Tag Archive for: senior skier

Tamsin Venn

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Sunapee Goes Epic

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Seniors Can Still Get A Mid-Week Pass At A Big Discount Before April 14.

Skier falling into slush cup

It’s that time of the year. Sunapee celebrates spring with a splash. Credit: Sunapee

Sunapee in New Hampshire went Epic this past winter, joining Stowe and Okemo, Vt., as Vail Resort’s three footholds in the East.

Sunapee draws many locals from neighboring towns plus a hefty day crowd from the Boston area. Parking lots fill up early on weekends. Midweek warriors descend on discounted Wicked Wednesdays. Many get there early, lap the Sunapee Express Quad, and leave by lunch.

Skiers disperse to two base lodges—the older, funkier Spruce Lodge (no stairs to reach it) with wood cubbies stuffed with lunch coolers, and the roomier Sunapee Lodge at the Sunapee Express Quad. A shuttle truck precludes schlepping from one to the other, connected by The Beach—a popular spring picnic spot.

Sunapee got jolted out of state-strapped limbo when the Mueller family took over operations in 1998 and worked the same wonders here as they had at nearby Okemo. Robust snowmaking (97 percent) and grooming make Sunapee a reliable area even when snow in the woods is sparse.

Off the South Peak learning area is where the Muellers secured rights to build the West Bowl Expansion, and Vail may or may not follow through. Locals are happy about more trails but skeptical of condos and some dead set against disturbing the old growth forest here.

As a mid-sized area, Sunapee has 66 trails that are varied and full of character. For scenery, ski down the Skyway overlooking a snow-covered Lake Sunapee for one of the best views in New England. Follow the woods down the ungroomed Williamson Trail, or skip through the trees in Sunrise Glades. Get an adrenaline kick down Blast Off and bounce off the moguls on Upper Flying Goose. The terrain park attracts a group of kids who grew up there together. Epic or not, Sunapee will always be Sunapee.

The Muellers’ parting gift to skiers was a high-speed quad commandeered from Okemo in the Sun Bowl. Previously one had to think twice before shooting down here knowing one was facing a slow ride back up, especially in a blizzard.

Although many people ski here for the convenience, less than two hours from Boston, the area truly is a place to stay awhile. Long a summer haven with its many lakes, the Sunapee area has a happy sense of continuity. Skiing segues into swimming and sailing. The ski area has zip lining, mountain biking, adventure course, and summer camps. The satellites tend to stick around—Bob Skinner’s ski shop at the Rotary, Bubba’s Bar & Grille in Newbury, Peter Christian’s Tavern, New London Inn, Dexter’s Inn, Colby-Sawyer College, familiar spots all.

Ticket buyers this year buy an EpicDay pass, a direct-to-lift card that they can reload on line. Until mid-April closing, a day ticket cost counts in the purchase of next year’s Epic Pass.

Epic Local Pass for $699 (19 plus) accesses 30 resorts and is unrestricted at Mt. Sunapee and Okemo. Epic Pass for $939 (ages 13 up) has access to 65 resorts including Europe and Japan. Buy at the Epic Pass site.

For its loyal seniors, Sunapee still offers a midweek pass. Seniors (65-69) is $429 and Super Senior (70 plus) is $279, if bought before April 14. Those prices increased slightly but now include ten discount buddy and six ski-with-a-friend passes. Call or stop at Guest Services (603) 763-3576.

Click here for Sunapee Webcams

Click here for Sunapee Trail Map

 

A less-than two-hour drive from Metro Boston, Sunapee has beautiful blues, views, and lots to choose. Credit: Sunapee

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Mar.22)

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Odds & Ends, W.S. Merwin, Ski For Light Part 2, Schneider Cup, Resort Reviews, BC Resorts Love Seniors, Mystery Smithy, Crazy Ski Ads.

Spring Arrives Tonight.

This week, there’s yet more snow in The Sierra, and a Nor’Easter in the East, leaving piles of it everywhere. There are clearly opportunities for extending the season well into the summer. The question is: When do you put away the boards? When you have to switch to rock skis? When you have to take the cover off your boat? When tennis brackets are formed? When you’ve had quite enough of skiing, and it’s getting a bit old? If when to call it a season is a decision point for you, imagine what resort managers go through.

The dilemma for ski resorts everywhere is when to close for the season. As long as the demand is there, then why not keep the lifts spinning, the trails groomed, the burgers flipping? But what if the vast majority of late season skiers are pass holders, that is, not paying for tickets, rather flashing an RFID? Hmmm. Ultimately, there is a cross-over point between income, cash flow, and expenses that will form the basis for the decision. Or, do some resort managers keep a perhaps scaled-down operation going to serve those few ardent customers who keep coming, despite an almost empty parking lot?  We’re curious how the closing-day decision is made. Is it different between mom-and-pop local areas and corporate properties? Any thoughts?

As for SeniorsSkiing.com, we will continue publishing into the Spring, for sure.  However, next week, we are taking our Spring Break, a week off for travel, vacation, and a change of pace.  Our regular next edition will be published on April 8; individual articles will be available earlier that week.

Ski For Light.

This week, we are publishing Part 2 of a series on Ski For Light, the non-profit, all-volunteer organization that conducts a week-long cross-country ski experience for blind, visually- and mobility-impaired people. Part 1 is a skier’s story, describing what one blind skier’s experience is. In Part 2, a 25-year veteran guide explains why he keeps coming back.

Perhaps you have some time on your hands as a retired person, or you know someone who is visually-impaired and want to support them. Volunteering, donating, or becoming a SFL guide are worthy, soul-expanding opportunities. We’ve met a couple of SFL participants—skiers and volunteers—and can testify that it can be a transformative experience. Think about it. Click here to find out more. 

Find A NGS Benchmark: Another Outdoor Activity You Can Do With Your Grandkids.

A National Geodetic Survey benchmark. There are 400,000 scattered across the country. Credit: NOAA

Here’s an idea for those spring hikes with your grandkids, fat bike rides in the woods,  or last-gasp cross-country ski outings. NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey is encouraging people to head to the local hinterlands to find “benchmarks”, collect data, and send on to NOAA. It’s called the GPS on Benchmark project. If you bring your grandkids, you will be teaching how data is collected in the scientific world. For a podcast on the GPS on Benchmark project click here.

A benchmark is a permanent mark or disk that is embedded in the ground or attached to a structure. Each benchmark has a known elevation and location that is used as a reference for maps,  charts, and surveying.  There are over 400,000 benchmarks located in all areas of the country, installed over the past 200 years.  Anyone can visit the bench mark of their choice, record field notes, take digital photos, and collect GPS observations or coordinates and then use online tools to send the information to NOAA.

Remember geocaching? This is the same idea, except your target is a benchmark, and your role is to collect data. You can find benchmarks in your local area by heading to the National Geodetic Survey Data Explorer and entering your zip code.  We were surprised to find NGS benchmarks scattered throughout our neighborhood.

Click here for instructions on how to participate in the process, what equipment you can bring, and where to send your data. 

Whiskey In A Ski Pole. What A Novel Idea.

From the world of inspired ideas turned into unusual products comes the WhiSki pole for your consideration.  This product is a ski pole that is also an eight-ounce flask for a liquid. From the name, you’d assume whiskey. Think of the whiskey pole as serving the same function as that brandy barrel around the neck of the classic St. Bernard.  We would have surely loved to have been at the time and place where this idea came out of the firmament. Must have been a fun time. The WhiSki pole has a screw-top in the handle where your choice of beverage is poured in as well as where you, um, drink from. There is a clear warning label in fluorescent orange that admonishes you not to drink and ski, but there are other times when the WhiSki Pole comes in handy.  See the video below for examples. For the skiing friend who has everything, click here for more information.

This Week

Co-Publisher Jon Weisberg continues his reports from the Italian Alps with this update on his week skiing with our advertiser AlpSkiTour in the Aosta Valley.

We honor the passing of American poet and conservationist W.S. Merwin this week with his poem, A Contemporary.

This mystery skier is finally identified after 50 years.

A new Mystery Glimpse comes from the New England Ski Museum. Guess who this Smithy lady is.  Last week’s photo of the helmeted ski racer on the cover of Sports Illustrated is revealed, and we share another photo taken at the same time.

Correspondent Don Burch has some fun with ski advertising, Tamsin Venn reports on the Hannes Schneider Cup, held at Cranmore Mt, NH, Yvette Cardozo describes how BC ski resorts show their love of senior skiers, and Marc Liebman praises a favorite, Utah’s Solitude Mt. Pat McCloskey takes a side trip to June Mt, CA, and is pleasantly surprised.

Thanks again for supporting SeniorsSkiing.com and please tell your friends. There are more of us everyday and we aren’t going away. See you in a couple of weeks.

 

seniorsskiing

Ski For Light: Why A Guide Keeps Coming Back

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[Editor Note: This article was written by Robert Civiak, a 25-year Ski For Light volunteer guide. It previously appeared in the Ski For Light Bulletin, Summer, 2018. For Part 1: A Skier’s Experience. click here.]

Start of the end-of-week race at Ski For Light.

Part 2: A Guide’s Story.

In 1992, after several years of bad snow in the mid- Atlantic region, I signed up to go to Colorado for a week to be a guide for Ski For Light. At least I would get to ski on some good snow. Well, I have missed only two years of guiding since then. The reason is simple. I like it. No, that is wrong—I love it.

Why do I love it? It took me some soul searching to figure that out. I have to admit that it does feel good to help other people, but most of my reasons are more selfish. Of course, even feeling good about yourself for helping people is selfish, but here are the real selfish reasons why I love being a guide.

Volunteer SFL guide Bob Civiak has been helping blind XC skiers for 25 years.

First and foremost, I love cross country skiing. Going to Ski for Light forces me to make time in my life for a full week of skiing no matter what. But I could go skiing for a week without being a guide, so there must be something else. A major reason at the beginning was that I liked racing. I was never a successful competitive racer and when I started SFL, I was already in my mid 40’s and so my prospects for winning races did not look good. However, in my first year, I guided Janice Newman, and she was the first woman finisher in the 10K race. Boy, was that a rush. My second year was even better, I guided Laura Oftedahl to first place overall, finishing ahead of several Norwegian men. That was my peak success as a racing guide. I was hooked.

I am no longer able to guide the fastest skiers at SFL, but still thoroughly enjoy guiding and take great pride in doing it well. Now my competitive juices are stoked by helping skiers who want to ski better than they have before. In 2017, I helped Ron Baron, who had never skied 10K, reach that milestone on Thursday. The next day, race day, he did it again, but was 30 minutes faster. I vicariously shared Ron’s sense of accomplishment and took pleasure in the look on his face when we finished, but I can’t deny how much I enjoy the personal triumph of being a good teacher and spurring him on to do his best.

Is there something more at SFL? We all know there is. The atmosphere at our events is totally unique. I have never been in a more supportive and positive environment. For 51 weeks a year, I tend to be a little cynical, to see the glass as half empty, and to fret about where the world is heading. I simply can’t do that at SFL. I get caught up in the passion of everyone helping everyone else, hugging, and spreading positive cheer. All of the glasses at SFL are at least half full, if not brimming over. People are there to have a good time and won’t let anything spoil that. As I’ve heard from SFL leaders, “If you cut through it all, SFL is just one big party.” What’s not to like about a big party.

After 25 times at SFL, I have made dozens (if not hundreds) of good friends. By now, I would be going if for no other reason than to have a good time with my friends. On top of that, I get a new person to guide and to bond with each year and form a new friendship.

Blind skier Chris Leghorn (l) and her guide. Chris has been attending SFL for 19 years. Credit: Pam Owen

But there are even more things I love about SFL. Before I came, I never could have imagined the personal inspiration I would get from spending time with people who refuse to let their disabilities keep them from achieving remarkable things. I am not only talking about skiing. There’s also sit skiing, traveling, finding their way around hotels, running meetings, and organizing the event. I am amazed at the lawyers, scientists, business owners, consultants, entrepreneurs, judges, teachers, bankers, and high level government workers I have met at SFL. If even a tiny amount of SFL’s motto— “if I can do this, I can do anything”—has found its way to me, I am a winner. SFL blind people take minor adversities completely in stride. Bump into a pillar—don’t complain—that just becomes a reference for future navigation.

I have left my most selfish and embarrassing reason for last. Of course I have learned that every blind person is unique and has their own mind, wants, and desires. As a guide, I respect and support that; however, when we are walking and they are holding my arm, or when we are skiing and I am guiding, they depend upon me, and I am leading the way. I never had children, and the idea that someone would rely on me and allow me to make decisions about their safety and well-being is something that I revel in. I have several other reasons I like being with blind people. They tend to be open, honest, unpretentious, vulnerable, free to ask for help, appreciative of things that I can do easily, and willing to help me when they can.

There you have it. I don’t consider myself a do-gooder. Rather, I like skiing, I take pride in being a good guide, and I like to be in charge. I also like being appreciated and hugged, getting a vicarious thrill from other people’s achievements, and getting caught up in the magical positive spirit of SFL. All of that, and seeing my good friends, is why I keep coming back.

Click here to donate, volunteer, or become a guide at Ski For Light.

 

mikemaginn

Mystery Glimpse: This Lady Created The First…

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…What?

Hints:  New Hampshire. She went to Smith. Her husband’s last name was the name of the creation.

Credit: New England Ski Museum archive

Many thanks to the New England Ski Museum, now with an Eastern Slope branch in North Conway, NH, in addition to their home base at the foot of the Cannon Mountain gondola, Franconia.

Last Week

Lots of clues here. Who’s in the speed suit?

Yes, Buddy Werner is the skier on the cover of the January 27, 1964 edition of Sports Illustrated, harkening the Winter Olympics, held that year in Innsbruck, Austria.  At the time, Werner was a vibrant, new personality in the ski world, a Steamboat native, and a persistent competitor. Werner, as many senior snow sports people know, went to the 1964 Winter Olympics with Billy Kidd and Jimmie Heuga, but never placed. It was just after the Olympics that Buddy joined other athletes filming a movie in Switzerland, produced by Willy Bogner, the fashion designer. He and German racer Barbi Henneberger were lost in an avalanche during the production.  He was only 28.

What makes this photo so interesting to me is that I had a similar photo tacked above my desk at SKIING Magazine, One Park Avenue, NY, NY. That was in 1970. The photo which you can see below, you have to agree, is pretty dramatic, an airborne downhill racer coming full on, in helmet and speed suit. There was no identification on the print as to who it was or when it was taken. I always wondered.

Last week’s photograph from the Tread of Pioneers Museum archive, triggered a response. I rifled through several old files, and there it was. That old picture matched the cover shot of Sports Illustrated, but obviously a different frame from the shoot.  It been taken at the same on-hill session as the cover photo, and somehow a print made its way to SKIING magazine’s offices, where I commandeered it, and pinned it to the wall. When I went on to other things, I took it with me, and it’s been around ever since.  And here it is.

After almost 50 years, we now know this is Buddy Werner.

Don Burch

Selling Skis: 50 Years Of Gibberish

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Remember Lange’s “Soft Inside”?

Now this ad turned a few heads back in 1969. Credit: Lange

I get it. It’s not easy to sell skis. With so many advances in ski design, there are tons of great skis out there. So how does a brand differentiate their products from others? Just like they always have, advertising and marketing. This means slogans, endorsements, performance claims, use of exotic materials and “systems” and of course, transference (associating the product with being sexy, unique, rugged…See Lange boot ad above.)

Sprinkled in among the gibberish is useful information such as amount of rocker, turning radius, profile, and such. But most of it is nonsensical, indecipherable, and unintentionally amusing.

Back in the 1970s, some Fischer skis had wooden cores “made up of finely-cut laminations of lightweight African Okoume”. Rossignol skis were touted as “the greatest moment-makers that ever smoked the slopes”. Regarding one of their skis, Hart stated, “If you’re a swinger who skis for the sheer fun of it, Jubilee is your baby”.

Hexcel had a honeycomb metal core. Credit: Pugski

In the 1980s, Hexcel skis had an “aerospace-proven honeycomb/prepeg technology”. Atomic advertised that their skis had a new “Hy-Vitronic System” and Dynastar skis had a “metal ‘omega’ rib for torsional stiffness”. Not to be outdone, Molnar skis had a “unique Prismatic construction consisting of two channeled fiberglass blanks mated along the ski’s neutral axis”.

In the 1990s, Tyrolia urged buyers to go with Tyrolia skis because you’ll be with a “fast and smooth crowd.” Rossignol asserted that their skis are “limited only by your courage”. Meanwhile K2 had a ski with “TRIXIAL SYSTEM 3” which “balances flex, torsion and lateral deflection”.

In the 2000s, Salomon skis had “hard elastomer transmitters”.  Atomic had skis that had “the reviewers drooling, so if you want a pair, you’d better jump”, and Rossingnol had the “Powerpulson System”.

In the 2010s, Head race skis only began “to work at speeds that would get your ticket pulled.” Volkl hawked a ski that was “just a little piece of heaven in the big scheme of things, but heaven nonetheless”. Atomic promoted a ski with “double-deck construction”. The two decks were “joined by rubbery fasteners.”

And, nowadays, little has changed. Some Volkl skis have “Multi Layer reinforced wood core, powered by titanium and UVO (Ultimate Vibration Object)”, and high-end Head skis have KERS. This “technology works like a turbo charger that provides additional power and acceleration by stiffening the tail of the ski in out turns. The effect: a boost, catapulting the rider into the next turn. Just like when Formula 1 pilots push a button for that extra notch of speed.”

Kers, whatever that is. Credit: Don Burch

I have a pair of Head skis with KERS, and I love them. Of course, I have no idea whether KERS has anything to do with my liking the skis, but I’m hoping next year they’ll have a button I can push for that speed boost!

Tamsin Venn

History Lives At Cranmore Mountain

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Celebrating Hannes Schneider, A Pioneer Of Alpine Skiing In North America.

Jubilation at the vintage fashion show at the Hannes Schneider Meister Cup. Credit: Tamsin Venn

Every year, the Hannes Schneider Meister Cup Race, sponsored by the New England Ski Museum and Cranmore Mountain, NH, celebrates the legacy of the venerable Austrian ski instructor. For 23 years, the Cup has drawn people to Cranmore from all over to race or just cruise on this low angle dual slalom course on the Alley, where the old Skimobile ran up.

Schneider and his wife arrive via train at North Conway, greeted by his new employer banker Henry Gibson, owner of Cranmore. Credit: NE Ski Museum

This year’s March event poignantly marked the 80th anniversary of Schneider’s arrival via the Eastern Slope Express 7 a.m. Feb. 11, 1939 at the railroad station that still sits in downtown North Conway.

Any major ski resort in the US would have been thrilled to hire Schneider as ski school director, but he chose to make Cranmore his home. His family followed him into the ski business and now four generations of Schneiders are part of the family narrative.

At the recent festivities, great grandson Hannes Schneider dedicated a plaque to his grandfather, Herbert Schneider (Hannes senior’s son), who served in the 10th Mountain Division and also owned Cranmore from 1963-84. His goal had been to make sure every kid in the valley had a chance to learn to ski.

Instructors from Army’s Mountain Warfare School stand to attention at beginning of festivities. Credit: David Eden

The organizers went all out. The weekend started with a reception and hearty dinner at Zip’s (Hannes’ nickname) Pub & Grill and torchlight parade. It continued Saturday morning at Cranmore’s base with dedication ceremonies, a vintage ski fashion show (one winner rifled through her mother’s closet for an award-winning outfit), silent auction, awards ceremony, bratwurst and beer, all serenaded nonstop by the oompah music of the Bavarian Brothers Band. One felt quite transferred to Austria, instead of a quaint  North Conway. All proceeds went the New England Museum, the goal being to preserve the rich ski history in this region.

Schneider’s story is an intersection of politics and skiing. Here’s the short version.

Hannes Schneider ran a ski school in St. Anton Austria, where he promoted the new Arlberg technique and helped bring important tourism business to the region. As a high-profile critic of Hitler, he drew ire from the Nazi party who threw him into prison. With the intervention of a German skier friend who was also an attorney, and Harvey Gibson, an influential American banker, Hannes eventually found refuge in the US where Gibson set him up as ski school director at the new snow-train-served resort Gibson opened in North Conway.

For competing in the Ski Meister Cup, or any ski race, here’s general advice for seniors. If it’s a fundraiser for a worthy cause, it’s easier to justify having more youthful competitors heartlessly whiz by you on a parallel GS course.

In North Conway, visit the Eastern Slope Branch of the New England Ski Museum, opened only a year ago, a companion to the one in Franconia.

Click here for more on skiing at Cranmore Mountain.

Click here for Cranmore’s website.

 

Pat McCloskey

SeniorsSkiing Guide: June Is A Pleasant Surprise

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In The Shadow Of Mammoth, June Mt. Features Dramatic Views.

June Mt has the views, plenty of groomed blues, and lots to choose. Credit: June Mt.

One of the most beautiful drives in ski country is from Carson City, NV down Rt 395 to Mammoth Lakes, CA.  Passing Mono Lake and making your way through the passes that are open in the winter yields some of the most breathtaking views in the country. 

As we made our way down 395 this year, we called an audible to swing on to the June Lake Loop on Highway 158 through June Lake to the June Mountain Ski Resort owned by Mammoth Mountain.

We had never skied June before, and stopping there gave me my 110th different area on my list. Providing  wide open, groomed  intermediate terrain with some nice glade skiing due to ample snow fall this season in the Sierras, it was a delightful pause to our tour of Tahoe ski areas, finishing at Mammoth Mountain.  Not every day needs to be a hammer fest with maximum vertical feet quests and skiing the tough chutes and cornice drops that are typical with our hard charging senior group.  The day at June was a welcome break to ski some delightfully groomed runs with low angle glade skiing mixed in.  

June has a seven lifts, 41 trails, and about half are rated advanced, the other half blues and greens. The resort boasts 70 percent sunny days during the season. Rainbow Summit is at 10,ooo feet and views are spectacular. From there, you can run down Silverado, June’s longest run (two miles), to the mid-mountain chalet.

June has a mid-mountain “base” chalet as well as a base at the base. Credit: June Mt.

Perhaps the most visible benefit of  the visit to June was the incredible scenery.  Sitting at the enclosed deck for lunch, we were treated to vistas that reminded me of the great views of the Alps.  The sharpness of the clear day vistas were enhanced by what seemed to be a close up and personal look at the most dramatic mountain peaks  in the Sierras.  As beautiful as the Minarets are from the top of Mammoth, the vistas from the top of June rivaled their big brother.  Although there are no senior lift ticket discounts per se, the schedule of ticket rates are similar to Mammoth with a base price of 119.00 per day at June versus the 182.00 tab at Mammoth.  If you order on line, you can receive up to 20% off for one day tickets and as much as 40% off for visits and purchases of 5 days or more. June and Mammoth are also on the Ikon Pass. 

The town of June Lake is a little sleepy in the winter with the exception of the June Lake Brewing Company on main drag of Crawford Ave. Exceptional IPAs and other selections that are a staple for the outdoor set in the June Lake area. During the week, you basically have the place to yourself with no lift lines and quiet, scenic relaxing runs.  We always make the Mammoth Lakes area a staple on our visits to the Sierras and the detour to June Mountain should not be missed by any skier venturing down 395. 

Click here for June Mt. trail map.

Click here for June Mt. webcam.

June Lake provides a view as well as plenty of summer activities. Credit: June Mt.

seniorsskiing

Snow In Literature: A Contemporary

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By W.S. Merwin (1927-2019)

What if I came down now out of these
solid dark clouds that build up against the mountain
day after day with no rain in them
and lived as one blade of grass
in a garden in the south when the clouds part in winter
from the beginning I would be older than all the animals
and to the last I would be simpler
frost would design me and dew would disappear on me
sun would shine through me
I would be green with white roots
feel worms touch my feet as a bounty
have no name and no fear
turn naturally to the light
know how to spend the day and night
climbing out of myself
all my life

Marc Liebman

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Solitude

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New England Trails With Western Snow.

Solitude management loves seniors as reflected in ticket prices and lodge access.

I love skiing Solitude Mountain Resort for its wide range of trails for all levels and ages of skiers ranging from wide-open trails to steep, narrow trails that remind me of skiing Stowe, Mad River Glen, and Sugarbush. All the parking is right out front of the Moonbeam Lodge or Solitude Village.

Management loves senior skiers, and it starts with when you arrive. Mid-week senior lift tickets are $75 and much cheaper if you buy on-line.

Solitude opened in 1957 and is roughly 30 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon from the heart of Salt Lake City. Like many ski areas, it has had its share of ownership changes. Deer Valley bought it in 2014 and in 2017, Deer Valley and Solitude were acquired by Alterra Mountain Company. Alterra owns 14 resorts including Aspen/Snowmass, Mammoth, Tremblant, Snowshoe, Steamboat, Stratton, and Squaw Valley.

Nice blue groomers as well as steep glades. Credit: Solitude

Mother Nature dumps 500 inches of snow on its 79 named runs on 1,200 skiable acres. The top is 10,488 feet and the base is 7,994 which give one 2,494 vertical feet accessible by 10 lifts. It is easy to find your way around the mountain, and you never have to climb or walk between lifts. Forty percent of the terrain is intermediate and 50 percent is rated for experts. There are two base areas—Solitude Village and Moonbeam—and, if you are a day skier, park at Moonbeam so you can walk up about twenty-five easy steps or take an elevator in the lodge.

From the Moonbeam lift, you can yo-yo off on beginner and intermediate trails or ski to Eagle Express. It opens up glades that take you to the Powderhorn lift. Or, you can ski Inspiration, Rumble, Grumble, Stumble, Serenity, and Challenger and enjoy the steep rolling contours that both challenge and keep you smiling all the way down. I’ve skied all of them in knee-deep powder and frozen granular. No matter the conditions, after each run down you want to hurry up for more.

If you like steep slopes through the trees, take Summit Express to the top. It gives you access to the far side of Honeycomb Canyon as well as a long, wonderful combination of intermediate runs called Dynamite and Mine. Or, you can traverse along the ridge and ski Parachute (you may think you need one, but you don’t) and Milk Run (i’ts not).

On the mountain, the Roundhouse has a restaurant and bathrooms on entry level and upstairs. accessed by elevator. No stairs! The same for the Moonbeam base area. The menu at both Roundhouse and Moonbeam is typical ski area fare, reasonably priced (for a ski area) and tasty (trust me, I’m picky). There are restaurants in the small Solitude Village along with condos to rent.

So let me repeat what I said in the beginning, I love Solitude. Every time I ski in the Salt Lake area, I spend at least two or three days there.

Click Here For Solitude Trail Map

Click Here For Solitude Webcam

Author Marc Liebman makes Solitude a regular stop when in Utah. Credit: Solitude

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Mar. 15)

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Italian Alps, Ski For Light Skier, Mystery Irishman, Great Glen, Personal Knee Story, Winter’s Spring.

Brodie Mt, home of “Kelly’s Irish Alps” was where St. Patrick skied in Western Massachusetts. Credit: New Ski History.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, formerly the unofficial beginning of spring skiing.  But this year we aren’t so sure. Winter isn’t going anywhere.

This week’s Mystery Glimpse reveals the story behind the Hard Pak Puliverizer, the ingenious ice grinder machine invented by Jim Kelly, owner-operator of Brodie Mt.  From the mid-60s to the end of the 90s, the resort was celebrated as having the longest vertical in Southern New England and as headquarters of Kelly’s Irish Alps. The Celtic-themed resort hosted robust St. Patrick’s Days each year as this picture shows. Today, you can find green eggs and Guinness at Mt. Snow, $17 lift tickets at Waterville Valley, pot-of-gold treasure hunting at Alpine Meadows, bagpipers at Breckenridge, and fun everywhere. It used to be that St. Patrick’s Day signaled the start of spring skiing. But this year, winter is certainly going on. And on. Read on.

Guaranteed Snow Till Summer For Some Resorts.

In case, you missed it, there is a snowagedden in Colorado. Credit: Joe Durzo

Indeed, the snow just keeps coming, despite the start of spring. In the Sierra, in the Wasatch, in the Rockies, there are biblical levels that haven’t been seen in decades. An “atmospheric river” is loading moisture-rich air from the Pacific to dump on Tahoe, Mammoth, and the other Sierra resorts. As you can see, the Rockies are full up and overflowing. So much snow in the mountains has caused deadly avalanches; 18 skiers have died so far this year. The snow that fell in the Rockies in October—that early snow—has provided a slippery base for new layers to fall on and eventually slide from. You’ve probably read about I-70 being closed by “natural” avalanches. As we write this, a “bomb cyclone” blizzard is smacking Colorado with even more and moving east.

Skiers will remember this year as an exception. Or is it? Perhaps the climate change is really changing winter. The amount of moisture in the atmosphere from overheated oceans seems to the engine driving these phenomena.

As we mentioned a couple of weeks ago, there is something happening here. Enjoy the snow and the elongated season. But, paradoxically, remember that the ski industry is working hard to develop green energy and sustainable resources.

bThis Week.

Jon with world speed ski champ, Simone Origone and Andrea Jory, Alpskitour

Co-Publisher Jon Weisberg reports from the Italian Alps. His story shows us a snapshot of the Aosta Valley, where he is skiing with Alpskitour, local guide service and SeniorsSkiing.com advertiser.

We are starting an inspiring story about Ski For Light, a program for blind, visually- and mobility-impaired people who cross-country ski with guides. This week, we learn what a skier has learned about herself in taking part in the SFL events for the past 19 years.  Next week, we’ll hear from a volunteer guide who spends a week working with a non-sighted partner.

What a new knee looks like when it is all over. Credit: Bob Nesoff

Correspondent Tamsin Venn shows us another view of Great Glen Trails and the Glen House Hotel, NH. There is more to do at a winter resort than ski.  Find out by clicking here.

Veteran journalist and SeniorsSkiing.com correspondent Bob Nesoff gives us his personal knee replacement story.  He explains the importance of conditioning before the operation and the need to be rigorous about physical therapy after.  His story will undoubtedly create a lot of interest among readers.

Finally, we have published The Winter’s Spring, a poem by 19th century poet John Clare.  He doesn’t want spring to come, either.

Thanks for reading SeniorsSkiing.com. Tell your friends and remember, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

 

Jon and I are very grateful for the support we have received in our recent fund-raiser. All the premiums have been sent to donors, except for a small number of hats. We ran out!  More are coming soon.

mikemaginn

Ski For Light: A Blind Skier’s Experience

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Part 1: The Skier

[Editor Note: We met Chris Leghorn in a local North Shore community acoustic music jam. She sang and played her Martin HD 28 with both gusto and gentleness, depending on the song. In talking with her, we learned she had taken part in 19 Ski For Light events since 2001 as a cross country skier.  She started going to Ski For Light just as she was starting to experience adult onset blindness. Her story is inspirational and certainly worth hearing. In Part 1, we will tell Chris’ story; in Part 2, we will hear from a volunteer guide. We interviewed Chris after she returned from the Ski For Light 2019 gathering which took place this year in Granby, CO.]

Ski For Light is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization founded in the US in 1975 and modeled after the Norwegian Ridderrenn, a program that teaches blind, visually-, and mobility impaired people to cross-country ski. Each year, the US-based organization holds a week-long cross-country event at a different host resort. About 240-280 people attend, 100 or so blind or visually-impaired, another 12-15 mobility impaired, and the rest volunteer guides and organizers, some of whom travel from Norway, the UK, China, and even Barbados for the event. Many of the attendees return to SFL year after year. Aside from coming to learn or just enjoy cross-country skiing and to grow in independence, the SFL gives blind or mobility-challenged attendees a chance to not think much about being disabled for the week. They are just another participant at the event. The motto of SFL is “If I can do this, I can do anything” describes the attitude that drives the organization’s mission.

Chris with her guide at Ski For Light. Credit: Pam Owen

SeniorsSkiing.com: Chris, how did you get involved with Ski For Light?

Chris: I had heard of Ski For Light in 2001 when my eyesight was getting worse. I read some inspiring articles about the event that motivated me to try it out.  I knew I needed to find a way to do things I loved with assistance.  So, I went to my first SFL that year when I still had some vision.

SeniorsSkiing.com: What attracted you to SFL?

Chris: To my knowledge, SFL is the only event of its kind in the US. Many Alpine ski resorts have programs for blind skiers, but SFL is unique in what it offers.  The program was imported to the US from Norway where the Ridderrenn provided an opportunity for blind people to enjoy the winter. [Note: The Ridderrenn or “Knight’s Race” was started in 1964 by Erling Stordahl, who is blind, when he found he could ski with confidence in the tracks of army trucks without being afraid of bumping into anything. That basic idea formed a framework for Ski For Light.]

I had skied in my college years and had lived on a farm where there was a lot of opportunity to be on skis and outdoors in the winter.  But, before SFL, I hadn’t skied in 25 years. I was always athletic and loved the outdoors, and I needed to find a way to do activities in a different way. I still am very active, despite my blindness. I also do long-distance cycling, hiking, and kayaking.  I have completed three Blackburn Challenges in my double sea kayak. I am always looking for people to participate in these activities with me. [Note: The Blackburn Challenge is a 20-plus mile, arduous ocean rowing race around Cape Ann, MA.]

SeniorsSkiing.com: What is it like to ski with a guide?

Chris and Guide placed in end-of-week race. Credit: Pam Owen

Chris: It is awesome. We are paired with a guide for the whole week. New guides are given some training before the event. Everyone learns a common language to use like “half-track right”, “tips left”, and things like that. But we also talk about how we like certain directions. For example, if we are turning, does the skier prefer degrees or hands of a clock for reference.  Or does the skier want constant feedback or just some communication before a big turn or terrain change. I like to rank hills according to steepness from 1-5 and also length from short to long, i.e., a “long three”.  This communication helps me accurately determine what’s ahead.

The skier and the guide ski side-by-side in parallel tracks about four to six feet apart. Some skiers, however. prefer the guide to be ahead of them, others behind.  Again, it’s a preference you have to work out together. Once you work out the communications, it’s a matter of just heading out and doing it.

Every year, I try to express the depth of my gratitude to my guides for giving so much of themselves so that I can have a beautiful week of feeling free on the snow. Their response to my gratitude is always, “We are the winners here.”

Skiers and Guide ski in parallel tracks. Credit: Pam Owen

SeniorsSkiing.com: What have you learned about yourself through SFL?

Chris: I’ve learned that I take my attitude about my blindness too seriously, or rather my fear of how I am being judged about my blindness. There are many amazing sight-impaired people at SFL, and, in their presence, I have learned to be more relaxed about who I am as a person with failing eye sight. There is an incredible spirit of positivity that words can’t explain at Ski For Light.

When I am cross-country skiing beside my guide, I feel so free because I am not attached to my [guide] dog or holding onto someone’s arm. It’s a freedom I don’t feel much anymore, and it’s very special.

 

For more information about Ski For Light, donating, volunteering, or becoming a guide, click here for the SFL website.

 

 

mikemaginn

Mystery Glimpse: 1964 Racer

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Who Do We Have In The Tucked Position?

Lots of clues here. Who’s in the speed suit?

Thanks again to the Tread of Pioneers Museum, Steamboat Springs, CO, for contributing this picture from its archives.

Last Week

If you recall, Brodie Mt was nicknamed “The Irish Alps”, because on St. Paddy’s Day it was definitely the place for skiers to be. It was also the domain of a creative, ingenious, leprechaun-like operator who invented a why-didn’t-I-think-of-that machine.

This is the famous ice grinder designed and manufactured by Brodie Mt.’s Jim Kelly in 1970.  The Ashford, MA ski area operator was a true entrepreneur, inventor, and eternal optimist.  When the winter delivered scarce snowfalls that turned whatever hard pack was left to block solid ice, Jim Brodie figured out a way to keep people skiing.  It was simple: Grind it.  That resulted, said Brodie at the time, in what was good enough to call “powder”. We have a feeling there was a bit of the Blarney stone stuck out there in the Berkshires.

Jim Kelly with a working Hard Pak Pulverizer which made “powder” from ice, according to him.

Brodie built what he called a Hard Pak Pulverizer, based on a debarking machine used at this dad’s lumber company. The heart of the concept was a rotating cyclinder with projecting metal teeth. After several failures over three years of experiments, Kelly found that a 100-horsepower Deutz diesel could handle the torque needed to make the cylinder turn hard pack ice into a skiable surface.

Ever the inventor, Kelly even came up with a home-grown snowmaking idea. When it was really cold, his crew would shoot water on the slopes, wait for it to cool, and give it the once over with the pulverizer.

Jim Kelly marketed the Hard Pak Pulverizer to other ski resorts.  Ed Herte, the then owner-operator of Little Switzerland, Slinger, WI, bought one of Kelly’s devices.  His assessment: “The snow the machine makes is better than the best man-made snow I’ve ever seen.” Has someone else been kissing that magical stone?

Jim Kelly’s story of the Hard Pak Pulverizer was first reported in Skiing Area News, Winter, 1970.

Tamsin Venn

At Great Glen Trails, Nordic Skiing and Activities for Everyone

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New NH Cross-Country Resort Offers Winter Sports Alternatives.

Olympian Sue Long Wymess demonstrates “Gorilla Arms” technique at Great Glens Trails. Credit: Tamsin Venn

Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center just past Wildcat on Route 16 in New Hampshire, sits at the base of the towering Mt. Washington. At 1,600 feet in an area known as the Glen, the snow is plentiful, and the managers cut Nordic trails to perfection daily for both classic and skate.

Cruise around a 45-km network of groomed and backcountry trails. Most trails are double tracked, for two-way traffic.

“Great Glen has some of the finest designed trails for cross country skiing in the world. The late John Frado is famous for designing them for quality and whimsy that the Great Glen trails beautifully convey,” says Roger Lohr, SeniorsSkiing.com cross-country editor and publisher of XCSkiResorts.com. 

“The Meister program at Great Glen may be the most successful in the country with a fat bike component, too,” he adds of the weekly locals’ race series.

Learn from the best. Ski School Director Sue Long Wemyss, a U.S. Ski Team member from 1983-86, competed in all four of the XC races in the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo. She offers a lesson package of three one-hour private lessons.

Heads up. Nordic equipment has changed radically in the past decade. You can rent or buy skis that are waxable, waxless, or skinned. A new adjustable binding system lets you move your weight forward or backward with the turn of a dial. The new skin skis are much faster than the old mohairs (“slohairs”). Music to our ears: “You can enjoy skiing more with the new gear,” says Great Glen XC shop director Nate Harvey.

A scavenger hunt for grandkids will keep them searching for forest friends. Credit: Tamsin Venn

Take the grandkids out on the green trails and let them spot all their furry friends at animal cartoon stations. Punch all the holes on the map and they earn an official Trails Tracker button.

Come and stay awhile trailside. Just opened in September, The Glen House is the fifth hotel on this site (four others burned down). It’s an airy building that manages to be both rustic and sleek. Thanks to the efforts of Great Glen Trails General Manager Howie Wemyss (Sue’s husband), the hotel uses state-of-the art green technology to harness geothermal for heating and cooling and eventually solar and hydro. Half the hotel’s 68 rooms have balconies facing the Northern Presidential mountains and the Carter Moriah range. The Notch Grille and indoor heated saltwater make après ski relaxing. In the great room, two story windows face the peaks of Mt. Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Madison, and Architectural Digest recently named it “The Most Beautiful Bar in New Hampshire.”

Great Glen is a good spot to try a new activity or for everyone in the family to enjoy themselves. Choose fat biking, snowshoeing, tubing, or taking the SnowCoach up Mt. Washington to timberline into an Arctic winter wonderland. Ski and stay packages are reasonable. Summer brings a whole other basket of activities.

The Glen House hotel has a truly beautiful bar with dramatic artwork. Credit Tamsin Venn

Nordic Rates: Season Pass Seniors $100 (62 Plus), $75 if bought by Dec. 1. Day pass Senior (62 Plus) $12. Two for 1 Mondays and Fridays (non holidays).

Trails are groomed to perfection at Great Glen. Credit: Tamsin Venn

 

 

Bob Nesoff

My Knee Replacement Story

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Conditioning Makes A Huge Difference To This Skier’s Post-Op Experience.

A lifetime of abusing my body never really bothered me until it did. Coming down a blue trail five miles long at Park City, UT, one of my all time favorites because of the killer views, suddenly posed a problem.

My knees were killing me. The pain traveled into my hips and the last three miles of the slope seemed to be as long as a trip around the world. It was never going to end. My knees seemed to be grinding into each other.

What a new knee looks like when it is all over. Credit: Bob Nesoff

At the base, the skis came off, and I used them as crutches on the way to the lodge. With some help, I made it back to our accommodations and iced my knees. Walking they felt as though the bones were rubbing against each other. Fortunately, this was the last day of the trip, and before the flight home, I called and made an appointment with my orthopedist.

The day after arriving home, he x-rayed my knees and, as I feared, was told my ski season was over. The bones in the joint were actually rubbing against each other and the only realistic course of action was a replacement. The question then became one knee or both at the same time.

The skier’s mind went to work. I’m 80 years old and not getting any younger. The surgery won’t be any easier when I’m 81 and why do one at a time and then have to come back and rehab all over again.

With a recommendation from my doctor, I made an appointment with Dr. Gregg Klein of the Hartzband Center for Hip & Knee Replacement, Paramus, NJ.  Doing due diligence, I looked them up and found out that they arguably do more knees and hips than any other medical facility in the country. That gave me some comfort.

Meeting Dr, Klein for the first time I was pleasantly surprised to learn that he too was a skier and was able to not only answer my questions, but had an understanding of my special desire with regard to skiing.

“Age is not a problem in knee replacement surgery,” Dr. Klein said. As long as the candidate is in relatively good health, there is no adverse problem.

“However,” he said with a smile on his face, “you won’t be doing moguls any more. You’ll be able to ski more comfortably, but stay away from high impact slopes.”

Physical conditioning is one of the most important factors both prior to and following the surgery. Dr. Klein prescribed six weeks of physical therapy, three times weekly, both prior to and following the operation. I added another two days of workout at my home gym. That, I was told later, made the operation and recovery go faster.

Three hours after the surgery I was up, standing and walking. No great distance, but there was far less pain that I anticipated. That, according to the nurses was due to my pre-op workout regimen.

After only two nights in the hospital, I was released and the following week a therapist visited daily for two weeks. He called my recovery “absolutely amazing,” again due to the workout I had done before surgery.

The two weeks at home were followed up by six weeks of outpatient physical therapy three times a week. Here I threatened the life of my therapist when he bent my legs into positions God never intended them to go.

Less than three weeks following surgery, I was walking without a walker. For jaunts outside of the house I used a cane but was able to walk comfortably without one at home. Another couple of weeks and things returned to normal.

There is some debate as to whether holding the prosthesis in place with special cement or using one that adheres to the bone is better for sports such as skiing. The cement holds and heals more quickly. Waiting for the bone to adhere to the replacement will take longer. The opinion appears to be that one is not better than the other.

“If you are a good skier and enjoy the sport,” Dr. Klein commented, “keep on doing it.”

There are a couple of long scars on my knees but they’ll fade with time. I won’t be doing moguls or extreme blacks, but I don’t care. I’m working out on a regular basis and by the time of the first decent snowfall in the fall of 2019, I’ll be waxing my boards and heading for the hills. As a prelude to the ski season, I’m also planning on making a parachute jump this summer. Hey, George H.W. Bush ain’t the only one who can do that kind of stuff.

seniorsskiing

Snow In Literature: The Winter’s Spring

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By John Clare (1793-1864)

Appleton Farms, Ipswich/Hamilton, MA. Credit: Mike Maginn

The winter comes; I walk alone,

I want no bird to sing;

Tho those who keep their hearts their own

The winter is the spring.

No flowers to please—no bees to hum—

The coming spring’s already come.

 

I never want the Christmas rose

To come before its time;

The season, each as God bestows,

Are simple and sublime.

I love to see the snowstorm hing’

‘Tis but the winter garb of spring,

 

I never want the grass to bloom:

The snowstorms’ best in white.

I love to see the tempest come

And love its piercing light.

The dazzled eyes that love to cling

O’er snow-white meadows sees this spring.

 

I love the snow, the crumpling snow

That hands on everything,

It covers everything below

Like white dove’s drooding wind,

A landscape to the aching sight,

A vast expanse of dazzling light.

 

It is the foliage of the woods

That winters bring—the dress,

White Easter of the year in bud,

That makes the winter Spring.

The frost and snow his posies bring,

Nature’s white spurts of the spring.

Appleton Farms, Ipswich/Hamilton, MA. Credit: Mike Maginn

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Mar.8)

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[Editor Note: We sent packages and envelopes to readers who donated in our recent fund-raising campaign this week. Jon and I are truly gratified by your support. Thank you. If you haven’t received your premium, please be patient. More patches and stickers are being shipped to us.]

Vasaloppett And Memories Of The Great Washington Birthday Race, Fat Bike Amateur, Mystery Grinder, Knee Replacement Expert Question, Powderhorn Resort Review.

On March 3, the Vasaloppett, the oldest and biggest cross-country ski race in the world, stepped off, heading 90 km (55 or miles) from Salen to Mora, Sweden. That’s the equivalent to two back-to-back marathons, but on skis. Click on the video above, and you will see that this isn’t just a race of college kids and professional athletes. It’s a community experience with plenty of fit looking senior men and women in the crowd of 15,000 plus entrants. That’s 15,000 people coming out for an historic, 55 mile ski race, fueled along the way by hot blueberry soup. The winners come in about four-and-a-half hours after the start. Others are still “racing” 10 plus hours later.  Registration opens for the 2020 race on March 15, if you’re curious.

The US almost-equivalent is the American Birkebeiner, held in Hayward, WI, in mid-January. About 10,000 skiers race 50 km or 30 miles. In Canada, the Gatineau Loppet outside Montreal attracts 2,500 racers who have the option of skiing, snowshoeing or fat biking on different courses.

If you’ve never participated in a mass start, large field, cross-country race, you might have to review your bucket list. Thinking about these huge races reminded us of the Great Washington Birthday Race that used to be held in Putney, VT, and other places in Southern Vermont back in the 1970s  It was our first outing ever on cross-country skis, and there we were, competing with college teams, Olympians, ordinary citizens, and plenty of seniors on a modest 20 km (12 mile) course. Those days, you either got your wax right, or you didn’t.  We didn’t, but we laughed our way around the course, coming in dead last, but enthusiastic about the newly-discovered mystique of this ancient sport—the smell of pine tar, the arcane waxes, the simplicity of technique, and the thorough work out we got. Of course, equipment has evolved, but the aura of Nordic skiing is still magnetic.

Here’s the point: Most of SeniorsSkiing.com readers are Alpine skiers. We urge you to try cross-country to give yourself a break and change your perspective. Like the new skis for Alpine, there’s innovative new skis, bindings, and boots that makes x-c more efficient. We also encourage corporations, resorts, equipment, and clothing vendors to think about a Vasa-like race—smaller scale, local, a people’s race—in different regions.  We know there are plenty of folks who would love to participate. Build it, and they will come.

Start of Sweden’s Vasaloppett March 3, 2019. 15,000 racers head out to Mora, 90 km away.

This Week

Mike riding the Fat Bike. Knickers are just for fun. Credit: Don Burch

Last week, we went on an expedition to the Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center in Pinkham Notch, NH, with a group of ski writers to try some alternative snow sports in a beautiful setting at the base of Mt. Washington. We had heard about fat biking as a new winter option, and so off we went.  Here’s a report of what we learned.

Our Mystery Glimpse this week has a tenuous connection to St. Patrick’s Day coming up next week. If you get this one, you’ve clearly been around the sport for a while. And we reveal the previous week’s picture as Al Johnson, a legend of the Rockies who started the first races in silver mining country.

This week’s Ask The Expert has a question about knee replacement answered by an orthopedic physician. We know a lot of readers will find this helpful.

Co-publisher Jon Weisberg reviews a number of ski-assist devices. These tools can help you extend your sporting life and are worth exploring. Click here for his story.

Finally, Jon also visited Powderhorn Mt. in western Colorado. Powderhorn is another of those off-the-beaten track areas that offer value to senior skiers.  There’s even a weekly Young-At-Heart program for 50-plus that offers guided skiing, lunch, and apres ski. Click here for the Resort Review.

Thanks again for supporting SeniorsSkiing.com. Tell your friends and remember, there are more of us every day and we aren’t going away.

 

mikemaginn

Mike On A Fat Bike On Snow

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A Fat Bike Neophyte Takes To The Trails. Here’s What’s Different.

Correspondent Don Burch (l) and Co-Publisher Mike Maginn pose before heading out. Credit: Tamsin Venn

Exploring alternative snow sports always interests us.  We like snowshoeing around the woods when the snow is too deep for cross-country skiing. We go ice-skating on the pond behind the house when it gets cold enough and there’s no snow cover, an uncommon combination. We even tried snow camping, and we are researching ways to build an igloo or a snow tepee for our grandson in the backyard. So, when the opportunity to go fat biking in the New Hampshire winter mountains came around, we saddled up.

A group of ski journalists were given a chance to explore the Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center in Pinkham Notch, just up the road from Wildcat Mt.  The center with its base lodge, store, cafe, and rental shop is just across the road from the brand new Glen House Hotel, on the exact site of four previous hotels dating back to the mid-19th century at the entrance to the famous Mt. Washington Auto Road.  The spacious Outdoor Center has 45 km of groomed trails for xc, snowshoeing, and fat biking as well as tubing.  Another fantastic activity is riding the Snow Coach up the Auto Road to the 4,200 foot tree line on Mt. Washington. There’s a whole other slate of activities for summer, too.  Only a half hour or so from North Conway, this resort is an historic, ultra family-friendly, non-skier welcoming, Nordic-focused, relatively undeveloped area, and we predict it is going to be growing like a snowball.

Don whisking along on the flat. It helps to have a groomed trail. Credit: Mike Maginn

But we came to try fat bikes because we heard they had become a new winter thing to do. See Pat McCloskey’s recent story on biking in the winter. We’ve seen fat bikes on sandy beaches, on trails in the woods, but we’ve never been on one, let alone riding one on the snow. We’re not new to cycling, that’s for sure.  We’ve been on two Boston-New York AIDS Rides, a Pan-Mass Challenge, and numerous local charity rides. We are happy on road bikes and a rail-trail hybrid. So, not a newbie.

A fat bike has gigantic balloon tires, a triple chain ring in the front with a tiny granny gear, and a frame that looks like beach cruiser. SeniorsSkiing correspondent Don Burch and I started off from the Outdoor Center with a little downhill run to the trail. So far, so good.

To bike at Great Glens, you follow the ski trail, riding in the center of the groomed corduroy, keeping away from the classic cross-country tracks. Right away, you notice the differences.

Rolling resistance is noticeable. With a five inch tire width, you’d expect that. But wow, it is different. We decided that hammering for speed was not our game, instead going slow was good. Finally finding the right gear combination made pedaling easier  Those adjustments helped.

Soft snow acted like a brake. When we hit a soft patch, we felt the wheels sink, and we had to power out. Harder snow is much better. Look for hard snow in the woods; open field snow gets soft first on a sunny day.

Bouncy, bouncy can happen. Somewhere along the way, those big balloon tires made us feel as if we were bouncing up and down along with our pedaling. Perhaps it happened on an uphill where we tended to half-stand on our pedals. Kinda fun, but obviously not very efficient.

For a first outing, it was fun and challenging. Like all new things, now we know what to expect. Give fat bikes a try on a nice, cold, sunny day. You will have a thorough workout, learn some new cycling techniques, and have another way to enjoy the winter.

Mike riding the Fat Bike. Knickers are just for fun. Credit: Don Burch

 

mikemaginn

Mystery Glimpse: Erin Go Grind

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Read The Hints, Connect The Dots.

Boiler plate, locally manufactured, Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Irish-tinged ski area. Got it? What is this? Who invented it?

Last Week

This is the famous Al Johnson, ski legend of the Rockies.  According to the Colorado Snowsports Museum, which contributed this picture, Al was a superb skier before he came to Crystal, CO, from Canada in 1880 to prospect for silver. He became the legendary skier of the “Snowshoe Express.” He was Crystal’s first postmaster and carried the weekly mail and supplies between the mining communities of Crystal and Crested Butte on eleven foot long skis. His mail run was a dangerous trek through the narrow Crystal Canyon. During his twenty year career, he became a living legend. He was involved in starting a series of races between the miners in 1886, the “first one down buys cigars and oysters” for the other competitors. Just think, Al Johnson, a postman, store owner, outdoorsman, inaugurated the first ever ski races in the Rockies. That was a lot of races ago.

Thanks to the Colorado Snowsports Museum for this great picture.  Check out the Museum’s collection by clicking here.

And for more on Al Johnson, click here for a story from the Aspen Times.

seniorsskiing

Ask An Expert: Knee Replacement

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Advice From An Orthopedic Physician.

A reader asks:

I need a knee replacement. Is there one implant (Zimmer, Depuy, Stryker, etc.) that is better for returning to skiing?

Here’s the reply from Dr. Peter Schmaus, Orthopedic Spine and Sports, Paramus, NJ:

Thank you for that interesting and timely question. There are nearly 700,000 knee replacements done in the United States annually and that number is increasing. Many  of these adults participate in snow sports and wish to continue skiing. More conservative  orthopedists in the past have advised against skiing with a total knee replacement and especially with a total hip replacement. However there is no clear evidence that  when skiing within limits, a total knee replacement presents a problem. Logically, experienced skiers in good physical condition should fare better.  A novice skier may however present more risk. Reducing impact , perhaps avoiding the bumps and limiting significant knee flexion would be prudent. Cross country skiing should present no problem at all.  Advances in equipment have also contributed to reduced risk.
There is no academic work showing  disproportionate loosening or wear and tear of the prosthesis, and no one brand  of prosthesis to my knowledge is superior to another.
There may be extenuating circumstances in regard to other coexisting orthopedic conditions and participants should asses the risks and benefits with their orthopedist and ideally, work with a physical therapist experienced in snow sports.

Have a question about technique, gear, destinations, travel, or any other aspect of winter sports? Send it to mike@seniorsskiing.com, and we’ll do our best to find an expert to respond.

seniorsskiing

Mystery Glimpse: Ski Legend Of The Rockies

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That’s A Big Hint.

He sure looks like a rugged dude.  Considering what he did for a living, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn he was a thorough outdoorsman.  Do you know who this is? Where he hung out? What he did for a living? Our bet is a lot of our readers know who this is.

Last Week

Two jumpers? Looks like a long time ago.

This photo comes from the archives of the Tread of Pioneers Museum in Steamboat Springs, CO.  The scene is Hot Sulphur Springs, CO, and the date is 1913.

The following description is from Katie Adams, curator at the Tread of Pioneers Museum.  We thank her for this explanation.

“Carl Howelson, “The Flying Norseman,” who introduced skiing and ski jumping to the West, emigrated to the US from Norway in 1905 and settled in Colorado.  When in Denver, he met new friends who shared an interest in ski jumping and cross-country skiing. Some of those friends, specifically Angell Schmidt and James Presthus, traveled with Howelsen and helped organize some of the first ski clubs and the first Winter Carnival event in Hot Sulphur Springs. The purpose was to gain appreciation and enthusiasm for skiing, and Howelsen knew the best way to do that was to amaze the crowd. He had experience with this as a performer for Barnum & Bailey Circus. He convinced the best ski jumpers he could find to come to Hot Sulphur Springs, to Inspiration Point in Denver, and to Steamboat Springs to dazzle the crowds. As part of putting on the show, jumpers would perform dual or twin jumps, two people jumping at one time. This picture is one of those crowd-pleasing dual jumps, and it probably (but I can’t confirm for certainty) is Carl Howelsen and James Presthus. So, the short answer to why two men jumping: for the razzle and dazzle.”

A great source referenced for this article: “The Flying Norseman” by Carl’s son Leif Hovelsen. The Tread of Pioneers Museum in Steamboat Springs is a center for the history of not only Steamboat, but also the Rockies, Colorado, and the West.  In addition to skiing, many different aspects of pioneer life and culture are preserved and displayed.

When we researched the background for this photo, we came across a more modern attempt to ski as a duo.  Here’s a report on the World Record first-ever tandem ski jump.  We’re not sure why people do this, probably for a bit of “dazzle” like Carl, but when it comes to challenges, there’s always room for one more.

 

Marc Liebman

Report From The NSAA Winter Meetings

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SeniorsSkiing.com Correspondent Makes Presentations On Senior Skiers’ Needs and Wants.

NSAA is the National Ski Areas Association, publishing the NSAA Journal six times a year. The publication’s audience, along with its competitor, the independent Ski Area Management, are those who manage and market ski areas. A growing topic of interest is the senior skier and how to bring them to their area.

NSAA’s own data supports SeniorsSkiing.com’s research. Here’s why the sudden interest. Senior skiers represent about 16% of the overall market and ski approximately 21% of the skier days. We also ski off-peak—the industry buzzword for mid-week and not holiday weekends—and visit an average of three resorts a year. The number of senior skiers is growing because many of us see it as part of our healthy active life style. Put another way, age 70 is the new 50.

What leapt off the page in this year’s NSAA data was that the number of new senior beginners, i.e. people over the age of 55 who have never skied before until they showed up at the base of a ski area and bought a lesson, grew at the rate of 1% per year.

Since the 1970s, the number of skiers has been declining steadily, and it was only in the past two or three years that the number of skier visits/active skiers leveled off. From a ski area owner’s perspective, this good news but is not going to lead to lower prices.

One of the marketing themes of this year’s NSAA’s East and West Regional events was bringing back the lapsed skier who is defined as someone who skied at an early age but has dropped out of the sport for family, economic, geographic and/or professional reasons. Seniors can be lapsed skiers; areas now see us as a way to increase the number of skiers by introducing their grandchildren to the sport as well as bringing friends.

Your humble scribe held a 90-minute presentation/seminar at each event. Each was well attended and received! Space doesn’t allow me to cover everything that was discussed, but what follows are some takeaways.

Marketing strategies targeted at senior skiers differ widely. Major destination resorts tend to view us differently than those near major metro areas. Some, because of their name and branding, offer only token incentives. Others really want us.

Resorts are struggling to find ways to attract senior skiers. It is a combination cost, technology, lack of focus, and talent issue. However, next season, there will be some innovative approaches to senior skiers.

Ski areas realize their facilitates are not senior friendly. The top three areas to improve, which are not limited to seniors are 1) Need to use stairs to get to bathrooms, 2) Long walks from the parking lot or drop off point to the lifts, and 3) Need to climb from lift exit to another.

Net net, we’re now a bigger blip on ski resort’s marketing radar scope, and the interest is there.

 

John Nelson

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Wolf Creek—The Snowiest Surprise

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This Resort Has All The Characteristics Senior Skiers Love.

Skiing off the top of Wolf Creek, with Alberta Peak in the distance. Credit: Samual Bricker courtesy of Wolf Creek Ski Area.

It was a powder day at Colorado’s snowiest resort when we pulled in.

Where were the crowds? Not here, they were in places like Aspen, Vail, and Winter Park.

“There are maybe 500 people here,” said our shuttle driver. “Have fun!”

The unassuming base area at Wolf Creek Ski Area is a throwback, with no developed village. Credit: Samual Bricker courtesy of Wolf Creek Ski Area.

Wolf Creek Ski Area is a delightful throwback situated on the Continental Divide in the southern part of the state. And if you’re shocked at the price of skiing in Colorado’s glitzy mountain enclaves, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how they hold the affordability line at Wolf Creek.

“We’re not out to squeeze every last dime out of our customers,” said Rosanne Haidorfer-Pitcher, vice president of marketing and sales at the resort.

Walk-up ticket prices are $72 for adults, and just $43 for seniors 65-79. If you’re 80, congratulations, your ticket is free.

The skiing is phenomenal, especially if you can hit Wolf Creek on a powder day, which is often. Rocky Mountain storms drop more snow here than anywhere else in Colorado—430 inches a year.

Tree-Skiing Paradise

A skier gets ready to drop in off of Knife Ridge, a short hike into double-diamond powder terrain. Credit: John Nelson

Wolf Creek has a vast array of tree-skiing runs scattered over its 1,600 acres. Topping out at 11,900 feet, its 10 lifts serve a long ridge line that is steep at the top, but rolls into intermediate pitches for most of the area. All in all, 55 percent of the mountain is rated as beginner and intermediate.

If you’re an advanced skier, hiking along the ridge line will deliver you into double-diamond alpine drops. Some of the best are off the Alberta Lift, where a 10-minute climb puts skiers into rare territory of steep untracked lines.

You’ll find great powder elsewhere at Wolf Creek, particularly in the resort’s vast maze of tree-skiing. During my visit in February, I skied powder all day.

Transportation, Where To Stay

Wolf Creek has no on-mountain village. It’s an unassuming collection of old-school lodges, with accommodations 23 miles to the west in Pagosa Springs and 18 miles east in South Fork. If you don’t want to drive, shuttle service is offered by Wilderness Journeys in Pagosa Springs.

Pagosa Springs offers the biggest variety of lodging and restaurants, and it’s also home to several hot springs establishments where you can soak your quads after spending the day skiing powder.

After our big powder day, we spent the shuttle ride down talking about how much we loved the skiing at Wolf Creek.

“This is my new favorite resort in Colorado,” said Jan Mosman, who was visiting from Minnesota with her husband, Mark. “I love the tree skiing.”

The Mosmans had just come from Winter Park, where they had done battle with 15,000 other skiers.

“What did you like best about Wolf Creek?” I asked them.

“No lift lines,” Mark said.

Food, Travel

For a small ski area, Wolf Creek has some surprising amenities. On mountain, there are eight places to eat.

The main Wolf Creek Lodge has daily hot specials and homemade soups, along with burgers served on the sundeck. Don’t miss the Continental Espresso Bar at the top of the Treasure Stoke lift, surely one of the highest places to get a coffee buzz in the Rockies.

The closest major airports to Wolf Creek are in Denver (246 miles away) and Albuquerque (237 miles away).

Click here for Wolf Creek Web Cam

Click here for Trail Map

Skiers make the 10-minute climb off the top of the Alberta Lift to access advanced terrain at Wolf Creek Ski Area. Credit: John Nelson.

 

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Feb. 22)

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Thank You So Much for your supporting SeniorsSkiing.com. Your response has been gratifying. If you haven’t sent a donation, please help us defray expenses. There are different premiums for different contribution levels. Please click here to make a donation. 

Senioritis, RV and Ski, Flat Light Blues, Mystery Jump II, More Gratitude

Not us.

When we started SeniorsSkiing.com, we struggled with what to call this senior-focused online magazine for snow sport enthusiasts. Geezer Ski Gazette, Elder Skier, Flyin’ Old Folks, Boomer Bombers didn’t pass the silliness test.  We settled on SeniorsSkiing.com and almost immediately got feedback from readers who said they didn’t consider themselves “senior.”  To them, a senior was someone like your grand daddy, but not you. Don’t call me a senior! Our Boomer subscriber base, it seemed, had Senioritis.

Clearly, our readership is defined by their engagement with activity: skiing, snowshoeing, even biking in winter, and all kinds of sports from kayaking, sailing, hiking to fishing, tennis, and even fox-hunting in non-snow months. It’s not about, or maybe in spite of, age. We still rock to and even play the “good” music of the “old” days, participate on teams, raise goats, make pots, paint, volunteer.  No rust on us.

This week, the Boston Globe published a story about the disconnect between the self-image of today’s “seniors” and community senior centers,senior associations, and senior non-profits which are struggling to attract members or customers. What caught our eye, was a comment made by SeniorsSkiing.com reader, Jack Murray, 70. When asked by friends to join them at the local senior center in town, he said, “No interest.” Jack spends his time skiing when he can in Bretton Woods, NH. Other interviewees said when they think of senior groups, they think of old people. Joining them is not an option.

Here’s the point. These various senior-focused organizations realize they have to treat today’s 60+ crowd differently than before. Out with the bingo, in with kick boxing and poetry slams at the Senior Center. And serious book clubs, exercise programs, and yoga.  “We have to refresh ourselves to bring in new talent and energy,” said one director of a senior program in Boston.

Now, shouldn’t management of ski resorts, manufacturers of equipment, travel companies, and other stakeholders in the winter sports business be “refreshing themselves,” too, to better serve a changed senior population? Remember, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

Alpine Ski History Video

Here’s a kind of okay video about Alpine ski history. Kind of okay because some of the narration doesn’t quite fit the image on the screen, but it is interesting. Worth a look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzOJeFbAJKI&fbclid=IwAR1jLDb8TwwVX4ADS72Vu7cBIQ0s4L5ZtHkQbtLS8PlvchHJTc6Gy20Eows&app=desktop

This Week

Correspondent Marc Liebman offers some advice on coping with the flat light blues.  We know from personal experience that flat light conditions can cause the day to end after a couple of runs. Marc mentions some techie googles and other tips.  What works for you? Heading back to your car? Gingerly working each trail? Sticking to a single run?

If you RV, chances are you won’t be alone. Credit: Practical Motorhome

When you were younger, you may have thought living in a trailer in a ski resort parking lot was not only cool, but also economical. After all Warren Miller started his snow career as a ski bum gypsy in a tiny trailer. This week, we offer some basic thoughts about how you can RV your way from resort to resort, perhaps a little more comfortably than you did in the 70s or 80s. Thanks to this contribution from Bill Widmer who has an RV podcast worth checking out.

Our Mystery Glimpse picture this week is another ski jump. Last week’s was identified by some very savvy readers who nailed it as the Big Nansen jump in Berlin, NH, built in the late 30s.

Finally, Roger Lohr, publisher of XCSkiResorts.com and SeniorsSkiing.com cross-country editor, offers a book review of Snowboarding In Southern Vermont, From Burton To US Open by Brian Knight.  From his report, those were pretty wild days.

Thanks again for reading SeniorsSkiing.com.  Please tell your friends, and remember, there are more of us every day and we aren’t going away.

Sarah Hendrickson’s jump from a restored Big Nansen in 2017. Credit: Red Bull

 

Roger Lohr

Book Review: Boarding Southern Vermont

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[Editor Note: SeniorsSkiing.com is again asking our readers to contribute to support our online magazine. Yes, we have grown in the number of subscribers and advertisers. But our expenses have also grown. You can help us defray some of these expenses by helping us out with a donation.  This year, we have a mix of premiums for different level of donations, including stickers, sew-on patches, our new SeniorsSkiing.com ball cap. All donors will be entered into a drawing for a pair of bamboo Polar Poles to be drawn in late March.  You can donate by clicking here.]

How Did A Then-Revolutionary Sport Become Mainstream? Hint: Epic Parties.

[Editor Note: Roger Lohr is the publisher of XCSkiResorts.com and SeniorsSkiing.com’s cross-country editor.]

The book Snowboarding in Southern Vermont: From Burton to the U.S. Open” by Brian Knight on History Press is a snapshot of the 1980s and 1990s during the early days of snowboard lore. The book is a fine encapsulation of snowboard history with an amazing collection of photos of those early days at the region’s ski areas Stratton, Bromley, Magic Mountain, and Snow Valley.

The book traces Jake Burton Carpenter’s life through Londonderry, Manchester, and Stratton Mountain, VT, as he became the proprietor of Burton Snowboards. He shared the spotlight with Donna Carpenter,  a woman he met whom he eventually married. She is cited in the book for “heavy lifting” in the early development of Burton Snowboards which was to become a significant force in the sport. Jake’s infectious enthusiasm and the lengths he went through to get Burton Snowboard started required visionary decision-making and resulted in a very influential company in the snowsports world.

There are hundreds of names that are weaved into the Southern Vermont story such as Paul Johnston the Stratton mountain manager, who had an open mind about snowboarding in the beginning; Lyle Blaisdell, the backhoe operator with the half pipe-carving Midas touch; and other snowboard dignitaries such as Tom Sims, Chuck Barfoot, the Hayes brothers, Neil Korn, Lindsey Jacobellis, Mark Heingartner, Craig Kelly, Dave Schmidt, Terje Haakonsen, Tricia Byrnes, Ross Powers, and Shaun Palmer.

The book’s vibe of the times is also expressed with tales of epic parties and Burton home-grown spirit. The competition parties perhaps far-out shined the half pipe competition.  Spectators at the U.S. Open experience left the event site littered with beer cans and booze bottles, enjoying debauchery and mayhem at “snowboarder residences” throughout the region. The parties hosted by Burton and other purveyors of every imaginable snowboard-oriented product were often topped by the Hayes’ brother infamous gatherings.

The early days were rife with teenage posse behavior both on and off the slopes and age antagonism as skiers fought back to reject the newcomers at the ski areas. The book outlines the certification concept which was a test that snowboarders took to earn the right to get access to the slopes at Stratton. There were many nights when sneaking snowboarders walked up the ski area slopes to make some runs.

The U.S. Open was established as an institution before snowboarding got any television coverage. The time when the Olympics gobbled up snowboarding as a prime time hook for viewers was still in the distant future. During the sunrise of snowboarding, the camaraderie between participants was more important than winning the Open. But the event declined as limits were continually pushed with profanity, violence, and even death when two guys snow caving in the parking lot were crushed in a very sad mishap.

The road to the Olympics was very bumpy for snowboarders coming out of Southern Vermont. Jake Carpenter called the Nagano Olympics, which was the first of the quadrennial competitions to feature snowboarding, “kind of a disaster.” The U.S. Open grew each year and eventually mainstreamed with the elimination of alcohol, superior rider athleticism, and a send off to Stratton’s Sun Bowl so it was not in the main area.

Southern Vermont in the late 80s may have been the epicenter of snowboard culture and the U.S. Open was the crown jewel of snowboard contests. By 2012, that sub-culture had run its course, and it was the end of the era. The event was moved to Vail. The book states “The Vermont brand can launch a business but rarely can sustain it.” For years, coverage of snowboarding was invariably about the jargon, the fashion, and the rebelliousness rather than the joy of floating in powder, dodging trees after a snowstorm, or twisting in the air. “Snowboarding in Southern Vermont” is a quick read that establishes the record of snowboarding’s early days there, and we should be thankful that this record is now public for all.

seniorsskiing

Take A Ski Trip In An RV

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[Editor Note: As the new year begins, SeniorsSkiing.com is again asking our readers to contribute to support our online magazine. Yes, we have grown in the number of subscribers and advertisers. But our expenses have also grown. You can help us defray some of these expenses by helping us out with a donation.  This year, we have a mix of premiums for different level of donations, including stickers, sew-on patches, our new SeniorsSkiing.com ball cap. All donors will be entered into a drawing for a pair of bamboo Polar Poles to be drawn in late March.  You can donate by clicking here.]

For The Peripatetic Skier, Adventure Awaits In A “Mobile AirBNB” With Wheels.

[Editor Note: This article was written by Bill Widmer, a former full-time RVer and skiing enthusiast. He’s also a content creator, travel lover, and co-host of the Better Life Better Business podcast.]

A rolling hotel. An adventure to some, a frugal alternative to others. Credit: Frank Valentine, Upsplash

Have you ever taken a ski trip in an RV?

If not, maybe you should try it! In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to rent an RV for your next ski trip, why you should go this way, and some suggestions on where to stay.

Taking an RV allows you to have a little tiny slice of home with you and can be way more affordable than booking a room at a resort.

RVing offers the flexibility to stay at one ski resort or to visit several. You get the convenience of being able to explore on your terms while still having the comforts of home.

The Best RVs for Cold Weather & Snow

Given that most RVs have very little insulation and not all of them have great heat, you have to choose wisely. Here are some of the best RVs to make your ski trip memorable (and not freeze your butt off):

  1. The Jayco Redhawk 26XD.  It has a pretty decent furnace (30-BTU auto-ignition) and a six-gallon water heater.
  2. The Lance 4 Seasons Travel Trailer.  This bad boy is heavily insulated to keep you warm, even if it is frigid cold outside. It also has a winterized hot water heater so you aren’t stuck with cold showers!
  3. The Forest River Arctic Wolf is great if you get one with the extreme weather package. It comes with a heavy duty furnace, an enclosed and heated underbelly, and an insulated upper decking.
  4. The Jayco 327CKTS Eagle is another awesome snow option. It comes with dual pane windows to keep in the warmth and a tankless water heater with thermostat for hot showers to warm up on demand!
  5. The Keystone Montana is a luxury fifth wheel that has insulated everything from the slide out floors to the walls to the underbelly. Pair that with a high-powered furnace and you will stay nice and toasty.

How to Rent a Winter-Ready RV

If you don’t want to buy one of the above RVs (they are pretty expensive if you’re not going to use them often), renting is your best bet.

We recommend renting from a reputable peer-to-peer RV rental company, such as Outdoorsy or RVshare.

Try searching for any of the five RVs listed above. If you can’t find any of those models in the area you want to stay, search for Amenities > Heater. That’s the key ingredient you are going to need in a winter RV rental.

You can also search for handicap access if you need it. But make sure you ask the owner if their RV is winter-friendly. They are the best judge to help you decide on which camper to rent. You can message them right through the rental site or even call them if they listed their phone number.

If you need more options, click here to see a list of other winter-ready RV models.

Five Campgrounds to Stay At For Skiing

Wondering where to stay during your RV ski trip? Here are five RV campgrounds that are on or near senior-friendly ski resorts (campground on left, ski resort on right):

And that’s all there is to it! It’s an adventure and, for some, a way of life. Perhaps you’ll get the urge to go RVing on other vacations, or take it up as a lifestyle. Many seniors have hit the road and found communities of like-minded folks. Click here for more information on RVing.

If you RV, chances are you won’t be alone. Credit: Practical Motorhome