The Longest White Winters South of the Mason-Dixon Line. Most ski resorts have their hotels and restaurants in a valley. Some resorts have hotels at the bottom of the slope and some restaurants at the top. But Snowshoe Mountain Ski resort has everything at the top of the hill. People call it “an upside-down ski resort”. Imagine a cherry on[Read More…]
Happy Holidays, Injury Brings Insight, Gifts, Ski The Cone, Ski Forecasts. As a holiday gift from SeniorsSkiing.com to you, here’s a poem celebrating the Winter Solstice and this special celebratory time of year welcoming Yuletide. The Shortest Day was written by Susan Cooper for the Christmas Revels, a wonderful show with music, dance, and poetry reflecting different cultures and styles[Read More…]
Away this week through the New Year, so no fully-developed column. But thought you’d enjoy this statement explaining what it is about skiing that is so inexplicably wonderful. It’s available as a poster in a variety of sizes. Click here for specific sizes and (very reasonable) prices. _____________________________________________________________________
Here’s A Less Serious Report, But Is There Some Truth In This Cartoon? We’re lightening up this week for our ongoing series of Incidents & Accidents. Instead of recounting a collision, here’s a cartoon from veteran journalist Mike Roth, depicting the Gen X-er on the snow. What think? Truth?
What Happened To Me And WhyYou Should Treasure Your Health And Fitness. As I get older, each ski season is more precious than the one before. I’m pushing 60+ years of skiing, and early in my life, I learned never to take one for granted. Except for being deployed overseas during Vietnam and Desert Shield and Storm, I haven’t missed[Read More…]
Except The West Coast. Last week I discussed the role of upper level troughs as they relate to our insatiable appetite for fresh snow, both natural and machine made. Most of the time, troughs are indeed our friends but that doesn’t necessarily mean that upper level ridges are the enemy. The influence of ridge is just like the old cliche[Read More…]
This Should Be Easy. If you’ve skied this…structure, tell us your story. Where, why? Last Week This iconic image is of seven great ski champions from the past. All have been inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and are regarded as SkiSport Legends. The image comes from a early 1940s clipping Alan Engen included in his[Read More…]
Nordic Volunteers, Poutine For Calories, Exoskeleton Helps Legs, More Incidents & Accidents, Southern Skiing, Mystery Team, Weather Report. This co-publisher of SeniorsSkiing.com loves to cross-country ski. Since we live directly across the street from a 900-acre tract of conservation land, owned and managed by the Trustees of Reservations, we head over the stone wall whenever there is decent coverage. In[Read More…]
For most of my skiing life, I looked forward to next season with enthusiasm. But several years ago, I began to face the season with some anxiety. Was I in good enough shape? Will the knees continue to do what they’re supposed to do? Will I get hit by a boarder? Should I listen to my wife and go south?[Read More…]
We all have preconceived notions about skiing. There’s no ski resort in Mexico. Actually, there is one: Bosques de Monterreal and when there’s no snow, people use a dry, bristle surface. There’s no place to ski in South Africa: There is. It’s called Tiffindell and it receives ample natural snow. The American South doesn’t have much to offer when it comes to skiing. WRONG.[Read More…]
Another Caption Contest. This is Tobi Heinle, ski guide, Voekyl-Marker-Dalbello pro athlete, doing his thing on Zugspitze Mountain, Garmisch-Partenkirchen. More on Tobi, click here. Click on arrow to see video. And try to caption it. Write your entry below. [Editor Note: Thanks to Snowbrains.com for originally posting this.]
And Regional Forecasts From West To East. Had my first day on snow last Thursday at Jiminy Peak in the Berkshires. It was a wonderful day on nearly perfect snow: chalky packed powder with some windblown pillows of powder along the edge of several trails. Today, I thought I would tell you about the jet stream feature to look for[Read More…]
Poutine Is A Huge Comfort Food. Add That To A Mighty Bloody Mary And You Have Dinner At A Cozy BC Resort. Yes, poutine is one of those things that requires an excuse to eat. We’re talking the massively popular comfort food that is Canada’s answer to Mac and Cheese. There isn’t an easy way to rationalize a dish that[Read More…]
SeniorsSkiing.com’s Reviewer Tried Againer Exoskeleton On His Second Day On Snow. Find Out How It Worked For Him. I am a 75-year old, advanced intermediate skier with 10 years experience as a PSIA instructor in the East and mild osteoarthritis in my left knee. I currently ski at Alta; that’s where I recently tested the Againer Exoskeleton. The Againer consists[Read More…]
Things Get Rocky On Bullwinkle [Editor note: SeniorsSkiing.com is collecting stories from readers about incidents and accidents that they have experienced. We intend to review these for patterns and themes and use that data to influence the safety policies of resorts and other stakeholders. The following is the fourth article submitted by a reader in our new feature “Incidents and[Read More…]
All Inducted In US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. Hints: Photo from Feb. 1941, Sun Valley. One of these men later enlisted in the 10th Mountain Division and was killed in action. Can you name them all? Thanks to Alan Engen for contributing this photo from his four-volume scrapbook series, The Engen Skiing Dynasty, currently at the University of[Read More…]
Growing up in Troy, N.Y., my friends and I often rode our bikes to Oakwood Cemetery, where we’d visit the tombstone of Samuel Wilson, aka Uncle Sam. One cold day, a pond had frozen in a way I never forgot and never saw again. For some reason, the ice had formed thousands of vertical tubes. Oddities like this happen throughout[Read More…]
Confronting The Offender. [Editor note: SeniorsSkiing.com is collecting stories from readers about incidents and accidents that they have experienced. We intend to review these for patterns and themes and use that data to influence the safety policies of resorts and other stakeholders. The following is the second article submitted by a reader in our new feature “Incidents and Accidents”. If[Read More…]
Instructor Pat McCloskey Recommends An Approach To Early Days. I had an interesting discussion with my lift mate this weekend at our local ski area. I asked the fellow beside me how his day was going. He remarked, “Well, the hill is fighting me back a little today.” I chuckled because the guy was a certified PSIA instructor but was[Read More…]
This Is A Challenge. Hints Below. He was on Bob Beattie’s 1964 US Ski Team. He later worked for Head Ski and Lange Boots. Do you know who he is? Put your guess in the comment box below. Last Week Thanks to ski correspondent Dave Irons for supplying last week’s picture and this description: “John and Joe Luc Roy Jr.[Read More…]
Didn’t Make It This year? Here’s A Snapshot Of The Show. Correspondent Don Burch covered the recent Boston Ski & Snowboard Expo at the World Trade Center. It’s the last year the show will be held at this venue and it’s also the last year it will be produced by Bernie Weichsel and BEWI. Next year, SIA takes over.
Big Changes Are Underway This Season. Will They Help Solve The Problem? Flashback To Last Winter Bumper to bumper traffic creeps up Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons toward Alta and Snowbird, Brighton, and Solitude. But resort parking lots are already full. It’s mid-morning on a typical weekend. Rabid skiers ignore the parkies. And they ignore One Way signs. They drive[Read More…]
By Robert Frost Whose woods these are I think I know.His house is in the village though;He will not see me stopping hereTo watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queerTo stop without a farmhouse nearBetween the woods and frozen lakeThe darkest evening of the year. He gives his harness bells a shakeTo ask[Read More…]
SeniorsSkiing.com is taking the holiday week off to spend time with family and friends. We are definitely thankful for our diverse and engaged readers who continue to inspire us with their insights and resolute allegiance to snow sports of all kinds. We are also thankful for our talented correspondents who have offered ideas, creativity, coverage that resonates with our readers.[Read More…]
DIN You Know?, Incidents And Accidents 2, XC Stereotypes, Skier Code Review, First T-Bar Pic. We dropped our skis and new boots off at the Sports Stop in Wenham, MA, the other day. We wanted to make sure our new boots and bindings worked in harmony. And to generally slick up the skis for the season. Imagine our surprise when[Read More…]
