Tag Archive for: senior skier

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This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov. 16)

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Fifth Anniversary Party Bash Report, Revised Free Ski List, New Trail Name Series, Big Bell Mystery, November Poetry From Robert Frost.

The Upper West side of Manhattan reverberated with the laughs and chatter of the SeniorsSkiing.com’s Fifth Anniversary Bash at E’s Bar and Grill last Wednesday.

 

Mke Maginn (l) and Jon Weisberg, co-publshers

 

 

 

Several ski journalists attended.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Week

We have an important article from The Ski Diva, our friend and colleague Wendy Clinch, who advises us how to regain and maintain confidence. It’s a topic that we know many seniors struggle with as we change our style to accommodate our changing capabilities.

This week’s Mystery Glimpse has an excellent puzzlin’ pic from the Alf Engen Museum, Park City. It’s an artifact that folks who’ve been around the Intermountain area may know. And see who those two stars from last week were.  Okay, one was Judy Garland as a young skier.

Correspondent Don Burch had a great idea.  While waiting for the snow to fly, let’s do series on unusual and memorable trail names.  His analytic inclinations had him researching trail maps and making sense or at least some observations about what was common, different, thematic, etc., at a group of ski resorts. So, this week, we present his thoughts about trail names at resorts in California.  More next week.

Finally, we have a November poem by Robert Frost. November is a special month as it can be viewed as the swing time between brightness and light and doom and gloom. Here’s an homage to “bare November days.”

Thanks for reading SeniorsSkiing.com. PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS.  Remember, dear readers, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

 

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Mystery Glimpse: Ding Dong Bell

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Yes, It’s A Big Bell.

 

What’s the significance of this old bell? Do you know where it came from? What it was used for? Who used it? Your guesses below most welcome.

This week’s Mystery Glimpse was contributed by the Alf Engen Ski Museum, Park City, UT.  The museum was established in 1989 with the mission to preserve the rich history of skiing in the Intermountain Region. Browse their online collection of photos and videos of legendary pioneers, champions and significant contributors to the sport of skiing in the Intermountain Region. This library includes numerous vintage photos and video clips.

Last Week’s Glimpse

Nope, not Gary Cooper. Yes, Judy Garland. This is Otto Schniebs, shown here with the young movie star, who settled in Waltham, MA,  after immigrating from Germany in the late 20s.  He set up one of the first ski schools in America there and was soon discovered by AMC members as a talented ski instructor who had vast ski teaching experience in his native country.

Before moving on to become a ski coach at Dartmouth, Otto Schniebs introduced formal ski instruction to the region. With John McGrillis, he wrote the first instructional book on skiing in 1931. He was the director of the first ski school for instructors organized by the US Eastern Amateur Ski Association.

“For the first time learning to ski became easy in this country,” noted AMC ski leader William Fowler.  Schniebs coined the well-known phrase, “Skiing is more than a sport; it’s a way of life.”

Otto Schniebs was inducted into the US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1967.

Everyone knows Judy Garland.

Many thanks to the New England Ski Museum for sending along this Mystery Glimpse picture.

 

 

mikemaginn

Snow In Literature: My November Guest

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November Is A Forerunner.

November Road, Credit: M.Maginn

My November Guest

By Robert Frost (1913)

My sorrow, when she’s here with me,
Thinks these dark days of autumn rain
Are beautiful as days can be;
She loves the bare, the withered tree;
She walks the sodden pasture lane.

Her pleasure will not let me stay.
She talks and I am fain to list:
She’s glad the birds are gone away,
She’s glad her simple worsted grey
Is silver now with clinging mist.

The desolate, deserted trees,
The faded earth, the heavy sky,
The beauties she so truly sees,
She thinks I have no eye for these,
And vexes me for reason why.

Not yesterday I learned to know
The love of bare November days
Before the coming of the snow,
But it were vain to tell her so,
And they are better for her praise.

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This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov. 9)

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Off To The Ski Show! New Mystery Glimpse, Updated Free Ski List,  Snowshoeing With Grandkids, Another Non-Skiing Snow Activity.

The annual go-to-the-ski-show ritual is about to take place. We’re headed down to Boston to see what new and different this year and to connect with some friends and fellow ski journalists.  We know this is a great annual family/friend outing for lots of folks, and it’s a lot of fun.  Anticipation builds, and from what we’ve heard, there will be snow this weekend at higher altitudes in New England. Go to the show and get the fever.

The Boston Ski & Snowboard Expo runs from Nov. 8-11, and the Denver show from Nov. 16-18. If you click on the ad at the top right of the page, you can get a SeniorsSkiing.com discount.

Here’s a video from last year’s Ski & Snowboard Expo in Boston.  Come on down!

https://youtu.be/lP9wRhhmVwk

Free Ski (Or Almost Free) For Seniors Resort List Updated

Last week, we published our list of 134 ski resorts in the US and Canada that offered free (or almost free) skiing for seniors, and our readers immediately sent in additions and corrections. So, you will find an update to our listing by clicking here. You may have to re-enter your name and email address to download. There are now 144 ski resorts that are being nice to seniors.

We welcome additional corrections and updates.  Also, one reader made a point of asking us to tell you to check each resort’s special terms and conditions that may apply before you head up and ask for a free ticket. There can be changes and different requirements, like proof of age or cut-off dates. Wise advice, especially for venues that are new to you.

This Week

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

We have a new Mystery Glimpse for your guessing pleasure as well as the correct answer to last week’s mystery. The story behind last week’s picture is pretty interesting, and although the event depicted took place in 1964, the “Lost Boy” trail remains a landmark at Vail. Find out what happened.

We also have some great advice from SeniorsSkiing.com x-c ski editor Roger Lohr on taking your grandkids snowshoeing. Snowshoeing can be a great way to introduce young children to the winter outdoors with the caveat that you do it right. That means thinking twice about equipment, clothing, provisions, and planned activities out in the woods.

Finally, correspondent Yvette Cardozo gives us the third part of her series on other things you can do at a ski resort besides ski. This week, she tells the story of her adventure on a Snow Limo at Sun Peaks Resort in BC. Now this is an interesting device, kind of like a dog sled without the dogs and run by gravity, steered by a guide hanging on the rear. So, we guess you get the thrill of skiing without having to strap on skis and squeeze into boots.  Fun stuff.

Please remember to tell your friends about SeniorsSkiing.com, the only online magazine for the senior skier. There really are more of us every day, we aren’t going away.

Snow Limo takes a non-skier not only up the mountain but also down a ski trail. Credit: Sun Peaks Snow Limo Tours.

 

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Mystery Glimpse: Two Stars On The Snow

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Who Are These Folks?

Hint: It’s New England. Another Hint: You’ve undoubtedly seen one of these folks in action.

This week’s Mystery Glimpse photo comes from the archives of the New England Ski Museum with headquarters in Franconia, NH, and a new branch location in North Conway, NH.

The New England Ski Museum collects, conserves, and exhibits elements of ski history for research, education and inspiration. They have have operated the Museum at Franconia Notch State Park since December, 1982, and welcome thousands of visitors each year. You can access detailed descriptions of the museum’s permanent and annual exhibits by clicking here.

Last Week’s Mystery Glimpse

Who, What, Where, When?

Only one guess on this one. That’s surprising because the story behind this picture is embedded in Vail lore.

On April 1, 1964, when Vail was still brand new, a 14-year-old boy named Marty Koether got lost on the slopes—and ended up becoming a permanent part of Vail history.

Koether, who accidentally skied into a yet-to-be developed Game Creek Bowl, spent a long, cold night in a tree well near the bottom of the present-day location of the Game Creek lift before climbing out the next morning and being discovered by ski patrol.

The incident was chronicled in Skiing Magazine and became part of the mountain’s folklore. The winding, green trail in Game Creek Bowl “Lost Boy” is named after Koether and his disappearance.

A salute to the  Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame.    A special thanks to museum curator Dana Mathias who provided this story.

Do you remember this incident?

Yvette Cardozo

Something New: A Limo To The Snow

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Other Things To Do In Winter (Part 3): Ride The Snow In Style.

Snow Limo takes a non-skier not only up the mountain but also down a ski trail. Credit: Sun Peaks Snow Limo Tours.

There IS a way to experience skiing, even if you don’t ski. Or close to it, since you will be coming down an actual ski slope, keeping up with skiers.

Only thing is you will be sitting down.

The device that enables this experience is called a Snow Limo. It looks kind of like a dog sled basket, complete with guide behind. The guide, who is on skis, controls the sled’s speed and direction. You just sit there and enjoy the ride.

It’s really popular with parents (think non-skiing moms) who want to watch their kids actually ski, not just skid to a stop at the village.

Various folks have estimated that perhaps as many as 15 percent of ski resort visitors don’t ski. Perhaps they never learned, they think they’re now too old, or have injuries that have prevented them from getting on-slope.

Riding down the ski slopes of Sun Peaks Resort in a Snow Limo is especially popular with parents who want to see their kids skiing. Credit: Sun Peaks Resort

The original sled, then called “Sno-Limo,” was created more than a decade ago by Paul Auger, of Whistler, and his brother Guy. They wanted to get their 83-year-old mother onto the ski trails to see her grandkids ski. The two, with their father, Bill, designed basically a cross between a dog sled basket and an adaptive ski sled with a way to tether a skiing “chauffeur” behind to guide the sled.

It took them four years of tinkering, but they eventually designed something that is easy to steer, easy to stop and easy to load onto a chair lift. Not unlike a dog sled, there is an emergency brake and the guides each carry a cell phone for emergencies.

Thanks to a broken ankle, I wasn’t skiing this trip, so it seemed like the perfect time to try this out.

So, what is it like?

I climbed in and company owner Mike Pfeil guided me to the lift. As the chair came around, he lifted the back end of the sled, and we slid onto the chair. At the other end, we simply glided down the ramp.

And then we were off, wind in my face.

It was exciting as we leaned into curves and sped alongside the skiers. It seems even faster than you expect since you are so close to the ground. My biggest problem was trying not to lean into turns. You are supposed to let the guide do all the leaning and steering.

Mike has three flavors of ride: a gentle 30 minute ride down the green Five Mile run, more adventurous blue intermediate runs for an hour and a special two-hour package for the even more adventurous where the guide will take the passenger down more narrow runs. His guides don’t go on black expert runs, though.

The ride is also a good way for a non-skier to do the mid-week resort fondue dinner at the Sunburst Bar & Eatery. You take the chair lift up at twilight and enjoy a three course fondue meal, complete with Swiss music. Then you ride down in the snow limo, equipped with lights for night. And if the night is clear, you’ve got starlight to accompany you.

Just about any age can do this. Mike says the oldest person was a woman who was 97. The youngest he will take is five.

For more on Snow Limo At Sun Peaks Resort, click here. 

A guide controls the speed and direction and the sled loads onto the ski lift for the ride up. Credit: Sun Peaks Resort

BowlerSkier_489
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This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov. 2)

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ReaderReport, Free Senior Ski Listing, Mystery Glimpse Returns, Sample Song From Ray Conrad, Fifth Anniversary Bash Coming Up.

Last week, we put out a call to our readers to submit stories, photos, and videos about their own snow sport experiences.  Memories, history, adventures, recommendations, you name it. In response, reader Alyce Perez sent in pictures of her skiing at Mt. Snow in October, the first time in her 41 years of skiing that she skied before Halloween.  Thanks, Alyce. Check out her smiling after a run here.

Now for the rest of you, let’s hear your tales. Just drop us a note or pictures to info@seniorsskiing.com, and we’ll follow up. Friends and family will be impressed.

Free Skiing For Seniors 2018-19

After weeks of checking and re-checking our listing of resorts where seniors can ski for free (or almost free) is ready for publication.  This year, we have identified 138 resorts in the US and Canada which offer free or very small fee tickets and passes to seniors.

We believe we are the only snow sports publication with this list which we have developed with the National Ski Areas Association and have been compiling for our readers for the past four years.

If you are a subscriber, you can access our 2018-19 list of where to ski for free (or almost free) by clicking the Subscriber-Only Content box in the menu bar or click on COMMUNITY in the blue menu and then clicking on Subscriber-Only Content.

Or by clicking here.  Note that you may be asked to re-enter your name and email address again to confirm your free subscription.

If you know of any resorts we left out or included in error, please let us know at info@seniorsskiing.com.

The Mystery Glimpse Feature Returns

A popular new feature, Mystery Glimpse presents a photo from skiing’s past and asks

readers to identify what, who, or where the picture was taken.

This week, our Mystery Glimpse is from the Colorado SnowSports Museum and Hall of Fame in Vail. Take a look and see if you can identify what is happening.

 

Ski Songs From The Sixties From Ray Conrad Available

Ski Songs From Ray Conrad.

Last year, we had some fun republishing Ray Conrad’s album, The Cotton-Pickin’ Lift Tower and Other Ski Songs, a collection of his classics from the golden age of folk music and singing skiers.

You can check out the album which is for sale on CDBaby and listen to some samples by clicking here. SeniorsSkiing.com splits the proceeds with 91 year old Ray who is thrilled that new people are listening to his funny and sometime sentimental music about the world of skiing.

Depending on the device you are using, you may be able to listen to “A Skier’s Daydream” from the album here. Click on the arrow and turn your sound up.

Party Time Approaches

We’re getting ready for our Fifth Anniversary Bash in NY coming up soon. Here are the details.

And remember, dear readers, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

seniorsskiing

Mystery Glimpse Returns: What’s Happening?

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Guess What’s Going On, Submit Under Comments Below.

Our popular Mystery Glimpse feature is returning after a summer respite. The basic idea is that we publish a photo of a person, place, or thing, and you guess who, where, or what. Most of these photos have been submitted to SeniorsSkiing.com by some very excellent ski museums around the country. We will be highlighting each museum with the week’s new Mystery Glimpse. In the next edition, we’ll reveal the story behind the picture and present a new puzzle.

This week, we have a news photo from the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame located in Vail Village, CO.  Its collection of priceless artifacts tells the story of the birth, rise, and explosive growth of skiing in Colorado. Click here to support the museum’s mission.

What’s going on here?

If you think you know, submit your guess in comments below.

Who, What, Where, When?

You can access our archive of Mystery Glimpse articles by clicking here.

 

seniorsskiing

ReaderReport: Mt. Snow Opens Before Halloween

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We Love Reader Submissions. Please Send Us Reports From Out There To Info@SeniorsSkiing.com.

From Reader Alyce Perez: In the 41 years that I have skied, it is the first time I have ever skied in October. Mount Snow’s earliest opening day in 64 years. Another first to add to my bucket list.

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This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Oct. 26)

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Halloween Skiing, Nor’Easter Brings New England Snow, Contribute To SeniorsSkiing.com, Stein’s Studebaker, Ultimate Ski Quiz.

Boo. Credit: SkiTheWorld.com

For the first time in a while, there will be skiing on Halloween. Resorts are opening in BC, Colorado, Vermont, Maine, and more snow is on the way this week in New England. Here’s the forecast for this Wednesday 10/25. Get your costume ready.

Credit: NECN

We would love to see your pictures from your Halloween Skiing Weekend if you are lucky enough to head out. Send your pictures to info@seniorsskiing.com with location, your name, and worthy details, and we’ll publish it next week.  Thanks!

We Also Want To Publish YOU In SeniorsSkiing.com

We want our readers to share with our readers.

After all, you’ve been around winter sports for a while.  You had funny, dramatic, poignant, scary, etc. experiences in snow country. You’ve run across characters straight out of central casting: living ski legends, local heroes, magnificent employees of resorts, entrepreneurs, long-time ski patrollers, and the like.  You also know what makes for a good product or piece of gear for seniors: items that are convenient, add to safety, and/or are cool. You know about places we all should know about. You’ve been reading books about snow sports and related topics. You know a restaurant that is special, an inn we would love, a ski shop that has gone ‘way beyond your expectations. You have a collection of pictures from the old days you’d love to share.  You have recovered from an injury using a conditioning routine that was effective. Tell us. Advise us. Inform us.

We’d love to hear more stories from our readers.

If you are interested in contributing, write to mike@seniorsskiing.com, and we’ll give you the specs. Look at our past stories in our many different categories and check out the style and length (500-600 words) of our typical articles. If you are a photographer, send your pictures and videos. We know there are many, many readers who have stories to tell.  So, tell us.

This Week

Correspondent Jan Brunvand reports on his search for Stein Eriksen’s Studebaker. Yes, you read that correctly. Find out where the path led him.

Also Don Burch as composed a tricky, funny quiz of ski terms that will give you a chuckle or two.  Perhaps a challenge. Just fun stuff.

Ski Shows

Time to get thinking about heading to the shows coming to Boston, Nov. 8-11, and Denver, Nov. 16-18.  If you click the Ski and Snowboard Show ad at the top of our page, you can get a discount from the admission. Just use the promo code: SENIOR. For many, collecting the brochures and swag from the many resorts and vendors at the shows really gets the mind ready for the season.

Listing Of Free Skiing Coming Very Soon

We have scrubbed and re-scrubbed our listing of where seniors can ski for free or almost free for both US and Canadian resorts. We are going through the final editing process and putting into shape for publishing. Stand by.

If we missed any resorts that offer free or almost free skiing to seniors, we hope you will let us know. This year, several new listings were referred by our readers.

Remember, dear readers, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away!

If you’re in NYC, come to our fifth anniversary birthday bash in Manhattan.

 

 

Jon Weisberg

Peace of Mind: Simplified and Inexpensive Ski/Board Insurance

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Safe Descents provides ski and snowboard evacuation insurance in an uncomplicated manner and at very attractive prices. I just purchased coverage for the entire season for $56.99.

For that amount, Safe Descents covers any ambulance or air evacuation services if I’m injured in-bounds at any ski resort in the United States. That’s in addition to other coverage like sending a loved one to the hospital and/or getting me back home following my hospital stay. These and other benefits have a maximum of $25,000. The company’s policies are underwritten by the global Starr Indemnity and Liability Company. Safe Descents recently started to advertise with SeniorsSkiing.com.

Before making my purchase, I googled “snow skier’s insurance” and clicked on a few of the options that popped up. Without getting too far into the details, what I found was confusing, exclusionary, and expensive. The websites were complicated. In one case, after filling in all the details, the site informed me that it doesn’t insure people 70 and older. In another case, insurance for a one-week ski trip in the US was quoted at $319. Granted, these appear to be general travel insurance plans tweaked to include a skier’s emergency evacuation needs, but it still was pricey.

The Safe Descents coverage is strictly for ski and snowboard evacuation insurance. The company’s website is in plain language and easy to read. (Click on the adjacent Safe Descents ad to reach the website. It rotates with the Ski Mojo ad.) The online enrollment process is simple and to the point. At present, two products are offered: The one I purchased is for the entire season and costs $56.99. The other offering is for a day of skiing/boarding and costs $4.75.

Last year, at Copper Mountain, I sat in the base lodge, while members of the ski patrol, a fireman and a policeman tried to convince a man who had hurt himself to use the waiting ambulance to go to the hospital. He refused because his insurance would not cover the cost. He planned to wait to see if his injury got worse and if it did, drive there himself.

I know that some healthcare plans provide a portion or all of necessary ambulance and/or air evacuation services. But those services add-up quickly. The coverage offered by Safe Descents will cover the difference. A season’s coverage for $56.99 — at Vail or Aspen, the cost of a few burgers and beers — simply makes sense. It’s good value for peace-of-mind.

Don Burch

“Ultimate” Quiz Of Ski Terms

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You Think You’ve Been Around Snow Sports For A While, Eh? See How Many You Get Right.

  1. Milk Run

a. Ski trail with lots of slush

b. Off-season mountain bike race on ski trails

c. Trail full of slow skiers

d. First run of the day

 

2. Chatter

a. Noisy lodge

b. Excessive talking on chairlift

c. Squeaky noises from a lift

d. Excessive ski vibration

3. Death Cookies

a. Double stuffed Oreos

b. Cookie-sized ice chunks on a trail

c. Day-old cookies

d. Deep fried cookies

4. Planker

a. Skier who is stays in one spot oblivious that the lift line is moving

b. Someone who falls and can’t get up

c. A skier

d. Someone struggling to get into their bindings

5. Lunch Tray

a. Oversized plate of food

b. Snowboard

c. Device for carrying food in a cafeteria

d. Chairlift chair

6. Blue Run

a. An intermediate trail

b. A run so bad it’s depressing

c. Trail with a stream of melting snow

d. Trail with active snow making

  1. Balaclava

a. Greek desert

b. Tyrolean hat

c. Facemask

d. Dangerous intersecting trails

 

 

 

8. Six Pack

a. Chairlift seating six

b. Parents skiing with young children

c. Group of wild snowboarders. As in, “Look out, here comes a six pack.”

d. Wannabe skier’s lunch

9. Fart Bag

a. Senior skier

b. One piece ski suit

c. Smelly bubble chair

d. Porta Potty at base of remote lift

10. Magic Carpet

a. Easy slope

b. Slang for marijuana

c. Untracked powder

d. Conveyor belt-type lift

Answers:

1d, 2d, 3b, 4c, 5b, 6a, 7c, 8a, 9b, 10d

Do you have some favorite ski slang? Share it with us in the comments section.

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This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Oct. 19)

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Snow, Snow, Snow!

So it begins. And it’s only mid-October. Who’s made a first run? Tell us about it!

From East To West

Sugarbush: A dusting. Credit: Timeline Photos

Killington opens for season pass holders on Oct. 19. Credit: Aspen East

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mt. Washington: 1-inch. Credit: NBC10 Boston

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vail Pass. Credit: Mary Ellen Roth

 

Wolf Creek, CO, 30-inch base, open on weekends. Credit: Wolf Creek

Arapahoe Basin: Open for skiing seven days a week. Credit: SkiMag.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Week

Co-Publisher Jon Weisberg describes two simple tools that make putting on and taking off ski boots less of a wrestling match. Terrific gift ideas, by the way.

We are also announcing our list of 2017-18 Trail Masters, senior skiers who have skied, xc’ed, snow-shoed a greater number (or equal number) of days than their age. This year, we find almost 20 percent of those on the list were also on the 2016-17 list of Trail Masters.  We sent each Trail Master a SeniorsSkiing.com “Live2Ski” patch and a couple of our coveted SeniorsSkiing.com stickers.

We hear from correspondent Pat McCloskey on picking the right underfoot ski width for the conditions you find yourself in most frequently. He also advises you consider a multi-ski width inventory of you plan to diversify where you ski. Interesting.

Finally, Yvette Cardozo continues her series on other snow activities with a visit to a dog-sledding outfitter near Sun Peak Resort in British Columbia. If you like dogs and snow, this is a natural combination. We know that “mushers,” trainers and owners of dog teams, are an especially hardy group, devoted to their animals and lovers of winter outdoors.

Look for our listing of resorts in North America where seniors can ski for free (or almost free) coming up soon.

Interested In Writing For SeniorsSkiing.com?

While some of our regular contributors are ski journalists, most are interested and experienced readers who have an interesting story to tell. For examples of stories our readers like, just look at our inventory.  We have over 900 stories of different kinds, so there are a lot of examples. Nostalgia, Resort Reviews, equipment recommendations, history, meeting famous people, you name it, we’d be interested.

If you’d like to write a story for SeniorsSkiing.com, drop a note to mike@seniorsskiing.com. You get to see your name in “print”, share with family and friends, and we’ll send you a SeniorsSkiing.com “Live2Ski” patch and some stickers.

 

 

Ski Shows Coming Up

Ski & Snowboard Expos are coming to Boston (Nov. 8-11) and Denver (Nov. 16-18). As a SeniorsSkiing.com reader, you can get a discount on admission by clicking the banner ad at the top right of this page.

And remember, dear readers, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

Pat McCloskey

In Your Quiver

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Do You Know What Underfoot Measurement Is Best For Your Kind Of Skiing?

Pat’s ski collection from narrow to wide underfoot dimensions. Credit: Pat McCloskey

One of the hardest questions a seasoned skier has to answer is when someone new to skiing or maybe even a friend says, “So what kind of ski should I be on this year?”  Really a tough question to answer without delving into particulars like, athleticism, age, what kind of snow, what trails do you like, front side, back side?  There are so many choices today based on so many factors.  So let me try to make this as simple as possible for the new skier as well as the veteran.

Most of us veterans are using skis that are significantly shorter than the ones we used to use.  In the old days, skis anywhere from a 185 cm to 210 cm in length were used with little or no side cut resulting in significant vertical and rotational movement to execute a turn.  Today, the skis are much shorter, generally ranging from 152 to 185 cm.  The shape of the skis make it easier to turn—wider at the tip and tail and narrower under foot— which, when placed on edge and pressure is applied, results in an effortless turn.   We don’t have to work those 200 plus cm skis like the old days.  But what about the nuances of width under foot?  Where you want to ski and what kind of snow conditions will determine what width underfoot measurement is good. And that’s measured in millimeters and not centimeters like ski length.

Typically a front side ski to be used on groomers or hard pack will range under 85 mm width under foot, in most cases. Race skis have a slimmer profile but for the most part, anything under 85 mm is considered a “front side” ski and encourages a carved turn on groomed or hard pack snow.  There is a lot of interest these days in these profiles because of the lack of early and late snow due to global warming.  Snowmaking is essential, and when these man-made, groomed, hard pack conditions exist, a frontside ski is optimal.

Conversely, anything over 88 mm under foot  is moving into the all mountain range and can be used for most terrain.  Also, 95 mm and above are a must to include in your quiver if you ski out west and have varying conditions.  When you get over 100 mm, you are getting into the powder or loose snow area. Typically, 107mm and up is considered “big mountain” or powder skis.  These skis can perform on groomed snow but the float is optimal for loose snow or powder in the wider under foot measurements.

But what about rocker, early rise, etc?  We all have seen the guy who has rockered skis (tips and tails with an upturn) making turns on hard pack with minimal contact with the snow underfoot.  We don’t want to be that guy.  Wrong tool for the wrong conditions.  Rockers are used to facilitate the float needed to ski powder or loose snow.  You need surface area to ride the groomers, and rockers are not optimal.  However, the early rise tips can facilitate a turn in powder as well as make entry into a groomed turn better.  Personally, I see the advantage of an early rise ski for most skiing conditions.  Early rise referring to a slight upturn to the tip of the ski.

So, it probably makes sense for most skiers to have a quiver of skis for different conditions.  A new skier should really think about what conditions he or she will ski and get one pair based on those conditions.  A good ski shop can help in the selection. Veterans should have that front side ski, an all-mountain ski, and a loose snow or powder ski.  I have a pair of 107 under foot for loose or powder, but my 88 mm skis under foot are ideal in a lot of conditions. I personally think that measurement (88mm) is the optimal one for most conditions.

Be honest with yourself when you are selecting skis.  Think about your physical condition, where you like to ski, and the snow conditions that are optimal for you.  Skiing should be fun and not be like  work. The new equipment makes that happen if you are careful to select the right tools for the quiver.

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Oct. 5)

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Big BC Snow Beats Record, Colorado Senior Discounts, Conditioning Cautions, Ski Shows Coming.

Oct. 2 25 cm (10 in.) snow wallops Calgary, breaking record with more expected.

No doubt about it, snow is making a statement in the Northwest and Canadian Rockies in particular. Just this week, Calgary experienced a record-breaking snowfall, catching municipal snow removers a bit flat footed. Equipment had to be imported from local towns and cities to help clear the streets. But, the pictures of snow on the mountains are certainly encouraging for those interested in starting the snow season. Check out the Calgary snow fall story by clicking here. 

Free Ski Listing Coming Soon.

Incidentally, SeniorsSkiing.com’s annual listing of resorts where seniors can ski for free (or almost free) in galley form, as the expression goes. This year, we have included several dozen Canadian resorts that provide low or no cost tickets for seniors. Meanwhile, if you can’t wait, the 2017-18 listing is still available under Subscriber-Only Content.  You’ll have to re-enter your name and email to get to it. Click on the menu box at the top of the page.

While some resorts offer free (or almost free) skiing for seniors, others give a big discount. For example, we’ve learned A-Basin in Colorado offers 70+ seniors a $105 unrestricted season pass and a $40 day ticket. Aspen has season pass for 70+ for $514, not bad considering an adult season pass goes for $2,284 at the top end. At Cooper, 60-69 pay $279, 70+ pay $149, 80+ are free. Not to be confused with Cooper, Copper Mountain offers a $389 pass for 70+. You can find other senior discounts and free ski offers at Colorado resorts by clicking here.

Conditioning Starts Now. Right?

Sure, you can do the gym thing. It’s not to late to hit the trails, too.

If you haven’t started getting into shape yet, please consider using the next couple of months as your last chance to buff up before your first run. A couple of years ago, one of our friends decided to go skiing in the early winter without any kind of preparation at all.  Needless to say, she had a wicked fall on her second or third run, pulled muscles, and cancelled the rest of her season.

The reality is that we can’t just go out and do it like we used to. Every year adds a new challenge.  If you are wise, you will pay attention to this. Please people, don’t get hurt.  This week, correspondent Pat McCloskey tells us about some alternatives to gym workouts that you can do to harden those legs, shoulders, and abs. 

In addition, Harriet Wallis offers us a Woman’s Guide To Sports As We Grow Older. Despite the march of time, Harriet encourages us to adapt and keep going.  There’s always a way. Just do it.

Ski Shows Coming.

For some, going to the fall ski shows is the official start of ski season. In Boston, the Ski and Snowboard Expo is on Nov. 8-11, in Denver, it’s on Nov. 16-18. Notice the banner ad at the top of this page? If you click through, you can get your tickets at a discount when you enter SENIOR in your order.

The ski show is always a fun afternoon. Collect the swag from the resorts, check out the deals, retail sales, demos, vendors of all kinds, and enjoy saying hello to your pals in the snow sport community.  We will be wandering around the Boston show this year.  Say hello, and we’ll give you a SeniorsSkiing.com sticker.

Reminder: NYC Gathering Nov. 14

If you’re around New York on Wednesday evening looking for a diversion and potentially winning some co0l raffle items, drop by our SeniorsSkiing.com Gathering.  Details below.

Remember, dear readers, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

Harriet Wallis

A Woman’s Guide To Sports As We Grow Older

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Even Though You’re Not A Spring Chicken, You Can Still Do The Sports You Love. Don’t Let Your Past Hold You Back.

Harriet looks for and usually finds a way. Credit: Laurie O’Connor

To set the stage, I recently broke my wrist, so I’m sealed in a cast. Can’t drive. Can’t swim. Can’t this. Can’t that. Fortunately it’s temporary. Soon I’ll be back to doing the things I love.

Meanwhile, I walk loops in the park, and I’ve met some energetic women my age. But I feel sorry for them. Each is stuck in her own past.

Barb loved to bicycle, and she told great bike ride stories as we walked. But she’s afraid to put air in the tires. Her husband always did it. But he passed away five years ago. She longs to ride again.

When Beth’s kids were little, they’d pack the family and supplies into the canoe and paddle from lake to lake for a week. But the canoe was too heavy for her to handle alone. She gave it away.

Liz loved to ski all over the mountain, but she quit. She blames two things. She hates her ski boots and she’s afraid to use her artificial knee.

These women reminisce the glory days of their past. They wish they could repeat the past. But nobody can go back. So they’re stuck.

Life’s lesson

Long ago, I graduated from college, married my sweetheart, and we moved to the military base where he was stationed. The climate there was sweating hot, there were strange birds I’d never seen before, and locals talked with a slow drawl. My husband’s unit was called up at all hours of the night, and they left abruptly for extended tours. I longed for something I could count on, for something certain.

Through that experience I learned a most valuable lesson: The one thing that is certain is change. Nothing remains static for very long. I learned to how to adapt. I think that’s what keeps me going today.

It’s okay to change

It’s okay to grow older. It’s okay to accommodate arthritis and health conditions. It’s okay to do things differently today than how you did them yesterday. Really.

I’m waving a magic wand and authorizing you to make changes.

Let me give you some examples:

After I had hips and knees replaced, I bought a carbon frame bike. I had two choices: quit riding—or get a bike that absorbs more road chatter than a steel frame bike and that would be kind to all the rigid steel inside me. It was my way of accepting new body parts, adapting, and going forward.

Recently, it became difficult to get a tire back onto the rim after fixing a flat. Too much arthritis in my hands. Again, I saw two choices: quit riding—or get tubeless tires filled with goo that seal themselves when punctured. I got tubeless tires.

When my kids were little, we had a monster-size Grumman war canoe. It weighed a ton, but we heaved it onto the car rack. Now I have a lightweight, inflatable kayak that’s fun to paddle and rolls up to the size of a sleeping bag. I catch just as many fish from it.

You might critique me saying: “Harriet is macho.” But I’m not. I just like to be outdoors and be active even though I’m slowing down. I bike slower than 50 year olds, and I ski slower too. But there’s no reason to stop having fun.

And Liz … I hope she’ll let a pro, not just a salesman, fit her for new boots. Too many skiers buy whatever boots are on sale without a clue how boots should fit. Boots are like dentures! They have to fit right to work right. Then I hope she’ll let her artificial knee show her how great it is to ski without pain.

It’s true that updating equipment has a price tag, but you’re worth it. It’s okay to invest in yourself. It’s okay to make changes so you can enjoy the sports you love. Then tell me about it. I’m cheering for you.

To read more from Harriet click here for her stories on SkiUtah.

 

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This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Sep. 28)

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Other Great Ski Publications, Protect Our Winters, Anticipation, Snowmaking As Fire Protection.

As you may have read, SeniorsSkiing.com is entering its fifth season of publishing. Over these last few years, we have entered the amazing world of ski publications and their publishers, all of whom have been welcoming, supportive, and collegial to Jon and me as newcomers. You should know about some of them.

The Ski Diva is a weekly publication focused on women who ski.  Wendy Clinch, The Ski Diva’s publisher, has been an extremely helpful colleague and friend from the very beginning of SeniorsSkiing.com’s journey.  We thank her for that.  The Ski Diva has won awards from the North American Ski Journalists Association and is recognized for its unique, woman-focused articles.  Its Forum contains thousands of posts from its many subscribers.

Another highly niche-oriented publication, XCSkiResorts.com is published by Roger Lohr, targeting the activities of cross-country ski resorts. Roger has been reporting on cross-country for years and is not only an expert on resorts but also equipment, personnel, travel, technique, and safety. If you are interested in a magical stay at a cozy cross-country resort, XCSkiResorts.com should be your first stop.

Snowbrains.com has been an inspiration to us. We don’t personally know the California-based publishers Miles Clark and Eric Bryant, but we admire their newsy, high quality approach. There’s always an awesome video or current event story worth checking.  There’s also snow reports and forecasts.

OpenSnow.com is a weather/snow reporting site, publisher by Joel Gratz, a professional meteorologist. The site has a ring of correspondents around the country reporting snow conditions and forecasts. There’s also a very cool “Powder Finder” if you’re interested in that sort of thing, and news from resorts. Well done site, especially if you are amateur weather-watchers like us.

We mention these because you, or someone you know, might find them interesting. In one way or another, each of the above has offered—directly or indirectly—material help and support to SeniorsSkiing.com as it got up and running. There are many others that are worth mentioning; we’re sorry we didn’t get to them all.  And we’d like to hear from you what other sites you like.

Of course, SeniorsSkiing.com is the ONLY online magazine for senior skiers, offering a listing of Free Skiing (or Almost Free) For Seniors, Ski and Boot Recommendations,  Experticity Discounts, and Historic Ski Posters, so don’t wander, you guys!

And, also of course, readers of SeniorsSkiing.com can get a FREE SUBSCRIPTION to Ski Magazine, the granddaddy of ski publications, just by signing up under SUBSCRIBER-ONLY CONTENT. (You will be asked to confirm your name and email address.)

Climate Brouhaha

Our recent series of articles on El Nino and its impact on winter weather caused a small handful of readers who are climate change deniers or skeptics to send some flak our way. Let there be no doubt, SeniorsSkiing.com is concerned about global warming and the increasing level of CO2 in the atmosphere. The reality of the impact of those atmospheric changes are all around us from mega-cyclones and hurricanes, droughts, excessive snow or no snow, and coastal flooding.

We admire the work of Protect Our Winters, a non-profit group that is advocating action in the outdoor sports community against climate change. This climate activist group is trying to influence the political agenda as well as educate students and the public about what they can do it mitigate what is happening to the atmosphere. After all, the snow sports industry is dependent on snow and when and if it falls. There are some ski resorts that are actively working to reduce their carbon footprint with different strategies. This is an important development worth paying attention to.

This Week

Speaking of climate change, the wildfires in the west this summer have been frightening. Ski resorts in the high country could be targets and what they can do to avert or minimize damage is an important ingredient the confronting the danger. Correspondent Harriet Wallis offers a story on how Deer Valley has a plan to deal with potential catastrophe.

Also, we have a lovely note on anticipating the ski season from correspondent Don Burch. Think about it; it’s pre-ski show time, pre-parka-buying season.  We’re buying season tickets, and that alone gets excitement going. We can see the season rolling in with snow falling out west, snowmaking operating at A-Basin, and folks bringing in their skis for sharpening.  Anticipation.

Coming Soon

We are preparing the 2018-19 Where Ski Resorts Can Seniors Ski Free (Or Almost Free) directory. Look for it soon. This year, we will be including a host of Canadian resorts.

Don’t forget our SeniorsSkiing.com “gathering” in New York on Nov. 14.  Details below. 

Dear readers, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away. See you soon!

Harriet Wallis

How Deer Valley Prepares For Worst Case Scenario: Wildfire

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Laying pipe with heavy equipment. A hot engine can quickly spark a blaze. Credit: Deer Valley

Fires continue to rage throughout the western states. It’s an annual phenomenon: drought, dry grass, tinder-dry forests killed by bark beetles. Lightning strikes. Human carelessness. Just one spark can set an entire mountain ablaze.

For Deer Valley, it’s a normal summer. Hikers and mountain bikers enjoy the trails, and they dine outdoors on the patios. Aspen leaves ripple in the cool mountain breezes. Everything is right.

But the threat of wildfire is always there. And Deer Valley is prepared to fight back.

The resort keeps its extensive snowmaking system operational and ready throughout the entire off-season. Water for the system comes from the 20 million gallon reservoir high up on the mountain, and gravity feeds the network of snowmaking pipes that span the vast resort.

In addition, every mountain vehicle carries fire-suppression equipment. An errant spark from construction, maintenance or welding could start a catastrophic blaze.

Deer Valley is prepared to be its own first line of defense.

“But we’re not trained or prepared for a full wildfire battle. We’re back up for the professionals,” said Steve Graff, Deer Valley’s Director of Mountain Operations.

“We work closely with the Park City Fire Department. They have access to the mountain, they know the gate codes, and they know water is available for their attack,” he said.

Being ready to squelch a fire sounds straight forward, but there are intricacies.

If snow melt doesn’t fill the 20 million gallon reservoir, water is pumped uphill to fill it so it’s ready.

“And, every summer we work on the snowmaking system,” said Graff. “We make capital improvements, we repair hydrants, and we systematically replace pipes. That means some pipes are drained and temporarily out of service. Crucial weekly staff meetings inform everyone where water is available that week and where it is not—just in case.

Winter comes once a year, but “We start working on next season the day we close,” said Graff, and that includes preparing for the worst case scenario: wildfire.

He added: All ski areas do so much work behind the scenes and during the off-season that skiers never know about and never see. But it’s a testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone in the ski industry.

To read more from Harriet click here for her stories on SkiUtah.

Don Burch

Anticipation

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A Chill Is In The Air.

It’s usually the cusp of late summer and early fall when I first start thinking about skiing. All it takes is some cool days and seeing the first leaves starting to turn. Wearing long slacks for the first time, turning on heat for the first time, and the beginning of football season get me thinking I’ll be skiing in the not too distant future. I hear weather reports of snow flurries in the high mountains and maybe even see photos of the dusting.

I start getting e-mails from ski resorts that have the audacity to put to print opening dates. Though I know these are pie-in-the-sky expectations I buy into the hope that they will open that early in the season.

Warren Miller Entertainment sends me a link to the trailer of their new film. I recall that as a boy, my father, a non-skier, took me to numerous Warren Miller films. It was just him and me, and I am forever grateful. I’m nostalgic when I hear Warren’s live narrations.

I start to visit my favorite online skiing sites. When I see something particularly interesting, I email it to my ski buddies. For the sake of my non-skiing wife, I try not to talk too much about skiing.

I daydream about special moments from last ski season. In the gym, I double down on ski-related workouts.

I start to make plans for the upcoming ski season. This includes visiting some resorts I’ve never been to. I think about friends I didn’t get to ski with last season and promise myself to make plans to do so this year. I’ve already renewed my membership in the Mountain Laurel Ski Club.

I make mental notes on things I need to do. I know I need a new parka. I think I’ll get my skis tuned. My snow tires should still be good, but I need new wipers.

I often wish I could ski year round but suspect this would detract from my passion for the sport.

My wife says I need to live more in the moment. Obviously I haven’t been able to limit talking about skiing. I know she’s right so I continue to enjoy my other sports and hobbies. But deep inside there is a longing to ski again.

Maybe I’ll write some ski articles.

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Sep. 21)

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Snow Is Happening Now, Winter Weather Prediction, Portillo Report, XC Binding News.

So it begins.  There’s snow in British Columbia, some parts of Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Check out the very recent snow map above from Snow-Forecast.com.  The green represents snow; it’s not very much accumulation, —though we did hear Banff got blasted just today—but it’s there. Someone please ring a bell or something.

Sundeck at The Remarkables, Queenstown, New Zealand’s famous resort. Big snow happening there this summer. Credit: Snowbrains.com

And, we have heard that four resorts in New Zealand’s South Island have been forced to close because of too much snow this week. That reminds us of the snow-heavy winter we had in 2015-16 when the California Sierras were inundated. Such is the nature of climate change.  Go to Snowbrains.com for the story on how epic snow closed the mountains in En-Zed. 

Free (or Almost Free) Skiing For Seniors Listing Almost Ready.

This week, we are getting back into full swing here at SeniorsSkiing.com. Our correspondents are sending in early season stories which you should be seeing in a week or two. We have completed our research on where seniors can ski for free (or almost free) at ski resorts in North America.  Yes, indeed, we are including Canadian resorts this year in our listing.  It’s amazing how many resorts there are that do offer a significant break for seniors. Those discounts are out there; you have to look.  We know our annual listing will certainly help.

We’re busy designing the Free Ski list and getting it ready for publication.  Stay tuned.  Until then, you can still access last year’s listing under Subscriber Only Content. 

This Week

The Woolly Bear knows what winter will bring. Credit: TheInfiniteSpide

We’ve been paying perhaps too much attention to the winter weather forecasts this time around. That ol’ El Nino seems to be hanging in there, and if it does, it will definitely play a role in what happens in snow country. So, just to corroborate what we’re been hearing from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center, we branched off to collect some tradition folk nostrums of what winter will be.  Find out what the old-timers looked to around this time of year to predict how much snow was in store for winter.  We also checked the annual Farmers Almanac prediction.  Read all about it.

Chile-based correspondent Casey Earle continues his series on skiing in Chile. He wrote some great articles orienting folks to what to expect down there and a recap of some of the principal resorts. This time, he zones in on Portillo, the venerable Chilean resort every skier knows about. Check out his resort review here.

Filled with amenities Hotel Portillo is the only place to stay at the resort. Credit: ChileSki.com

Cross-country editor and XCSkiResorts.com publisher Roger Lohr brings us some breaking news on the xc ski binding front. He describes the brand new Rottefella binding with a Move Switch that allows you to adjust the weight distribution on your skis. This could be an important break thru for senior xc skiers because it can actually enhance both glide and grip.  Certainly worth a look if you are thinking about new xc gear.

On a more serious note, we have a new article on Sarcopenia this week, a condition where muscles become less efficient in seniors. We found it remarkable that we never knew about this condition until we were introduced to it through a contributed article by one of our readers last year.  If we didn’t know, then probably a lot of our readers don’t either.  Study this one, dear readers.  The good news is that the weakening effects of sarcopenia can be mitigated through weight lift training.

If you have any story ideas, or want to submit an article, please let us know at info@seniorsskiing.com.  The season has started, and it is time to get ready.

Remember, readers, there are more of us every day and we aren’t going away.

 

 

 

BowlerSkier_489
mikemaginn

Conditioning Can Beat Sarcopenia: Pay Attention Seniors

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Sarcopenia Weakens Muscles In Aging Bodies, But It Can Be Managed.

If you’ve been lax about starting, continuing, or expanding your current conditioning program, it is time to get with the program. Many seniors are susceptible to weakened muscle as a natural effect of aging. When was the last time you picked up trash barrel, laundry basket, your bike, kayak, or even your skis, and you realized that they seem heavier than they used to be. The condition is called Sarcopenia, and it affects 13 percent of 60 year olds and as many as 50 percent of 80-plus.

In a recent New York Times article, Jane Brody, a personal health and fitness columnist, says that although the condition is fairly prevalent, not many seniors know about it.

Few practicing physicians alert their older patients to this condition and tell them how to slow or reverse what is otherwise an inevitable decline that can seriously impair their physical and emotional well-being and ability to carry out the tasks of daily life.

Dr. John E. Morley, a St. Louis University School of Medicine geriatrician, says that sarcopenia is to muscles as osteoporosis is to bones. “Sarcopenia is one of the most important causes of functional decline and loss of independence in older adults.”

The good news in all this is that the effects of sarcopenia can be reversed by exercise.

No matter how old or out of shape you are, you can restore much of the strength you already lost. Physical therapist, Marilyn Moffat, a professor at New York University, noted that research documenting the ability to reverse the losses of sarcopenia — even among nursing home residents in their 90s — has been in the medical literature for 30 years, and the time is long overdue to act on it.

That’s yet another reason to get back to conditioning.  Start a strength-building program using weights, bands, or machines.  As Dr. Moffat points out,

Start with two repetitions and, using correct form through the full range of motion, lift slowly and lower slowly. Stop and ask yourself how hard you think you are working: ‘fairly light,’ ‘somewhat hard’ or ‘hard.’ If you respond ‘fairly light,’ increase the weight slightly, repeat the two reps and ask yourself the same question. If you respond ‘hard,’ lower the weight slightly and do two reps again, asking the question again.

If you respond truthfully ‘somewhat hard,’ you are at the correct weight or machine setting to be exercising at a level that most people can do safely and effectively to strengthen muscles. Continue exercising with that weight or machine setting and you should fatigue after eight to 12 reps.

Now here’s a surprising insight. Your current exercise program might not be adequate to hold sarcopenia at bay.

The fact that you may regularly run, walk, play tennis or ride a bike is not adequate to prevent an incremental loss of muscle mass and strength even in the muscles you’re using as well as those not adequately stressed by your usual activity. Strengthening all your skeletal muscles, not just the neglected ones, just may keep you from landing in the emergency room or nursing home after a fall.

Exercise and paying attention to protein in your diet are the keys to remaining strong or at least as strong as you can be as you age. Read Jane Brody’s article and get busy.

 

Casey Earle

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Portillo, Chile

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Ride The “Va et Vient” Lift Up The Steeps, Ski With Ski Teams, Enjoy The Vistas Of Remote Mountains. There Is Only One Portillo.

Editor Note:  Casey Earle has written several articles for SeniorsSkiing.com, introducing Norte Americanos to skiing in the Southern Hemisphere. Also click here for advice for neophytes . Portillo hosts international ski teams in training during the summer months, and it boasts amazing runs, unique lifts, and a curious sense of remoteness with luxury amenities. Here’s his Resort Review.

Filled with amenities Hotel Portillo is the only place to stay at the resort. Credit: ChileSki.com

Portillo should be on every skiers bucket list. It’s a beguiling combination of big mountains, a sense of remoteness, old world charm, and wild skiing. Known for intense suntans from its brutal sun, young whippersnappers pumping adrenaline to the limits, a heated pool with a lake view to make even jaded travelers swoon, fine formal dining, and great après ski, you can´t go wrong.

Riding the Roca Jack “Va et Vient” with the US Ski Team. Credit: Casey Earle

Located near the Chile-Argentina border two hours north east of Santiago, 14 miles from the Western Hemisphere’s highest mountain (the Aconcagua at 23,000ft), the area is accessed by the only paved highway to Argentina for over 400 miles. Founded in 1949, the ski area was bought in 1961 by two Americans, Bob Purcell and Dick Aldrich and is still run by the Purcell family. The original hotel has been preserved and remodeled to modern standards.

The area has five chairlifts, four pomas, and four “Va et Vient”. While most are short lifts, several will provide you with about 1,000 vertical feet on the aprons of 14,000 ft mountains, or in combination, more. The “Va et Vient” are specially designed for steep slopes, with only one tower at the bottom, and two bull wheels suspended from the rock above, giving the lift a triangular form. Four or five people load up to the platters hanging from a crossbar, and when ready, the lift starts up and whisks them up the mountain. One can release before or after the lift stops at the top, but be careful getting off on the steep slope, you do not want to fall there!

While there are several good groomed runs, notably Juncalillo and Plateau, much of Portillo’s attraction comes from skiing those steep, ungroomed runs. Famous challenges for skiers are the Garganta (throat), the Lake Run, and the Roca Jack. The most ambitious hike over two hours up takes you to the “Super C”, a lengthy couloir for extreme skiers only. Also, some great heli skiing for intermediate and advanced skiers can be had on the surrounding mountains. All the while, you will be surrounded by a united nations of skiers, and some of the world’s top racers in training.

Taking on the Lake run. Credit: Casey Earle

The only lodging available within 90 minutes of Portillo is the Hotel Portillo. With a variety of options from US$1,150 to $3,950 for a week, meals included, there is something for everyone. A range of activities are available, including a gym, game room, and a full court for sports such as basketball. For lunch, there is no better venue than Tio Bobs, at the top of the Plateau chair, where you can gaze down at the Laguna del Inca and up at the surrounding Andes, while feasting on BBQ’s, fish, salads, and of course a potent Chilean pisco sour!

For more information, click here. For a trail map, click here. 

 

Worse case scenario, you can always just kick back in the pool, get a massage, or hang out in the bar. Credit: SkiPortillo.com

Trail map gives an orientation to Portillo. Click here for more detail.

Roger Lohr

Breaking News: Rottefella Introduces the Move Switch for Enhanced XC Ski Performance

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New, Adjustable  XC Binding Concept Hits The Trails.

Rottefella Move Switch allows for adjustable weight distribution. Credit: Rottefells

The Rottefella company has created the binding solution for waxless and skin cross country skis. The Move Switch is a dial on the front of the binding that will allow skiers to slide the binding forward or backwards without releasing the ski from the boots. That’s right, while you are on the ski trail, you can just bend over and turn the switch for the binding to slide and adjust to the desired weight distribution on each of the skis.

The intention of the Move Switch is for quick adjustment and better performance on flat or hilly terrain for recreational skiers who use waxless skis and particularly the quiet skin skis that have a mohair-type strip embedded in the ski base. If you want to glide better on a slow snow day on the flat trail, then stop and slide the bindings backwards to distribute your weight on the ski to provide more glide. If you need more grip to go up a hill, then slide the bindings forward to attain an enhanced grip to prevent slipping backwards on the snow.

Rottefella has created a moveable binding system that will be available for and can adapt to work with major existing ski plate systems at the other binding manufacturers including Rottefella NIS, Fischer, Rossignol, Salomon, and Atomic. There is also a binding, Rottefella Classic or Skate Quicklock plate that is moveable when skis are removed for those not expecting to move the bindings while skiing.

The Move Switch will make it easier to adjust the ski bindings as necessary correlating to the snow conditions or terrain. In the olden days, such changing required applying different waxes but with the new products, those days should be in the past for recreational cross country skiers. Using waxless skis eliminated the need for waxing the bases, but they worked differently in varying conditions or terrain – some grip well but are slow on the flats, while others glided well but did not hold when going up a hill. The retail price for a system or plate package will run between $69.99 and $149. Currently, the skin waxless skis may comprise about 25 percent of the new XC ski market as skiers are opting for the quiet base that provides good grip and glide in various ski conditions.

Spike Clayton at Skirack, a retail outlet in Burlington, VT, commented that he’s impressed that a Nordic company came out with a product that can be used universally on any ski brand for the ever expanding skin ski market.  “The product will give our customer a true choice to improve the performance of the skis easily.  The great thing about The Move system is it simple and effective for the skier to use.”

Rottefella Move Switch adapts to many brands of bindings. Credit: Rottefella

Tamsin Venn

Coasting Most Of The Way

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Senior Cyclists Love Gravity And Vice Versa.

Franconia Falls offer a cooling off spot. Bring your bathing suit! Credit: Tamsin Venn

Pedaling up and down hills on a mountain bike has its rewards, but we prefer trails that have an emphasis on the downhill. We suggest three great places in the White Mountains of New Hampshire at or near ski areas to do just that. Important: We use suspension mountain bikes that absorb the bouncing over roots and rocks.

The Lincoln Woods Trail off the Kancamagus Highway (Route 112) just west of Lincoln, N.H., is one good trip. You cross the suspension bridge over the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River and follow it on a gradual climb 2.8-mile bed of an old logging railroad (https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whitemountain/recarea/?recid=74669). At the next bridge, you turn left up the trail to Franconia Falls, which is spectacular with a natural water slide. Go ahead, jump in and cool off. The return trip is a screaming downhill all the way back to the parking lot. You dodge some of the old ties and rails still visible. Total trip 6.5 miles up and back.

Another good coaster is The Franconia Notch Recreation Path (https://www.traillink.com/trail/franconia-notch-recreation-path/). The asphalt path runs the length of the Franconia Notch State Park, following the Pemigewasset River for nine miles, ending at the Flume Gorge, then merging onto Route 3 for the last five miles back into Lincoln. The first leg is a bit of a climb up to Cannon Mountain, then the path drops, tempting you to whiz down the hills after you’ve crawled your way up, but there is a 20 mph speed limit (!)

The path passes Echo Lake, the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram, The Old Man of the Mountain Historic Site, where you can use a brilliant visual gizmo to recreate the old stone face above you (the Old Man tumbled down in 2003). You also pass Lafayette campground (ice cream anyone?), The Basin (icy water cool down?), and finally the Flume Gorge. Bring a lock for your bikes. This trip is eminently doable thanks to Rodgers Ski & Sport (http://rodgersskiandsport.com/) which will shuttle you from its store in Lincoln to the path’s start for $10 a person.

Remember the Old Man? Here’s a unique tool to bring him back, sort of. Credit: Tamsin Venn

Next day, we zipped south to Waterville Valley Resort via I-93. The extensive well-maintained cross-country ski trail system is a blast for biking. You cut through the woods and explore a variety of trails for all abilities through the National Forest. Everything from meandering dirt fire roads to gnarly single-track is available, plus lift access to biking trails on Snow’s Mountain, the first ski trails in Waterville Valley. (http://www.waterville.com/adventure-center/).

Our favorite run is to take the Snow’s Mountain Chair ($9 single ride and $21 all day pass) and zoom down the wide Livermore Road back into town, crossing babbling brooks and wood bridges, in an Eden-like setting. We branch off onto Swan’s Way, a single track, which leads you back to the Town Center. More scenic is to follow the Connector past the Mad River. Then relax outside with live music and cold drinks, even if you didn’t necessarily break a sweat.

Trail junctures post YOU ARE HERE maps (a good printed map is also available), graded beginner, intermediate, expert in XC ratings, so you always know where you’re going.

Do you have a coasting trip you could recommend? We’re open to suggestions.

At the top of Snow Mountain Chair at Waterville Valley. Credit: Tamsin Venn.

Roger Lohr

Developing Golf Course Ski Trails

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New Revenue Source For Those Beautiful Fairways.

Snowmaking at a golf course? When it is too cold to play golf, might as well ski. Credit: Nordic Group International

Cross country (XC) skiers hit a hole-in-one once their local golf course, which has been converted to an XC ski area, is covered in snow. Golf courses are ideal for XC skiing as they are often easier than other trail networks for skiers, and they provide easy access to people looking for a convenient winter excursion. And now, Nordic Group International (NGI) will pay $500 for a referral of a golf course that is interested in developing winter recreation such as tubing and cross country (XC) ski operations (and becomes a client of NGI). There are currently more than 170 golf courses in North America that have groomed XC ski trails.

Jonathan Wiesel of NGI wrote an article for Golf Course Management Magazine in 2009, and he is now putting his money where his mouth is.  That is, he is looking to help golf courses in snow regions develop winter operations. Why would a golf course facility want to add winter activities? The opportunity includes increased revenue, maintaining staff positions, providing community recreation, providing winter amenities for existing or prospective property owners, and so on.

A gold course in winter is a perfect setting for xc skiing, and perfect for seniors who prefer gentle slopes. Credit: Nordic Group International

Profitable winter operations could include XC skiing, tubing, sledding, snowshoeing, fat biking, sleigh rides, dog sledding, ice skating, food and beverage sales, lodging, and special events such as winter weddings and meetings. NGI has teamed up with the SE Group (an premier mountain/outdoor planning firm) to offer services such as feasibility studies, planning and design, snowmaking and lighting, tubing/snowplay layout, turf management strategies, construction oversight and marketing planning.

While such an operation makes sense in a region where it snows regularly during the winter, having a snowmaking operation would guarantee favorable snow conditions. Regular programming can extend the operating season at both ends to increase revenue from early and late season activity. Additionally, lighting the trails will attract skiers and tubers that are unable to visit during the daylight hours.

Such a winter operation would work well in an area that is a major population center, but it also allows resort destinations to take advantage of the winter season. The capital investment for an operation would involve variables such as site topography, extent of existing infrastructure and facilities and the size and orientation of the market. With as little as four-six inches of snow, a winter operation could be launched.

The golf course winter operation is not a pipe dream. Successful winter trail facilities have been in existence across the continent for many years in places such as Woodstock Resort, VT, Sun Valley, ID, Bretton Woods, NH, Weston, MA, Garland Resort, MI, Calgary, AB, Bozeman, MT, and in Breckenridge, Aspen and Steamboat in CO. For more info, contact the trails and land planning consultant at www.nordicgroupinternational.com.