Tag Archive for: seniors skiing

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Living up to its reputation, at least across the West and Northeast, March is entering like a wild snow lion.

SeniorsSkiing.com is heralding the arrival of March with a new discount service. It provides significant discounts on products Mike and I think will interest you. Some are specifically ski-oriented, others fit with the older, active, outdoors lifestyle.

Each offering is presented at Discounts for Seniors. Once there, simply click on any ad, and it will take you the company’s website. If you decide to make a purchase, enter the code on the ad, and you’ll receive the specified discount.

A few examples:

  • Apex Boot Systems is waiving the $25 demo fee at its 11 demo centers.
  • Stabil slip-prevention shoe attachments are 20% off. Every senior should carry a pair in the car.
  • CP Visor Helmets (I’ve skied with it. Comfortable, stylish, VERY nice!!), also 20% off.
  • Brilliant Reflective stick on/iron on reflective tapes (essential for nighttime safety) 25% off.

We’ll be adding to the discounted product list over time. If you have suggestions for products or services that you’d like to see on the list, send them to jon@seniorsskiing.com and/or mike@seniorsskiing.com.

100 Year Old Skier Explains His Passion

George Jedenoff is 100+ and still skiing!

Many of you commented a few weeks ago on Harriet Wallis’ excellent articles about George Jedenoff, the 100+ year old who still skis. Ski Utah just issued this video of George discussing skiing. It is uplifting!!!

 

 

 

Paralympics and the Rest of Us

With the PyeongChang Paralympics (March 9-18) about to get under way, Mike and I have been thinking about skiers we’ve met who ski despite serious health issues. Many have used their love of the sport as motivation to return to the hill. We’re learning of programs utilizing winter sport as a form of rehabilitation. If you or someone you know has recovered or improved though skiing, boarding, X-C. snowshoe, etc. and want to share that story with our readers, please let us know.

2018-19 Season Passes

Mountain Collective just added Big Sky to its offerings. The early price is $409 which gives two days at each of 16 resorts plus 50% off all additional days. For each adult pass purchased, a pass for children 12 or under cost $1. That includes grandchildren!

 

Ikon Pass goes on sale March 6. It comes in two flavors, both giving access to 25 destination resorts. 

  • The $899 version gives unlimited to 12 resorts and up to seven days at each of the others.
  • The $599 version gives unlimited access to 10 destinations and up to five days at each of the others.

Vail Resorts introduced the $99 Military Epic Pass in recognition of the Vail founders who served in the 10th Mountain Division. All active and retired US, Canadian and Australian military personnel and their dependents are eligible for the pass which provides unlimited 2018-19 access to Vail’s 14 owned and operated resorts. A separate Military Epic Pass will be available for all other US, Canadian and Australian veterans and their dependents ($499 for adults; $269 for children). Vail also will donate $1 the Wounded Warrior Project for each 2018-19 Epic pass sold. Based on this season’s sales that should total $750,000.

Massachusetts

Jiminy Peak will host a Cardboard Box Derby and pond skimming contest March 17-18. The mountain’s STRIDE Great Race is the same weekend. It recognizes accomplishments of skiers/riders with physical or developmental disabilities (stride.org).

Montana

Fifty-year-old, Rob Leipheimer recently seta new record for laps on Big Sky’s Lone Peak Tram. He completed 35, breaking the previous record of 31 set in 1998.

New Hampshire

Cranmore Mountain will introduce its Flannel Festival March 24. Show up in your best flannel, enter your beard in a contest, music, etc. Details at Cranmore.com.

Quebec

Quebec Spring Break is March 3 – 11. Many of the province’s resorts will be celebrating with festivals, races, live music, etc.

Saturday, March 3 is Super Demo Day at Mont Tremblant. Next season’s gear will be available to try.

Vermont

Bromley will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a Scavenger Hunt and other festivities. Find the pot of gold at the top of the mountain and trade it for a 2018-19 season pass. Follow the resort on Instagram for location hints.

            
Ski for MS, Sunday March 11, is a one-day Pico fundraiser benefiting people with multiple sclerosis. People from around the country — including Olympian Donna Weinbrecht — will gather to benefit people with MS and their families.

The private Hermitage Club at Haystack Mountain is on the brink of foreclosure. Three notes for $17.1 million went into default. Club members may take over ownership.

Joan Wallen

Buying A Mountain Home? Ponder This.

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A Veteran Real Estate Agent Shares Tips You Might Not Have Thought Of.

[Editor Note: See Joan Wallen’s earlier article: Commute, Rent, Or Buy? for advice on renting.]

Condo on the mountain?

Want to buy a home in snow country? Perhaps you’ve rented and now decide that a second home is right for you. Or maybe you’re ready to take a leap of faith and go directly into ownership. What are some of the considerations you should take in to account?

Location is key. You may already have a favorite mountain or region that you like to ski. This makes it easier. If you don’t have a preferred area, think about what’s right for you and your family. Do you want to ski one mountain all the time or be in a location where you can reach several resorts? Will a specific resort be good for your family for future years? You don’t want to end up at an area that the kids will outgrow. Do you want to be slope side, in town or out in the countryside? Condo or single family home?

If you decide on a condo, investigate before buying. Is it a new development or an established community? If the development is older you would want to know the history of upgrades to the buildings and grounds, roofs, building siding, roads, etc? If there are amenities like a swimming pool or fitness room, what’s their condition? Are condo fees reasonable or so high as to feel like a second mortgage? Carefully review the condo association documents to be informed not only of their rules and regulations but also their financial status. The capital reserve fund should be adequate for both planned and unexpected maintenance costs so you don’t get hit with a special assessment.

House in the country?

Consider usage of the condo in the off season. If you won’t be coming to the mountains in the summer you may want to rent out the unit. Some associations enforce minimum rental periods of anywhere from two weeks to two months or more. This could impact your ability to secure a tenant. And if you want, or need, to rent it out, be sure it’s in a location where there’s a demand for summer activity.

Although condo fees add to the cost of ownership, there are advantages also. Outside maintenance fees cover snow removal, shoveling, lawn mowing and trash pickup.

Condo living is not for everyone, however. You may prefer the privacy of a single family home either close to town or in the country. But, you’ll have to arrange for plowing, perhaps someone to check on the house after a power outage and of course maintenance will be your responsibility. The advantages are privacy, perhaps a more tranquil setting and if you’re in the country you can likely cross country ski or snowshoe right out your front door. If you wish to rent it,  you’ll be your own boss, no association restrictions. And, more responsibility also. If something goes wrong, you can’t just call the office, you’re on your own to find a repair person.

Finally, does owning make financial sense? What will you do with the property in the off season? Is it in a location where you and your family will use it both in the summer and winter?

Buying a home in ski country is a big commitment but also can bring big rewards. As a gathering place for family and friends to enjoy the outdoors together, many lasting memories will be created. Family members who may not ski will still have a base from which to enjoy other outdoor activities, or to just hang out by the fire and read. And you don’t have to worry about making reservations, finding a place to stay after that two foot snowfall or lugging your gear and clothing back and forth. The home and your belongings are right there waiting for you.

 

Roger Lohr

Why Take An XC Ski Lesson?

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[Many expenses for technicians, designers, and others are associated with delivering SeniorsSkiing.com free each week and developing and publishing Subscriber-Only content. Please help by making a modest donation by clicking here.]

A Lesson?  But It Looks So Easy.

[Editor Note: This article first appeared in XCSkiResorts.com.  Thanks to Publisher Roger Lohr for providing it to SeniorsSkiing.com.]

Old expression worth heeding. “Nordic skiing is easy to do but even easier to do wrong.” Take a lesson.
Credit: XCSkiResorts.com

The vast majority of cross country (XC) skiers do not take XC ski lessons, but rather they start with friends or family, who are usually not trained to teach XC skiing. So, who needs XC ski lessons? Most of us do!

Starting with the basics, a XC ski instructor can help a skier choose clothing and equipment that is appropriate for weather and his or her skiing goals and abilities. Equipment selection can make a huge difference in a skier’s experience.

A ski instructor can gently guide any XC skier to better skills and match a skier’s pace to his or her level of fitness and interest, keeping the skier from working too hard. Interestingly, most people who do not XC ski perceive the sport as too much work. An instructor can show the proper way to balance, transfer weight from one ski to another, and how to use the poles. Learning to keep the body forward with appropriate ankle and knee bend can start a new skier with confidence.

The first time a new skier approaches a hill, whether going up or down, can be a make-or-break experience. A lesson can help one learn simple techniques to travel up a hill with confidence. Going down a hill on XC ski equipment can be challenging to any skier. Narrow trails, difficult snow conditions, rocks and trees are difficult even for experienced XC skiers. An instructor can make sure the initial down hill experience safe and comfortable by starting on the right terrain and practicing skills and techniques.

Can a Lesson Help Seasoned Skiers?

Alpine (downhill) skiers who are trying XC skiing for the first time will also greatly benefit from XC ski instruction because the equipment and techniques so different between the sports. Skiing uphill is a totally new experience for the Alpine skier and going down hills on XC ski equipment, which is lightweight and has a free heel can be more than thrilling.

An experienced XC skier can also benefit from a ski lesson. Most XC ski control and efficiency problems involve incorrect body movements or timing issues and these problems will waste energy. Even constantly looking down at the skis will distort good body position while XC skiing.

Years of incorrect technique can instill the wrong muscle memory and  correction requires a certified and experienced instructor.

Because many XC skiers use outdated equipment, instructors can be helpful in discussing newer, appropriate products. There are so many derivations of XC skiing, that it is imperative to get informed advice to match what someone wants to get out of XC skiing— gliding on a groomed trail or mastering the glades in untracked powder or other ski conditions.

Finding a Qualified XC Ski Instructor

To find a qualified XC ski instructor visit or call a XC ski area. Discuss skiing goals with the instructor and find out if they have been certified by the Professional Ski Instructors Association. Certification involves training and passing a test to teach XC skiing. The instructor should be a “people person” easy to talk to and offer positive feedback on a skier’s strong points and encouragement on how to do better. With enhanced skills and techniques, XC skiers can experience the fun aspect as well as enjoy the outdoors and fitness associated with the sport.

Thank you to Brad Noren, of NordicFusion.ski who is a PSIA certified level 3 Alpine and Level 2 Nordic ski instructor for information in this article based on his experience teaching since 1972 in northern Michigan.

 

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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

Courtesy ABC News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

LIV2SKI Patch and Helmet/Ski Sticker

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

 

 

 

Your Vintage Ski Poster May be Valuable.

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

 

You and Friends in Your Own TV Show?

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

 

Sustainability at Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows

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

Harriet Wallis

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Beaver Mountain—Utah’s Least Known Is A Delightful Surprise

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The “Beav” Has All The Goods But No Crowds And No Fanfare.

Cozy lodge is friendly and down home. Look elsewhere for fancy.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

For most vacation-seekers, Beaver Mountain falls off the radar because it’s farther than the 10 resorts that are within an hour’s drive from the Salt Lake City International Airport. Beaver is about 100 miles—less than 2 hours from the airport.

Nobody knows about Beaver Mountain. Actually, lots of people know about Beaver Mountain, but they aren’t telling. They enjoy having the 8,600 foot high mountain with its 400 inches of average snowfall. Its skiers and snowboarders come mostly from nearby Logan and the Utah State University.

I’ve lived here for 25 years, and I’m embarrassed to admit I’d never skied Beaver until last week. A day there shattered all my stereotypes about it. Now I know it’s a gem of a mountain, and it’s very uncrowded. Repeat: Beaver is uncrowded.

And it’s an easy shot to get there: Take I-15 north, turn right to Logan, turn right up Logan Canyon, and you’re at Beaver Mountain.

What’s more, it has a friendly, down-home feel. For example: The sunny base lodge has a roaring fire stove and easy chairs for the ski-weary. That’s a touch that’s disappeared from most mega-resorts.

The cafeteria cooks up very good food at very reasonable prices. I loved the Reuben. But it was hard to resist the finger-likin’ ribs.

Corduroy courtesy of veteran grooming crew.
Credit: Beaver Mountain.

The mountain has a northeast exposure and gets the warming morning sun. Grooming is superb. I learned that the grooming crew is seasoned veterans who have groomed the mountain for years. It has plenty of challenging pitch. There’s an equal dose of mogul fields and off-piste tree skiing, a terrain park, and a magic carpet. The longest runs are 2 miles long. An adult day ticket is $50, seniors (70+) are $40. Seniors can also get a half-day ticket for $35.

I chatted with a couple that I presumed were locals. They weren’t. They live in Florida and travel and ski extensively. They’ve done the big name resorts and were thoroughly enjoying Beaver for the week.

I rode up the lift with Mountain Operations Manager Travis Seeholzer. He pointed to the ridgeline and said: “That’s the Idaho border.” Beaver is high in the northern-most corner of the Wasatch Mountain Range.

Because of its location, Beaver has a marketing problem. Lodging and big city amenities are 27 miles back to Logan or 13 miles ahead in Garden City, a popular summer destination on the shore of Bear Lake.

The flatlands surrounding the mountains are known as Cache Valley because mountain men and trappers cached their furs in secret places. Beaver Mountain is also a secret. Discover the secret mountain for yourself. Do what the locals do. Go “Ski the Beav.”

Other things you should know:

  • There’s no cell phone service at Beaver. People actually talk with each other.
  • Logan has tons of restaurants, car dealers, theaters, shopping, grocery stores, two hospitals, and more.
  • Garden City is primarily a summer resort area and has very little open in winter. There are several time share facilities, and that’s where the couple I talked with was staying. They bought their groceries in Logan as they passed through, and that’s what they recommend.

Click here for Trail Map.

Click here for Webcams.

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

This is uncrowded. Nice.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

 

Northstar
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Unless you’re riding with people you know, ski lifts are public places, and conversational topics should reflect that.

Courtesy of Northstar

At least, that’s how I view the 8 – 12 minute ride with people who, if nothing else, have the sport in common. But experience shows that others may not share that sensitivity. How else to explain the ride on a triple where the night manager of a local hotel explained in detail how the owner was a drug dealer who used the property to launder money? Personal discretion must not have been a requirement for his job. That was a long time ago. More recently, on another triple, the man in the middle went on a racist rant for most of the ride. I told him he was using inappropriate language for a public place. He paused for a few breaths and resumed in a more obnoxious manner. I told him that based on what he said he was a racist. “No I’m not!” he yelled as we left the lift and he skied away. Regardless of age or status, lift conversation is our opportunity to bridge gaps and preserve the spirit of skiing.  Please make the effort.

IKON Pass Introduced. M.A.X. and Rocky Mtn Super Pass to be Retired 

Ikon is from Alterra Mountain Company and includes 23 resorts in the U.S. and Canada, many of which are part of the M.A.X. Pass, the Rocky Mountain Super Pass and the Mountain Collective. M.A.X. and Rocky Mountain passes will no longer be available and Mountain Collective will continue through 2018-19. The resorts include Mammoth, Squaw/Alpine, Deer Valley, Alta, Snowbird, Copper, Eldora, Aspen/Snowmass, Steamboat, Jackson Hole, Big Sky, Killington, Sunday River, Sugarloaf , Loon, Tremblant and CMH. Ikon will announce costs at a later date.

Epic Pass adds Telluride

Telluride Ski Resort will be available on Epic Pass starting next season.

Winter Olympics

Courtesy, IOC

The South Korean games run Feb 9-25 in Pyeongchang, the name of a county about 40 miles from the DMZ. Opening and closing ceremonies will be held in a roofless five-sided stadium seating 35,000. South Korea is the second Asian nation to host the games. Korea’s Yongpyong resort has been the site for World Cup ski races four times since 1998. It has 14 lifts servicing up to 2,500′ vertical.

Warren Miller

Ski Utah posted this five minute edit of the1984 Warren Miller’s Ski Country. Hearing his voice narrate the film brings me back to another time.

Patagonia Environmental and Social Responsibility Report

This three minute video presents what Patagonia has done to improve the environment, preserve outdoor recreational areas, and contribute to improved lives in 2017. It’s an eye-opener.

Tamsin Venn

Tread Of Pioneers: A Blast From the Past

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Quaint Museum Reveals Steamboat Spring’s Rich History.

Ski Joring was the way to get around the valley when the snows came.
Credit TOP Museum

In 1947 an AP dispatch to 1,000 daily papers dubbed Steamboat Springs, Colo., “Ski Town, USA” with the declaration that of its 1,700 residents, 1,685 were skiers.

The others were children under the age of one.

Enthusiasm for skiing run deeps in this town. And you can learn all about it at The Tread of Pioneers Museum in downtown Steamboat. Native Utes, trappers, Yampa Valley settlers, ranchers, miners, farmers, cowboys, skiers, ski jumpers, snowboarders, outlaws, and lawmen, they all shared a part in the creation of this friendly town, sitting just below one of Colorado’s best loved ski resorts.

Famed Norwegian ski-jumper and circus star Carl Howelson arrived in 1913 and taught early residents of Steamboat Springs how to ski and ski jump. Suddenly, the valley’s ranchers were exploring the surrounding mountains on homemade wooden skis, school kids filled recess with downhill races, and locals became expert jumpers.

Billy Kidd, first American to medal in Alpine skiing, has lived in SBS since 1970. Here he is at 20.
Credit: TOP Museum

Favorite fact: Three Wire Winter is agricultural lingo used in the Yampa Valley to indicate that snow has reached the third strand of barbed wire on a four-strand fence, roughly 30 inches. A three-wire winter is just about right, with enough snowpack for spring run-off; more makes it difficult for feeding cattle in winter as well as damage to the barb-wire fences, according to Bill Fletcher, an Elk River Rancher.

The museum has an extensive historic photography collection, a few of which are included here. Go to the museum website to view and purchase online.

The museum is located downtown at 800 Oak Street. New exhibits this year include Staking Their Claim: Pioneer Settlement in the Yampa Valley highlighting early Yampa Valley settlers; Pioneer Kids Bedroom: Hands-on Discovery, letting kids dress up in historic clothes and play with antique toys; and A Legacy of Learning: Celebrating 50 Years of Colorado Mountain College and the Bud Werner Memorial Library exhibit, highlighting these two key local institutions; and the works of portrait and Native American photographer Edward S. Curtis.

The Museum Gift Shop has locally made jewelry, postcards, and photographs. Hours & Admission: Tues.-Sat. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $6 for adults, $5 seniors over 62, $2 children ages 6-12, under 6 free.

The Harbor Hotel sleigh picked up skiers from the train depot and delivered them to the popular hotel at 7th and Lincoln, circa 1957.
Credit: TOP Museum

apres cocktails
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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What are Your Favorite Apres Ski Cocktails?

“It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues,” Abraham Lincoln

In case you’ve been in Siberia or solitary, you may have noticed the return of the cocktail. Search “Skier’s Cocktails,” and you’ll find a variety of hot toddies, Irish Coffees and Mulled Wines. Some spike hot chocolate with whiskey, brandy, or peppermint schnapps. There’s even a fancy Crème Brulee Martini (Vanilla vodka mixed with Frangelico and Cointreau, shaken and served in a chilled cocktail glass with a crushed-graham-cracker rim.)

Before bed, following a day in the cold, I enjoy a combination of bourbon, honey, and chamomile tea. After a day of spring skiing, I favor pilsner and lemonade on the rocks.

Do you have a favorite mixed après ski drink? If so, send the recipe and its name. We’ll give each a try and, assuming the taster(s) recover, make it part of a SeniorsSkiing.com après ski drink guide. When submitting, let us know if you want your name included with your drink. We’ll do our best to provide proper credit.

While on the subject, the call for ski jokes is still open. We received a handful, but need more to publish a collection.

Send jokes and cocktail recipes to jon@seniorsskiing.com.

In closing, here’s W C. Fields on one of his favorite subjects: “If I had my life to live over, I’d live over a saloon.” 

R.I.P. Warren Miller

Warren Miller died Wednesday at his home on Orcas Island. He produced 500+ adventure sports films in his lifetime, narrating many in person on annual tours. As a kid in Troy, N.Y. I looked forward to his visit to the R.P.I. Field House, which filled to capacity with skiers whose laughing, hooting, and hollering added to the joyous presentations.  He was 93.

California

Mammoth Mountain is targeting entrepreneurial gig workers by providing work space and lift privileges at four resorts for $99 a month. The workspace is called The Fort, a satellite of the same type facility on L.A.

Colorado

The big SnowShow ski trade exposition in Denver is underway. It is the first time Snowsports Industries Association (SIA) and Outdoor Retailers (OR) have joined forces.

Crested Butte and other Western resorts are experiencing lower bookings, the direct result of poor snow conditions.

Japan

Twelve people, including eight soldiers, skiing on the slopes of a volcano near a hot spring resort in central Japan were injured earlier in the week by flying rocks from a sudden eruption. One soldier died.

Utah

Snow (finally) arrived. Alta got 24″, Brian Head, 21″, Snowbird, 21″ All other areas got from 15″ to 8″.

Vermont

Killington, Pico, and Tesla have joined forces to provide charging 45 electric vehicle charging stations.

seniorsskiing

Mystery Glimpse: Tennis, Anyone?

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She Also Skis Pretty Well.  Any Guesses?

This should be a challenge. No hints this time. Please write your response in COMMENTS below. Wild guesses welcome on this one.

Many thanks to the United States Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame, Ishpeming, MI for providing this picture.

Credit: US Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame

Last Week

Some funny responses to this one from last week.

These three stuffed creatures are the official mascots of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

Powder (rabbit), Coal (bear), and Copper (coyote) represent three resources which are abundant in Utah. They also symbolize the Olympic motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for “Faster, Higher, Stronger.”

Not sure why a “Higher” is symbolized by a bear, or “Stronger” by a coyote.  We get the “Faster” for the rabbit.  Anyway…

Thanks again to the Alf Engen Ski Museum, Park City, UT. for the contribution.

Marc Liebman

Five Questions To Ask Before Taking A Lesson

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If You Haven’t Taken A Lesson In A While, These Questions Can Reassure You Are Getting What You Need.

Last week, we listed five scenarios when you should consider taking a lesson. The next logical question is how do I figure out whether or not the ski school and/or the instructor can help me? The bad news is that there is not really a good answer. However, any senior skier considering taking a lesson should try to find the answers to the following five questions that are listed in no particular order. And, the great thing about being a senior skier is that we have the experience to evaluate the answers and separate the truth from the B.S.

  1. Are you certified? Right answer: Yes, I’m level 2 or Level 3.
  2. Have you taken a clinic on teaching senior skiers? Right answer: Yes. Here’s the caveat. The Professional Ski Instructors Association (PSIA) and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI) has not come out with a standard nationwide framework for teaching. Some of the PSIA/AASI regions have their own certification programs but most don’t. Among those that do, the content and rigor varies a lot.
  3. Does your ski school offer special instruction for senior skiers? Right answer: Yes. The problem is that there are precious few ski areas which do. There is a greater likelihood that you’ll find instructors who are senior skiers who have experience teaching their peers than ski areas who have specialized programs for seniors.
  4. How old are you (the instructor)? Right answer: I’m 50+. You want someone who can relate to you and who may share the same physical limitations and challenges facing all senior skiers. There are many instructors who have retired from the business world and work as ski instructors to stay active in the sport. Find them!
  5. How often do you teach senior skiers? Right answer: The best possible answer is, “I teach seniors all the time” or “I only teach seniors.” This is where your instinct comes in. If you get a BS answer, then you have a decision to make.

So those are the questions I suggest you ask. What else you can do in the way of due diligence and how you evaluate your answers is up to you.

 

 

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Jan. 12)

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Snow In Odd Places, SKI AREA MANAGEMENT Article,  Next Mystery, Survival Kit Advice, Wheaties And The Olympics, Snow Poetry, 60s Ski Songs, Stupid Questions.

Okay, this is shaping up to be a strange season. There’s this in the Alps:

Rescuers digging through 7 m of snow to reach stranded Zermatt guests.
Credit: Alain Duclos

Avalanches, isolated villages, impossible skiing conditions are causing havoc. The snow is frankly unbelievable. Here’s the story.

Meanwhile, in the Sahara Desert, we have snow.  That’s snow in the desert. Here’s more from Snowbrains.com. 

On January 7, snow fell on one of the hottest deserts on earth, the Sahara Desert.
Credit: Karim Brouchetata/ Geoff Robinson

And Utah and Colorado are still waiting for some significant snowfall which is reportedly coming this weekend.

Why mention this? The atmosphere is changing, and the snowsports businesses and enthusiasts should notice. Perhaps we should all be taking notice.

SeniorsSkiing.com Correspondent Publishes In SKI AREA MANAGEMENT

We congratulate correspondent Marc Liebman for publishing “A Wise Target Market”, a comprehensive article on the senior skier market in Ski Area Management, an industry trade magazine read by resort operators and marketing people.  His premise is that instead of treating the senior demographic as an after thought, the industry should embrace this segment.  That’s been the SeniorsSkiing.com mantra since we started this online magazine four and a half years ago.  Bravo Zulu, Marc.  Here’s a link to the story.

 

This Week

This week, we reveal the name of the grouchy ski racer from our Mystery Glimpse and offer another puzzle to solve. This time it’s naming the name of a long-ago ski turn.

Correspondent Marc Liebman also offers some important advice on what to put in a survival kit for those long winter drives through the back country.

We also hear a fascinating story from Harriet Wallis about what kept Alf Engen, the world’s most successful ski jumper, from the 1936 Olympics. It has to do with breakfast cereal.

We offer a snow poem by Wallace Stevens for those who appreciate occasional touches of literature in our pages.  Let us know what you think about The Snow Man; we’re always looking for more Snow In Literature references.

COMING SOON! Ski Songs From Ray Conrad.

And SeniorsSkiing.com is also proud to announce that we are getting very close to offering an album of skiing songs from the 60s by Ray Conrad.

Stay tuned; you’ll soon learn how you can order and download 16 songs from his famous album, The Cotton-Pickin’ Lift Tower and Other Songs.

Ray has agreed to make this CD available to readers of SeniorsSkiing.com. He is thrilled that so many subscribers reacted positively to some earlier articles on ski songs of the 60s and that the music lives on.

Finally, Harriet Wallis offers her insights into the four most stupid questions a skier can ask.  Have you asked one of them? Find out.

Thanks for reading SeniorsSkiing.com.  Please send comments, story ideas, pictures, videos. And please tell your friends about us.  There are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

 

 

 

seniorsskiing

Mystery Glimpse: Name That Turn

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Not Easy, Nor Healthy, This Was The Turn Of The Early 70s.

Thank goodness, this fad turn didn’t last long.  This week’s Mystery Glimpse: What was it called? If you think you know, note in the COMMENTS below.

Last Week’s Glimpse

Okay, okay, it was Jean-Claude Killy, the famous French celebrity ski racer of the 60s and 70s.  Many of you got it. We remember meeting JCK at the offices of SKIING Magazine on Park Avenue around 1971 or so. He was a compact, wiry, with angular, athletic features with a firm handshake.

Jean-Claude was a triple Olympic champion, winning the three alpine events at the 1968 Winter Olympics, becoming the most successful athlete there. He also won the first two World Cup titles, in 1967 and 1968. Later in the 70s, he became a race car driver, and a notable spokesperson for a sporty brand of Chevrolet. (“Camaro, eet iz my kind of car.”

Here’s the rest of his story on Wikipedia.  Check it out to see who his very famous head of state friend is.

 

 

 

seniorsskiing

Skiing In Literature: The Snow Man

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The Snow Man By Wallace Stevens

One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted in snow;
And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ices,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter
Of the January sun; and not to think
Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,
Which is the sound of the land
Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place
For the listener, who listens in the snow,
And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and nothing that is.
Harriet Wallis

Four Stupid Things You’ll Hear Skiers Say

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Make A New Year’s Resolution To Avoid Saying These Things. Here Are Tips To Help.

Don’t be a scare crow skier.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

The Scare Crow Skier. I know a skier who is so stiff he looks like a scarecrow with a pole up his back. Nothing moves. Nothing flexes. His ski poles hang down and drag behind.

“I’m practicing,” he says. “I’ll take a lesson when I get good enough.”

Vince Lombardi had it right: “Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.”

Even good skiers get stuck in a rut, says Tim Wolfgram, director of Snowsports Services at Solitude Snowsports Academy. Take a lesson, brush up skills, and you’ll have more fun.

The Vintage Equipment Skier. “My skis are 20 years old,” says another skier. “I’d try new equipment if I enjoyed skiing more.”

Technology marches on. Current skis have so much nifty technology built into them that updated skis make skiing much easier.

Many resorts have demo days throughout the season, and you can try skis right there at no cost. All you have to do is show some identification. It’s a great way to try what’s new. You might find skis you really like. Check on when demo days are scheduled at your favorite resort.

The Willy-Nilly Skier. This man grew up in a European village where skiing was a way of life. Then gave it up for many years. Recently, he got back into the sport, and he bought skis willy-nilly off a used equipment rack.

Now he whines: “These skis are terrible. I wasted my money. They won’t go straight.”

His expert, old school technique is incompatible with the ultra-shaped, learner-type skis he grabbed and bought.

There’s nothing wrong with buying used equipment. Most reputable ski shops will give honest advice about what skis you might like—whether new or used—even if you don’t buy there.

The Tuneless Skier. “Don’t wax my skis. I don’t want to go fast,” say many skiers, especially women. But it’s a misconception that taking care of your skis will turn you into an Olympic racer.

“Tuned and waxed skis slide and turn more easily. And you won’t get as tired because they won’t use as much energy,” said Brayden Morgan, head of rentals at Alta Ski Shop.

Many shops will inspect skis and give a no-cost assessment of what needs to be done. Often, skis just need to be waxed. Or, if they haven’t been tuned or waxed for a long time, they might need more work, said Brett Pergrossi, rental manager at Snowbird. “It’s all about safety and the quality of turns.”

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

 

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This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Jan. 5)

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Undergoing Bombogenesis, Next Mystery Glimpse, Cold Wx Tips, X-C Apparel, Jon’s Midget Memory.

We write this in haste, lest the power snap off before we can file before SeniorsSkiing.com’s deadline.

New England and most of the East Coast, are in the midst of a monster “Cyclone Bomb”, as the meteorologists are calling it, or “Bombogenesis”, an even scarier name. Fast-moving, majorly deep atmospheric pressure, big winds and snow.  You might say, well, that’s great for snow sports.  True, but the minus-zero degree cold and wind chill that has been stalling outdoor activity of all sorts in the region for the past week will go on at least for another week.

That dramatic cold has actually kept skiers off the slopes in many eastern resorts, despite excellent conditions. Looking ahead, there is more extreme cold in the forecast.  The good news is it cold, not marginal or even mild temps being experienced in other snow country places.  We hear that some California resorts are doing well, others still waiting.  The Rockies has had winds, fluctuating temps. Utah would like more snow. On the other hand, the Northwest has snow, thanks to some monster storms before New Years. By the way, this pattern is what was predicted by forecasters as a result of the La Nina, seasoned with an awesome dip in the jet stream.

This Week

This week, we have our next Mystery Glimpse.  See if you can recognize the frowning fellow in the picture, and offer your guess in the COMMENTS below.  We’ll tell you who it is next week.  By the way, last week’s Mystery was Picabo Street, the gold medalist at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

Correspondent Tamsin Venn ventured very bravely up to Stowe Mountain Resort over the holidays. She returned with some advice for seniors in dealing with very cold conditions. Recommended reading.

Co-Publisher Jon Weisberg offers a personal anecdote about what happened to him when his MG Midget was disabled, and he had to get a ride from two pretty girls. That wasn’t yesterday, by the way.  It was way back when.

Finally, Roger Lohr, who publishes XCSkiResorts.com, gives some advice on choosing Nordic ski apparel, based on his personal preferences.

Coming Soon: Ski Songs From Ray Conrad

In the past, we’ve published a couple of articles about ski songs of the 70s and from Ray Conrad in particular. Click here and here to check them out.  He wrote an album’s worth of satirical, funny, witty, and remarkably observant songs about what the ski culture was like back in the early-mid-60s.

Over the past few months, we’ve worked with Ray to offer his music through SeniorsSkiing.com.  Pretty soon, you will be able to download Ray’s entire album,  The Cotton Pickin’ Lift Tower and Other Skiing Songs. It includes favorites like A Skier’s Daydream, The Ski Instructor, Two Cubes and a Slug of VO, and more.

We’ll let you know when the download will be ready. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, Happy New Year and remember folks, there are more of us every day and we aren’t going away!

COMING SOON! Ski Songs From Ray Conrad.

Ski Mojo
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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The Excuse I Hear Most Often From Seniors Who Stopped Skiing Is That Their Knees Are Bad.

I can emphasize. At 74, I feel the occasional twinge forecasting a time when something medical is in my future. I know I’m not alone.

Which brings me to the Ski-mojo ad on the SeniorsSkiing.com homepage. It’s a British product for skiers with weak or bad knees. It also works for skiers without knee problems (I’ve been told there are some), by giving a power boost that helps them ski stronger and longer.

Full disclosure: I have not tried Ski-mojo, but I have spoken with skiers who have. They rave about it. Last year, I watched a skier get fitted for the device. It’s light and slim, and it fits easily underneath ski pants. Once on, the skier flicks a switch to activate or deactivate the springs.

In the US, Ski-mojo is endorsed by PSIA. In the UK it’s endorsed by BASI (British Association of Snowsports Instructors). The product can be ordered at www.skimojo.com and shipped virtually anywhere.

I prefer to be proactive about being able to continue to participate in the sport I love. If the twinge in my knees worsens, I’ll be ordering Ski-mojo. I want to stay in the game as long as I can.

January is Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month

Almost 70 U.S. areas are offering great deals on beginner packages for new skiers and boarders. Packages typically include lesson, lift ticket and rental gear. Depending on location, deals range from a single lesson to up to four. To learn about offerings in your area visit the Ski and Snowboard Month website.

California

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is now an Official Training Site of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team. Other sites are Mammoth Mountain, Deer Valley, Copper Mountain, and Timberline Lodge. Official Training Sites host U.S. team athletes for elite training sessions.

Quebec

Stoneham Mountain Resort dedicated its new Éclipse quad on December 23. The fixed grip quad replaces a double chair and T-Bar. Skiers use a conveyor belt to load the new lift. It has a capacity of 1900 skiers per hour and takes 8 1/2 minutes to reach the top.

Utah

Deer Valley hosts the world’s best aerial and mogul skiers during the 2018 Visa Freestyle International FIS World Cup, Wednesday, January 10 through Friday, January 12. DV has played host to international and world competitions for 20 consecutive years, including the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, two World Championships and 16 World Cups. If you’re in the vicinity, this is one exciting event to behold!

Powder Mountain Resort opened for the season on December 24. The resort has 8,464 acres. Powder now limits day pass sales to 1500.

Snowbasin opened its new Wildcat Express high-speed six-pack. It replaces a triple. The name “Wildcat” has been used for Snowbasin lifts serving the same part of the mountain since 1946, when it started as a single chair.

Soldier Hollow has Biathlon training for groups. Professional staff does the training and participants engage in a mini competition at the 2002 Olympic Range. Reservations required.

Solitude BrewSki Mountain Lager is a new German-style Pilsner created for Solitude Mountain Resort by Utah-based Bohemian Brewery.

Vermont

Vermont has 20 alpine resorts and 30 cross country centers. Ski Vermont is promoting an End-to-End Tour this season. Participants who visit different resorts each week and submit photos will be eligible to win tickets and prizes.

Molly Mahar is the new President of non-profit Vermont Ski Areas Association. She joins from Loon Mountain Resort where she was VP Marketing/Sales. Previously she held similar positions at Sugarbush and Bolton Valley.

Other

Black Diamond has a new short promotional video about backcountry skiing. Even if you stay in or around the resort, it’s well worth watching.

Liftopia announced its 2017-18 Best in Snow Awards. The results will surprise some. For all winners and how they were selected visit https://bestinsnow.liftopia.com/ – /

The Mountain Collective pass is back on sale for $519. With it you get 32 days at 16 iconic resorts. For more visit https://mountaincollective.com

seniorsskiing

Mystery Glimpse: Who’s This Unhappy Fella?

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Our Next Mystery Photo Is Someone Who Became A Ski Celebrity.

If you think you know who you think this guy is, write your guess in COMMENTS below, just scoll down. We’ll reveal the answer next week.

Credit: SKIING Magazine

Last Week’s Mystery Glimpse 

This is Olympian Picabo Street as a young racer.  Thanks to the Alf Engen Ski Museum in Ogden, UT, for picking this out of its archives for us.

Picabo Street is an American former World Cup alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist. She won the super G at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano and the downhill at the 1996 World Championships, along with three other Olympic and World Championship medals.  She was also a heart throb for a lot of men and boys who followed her during her competition. [Wikipedia]

We remember a news clip from coverage of one of her Olympic races. It said that in the midst of a medal run, she gave herself some encouragement by saying,”Come on, come on, come on.” That mantra stuck with us as a useful way to kick oneself into another gear whenever circumstances seem to warrant. She became an inspiration to hundreds of young women ski racers. Thanks, Picabo.

Jon Weisberg

The Midget. The Mountain. The Girl.

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The Midget Was Brand-New And The Color Of Ballpark Mustard.

1970 YELLOW MG MIDGET (NOT MINE).

No more than 200 miles on the odometer, when the idiot trying to pass me spun out of control and totaled my new MG Midget.

That was 1970, and looking back, maybe I was the idiot for driving a brand new, tiny sports car onto a snow-slicked Vermont road. The other driver was uninjured, and my buddy in the passenger seat was shaken but okay.

An ambulance took us to the emergency room, where the doctor picked shards of safety glass from my arm. The others were too deep, he explained, and would work their way out over time.

The friend we were staying with picked us up. He was on Killington ski patrol, so the next morning we got to the mountain early.

I skied Killington a lot that season, leaving Manhattan after Friday rush hour; arriving at my friend’s around midnight. Up early for a full day. Party that night. An early start Sunday; leave for Manhattan around 3.

On holiday weekends, we drove the additional distance to Stowe.

Sunday morning, we decided to sleep in and missed our ride to the mountain. This was a time in my life when non-ski clothes and toiletries went in a small daypack. We carried packs and gear out to the road and hitched to the mountain.

It may be because of that experience that I still pick up hitchhikers carrying skis; even a boarder on occasion.

The driver pulled into a line of parked cars. As we thanked him, another car pulled in next to us. It had New York plates, and two pretty girls.

I quickly explained what happened and our need for a lift back to Manhattan. It was their destination, as well. The girls needed to think it over. We agreed to meet them in the day lodge at 3:00 PM when they’d let us know.

Throughout life, we hear about or experience random but life-altering events. I didn’t know this would be one of them.

I made a date with one of the girls for a few nights later, on Saint Patrick’s Day. At lunch, I walked over to Rockefeller Center to see the parade. Negotiating my way through the throng, the girl appeared. Millions of people in the Big City, and we bump into each other a few hours before our date, the first of many.

Skiing has been a major influence in shaping my life. Who could have predicted that losing my new MG Midget on the way to Killington would result in meeting my future wife?

seniorsskiing

Gone Skiing

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We’re taking the week off.  Have a Happy and Safe New Year.

See you in 2018.

Harriet Wallis

SnowSports Leader: Alan K. Engen

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When Alan Engen was born, Dr. Wherritt put wooden tongue depressors—like miniature skis—on the bottom of his little feet and handed the newborn to his legendary father, Alf Engen.

“I think I can safely say that I came pretty close to being born on skis,” says Alan. He learned to ski when he was two.

Thus began a lifetime of ski achievements. He competed at nine, earned a place on the United States Ski Team in the 1960s, and won the United States Ski Association Intermountain Masters Alpine title six times. He served Alta for 50 years as an instructor, the ski school director, and then the Director of Skiing.

Alf Engen and Alan Engen jumping at Alta, circa 1949.

Alan and Alf—both world class ski jumpers —put on jumping exhibitions to demonstrate “Summer Snow,” a cornstarch-like substance. Father and son schlepped the product to the Los Angeles Fair Grounds for exhibitions on a 130 foot jump. In the grand finale the twosome jumped through a flaming hoop. After the demo, they shoveled the “snow” into gunny sacks and hauled it away.

Alan has dedicated more than six decades to skiing (click here to watch a video about Alan’s career) and is a member of the U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. The Engens are the only family to have four Hall of Fame members: his father, Alf; two uncles, Sverre and Corey; and Alan.

Importantly for the entire skiing community, Alan is an accomplished scholar, author, and historian. His dream to showcase hundreds of Alf’s ski trophies and memorabilia in a small museum grew instead into the $10.5 million Alf Engen Ski Museum at Olympic Park in Park City, Utah. It was funded entirely by private donations (including Utah’s famed Quinney and Eccles families).

Alan with wife, Barbara.

Alan also is an active contributor to SeniorsSkiing.com where he serves on the online publication’s Advisory Council.

His advice to senior skiers: Use new boots, bindings and skis because the technology will help you enjoy skiing more.

This article is adapted from the original which first appeared in SkiUtah.com.

Short Swings
Jon Weisberg

Another SeniorsSkiing.com First: Best 2018 Boots for Senior Skiers

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Finding a comfortable and good-fitting ski boot is an elusive goal for many older skiers.

Finding a comfortable and good-fitting ski boot is an elusive goal for many older skiers. According to responses to our reader surveys, 25% of you plan to purchase new boots in any given season. Reading the comments is revealing: “Want to find a painfree pair.” Looking for something that doesn’t hurt, Finally!” Hope to find a boot that helps my skiing AND is comfortable.”

We asked Steve Cohen and Mark Elling to help identify those boots most suitable for older skiers. They’re the ski boot authorities who organize America’s Best Bootfitters Boot Test, the annual evaluation of next season’s crop of new boots. Steve is a principal of Masterfit, the host company for the test. Mark is Test Director, responsible for organizing this highly complex and detailed event and writing the consolidated reports. Testers included bootfitters, retailers, instructors, coaches, patrollers, and other skiers;many of them seniors.

Last Spring, these men and women tested more than 100 models. They based evaluations on performance, value, easy on and off, warmth, and convenience of buckles and other adjustments. They also paid close attention to models with custom molding capabilities, which allow an experienced bootfitter to fit difficult foot anatomies.

Reading these reviews helps demystify confusion about boot selection. Regardless of how much you plan to invest in boots, work with a trained (preferably certified) bootfitter. Find one you like and stick with him or her.

Reviews are categorized as Men’s or Women’s, each according to foot width and All-Mountain (no “walk-mode”) or On-Off Area (with “walk-mode”). Men’s and Women’s listings each have 24 boot recommendations for seniors. The highest scoring models in each category appear at the top of that category. Abbreviated boot test results are available free to SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers. They appear under the Subscriber-Only Content box at the top of the Home Page.

In depth reviews are available at http://www.bootfitters.com/reviews, where the best boots for older skiers can be found by clicking on the Recommended for Seniors filter.

Jan Brunvand

Top Ten Reasons I Enjoy Being A Senior Skier

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#10. I have nothing to prove.

            I don’t need to ski bumps, steeps or crud. It’s challenging enough just skiing blues at age 84.

A guy with the right attitude that I met at Deer Valley a couple of years ago. He told me he wanted to add to the message on his helmet, “ . . . but not today.” Credit: Jan Brunvand

#9. Skiing impresses my non-skiing peers.

When folks ask “Are you still skiing,” they mean “still” as in “At your age?” not “still” as in “Is there still any snow up there?” I try to be a ski missionary and convince some old friends to return to skiing or to try it for the first time.

#8. Everything works better than when I was a kid.

Skis turn more easily, bindings release when they’re supposed to, and boots are actually comfortable. Ski clothes are lighter, warmer, and drier than in the good old days of wool and windbreakers.

#7. I have a built-in excuse for just about anything . . .

. . . like taking green runs, skiing half days, having extra coffee breaks, asking the liftie to slow it down, and forgetting where I parked.

#6. Skiing half days.

Did I mention this? I forget. Anyway, my wife and I ski what we call the “middle half”—start about 10:00 and quit about 3:00. We take at least five runs to count it as a ski day.

#5. Skiing with grandkids.

Until they’re about ten, the grandkids ski at about the same pace as us, and afterwards they’ll fetch us a coffee while we sit out a couple of their runs on the steeper stuff. If you ski with the kids you may be able to keep them from going to the dark side—SNOWBOARDING!

#4. Skiing midweek.

We avoid Saturdays, but sometimes ski Sundays, starting early, if that’s the only other time the grandkids are free. (If brought up properly, they can sometimes be convinced to skip school.) If you must ski weekends or holidays, split with your partner and use the singles line. You might meet someone interesting, hopefully not more interesting than your partner.

#3. Meeting other active seniors.

The 60+,70+, 80+ occasionally even 90+ jacket patches give your fellow oldsters away. Thin and graying hair under the helmets IDs them in the lodge. I always chat with peers asking where they learned to ski, and moving on to other important topics like how many grandkids do they have, are they fly fishers, and do they remember Studebakers. (I have a ’53 Commander, a good conversation starter with older people.)

#2. It’s a good kind of tired.

After a nice half day of skiing, by the time I get the boards off the car and myself out of my long underwear, I’m very sleepy and mellow, ready for a nap, a shower, and a drink before dinner. Ah, bliss!

And the #1 reason I enjoy being a senior skier. Senior discounts.

At my age in my area, season passes are free at Alta, $49 at Snowbasin, $20 at Powder Mountain, with other discounts and deals elsewhere. Check out the Senior discounts where you live.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Many Readers Have Requested A Fabric Patch.

It’s a good idea, and we’d like to make it available. The question is what to put on the patch. We’ve explored the vintage image of the skier that appears on the SeniorsSkiing.com sticker. Unfortunately, patch production technology makes him indecipherable. Whatever we do, we plan to include the SeniorsSkiing.com logo. You may have some ideas for a slogan. We envision something small and rectangular, so it can’t have a lot of words. A few ideas from this end include: Ski Forever; Skiing Makes You Younger, and Ski More. Live Longer. If you have a preference among these or can suggest additional statements, please email jon@seniorsskiing.com. If it gets used, we’ll send some form of SWAG you, hopefuly, will find useful. Thank you!!!!

CALIFORNIA

Mountain High, Southern California’s closest (to LA) winter resort, opened this week with top-to bottom greens and blues. The first 100 skiers received free gloves. Seniors 70+ ski free at Mountain High.

COLORADO

Colorado Ski Country USA resorts will be hosting a variety of Holiday events from Santa encounters (virtually all areas), to caroling (Aspen Snowmass), Ugly Sweater Contest (Eldora), torchlight parades (Aspen, Copper, Crested Butte, Monarch, Powderhorn, Purgatory, Steamboat, Telluride), and any number of tree lighting ceremonies and gourmet feasts). Check resort websites for more details and reservation info. One standout event will take place this Saturday at Crested Butte, which hopes to break the World Record for the largest number of skiers in Santa costumes. Participants must be decked out in a full Santa suit and will be eligible for $25 lift tickets.

MONTANA

Lookout Pass, on the Idaho/Montana border, has opened almost 50% of its terrain. Between natural and man-made, the top has 27″ and the bottom 12″.

UTAH

Ski Utah’s email states 18″ to Start the Week ,yet looking at accumulations at the seven open resorts, the maximum new snow is 7″ (Snowbird). Other open Utah resorts are Alta, Brian Head, Brighton, Deer Valley, Park City, Snowbasin, Snowbird, and Solitude.

If you’re in the vicinity of southern Utah’s terrific Brian Head resort this Saturday the ULLR Festival is the annual juggling, comedy and circus ritual to celebrate the arrival of the Norse Snow God. Festivities start at 1:00PM; ULLR’s entrance is scheduled for 5:45PM.

VERMONT

Old school, Mad River Glen is kicking off its Preserve Our Paradise fundraising campaign with a goal of $6.5 million. Monies will be used to improve snowmaking and replace the Birdland lift, among other things.

Areas across the Green Mountain State are celebrating the holidays with Santa visits, torchlight parades, wine and beer tasting events, gourmet dinners, etc. Check websites for details.

Jay Peak skiers never had it so good. This video from last season’s mega-dump is proof that all things are possible.

OTHER

The Nov. 27 edition of The New Yorker magazine has a feature article on 22-year old American skier Mikaela Shiffrin. Writer Nick Paumgarten has done a fine job. It’s required reading for anyone preparing for the February Winter Games in South Korea.

Thank you, Patagonia, for taking a position on important environmental and land use issues. This week, following the White House’s expected announcement that Southern Utah’s Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments would be dramatically reduced, Patagonia emailed information under the title, The President Stole Your Land. The accompanying message reads: “In an illegal move, the president just reduced the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase- Escalante National Monuments. This is the largest elimination of protected land in American history.” For many, these vast areas are merely an idea. To get a sense of what Bears Ears (close to the Arizona border) look like, click here.

Cute knit hats for the grandkids at https://cirquemtn.com/product-category/kids/kids-headwear/

Harriet Wallis

Three Holiday Gifts Senior Skiers Wish For

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When It Comes To Holiday Gifts, Sometimes Our Adult Children Don’t Have A Clue What We Would Like To Have. Here Are Some Hints To Pass Along. Or, Just Send A Link To This Story!

A surprise awaits and it’s not fruitcake. Credit: Harriet Wallis

Idea #1. A private lesson: A gift of confidence and fun.

You know you’d love to have the undivided, one-on-one attention of a skilled instructor to refresh your skills or move the needle a little bit further on your skiing. Ask for a private coaching session.

“Private lessons help build confidence,” said Leslie Blank, snowsports school director at Brighton. “Private lessons will let you move at your own pace. Or, you can get a little out of the comfort zone and try something new.”

Even good skiers get stuck in ruts, said Tim Wolfgram, director of Snowsports Services at Solitude. A private lesson can help you try new movements so you can have more fun.

Idea #2. A professional photo: Ski action or family portrait.

Ask your adult kids to put down their selfie sticks. Instead, ask for a professional photo of you skiing. Or, get the whole clan together for an on-slope family portrait.

Let a pro capture the photo memory.
Credit: Dobber Price, Peak Photo at Alta

Many resorts have on-mountain photographers who will take great photos of you with no fee and no obligation. But it’s a good idea to call ahead and coordinate the location and time with the photographer.

Here’s a tip. “Wear bright colors. It’s better than dark colors,” said Dobber Price, owner of Peak Photo at Alta, which is now in its 28th year of ski photography. And ski action photos, whether on a gentle slope or steep terrain, will capture your inner pro.

Idea #3. Ski tuning: So you can slide and turn more easily.

Ask to have your skis tuned. Many shops will inspect your skis and give a no-cost assessment of what needs to be done. Often, they just need to be waxed. Sometimes, if they haven’t been tuned or waxed for a long time, they might need more work. “It’s all about safety and the quality of turns,” said Brett Pergrossi, rental manager at Snowbird.

Tuned and waxed skis will slide and turn more easily. “You might slide right past your buddies on the flats,” said Brayden Morgan, head of rentals at Alta Ski Shop. “And, you won’t be as tired because you won’t use as much energy,” he said.

Many resorts offer gift certificates. But tell your kids to be sure the certificate can be used for the service they choose for you. They can buy it, wrap it, and give it. The holiday is solved. And you’ll have a treat coming.

P.S. Now aren’t these gifts better than fruitcake?

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

Jon Weisberg

The Best 2018 Skis For Senior Skiers

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One Might Say You Can Never Have Enough Skis.

My wife disagrees. She skis on a relatively old pair that she loves. They’re relatively soft in shovel and heel. For her, one pair is enough.

Mine is a completely different story; too long to get into at the moment.

Jackson Hogen, publisher of the ski review site realskiers.com, has been testing skis for decades. He works with testers from around the country, gathering their observations and consolidating them into pre-season evaluations of the upcoming season’s crop.

The complete list of the recommended 2018 skis for senior skiers is available free to SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers. Click on COMMUNITY (home page menu bar), then click on SUBSCRIBERS ONLY CONTENT in the drop down box.

(Free short reviews can be found at realskiers.com. The more complete evaluations require a subscription. Details on how SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers can subscribe to realskiers.com for 50% of the normal rate are at the end of this article.)

Recognizing that certain ski characteristics are more suitable for older skiers than others, last year, realskiers.com identified the best ones for older skiers. These skis generally have a soft flex, which allows the sidecut to engage with minimal exertion. When they’re used, the skier doesn’t work as hard. They’re easier to turn. They’re forgiving. You don’t have to be in peak shape to ski better or longer. The entire experience is more enjoyable.

Recommended skis are grouped into six categories, each based on skiing preference, location, and snow conditions. They follow:

Frontside (aka “Carving” skis)

  • These skis encompass the broadest range of skier abilities from entry-level to experienced and are for general use on groomed terrain. Wider models are usable off-trail.

All-Mountain East

  • Skis that are extremely versatile and for general use on groomed terrain. They also work off-trail.
  • This category is suitable for those who have not skied in a few years. 

All-Mountain West

  • These are good for use in the West by high performance skiers and are good both for groomed trails and for powder. 

Big Mountain

  • Skis for use on big mountains with selections for strong and for less strong skiers.

Powder

  • Specialty skis for use in deep powder.

Technical

  • These have high performance race ski characteristics and are suitable for carving turns on hard-snow.

While many consider skis to be unisex, some women prefer skis with weight and flex more suitable to their size and physique. The list also identifies preferred women’s skis.

Jackson advises approaching your next ski purchase by taking these three important steps:

  1. Identify the most suitable category.
  2. Work with a quality ski shop.
  3. If possible, demo selections to compare before purchasing.

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