Uphill Without a Lift? In this age of technological disruption, it’s time to consider the growing number of alternatives to rope tows, chairlifts, gondolas and trams. Self Powered Starting at the most basic level, there’s the growing practice of uphilling, the use of skins on skis to help the more fit and energetic work their way up. Long a European[Read More…]
Accidents Can Be Self-Inflicted, Too. [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[Read More…]
“Aren’t Groomed Trails Free?” There are at least three unfortunate stereotypes that are really important to the cross country ski world: “If you can walk, you can cross country ski” “Oh, it looks like so much work!” “It’s free, right?” Meaning: Well, I heard it was free, so I expect it to be free. Okay, a lot of cross country[Read More…]
Remember The Right Of Way Rules Please. [Editor Note: This article by ski journalist Mike Roth originally appeared in the Albany Times Union. It has been edited slightly from the original.] On Monday the 19th of March, I skied Mount Snow which was fantastic. Since the week before they had received over five feet of snow. The trail conditions were[Read More…]
Secrets of the Ice is a Norwegian website dedicated to archaeological discoveries in melting glaciers and ice patches in Norway and elsewhere. Glacial archaeology is a developing science as the planet warms, and objects from mummified people to ancient skis melt out of the ice. In Norway, one ski was carbon-dated to 650BC Another ski, from 750AD, was found with a[Read More…]
Katie Van Hess, Sun Valley, ID. Editor Note: Here’s our first contribution from a reader about an incident she was involved with. To submit your story, try to follow the same format. Send to INFO@seniorsskiing.com Where: Sun Valley What Happened: Uphill skier heading fast towards a ridge to jump it. I was heading along the ridge towards a congested area[Read More…]
Early Red Parka Person Who is this guy? Sure looks like he knows the snows. Photo courtesy of the New England Ski Museum and executive director Jeff Leich. Worth visiting their online gift shop by the way if you’re looking for skier/snow sport presents. The New England Ski Museum now has two locations: Franconia and North Conway, NH. Last Week[Read More…]
Test Your Ski Knowledge The most ancient ski in existence was found well preserved in a peat bog in China, dating from about 450 AD. The furthest anyone has Nordic skied in a 24 hour period is nearly 300 miles. In 1918 Denmark had the first “ski army”. With about 472, the US has the most ski reports of any[Read More…]
Alta Icon Alan Engen and Wasatch Mountain Club Earn Top Honors At Ski History gala Every year, the country’s largest ski history research organization, the Utah Ski Archives, awards honors to movers and shakers in the ski industry. This year the Wasatch Mountain Club earns the History Maker award for offering outdoor recreation for 100 years. It was founded with[Read More…]
Jet Stream Changes Bring In the Chills. Last week I wrote about the “haves and have nots” in terms of favorable early season winter weather. The East was very cold with occasional snow while the West was warm and dry. For the most part, that is still the case, as the eastern Great Lakes and Northeast are in line for[Read More…]
OK Boomer If you haven’t already heard about it, the term “OK Boomer” has gone viral. It’s the Millenial and Generation Z way of giving the older generation the middle finger for complaining about younger people’s behavior and commenting on issues such as the environmental crisis that will be left for them to solve. It’s a term that smacks of ageism.[Read More…]
How many of you remember the days when you got to the mountain early, skied all day, and quit when the lot was empty? I didn’t fully appreciate it then and look back on those times with nostalgia. Youth is wasted on the young. But what if we could be out there a bit longer and ski a bit stronger?[Read More…]
An All Around Snow Sports Legend and Sportsman Moves On. Editor Note: This article first appeared in XCSkiResorts.com. Joe Pete Wilson recently passed away at age 84. He will be remembered as a pioneer and endless promoter in the snow sports world. Wilson hailed from Lake Placid, NY where he spent years as the innkeeper at the Bark Eater Inn[Read More…]
Where? Significance To Skiing? Thanks to the Alf Engen Ski Museum for sharing this dramatic photograph. Last Week Early days at Steamboat Springs. Each of two sleds held ten skiers. This unusual lift served Howelsen Hill in the mid 1940s. If anyone knows the back story of this “lift”, please let us know. Thanks to the Tread of Pioneers Museum[Read More…]
If you’re accustomed to US prices, Canada offers great skiing value. The current exchange rate guarantees it. Skiing in Japan also is reasonable, but there’s the cost of getting there. Some clubs have reasonably priced all-inclusive packages. This one to Japan organized by the Baltimore Ski Club looks like it will be a lot of fun. And skiing the Italian Alps is a great[Read More…]
A Negative NAO IS Friendly To Skiers. Right Now, It’s Smiling. During the upcoming winter I will be producing condensed regional forecasts on a weekly basis, hopefully providing readers with another nugget of info before they pick a destination for time on the slopes. I will refer to a number of different reasons for forecasts that you will probably not[Read More…]
More doctors may be prescribing outdoor recreational therapy instead of Xanax if the proposed Federal legislation entitled the Outdoor Recreation Therapy for Veterans Act (HR 2435) passes. Studies are showing evidence that outdoor recreational activities can be therapeutic. I met Veterans Ray Gilmore and David Binford recently at a ski industry meeting, and they were engaging anyone who would talk[Read More…]
What’s This? This Strange Device Held 10 Skiers. Hint: Western resort. Many thanks to the Tread Of Pioneers Museum for this contribution. Last Week Of course, Killington. We took advantage of a picture of the resort a day or two after a major pair of Nor’Easters in New England taken by a pilot friend of ours. The snow dusting bodes[Read More…]
How Can Seniors Advance Their Skiing Skills? The hardest challenge for me is convincing older skiers that you can change your skiing dramatically for the better no matter your age or gender. Not everyone wants to, but if you do, you can. That’s the key to advancing your skiing as a senior skier. Lesson One: The Key Is Belief In[Read More…]
Get Thee To The Ski/Snowboard Shows! The consumer ski shows are on! The Denver Ski and Snowboard Expo is on today! The ski shows are a special time for all stakeholders. The resort industry gets a chance to strut its stuff, announcing new trails, lifts, amenities, and bargain price passes. Resort staff are there to answer questions, convivalize with familiar[Read More…]
Imagine an extensive road network in which single and double lanes merge with big highways. No stoplights. No speed limits. Highway patrol rarely issues tickets. Driving these roads doesn’t require a license. Anyone willing to pay the steep toll gets on. Vehicles aren’t safety checked. Tickets issued at the tollbooth carry a well-lawyered statement about individual responsibility for safety when[Read More…]
Big bargains await older skiers this season at 157 North American ski areas. Fifty-two allow them to ski free. The rest have heavily discounted the cost of skiing. But it all depends on your age. The comprehensive list includes season pass prices, age requirements, and links to each area’s website. To access, click “Community” on the menu bar, then click[Read More…]
A Reply From Meegan Moszynski, Executive Director, National Ski Patrol [Editor Note: On Oct 1, SeniorsSkiing.com published an article by correspondent Roger Lohr recounting his hit-and-run collision that left him with a nagging back problem. Many readers responded to that article by citing their own on-hill incidents with speeding or out-of-control skiers/boards. The question emerged: Who is actually responsible for[Read More…]
The Typhoon Rule Can Predict Chilly Wet Air In North America. In an age where computer models are believed to be the only viable long range weather forecasting tool, there remains a very effective technique for looking ahead a couple of weeks that had its roots in World War Two. It is called the “Typhoon Rule”. When the far western[Read More…]
You Can Do It If You’ve Done It Before. You know, as you age, little things creep into your mind like, “Can I still ski that?” “Am I too old to keep trying this pitch?” But, one of the things that keeps our minds in check is the familiarity with the terrain after years of experience. For instance, every year,[Read More…]
