in front of a blazing fire on a cold winter day thinking of  the beach.

So here we are, early October and, depending on where you live and what the temperature is, you may be thinking ski hill or balmy beach.

Mike and I discussed this recently in one of our planning calls. Did we publish the Best Boots for Older Skiers Guide too early? Should our Best Skis for Older Skiers Guide be published now or in a few weeks when temps are a bit colder and flurries are in the air?

You’ll find an article on Masterfit’s impressive new Buyer’s Guide in this week’s issue and a link to the Guide. If slopes and trails are on your mind, the Guide is a good place to go for a quick fix. If you’re still opting for the beach, the Guide can wait a week or two.

Ditto for our annual listing of North American areas where older skiers get great bargains on passes.  We expect to post that in early November.

No Blame if you’re not thinking mountain or beach. There’s an abundance of distraction at the moment. 

Wherever you live, Covid and its consequences are issues. I’m not alone in wanting to have those East Coast grandkids back in my arms.

And whatever your position on climate change, the planet is sending increasingly urgent messages about the need to take action.

If you’re a US citizen, the Presidential election is probably occupying a bit of your attention. I mentioned this last week and will continue to do so through Election Day. Whomever you support, be sure to vote.

While we’re working our way through these issues and distractions, we still have slopes and trails to think about. 

Now is the time to dust off skis and boots. Have your shop check the bindings. Make your winter plans. Snow is on the way.

Powder Magazine: RIP

Powder Magazine, the publication so many of us enjoyed during its 49-year run, will close down in November. It’s final Annual Photo Issue hits the stands November 16. It should be a collector’s item. For years, I looked forward to and relished each issue of this visually impactful magazine. Like other print ski magazines that have shuttered over the past few years, I’m sorry to see Powder go. R.I.P.

Are Yurts in Our (Skiing) Future?

Snowbasin, the superb ski area about 45-minutes north of Salt Lake City, announced it will be adding several mid-mountain yurts this season. Their stated purpose is to give skiers an alternative place to rest and warm-up. One hopes that seating will be well spaced and masks required. Using these temporary structures as a way to relieve crowding in lodges is a good idea, as long as appropriate Covid protections are in place. It wouldn’t surprise me if yurts start popping at areas in general.

Cancelled: Winter Park Ski Train

The Winter Park Ski Train connecting Denver with the ski resort has become another victim of Covid. With the exception of a multi-year hiatus, Ski Train operated every season since 1941. While social distancing concerns lowered the boom, Denverites can expect the service to resume sometime in the future.

Buy a Tee Shirt. Help a National Park

Wild Tribute makes tee and sweat shirts with graphics representing most U.S. national parks. The company donates 4% of its proceeds (not profits) to non-profits supporting the parks (e.g. National Parks Conservation Association, Grand Canyon Association, Grand Teton Association). The products make good birthday or holiday gifts for anyone who loves our parks. Click here to visit Wild Tribute’s website.

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (10/2)

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And So Begins The 2020-21 SeniorsSkiing.com Publishing Season.

Fasten your face masks firmly in place; this winter is going to be like no other.  

Masks were everywhere in the Perisher lodge. Credit: John Harris

The entire snow sports industry has spent the summer planning how to open up when the snow flies.  Uncertainty about the future makes people anxious, however, the semblance of a cohesive, cogent plan with precautions goes a long way to calming customer nerves. The industry has done a terrific job trying to figure out how to manage this unprecedented public health threat.  Changes in business as usual are keys to managing the “Covid Season.”

We’ve created some changes, too, that might help you as this strange winter starts to evolve.

Classifieds Are Coming!

For one thing, we’re going to launch our brand new Classified Ad section next week.  Starting 10/16, you will be able to place a classified ad on SeniorsSkiing.com.  We’ve developed a number of categories where you can offer  everything from gear or collectibles to ride shares and meet-to-ski to condo rentals.  As a introductory promotion, you’ll be able to post an ad for 30 days in any category for $1.  Regular rates will be quite reasonable and based on how long you want your ad to be accessible to our readers. As with all dealings online, readers are encouraged to use caution and common sense in contacting others through this service.

Alternatives to Alpine: Make More Tracks

Over the summer, we’ve been watching industry news releases and have scrutinized some of the plans for re-opening ski resorts. All of these plans are thoughtful and respectful of both the virus and customers. All contain a degree of restrictions on customer behavior which may or may not wear well as the season goes on. In fact, the Cross-Country Ski Area Association has extrapolated that the rise in walking and bike riding this spring and summer might correlate with increased interest in Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and other ways to get outside in the winter and “make more tracks”. 

As a result, SeniorsSkiing.com is introducing a new section, “Make More Tracks”,  initially devoted to articles about XC skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking, and other snow activities.

Nordic or XC skiing and snowshoeing are ideal for the Covid Season.  Outdoors, of course, socially distanced, reasonably priced, uncrowded, the sports lends themselves as a perfect alternative to Alpine skiing. Snowshoeing, by the way, is also ideal for seniors who have given up skiing due to health, fitness ,or lack of interest reasons.

If you haven’t tried XC skiing as a senior skier, you are missing a completely different way to enjoy winter outdoors. If you’ve been away from the sport for a while, you have a plethora of new types of equipment and gear to learn about.  And, if you haven’t noticed, there are many XC-oriented resorts that have grown in the past decade that offer unique winter vacation experiences. 

Our Make More Tracks initiative includes a Resource Guide with tips and advice from Roger Lohr, editor of XCSkiResort.com, and Jonathan Wiesel, international XC trip planner and guide, trail designer, and resort owner, both experts in all aspects of XC skiing.  We will include at least one Make More Tracks article per weekly issue of SeniorsSkiing.com and devote an entire issue in November to these sports.

This Week 

We’re publishing our new boot recommendations for seniors, developed in cooperation with America’s Best Bootfitters (ABB) and the 2021 Masterfit Buyer’s Guide. This is an industry exclusive, Subscriber-Only offering that can be accessed after confirming your name and email address.  Click on the third box in the top menu to get to the story.  Boot recommendations are graded by traditional or walking, including specific boots for men and women. 

The ski season has just concluded Down Under. We can learn a lot from the experience of Australian skiers and how resorts managed the virus. John Harris, our new correspondent in Australia reports on the recent season, noting what worked and what didn’t. Despite a dearth of snow, the season went on, and “car parks were full.” Click here for the story.

One aspect of the Covid Season that hasn’t been discussed is what happens to shared ski houses.  The problems of distancing, scheduling, cleaning and the like are important consideration.  Correspondent Alice Winthrop discusses these issues and proposes some approaches.  Alice is the designer of Resercal, a new app for scheduling and managing shared vacation properties.  Ski clubs, this is for you. Click here for her story.

Crested Butte Nordic has rentals for $20 a day. Credit: CB Nordic

XCSkiResorts.com publisher and SeniorsSkiing.com Nordic editor Roger Lohr discusses the impact of the Covid Season on Nordic skiing.  This is the first of an ongoing series of Make More Tracks articles.

As a regular early-season feature, we’ve been watching winter weather forecast conditions every year.  This year, La Nina is in. Find out how warmer waters in the eastern Pacific are going to impact snow levels in North America.  We also share the Farmer’s Almanac’s prediction for 2020-21. Compare and contrast.

And to celebrate the last gasp of summer, here’s an article from correspondent Josh Foss on lessons learned from surfing with dolphins. 

Finally, here’s touching video below from Alta, praising the work and dedication of the ski patrol. These guys keep us safe, and they deserve this impressive shout out.

Thank you for reading SeniorsSkiing.com.  Please tell your friends and remember, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

 

foggy chair
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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We are entering a season of uncertainty.

Some resorts have discontinued walk-up ticket sales, some will require advance reservations, many will require masks and social distancing; for others, it will be business as usual. Some, unfortunately, will not open at all.

Many resorts are bracing for a sharp reduction in the number of vacationers arriving by air. Air traffic is down, and projections of COVID spiking as Winter advances do not bode well for ski areas.

Quarantine restrictions will impact long weekend trips to the Rockies, unless, of course, you live nearby. Same will apply to the longer ski vacation. You’ll be able to fly from New York, New Jersey, or New England to Utah and enjoy the sunshine and powder. But several of the Eastern states require either quarantine or a negative 72- hour COVID test when returning home. As of this writing, it’s virtually impossible to secure a 72-hour test in Utah unless you’re scheduled for surgery or showing symptoms. Maybe that will change for visiting skiers; a possible but unlikely prospect.

However you get to your resort of choice, expect to have a temperature check and, if you’re solo, ride the lift alone. Refuge in the lodge on a cold and/or stormy day may not be as accessible as in past seasons. Seating will be limited. Food and beverage orders may have to be called in. You may find yourself sitting outside, sheltered by temporary windbreaks.

Maybe this will change by the time snow flies, but entry restriction for Americans traveling to Canada and the EU will require most of those in the U.S. to ski in the U.S.

I decided on a workaround to reduce these and other obstacles this season. We rented what looks like a lovely house in Santa Fe with the expectation of skiing the cluster of areas relatively close by.

If you’re fortunate enough to live near an area, the complications will be much reduced.

An alternative available to many readers will be substituting or mixing cross-country, snowshoeing, fat biking and other activities with Alpine. If you are in or near snow country, these opportunities exist in local parks and golf courses, at some Alpine areas and in freestanding X-C resorts. 

In anticipation of this likely shift, we’re extending our Nordic and snowshoe coverage. The new Make More Tracks Resource Guide is an extensive collection of articles to help you get into Nordic activities. In early November, an entire issue will be dedicated to Nordic, and, throughout the season, each issue will have a Nordic-themed article.

My first priority for the season is to use Alpine boards on New Mexico’s slopes and trails. Like, most of you, I love to be outside in Winter, playing in the snow.  I haven’t been on X-C skis since the last Ice Age. But given the prospects for this season of uncertainty, it certainly will be part of my outdoor Winter mix.

Big Bargains with Indy Pass

Indy Pass holders get two days at each of 55 North American resorts. Available in two versions: Indy Pass+ has no blackouts and costs $299; Indy Pass has blackouts and costs $199. The program offers generous refunds if the pass is used only a few days. There are 20 participating resorts in the West, 17 in the Midwest, and 18 in the East.  Click here to register.

Amazon Patents Skier Drone

In past issues, we’ve highlighted a series of devices intended to propel or pull individual skiers up the hill. Amazon recently received a patent for a drone that would pull skiers uphill, follow them down, and repeat the process. Will it happen in our lifetimes? No answer to that question, but if it does, it may be the end of chairlift small talk.

Those Lifetime Guarantees

The zipper broke on one of my lightweight Patagonia fleeces. It was in the back of the car when I passed a Patagonia store, open but closed to customers. I called the number on the door, and an employee came out.  He took the fleece, filled out a form, and told me to expect the repaired product in three to seven weeks. It was delivered, repaired, cleaned and free of charge fewer than two weeks later. Good on you, Patagonia.

The Eddie Bauer daypack I purchased in the early 70s has been returned multiple times in the past half century. Once a seam was unraveling. Another time, a zipper was jammed. The company offered to replace it, but I have a sentimental attachment to that old, well-used pack. Each time it’s been repaired , cleaned and returned at no cost to me. Thank you, Eddie Bauer.

Ditto for Farm to Feet, DarnTough, SmartWool, IceBreaker and other reliable brands, although they sometimes require the purchaser to jump through a few hoops.

Bottom Line: When purchasing outdoor clothing and other gear, consider the extra value of brands with lifetime warranties. That way, the purchase becomes an investment.

 

Gaiter vs. Face Mask

Gaiter

Face Mask

A recent Duke University study determined that breathable neck gaiters (I love my Buff) are far less effective blocking pathogens than standard surgical or cotton cloth masks. The study used a neck fleece made of polyester spandex. Lesson learned: Wear neck gaiter for warmth. Wear cloth or surgical mask for virus protection. 

 

 

 

 

Study and Ski in the Haut Savoie

The French language Alpine French School in the ski resort of Morzine has a new facility in Samoëns ski resort with direct links to the Grand Massif area that includes Flaine and Les Carroz. Many courses combine French and skiing. The school, oriented to long term residents, has strict COVID protocols. A variety of accommodations are available. Click here for more info.

A Trick To Try at Home


I’m always running out of eyeglass cleanser. The Internet has numerous DIY recipes some of which work pretty well. But recently I was in a pinch and used a few squirts of Arm & Hammer™ Simply Saline Nasal Mist to clean my glasses. Worked just fine and the slender canister seems to be bottomless after months on the job.

White Out

Thinking about past winters when you were discovering the joys of being outside in the snow? This three-minute watercolor animation is beautiful and special. Click here. or the image below.

Endnote

We’re experiencing a congruence of odd events. 

  • The global COVID problem has a disproportionate impact on older people. Simple precautions are known to reduce its impact, yet many don’t believe the virus is real and/or resist being told what to do. 
  • The environment is responding to centuries of unwise management. Punishing storms and wildfires are disrupting millions of lives. What we thought was permanent mountain and sea ice is melting at alarming rates.
  • Divisions in beliefs and thinking are dangerously polarized.

I’m not a gardener but I subscribe to the adage of tending our own gardens. Whether you take that literally or metaphorically, looking after the things that matter most to us require being attentive to nurturing and improving the things we value and protecting the things we love.  For our U.S. readers, whatever your political persuasion, this can be interpreted as a call to vote.

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As we start our 2020-21 weekly schedule, Mike and I look forward to providing you with meaningful and entertaining content about what every SeniorsSkiing.com subscriber has in common: the love of skiing or boarding or simply being outdoors in the snow.