Tag Archive for: Jackson Hole

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Yes, age does give many of us some advantages. Wisdom is often cited, but, I, for one have made enough errors in judgment to be exempted from checking that box. I’m probably not alone.

Financial well-being is another frequent citation. Fortunately, along with about two-thirds of SeniorsSkiing readers who say they’re financially independent, I’m okay in that category. But I know too many older skiers whose fortunes took them in another direction. Many have adjusted lifestyles so they can continue to pursue their favorite sport.

Outlook and attitude also are advantages for some of us. My old friend, Frank Burgmeier, is 98. A veteran of 65+ bomber flights in WWII, he continues to have a sharp mind and a great attitude. “I’m blessed,” he tells me. That, despite disappointments from some family members. “When I peel all of those things away, I’m happy and at peace.” If I make it to that age, I hope my mind and spirit are as healthy as his.

Jim Cobb is another example. Jim is 89 and the developer and manufacturer of The Bootster, the ski boot shoehorn that advertises on these pages. He skied many years with the National Brotherhood of Skiers before age caused him to retire. When I mention that we just had a 24-hour snowstorm here in Utah, he sighs with resignation and says, “I’m envious that you’ll be skiing. That part of my life is behind me.”

Some are fortunate enough to ski on and on. George Jednikoff continued past 100. At 99, Claus Obermeyer is still going. I know there are others, but I don’t know their names.

Luck also is a big factor. I recall being at a luncheon where the speaker was Mike Singletary, then coach of the San Francisco 49ers. One comment that stuck with me was the 20% luck factor. Being in top physical condition and having outstanding skills were essential for his players’ good results, he said. But luck always plays a role on the field; he thought about 20%.

Luck (good or bad) also is a factor as we age. Like many other senior skiers, I’ve had my fair share of bad luck. Much of it seems to have occurred health-wise in 2021. I’ve been climbing out of that hole for the past six months, and I’m now ready to get back to what I love: skiing. I readily admit that the goal of publishing SeniorsSkiing.com kept me motivated during some dark and difficult times.

Wisdom. Financial well-being. Outlook and attitude. Good luck. They can keep us going as we age. Whether we possess all of them or a few, we should be grateful for what we have, while we have it.

Wishing all readers good health, good skiing, and good times for the Holidays, and beyond.

[[Taking Christmas and New Year’s off. Next issue of SeniorsSkiing.com will be sent January 7. You always have access to all articles by visiting seniorsskiing.com. New articles are posted on the site during the week leading up to each publication date. Please help us grow the seniorsskiing.com audience by sharing seniorsskiing.com with other senior skiers.]]

232 Skiing Santas Raise Charity $$$s

For the past 21 years, Sunday River (ME) has kicked off the Holiday Season with Santa Sunday, a fund-raiser for a local charity. This year, 232 Santa-clad skiers each paid a $20 entry donation, raising more than $5000 for The River Fund, which invests in the education of young people in the region.

Vail Resorts Tops Season Pass Sales

Vail Resorts reported it sold more than 2.1 million season pass products for this season. That’s 700,000 more than last year, a record for the company. Also, for the second year in a row, Newsweek named VR one of America’s Most Responsible Companies.

Jackson Hole Ups Hourly Wage

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is increasing its minimum wage for all non-tipped positions to $18 per hour, up from $15 per hour. The increase is intended to attract new and retain existing employees.

Really Smart Helmet Technology

Source: Twiceme

Twiceme, a Swedish company, has teamed up with Salomon to produce “smart” ski helmets. To be available late 2022, the helmets will utilize twICEme® technology to provide a suite of safety information ranging from personal medical records to finding a lost child. It will be readily accessible to ski patrol and search and rescue.

NE Areas Banning Boot Bags?

SeniorsSkiing subscriber, Torry Hack, writes: “As a grey-haired skier who likes to put on his boots in the lodge vs in his car, I am disappointed to find that many New England areas are still banning bags.”

New England skiers: Please email info@senioirsskiing.com to let us know if your area bans bags in the day lodge, and we’ll publish the list.

Shipping Container Ski Lodge

The Pad Hotel, Silverthorne, CO

The town of Silverthorne, in Summit County, Colorado, is home to The Pad, a  hotel constructed from 18 shipping containers. Private rooms are $350. per night; bunk rooms, $50. It’s not far from Copper, Keystone, Breckenridge, and A-Basin.

Surprise Storm

Reader Donna Ohanian in New Hampshire, sent in this photo along with a note stating, “This storm was supposed to be 3-6”. Nope. 30!”  Note the LUV-SNO license plate. Thanks, Donna!

Snowball Fights in Art

Detail from a fresco depicting the month of January at Buonconsiglio Castle in Trento, Italy, ca. 1400

Public Domain Review is a British-based organization that issues interesting articles and illustrations outside of copywrite restrictions. Click here to enjoy PDR’s history of snowball fights in art over the centuries and in a variety of cultures. It’s a treat.

 

 

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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We live in what some call an attention economy. Those who attract attention – regardless of how they go about it – appear to be the victors in our narcissistic new world. The companies making skis and related gear are no exception. One of their primary ways of competing for attention is producing short videos of pro skiers using their gear in wild and wooly terrain.

Videos of people doing amazing things on skis are similar to porn: there are just so many tricks in the bag, and it’s not long before they get boring. That said, ski manufacturer lemmings invest in making videos that, in one way or another, try to outclass their competition.

The New Age of Reason is a new addition, from a company named WNDR (Wonder Alpine). It combines a soundtrack of barely audible British voices making quasi-intellectual statements, while pro skiers make deep powder turns and jump cliffs in some easy-to-watch and quickly forgettable scenes. Unlike most other short promotional videos which depend on big-name super skiers and/or pulsing rap music to appeal to their intended audience(s), this one relies on pretense. That said, WNDR appears to be a company with good policies and good products.

Will its video approach help the the company break through the rest of the promotional ski video clutter? Maybe for a few minutes while the ski marketing echo chamber resonates with email congratulations.

A few years ago, at the Winter Outdoor Retailer Show, I attended a presentation that discussed a variety of advertising and promotional investments. The activities were listed in order of their perceived effectiveness in contributing to product sales. As I recall, in-store salespeople and word-of-mouth were most effective. Way down on the list…I mean toward the very bottom…were promotional videos. They cost a lot to produce. They reach a relatively small audience. They make their sponsors feel good about their investments. But do they move the needle when it comes to sales? You know the answer.

As I finished drafting this, yet another video landed in my inbox. At 21 minutes, it’s a bit on the long side. But if you want to see what has become possible on skis in entirely impossible terrain, “Good Luck” will get you up to speed with a smile. Click here to screen.

Ski Journalist Dies Following Collision with Snowboarder

Ron LeMaster, 72, was killed earlier this week after colliding with a snowboarder on Eldora Mountain (CO). LeMaster, a ski writer and photographer, was a certified PSIA instructor. No charges were filed against the boarder. The tragedy is a reminder for older skiers/boarders to exercise extreme caution on the hill. R.I.P.

Realskiers.com: Ski Industry Is in Trouble

Jackson Hogen publishes realskiers.com, a long-established website featuring in-depth reviews of each year’s new skis and a host of observations about the sport. The self-proclaimed Pontiff of Powder periodically sends out thought pieces under the heading, “Revelations.” A few weeks back, he took a dystopic and disturbingly realistic view of the future of skiing. It’s titled, “Will the Next Generation of Skiers be the Last?”, covering, among other big issues, cost, accessibility, competing interests and climate change. To read the short essay, click here. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers are eligible for a 50% discount off the annual realskiers.com rate of $19.95. Use Code SS21 at checkout.

Klaus Obermeyer is 102!

Klaus created the ski apparel line bearing his name. He is credited with making the first down-filled parka. When I interviewed him a few years ago, he said that he found it easier to ski than to walk.

Winter Park to Donate Uphill Ski Pass Revenue to Charities

Source: Winter Park Resort

The area will donate proceeds from sales of its uphill ski passes to local charities. The passes cost $25 each. It’s good policy, given that paying to climb on the slopes is a relatively new development that has been met with some criticism.

Aspen Bumps Minimum Wage

Aspen Skiing Co. will increase starting wages to $17 per hour, a significant bump from Colorado’s current $12.32 minimum. The company also increased employee housing to 1,000 beds.

High Tech Bandage Changes Color

DrySee is a long-lasting bandage that changes color when it needs to be changed. Cost depends on bandage size. Manufacturer of this interesting new product is offering SeniorsSkiing.com readers 20% off when they enter “Facebook 20” at checkout. Visit www.drysee.com to learn more.

Last Minute Gift for Senior Skiers

The Bootster ski boot shoehorn is ideal gift for older skiers

Get them The Bootster. It’s a clever, fit in your pocket ski boot shoehorn that is solidly made and will last many, many seasons. Handmade by company founder, Jim Cobb. At $25, it’s one of the best bargains around. Click on the adjacent ad and read the rave reviews.

Dep’t of Wretched Excess

The world’s most expensive “hotel” room costs $175,000 per night. Lover’s Deep is a luxuriously tricked-out submarine in St Lucia. Amenities include captain, cook and helicopter.

Diamonds Are Forever Martini

The world’s most expensive cocktail is now available at Tokyo’s Ritz Carlton hotel. The Diamonds Are Forever Martini costs $22,880 and is garnished with a one-carat diamond. Kampai!

New 10th Mountain Division Documentary

https://youtu.be/x6BpDQ85ZN8

“Mission to Mt. Mangart” is a new documentary exploring the famed 10th Mountain Division, whose members relied on skis. Click on the trailer (above) to see the slalom they organized in June, 1945.

Update: Jackson Hole’s Skiing Wunderkind

I wrote about Kai Jones when he was 12. Kai, now 14, is the Jackson Hole ski wunderkind whose skiing is a joy to behold. This short video was shot last season, when he was a high school freshman.

IMG_0347
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Every industry benefits from a mix of offerings. The ski area industry is no exception. I find it enjoyable to ski big corporate resorts as well as independently-owned areas. Some, like Alta, Big Sky, and Jackson Hole offer both big terrain and an attractive level of smaller resort intimacy.

SUN VALLEY in the old days

 

It may surprise you that, according to the National Ski Areas Association, of the 37 states with ski areas, New York State has the most with 51…almost 11% of the country’s 470 areas. Next is Michigan with 40 areas, then Colorado and Wisconsin (31 each); California and New Hampshire (30 each), followed by Pennsylvania (26), Vermont (23) and Minnesota (20).

The majority of these are smaller and either independent or part of small group ownership.

Many smaller areas make it because they’re close enough to population centers and/or they’re the only game around. They get a large enough following to sustain them season-after-season.

Skiers in Norway: 1907

I like to mix up my skiing experience with visits to big and small. A few seasons ago I spent a delightful day exploring Pomerelle, a smallish area in southern Idaho. The terrain wasn’t challenging but it was interesting. And the base lodge was like going back in time…including the price of lunch.

Skiing big resorts is a different kind of experience. Vail is endless. Aspen, Breckenridge, Jackson Hole and others are challenging. Ditto with my home resorts Alta and Snowbird. I know them and their hidden stashes well. Alta, especially, combines great skiing with local friendliness and warmth. There’s a reason it’s a magnet for skiers from around the globe.

Teton Gravity Research recently produced “In Pursuit of Soul,” a short film celebrating smaller ski areas. To view the trailer click here. It builds the case for independently owned areas and was sponsored, in part, by Indy Pass, the reasonably priced pass that offers skiing privileges at 80 independently owned areas in North America and Japan.

Two skiers. Two skis. One turn.

If I had a few long weekends each season to ski and deep-enough pockets, I’d book at one of the big places in a region with reliable snow. For a family ski holiday with young grandkids, I’d choose a smaller resort with trails that funnel into one or two bases. That way there’s less chance for them to get separated or lost.

I like big mountains with a variety of terrain, and, frankly, it doesn’t matter much who owns them. They just need to be well-covered in snow.

Newly Found: 1300 Year-Old Ski

Archaeologists in Norway recently dislodged a 1300 year-old ski from the Digervarden Ice Patch. They believe it matches another ski found nearby in 2014. The newly found ski has an intact binding of twisted birch and leather. Click on the video (above) to witness the discovery in real time. A more detailed account appears in the Secrets of the Ice website which documents glacial archaeology.

The Superior Rx Goggle

SnowVision Rx goggles integrate prescription with inner lens

If you wear prescription goggles you owe it to yourself to learn about SnowVision‘s unique prescription lens. Unlike other Rx goggles, SnowVision integrates the prescription lens onto the inner lens of the goggle (see middle lens in picture above). Among its numerous advantages is the total lack of fogging. Another is remarkable visual clarity and full range of vision, including around the periphery of the lens. This is virtually unheard of in conventional prescription ski goggles and results from the curvature in SnowVision’s prescription and outer lenses. The lens – fully photochromic so it gets dark or light depending on conditions — is available as unifocal, progressive or bifocal. SnowVision’s components are made by high-quality vendors in Germany, Italy and Japan. Every senior skier who wears glasses should take special care when it comes to prescription goggles. There are some unsatisfactory products on the market, as I, unfortunately, have encountered. SnowVision is a breakthrough.

Please Help with This SeniorsSkiing Crowd-Sourcing Project

Numerous readers have asked about groups for older skiers. Some, like the Wild Old Bunch (Alta) and the Over The Hill Gang (multiple areas) are fairly well-known. SeniorsSkiing.com wants to compile a list of groups. If you know of any, please email name, location(s), a contact name and email and/or phone number to jon@seniorsskiing.com. The info will be posted on the site and updated as new info is received.

Special Discounts

EZ•Fit Auto Adaptable Insoles

Masterfit is offering 20% off any of its EZFit insoles (Snow and Universal models), Tongue Eliminators, Boot Horn and SkiSkootys. To learn more about these products, and/or make a purchase, visit https://masterfitinc.com. The Tongue Eliminators, Boot Horn and SkiSkootys can be found under “Fit Aids.” The 20% discount is good at any time. Simply enter the code SS21 during check out.

Use code SENIORSSKI to receive a 30% discount on online orders for any of Arcadia Publishing’s 27 ski titles. The offer is valid through November 7.

Holiday Shopping for Older Skiers

The Bootster ski boot shoehorn: ideal gift for older skiers

It’s really quite easy…and reasonably priced. The Bootster is an ingenious ski boot shoehorn so compact that it easily fits in a parka pocket. The little device unrolls to reveal a slippery surface that helps the foot slide easily into the ski boot…even when the boot is cold. Each Bootster is hand assembled and very well made. The price is $25 plus shipping. I can’t think of a better or more appropriate gift for older skiers on your list.

FeedSpot Now Delivering SeniorsSkiing.com Content

FeedSpot is an online service that consolidates and delivers news based on the user’s preferences. Happy to report that for FeedSpot subscribers seeking ski-related news, SeniorsSkiing.com articles are now part of their package.

Skiing in Taiwan?

Before global warming had taken it’s toll on so many places with snow, skiers in Taiwan frequented the island nation’s Hehuanshan ski resort. Alas, like so many other locations around the globe, there no longer is enough snow to ski there.

RIP: The Farmer

Dave Van Dame, The Farmer, was an Alta ski legend, skiing deep powder there for 48 years. He recently passed away. Those of you who were privileged to witness his technique are fortunate. Alta recently issued this short video tribute.

The Best Car Commercials

A thing of beauty: my Willys 1/2 Ton Pick Up

I recently sold my (unrestored) 1950 Willys half-ton truck. It was love at first sight several years ago when I saw it on a side street in Ouray, Colorado…a foolish purchase requiring far more skill than I had and more money than I wanted to spend. I concluded that, like many things, old cars can be enjoyed without ownership. During my infatuation I started to follow Hagerty, which insures vintage vehicles and publishes online and print content about them. This article about 10 “unforgettable” car commercials contains links to some funny and moving examples. Not skiing but a lot of fun. Click here to access

Glowing Down the Mountain

I’m glowing
byu/hinterland_skis inskiing

This is what happens when you don your glow-in-the-dark one-piece and go night skiing.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Pam and I got our first shots of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine last Sunday. It was a big relief. The second round is scheduled for Valentine’s Day.

Pfizer Covid vaccine

She estimates spending about 20 hours over the previous weeks trying to get the appointment. That involved phone calls to places listed on New York State’s Covid website and to area hospitals. It also involved being on hold for hours at a time. She was able to get a late February appointment for me because I’m over 75. Then the state changed the threshold to 65. She made yet another call and got lucky. We secured an injection time for early last Sunday at Javits Center, the massive exhibit hall on the west side of Manhattan.

Check out the sticker.

As disorganized as the scheduling was, the order in Javits Center was pristine. Camo-garbed National Guard guided us through well-marked mazes leading to a station where we filled out a two-page form and signed releases. Then we were shown to a station where a nurse administered the injection while another person entered information into the system. I have NEVER experienced as painless an injection in my 77 years.

The final step was to wait 15-minutes in a socially distanced seating area where help would be immediately available in the event of a bad reaction.

The entire process took about 45 minutes, and it was flawless. But there were many underutilized stations. I don’t know if that was because of vaccine availability, being early on a Sunday morning or something else.

While Pam was dedicating herself to securing our slots, some former colleagues emailed about places where they were able to get shots. One hospital, not far from us, was getting rave reviews for ease of scheduling and friendly service. We already were scheduled and decided not to change, but we gave the contact information to some friends who called and got their shots the next day. 

The lack of vaccine distribution coordination suggests that each of us is on our own when it comes to securing personal protection. If you plan to get vaccinated, my suggestion is to stay abreast of availability where you live and book as early as possible. It didn’t have to be this way, but it is.

The more people vaccinated, the sooner we’ll get back to normal. Whatever that is anymore.

World’s First Urban Ski-Share

Lahti (pop. about 120,000), in southern Finland, is rolling out City Ski, the world’s first urban ski-sharing program.  Skis and poles are borrowed and returned on the honor system. The program is part of the city’s commitment to reduce transport-related carbon emissions. Over the past 30 years, Lahti has reduced total greenhouse gas emissions by 70%. Within Lahti’s 180+km of trails is a newly constructed trail system in the city center. Lahti is seven-time host of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.  

Vail Not Negotiating with Stevens Pass Patrol

Stevens Pass Patrollers Demonstrating

After publishing an item last week about the possibility of the Park City Ski Patrol going on strike, we learned that patrol at another Vail Resorts-owned resort – Stevens Pass (WA) – has been going in a similar direction. In 2019, that patrol, seeking sustainable wages and co-equality as resort stakeholders — voted to join the Communications Workers of America. According to a report in Outside Magazine, Vail has yet to participate in negotiation sessions. The president of the Stevens Pass patrol group is Brianna Hartzell, who explains that it takes several seasons to build expertise needed to perform the multiple first-aid and safety tasks associated with good patrolling. An article in High Country News summarizes the conundrum facing patrollers with 3-5 years experience: “Embrace a lifestyle that leaves you earning barely more than minimum wage, or hang up the red coat and trade passion for practicality?”

Need Your Help Identifying Areas With Senior Programs

We’re asking you to help SeniorsSkiing.com assemble a list of all North American ski areas offering programs for seniors. Some, we know, sponsor local groups, others offer workshops through the ski school, etc. We’ve heard of a few with weekly gatherings (similar to Women’s Workshops) that provide workshop, speaker, discounts, etc. If you know about these senior-oriented programs, please let us know by emailing info@seniorsskiing.com. No need to be exhaustive. Simply name 0r describe the program, name the area, and, if possible, a contact person with email and phone. We’ll follow up to get the details. Our goal is to publish the list for 2021-22. Thank you!!!

Got Pain? 

Biofit’s Relief CBD Cream works extremely well.

Sometimes I hurt. Maybe I pushed it too much on a hike. Or it’s an old injury acting up with a change of weather. Inevitably, my right wrist hurts after a day of skiing. Some over-the-counter meds work; others don’t. Recently, I’ve been rubbing the painful areas with Relief CBD Cream. It’s an anti-inflammatory, and it works very well.  Biofit 360, an advertiser, makes the stuff, and frankly, I was skeptical that it might be just another of the many CBD products found in every grocery, convenience, and drug store. Not the case. Like the company’s Sleep drops which have helped my wife get a good night’s rest after years of insomnia, Relief CBD Cream helps me keep doing what I’m doing without needing to gulp down more pills. If I were skiing this season (unfortunately, I’m not), I’d use a little on that wrist and around my knees in the morning and at the end of the day. In the meanwhile, it gets rid of my discomfort, whatever its cause. To learn more click here.

Before I forget…

…February is when we ask readers to donate to SeniorsSkiing.com. Your support (along with our advertisers) allow us to deliver a weekly package of articles about skiing and boarding through the eyes of the older participant. More on this year’s initiative next week.

and Finally…

The Kings and Queens of Corbet’s is an annual invitational in Jackson Hole’s Corbet’s Couloir. Each of the 24 competitors are drawn from the ranks of the world’s top skiers and riders (plus a handful of locals). They get two runs in the competition for the title, King or Queen of Corbet’s. This year’s event will be Feb 16-21. To get an idea of what happens among these mostly twenty-somethings, click on the highlight video of the 2020 event (above). It is nothing short of AMAZING! 

 

Boldog
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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My deadline for wishing people Happy New Year is getting shorter.

Boldog új évet is Happy New Year in Hungarian. Numerous postcard artists in the 1920s/30s incorporated kids on skis.

Centuries ago, when I worked in an office (remember when people worked in offices?), it seemed like New Year’s greetings extended through at least the first week of the year. You’d bump into a colleague and offer the obligatory phrase. Once, many weeks after the New Year, I said “Happy New Year” to a co-worker. That prompted a discussion about time-limited greetings.  We decided that, unlike birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and deaths, New Year’s greetings should be limited to a few days. That said, and the fact that this is reaching you about a week after this year’s not-so-sparkling event, let me bend that rule and wish you Many Happy and Healthy Turns in 2021!

 

“When” by John O’Donnell

Award-winning Irish poet John O’Donnell lives in Dublin. His work is widely published. His poem, When,  was published last week in The Irish Times. It’s a good read for this New Year.

And when this ends we will emerge, shyly
and then all at once, dazed, longhaired as we embrace
loved ones the shadow spared, and weep for those
it gathered in its shroud. A kind of rapture, this longed-for
laying on of hands, high cries as we nuzzle, leaning in
to kiss, and whisper that now things will be different,
although a time will come when we’ll forget
the curve’s approaching wave, the hiss and sigh
of ventilators, the crowded, makeshift morgues;
a time when we may even miss the old-world
arm’s-length courtesy, small kindnesses left on doorsteps,
the drifting, idle days, and nights when we flung open
all the windows to arias in the darkness, our voices
reaching out, holding each other till this passes.

Six Word Challenge Winners

Over the past month several readers submitted six words summarizing the current situation in their ski lives. Two winners were selected. Their entries are below. They’ll each receive The Bootster ski boot shoe horn. 

Boots in car. Pee In Woods

Norm Reynolds, Golden, Colorado

Mask, balaclava, gaiter, helmet, goggles. Breathe? 

Susan Zangrilli, Sandy, Utah

Thanks to all who sent in their creations!

Western Snow Magnets

Alyeska Resort  (AK): 336”. Stevens Pass (WA): 221”. Jackson Hole (WY): 212”.  Whistler Blackcomb (BC): 201″.

Austria Closes Schools and Stores; Not Ski Areas

Covid closures have affected virtually every aspect of public life for Austrians, except ski areas, which continue to function. News reports describe intense crowding in lift lines and elsewhere. Last season, Ischgl, near St. Anton, which attracts big numbers for it’s apres ski scene, was linked to the spread of the virus throughout Europe. Ski area operators lobbied hard for their facilities to remain open during lockdown. Swiss areas also remain open. However both countries have imposed quarantines for those crossing their borders, effectively making the hills off-limits to those living elsewhere.

Superyacht Heli-Skiing

La Datcha, the first ice-breaker superyacht, is available for heli-skiing adventures this season in Russia’s remote Kuril Islands and Kamchatka Peninsula. The cruise will focus on first descents. The 252’ superyacht carries a staff of 25, two helicopters in a below deck hangar, and a 3-person submersible. Cost for 7-days start about $1,225,000 for up to 12 guests and include heli-skiing, guides, equipment, meals, beer/wine, and use of the submersible. Website: https://www.eaheliskiing.com.

First Wood RFID Pass

Source: Skidata

SKIDATA, which produces tech associated with paperless lift tickets, has a new pass made of wood. It’s being used by Austria’s Kitzbühel Bergbahn.

14 Year Old Skiing Wunderkind

At 14, Jackson Hole‘s Kai Jones may be the youngest ski pro. When he was 11, his amazingly graceful form and derring-do helped him win the International Freeskiers Association’s North American championship for skiers younger than 12. The New York Times recently featured his skiing career: click here to read. Click on the video to see Kai in action. Wowee!!!!

Evelyn Kanter

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Jackson Hole—Not For Experts Only

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There also are dozens of trails and cirques for the rest of us mere mortals.

Now, that’s a blue cruiser at JH looking delicious. Credit: Jackson Hole

I’ve been skiing here since I was locked into that famous and frustrating  “intermediate plateau” and took a chance on defying Jackson’s reputation for experts only.  Besides, the town sounded like fun, with wooden sidewalks and real cowboys coming into town from the ranches that ring the resort. 

If you’ve never skied trees, this is the place to learn.  The short bursts of glades under the Sweetwater Gondola or Casper chairlift are ideal, because you if you get into trouble, you can bail out to one of the blue or green groomers alongside, or just wave or shout up to a lift rider if your trouble is serious. 

When you get better, head into Moran Woods, in between the Casper or Teton lifts.

I always plan my day to be at the lodge at the bottom of the Casper quad for that mid-morning pit stop, and sometimes for lunch, since it’s always less crowded than the other mid-mountain lodges and restaurants.

The Teton is one of Jackson’s newer lifts, and accesses a network of blue and green cruisers that you can take back non-stop to the base area, down some 3,000 of the resort’s massive 4,129 vertical. The Kemmerer trail off the top is named for Jay Kemmerer, who bought the resort in 1992 and credited with turning it into a world-class destination. 

It’s a fast groomer that links to the Werner cruiser.  That one is named for Buddy Werner, an internationally renowned ski racer and member of the US Olympic ski team, who died trying to outrace an avalanche in the Swiss Alps in 1964. You could do laps here all day. I have.

Werner was the choice of the resort’s original owner to be the first ski school director.  That went instead to Pepi Steigler, who won a gold medal in slalom and a bronze in giant slalom in the 1964 Olympics.  It was the same Olympics in which Jimmy Heuga and Billy Kidd became the first Americans to medal in the slalom, a couple of deep breaths behind Steigler, who ran the Jackson Hole Ski School for more than 40 years before retiring.

But I digress.

Of course, you must take the famous Jackson Hole Tram to the top, and pick your way down Rendezvous Bowl to the groomed trails below. Be sure to do it on a sunny day, unless you want to hear my near-horror story about skiing it in socked in weather.  Jackson Hole often is subject to inversions, when it is bright and sunny at the bottom and socked in up top.  If the tram isn’t busy in the middle of the day, that’s the reason. 

My favorite spot on the mountain is Laramie Bowl, off the Thunder quad. It’s really more a funnel than a bowl, with VW-sized bumps on the right and “regular” bumps on either side of a bail-out groomer.

Jackson Hole is also a great destination for multi-generation winter vacations with the grandkids. The really young ones get to ride to their own dedicated teaching slope in a wagon powered by a snowmobile.  The kids love it, and we grandparents love taking photos of it.

Where you stay in Jackson Hole depends on whether you prefer base area convenience or downtown shopping and restaurants.

JH has prioritized improving the intermediate ski and snowboard experience to give guests a variety of terrain. Here’s a blue blue. Credit: Jackson Hole

Convenience is the Teton Village base area, with hotels, condos and restaurants in all price ranges and amenity levels. Best, I think, are the Four Seasons with heated walkways for no-slip snow-free access, and the Alpenhof, with a true European vibe, one of the first hotels to open when the resort opened in 1965.

Apres ski in the Village centers around the Mangy Moose, named for the dusty taxidermy moose for which it is named. 

Downtown, the premiere place to stay is the Wort Hotel, one of the members of the Historic Hotels of America group, known for its rustic charm and attentive service.

The Blue Lion is known for its elk filets.  Another top dining choice is the Snake River Grill, whose menu identifies the local ranchers and farmers who supplied the lamb, pork or artisanal cheese.

Apres ski downtown means The Cowboy, which features live music and country western dancing in season. This is where I learned to two-step at free Thursday night lessons.  Just keep walking past the saddle-shaped bar stools in the front to the tables dance floor in the back.  The burgers are pretty good here, too.

Locals and any visitors in the know head for The Stagecoach in nearby Wilson, at the base of the Teton Pass, on Sunday nights.  A five-piece band has played here for more than 40 years, including a few of the originals still wielding a banjo or guitar.  Be forewarned that the repertoire is usually sprinkled with a few ditties that could make a sailor blush.

Take an afternoon off the slopes to visit the National Elk Refuge just outside town, where thousands of these majestic creatures spend the winter.  If you time it correctly, you can also visit the National Museum of Wildlife Art on the other side of the road, with its impressive collection of landscape paintings and Remington sculptures.

Jackson Hole is a member of both Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective, neither of which provide discounts for seniors.  If the only place you intend to ski or ride this season is Jackson Hole, the best deal for the 2020/21 season is the Plus Pass, which offers 25 days of lift access for $505.

Click here for Jackson Hole Trail Map

Click here for Jackson Hole Web Cams

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Secrets of the Ice is a Norwegian website dedicated to archaeological discoveries in melting glaciers and ice patches in Norway and elsewhere. Glacial archaeology is a developing science as the planet warms, and objects from mummified people to ancient skis melt out of the ice. In Norway, one ski was carbon-dated to 650BC Another ski, from 750AD, was found with a complete binding. 

Digervarden ski (c. AD 750). Source: Secrets of the Ice

Click here to read a well-written account of what has been learned about these early skis. 

What do you think future peoples exploring the mysteries of mountainous areas will think about trees covered with women’s underwear? Were they a weird form of public art created by even weirder humans recreating in the cold?

A few years ago (maybe he still offers the service) a guy at Alta hired himself out with a metal detector to find lost skis buried in deep powder. Those of us who’ve been through that experience, know its value. I always found my skis, but it can take time.

At one point, I hid coins in nature with the idea of finding them in the future. I remember one such hiding spot with my daughter on a rustic perch overlooking a glacial lake. It was over thirty years ago. It makes me want to go back as a family and find them. 

Reconstruction: Alfons & Adrie Kennis © South Tyrol Museum Archaeology/Ochsenreiter

In the Spring, I wrote about visiting Oetzi the Iceman in the Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy. He’s been dated to 3300BC. It’s a wonderful small museum, and several of you posted comments about your visits there.

A couple I know in Salt Lake City went off route on Everest several years ago and found a well-known American climber’s jacket and other of the missing climber’s artifacts. He disappeared in the 30s.

Many of us could have some interesting archaeological finds simply rummaging through the pockets of old ski clothing. When I was 12 an uncle gave me the anorak he used in the 20s or 30s. In a pocket was an ancient stick of Wrigley’s gum, complete with foil and paper wraps. I couldn’t resist the temptation. It was awful.

There are so many things waiting to be found. We constantly consume and dispose. Given our collective concerns about ski area safety, would it be a surprise if those future glacial archaeologists also found the scattered remains of older skiers?

Alterra To Purchase Sugarbush

Alterra Mountain Company has entered into an agreement to purchase Sugarbush in Vermont.

Women An Important Part of Jackson Hole History

Most ski and ski area videos are male-oriented, if not male-dominated. Jackson Hole has a delightful 90-second video on the impact of women throughout its history, starting with the fact that in 1920, the town elected the first all female government. Click here.

 

Areas Open and Opening

Lifts are running across North America. Here’s a partial list of open areas and those that soon will be:

East

Killington VT) Open

Mount Snow (VT) Open

Sunday River (ME) Open

Bristol Mountain (NY) Open

Wildcat (NH) Nov 15

Gore Mountain (NY) Nov 15

Greek Peak (NY) Nov 15

Hunter Mountain (NY) Nov 15

Whiteface Mountain (NY) Nov 15

Big Boulder (PA) Nov 15

Sugarloaf (ME) Nov 15

Loon Mountain (NH) Nov 16

Titus Mountain (NY) Nov 16

Mont Tremblant (QC) Nov 22

Snowshoe (WV) Nov 22

Stratton (VT) Nov 23

Sugarbush (VT) Nov 23

West/Northwest

Arapahoe Basin(CO) Open

Eldora (CO) Open

Mt. Norquay (AB) Open

Lake Louise (AB) Open

Winter Park (CO) Open

Copper Mountain (CO) Open

Banff Sunshine (AB) Open

Mammoth Mountain (CA) Open 

 Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows (CA) Nov 15

Steamboat (CO) Nov 15 

Park City (UT) Nov 22

Alya (UT) Nov 23

Solitude (UT) Nov 23

Aspen and Snowmass (CO) Nov 28

Big Bear (CA) Nov 28

Big Sky (MT) Nov 28

Jackson Hole (WY) Nov 28

Snow Summit (CA) Nov 28

Taos (NM) Nov 28

Big Bear (CA) Nov 29

Snowbird (UT) Nov 29

Revelstoke (BC) Nov 39

Aspen Highlands (CO) Dec 7

Buttermilk (CO) Dec 7

Deer Valley (UT) Dec 7

The Summit at Snoqualmie (WA) Dec 7

June Mountain (CA) Dec 21

Midwest

Boyne Mountain (MI) Nov 15

Crystal Mountain (MI) Nov 22

Boyne Highlands (MI) Nov 28

Military Week at Taos

Not Forgotten Outreach, Inc. (NFO), the Taos, NM, non-profit that organizes annual ski outings for past and present military at Taos Ski Valley, will host the 7th  Not Forgotten Outreach Ski Week, January 21 – 26, 2020. The event is open to military, their immediate families, and Gold Star Families. Participants enjoy deeply discounted lodging, lift tickets, lessons and rentals. Through a VA Adaptive Sports Grant, NFO is offering five scholarships for skiers/snowboarders currently on active duty with vision, intellectual/cognitive, or physical-related diagnoses. Click here for more info.

Ski Safety PSAs

High Fives Foundation is dedicated to prevention of life-changing injuries and providing resources if they happen. The non-profit is based in Truckee, CA, and much of its snow sports activities are in Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. Among its many good deeds is production of Public Service Announcements educating people about on-snow safety. High Fives just released this short PSA on what to do when someone is injured. It is an excellent refresher. 

Ski Conditioning Series

Source: Parlor Skis

Powder Hour is a six-week online conditioning series featuring former US Ski Team member, Hilary McCloy. The program focuses on strengthening key muscle groups required to ski safely and powerfully. Parlor Skis, the New England custom ski company, is subsidizing the cost of the series by providing the first two free. The series cost is $75. For more info or to register, click here.

International Ski History Association

A Worthy Donation

International Skiing History Association is the non-profit dedicated to preserving and presenting skiing history. Its publication, Skiing History, is a joy to read. Digital subscriptions are free to SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers. ISHA is seeking donations, all of which are tax-deductible. Please visit www.skiinghistory.org/donate and help ISHA continue its important work

The Man Behind The Ski Maps

Jim Niehues is the artist whose paintings are the basis of the maps of more than 300 ski areas. Ski Utah produced this 4 minute video of Niehues explaining his work.

Jon Weisberg

Tracking The Wild Cooba: An Appreciation

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Doug Coombs was one of the most celebrated steep and deep skiers of the ‘80s, 90s, and 00s. Many of you will remember his film exploits and his steep skiing camps at Jackson Hole and in Tinges and elsewhere in Europe. He died in La Grave France in 2006, when he slipped off a cliff on skis trying to find and help a fellow skier. 

I found “Tracking the Wild Coomba” in a used bookstore on Cape Cod. Authored by Robert Cocuzzo, it was published in 2016. Handwritten on the title page is this note from the author: “Sebastian, The inspiration to write this book came when I first read The Perfect Storm. Your words drove me to become a writer. Thank you.”  An unexpected find.

Coombs grew up in a skiing family in Bedford, Masachusetts. From the beginning he was a risk-taker, performing crazy stunts and showing off for friends. When he was 17 at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, he crash-landed. Dazed, he went to the clinic at the base of the hill. No one was there. He went back up the hill and continued to ski. When he got home, his mother took him to the hospital where he was diagnosed with several broken neck vertebrae. His muscular neck had saved his life. He was wheelchair-confined for months, with a stabilization device screwed into his head. Doctors informed him that he would die if he fell again.

Over the ensuing years Coombs established himself as one of the world’s preeminent steep skiers. In telling his story, the author also tells us about the evolution of steep skiing and introduces us to many of the sport’s more prominent personalities. He takes us to numerous places where Doug hung out. These include Valdez, Alaska, where he and his wife, Emily, lived in a trailer, purchased cheap helicopter rides, and specialized in skiing first descents of previously unnamed steeps in the Chugach Range. Before long he was attracting a robust clientele to his heli-ski guide service. 

We learn how he and Emily started the Steep Skiing Camps at Jackson Hole and how he became the area’s public face. But trouble was brewing. As a key member of the underground Jackson Hole Air Force – a cadre of highly skilled, hard core rope-duckers – he is pursued by the Jackson Ski Patrol. It is Les Miserables on skis. He’s caught and banned from Jackson. Soon after, he and his wife set up shop in the French Alps.

Once there, he integrates well with top-ranked skier/climber/guides, eventually earning their respect and becoming a fully credentialed guide. 

Throughout the book, the author paints Coombs as a remarkably caring and congenial person, always there to help others.

Doug Coombs

On April 6, 2006 in La Graves, he was skiing with three friends, including Chad VanderHam, a young American who had attended multiple Steep Skiing Camps and worked with Coombs in France. The last run was through some couloirs they had skied before. VanderHam skied down and went out of sight. Coombs skied to the edge of a cliff and called down to him. The other two heard Coombs call for a rope. One skied part way down  but before reaching him, Coombs, on skis, had slipped off the cliff. 

Chad VanderHam was declared dead by the time his copter reached the hospital. Doug Coombs, warned at 17 that his next fall would be his last, died from a broken neck. He was 48.

The book weaves Coombs’ story with Cocuzzo’s travels to document it. He follows Coombs’ path, interviewing and skiing with the people who knew him.

The author finds his stride not too far into the book. It becomes an absorbing read.

Tracking The Wild Coomba: The Life of Legendary Skier Doug Coombs. Copyright 2016 by Robert Cocuzzo. Mountaineer’s Books. Available online from $3.44.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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There’s a difference between skiing and a skiing experience. 

Confused? Let me explain.

With just a few exceptions most of my 65-seasons have been spent skiing. I can’t remember every day or every run, but riding up and skiing down so many places and in so many conditions has been wonderful. Small areas, enormous areas:  in retrospect they were variations on a similar theme. Travel to resort. Lift up. Ski down. Repeat. After a while, memories blend.

1930’s Italian trade card for broth company

Over the years, I’ve had some standout skiing experiences. Some, in resorts; others, far from lifts. All were memorable. 

One week with an instructor and a group of Aussies at Jackson Hole, we skied deep powder, jumped into Corbett’s, drank gallons of beer, and shared a lot of laughs. 

Another time with a guide and three other skiers, we took off in a fixed wing ski plane from a slope in Verbier, landed on a glacier near the Italian border, and spent the rest of the day skiing snow-covered pastures, though tiny summer villages, and down into a valley, where we had lunch and hopped on a train to return to Verbier. Memorable!

The week many years ago with Great Northern Snowcat Skiing in Canada’s Selkirk range was another hard-to-forget skiing experience. The snow was so deep that only the tops of 20’ trees were showing. I often think of how wonderful that week was and wonder if I’m past the shelf life to try a week of hell-skiing.

In many ways, memories of skiing are like memories of raising a family. There’s the quotidian background noise of events punctuated from time to time by the more memorable skyrockets. I always told my kids stories when they were going to sleep but I don’t remember every night or every tale. I do, however, remember some of the big events. It’s how we’re wired. Common memories are like snapshots; uncommon ones are like videos; more detail, more recall.

Skiing has its similarities. With some exceptions, the daytrips and the regular ski holidays tend to blend. But the more unusual skiing experiences stand out. 

Pam and I will never forget being on ski safari in the Dolomites with Inspired Italy or ski exploring the world-class resorts in the Aosta Valley with Alpskitour.

She, who delights in reminding me, after every day of skiing, that she’d be happy never to ski again, is now asking when we’ll be able to return to the Italian Alps for another great skiing experience.

1930’s Italian trade card for broth company

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Lake Tahoe: More to Go

Lake Tahoe snowpack is currently at 245% of average with more is forecast. More good skier news: temps are cold, so conditions are expected to hold.

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Brighton: Right On!

Brighton Ski Resort, at the end of Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon, is a major snow magnet. Many storms favor it over Alta, a short distance away at the end of adjacent Little Cottonwood Canyon. As I write this, Brighton is reporting yet another 24″ dump, reporting 10″ in the past 24 hours, 15″ in the past 48 hours, and 54″ in the past seven days! To date this season, Brighton has received 634″!!!! If past is prologue, Brighton will continue to be catching flakes well beyond its April 21 close.

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Snowbird Closing Date?

The resort has 650″+ and a 176″ base. It announced it will continue daily operations through May 12, then stay open Fridays through Sundays “for as long as we can.”

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Rick Kahl Receives Major Ski Journalism Award

Rick Kahl

Rick Kahl, editor of industry trade publication, Ski Area Management Magazine, was namesd recipient of The Carson White Snowsports Achievement Award. The Award, presented annually by the North American Snowsports Journalists Association, honors extraordinary achievement, influence and innovation in the advancement of North American skiing, snowboarding and all snow-related sports. Congratulations, Rick!

 

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NoSweat Helmet Liners

NoSweat is a brand of self-stick, disposable liners for use with hats, visors, and helmets. I intended to use NoSweat this spring on warm ski days but never got around to it. The product is well designed and relatively inexpensive. It keeps perspiration from cascading into and stinging your eyes. Google “No Sweat Helmet Liners” for many purchasing options or visit the company’s site.

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Earth Day

Monday, April 22 is Earth Day. Visit the official Earth Day site to see how you might support the organization’s many efforts to improve the environment. Then, put on your sneakers or boots and give our collective Mother a visit. She’s been taking a beating for a long time and needs to know we still love her. In other words, dear readers, time to Take a Hike!

David Barnes

Spring Skiing And Gaping At Jackson Hole

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The First Week Of April Brings “Gapers” To JH And A Different Skiing Experience

Weirdness prevails on Gaper’s Day (April 1) at Jackson Hole. Credit: Buckrail.com

Editor Note: We are quite pleased when readers submit articles for publication in SeniorsSkiing.com.  David Barnes is a long-time reader who sent us this account of a yearly ritual at the venerable Jackson Hole.  Thanks David.

Jackson Hole.  Two words that strike double-black-diamond terror in the hearts of many skiers, young and old alike.  But, it shouldn’t.  Sure, half of the runs are black diamonds, including one called Corbet’s Couloir that’s more akin to a cliff than a ski run.  But the other 50% of the mountain’s runs are blue and green, making for a welcome ski experience for any senior skier. 

I first skied Jackson Hole in the late 80’s, with my new wife whose great aunt and uncle lived at the base of Rendezvous Mountain in Teton Village.  At 72 years old, Uncle Warren took me on the old aerial tram, up 4,139 vertical feet to the 10,450’ summit.  The wind was howling, the air was thin, and the run was steep.  “Ready?” grinned Uncle Warren?  I swallowed hard, clicked into my bindings, squeezed the poles hard, and nodded like a rodeo cowboy on a wild bull, waiting for the gate to open and release the snorting, bucking beast.  I was 30 years old and quickly realized I was being out-skied by a 72 year old.  When we’d reached the bottom, I declared I wanted to be like Warren when I grew up. 

Since then, we’ve had the privilege of visiting Jackson Hole a dozen times or so, including the last week of skiing (first week of April) for the last three years.  This is thanks to my mother-in-law, who owns a fraction of the Teton Club, a beautiful and massive log structure near the base of the Tram.  Does this make me an expert on spring skiing at the Hole?  Not exactly.  But I’ve learned enough to understand that skiing the Hole in early April makes for a different experience.  Generally, the weather is warm, sometimes too warm at the lower elevations; later in the week, the snow conditions at or near the bottom can be mashed potatoes.  But the upper elevations typically provide good snow conditions. 

In addition, there’s a fun day.  April 1st is Gaper Day at the Hole.  What’s Gaper Day?  If you have to ask, you are one.  I had to ask.  Gaper Day is a chance for locals to poke fun at tourists by dressing up in kooky outfits on April Fools’ Day.  You’ll see everyone from Uncle Sam, girls in bikinis and dudes in shorts and Hawaiian shirts with old film cameras hanging around their necks.  And for some reason on this particular day, and, only this day, every chairlift spouts a prominent sign reading, “Absolutely no Alcohol on Lifts.”  The signs didn’t seem to be 100% effective…

Loose Moose. Credit: David Barnes

Finally, the moose.  Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is just south of the Grand Teton National Park, which in turn is just south of Yellowstone.  Hence, wildlife is abundant in the area, including moose.  We saw a number of them this year, some on the mountain and some right in Teton Village at the base of the mountain.  Most people are wise enough to keep their distance from the moose.  Some don’t, either deliberately or by accident. My wife, for example, took a walk around the village one morning.  As she turned a corner, she saw the back-end of a large brown animal close by.  As she approached what she assumed was a cute stuffed moose, it slowly turned its big head and looked at her.  Wide-eyed, my wife slowly backed away and then hot-footed it back around the corner, where she nearly ran into a Jackson Hole Mountain Resort employee.  “It’s REAL!” stammered my wife.  The employee gave her a dispassionate look.  “Oh no,” thought my wife as she watched the employee amble away.  “I’m a Gaper…”

Editor Note: The video below is from 2013, but it shows the “spirits” of Gaper Day, honoring April 1, a day for foolishness.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Have you ever been in or near an avalanche? Big Mountain skiers everywhere are accustomed to hearing and feeling the reverberations of bombs and other technologies used to dislodge slides, making the areas safer.

A few years ago, Taos added a chair to improve accessibility to Kachina Peak.  Last week, following inspection by patrol, a slide there killed two. 

At the top of NinetyNineNinety at Park City Mountain Resort (the part of the area formerly known as The Canyons), there’s a gate and signs clearly spelling out avvy risks of going into that part of unpatrolled backcountry. Similar warnings probably exist on Kachina Peak.

Warnings at the top of NinetyNineNinty

Several years ago a friend instructing at The Canyons joined a search party looking for a couple whose car was in the otherwise empty parking lot and who hadn’t picked up their child from daycare. My friend explained the methodical nature of combing the post-avalanche slope where the couple was thought to be buried. It was late in the day, but there was ample light. My friend, a geologist, had been trained to seek anomalies…things that were different from the surroundings. Looking up the slope, he detected something angular, possibly the back corner of a ski. He told the search leader, who advised him and the rest of the party to continue probing the cement-like snow to detect what might be buried below. They found nothing until they reached the angular ski tail jutting from the snow. It led them to the two buried bodies. A tragedy.

Last year, I became friends with a man in his 40s who was rescued from a backcountry avalanche. I don’t remember his full description other than how horrific an experience it was and how, after months of hospitalization and rehabilitation, it altered his life.

The website of the National Avalanche Center, a unit of the National Forest Service, shows 551 US avalanche fatalities since 1998. All but five (on Mt Washington in NH and on Mt Mansfield in Stowe) occurred in the West. Most were in back and side country. 177 skiers died. 68 boarders died. 2 were snow shoers. 196 were snowmobilers. 48 were climbers. Five were ski patrol.

This year, alone, there have been 26 snow-related deaths at European resorts.

Once, skiing a remote in-bounds section of The Canyons, I set off a minor slide. It only made it to the tops of my boots, but it was dense and difficult to get free.

There are older skiers who seek out the adventure and solace of side and back country. I no longer have the lungs to climb, but if conditions are right, I rarely hesitate to take a gate or duck a rope for a promising patch of powder on the other side. But with every year I think a bit longer before I do.

Free Lift Tickets for Furloughed Government Employees

Mad River Glen  (VT), Sugarbush (VT) and Snow King (WY) announced free skiing benefits to furloughed government employees. Sugarbush upped the ante by extending the freebie to immediate family members. The deals will end when the shut-down ends. 

Knee Issues?

Ski-Mojo and Elevate are products for those experiencing knee problems. Both are advertisers. Ski-Mojo is a set of light-weight shock absorber springs that reduce pressure on the knees by 33%. Worn under ski pants, the device reduces pain and fatigue. The people I’ve talked with who use Ski-Mojo, swear  by it. Elevate is a soft, robotic ski exoskeleton that boosts quad strength and reduces muscle fatigue and joint pressure. The product causes loads to pass the knee entirely;  improving knee stability and preventing normal wear and tear. Elevate is available to demo at locations in Lake Tahoe and Park City.  

Saturday is Ski California Safety Day 

Resorts throughout California and Nevada will participate in Ski California Safety Day this Saturday, Jan. 26. Each of the 15 participating resorts will host activities designed to inform guests about skiing and riding safely. Topics range from avalanche and deep snow safety to proper chairlift loading and riding. More at skicalifornia.org.

Will Renovated Snowpine Bring New Vibe to Alta?

That’s the question explored in an article this week in The New York Times Travel Section. The Snowpine Lodge was the funkiest of Alta’s five lodges. I know this from multiple stays at each of them over my 45+ years skiing Alta. Accommodations were less than luxe. Food was okay. Guests – maybe because we were all subjected to the same musty smells and low, head-bumping passageways – always seemed to bond. That was back then. The new Snowpine is said to be super-luxe, Aspen or Vail style…with prices to match. It may raise eyebrows among readers who know and love Alta, or simply raise the bar for the other lodges.

Solitude to Host FIS World Snowboardcross and Skicross Championships

The world’s best snowboardcross and ski cross athletes will compete at Solitude, Feb 1-3 in the 2019 FIS World Championships. It will be the biggest winter event in Utah since the 2002 Olympics.

Mont-Tremblant International Airport

The single strip airport is about 20 miles north of the resort. Porter Airlines and Air Canada flights connect through Toronto. A quick check shows that New Yorkers and Bostonians can get round trip fares are as low as $275. Both airlines include free flights for kids and free lift tickets. Click here for details. 

Breckenridge to Ski to Memorial Day

That’s the plan for this and future seasons, conditions and US Forest Service permitting.

Videos Worth Watching

Teton Gravity Research generally produces interesting ski videos, and this one (4+minutes) is no exception. It focuses on the challenges a young skier faces at the top of a cornice before skiing a beautiful, steep line.

Kings and Queens – The Evolution of Corbet’s Couloir is fun. The 7+ minute video shows a competition of men and women skiing and boarding Jackson Hole’s famed chute.  Please comment if you’ve had the Corbet’s Experience, and we’ll compare notes.

Experience Something New at Whiteface

Mirror Lake Inn ,in Lake Placid, is a lovely place to stay when visiting Whiteface Mountain and other North Country attractions. Starting this season, Andrew Weibrecht, son of the Inn’s owners and an Olympic medalist, is available to ski with Mirror Inn guests at Whiteface. For details, click on the adjacent ad.

Cell Phone Dying on the Mountain?

Try the GearBeast phone holder. The $9.99 – $12.99 device (SeniorsSkiing.com readers receive a 20% discount; enter SENIORS-SKIING at checkout) fits over the neck and under the parka where your body warmth keeps the phone battery from draining. Other benefits? You won’t drop the phone when using it on the lift. And the mini pocket for credit card, ID and a few bills lets you leave bulky wallets in the car or lodge. Click on the company’s ad. 

Jon Weisberg

Grand Targhee: Deep Powder and a Friendly Vibe

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It had been snowing three days when I arrived at Grand Targhee. By morning the new snow total was 55″.

A guy from Denver suggested signing up for Early Tracks. For $89 members of the ski school guide you at 8AM, an hour head start on the public.

Next morning, I skied 1 1/2 hours on untracked terrain, guided by B-Rad, Wall Street derivatives trader turned ski instructor. The snow was mid-thigh. Grand Targhee is known for its deep, natural snow, and the day I was there, the resort lived up to its reputation.

Like many other skiers, my previous experience with the area was taking a day trip from Jackson Hole, the mega resort about 25 miles away. Grand Targhee’s 2,600 acres sit in the Teton mountain range, its 2270′ of vertical served by five chairs.

Parking lot at Grand Targhee

At 7851′, the base can present a breathing challenge to flatlanders. But it’s worth the short time to acclimate. On clear days, you can almost reach across the valley and touch Grand Teton Mountain in its 13,770′ glory.

Lodges, restaurants, retail, pool and hot tub cluster at the base; each a short walk from the other. The lot is an easy walk to the lifts and decent restrooms are located at the top of each chair.

From past visits, I know that super-steep is not part of Grand Targhee’s DNA. This time, two hours of early morning super-deep left me wiped out. The rest of my day was at the bottom.

There are three places to eat and a small general store. The first evening I ate at Branding Iron Grill, the resort’s fine dining option. A nice space, with good food, and a generous pour. Powder morning I chose something light and delicious at Snorkels, the breakfast and lunch eatery. That afternoon I sat in the very full Trap Bar and Grill, sipping a beer and enjoying friendly conversation against a background of live bluegrass.

Grand Targhee’s senior pass pricing starts at age 65 and is humane. Lodging at the resort also is reasonable: a slope-side room, midweek next February is less than $200 per night. Other options are available in nearby Alta, Wyoming and in Driggs and Victor, Idaho.

Grand Targhee is located high above Idaho potato country

The vibe is friendly, with friends and strangers of all ages in easy conversation. Older locals refer to themselves as Targeezers.

The mountain, reliable snow, and reasonable prices keep people returning season after season. One couple I met was visiting from Hawaii for the second time in a few months. The guy from Denver was on his second trip of the year. A couple from Australia had driven over from Jackson for the day. Next time they plan to spend to use Targhee as their base.

Leaving Grand Targhee, Teton Range in background

At one point the clouds lifted and Idaho’s flat potato fields came into view. Access to this area of Wyoming is through Idaho. B-Rad pointed out some of the distant ranges while I caught my breath. Then our attention focused on what was in our immediate future: a long expanse of light, untouched deep powder waiting quietly for us to leave our lines.

 

Northstar
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Unless you’re riding with people you know, ski lifts are public places, and conversational topics should reflect that.

Courtesy of Northstar

At least, that’s how I view the 8 – 12 minute ride with people who, if nothing else, have the sport in common. But experience shows that others may not share that sensitivity. How else to explain the ride on a triple where the night manager of a local hotel explained in detail how the owner was a drug dealer who used the property to launder money? Personal discretion must not have been a requirement for his job. That was a long time ago. More recently, on another triple, the man in the middle went on a racist rant for most of the ride. I told him he was using inappropriate language for a public place. He paused for a few breaths and resumed in a more obnoxious manner. I told him that based on what he said he was a racist. “No I’m not!” he yelled as we left the lift and he skied away. Regardless of age or status, lift conversation is our opportunity to bridge gaps and preserve the spirit of skiing.  Please make the effort.

IKON Pass Introduced. M.A.X. and Rocky Mtn Super Pass to be Retired 

Ikon is from Alterra Mountain Company and includes 23 resorts in the U.S. and Canada, many of which are part of the M.A.X. Pass, the Rocky Mountain Super Pass and the Mountain Collective. M.A.X. and Rocky Mountain passes will no longer be available and Mountain Collective will continue through 2018-19. The resorts include Mammoth, Squaw/Alpine, Deer Valley, Alta, Snowbird, Copper, Eldora, Aspen/Snowmass, Steamboat, Jackson Hole, Big Sky, Killington, Sunday River, Sugarloaf , Loon, Tremblant and CMH. Ikon will announce costs at a later date.

Epic Pass adds Telluride

Telluride Ski Resort will be available on Epic Pass starting next season.

Winter Olympics

Courtesy, IOC

The South Korean games run Feb 9-25 in Pyeongchang, the name of a county about 40 miles from the DMZ. Opening and closing ceremonies will be held in a roofless five-sided stadium seating 35,000. South Korea is the second Asian nation to host the games. Korea’s Yongpyong resort has been the site for World Cup ski races four times since 1998. It has 14 lifts servicing up to 2,500′ vertical.

Warren Miller

Ski Utah posted this five minute edit of the1984 Warren Miller’s Ski Country. Hearing his voice narrate the film brings me back to another time.

Patagonia Environmental and Social Responsibility Report

This three minute video presents what Patagonia has done to improve the environment, preserve outdoor recreational areas, and contribute to improved lives in 2017. It’s an eye-opener.

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Short Swings!

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CALIFORNIA

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows announced that five of its skiers were named to the 2017 U.S. Alpine Ski Team. All are part of the area’s development system and have been successful in International Ski Federation (FIS) competition.

COLORADO

Numerous Colorado resorts offer free skiing for young children—a definite benefit for grandparents taking the kids for a ski holiday. Ages, dates, and other details vary by resort, and are worth checking on line or when making reservations. Among the resorts offering this perk: Arapahoe Basin, Aspen Snowmass, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Loveland, Purgatory Resort, Steamboat, and Telluride.

MONTANA

Absaroka Dogsled Treks is based out of Chico Hot Springs in Pray, MT, about an hour from Bridger Bowl and two hours from Big Sky. The outfitter offers tours, ranging from $125 for a six mile trip (small kids free) to $450 for the day. Chico Hot Springs has a great natural hot pool where the community gathers to soak and an outstanding kitchen, recognized far beyond this little wonder, 45 miles north of Yellowstone National Park.

NEW ENGLAND 

Open Snow, the very excellent snow forecasting site, has reported that New England is in for “an arctic blast” for the next 10 days.  That means big time snowmaking.  But beware, it’s also going to be windy up there this weekend, so bundle up.

NEW YORK

Internationally renown artist Jeff Koons, 61 and a nascent snowboarder, designed the graphics for 50 boards that will be sold for $5,000 each at a fund raiser in New York City for the Chill Foundation, a charity established by the founders of Burton snowboards. The foundation helps children from underserved communities learn through competitive sport.

UTAH

Salt Lake City is offering the Ski City Super Pass with discounted tickets at Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude, free public transportation to get there, and discounted rentals. Available with lodging packages at participating Salt Lake City hotels. Staying in Salt Lake City and skiing different areas is a great way to experience the Wasatch Front. Many restaurant and entertainment options.

Park City’s KPCW radio interviewed SeniorsSkiing.com co-publisher, Jon Weisberg about (what else?) seniors who ski and why they’re important to skiing. The podcast can be heard by clicking here.  Jon’s comments start at 39:00 if you want to skip ahead.

Utah Olympic Park in Park City will host luge athletes from over 20 countries competing for a chance at a World Cup title, December 16 and 17, 2016.

WYOMING

Moe’s Original Bar B Que opened in Jackson Hole. FeaturingSouthern soul food, the chain resto was named one of the Top 10 Rib Joints in the U.S.

OTHER

Patagonia is offering 50% past-season products. The on-line deal is good for Tuesday, Dec 13, only.

 

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Way, Way Out West, There’s Another Jackson Hole. Know Where?

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Home, home on the range? Not really. This Jackson Hole is not where you think.

Home, home on the range? Not really. This Jackson Hole is not where you think.

A few miles north of Beijing, there’s a town that is named Jackson Hole.  No skiing, but…seriously?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRSenQu2GWw&feature=youtu.be

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First Run: From The Top Of Jackson Hole At Dawn

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From the top of Snow King, looking at the Grand Teton and Jackson Hole. Credit: Patrick Kearney

Snow King at 6:30 am, looking at Grand Teton and Jackson.
Credit: Patrick Kearney

[Editor Note: Contributing Photographer Patrick Kearney has been working in outdoor education through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) for over a decade. Most recently he’s been working in education at the elementary, middle school and college level and will soon transition to helping to protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. When he’s not teaching or working in conservation he goes backcountry skiing in the Tetons, mountain bike, kayak and adventure with my girlfriend and her dog “Peter.”]

 

Down Corbet’s Couloir At Jackson Hole

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If You Over-Think This, It Won’t Happen.

From the folks at Jackson Hole and Teton Gravity Research, here’s what happened last spring on top of the famous Corbet’s Couloir.