Are older skiers and boarders invisible to the people making business decisions about skiing?

Unless, you’re a marketer selling reverse mortgages, extended care facilities, pharmaceuticals, or walk-in bathtubs, most companies ignore our market segment.

In the world of skiing corporate ski area consolidators are eliminating senior discounts, and ski makers haven’t bothered to present a product designed and presented for our unique needs. There are exceptions, but the norm is to focus on youth.

When’s the last time you opened one of the dwindling number of ski magazines and saw an ad showing anyone from our set?

This isn’t a complaint. It’s an observation. We represent 20% of all skiers/boarders. We ski more frequently, spend more money, and have more influence on introducing people to the sport.

Maybe if we simply started to speak about the issue with each other, we’ll start a process that will help older skiers gain greater visibility. With visibility comes recognition. With recognition comes value. And with value, comes respect.

If you have a point of view on this matter, please share it with other readers in Comments.

Weight Training Reduces Strokes, Heart Attacks

A study published in October in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise provides evidence for the first time that even a little weight training might reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. It is based on healthcare data of thousands of men and women getting annual checkups at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas. Risk of  experiencing heart attack, stroke or death was about 50% lower among those who lifted weights occasionally compared to those who never did.

Seeking Financial Support for Military With Disabilities

Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra (DSES), the non-profit adaptive sports program based in Mammoth Lakes, CA, is seeking contributions for its 13th annual week-long sports camp for active duty and veterans with disabilities. More at www.WoundedWarriorsMammoth.org/Donate .

Skiing Through a Straw

This 90 second video is amazing. It shows Cody Townsend skiing what appears to be an almost vertical narrow slot canyon somewhere at the top of the world. AMAZING!