Tag Archive for: Epic Pass

Evelyn Kanter

Short Swings: Timely Tidbits of Snowy News

/0 Comments/in /by

Credit:nicolamargaret

There’s always something happening in snow country.  This is the March edition of timely tidbits to know, to help you plan the rest of this season and important news for next season, too.

Epic Pass 2026/27 Offers New Discounts

In a major step to get more young people on the slopes and shape the future of skiing and snowboarding, Vail Resorts is reducing the cost of passes for skiers and riders ages 13 to 30. They can now purchase next season’s 2026/27 Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass now for 20% less than regular pricing, for up to $220 in savings. Next season’s Epic Pass is on sale now at $869 and Epic Local Pass at $649.

All Passes for next season are on sale now at the lowest price of the year – and will increase around Memorial Day and again around Labor Day.

Ikon Pass 2026/27 Offers New Perks

It goes on sale March 12, with new expanded access to Colorado resorts; the addition of Tamarack in Idaho, Lutsen Mountain in Minnesota, Snowriver Mountain Resort in Michigan and Granite Peak in Wisconsin, all with no blackout dates.  Ikon also is cutting down on plastic pollution by us re-use this year’s pass for another season.  There also are new discounts for passes for  children and those aged 23-28.

New passholders also get immediate and unlimited spring skiing at around one dozen mountains in the Rockies and Sierras.  Prices are $1,349 for the full Ikon Pass and $924 for the Ikon Base Pass; additional prices are on the Ikon Pass website.

Another Family-Owned Resort is Sold

Pomerelle, an old-fashioned, low-key, family-owned resort in Southern Idaho, has been sold by the Anderson family, which has operated it for decades.  But fear not – it’s unlikely to change much, if at all, since the new owners are mountain manager Zach Alexander and his wife, Crystal. He is the grandson of longtime and recently retired director of snowsports instruction Barry Whiting, so it’s pretty much like keeping it in the family.

I’ve skied here. It’s a great mountain with long groomers along with some challenging steeps and trees.  And lift ticket price are around half the price of nearby Sun Valley.

Spring Skiing in the Poconos

 Thanks to the recent massive snowstorm in the Northeast along with enhanced snowmaking techniques, Camelback Resort is extending winter well into spring, with daily skiing and riding through Sunday, April 12, followed by weekend operations through the first weekend of May – conditions and weather permitting. That mean the resort’s longest ski season ever, surpassing the

previous record of April 9, 2009, and marks a significant moment for Pennsylvania winter sports. With a deep late-season snowpack and sustained cold-weather, Camelback is boasting spring skiing conditions typically reserved for northern New England – and just 90 minutes from Times Square.

Remember Your SPF

The return of Daylight Saving Time on the second Sunday of March, when our clocks and watches “spring forward”, means days are longer – and brighter. No more skiing or riding in flat light at 2pm and wishing you were wearing your low-light goggles. Brighter sunlight until the lifts close also means applying sunscreen more often.  Don’t forget the tip of your nose!

Evelyn Kanter

Indy Pass Adds 16 Resorts for Next Season

/3 Comments/in /by

Indy Pass continues to grow, which is a good thing, because it offers bargain rates and other perks to smaller, independent areas at less than half of other multi-destination season passes. It’s also different than Ikon, Epic and Mountain Collective because sales are capped, meaning that if you snooze, you lose the chance to get one.

For next season, Indy Pass has added more than a dozen downhill and XC resorts in the United States, Europe and Scandanavia, for an annual pass fee of $369 for new adult passholders; $20 less for renewals.  An annual pass for just XC is just $99.

For that price you get  two days at each area – there are 300+ areas on the Indy Pass.

Additional days are discounted, and there are no blackout dates.

New Resorts for the 2026/27 Season 

Including Les 7 Laux, France; Bergbahnen Hohsaas AG, Switzerland; Valmorel, France; Stöten i Sälen, Sweden; Levi, Finland; Murray Ski Ridge, BC; Pebble Creek Ski Area, ID; Thrill Hills, ND; Stranda Ski Resort, Norway; Bethel Village Trails XC, NH; Franconia Inn & Outdoor Center XC, NH; Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center XC, NH; Northern Maine Community Trails XC, ME; Steamboat Ski Touring Center XC CO; Haymaker Nordic Center XC, CO; and The Loppet XC, MN.

Year-Round Skiing

Indy’s expansion into South America, Scandinavia, and Europe allows year-round ski opportunities for passholders, when conditions permit.

The current 2025/26 Indy Pass provides ski access through the summer season until August at Corralco, Chile, while the 2026/27 Indy Pass begins in September with skiing in Austria at Pitztaler Gletscherbahn and Kaunertaler Gletscher.

Indy Pass promises to add additional resorts over the off-season and expects major additions before the 2026/27 season.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/10 Comments/in , , , /by

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!

/6 Comments/in , /by

Friends in Vail recently got their Covid vaccinations. Colorado is making them available to people 70 and older.

If we were in Utah where we have a place, my wife and I would be able to get shots on Monday, January 18. But we’re in NY where, over the past few days, the Governor announced that people 65+ are now eligible. Scheduling the shot is confusing. The state’s vaccination registration website listing places administering vaccine has hundreds of drugstores, hospitals and dedicated vaccine administration sites. Virtually everyplace we called had no idea when the vaccine would be available.

Eventually, one of us was able to schedule an appointment at a freestanding vaccine administration site for the end of February. We’re still searching for another time slot.

Our friends in Vail were given cards verifying they’ve been vaccinated (the first of two doses). It will be interesting to see if a more sophisticated digital system will evolve to identify who has been vaccinated. If it does, it probably will raise issues about privacy. I’m all for maintaining individual digital privacy, but I’m also aware that most Internet users reveal far too much personal  detail on Facebook and other social media platforms, often in contrast with their concerns about government knowledge of their personal lives. Articles I’ve read suggest that at one point, those of us who’ve been vaccinated will be part of a national digital registry. Eventually, when airlines and other enterprises limit access only to those who’ve been vaccinated, they’ll get that info from the registry. 

It wouldn’t surprise me if, at one point in time, that info also will be registered on your electronic ski pass…the one that provides access to the lift. When that happens, it will help determine who has access to restaurants, rental facilities, etc. That’s probably several seasons out, but don’t be surprised when it happens.

Schweitzer Mountain Fights Back

Schweitzer Mountain’s Twilight skiing suspended because of disrespectful clientele

Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Sandpoint, Idaho, announced it will close its twilight skiing operations for two weekends as retribution for “…the verbal abuse…directed towards our staff as they have attempted to enforce our safety requirements…” Some customers have resisted wearing masks and social distancing.

$10,000 Reward to Identify Hit and Run Teen Skier

The collision occurred in Vail’s China Bowl on January 6. A teenage boy on skis crashed, full force, into Betty Benjamin, 74. She’s now hospitalized with a collapsed lung and all right-side ribs broken. Her brother is offering the reward. Colorado law makes it illegal for anyone involved in a ski accident in which someone is injured to leave the scene without giving name and address to an area employee or member of patrol. In a related matter, last week a panel for Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed use of waivers protecting ski resorts from lawsuits filed by people injured while skiing/boarding. It appears to be a win for the resorts, not the people who use them.

Own an Epic Pass but Unable to Use it? Read this.

This article from The New York Times explains the dilemma faced by Epic Passholders unable to cross stateliness because of Covid restrictions and and Vail’s response to the issue.

Alyeska Reports 460+”

Alyeska under the Northern Lights

Alaska’s Alyeska Resort is the first North American resort to top 400′ this season. Storms over the paset several days dumped almost 5′.

Indoor Dining Suspended at Aspen Snowmass

Pitkin County, where the resort is located will allow outside dining and takeout. The county has the second-highest Covid incidence rate in Colorado. One in 35 residents is infected.

Remember Eddie the Eagle?

He was the British ski jumper who bedazzled spectators during the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics with his barely competent but highly courageous derring-do. I’ve been thinking about Eddie’s pluck during this time of confinement. He didn’t win any medals but he inspired a world of onlookers with his grit and determination. His story was the subject of a feature film a few years ago starring Hugh Jackman. To watch the trailer, click on the picture. This brief, upbeat report about Eddie, now in his mid-50s, also is worth watching.

And Now For Something a Little Different

Chuck Patterson is a California freeskier who has graced the cover of Powder Magazine. Over the past few years, using ski boots and skis, he’s shifted from flakes to surf . Enjoy this video produced by Salomon.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/1 Comment/in /by

Boris and Ivan have been skiing across the frozen steppe for many days. After too long on the front, they’re finally going home. Boris spent hours telling his colleague what he intends to do when, finally, he arrives home: hug his family, down a hearty meal, paint the dacha, tend the garden. 

“Ivan, what is your plan?,” he asks. 

“My wife will come to the door with vodka.” 

“And then?”

“We’ll embrace and make passionate love.”

“And then?”

“I’ll remove these damn skis.” 

That’s one of the few decent ski jokes I know, and, apologies, if I’ve used it before in this space.

Unfortunately, we removed our skis too early this season. And there are legitimate questions as to whether there will be a next season.

That thought, stated indirectly, appears to be on many minds. It’s why Ikon Pass is being sold with a safety net. Purchasers can decide by late November whether they want to use it for 2020-21 or 2021-22. They’ve discounted the price to encourage early sales. And Epic Pass just announced baked-in insurance coverage. Their parent companies need cash to service debt, proceed with planned projects and maintain whatever is left of their payrolls.

Some areas, pursuing similar early purchase tactics, are spinning their messages to get patrons to help them keep the lifts spinning. Their appeal: Your early buy will help keep us afloat. I don’t mind that, as long as it’s not coming from an area that joined one of the big pass programs and eliminated its own senior pass discount. There are several of them.

It’s interesting to see how the resorts are responding to COVID. My prediction is that singles will be riding doubles, triples will be occupied by two’s, etc. Areas relying on gondolas and trams will limit their occupancy and require facemasks. Lines will be longer. See below for Chamonix’s sensible response. 

I expect day lodges will have fewer seats and surfaces will be aggressively sanitized. Maybe restrooms will have full-time attendants whose job will be keeping everything clean. Resort HR departments advertise for “Lifties.” Why not “Resties?”

Expect hand sanitizer stations to be as ubiquitous as tissue dispensers.

Of course there will be rogue skiers and boarders defying the rules and placing themselves and others at risk…just like they do when playing human pinball racing down the hill. The likelihood of their getting reprimanded for sneezing in line is about as likely as their getting stopped for reckless skiing.

I haven’t missed a season since 1954 and don’t intend to miss out on 2020-21. But if things get too complicated on the hill, I might throw in my ski towel, grab my beach towel and head South.

Chamonix Fights COVID With Thermal Scans

Skiers at the French resort are now required to enter a thermal scanning device (similar to an airport security gate) to check their temperatures, use sanitizing material on their hands, and wear masks while waiting in line and riding lifts. Social distancing will be implemented in lines and on enclosed lifts. If found effective, this protocol may become the industry standard.

COVID Concerns = Season Pass Changes

IKON and others offer generous early purchase discounts for next season.

Epic now includes full and/or prorated insurance in event of job loss, stay-at-home orders, job transfers, etc. as well as resort closures due to COVID and other diseases, natural disasters, war, and terrorism.

Mountain Collective provides “incentive credits” encouraging existing pass holders to re-up for 2020-21. 

Alta will issue discounts to existing pass holders based on last season’s use. For a round-up of Utah area offerings, see Harriet Wallis’ story elsewhere in this issue.

Aspen will credit existing pass holders for its truncated season and “…have a refund policy that makes committing to the 2020-21 season risk-free.”

Indy Pass, arguably the best skiing value in North America, offers two days at each of 52 resorts for $199, including its Get America Skiing Promise providing up to 80% credit for the following season, no questions asked. Passes go on sale September 1. Pass holders at participating resorts can purchase the Indy for $129.

COVID Shutters Las Lenas 

Argentina’s premier resort, Las Lenas, announced that because of COVID, it will not open for the 2020 season.

Masterfit Establishes COVID-19 Webstore

SeniorsSkiing.com advertiser, Masterfit Enterprises,  has added protective face masks to its offerings during the pandemic. The insole and bootfit training company is selling facemasks to businesses and consumers at its Masterfit COVID19 webstore.   SeniorsSkiing.com readers get a 10% discount on their first 100 surgical mask purchase using coupon code FOMCOVID1910 at checkout. Here is a link to a story about how Masterfit landed in the PPE business. 

Val Gardena Repurposes Snowguns to Disinfect Streets

Handled by the Italian resort’s volunteer fire fighters, the snowguns are being used to spread disinfectant with hopes of reducing spread of COVID.

Higher Elevation Populations May Be Less Susceptible to COVID

A paper in the June issue Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology concludes that, among other factors, “…the virulence of SARS-CoV-2 is reduced at high-altitude due to the physiological acclimatization of its inhabitants, and due to particular environmental characteristics.” The study looked at prevalence of COVID in high elevation populations in Tibet, Bolivia and Ecuador.

Two Dimensional Ski Films

Have you noticed how the many GoPro ski films on the Net have a flattened sameness to them? I enjoy watching ski films, despite their similarities to pornography (Same motions. Different locations. Repeat.). But helmet-mounted cameras generally record ski tops against a white surface, making even the steepest terrain look pretty flat. I just watched a GoPro video of someone skiing the Alguille du Midi in Chamonix. I’ve seen it, and it’s heart-stopping steep. His GoPro footage documents the run, but does little to convey the challenge. Give me those long, across-the-valley Warren Miller and John Jay telephoto shots or the ones from the chopper floating above. Go Pro is great for a lot of things. Showing steeps is not one of them.

High School to Use Local Chairlift for Graduation Ceremony

Graduating Kennett High School (Conway, NH) seniors will ride a Cranmore Mountain chairlift to receive their diplomas. Nice way to maintain social distancing in this small New England ski town.

Send A Photo Wearing Vintage Skiwear

Skiers from 1900. Source: The Guardian

Okay, you’ve cleaned the house, organized the family pictures, Zoom-cocktailed with family and friends. Here’s a suggestion for something different: Send us a selfie of you/spouse/friend wearing  vintage clothing and we’ll publish the most interesting ones in June. Make it a sweater, jacket, hat, pants, whatever. For inspiration, check out this gallery of ski fashion dating from 1900 to the early ‘70s. It was published by the British daily The Guardian. Send your pictures to info@seniorsskiing.com and include your name and where you live.

Thanks for reading. Please forward SeniorsSkiing.com to your skier friends. Advertising in SeniorsSkiing.com is a  great way to reach the 50+ snow sports enthusiast. Rates are very low and our 16,500 subscribers are very responsive. Contact: advertising@seniorsskiing.com.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/1 Comment/in /by

I was in a place I shouldn’t have been. When I entered the gate, I thought I had been on this part of the mountain years earlier. But as I descended, nothing about it seemed familiar.

 

It was steep beyond my comfort. There were bumps and trees, and the surface was getting icy. Signs on the trees warned this was a cliff area.

At my age, this was no place to be skiing alone.

I heard scraping skis below me and saw someone near a rope line skiing to the left. 

Then I was alone. My skis were long past their useful life. My goggles kept fogging. I had a phone, but not a whistle. It was at home in a pack. No use to me now.

Before passing through the gate, someone had warned me not to go. I said not to worry, I knew what I was getting in to.

That was a mistake. Steep, Icy surface. Tight trees. 

I wasn’t scared, but I had lost confidence. Side-slipping and kick turns were all I could muster. Even when I found a stretch of softer snow, I couldn’t bring myself to make a few turns. 

It was beautiful in there. Cliffs above and below; twisted trunks rising to blue sky. Quiet.

How would someone find me? Maybe they’ll start looking when my car is the only one left in the lot?

Eventually, I saw a trail.

I must have been in there 30 or 40 minutes. It’s unlikely I’ll try it again, but if I do, it will be on better skis, I’ll have a whistle, and I won’t be in there alone.

Vail Announces Northeast Passes and Rewards Program

Vail just announced two regional passes for the Northeast (US). The Northeast Value Pass (adults, $599; college students, $419) provides unlimited, restricted access to Okemo, Mount Snow and Hunter, 10 restricted days at Stowe, plus unlimited, unrestricted access to Wildcat, Attitash, Mount Sunapee, Crotched, Liberty, Whitetail, Roundtop and more. The Northeast Midweek Pass ($449) has similar access, but restricted to Monday through Friday, and five restricted midweek days at Stowe. 

Vail also announced ‘Epic Mountain Rewards,’ which gives pass holders a discount of 20 percent off food and beverage, lodging, group ski and ride school lessons, equipment rentals and more at the Company’s North American owned and operated resorts.

For details, click here. 

2020-21 IKON Pass Discount

Renew your Ikon Pass and Ikon Base Pass before Wednesday, April 22, and (depending on the pass) get up to $100 on next season’s IKON Pass.

When Skiing Utah, Visit The Lift House

My first visit to a ski shop was when I was 10. It was a narrow and deep store in Albany, NY, and what I remember most is the rich smell of leather boots. Over the years I’ve been in many ski shops: some okay, some quite good, and some terrific. Spending much of the winter in Utah, I’ve been reminded that The Lift House, the venerable store near the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, is an absolutely terrific place. Its location is ideal for people skiing Alta, Snowbird, Solitude or Brighton. It is consistently well-stocked with the top equipment and clothing brands. And the personnel are knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. Years ago, when we visited with kids in tow, The Lift House is where we rented. Over the years, it’s one of the places I’ve relied on for quality tunes. It’s the kind of place with a deep inventory of useful accessories And when they have a sale, they really mean it. Many people stop on the way to the mountain to purchase discount lift tickets. For example, a weekday at Snowbird costs $130. At The Lift House, it’s $97. An Alta day pass is $125. At The Lift House it’s $105, a better deal than the $119 if purchased directly from Alta online. There are other excellent shops in the area, most with similar brands, some specializing in only the most expensive ski and casual clothing. When headed in the direction of Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, The Lift House is highly recommended.

International Skiing History Association

The International Skiing History Association (ISHA) is the non-profit with the mission of preserving and advancing knowledge of ski history and increasing awareness of skiing’s heritage. ISHA publishes Skiing History magazine the bimonthly filled with interesting articles and great illustrations. A six-month digital subscription is free. Click here or on the adjacent ad to subscribe.

Two more things from ISHA:

  • As a member ($49 annually; $59 international members) you’ll receive hard copies of Skiing History and have access to the organization’s digital archives. Among other things, you’ll find a guide to more than 160 ski museums and collections in 22 countries.
  • If you’re attending Skiing History Week in Sun Valley, March 25-28, sign up for ISHA’s annual Awards Banquet. Click here for details.

How Snowbird Trails Got Their Names

It’s not that often that we get to know the stories behind the trail names. The Snowbird website has a wonderful short article about how many of its trails were named. Written by frequent SeniorsSkiing.com contributor, Harriet Wallis, it’s informative and amusing. Who wouldda thunk that the West Second South trail refers to Salt Lake City’s long gone red light district? It’s an easy trail named for a the street of easy women.

This Self-Massage Device is Essential for Older Skiers

Last year, a skier friend recommended the Tiger Tail, a highly effective self-massage tool that doesn’t require getting on the floor, like you do with a foam roller. OMG!!! What a fantastic device! I get off the mountain and roll out my quads. At home, when my calves start to cramp, Tiger Tail comes to my immediate rescue. The company’s website is rich with useful text, picture and video instructions. Last month at the big industry trade show in Denver, I met Spring Faussette, who invented Tiger Tail and owns the company. She’s offering SeniorsSkiing.com readers a discount code for 30% off Tiger Tail and the company’s other products. Visit the Tiger Tail website and enter snowski50 during checkout to receive the discount.

Mont-Tremblant, Extends Season

The Quebec area will be open through April 19, and kids under accompanied by an adult will ski free.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/1 Comment/in /by

“Too Darn Hot.” Cole Porter got it right with his enduring 1948 hit. What a summer!

Weather is getting more and more extreme. Hot. Cold. Wind. Flood. I like this church sign:

But I don’t like these pictures taken within a week of each other from near the top of Mont Blanc. Going from snow to lake in such a short time is a bad sign.

Credit: @bryanthealpinist

I don’t know if there’s much we can do about this any more except attempt to take action to slow the process down and figure out how to make the best of it. 

Waiting for the flurries, I think abut that magical combination of gravity and snow and being waist-deep in light powder.

In the meanwhile, Irving Berlin also got it right with his saucy 1933 song, “Heat Wave.”

###

Vail Resorts Acquires Mount Snow, Hunter, Wildcat, Roundtop, Others

Earlier this week, Vail Resorts announced it is acquiring Peak Resorts. The areas comprise many Eastern and Mid-Western signature resorts (Mount Snow, VT; Hunter Mountain, NY; Attitash, Wildcat, and Crotched, NH; Liberty, Roundtop, Whitetail, Jack Frost and Big Boulder, PA; Alpine Valley, Boston Mills, Brandywine, and Mad River Mountain, OH; Hidden Valley and Snow Creek, MO, and Paoli Peaks, IN). The areas will be accessible on the Epic and Military Epic passes.

Alta’s Enduring Butterfly

Contributor Harriet Wallis sent in these pictures of the butterfly shaped snow patch on Alta’s Mt. Superior. The color shot was taken recently. It matches up perfectly with the shot from 1873.

Credit: Robin Roberson

Delta Eliminates $150 Ski/Board Checking Fee

The new policy follows a similar announcement in May by American. Complete checked baggage fee detail, including the new sporting equipment fees: Delta.com

Killington Breaks Ground on New Lodge

Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard resort in Eastern North America , broke ground last week on its 58,000 sq. ft. K-1 Base Lodge.  Slated to open for the 2020-21 winter season, it will be 21,000 sq. ft. larger than the previous structure.

Colorado Has Fewest Obese People. West Virginia Has Most.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 30.1% of US adults are obese as of 2017. The US obesity rate has doubled since 1990 when 15% of the population was classified as obese. The five least obese states are Colorado, D.C., Hawaii, California, and Utah. The five with the most obese are West Virginia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Alabama. Click here for complete list.

2010 Olympic Gold Medal Auctioned for $68,750

The Vancouver 2010 Olympic gold medal belonging to Belarusian freestyle skier Alexei Grishin sold at auction last week for $68,750 according to Boston-based RR Auction. The anonymous winning bidder is a collector from Belarus. The medal is among the heaviest in Olympic history. Each of the 615 medals created for the Vancouver Games features a hand-cropped section of the artwork that ensures that no two medals are the same. 

Live Weather Reports Now Available from Mt. Everest

Researchers from National Geographic Society and Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan University recently installed weather stations on Mount Everest. The two highest are at 27,257’ and 26,066’. To access these high elevation conditions click here.

Good Conditions At South Africa’s Only Resort

At the time of this writing, Tiffindell Alpine Resort, South Africa’s only ski area, has almost 12”. All five lifts are operating and more snow is predicted for this week.

Guadalajara Gets 5’ Hail Dump

Credit: CNN

A freak early-July storm left 5’ of hail in the Mexican city of Guadalajara. It happened following several days of warm, dry weather.

Surfing On Skis?

Candide Thovex is the French extreme skier who seems set on doing every imaginable thing that can be done on skis. In this short video, appropriately named The Wave, he uses snow skis on artificially-generated surf. 

Tamsin Venn

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Sunapee Goes Epic

/4 Comments/in , /by

Seniors Can Still Get A Mid-Week Pass At A Big Discount Before April 14.

Skier falling into slush cup

It’s that time of the year. Sunapee celebrates spring with a splash. Credit: Sunapee

Sunapee in New Hampshire went Epic this past winter, joining Stowe and Okemo, Vt., as Vail Resort’s three footholds in the East.

Sunapee draws many locals from neighboring towns plus a hefty day crowd from the Boston area. Parking lots fill up early on weekends. Midweek warriors descend on discounted Wicked Wednesdays. Many get there early, lap the Sunapee Express Quad, and leave by lunch.

Skiers disperse to two base lodges—the older, funkier Spruce Lodge (no stairs to reach it) with wood cubbies stuffed with lunch coolers, and the roomier Sunapee Lodge at the Sunapee Express Quad. A shuttle truck precludes schlepping from one to the other, connected by The Beach—a popular spring picnic spot.

Sunapee got jolted out of state-strapped limbo when the Mueller family took over operations in 1998 and worked the same wonders here as they had at nearby Okemo. Robust snowmaking (97 percent) and grooming make Sunapee a reliable area even when snow in the woods is sparse.

Off the South Peak learning area is where the Muellers secured rights to build the West Bowl Expansion, and Vail may or may not follow through. Locals are happy about more trails but skeptical of condos and some dead set against disturbing the old growth forest here.

As a mid-sized area, Sunapee has 66 trails that are varied and full of character. For scenery, ski down the Skyway overlooking a snow-covered Lake Sunapee for one of the best views in New England. Follow the woods down the ungroomed Williamson Trail, or skip through the trees in Sunrise Glades. Get an adrenaline kick down Blast Off and bounce off the moguls on Upper Flying Goose. The terrain park attracts a group of kids who grew up there together. Epic or not, Sunapee will always be Sunapee.

The Muellers’ parting gift to skiers was a high-speed quad commandeered from Okemo in the Sun Bowl. Previously one had to think twice before shooting down here knowing one was facing a slow ride back up, especially in a blizzard.

Although many people ski here for the convenience, less than two hours from Boston, the area truly is a place to stay awhile. Long a summer haven with its many lakes, the Sunapee area has a happy sense of continuity. Skiing segues into swimming and sailing. The ski area has zip lining, mountain biking, adventure course, and summer camps. The satellites tend to stick around—Bob Skinner’s ski shop at the Rotary, Bubba’s Bar & Grille in Newbury, Peter Christian’s Tavern, New London Inn, Dexter’s Inn, Colby-Sawyer College, familiar spots all.

Ticket buyers this year buy an EpicDay pass, a direct-to-lift card that they can reload on line. Until mid-April closing, a day ticket cost counts in the purchase of next year’s Epic Pass.

Epic Local Pass for $699 (19 plus) accesses 30 resorts and is unrestricted at Mt. Sunapee and Okemo. Epic Pass for $939 (ages 13 up) has access to 65 resorts including Europe and Japan. Buy at the Epic Pass site.

For its loyal seniors, Sunapee still offers a midweek pass. Seniors (65-69) is $429 and Super Senior (70 plus) is $279, if bought before April 14. Those prices increased slightly but now include ten discount buddy and six ski-with-a-friend passes. Call or stop at Guest Services (603) 763-3576.

Click here for Sunapee Webcams

Click here for Sunapee Trail Map

 

A less-than two-hour drive from Metro Boston, Sunapee has beautiful blues, views, and lots to choose. Credit: Sunapee

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/0 Comments/in /by

Many thanks to those who responded to our February fund-raising campaign. Your decals, patches, and hats are being sent. There are delays in shipments because the patch supplier is behind schedule. Thank you for your support!!!

Once upon a time, stores, malls and restaurants didn’t look the same. Places in different parts of the country looked and felt different, even if their offerings were similar. Today, the mall in Boston might as well be in Boise or Baltimore. To this observer, they seem similar and soulless; commercial palaces selling the same commodified goods.

 

Is something similar happening to our ski areas? 

I hope not. But, despite physical and geographic differences, areas that are part of IKON or EPIC certainly present themselves and their pass offerings with similarity. It’s efficient, and their corporate bosses (most likely) require it.

In the process, local character and culture gets tossed in the blender, and we, the people who may have enjoyed the differences, lose out.

Early last week, Arapahoe Basin announced it was parting ways with Vail Resort’s EPIC Pass. The stated reason is A-Basin’s lack of parking capacity to accommodate increased traffic from it’s EPIC participation. Parking space is a legitimate issue and one of Arapahoe’s biggest challenges.

The official statement from Alan Henceroth ,Arapahoe’s Chief Operating Officer also read, “..the ski area has developed a very special community that feels like home. This decision (to leave EPIC) will allow us to continue to build on this spirit and the experience we have created.”  

I don’t think Arapahoe’s decision is the canary in the mine for the rest of the industry. But it highlights the area’s interest in preserving its character and its community. I spent a bluebird day there a few weeks back. It has every type if skiing you’d want: bowl, trees, trails, above tree line. The lodges are lovely; the food, creative, interesting and reasonably priced. The Beavers, new lift-serviced acreage with blacks and blues opened this season. In 2020 the area will be 75.

Arapahoe is not the biggest and it’s not the most glamorous. But it is a wonderful ski area taking steps to preserve its character and its soul.

BRAVO Arapahoe!!!!!

Vail To Acquire Two Aussie Resorts

Vail Resorts will be purchasing two more ski resorts, both in Victoria, Australia. They are Falls Creek Alpine Resort and Hotham Alpine Resort. The purchase price is reported to be $174 million.

New Sun Valley/Snowbasin Pass

The new Sun and Snow Pass from Sun Valley and Snowbasin.  Twill offer three days at each resort for $359 for adults and $89 for children. The pass also gives 50% off the window rate for subsequent ticket purchases. The pass has other benefits, as well. The $359 price rises after May 31. Click here for details.

 2019-20 IKON Pass Now Available

Both versions of the pass go on sale March 5 for lowest prices of the upcoming season. Click here.

Alf Engen Ski Museum’s Head To Receive ISHA Award

When visiting Park City, the Alf Engen Ski Museum is an important stop. With stationary and interactive exhibits, it is the most entertaining of the nation’s ski museums. Connie Nelson, the museum’s executive director since inception, will be recognized by the International Skiing History Association with its Lifetime Achievement Award when ISHA meets in Park City in early April.

Entering Easily: Getting Into Your Boots

One of the most common complaints about ski boots is the difficulty of getting them on. Over the years, myriad homemade and commercial solutions have been developed. SeniorsSkiing.com advertiser, BOOTSTER, is a ski boot shoe horn that fits in parka pocket, incorporates Teflon-coated Kevlar fabric,  and is genuinely effective. It was developed by an older skier who is also a professional engineer. Visit the company website to see how it works and to read user comments. If you’re fed-up with the aggravation of putting on ski boots, this $25 investment will give you many years of productive dividends.

Colorful Spring Fling Video From Mont-Sainte-Anne and Stoneham Mountain Resort

It’s colorful. It’s youthful. It’s fun. Click here.

1920s Winter Sports Film

This compilation from British Pathé includes early skiing, skijoring, skating, etc. One of the weirdest clips has a guy with a parachute. It’s short.

Finally………

We’re working on improving the SeniorsSkiing.com Facebook page. If you visit it — https://www.facebook.com/seniorsskiing/ — please “like” us.

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/2 Comments/in /by

Earlier this week a request to support SeniorsSkiing.com showed up in your email. We really need your donations. This is our fifth publishing year and only the second time we’ve made the request.

When we started, Mike and I decided that this labor of love should be free. What we’ve learned is that publishing weekly throughout the season requires a lot of effort and a considerable amount of money. Our editorial contributors are just that…contributors. Advertisers cover some expenses, but as our free publication grows, so do a variety of back office costs. That’s why we’re asking for your help.

To put it in context, some years ago I noticed a lot of older skiers on the hill. That was before I came to understand that one in five skiers and boarders in the U.S. are 52 and older. It was the same wherever I went, especially mid-week. Lift conversations informed me that older skiers had similar interests. As for areas, they wanted to know more than just the best places to huck cliffs. Their interests in equipment were different from those of younger skiers. Many had concerns about medical conditions and forms of recovery. They were curious about contemporaries doing interesting things.

That was the seed. Getting it planted and nourishing it into existence became a collaboration, first with my old college buddy Mike Maginn, and then with the members of our Advisory Council and with our contributors.

To our knowledge, there’s no other ongoing source of information serving the older skier/boarder/snowshoer community. SeniorsSkiing.com exists to advance your interests by publishing relevant and useful information, encouraging an engaged online community, and advocating on your behalf.

When we started our total number of subscribers could be counted on two hands. By the end of this season, SeniorsSkiing.com will have registered between 250,000 and 300,000 page views. Most of you are located in the U.S. and Canada, but there are many from the EU, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. A few of you are located in Latin America, China, and Japan.

Wherever you are, if you enjoy reading SeniorsSkiing.com and having access to our special features such as the annual listing of North American areas and resorts where seniors ski free and the annual report on the best skis for older skiers, among others, please consider making a donation. In return, we’ll send you a gift and enter your name into a drawing for a pair of retro, bamboo, Panda Poles. To donate, click here.

New York Times Skiing Op-ED

A Feb 2 Opinion piece titled “Why Can’t Rich People Save Winter?” in The New York Times is generating buzz in the ski world. Written by Porter Fox, author and former editor at Powder Magazine, the article suggests that if wealthy skiers coordinate their money and influence, it might change climate and environmental policies. To be fair, most of the article describes industry initiaitives, including those announced last week during the annual Snow Show trade meeting in Denver. The piece states that there are 50 billionaires with homes in Aspen (a link shows who they are). Reader comments range from critical to skeptical.

R.I.P. Peter Keelty

Peter Keelty, skier extrordinaire.

Peter Keelty was one of the country’s finest skiing stylists and technicians. When SeniorsSkiing.com got underway, he called and invited me to meet him at Alta. I had no idea of who he was, but I could tell he was intelligent and passionate about the sport. We skied together three or four times. I learned that he and Jackson Hogen were the founders of Realskiers.com, that he had grown up in northern Vermont, and that, as Jackson confirmed this week, he was devoted to improving technique in others. The last time we met he brought a pair of Anton skis for my use. As I recall they were relatively short and the binding system made me feel like I was skiing on a stepladder. His goal was to get me way up on my edges; a place where I didn’t feel comfortable. Last season I noticed he had made a few comments on the site. Earlier this week, Peter Keelty joined other great skiers and contributors to the sport on the Endless Slope in the Sky. He was 76.

Utah Powder

Ski Utah just announced that the Wasatch resorts received 5’ in four days. The email said the dump resulted in a shortage of snorkels.

Pico Peak Hosts Blind and Visually Impaired Skiers

More than 35 blind or visually impaired athletes will learn to ski or learn to race this weekend with Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports at the 12th anniversary of the United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) Winter Ski Festival at Pico Mountain.

Epic Adds  Two

Sun Valley (ID) and Snowbasin (UT) will be on the 2019-20 Epic Pass. The number of days at each depends on the Epic Pass purchased. Visit https://www.epicpass.com for more.

Picture Perfect Colorado

Colorado Ski Country USA took the creative approach of announcing the best place to take a scenic photograph at each of it’s member resorts. They include Arapahoe Basin, Aspen Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, Snowmass, Cooper, Copper Mountain, Echo Mountain, Eldora, Granby Ranch, Howelsen Hill, Kendall Mountain, Loveland, Monarch, Powderhorn, Purgatory, Silverton, Steamboat, Sunlight, Telluride, Winter Park, and Wolf Creek. Click here  for specifics.

Join Us in the Alps

Join us the week of March 10 when we ski in the Aosta Valley with guides from Alpskitour. Each day, we’ll go to a different resort in Italy, Switzerland and France. The all-inclusive price — $4,500 to $5,500 per person– depends on where you fly to and whether you stay in a 3 or 5 star hotel. Orsden is a sponsor and giving a parka to each participant. If interested, email me: jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/6 Comments/in /by

I keep a list of the places I’ve skied since I was 10. In a few weeks, I’ll be 75. The list totals 85 areas, mostly the US and Canada. The others are in the French and Swiss Alps. One, an indoor area that no longer exists, was in Japan.

Photo: Rylo

That, and the recent addition of Canada to our annual list of paces where seniors can ski free, got me thinking about just how many areas there are. Note that I used the term “areas,” not “resorts.” Some of the places I found are indoor ski centers. Others are quite small and have few amenities. I don’t want to give the term, “resort” a bad name.

According to one Google reference, as of last season, Europe had 3,478 ski areas. That’s a lot more than the 472 in the US. When you add Canada’s 219 areas, and Mexico’s one little ski resort, North America totals 692.

By comparison, Australia and New Zealand, combined, have 62. And all of South America has 30.

Africa has seven areas: two in Algeria, one in Lesotho (I once travelled there on non-ski-related business and met the king), three in Morocco, and one in South Africa.

I counted a total of 728 areas across Asia; most of them in Japan. The list of Japanese areas I used was a bit confusing, so my count may be off. There certainly are more than 500 Japanese areas. Currently China has 7 areas, but as reported here last year, there are plans to build 500 more by 2022, when China hosts the Winter Olympics.

India has 11 areas; Pakistan 9. A few years ago, I wrote a piece about North Korea’s newest resort. The country has two. South Korea has 20. And, in case you didn’t already know this, there are areas in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Even Mongolia has a ski area. And in the Middle East, there’s skiing in Lebanon, Iran, Israel, Syria, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates (indoor, of course).

Add them up and they total 4997 ski areas. I’ve only been to 85! If any of you have skied unusual or out of the way places, tell us about them in “Comments,” or drop me a line at jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Pass the Bucks

Last season Vail sold 750,000 Epic Pases. This season, Alterra expects it will sell 250,000 Ikon Passes in this, the first full season for the Ikon Pass. These passes come with a cost for senior skiers – the elimination of local area passes and the senior discounts they offered. While on the subject, Valle Nevado in Chile, just became part of the Ikon Pass.

LGBTQ Skiing

ELEVATION is a series of annual gay ski and snowboard weeks. It started 16 years ago at Mammoth and has been a presence in Park City for the past eight years. This season, the event will also be held at Mont Tremblant.

Colorado Has the Goods

Breckenridge and Keystone received 5’ since mid October. Both open this week.

Skiing With Grandkids

This article from the Ski Utah website gives practical advice for parents of young skiers. If you’re a grandparent, taking young ones out on the hill for the first time, it will helpful.

Maine Ski Hall of Fame Inducts Seven

The Maine Ski Hall of Fame recognizes Maine skiers who have brought distinction to Maine skiing or made significant contributions to the sport. This year’s inductees are US Freestyle Champions, Karen Colburn and Anne Dowling; Leon Akers, cross country coach and ski shop owner; David Stonebraker, prep school ski coach; Warren Cook, Sugarloaf ski executive; Kristina Sabasteanski, biathlete; and (posthumously) Norman Libby, Bridgton winter adventurer who was the first to ski Pleasant Mountain (Shawnee Peak) in the 1890’s.

The Hall of Fame is a program of Ski Museum of Maine.

SeniorsSkiing.com Readers Get Free Subscriptions to SKI Magazine and Skiing History Magazine

Go to the top of the page. Click “Community.” Scroll down to the two offers.

seniorsskiing

Vail and Alterra’s Unfairness Doctrine

/28 Comments/in /by

Editorial

Regardless of whether the steady elimination of season pass senior discounts is personally insignificant or presents a financial burden, you should be aware of the lack of fairness and gratitude exhibited by this new policy.

Through Vail’s EPIC Pass and Alterra’s IKON pass, the companies are advancing elimination of senior discounts, while acquiring more areas. In fairness, some localized Vail Epic passes offer senior discounts. But Alterra’s pricing policy is more draconian because it substitutes its own IKON bundled pass for (most) local area season passes. In doing so, it also eliminates local area senior pass discounts.

Granted, for those who choose to travel to ski, IKON and EPIC offer decent value. But for most Alterra resorts, those who don’t travel but want to ski at one of the Alterra areas are now forced to purchase the bundle.

Why is the elimination of senior discounts unfair? Because areas removing senior discounts still offer student and military discounts.

Why does the elimination of senior discounts reflect a lack of gratitude? Perhaps the most obvious reason is related to our years of participation and support. After 30, 40, 50, 70 or more years of supporting ski resorts, why can’t resort operator’s reward us for our collective loyalty? It’s done in many other industries.

A subtler and possibly more significant reason is the older skier’s role in introducing young people to a  sport whose US  base hasn’t grown in 35 years. The most recent SeniorsSkiing.com reader survey shows that grandparents are a major factor introducing grandkids to skiing and boarding. Fifty-eight percent of the respondents were grandparents. They introduced more than 68% of their grandkids to the sport. Of those, 94.5% continue to participate. Considering that each grandparent or grandparent set has an average of 3.7 grandkids, the influence of older skiers on new skier/boarder recruitment — one of the biggest issues facing the ski resort industry — is profound. Why yank discounts when we’re helping to add new skiers and boarders?

Maybe they think they can boost revenues because we’re an easy and decentralized target. Maybe the people making the decisions have a built-in age bias. Maybe it boils down to old-fashioned greed.

And maybe it wouldn’t be so disturbing if it were fair. But it’s not fair. It doesn’t recognize our decades of support to the industry. It does not take into account that most of us go midweek. And it ignores our role introducing new skiers and boarders to the joys of being on snow.

We’d like your thoughts on this point of view. Please comment.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/6 Comments/in /by

Are older skiers the Rodney Dangerfields of the slopes? Sometimes it feels like ski resorts show us no respect.

Consider that there are no Epic or Ikon senior discounts, and, in the case of some Ikon resorts, there no longer are local season passes and the senior discounts associated with them.

Some of the big players are doing very well. Vail Resorts, which owns Epic, reported a 58% increase in second quarter net revenue over second quarter 2017. Part of the increase was a one-time bonus from the new tax law; part of it was from increases in lift ticket and season pass products.

Like any other business, the ski industry follows the money. Which brings me to one of the key findings from our most recent reader survey. Fifty-six percent of all respondents spent $1000 to $5000 per person on skiing and related activities last season. More than 10% spent $5000 or more per person.

The same can’t be said for Millennials and Gen-Xers, the industry’s primary target markets.

One in five U.S. skiers and boarders are 52 or older. Our survey, which had more respondents than any of our previous reader surveys, showed an average of 15 days on the hill. More than one-third skied 23 days or more.

For those bottom line oriented ski executives who may be reading this: We use your facilities more and spend more than the youngsters. Think twice before removing senior discounts.

 

New Canadian Resort to Have Longest Vertical in North America

Valemount Glacier Destination is being developed in the Cariboo Mountain Range in British Columbia. When completed, it will have the longest vertical drop in North America (6726′) and the third longest in the world. Developers expect it to become a year-round skiing and sightseeing destination. Near Jasper National Park, the area already has substantial infrastructure. When completed, there will be skiing on several mountains, the largest of which is Mt XXXX, which summits at XXXXX ‘. The resort is a 75 minute drive from Jasper. It is located on the trans-Canada rail line and has a local airport within walking distance of the resort base. Larger airports are several hours away.

According to Tomas Oberti, project manager, the first phase is expected to open for day skiing in December. Full build-out of the project will occur over 20 years.

More on Valemount Glacier Destination at http://valemountglaciers.com.

Seven Skiers Die in Alps Storm

Seven skiers on the Haute Route in Switzerland died in a sudden storm in early May. They were part of a guided group forced to overnight in freezing temperatures. Adding to the tragedy: they were just a few hundred meters from an alpine hut. Elsewhere in the Alps, the storm claimed the lives of another seven climbers and tourists. It was the most loss of lives in Switzerland since 1999, when 12 died in an avalanche in the Valais.

 

The Daily Senior Skier Skinning Session at Arapahoe Basin

Doris Spencer is 72; Kent Willoughby, 79. They have been skinning up A-basin for nearly 18 years. This short documentary inspired me. I expect it will do the same for you.

 

Snowbird’s One Star Season

The Bird just issued this one-minute video summary of the season. The resort characterizes 2017-18 as a “one star” season, but you’d never know it from the skiing and boarding in the video.

 

Baltimore Ski Club Celebrates Member’s 90th Birthday

Dave Karczmarek, BSC Director of Ski Trips, recognizing John Wotell on his 90th.

John Wotell turned 90 in February, and the Baltimore Ski Club recently turned out in force to celebrate. A long time skier, he and his wife, Ann, were active members of the Ski Club of Maryland since the 1960s. For years, he was president of the group and made “President for Life” when he stepped down. He celebrated his 90th at Big Sky. Happy Birthday, John!

 

 

Jon Weisberg

IKON Pricing Hurts Some Older Skiers. May Help Others.

/16 Comments/in /by

Pricing of the new IKON Pass has raised concerns among older skiers, especially people living close to Mammoth and Squaw Valley. Those and some other IKON resorts are eliminating local season passes, most of which had senior discounts.

Like EPIC, Mountain Collective, and other bundled packages, IKON generally offers good value.

Ski pass pricing is complicated and making a decision about which bundle, if any, to buy should be determined by where you live and where you intend to ski.

Next season, many of the IKON resorts will have IKON as their only season pass option. Mammoth, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows, and Steamboat are among those retiring their local season passes.

Now, people living near those areas will be required to purchase the $899 IKON pass for unlimited skiing. One extreme example of the penalty they’ll pay is at Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows. This season, 65-75 year olds had unlimited skiing for $719, a $180 difference from what they’ll pay to ski there in 18-19. The most dramatic sticker shock will be for 76+ skiers: This season they paid $389 for (mostly unlimited access). Next season, IKON will force a $500+ increase.

Granted, IKON provides access to many other areas. It really is a very good bundled option. But for the 76+ group at Squaw/Alpine who limited their skiing to those resorts, it will cost a lot more.

The cost difference between IKON and this season’s Cali4nia Pass at Mammoth is about $400 more, but the resort plans to continue its free skiing policy for the 80+.

 Friends of Squaw Valley has started an initiative to persuade Alterra Mountain Corporation, the resort conglomerate behind IKON, to include local passes and senior discounts.

IKON has two pricing levels, neither of which includes senior pricing.

  • Unlimited costs $899 and includes unlimited skiing at 12 specific destinations. In addition, it offers seven days at each of 13 other resorts.
    • Of the areas with unlimited access, four are in Colorado (Steamboat, Winter Park, Copper, Eldora) and four are in California (Mammoth, Squaw/Alpine, Big Bear, June). The others are Stratton, Tremblant, Snowshoe, and Blue Mountain.
    • Resorts where pass holders can ski up to seven days each are Alta, Snowbird, Deer Valley, Jackson Hole, Big Sky, Aspen/Snowmass, Killington, Sugarbush, Loon, Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Revelstoke and SkiBig3.
  • Base Pass costs $599 and offers unlimited skiing at 10 destinations and up to five days each at 15 other resorts.
    • The areas with unlimited access are Tremblant, Winter Park, Copper, Big Bear, Blue Mountain, Snowshoe, and Eldora.
    • The five days apply to each of the other areas in the Unlimited package.

Copper Mountain is one of the IKON resorts. It’s 2018-19 season pass is $369 for 70+ seniors and gives unlimited access plus three days, each, at Purgatory, Monarch, Powder Mountain and Taos. It has other free skiing with lodging benefits elsewhere.

If I lived near Copper and planned to ski there exclusively, the $369 purchase would be a no brainer. If I planned to take a few excursions to Aspen/Snowmass, Winter Park, Eldora, Steamboat or any of the other resorts covered by IKON, I’d spend the additional $230 for IKON’s $599 Base Pass.

The bundled ticket trend requires careful determination of what is best, based on where we live, where we ski, and what next season holds in store.

Marketers know that it’s easier to get a bit more out of the customer when they throw in the extras, even though most purchasers will use a small portion of what they bought.

Bundled ski passes — IKON, EPIC, Mountain Collective, etc. — offer good value. Study the options and make choices based on a realistic appraisal of where you think you’ll ski next season.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/16 Comments/in /by

We need to adjust our skiing to our age.

Some readers will probably react with a “Mind your own business,” and that’s fine.

But I keep running into too many people beating themselves up on skis: either forcing old bodies to ski like they did when they were young, or not knowing how to adjust to a more age-appropriate technique.

Several years back I was skiing with a contemporary in her sixties. She skied like she did as a college racer. Impressive, but way to fast for my taste. I waited a long time at the bottom of a bumpy Snowbird trail where her husband met me after patrol had put her into the sled. Broken leg.

I tell everyone I ski with that I ski slowly. I turn a lot, aspiring to graceful form. There are two downsides: it can be tiring, and it makes me vulnerable to being struck by a speed demon. I frequently glance uphill. A few weeks ago while linking tight turns at trail’s edge, I glanced back and saw a youngish boarder on my tail. “Thanks,” she called out. “I enjoyed following your turns.”

Epic Pass Additions

The Vail-owned bundled pass has added Crested Butte, Okemo, and Mount Sunapee for next season.

Boyne Aquiring 6 Areas

They are: Brighton (UT), Cypress Mountain (BC), Loon (NH), Sugarloaf (ME), Sunday River (ME), and The Summit at Snoqualmie (WA).

Harlem Globetrotter on Skis

Globetrotter, Bucket Blakes took a lesson at Arapahoe Basin to promote the team’s March 16 – March 18 Colorado tour. The resulting short video is a refreshing treat.

Colorado

Copper Mountain will upgrade two of its Center Village lifts. American Eagle will become a combination gondola/chairlift. American Flyer will become 6-passenger high-speed bubble chair.

Winter Park will replace its Zephyr Express quad with a gondola.

Montana

Big Sky will replace its Ramcharger quad with North America’s first eight-passenger chair. The new lift, to be ready for next season, will have heated seats and blue bubbles. The older, high-speed Ramcharger will replace the much slower Shedhord double chair.

Quebec

Mont Tremblant will replace its Lowell Thomas chair with a detachable quad. Its main summit lodge, Le Grand Manitou, will be expanded.

 Vermont

Snow gods seem to be favoring the Green Mountain State. Six to seven feet have fallen since beginning of the month. Great time to plan a Spring Skiing trip. This weekend will be filled with green snow and green beer as Vermont areas celebrate St Patrick’s Day.

Killington, part of the IKON pass, will continue to offer discounts on its season pass for seniors, 65-79. The pass for 80+ is essentially free (nominal processing fee required).

Stratton will replace its Snowbowl chair with a high-speed detachable.

High Fives Foundation

Jan and Judy Brunvand with their special edition Parlor Skis

Frequent contributor Jan Brunvand sent in this photo with his wife, Judy, holding her special edition High Fives Foundation Parlor Skis. Parlor gives 15% of its High Fives design sales to the non-profit which helps injured athletes reach their recovery goals. Jan is holding the trout skis Parlor made for the American Museum of Fly Fishing.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/2 Comments/in , /by

The first rule for skiing powder is to get to it before anyone else does.

NO FRIENDS ON A POWDER DAY???

It skis best when untracked, and it doesn’t stay untracked for long. The other day at Grand Targhee in Wyoming, I bought a ticket that gave access to the lifts an hour before opening to the public. The other option would have been pricier cat skiing. As it turned out, eight runs in untracked were more than adequate. Once the others arrived — especially the boarders — the snow got cut up quickly and the skiing, while still nice, was no longer the same. It’s a joy to look down a slope devoid of tracks, to drop in, and have that bottomless experience so difficult to convey to those who haven’t. In your wake is a series of cursive turns that are yours. Warren Miller referred to them as your skiing signature.

Speaking of Warren Miller, someone in Montana mentioned he had seen a bumper sticker with this: Thank You, Warren.

Skiing History magazine Honors NASTAR’s 50th

International Skiing History Association (ISHA) will honor NASTAR’s 50th anniversary Friday evening, March 23, in Squaw Valley. The occasion will be featured during ISHA’s 26th Annual Awards Banquet, which also will honor the year’s best creative works of ski history, including books, films, websites and other media projects. Click here to purchase tickets.

 Melting Western Snowpack
A just-published snowpack study by Oregon State University and UCLA shows reduced snowpack since 1955. It’s not snowing less; snow in higher elevations is melting earlier in the season.

Canada

EPIC Pass has added these Canadian resorts for next season: Fernie, Kicking Horse, Kimberley, Nakiska, Mont Sainte Anne and Stoneham. EPIC now provides access to 61 resorts worldwide.

Mont Tremblant is introducing its new Tonik Pass which gives 118-day access to the mountain, including 28 weekend days. It’s on sale until April 9 for $449, plus provincial taxes. A $75 add-on gives first track access, gear tune-up, $200 gift certificate at Boutiques Tremblant, other benefits.

New Hampshire

Cranmore Mountain will host its 22nd annual Hannes Schneider Meister Cup Race, March 9 – 11, honoring the founding father of ski instruction who joined the resort in 1939. Event includes Friday night uphill race, welcome reception and Dual GS Race; vintage skiwear contest and silent auction, Saturday afternoon. Proceeds to benefit New England Ski Museum. Free spectator admission.                                     

Utah

Winter had a late start across the West, but March came in like the proverbial lion. Some Utah resorts received 120″ in the last 30 days!!!

Deer Valley 2018-19 season passes are available. Purchased before Oct 15, the adult price is $2365. Senior (65-71) is $1205, and Super Senior (71+) is $1,100.

Vermont

Killington will install a new 6-person high speed bubble chairlift at South Ridge.

Visit skivermont.com for up-to-date conditions for the state’s 20 alpine ski areas and 30 cross country ski centers.

Grants to Enable Injured Athletes

David Weiner is being helped by High Fives Foundation

In January, the High Fives Foundation granted $30,678.00 to ten US athletes seeking to reach their recovery goals. One of the grants went to David Weiner, an experienced skier who lost control on black ice and hit a tree. Started in 2009, High Fives has helped 188 athletes with living expenses, insurance, travel, health, healing network, adaptive equipment, winter equipment, etc.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/4 Comments/in /by

Is The US Ski Industry Becoming A Duopoly? If So, Will It Mean Higher Or Lower Priced Passes For Seniors?

Denver-based KSL Capital Partners recently joined privately owned Aspen Skiing Co to acquire Intrawest’s six resorts and four in southern California owned by Mammoth Resorts.

It’s the newest 800-pound ski resort gorilla. The other is Vail Resorts.

Two gorillas. Twenty-two major resorts across the continent.

A recent report in the Denver Post suggests the possibility they may be flirting with federal anti-trust regulations, something that occurred in the late 90’s when Vail was forced to sell Arapahoe Basin.

Vail is reported to have sold 650,000 Epic Passes last season; a 20% increase in sales over 2015-16. Word is, the new KSL/Aspen/Intrawest/Mammoth coalition will develop a pass to rival Vail’s Epic.

The Denver Post article states that a market dominated by cheap season passes could pinch independent resort owners relying on day-ticket sales.

With the exception of a few local versions, Epic Pass has no senior discount, something SeniorsSkiing.com readers find irksome, as indicated in recent reader surveys.

A duopoly means two giants in competition for market share. Will they compete on price and/or extra services? Wouldn’t it be great if they competed for the senior market with a senior discount?

New Zealand

Mt Hutt (6800′ altitude) in Canterbury, opens Friday, marking the start of the South Island ski season. Located about 90 minutes from Christchurch, Mt Hutt is the first South Island ski field to open this season. It just received 12″ and extended cold has allowed snow making operations to create a base of 12″-20″. Mt Hutt typically gets about 13′ during season.

 

 

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/6 Comments/in /by

End of Season House Cleaning

We’re moving out of Salt Lake City. Anyone who has gone through the exercise knows about getting rid of stuff. You categorize three ways: stuff you need; stuff you think you need; stuff you know you don’t. Which brings me to skis, boots, and clothes. I have seven pairs of skis and enjoy all of them. BUT, a few pairs haven’t seen snow in several years. At least one goes to the thrift store. There are two pairs of custom boots in the closet. The DaleBoots are the newest and fit best. I harvested the custom insoles from the old SureFits and hope a thrift store customer with my feet gets them for a lot less than I paid. The biggest dilemma? Parkas and pants. My wife shamed me into getting rid of Old Yella, it was dirty and way out of fashion. I have a few recent vintage parkas that cover most of my needs. They stay. The black one I picked up at a yard sale around 15 years ago still looks good and is great in powder. It’s only issue? Far too many zippered pockets. Finally, I’m giving up the pants that were waiting for my waist to change. A few still had tickets from 2003. And that black and silver Colmar one-piece? It’s a beaut, but it hasn’t been outside for more than a decade. Time for it to find a new home.

CALIFORNIA
Squaw Valley is a pretty hot real estate market. 2016 showed an 8% increase in home sales and a 17% increase in dollar volume. Greg Rankin is a ski friend specializing in Squaw Valley real estate. His newsletter is GOSQUAW.com.

MONTANA

Big Sky set a record for skier visitation. Its last biggest season was ’15-’16.

QUEBEC

Most ski resort summer activity is in the form of music, rides, mountain biking, etc. Mont Tremblant offers those and more. Its Tonga Lumina is a sound and light show showcasing the mountain’s natural elements and inspired by the its history and legends.

OTHER

Epic Pass doesn’t offer senior discounts, but season passes for some of its affiliated ski areas do. For example, the Tahoe Value Pass gives those 65+ access to Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood for $389. Holidays, peak periods and Saturdays are excluded. For $439, seniors can ski Kirkwood only, with no restrictions. The threshold age for Minnesota’s Afton Alps is 62 and unrestricted skiing is $309 for the season. At Michigan’s Mt. Brighton, skiers 62+ ski unrestricted for the season for $369. Purchase before May 29, and you get two Buddy Tickets, each providing a fixed ticket price for a day at one of the Vail Resorts. A ticket at Vail/Beaver Creek would cost $116 with a Buddy Ticket; one at Park City would be $85. Stowe, Vail’s most recent acquisition, currently is not shown as part of the Epic Pass program. According to a Vail spokesperson, once the deal closes Stowe will be included.

Shred Optics, Sync Performance and Slytech are partnering on a discount program that delivers up to 50% off their brands. Shred makes helmets and goggles. Sync makes down items and other wearables. Slytech makes a variety of protection devices for the back, knees, arms, elbows, shins, etc. When visiting the sites, use discount code: NEWPARTNER.

seniorsskiing

Short Swings!

/0 Comments/in /by

A Weekly Round-Up Of Industry News.

historic7_CALIFORNIA

11th annual Alpenglow Sports Winter Film Series will be held at Squaw Valley’s Olympic Village Lodge, November 17.

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows promoted Tom Feiten to VP, Marketing and Business Development, overseeing marketing and sales. Before joining the resort in 2011, he helped Teton Gravity Research revitalize the Teton Gravity Research annual film tour. He also worked eight years as Director of Strategic Finance for Booth Creek Ski Holdings in Vail, CO.

COLORADO

Arapahoe Basin will open for the season on Friday, October 21.

Ski Younger Now, instructed by Seth Masia at Vail Ski and Snowboard School, is a great program for older skiers. This season there will be four monthly midweek clinics (Tuesday thru Thursday, December 13-15, January 17-19, February 14-16, March 14-16) and one over the Martin Luther King Jr Day weekend (January 14-16). More at skiyoungernow.com or call Seth at 303.594.1657.

Colorado Cross Country Ski Association (CCCSA) announced the lineup (classic and skate skiing) for the inaugural 2017 Colorado Nordic Race Series taking place at four iconic Colorado destinations between January and March 2017.

GetSkiTickets.com announced it now offers discounts on ski lodging as well as lift tickets for resorts across North-America.

MICHIGAN

Boyne Resorts appointed Ian Arthur Chief Marketing Officer, a new position on the company’s executive team. He joins Boyne Resorts with 30+ years of marketing and related experience. Much of his career success has been achieved in the resort and travel industries. 

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods, NH was named one of the Top 25 Resorts in New England in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards. The awards recognize the best travel destinations from around the world.

UTAH

Ski Utah published its fifth annual Ski Utah Magazine, including, among other features, a comprehensive guide of all of Utah’s 14 ski resorts. Highlighted is an article about the Ski Utah Interconnect Tour, a great opportunity to ski six Utah resorts in the central Wasatch Mountains in one day. Online at: http://bit.ly/SkiUtahMagazine2016-17.

Deer Valley Resort has a new offering: Guests can hit the slopes with Olympic athletes such as Heidi Voelker, Shannon Bahrke, Kris “Fuzz” Feddersen, Kaylin Richardson, and Trace Worthington.

POWDR, owner of “experiential businesses” (e.g. Copper Mountain, Killington/Pico, Mt Bachelor, Boreal, others) announced it has rebranded. www.POWDR.com.

VERMONT

Okemo is offering its transferrable “3 & Easy” multi-pack that includes three days of lift access, valid any day of the season, with no restrictions. Lift access can be redeemed one day at a time or all on the same day. $204 for seniors (ages 65-60); $186 for super seniors (age 70+). Special offer available until October 31.

OTHER

SeniorsSkiing.com co-publisher was interviewed on Rudy Maxa’s World with The Careys, a nationally-broadcast radio program. Podcast of interview: http://rudymaxa.com/podcasts/2016-2/

Vail Resorts announced that it has added three days at Whistler Backcomb to its Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass.