Skiing, boarding and other Winter sports are about to get their quadrennial boost as the world tunes into the PyeongChang Olympics.

In some parts of the world it will help grow the sport. I doubt that will be true in the U.S., where for 35 years the total number of annual U.S. skier/boarder visits has remained relatively flat.

Add in other factors like climate change, ticket cost, paying off student loans and mortgages, and robust competition for our leisure time, and things don’t look good for skiing’s future.

Many of us grew up at a time when popular media presented skiing as the paragon of glamor and cool. The sport was being discovered by the masses. Wherever there were nearby mountains, ski trains carried city slickers to their slopes and trails. Ski clubs were a major organizing factor. (Ski clubs are still a terrific way to enjoy good value and meet new friends.)

Skiing no longer holds the same cultural status, except, perhaps, for the spectacle of the Winter Olympics when mass marketers pay the sport’s superstars big bucks to jump on their brandwagons.

I hope this Olympics gives the sport a boost in the U.S. and worldwide. If would be nice to know that enough newcomers are at least making up for those who leave the sport.

It also would be nice if winters returned (at least in this part of the West) with greater force and more cold.

Whether or not that happens, tune in to the Games and enjoy them. Better yet, push the record button, leave the house, get to the mountain, and ski!

 

LIV2SKI Patch and Helmet/Ski Sticker

In December we asked for suggestions for our first patch. Several ideas were submitted, resulting in the patch pictured here. The closest suggestion came from Pavel Lia .We like it so much that we also had neat small stickers made. They’re perfect for helmets and skis. We’ll be making them available in the next few weeks.

 

 

 

Your Vintage Ski Poster May be Valuable.

New York’s Swann Auction Galleries produced high prices for vintage ski posters during it’s February poster auction. Top sellers included Palace Hotel St. Moritz, Zurich, 1920 ($11,400); Union Pacific / Sun Valley Idaho, circa 1940 ( record $10,800); Sun Valley / “Round House” on Baldy Mountain, 1940, (record $7,800), and several Dartmouth Winter Carnival images.

 

You and Friends in Your Own TV Show?

A reality TV casting producer in NY is seeking a group of 70+ friends who are “sassy senior citizens” for a new reality TV show. The company’s notice states “Think Real Housewives but slightly older and more fabulous. They’re looking for “loud, over-the-top personalities,” preferably in warm-weather locations. To throw hats in the ring email mckayla@crybaby-media.com with bios/pics.

 

Sustainability at Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows

Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows expects to be using 100% renewable energy by December. The resort is partnering with Liberty Utilities and Tesla on state-of-the-art battery storage for storage of surplus energy.