Tag Archive for: senior skier. 50+

seniorsskiing

Snow In Literature: The Snow Man

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By Wallace Stevens

One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;

And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter

Of the January sun; and not to think
Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,

Which is the sound of the land
Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place

For the listener, who listens in the snow,
And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.

Herb Stevens

Skiing Weatherman: Parade Of Storms Coming

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Progressive Storm Threats Gets Underway

Although it’s likely that the holiday period will be a Covid-induced quiet one across the country, it is now crunch time for opening terrain that will create adequate social distancing to fend off further operating restrictions.

The past week brought about a pattern change that delivered snow to many resorts that had seen very little. Of late, storms have moved into the West, across the continent, and through the East and that trend will continue. Canada has been milder than normal for many weeks, but cold air is now building and becoming available for the storms further south so the potential for more snow in more spots is on the rise. In addition, I am a little less concerned about a holiday eastern warmup than I was last week.

In weather geek language, we are in a “progressive” pattern, meaning jet stream ridges and troughs are moving along from west to east without locking in for an extended stay. That produces changeable weather, but with more cold air becoming available from Canada, we are now talking more about snow and less about rain. There are still forecast challenges with respect to storm tracks, but overall, things are looking up.

In the near term, storms will move southeastward from the Gulf of Alaska and dump on the coastal ranges of British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. Much of the moisture will get wrung out before the systems reach the northern Rockies, but there will be “topdressing” snow further inland most mornings through next week. The central and northern Sierra will pick up snow later this weekend and early next week with the prospects not as good further south due to the systems tracking too far to the east. Northern Utah and Colorado will cash in on the passage of these quick hitting systems next week but a lack of deep moisture will keep amounts light. The southern Rockies will see little new snow in the next week.

Over the eastern half of the country, disturbances will approach in both the northern and southern branches of the jet stream. Cold air will still be a little scarce in the short term, so the track of any storm will determine where it snows. But the potential is clearly there, as this jet stream forecast for Monday, December 14 clearly illustrates.

On this map we see a trough over the South, with an extension northward to Canada, a combination that could easily produce snow from the mid-Atlantic resorts up through New England. Notice also the trough along the Pacific Northwest coast and the next in line south of the Aleutians. The deeper trough over northern Canada acts as the center of the wheel, with the other features effectively rotating around it. The orange over Greenland plays an important role for the East in this pattern. That’s an upper level ridge that makes it easier for eastern troughs to strengthen as they approach the Atlantic. Indications are that the ridge will remain in the same general area until late month, so storm threats will be fairly frequent. Each trough that passes by will deliver a chunk of colder air from Canada, so the snowmakers will have ample opportunities as we approach the holidays.

Regional Details

Northwest U.S./Western Canada: Frequent storms from the Gulf of Alaska bring heavy snows every two-three days. Snow levels bounce a bit in Oregon Cascades.

Sierra: Periodic light snows from Tahoe northward until further notice. Minimal snow in southern Sierra.

Rockies: Northern resorts get frequent light to moderate snows.   Occasional light snows Wasatch and central resorts. Limited snow prospects further south.

Midwest: Clipper system brings light snow Tuesday and delivers good snowmaking temps and modest lake effect snows.

Mid Atlantic/Southeast:  Colder weather arrives Monday. Potential snowfall Tuesday. Good snowmaking week.

Northeast/QB: Mixed precip Sunday. Mountain snow showers Monday. Good snowmaking week with additional storm threats.

Herb Stevens

Skiing Weatherman: Fast Movers

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In last week’s first installment of my weekly discussion, the Pac Northwest and northern Rockies were enjoying a parade of early season snow events while skiers and riders in the Midwest and East had to be content with tuning gear and digesting the state-by-state Covid restrictions rolling out recently.

The storms have continued to hit the same general areas that were hit in the West recently, and dozens of resorts with scheduled openings between this weekend and early December could probably open now on plenty of terrain with the snow they have picked up already. By the way, those same regions are in line for more snow in the next week!

In the Midwest and East, a fast moving trough passed through earlier this week, and the air was cold enough for snowmakers from the upper Midwest into the Northeast to get started building bases. In a transient jet stream pattern like the one we are in right now, where troughs and ridges keep marching around the northern hemisphere, making snow in these areas is a gamble.

Resorts would love to open in time for Thanksgiving, but at this time of year, seldom is there enough cold air around to keep it cold enough for snowmaking for more than a couple of days. Only if a blocking pattern develops, when an upper level ridge parks near Greenland, which then allows a cold trough to come to a halt over eastern North America, do we see appreciable early season snow or extended snowmaking windows. Blocking is not in place, so cold shots will only come along every three or four days. Luckily, when it does turn milder, the short days and low sun angle will help limit the melting of the snow that falls or is made.

A modest cool shot will produce a minor amount of snow and enable a minor shot of snowmaking across the northern Great Lakes, Adirondacks, and northern New England later this weekend. The snow will be confined to higher elevations in the East. The next shot at cold and perhaps snow will come just prior to Thanksgiving Day, when another trough will move through the Midwest and Northeast. Right now it looks promising for snow in the northern Lakes, but in the Northeast, the best we can hope for is backside snow after rain on the front end of that event. So for now, any skiing/riding over Thanksgiving in the East looks very limited, prospects in the upper Midwest look a little better. Your best bet? In the Pac NW and northern Rockies. Here is a snowfall forecast for the next ten days that says it all.

Here are the regional details…

Northwest U.S./Western Canada: Strong troughs from the Gulf of Alaska continue to pinwheel into this region, leading to snow events every few days. Cascades and coastal ranges of B.C. will be the big winners.     

Sierra: After a productive storm midweek, this region will be south of the action for the next week as the northern branch of the jet stream dominates.

Rockies: Northern Rockies pick up a couple of additional rounds of snow early to midweek. Resort opening prospects in ID, MT, and WY look positive near-term.

Midwest: Northern resorts in MN, WI, and MI will have nighttime snowmaking opportunities through this weekend, along with some natural snow. Fast moving trough will bring light to perhaps moderate snow Tuesday/Wednesday of next week. Some limited Thanksgiving weekend skiing/riding is possible.

Northeast/QB: After two nights of snowmaking this week, another nighttime opportunity will be present Saturday and Monday nights. Two messy events could “net” higher elevation snow late weekend and Wednesday into Thursday. Lower elevation resorts on hold, waiting for cold.

mikemaginn

Question For You: Early Birders

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Yes, It’s Early Days, But How Is It Out There?

Wild Mountain is open in Minnesota (Oct. 19). So is Mt. Norquay (Oct 24) and Lake Louise (Oct. 29) in Alberta. And Wolf Creek, (Oct. 28) Arapahoe Basin, (Oct. 9th!), Killington, VT (Nov. 6th), and perhaps a few others are spinning lifts by the time you read this. Perhaps we are pushing this a little, but inquiring minds want to know how it goes in resort-ville?

Mt. Norquay early birders on opening day.

If you’ve been out for a run or two, please let us know what your personal opening day was like. Was anyone there besides you? How about COVID rules; did they help or hinder?  Could you detect karmic differences between this year’s first run and other years? If you skinned uphill at a not-quite-open-yet resort, what was that like?

You early adapters are canaries in the cage for the rest of us.  Okay, bad metaphor, but you’re ahead of a lot of us, so do tell.  What’s happening?

Write your comments in the Leave A Reply box below.

 

 

mikemaginn

Mystery Glimpse: Top Hat

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Flippin’ Clown.

This should be easy for some old timers.  Who is this guy? What’s his back story?

Thanks to the amazing historic ski photo archive at Peak Resorts for this pic.

Last Week

This is Linda Meyers and Buddy Werner in April, 1963.  Linda competed at the 1960 and 1964 Winter Olympics. In 1960 she tumbled in the downhill event, but completed the descent and placed 33rd; she failed to finish the giant slalom. In 1964 she placed 12th in the slalom and 30th in the giant slalom.

Meyers grew up in Bishop, California, near Mammoth Mountain, and took up skiing following Jill Kinmont Boothe. Besides Olympics she competed at the 1958 and 1962 World Championships and finished fifth in the combined event in 1962. After retiring from competitions she coached skiers in Colorado.

Buddy Werner was a top US ski racer, retiring from racing after the 1964 games. He was killed in an avalanche while filming a ski movie in the Swiss Alps later that year.

[Note: This Mystery Glimpse was updated, correcting the identity of the woman skier.]

 

 

 

historic6
seniorsskiing

Incidents & Accidents: 6

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Tracking Down The Reckless Party: YOU Must Capture Data At The Scene.

Mark Stangl, Steamboat, CO

What Happened: Snowboarder collided with me from behind, causing a spiral leg fracture.  Both fibula and tibia were broken and required internal hardware treatments.  Major life changes and financial impacts resulted. (The snowboarder was from Panama and although at fault resisted all contact from my attorney and was shielded by the corrupt legal system there.)

Role of Ski Patrol: Transported me from the slopes to the local hospital.  Patrol did not conduct an accident investigation, nor help identify nor locate the snowboarder.  My friends snapped a cellphone image of the on-the-spot ‘incident report’, but name and contact information were wrong, or “wildly incomplete”.  Later inquiry to Steamboat about identity and location yielded a response of “Too bad. Here is the policy indicating it is not our job to authenticate information given to us by patrons”. 

Subsequently, a Denver TV station conducted an investigation and aired the results.  The ski area stonewalled their questions, but undercover work revealed the high number of injuries at that ski area every year.  Over 3,000!  Link to that TV aired report is here. 

Followup investigation to 12 other ski areas and industry trade groups were further stonewalled, or responded to with the common façade of “…myth out there…our numbers are so low…”.

Lessons Learned:  A systemic concealment and conspiracy is in existence regarding skier safety by the industry.  An image of “wonderful family experience” is shadowed by the truth of high non-fatal injury rates, and exculpatory laws/waivers releasing the operators from virtually all responsibility. 

Advice:  Upon being the victim of an”at fault accident”, call police and report an assault.  Have others snap a photo of the offenders ski pass or ticket.  Tracking data is available from that.  Detain the offender if possible, and call patrol.

For Prevention:  Wear a flashing red bicycle light on your helmet facing back.  These are being used by seniors to alert followers and seem to inspire attention.

Roger Lohr

Taking The Grandkids Snowshoeing

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Here’s How To Do It Right And Have A Fun, Memorable Experience.

A little planning goes a long way when snowshoeing with kids. Credit: Crystal Mountain

On a winter trail outing near my home, I ran into a neighbor and her grandchild on snowshoes—and it was not going well. The kid was uncomfortable and headed back home by herself. Grandma kept going, and since she is a neighbor, I went along with her for a while and chatted. It was clear she was not aware of how to help her granddaughter have a good time on a cold winter day on snowshoes. So, here’s a primer about snowshoeing with the grandkids.

Snowshoes

You can get children’s snowshoes that are used or new but it’s really important to get the right size. For the youngest kids—four-eight years old—get colorful snowshoes but ensure they are secure on the foot and easy to put on. Most snowshoe companies have a snowshoe for kids.

Clothing

Light layers of clothing are comfortable, and you can add or remove clothing as needed (i.e., if it gets too hot). A lightweight synthetic base layer of long underwear helps to keep your grandkid dry and transports perspiration away. A middle layer that provides insulation like a shirt or sweater with a jacket shell as outer layer works great. Don’t forget a headband or light hat and a pair of appropriate gloves. Alpine ski gloves will be too warm for snowshoeing unless it is very cold outside.

The goal is for the kids to recognize when it is too cold or too hot and to encourage them to adjust layers so they feel comfortable with the temperature. Wearing a backpack will allow kids to stash or pull out the extra clothes, and feel self sufficient.

Fun on Snowshoes

If you want it to be a good time for them (and you), you have to make the snowshoeing outing less “boring” and more exciting. Also, your first few outings should be short and easy so that the kids don’t feel that snowshoeing is “too much work.” Maybe they can take pictures with a camera or cell phone. Plan ahead and discuss what to look for—perhaps there are different kinds of scenic views, trees, animals, tracks, and silly poses that you can do. You can’t stop too many times to take photos. Pose for them, take selfies, get some photos of them without you, send them out on social media, etc. You’re making and saving memories!

Set up a scavenger hunt on the trail (hang or hide treats or something); the kids can look for and accumulate the hidden treasures.

Kids love candy and perhaps they’ll love to go snowshoeing to look for candy that is cached (hidden in specific locations in bags). Take them on a “Quest for the Candy” by following hints that you write in advance as a poetic treasure map to follow. This is a new type of orienteering for children.

Choose the Trail

Make sure to take the kids on interesting trails and accept that “interesting” for them may be very different than it is for you. Have a destination such as waterfalls or hilltop, or a site for wildlife spotting. Discuss this issue prior to planning the trek so you are aware of what they might enjoy. Be aware about whether the child is over his or her head—the trail may be too steep, too long, or you are not getting to the destination soon enough.

If you want to avoid all of this decision-making, go to a cross country ski area that can accommodate kids on snowshoes like Great Glen Outdoor Trails Center in Gorham, NH. They have a scavenger hunt called “Trail Tracker” which is a big hit for kids to track down cartoon animals out on the trails. When they find the animated creature signs, they stamp a card, and, upon return to the lodge, they get a treat.

Hydrate and Snacks

Plenty of snacks and drinks are a must. If you are going out more than a half hour pack enough water or drinks. The kids get thirsty fast, and they may like to play the “I’m thirsty” card when they want a break. Granola bars, sandwiches, energy drinks, fresh fruit, and crackers to provide ample energy boosts but also consider some snacks that you know they enjoy like chocolate or candy bars.

A Great Time with the Grandkids

Go for a snowshoe adventure rather than just a snowshoe hike. Take the opportunity to get outside and enjoy nature and exercise, while at the same time having bonding time with your family; you’ll be glad you did.