Tag Archive for: Lake Tahoe

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/0 Comments/in /by

What a strange time.

There are some exceptions, but most ski areas throughout Europe and North America have closed.

There is nothing happy about this scenario except the prospect that removing ski areas as a place where people gather may help slow the virus’ progress.

SeniorsSkiing.com readers range in age from 50 into the 90s. The average age is 67. We are among the most vulnerable. Those with compromised immune systems, heart and lung conditions and diabetes, even more so.

Science will find treatment or a cure, but it will take time. In the meanwhile, we’re advised to minimize close physical contact with others. Hence the premature end to the season.

We should use good hand-washing hygiene. Someone suggested spraying objects entering our living space with a weak bleach and water solution — four teaspoons of bleach per quart of water. Our household is trying that as an additional precaution. I hope it works.

Having things in common are one of the hallmarks of a community. By that standard, SeniorsSkiing.com is a virtual community. Our shared interest is descending snowy terrain, as is enjoying other passions and being with family and friends.

For those of us in self-isolation, it’s important to know that all of these things await us when we can once again meet without concern.

We’ve been through other health scares in our lifetimes. Polio. AIDS. SARS. MERS. Ebola. Each a virus. Each, eventually managed to a reasonable level.

The same will happen with COVID-19.

Science will find answers. Societies will manage though the chaos with varying degrees of success. 

Wherever you are during this time of crisis and worry, please be grateful for family and friends, and the scientists working overtime to bring us relief. 

Remember your good times on snow. This metaphorical Winter will pass. Next season will arrive.

In the meanwhile, please do what you can to care for yourselves, your families, and your communities.

And remember to wash your hands.

Keeping Your Home Virus-Free

This article from Houzz, the home-oriented website, explains how to protect your home from the virus.

List of Acceptable Cleaning Products

Here’s a list of cleaning products that are pre-approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use against COVID-19. It’s from the Center for Biocide Chemistries and American Chemistry Council.

Lake Tahoe: 114” in Three Days

Snow clouds must not have received the COVID-19 memo. 9.5’ of snow fell on Lake Tahoe over the past three days. Click here to see what that meant for one driver.

5 Short Films

These five films won the 2nd annual “Best Sustainable Tourism Films” competition. The longest is 3 minutes. They’re interesting and beautiful and come from Morrocco, Sweden, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka, and Newfoundland/Labrador. Click here to view.

Bored At Home? Watch This!!

This 8-second home-ski video should get a chuckle. Click: IMG_9266

Colorado Skijoring

Here’s a piece from yesterday’s New York Times about Skijoring in Leadville, CO.

And, finally…

While many of us are exercising prudent social distancing by remaining home, we’re also spending time outside walking, hiking, exercising and enjoying nature. If you think your sneakers or waking shoes could be performing better, try EZ Fit AutoAdapt® Universal drop-in insoles. They improve shoe comfort and performance. They’re made by Masterfit, one of our loyal advertisers. They support us. Their products support your feet. Please support them. Click here to learn more.

Yesterday was the vernal equinox. We need a good dose of Spring!

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/0 Comments/in /by

Arapahoe is running its guns.

Big Sky, Alta, and Lake Tahoe are among the Western ski destinations that have received natural snow. A few areas in the Austrian and Italian Alps are already operating.

It’s all about to happen again. 

Farmer’s Almanac predicts a “Polar Coaster” with wildly swinging temps. NOAA is expected to give its prediction sometime in October. 

Source: Farmer’s Almanac

Did you see last week’s report that North America’s bird population has declined by 29% over the past 50 years? What about melting glaciers? One Swiss community recently held a formal funeral march for the loss of its Pizol glacier.

The Pizol glacier has lost up to 90% of its volume since 2006.
(Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller)

The UN this week is holding its Global Climate  Summit. Last week school kids throughout the US and abroad demonstrated on behalf of the environment.

The ski industry is taking a stand through a variety of climate initiatives, but it’s probably too little and too late.

So what are we older skiers to do?  Groan and bemoan or go skiing? The way things are going, it’s not going to last forever. Nor are we. My idea is to do what I can to save what we can for our grandkids. But my BIG IDEA is to stay fit, make sure my ski gear is ready for the fast-approaching season, and GO SKIING. We need to enjoy it while we have it. The future is barreling our way and it may not be kind.

Do Wider Skis Lead to Knee Injury?

John Seifert, PhD, professor of exercise physiology at Montana State University, recently presented research results showing a relationship between use of wide skis and knee injury. Wide skis, he explains, force skiers to use a more upright stance, thus causing knee-supporting muscles to be in a less-than-optimal position to exert force when something called Ground Reaction Force (GRF) is at its peak.

He defines GRF  as “…the force exerted by the snow in contact with it. GRF is always present, even in deep snow, as it’s part of what makes a ski turn. GRF is influenced by skiing velocity and turn radius. On hard snow with wide skis, this is why drifting is so common or the turn radius is lengthened in order to minimize forces.”

The negative effects of GRF are minimized in deeper snow. But using a wider ski on hardpack increases risk of knee injury.

The research is interesting and complicated. Jackson Hogen at Realskiers.com wrote a good summary of Dr. Seifert’s presentation at PSIA’s 2019 National Academy. It is titled “Why Wide Skis Aren’t Good For Your Knees” and can be accessed by clicking here.

Scarpa Boot Recall

SCARPA recalled all Fall 2017 Maestrale and Maestrale RS ski boots purchased in North America. Under certain conditions, the boot shell may crack. Click here for more guidance on identifying the boots in question. Scarpa will repair recalled boots.

Solitude Introduces Paid Parking

In an effort to reduce traffic congestion in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Solitude will charge for parking this winter. Single drivers will be hit with $20, carpoolers will pay as little as $5.

Park City’s Sunrise Rotary Club Aims For Ski Shot Record

Ski Shot Competitors on Park City’s Main Street

My friends at Park City’s Sunrise Rotary Club are shooting for the longest Shot Ski world record on October 12. They hope to break Breckenridge’s record set in January. Sunrise Rotary expects to attract 1,310 people, who will gulp a shot of High West booze from shot glasses set in old skis. Entry fees go toward the club’s grant’s program. Last year Sunrise Rotary Club granted $23,000 to community organizations.

If You’re Planning a Park City Trip This Season…

…a fascinating outdoor exhibit on the area’s early geologic history is a must see. Located in nearby Silver Creek, the idea for the exhibit came when an excavator uncovered a petrified tree trunk estimated to weight 5 to 10 tons! The Park City Sunrise Rotary Regional Geologic Park was sponsored by Rotary and several other local and regional organizations.

Aspen Swingers

Someone in Aspen has been installing old-fashioned handmade swings on hiking trails, looking out on local beauty spots. If this gives you an idea for your community, go for it.

R.I.P. Pepi Gramshammer

Pepi during his racing youth. Source: Denver Post

Austrian national ski team racer, Pepi Gramshammer, died August 17. He was 87 and had recently suffered a series of strokes. A Vail resident since 1962, he used race and sponsorship funds to start Hotel-Gasthof Gramshammer two years later. The hotel, in Downtown Vail Village, is one of the resort’s most venerable hostelries.

R.I.P   Davo Karnicar

Davo Karnicar Source: Teller Report

Slovenian adventurer Davo Karnicar was the first to ski from the summit of Mount Everest to its base camp. He and his team spent a month climbing the south face of Everest. Following a few hours’s rest he began his descent. He skied from over 29,000 feet to base camp, escaping collapsing ice walls, strong winds and crevasses. He died September 16 in a tree-cutting accident on his property in Slovenia. He was 56. Click here or his obituary in The New York Times.

What a Toy!!!!

This short video shows a skier toy from the 1970s. Anyone out there have one?

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/0 Comments/in /by

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

###

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.

###

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.

###

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.”

###

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!

 

###

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.

###

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!