Tag Archive for: SeniorsSkiing.com
Short Swings!
I’ve always believed in working with a competent car mechanic.
The same applies to a well-trained bootfitter. Many older skiers experience boot issues, and a good fitter can help overcome them. Masterfit is in the business of training people to fit ski boots. Their instructors include pedorthists, professionals with specialized training to modify footwear and employ supportive devices to address conditions which affect the feet and lower limbs. Graduates of Masterfit University populate ski shops around the nation and abroad. They can be located at bootfitters.com, which lists elite ski shops specializing in bootfitting.
Recently, in Masterfit’s typically low-key manner, the organization trained 275 REI employees in the skill of fitting ski boots. Most of them work in REI stores throughout the West, but employees from REI’s Soho (NYC), Framingham (Mass.) and Minneapolis stores also participated. Clearly, REI is upping its game when it comes to professional boot fitting. It will help them provide more complete service to REI members (Is there anyone reading this who is not an REI member?).
I remember being in a chain sporting goods store in midtown Manhattan several years ago where a salesperson with ZERO experience fitting boots was “helping” a customer with ZERO ski experience purchase ski boots. My tongue still hurts from biting so hard.
With this new development, boot shoppers can go to REI, seek out one of the people who went through Masterfit training, and proceed to get fitted with confidence.
Southern Utah Redux
Bear’s Ears. Courtesy: Chicago Tribune
Reader Alan Cort commented on last week’s piece about Patagonia‘s position against the administration’s reduction of Bear’s Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments:
In regards to Bear’s Ears, also a shout out to Black Diamond, maker of a lot of really good outdoor equipment. The following is from their latest customer email: Nearly 60% of our country’s climbing areas lie on federal public lands. We repeat, over HALF of our nation’s beautiful, wild crags are on public lands. That’s just one reason why we, at Black Diamond, believe that public lands should stay in public hands, and also why we strongly support the designation of Bears Ears as a National Monument. Think how many ski areas, especially in the West, operate on federal public lands; ones that I’m sure every SeniorSkiing reader has a special attachment to.
Thanks for making that point, Alan.
One of the issues in southern Utah, where these monuments are located, is that county commissioners and state officials are opposed to Federal land ownership. They think they can manage these vast areas more effectively. Among other goals, they want to create a handful of jobs by opening these beautiful wilderness resources to the extraction industries (A uranium mining company is reported to have pressured the White House to reduce Bears Ears.) Last weekend, we visited Goblin Valley State Park, a wonderful area filled with human scale hoodoos. The State of Utah manages the park. Trails are ill-defined, people can walk wherever they choose, signage is virtually non-existent. By comparison, we hiked Arches National Park the day before, where all systems and operations were efficient and well run. The Utah locals seeking control of Federal lands are amateurs who don’t accept the idea that their backyards belong to all citizens.
CALIFORNIA
Santa-costumed skiers and boarders will participate in Mountain High’s annual Santa Sunday this weekend. The event raises funds for Protect Our Winters (POW), the climate change advocacy group for the snow sports community. Registration requires minimum $20 donation to POW. Receipt can be exchanged for a day ticket. Visit Santa Sunday for details.
COLORADO
Aspen Highlands opens Saturday with limited terrain. Pray for snow!!!!
MAINE
Maine resorts received 21″ of natural. Time to head north!
New York
Many upgrades at Whiteface and Gore (lodge expansions, upgraded snowmaking/grooming, etc.).
Lake Placid hosts World Cup Luge this weekend, FIS 2018 Freestyle World Cup aerials competition (Jan. 19-20), Empire State Winter Games (Feb. 1-4), USCSA Ski & Snowboard Championships (March 4-10), Lake Placid Nordic Festival and Loppet (March 18), and ECAC Hockey Men’s D1 Championships (March 16-17).
If you’re in the neighborhood the weekends of Jan 19 and 26, drop by The Sagamore Resort‘s (Bolton Landing) and hoist one at its Glacier Ice Bar & Lounge, featuring nine tons of carved ice.
The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is Feb. 2-11 and features a massive Ice Palace. The palace tradition dates to 1898. They feature tunnels and mazes and are decorated with flags, ice furniture and sculpture.
New this year is the Adirondack Snowshoe Fest ,Feb. 24 -25 in Saranac Lake. Races are scheduled for all levels. Lots of surrounding entertainment to take off the chill.
QUEBEC
Mt Tremblant reports recent snowfall and perfect snowmaking temps resulting in opening of all 4 sides of the mountain by end of weekend. 60 runs to be available! If you’re planning to visit over the holidays, don’t miss La Famille Grelot (December 23 -31), a feisty family of singing, dancing and acrobatic elves in the pedestrian village.
UTAH
Salt Lake City is promoting itself as an “apres cultural mecca” while skiing the state’s nearby iconic resorts. There’s theater, dance, classical music, jazz, professional sports, and art and natural history museums. More at Ski City USA.
VERMONT
Some resorts received as much as 24″ of fresh this week. Current trail conditions and weather alerts at SkiVermont.com; resort information, deals and events at Resort Finder.
OTHER
R.I.P. Bruce Brown, the documentarian who brought us The Endless Summer and On Any Sunday died earlier this week in Santa Barbara. He was 80. For many of our generation, his surfing films and motorcycle films stirred a fantasy of the possible.
Free, Last Minute, Online Gifts for Senior Skiers
These magazine subscriptions are available free to SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers:
- One year (six issues) subscription to SKI Magazine (U.S. residents only).
- One-year (six issues) digital subscription to SKIING HISTORY Magazine.
To register, click the Subscriber-Only Content at the top of the SeniorsSkiing.com Home Page.
- For SKI Magazine, go to bottom of form and click on: Click Here For Free One Year Subscription to SKI Magazine and follow directions.
- For SKIING HISTORY go to bottom of form and click on Click Here for Your Free Subscription to SKIING HISTORY Magazine, scroll to Digital Membership, select 1 Year-Digital Only, add to cart, enter coupon code SENIORSKI17, checkout, then set up your account.
Another SeniorsSkiing.com First: Best 2018 Boots for Senior Skiers
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.
Going Retro
If You’ve Been Into Snow Sports For A While, You’re Gonna Have Retro Clothes. Find Them, Take A Pic, And Send To Us.
We have hats from the 60s, sweaters from the 70s, boots from the first time we went cross-country skiing, knickers, lots of old stuff we could never toss. Well, we’re having a bit of fun wearing them around the various snow fields (slopes, trails) that we habituate, now that snow is on the ground.
Send us a picture of you in your vintage togs, we’ll publish it and put them all together on a special page. Will be fun to see what you’ve got in the back of your closet. Just send a JPEG or PNG to info@seniorsskiing.com
Even retro ski poles…Skiing at Appleton Farms, Ipswich, MA.
Credit: A. Maginn
Here’s a pic of yours truly in a 1966 Moriarty hat (bought at Mrs. Moriarty’s shop on the Stowe Mountain Road, by the way), a US Ski Team sweater by Montant from about 1972, and Mother Karen’s knickers circa 1970. (Props for still being able to squeeze into them.) Taken last weekend after Saturday’s snowstorm in the Boston Area.
Correspondent Jan Brunvand sent two pics.
Jan’s been wearing this jacket since high school.
Credit: Jan Brunvand
The first shows him wearing a nylon unlined jacket covered with ski patches, posing at main entrance of the Peruvian Lodge at Alta. This was taken on his 84th birthday, March 23, 2016. He’s had this jacket since high school and wore it through college over a heavy sweater on a regular basis. He’s added patches over the years, and is about to start putting them on the back. The label identifies the brand as “Ski Trail Sportswear” with the same name printed on the leather zipper pull.
The picture below shows Jan’s wife Judy wearing a wool Demetre sweater with a sleeve logo alluding to Spider Sabich (1945-1976), who was a participant in the 1968 Winter Olympics. She had it on at the mid mountain restaurant at Vail in 2013 when Jan spotted a young man wearing an orange, black and yellow version of the same sweater. He said his father had let him borrow the sweater for the trip west. Demetre also made a black, white and red version of this sweater, although I have never seen one, only pictures.
Spider Sabich logo sweaters from the late 60s.
Still work.
Credit: Jan Brunvand
Finally, correspondent Tamsin Venn found a picture of real people in long ago outfits from a gathering of the Ski History folks a couple of years ago at Stowe.
More than retro, these outfits are just old-fashioned.
Credit: Tamsin Venn
Send yours in and we’ll see what senior skiers have been sequestering for decades.
Top Ten Reasons I Enjoy Being A Senior Skier
#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.
In Praise Of Urban Wilderness
Find Winter Activity Opportunities Close To Home.
Let’s define what we mean by Urban Wilderness:
- Open space – wetland, meadow, and/or forested land.
- Owned by a public entity
- No parking or entrance fees
- No visual pollution
- Offers “peace and quiet”
- Accessible by either car or public transportation from the nearby urban center
- Offers a variety of activities (year-round)
Urban Wildernesses can be found in or close to many city centers. The point is that you don’t have to venture into the mountains to find winter recreation; it’s often just a short ride away. All you have to do is find them.
Here are two examples, one from the Boston Area, the other from Portland, OR. What are your favorite Urban Wildernesses?
Around Boston
Hard to believe this view of Middlesex Fells Reservation is only a few miles from downtown Boston.
Credit: Commonwealth of Mass
Near Boston, MA is the Middlesex Fells Reservation. “The Fells” has borders in four near Boston suburbs; Medford, Winchester, Stoneham and Melrose. It’s 2,575 acres bisected by Interstate I-93. The east side of I-93 is more developed. The west side of I-93 is less developed with a border road and some homes along the road on the opposite side from the Fells. Nevertheless, the west side provides more of a wilderness feel.
Several ponds act as a water supply to the town of Winchester. The Fells have a good number of trails for mountain biking, hiking, snowshoeing, x-c skiing (ungroomed) and trail running including:
Skyline Trail
The 6.9 mile Skyline Trail follows the outer perimeter of the western Fells. There are spectacular views of Boston and the surrounding area. Most of the Skyline trail is in wooded landscape, with several steep ascents to rocky outcrops.
Reservoir Trail
The 5.2 mile Reservoir Trail encircles the north, middle and south reservoirs, and the open water can be seen from many sites (the reservoirs are for drinking water, so access to them is prohibited).
Cross Fells Trail
Beginning in the western Fells near the Medford High School, the 4.5 mile Cross Fells Trail gives a good sampling of the features of the Reservation, from wetlands at Whitmore Brook to open water at Quarter Mile Pond in the eastern Fells, to views at Cairn Hill. Use caution crossing South Border Road, Route 28, Woodland Road and the Fellsway.
For more information about Middlesex Fells Reservation, click here.
In the Boston area, there’s also Walden Pond, site of Thoreau’s cabin, in Concord, and Appleton Farms, a 900 plus acre working farm established in 1638, in Ipswich.
Here’s a brief description of a ski tour around Walden Pond.
And here’s what it’s like cross-country skiing at Appleton Farms.
Around Portland, OR
Forest Park is practically in downtown Portland, OR.
Credit: Forest Park Conservancy
At 5,157 acres, Forest Park in Portland, Oregon is one of the largest urban forests in the United States. With more than 80 miles of trails, Forest Park stretches for more than seven miles along the eastern slope of the Tualatin Mountains, at the convergence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. As stated in the park’s website, “Forest Park offers an unparalleled opportunity for visitors to experience a true Northwest forest without leaving the Portland city limits.” Forest Park immediately came to mind as an archetypical urban wilderness.
Activities along the 80 miles of trails include:
- Horseback riding
- Hiking
- Cycling/mountain biking
- Running – trail and road
- X-C Skiing, Snow Shoeing (when and if it snows)*
Among the park’s trails are:
Ridge Trail
Trailhead access for the Ridge Trail, which is only open to pedestrian use. To find the trailhead, park at the obvious pullout on the way down Bridge Ave (heading toward Portland). You will then need to walk back up Bridge Ave roughly .2 mile to find the actual trailhead.
The Wildwood Trail
30.2 breathtaking miles, from the southern end of the trail at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington Park to the Northwest terminus of the trail at Newberry Road.
*The city of Portland averages only 4.3 inches of snow a year, so winter activities are the often same as activities the rest of the year. But, what a place to get you in shape for skiing on Mt. Hood only 50 miles from downtown Portland!
For more information about Forest Park, click here:
Please tell us your favorite urban wilderness. What makes it special to you?
This Week In SeniorsSkiing.Com (Dec. 8)
Free Magazine Subscriptions For Readers, Tale Of The Yellow Suit, Choosing A Condo Rental, More Gifts For Seniors, A Funny Remembered Incident.
Alberto Varagas illustration from WWII honoring ski troops.
This week is a special time of the year for those of us who are Baby Boomers or, more likely, pre-Baby Boomers. When we were growing up, Pearl Harbor Day was more than a mention in the newspapers. Like the attacks on Sept. 11, Pearl Harbor Day was a day of remembering how everything changed.
To commemorate this auspicious date, we’re publishing this voluptuous image from Alberto Varagas, honoring ski troops from WWII. This appeared some time during the war. You don’t see booties like those much anymore. Thanks, Cathy.
We have some more good news for our subscribers this week. We are always looking for ways to bring value to our readers. We’ve worked with two magazine publishers to bring free subscriptions to you guys. You can get a one-year free subscription to both SKI magazine and SKI HISTORY magazine just by following the links in Jon’s article.
These two benefits add to the list of free skiing for seniors, the ski recommendations, Experticity discounts for those who qualify, and free historic ski posters. All of these are available for subscribers only. Look under the Subscribers-Only Content box at the top or under the COMMUNITY > Subscriber-Only Content pics.
Bill skiing Park City on his 80th.
Reader Bill Emerson submitted a nice story about his yellow ski suit which has been with him for quite a while. We’re collecting stories about retro clothing, parkas, hats, sweaters, etc., from yesteryear that are still useful. If you have something really old that you are still using, send us a picture of you with your relic. We’ll assemble a bunch of these and see what happens.
Correspondent and real estate agent Joan Wallen offers some advice on how to rent a condo that fits your needs. This is the first part of a two-part article; next time, she’ll be talking about how to buy a ski condo.
Correspondent Don Burch read Harriet Wallis’ article on Lift Maintenance 101 which triggered the memory of a funny incident when he was a young man working lifts. Here’s his story.
Speaking of Harriet, this week she offers some accessible, sensible, and really desirable gift ideas for seniors. Plenty of time for shopping, right?
Finally, we have to send our best wishes and hopes to those friends and folks in the LA area who are dealing with wildfires and Santa Ana winds. Wide awake out there.
Next week, we should have some news about boot recommendations for seniors, another value-add feature of SeniorsSkiing.com. Please tell your friends about our online magazine. There are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.
Short Swings!
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/
A Wad of Tobacco, A Chairlift, And A Ford Maverick
A Long Forgotten Incident Comes Rushing Back.
Don Burch, circa, 1970, with the infamous Ford.
In the late 70s, I was working at a ski resort and poor as could be. When the Head Maintenance Engineer asked around for someone to pick up a part for one of the chairlifts, I quickly volunteered. He probably figured I knew what I was volunteering for and wouldn’t have done so without a pickup truck or some other appropriate vehicle.
It was after hours, and we needed the part in order to run the lift in the morning. The supplier agreed to stay open until I arrived.
As a twenty-one-year-old male, there may have been some other decisions I made without much forethought. In my mind, the part was a few bolts or something like that.
Though I was to drive 90 minutes in the dark on country roads, I had confidence in my mature Ford Maverick (Yes, the photo is of the car I used). It was starting to snow, but I knew my new retread snow tires were up to the task. Using the finest workmanship I could muster, I had recently jury-rigged an eight-track tape player under the dashboard so I knew the trip wouldn’t be totally devoid of entertainment.
When I arrived later than promised, the supplier was grumpy as hell. He spat a wad of tobacco into the snow, pointed to large gear laying against a fence post and grumbled, “How the hell are you gonna get that in there?”
Sliding the front passenger seat all the way back, it looked like the gear might just fit. With the grizzly old guy providing special lubricant in the form of sub-vocalized mutterings, we managed to get it in. The car listed unnervingly to starboard.
With no more words spoken, the receipt was tossed in the car, and the parking lot lights were off before I was out the driveway.
On the return trip, the crown of the road, under slippery conditions and tilt of the car, overcame my ability to keep the old Maverick on the road. Into the ditch I went.
To my great relief, a pickup truck pulled over just minutes after the mishap. With the sweet smell of liquor wafting from their breaths, two good Samaritans offered to pull me out. One attached a chain to their hitch, and the other hooked up somewhere under my car. I took a moment to look under the car, saw the hook on the steering rod and moved it to the frame.
I profusely thanked my new best friends, made it back to the mountain, the chairlift was operational by morning, and I had a windfall of $22.00 bonus.
Thanks to Harriet Wallis whose recent article entitled Lift Maintenance 101 sparked this long forgotten memory.
Three Holiday Gifts Senior Skiers Wish For
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.
Another Unique Gift: Buffalo Down Socks
We Took The Challenge And Wore Them For Five Days. Here’s What Happened.
Bison down and Merino wool make a warm and durable combination.
We love buffalo, the distinctly American creature who has been denizen of the Great Plains since pre-history, who was deified by native Americans, who has captured our imagination in countless legends, songs, stories, novels, and movies, who has shown up in hamburgers, (bison burgers) and who now contributes to keeping our feet warm. Such a versatile critter, we hardly imagined that they had enough…what, fur?…to make things out of.
Apparently so. An enterprising company out of Kennedale, TX, makes a variety of clothing and accessory items from what they call “Bison Down”. Come to think of it, have you ever seen a buffalo shivering? Their undercoat of thick down is the insulating mechanism that keeps these huge mammals warm. Ron and Theresa Miskin, the good folks at The Buffalo Wool Co., were kind to send us a couple of pairs of buffalo down socks for testing.
In the letter accompanying the socks, they wrote: “If you’re feeling brave, wear them for two, three even four days…We think you’ll be impressed at how they hold up, keep your feet dry. and don’t get ‘stinky’ like cotton or synthetic socks.”
Well, we went for five days. We were impressed with how they held up and how warm they were. We hiked in our hiking boots, sat through Thanksgiving, went to the store, and, truth be told, even slept in them on a couple of particularly cold nights. All for the sake of not exactly science but an honest product review for our readers.
At the end of five days, we gave them our personal sniff test. Not bad, we thought, but we need a second opinion to be statistically correct. So, when our grown up son visiting for Thanksgiving was sitting on the couch one evening, focused on a football game, we asked him to do a sniff test. In honesty, we didn’t really ask him. Rather we shoved our five-day ripe socks into his schnozola and said, “Smell this”. After an awkward discussion, he agreed they didn’t have the aroma of the bottom of long-abandoned gym locker.
And they really didn’t. They were terrific. We noticed these socks were nice and thick, the kind that is really comfy for hiking, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing and outdoor activities in the cold weather whatever those might be. The model we tested was made of 40 percent Bison Down, 40 percent Merino wool, 18 percent Nylon and two percent Spandex. When we first opened the package, we noticed they were quite silky smooth and soft feeling. They remained what way for the entire test period.
On the other hand, such thick socks might not be a choice for ski socks. SeniorsSkiing.com co-publisher Jon Weisberg, who also is testing a pair, says that some ski boots are so fitted to the foot that thick socks might get in the way, make the boots to tight and the feet too cold.
In any case, you can find a wide variety of different socks, hats, gloves, and even yarn at the Buffalo Wool Company site. The model socks we tested were the Trekker Buffalo/Merino Wool for $38. Other socks were as low as $32. Other products included different combos of Bison down with either silk or Merino wool.
And think of the fun you can have challenging your family members to a game of “how long can you wear your socks”.
The American Bison never shivers.
Credit: Brittanica
Holiday Gift Suggestion: DeBooter Easy-Off Ski Boot Jack
Other Than A Book, A Bottle, Or Some Meaningless Gewgaw, It’s Not Easy To Find A Reasonably Priced And Relevant Gift For The Older Skier.
DeBooter: Easy-to-use ski boot jack. Credit: OutDoor Logic Solutions
DeBooter solves that dilemma. It’s a clever ski boot jack that makes boot removal fast and easy.
SeniorsSkiing.com readers can purchase DeBooter for less than $32, a 20% discount from the $39.95 retail. (Enter SeniorsSkiing at checkout.)
It’s simple. Loosen your buckles (obviously!). Place DeBooter on a flat surface. Anchor it with the toe of one foot and place the other heel in the jack. Lift your foot, and you’re painlessly free!!!
Full disclosure: DeBooter is an advertiser, and I’ve written about the product in the past. But many of you are gift shopping, and I’d be remiss not remind you of this perfectly designed device.
On several occasions, I’ve shared my DeBooter with others in the parking lot. Some of them contemporaries, some older, some younger. The reaction to having their ski boots pop off painlessly is universally positive.
David Johnson, who invented and manufactures the product, reports that most of his sales are in the US, and that they are increasing abroad.
If you’re looking for the right gift for the skiers on your list, look at DeBooter.
Becoming A Ski Instructor At An Advanced Age
Consider A Second Career For Fun, Fitness, Fulfillment.
Mick O’Gara, PSIA Alpine Examiner Emeritus, leads the crew, at Waterville Valley, NH. Credit: Tamsin Venn
Many SeniorsSkiing.com readers are seriously committed to skiing, and many have the experience, time and skills to actually teach skiing.
Here are ten good reasons you should consider working as a ski instructor.
- Plenty of other advanced age ski instructors are doing the same thing. You are in good company.
- You are needed, especially on weekends and over vacation weeks, February in particular. It’s often all-instructors-on-slope at these times. In down times, which can be frustrating, free skiing with like-minded instructors is a great chance to have fun and parse technique on the lift.
- Contagious youthful energy. We old folks get to mix with high school students who have skied at the area since they were Mitey-Mites, those taking a winter off from college or to reset career priorities, and foreign students here for a winter in the U.S.
How many silly ski instructors does it take to change a ski’s load capacity?
Credit: Tamsin Venn - Camaraderie. You will find your fellow instructors are a great group of folks, supportive, funny, professional, many life long skiers, who love skiing and are dedicated to teaching.
- Training. Ski areas provide on-snow instruction for newbies so no need to fear you’ll be sent out to cluelessly teach beginners. Trainers offer regular clinics throughout the season for newbies and veterans alike. You are encouraged to go through PSIA-AASI (Professional Ski Instructors of America/American Assn. of Snowboard Instructors) certifications, and resort trainers offer instruction for that as well.
- PSIA is a great organization to join with many clinics and division events throughout the season. It offers Level I, II, and III certifications not only in Alpine and Snowboard teaching, but in Adaptive, Adaptive Snowboard, Cross Country, and Telemark. Level III is very challenging. If you meet an instructor and he or she says Level III, give them cuts in line. PSIA is good for goal setting. You have access to a slew of great trainers, examiners, plus educational material, manuals for teaching different levels of skiers, videos, newsletters, and magazines. You also receive pro discounts of 40 percent or more from major ski gear companies. (You can never have enough Patagonia Nano Puff jackets.)
- Perks? Parties. Plus season pass. Locker, so you don’t have to schlep your gear to the mountain every day. Uniform, probably cooler than your own ski jacket. Discounts on gear and burgers. Free skiing at other mountains with letter of intro from your ski school director.
- One of the best bosses you may have ever had (at least, that was true in my case).
- Incredible sense of accomplishment when a lesson goes well.
- It’s easy to get started. Go to jobs page at a ski area that interests you—or more importantly where you have a place to stay—and follow instructions for hiring. Good luck.
Tamsin says: “I wish I could still do this.” Not required for instructor certification though.
Credit: Tamsin Venn
Fast Freddie
Blind Skier Inspired All Who Knew Him.
Fast Fred Siget on the left with Pat McCloskey, center, and friend at a long ago National Blind Skiing Championships.
The first time I skied with Fred Siget was in Snowshoe, WV, with Larry Walsh of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. This was my maiden voyage guiding a visually impaired skier. I had Fred, the first blind skier in our area, in front of me. Right turn, left turn, right turn, stay, stay. All of a sudden the only tree around popped up right in front of us as I yelled “Crash,” and Fred sat down as he ran into it. I felt so bad, but Fred dusted himself off with a smile and said, “Pat, don’t worry about it at all. This will be one of many.” And we continued down the slope. This began a 40-year friendship with the one and only Fast Freddie Siget.
Fred lost his vision as a result of an accident with a high pressure hose when he was a volunteer fireman. As devastating as this injury was, he was undaunted. He became the first visually impaired computer programmer for Koppers Corporation. He continued dancing, and he learned to ski with guys like Larry Walsh, Jim Conley, Lynne (Kravetz) Hartnett, Shorty Leco and Micky Hutchko.
Fred always had ideas on how to make things easier for blind skiers and how to improve guiding techniques. He had a transmitter rig where the guide used a microphone and Freddie had an ear piece which made calling out commands easier and more understandable.
Once I used the transmitter while standing on top of a slope, calling commands to Fred as he skied by himself down to the chairlift. With his “Blind Skier” jacket on, people were shocked viewing his run. In the bar afterwards, we had some fun with Herman Dupre the owner of Seven Springs Mountain Resort. I put the microphone on and guided Fred over in front of Herman and told him to tell Herman how much he admired his red flannel shirt. Herman was stunned and later remarked to me laughing that he was starting to “get hot thinking about all the free passes I gave to Fred and now he is telling me how much he likes my shirt!” Hilarious.
Fred was always anxious to help new guides. He put himself at risk during the training but always felt that it was worth it not only to train guides that could assist him, but to help the other visually impaired skiers who were beginning to show up at BOLD (Blind Outdoor Leisure Development) outings at Seven Springs.
Perhaps the most compelling thing about Fred was his kindness and appreciation for his fellow skiers and guides. He always remembered your birthday and when he called me, he sang, “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, get plastered, you bastard, Happy Birthday to you.”
He was popular for his skiing for sure, but as a person, you could not get a better guy who was always interested in others and never talked much about himself.
We lost Fred this fall at 94 years of age. He had an amazing life, and we will miss him. Fred never let his accident slow him down. He always said that he did more as a visually impaired individual than he ever did before losing his sight. He took a perceived bad thing and turned it into opportunity. Shouldn’t we all learn from that lesson?
Wonderful Winter Walk With Wolves
Why Wait When Wolves Want Wise Well-Wishers.
Wolves walk with visitors during a guided wolf walk in the forest and play in the snow near Golden BC. Credit: Yvette Cardozo
Okay, in the picture, it looks like she’s being licked by a dog. But trust me, that’s NO dog. It’s a real grey wolf. In the woods. Walking with my friends and me.
Woman meets Scrappy Dave, one of the wolves on a guided wolf walk through the forest with Northern Lights Wolf Centre, a wolf rescue and education center in Golden, BC.
Credit: Yvette Cardozo
It was part of our morning at Northern Lights Wolf Centre just outside Golden, BC, Canada, where we learned about wolves and definitely got close and personal.
Shelley Black and her husband Casey have been raising wolves for nearly two decades. Their aim is not only rescuing abandoned wolf cubs but educating the public.
“There’s so many misconceptions about wolves,” Casey told us.
For one, they really don’t lurk around woods just waiting to eat people. They’d rather avoid people. But thanks to a lot of fiction where hapless folk are forever being devoured or myths that are really morality tales warning women of attacks by men (Little Red Riding Hood, for one), there is an ingrained public fear of wolves.
There are many wolf rescue/education centers around North America but only a handful that let you actually walk with the wolves and interact with them.
And so, we gathered one late winter morning at Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre to learn, prepare, and walk.
The wolves have been exposed to people from birth and are used to walking with visitors.
Credit: Yvette Cardozo
Scrappy Dave and Flora, our wolves that day, had come from a zoo that had too many wolves. They were brought to the center in Golden when only a few days old. So, like all the wolves here, they are totally used to people.
“They lived in the house with us for the first several months,” said Shelley. “We treated them like human babies, fed them and slept with them.”
When not out in the woods on wolf walks, the wolves live in acre enclosures, two each to an enclosure.
But these ARE wild animals. For that reason, Shelley and Casey explained, the walk is totally on the wolf’s terms.
“We don’t approach them but if they come up to you, you can touch them.” (um, more about that later).
More Wolf Walk Rules:
- If you don’t want the wolf to jump up on you like a friendly dog, hold your hands together and down in front of you, push him down and say “Stop!”
- Don’t spin away because they see that as a game.
- Don’t kneel down. Kneeling is a sign of aggressive behavior in the Canidae family.
- Keep your hat on and if you take your gloves off don’t think you can just hold them. Scrappy Dave will grab them. And they’re gone, lost in the woods. Forever. Best to just keep them on.
One of the more interesting facts is that wolves don’t need to run; they aren’t sled dogs. They’re actually quite lazy, which in the wild is a survival tactic to conserve energy.
With all this in mind, we headed for the woods.
We walked down a logging road a few hundred yards when suddenly, Flora, all 60 pounds of her, trotted up to me and raised up on her hind legs. She was almost as tall as me as she leaned in, put her huge, muddy paws on my shoulders and sniffed my face.
She was saying hello in wolf talk. She did that to one of my friends, though on her back, leaving muddy paw prints that looked like a painted design. And I’ve got the pictures to prove it.
At this point, it was time for our “wolf moment,” which involved standing next to a tree stump while Scrappy came up from behind and did his best to lick us into oblivion. All I can say is, who knew wolf tongues were soooo soft and warm.
One could point out that this whole adventure was staged and quite artificial. But the purpose, Casey and Shelley said, is to let people know the wolfs’ place in the environment and, especially, to let people know wolves don’t have to be universally feared.
Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre is a 15 minute drive from Golden, BC. The programs are open year round. There’s a talk led by a guide where people walk around the edge of a fenced wolf enclosure. It is open to all ages.
The Wolf Walk age limit is 16 and above, lasts most of a morning or afternoon and costs $335 CDN for two people. The interpretive talk at the center is $12 CDN for adults, $35 CDN for a family of four.
The wolves have been socialized to people from birth and are used to walking with visitors
Credit: Yvette Cardozo
This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov. 24)
Happy Thanksgiving, La Nina Delivers, Reader Input Needed, Great Gift Idea, Funny Urban Legend, Lift Maintenance, Birthday For 98 Year Old Olympian, Experticity Reminder.
Fun Thanksgiving? Not for all.
Credit: SnoCountry
Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers! We know you are happier than the poor turkey to the left.
In many places, this weekend marks the official start of the snow sports season. In fact, Killington is hosting the Audi FIS Women’s World Cup starting Nov. 24 and going through the weekend. Snow guns are taking advantage of every drop in temperature, and trails will be ready for the world’s fastest women. Join the crowds!
Here’s a short video clip from last year’s race at Killington. Pretty exciting profile of Mikaela Shiffrin, 21-year-old winner of the slalom event.
La Nina Brings Snow
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center reports that a weak La Nina condition exists in the eastern Pacific off the coast of Peru. That means surface sea water temperatures are cooler than normal having the ultimate effect of retracting the jet stream that flows over North America. The connection with snowfall is shown on the map below which is a summary of several years of snow accumulation during La Nina winters. Note the blue is above average snowfall, the brown below average. You can easily see where the snow will be. Remember, this doesn’t guarantee massive snow, but it is certainly a positive development for those in the blue areas.
Reader Stories and Videos Welcome
We were very pleased to see how many readers wrote in to correct and update our original list of where seniors can ski for free. (Note: You can find the list under the COMMUNITY menu pick, select SUBSCRIBER-ONLY CONTENT.)
That enthusiasm led us to think that many of our readers might have interesting stories that other readers might be interested in reading. Or video clips. If you have something to share, please write us at info@seniorsskiing.com. Keep your copy to 500 words. Pictures are really important, too. JPEGs or PNGs are ideal. If you have brief videos, post them on YouTube and send us the link with your story.
An Appropriate Gift For Seniors
We tested a device for locating lost objects using a small, bluetooth-based chip called Tile. We were very impressed and suggest you take a look. It is one of those inventions which can be truly life-changing. And for the better.
Skiing Urban Legend
We have a funny story which has taken on the status of urban legend about a novice skier. Correspondent Jan Brunvand coined the term “urban legend” when he was in academia and was asked to report on any legends related to the snow sports world. Here’s the story.
Keep Lifts Spinning
SLC Correspondent Harriet Wallis has a story about lift maintenance, a months-long, complex process that most of us never think about but which has to be done just right to ensure a trouble-free, safe season. Harriet profiles the lift crew at Deer Valley.
Happy Birthday To 98 Year-Old Olympian
The Ski Museum of Maine has saluted Chummy Broomhall, a two-time Olympian cross-country skier who is celebrating his 98th birthday. The Museum is asking people to send Chummy a card. Last year, he received 150 cards; let’s beat that this year. Find out where to write.
Experticity Reminder
Several readers have found that when trying to re-register for Experticity, they are faced with a questionnaire asking them for their connection to the ski business. We explained the change a few editions ago, but it’s worth repeating. What happened was that our original discount relationship was with Promotive. That company was merged with Experticity early last spring. They scrubbed their list of subscribers and informed us that only those readers who had a legitimate connect to the ski industry could qualify. We asked them to change their verification process to make it a little less constrictive, and Experticity did take our recommendations. So, it wasn’t an open door like it used to be, but some readers can probably still qualify.
Next Week
On we go into the early season. Our correspondents are all working on stories for you. Gift ideas, tips for renting condos, profiles, and lots of other topics. Also in the story bin is our list of ski recommendations for seniors. And boot recommendations. Stay tuned.
Remember, tell your friends about SeniorsSkiing.com. There are more of us every day and we aren’t going away.
Perfect Senior Gift: Tile Will Find Your Keys And Any Thing Else
The Amazing Device We’ve All Been Waiting For.
Attach Tile to keys, skis, bikes, cats, grand kids, wives, husbands, etc. Now they can be found, even when hiding.
You’ve probably had this experience. You are rushing out the door, late for something or other, and you’ve grabbed everything except…wait a minute…”Where are my keys? (wallet, glasses, etc?)” And the frantic search begins, characterized by looking in several of the same places more than once (a sure sign of insanity) and then finally discovering them in your jacket pocket.
And in response you say to yourself, “Why doesn’t someone just invent something to stick on your keys that flashes or something?” Well, ta-da, someone did.
It’s called Tile, and it’s a little (1.5″ x 1.5″) square plastic device you can attach to keys, bicycles, backpacks, puppy dogs…just about anything you can think of that you can expect to go missing.
Here’s the app. Keys and iPhone are being tracked. There’s also a map; you can get a visual on where the hiding things are.
The version of Tile we tested is the Sport model, waterproof, bluetooth-enabled, loud (trust us on this) device that is very simple to set up and use. All you have to do is download the Tile app to your Smartphone (Android or iOS), connect the device and you’re in business. It’s got a 200 foot range, so you can cover most places in a house or office.
To find your keys with Tile attached, simply open the phone app, tap the key logo, and you will hear the keys talking to you from their hiding place. The other indispensable feature we really love is when you lose your phone, and your Tile will help you find it. Just tap the Tile device twice, and you will hear your phone peeping out from where you never thought to look for it. You even have a choice of ring tones.
If there is a downside to finding your phone with Tile, it’s that your app on the phone has to be on. We haven’t experienced any major battery issues, but it is something to think about. Maybe you just activate the app when you take your phone out of your pocket and drop it on a desk or table.
If you lose your phone and your keys, well, bless your heart. Grandma used to say start looking where you saw them last.
It’s clear that once you see how Tile works you will want to tell other people about it. Tile gives you 25 points for each person your refer and who buys. When you get 50 points, you get a free Tile.
The are four different models of Tile, from Tile Mate, to Sport, Style and Slim. Prices range from $25 for the Mate to $35 for the Style. These prices are from the Tile website. Click here to go there.
If you’re looking for stocking stuffer gifts for your family and friends, you can buy multi-packs of Tiles at a discount. A four-pack of Sport Tiles is $100.
A perfect gift. Every time one of those family members or friends finds their keys or lost eyeglasses, they will think of you!
Here’s the Tile video showing the Pro Series Sport Model which is the model we tested.
https://youtu.be/TPSUFq5FFMc
Novice Skier Loses It On The Slopes
An Urban Legend From The World Of Skiing.
Editor’s Note: Jan Harold Brunvand is a frequent contributor to SeniorsSkiing.com. An avid skier, he is a retired American folklorist, researcher, writer, public speaker, and professor emeritus of English at the University of Utah. Jan is best known for popularizing the concept of the urban legend, a form of modern folklore or story telling. Urban Legends are “too good to be true” stories that travel by word of mouth, by print or the internet and are attributed to an FOAF: friend of a friend. “Urban Legends,” Brunvand says, “have a persistent hold on the imagination because they have an element of suspense or humor, they are plausible and they have a moral.” We asked him if there are any skiing urban legends, and he submitted the following.
In all my years of collecting and researching urban legends I’ve encountered only one story that involves skiing, but it’s a doozy.
I first heard it at Snowbird during the winter of 1979-80, but it’s probably older.
A young woman from California after taking a couple of lessons on the bunny slopes felt ready to try a run from the top of the mountain. But as she got off the tram, Mother Nature called, and she didn’t see any restroom or lodge up there.
So she skied behind a clump of trees, jabbed her poles into the snow, and began to unzip. Just as she pulled down her ski pants and thermal underwear, she began to slide down the slope. In an instant, she was swooshing down the mountain backward, her pants around her ankles, trying to stop, until she collided with a tree.
She was rescued by the ski patrol who brought her to the base for medical care. As she was leaving the patrol first aid room, her arm in a sling, a man wearing an instructor’s parka was carried in, his leg in a splint.
“What happened?” she asked him. “I mean, you’re an instructor!”
“You’re not going to believe this,” he explained, “but I was riding the lift when I saw this woman roaring down the run backwards with her pants down; I leaned over for a better look, and fell off the lift. So, what happened to you?”
***************************************
I have an inch-thick file of letters, clippings, and notes re-telling different versions of this story. Typical of folklore, there are countless variations in detail while always preserving the core yarn of the hapless novice skier. She may be an Iowan at Aspen, an Oklahoman at Vail, an Atlantan at Squaw Valley, A Chicagoan at Alta, a Missourian at Sun Valley, an Ohioan at an Upstate New York resort, etc. etc. etc.
The same story is also told about skiers from Canada, England, and New Zealand on ski holidays either at home or abroad. In a version from Australia the injured lady who has been skiing in the Snowy Mountains is flying home to Sydney when she finds herself seated next to a young man with his leg in a cast. “What happened to you . . . ?”
For years a photocopied version circulated bearing the title “How’d You Break Your Arm?” Now you can find it on the Internet. It’s also a favorite story for after-dinner speakers.
The December 1983 issue of Ski magazine quoted the story from a Montreal newspaper with the variation that the half-dressed snow bunny was skiing frontwards, and she crashed “under a fully loaded chairlift.” This publication as well as one from a Swedish magazine had a cartoon illustration.
I have two questions for SeniorsSkiing.com readers: First, what version of The Ski Accident have you heard? And second, aren’t there some other urban legends about our favorite winter pastime?
Lift Maintenance 101
The Whole Summer Was Spent Getting Ready For Winter.
Reassembling parts takes time and patience.
Credit: Harriet Wallis
It’s 80 degrees at Deer Valley. Mountain snow melted long ago. A summer breeze rustles leaves on the aspen trees and wafts through the open doors of the maintenance shop. The crew wears shorts and T-shirts. It’s mid-July.
Gears and gizmos cover the work benches, and the crew is meticulously polishing, calibrating and lubricating the parts. It’s virtually open heart surgery on the inner workings of a ski lift.
“We work eight months to be open for four months of skiing,” said Deer Valley’s Lift Maintenance Manager Jeffrey Miller. “All of us in this industry do a great job. We’re well aware of how many bottoms are in the air.”
Maintenance also deals with rubber parts that get worn, such as belts. Weather, wind and temperature can affect alignments. Even identical lifts can wear differently. Lift maintenance is complicated. It’s part science, part skill and part art.
It takes a lot of work to refurbish parts.
Credit: Harriet Wallis
Deer Valley’s talented crew keeps the resort’s 25 lifts running smoothly.
But there’s more. Just like your car gets its 60,000 mile service, lift components must be inspected, reconditioned and rebuilt at various frequencies, Miller said.
“For example, certain lift manufacturers require that sheave assemblies be rebuilt every six years. Brakes should be completely torn down, inspected and rebuilt every four years. Gearboxes and final drives get reconditioned on an hour basis, right around the 12,000 hours.”
Got that? It’s a complex schedule.
In spite of all the tedious maintenance, a breakdown can happen. The needed part — many of which are huge — might not be in storage. But a nearby resort might have that part. “We’re a tight-knit group much like a family. We reciprocate by sharing parts,” Miller said.
This is a job for four hands.
Credit: Harriet Wallis.
All this so you can enjoy your ski day.
But the work doesn’t stop when summer ends. When we ski, we’re always looking up – looking at the lift mechanisms, he said. And we periodically sample the oil to see what’s in it and we check tension adjustments.
Get ready to ski. Deer Valley’s lifts and the lifts at your favorite resort had their summer work outs.
To read more from Harriet click here for her stories on SkiUtah.
X-C Olympian Celebrates 98th Birthday
From The Ski Museum Of Maine.
Chummy Broomhall in his stride. Help him celebrate his 98th.
Credit: Ski Museum Of Maine
Chummy Broomhall, two-time Olympic cross country skier and the oldest living member of the Chisholm Ski Club, will be celebrating his 98th birthday on December 3rd. Last year the Chisholm Ski Club sponsored a card campaign for Chummy’s birthday and he received almost 150 cards! Let’s blow that number out of the water this year and start sending him birthday wishes now.
Send birthday cards to Wendell “Chummy” Broomhall c/o Maine Veterans Home 477 High Street, South Paris, ME 04281
This Week in SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov. 17)
New England Areas Opening, Updates In Free* Skiing For Seniors, X-C Correctly, And More.
Bretton Woods is making world-class snow. This shot is from 11/11/17. The resort opened on the 10th. Credit: Bretton Woods
It’s happening.
The Western ski resorts are getting snow, especially in the Pacific North West. New England areas are opening, too. Bretton Woods in New Hampshire’s White Mountains is spinning lifts, the first to open in the state. Other NH resorts are making snow, and for some in the Granite State, it’s the earliest they’ve ever done that. Cannon and Cranmore plan to open over Thanksgiving with others soon following.
Vermont’s Mt. Snow opened on 11/11/17.
Credit: Mt. Snow
Across the Connecticut River in Vermont, Stowe will be open this weekend followed by Stratton, Smuggler’s, and Bromley over Thanksgiving. Killington is hosting the Audi FIS World Cup for the second Thanksgiving Weekend in a row. And, what was the first resort to open anywhere in the East? Killington on Nov. 8. Our friend and colleague, the Ski Diva, reports Okemo is open right now.
In Maine, Sugarloaf and Sunday River are already open with limited skiing. Most other Maine resorts will be starting soon after Thanksgiving.
Wooo-Hooo! Many million dollar investments in snowmaking are really paying off.
Last week, we published our list of 111 ski resorts where seniors can ski for free or virtually free. It didn’t take long for our readers to comment on errors and additions. Thank you, readers, for helping make this project more accurate. So now, we have a list of 112 ski resorts where seniors can ski for free or very nearly free. It resides under the COMMUNITY menu pick at the top right of the page under SUBSCRIBER-ONLY CONTENT. If you are not a subscriber, please join us. It’s free and we’re on your side.
Also, we hear from an expert ski instructor on advice for senior Alpine skiers venturing to the Nordic skiing world. His bottom line: “It’s easy to do it wrong.”
SLC Correspondent Harriet Wallis reports from the Ski Archives Gala where Rossignol ski executive Ron Steele was presented with the Joseph Quinney Award for his contributions to the industry.
Finally, here’s an unabashed plug for the New England Ski Museum’s really nice gift catalogue. It’s filled with gift ideas for skiers and winter outdoor enthusiasts. And purchases go to help support the ski museum.
We are featuring it because there are really wonderful, hard-to-find items like historic ski posters, books with an winter outdoor spin, DVDs, jewelry and belts, hats, accessories, etc.
If you know of other ski museums which have interesting gift catalogues, please let us know. We’re sure they’re out there.
Meanwhile, let’s get going. Time to get out into the cold.
Thanks for reading SeniorsSkiing.com. Remember, folks, there are more of us every day and we aren’t going away.
SHORT SWINGS!
Several years ago I did the unthinkable at Thanksgiving.
I abandoned my wife and young daughters and went to Alta for a long weekend. I had my wife’s blessing, but she has a long memory, and I still get reminded of that mid-1980s lapse. But I also have sweet memories. It dumped 3′ and, except for the lack of a good base, skiing was excellent. Areas across the country are in the process of opening. If there’s enough snow where you ski, take advantage of it early. A lot of folks tend to wait until the holidays or January to get their first tracks. I prefer not to wait for dessert. Happy Thanksgiving!
What? Work at a Resort at My Age?
I lost track of co-worker who was an avid skier. He retired as a Park Avenue desk jockey sometime in the 1980s and became a ski bum at Alta. His daughter once told me he had the best season of his life. Resorts everywhere are recruiting people for a wide variety of jobs. Even if you’re not in the market for work, the site, SkiResortJobs, is fun to visit.
The White Book of Ski Areas Contest
Our friends who publish the White Book of Ski Areas have a new contest with a prize of two, 2-day lift tickets to any North American ski resort. Around since 1974, The White Book of Ski Areas is the Bible for ski resort data. It is Wikipedia’s primary reference for ski area queries. To enter, visit http://www.whitebookski.com.
Liftopia To Discount Tickets
Liftopia will have a one week sale featuring discounts at 250+ North American resorts and discounts on Liftopia Gift Cards (excellent stocking stuffers). For example, spend $200 of a gift card and get $250 in value. The sale starts Midnight, Tuesday, Nov. 21 and ends at 11:59 pm, Tuesday, Nov. 28. Click on the Liftopia advertisement on the SeniorsSkiing.com Home Page.
Ski and Bike at Purgatory
If you’re in the vicinity of Purgatory Resort this Saturday (Nov. 18), you’ll be able to ski and mountain bike. Weather permitting, the resort will dedicate one of its chairs to people with mountain bikes. Two others will be for skiers/boarders.
Learn to Ski Snowboard
January is Learn to Ski/Snowboard Month and people are being encouraged to bring a friend to the mountain. It’s an important industry initiative to get newbies onto the mountain.
Alta’s 80th Anniversary
Alta will celebrate the start of its 80th season with $70 lift tickets from opening day through December 14. Discounted lift tickets may be purchased online at https://buy.alta.com/date-specific-tickets.
Coveted Honors Awarded At Ski History Gala
Rossignol’s Top Executive And The University Of Utah Ski Team Earned Top Honors.
Top honoree Ron Steele oversaw the company’s sales and distribution of Rossignol, Dynastar, Lange, Look and Kerma brands while he was president of Rossignol.
Credit: Harriet Wallis
The country’s largest ski history and research organization, Ski Archives, held its annual gala and fundraiser to help support its mission. In addition, the event honors individuals and organizations that set a high mark for their influence on the ski industry.
This year, Ron Steele, philanthropist and Rossignol’s executive vice president earned the Joseph Quinney Award. The award recognizes him for his ski industry commitment, vision, and business leadership.
Steele left his home state of Washington to become a champion ski jumper for the University of Utah, and he went on to compete on the U.S. Olympic ski team in Sappporo, Japan. Along the way he was an alpine technician for Rossignol and he rose through the ranks to become its president and now executive vice president. He also serves on ski industry boards.
“I got a great life after coming to Utah,” he quipped.
The award Steele earned, the Joseph Quinney Award, is named for the late ski visionary and founder of Alta.
The University of Utah’s ski team won the NCAA Championship, and the ski team members have high GPAs.
Credit: Harriet Wallis
The other top award, the J. Willard Marriott Library History-Maker Award, went to the University of Utah Ski Team. In 2017, the team won its 11th overall title and its first national NCAA Ski Championship title.
During the winter while the team was out skiing, the unique $2.8 million ski team building, the Spencer F. Eccles Ski Team building, was rising out of the ground on the campus. It’s believed the building is the first-of-its-kind facility on a U.S. college campus.
It’s named after Spencer F. Eccles, a former U of U All-American ski team member, and it was funded by private donations. The donation program was headed by another skier well known in the industry, U of U All-American skier Jim Gaddis. The evening’s award winner Ron Steele was a major donor and played a major role in fund raising for that structure.
To read more from Harriet click here for her stories on SkiUtah.
Update: Reader Input Brings Changes To List Where Seniors Ski Free
Following Last Week’s Publication Of SeniorsSkiing.com’s List Of US Resorts Where Seniors Ski Free, We Received Numerous Corrections From Readers.
Mad River Glen in Vermont and Hunter Mountain in New York don’t have freebies; Bear Valley in California and Gunstock in New Hampshire do. The list has been updated to reflect those and other changes.
Some areas have prices so low that they’re virtually free. For example, Snow Basin in Utah has a $99 season pass if you’re 75. It’s not “free,” but it is quite the bargain. The footnote on the last page had been altered to cover that type of bargain.
We’re confident that there are other such bargains we haven’t captured. As you come across places offering free or “virtually free” skiing, please let us know. We’ll inform readers as the information comes in.
In the meanwhile, make the most of the list and suggest that other senior skiers subscribe so they, too, will have access to that list and other valuable Subscriber Only content.
States with the most areas offering free or “virtually free” skiing:
- New Hampshire: 12
- California: 11
- Minnesota: 10
- New Mexico: 8
- Pennsylvania: 8
- New York: 7
- Maine: 7
- Vermont: 6
- Oregon: 6
- Colorado: 5
- Washington: 5
If you’re a current subscriber, access the full list by looking under the COMMUNITY>SUBSCRIBER-ONLY CONTENT menu picks. If you aren’t a subscriber, give us your name and email address (free by the way), and you’ll be good to go.
XC Skiing: Older, Wiser, And Cheaper
A Veteran Ski Instructor Finds Nordic Matches His Senior Skiing Philosophy.
A seasoned Alpine skier (left) compared to a pro Nordic skier. XC is easy to do wrong.
(Credit: Brad Noren_
Older, wiser, cheaper, what is this about? It reflects on what happens with age for most, but let’s put it into a skiing context. Having taught skiing since 1971, I’ve discovered these are the three adjectives that seem to reflect on one’s skiing philosophy with the passing of time.
Most of us in this age group probably skied a lot in the 70s and 80s, maybe even the 60s. I’m sure those memories are rich with fun, challenge and thrill. But as we move into the present, the love of the sport is struggling against those three words in many ways, and, for some, as the song says, “The Thrill is Gone”.
Over my many years of skiing and teaching skiing, I watched aging skiers make changes that were hard to accept (me included). This often resulted in some quitting the sport (not me included). Back to the “older” adjective; in brief, “the body doesn’t do that anymore”. The “wiser” adjective points to personal safety issues, and the “cheaper,” well, you know what that means.
Being “older, wiser, and cheaper,” I have found cross country skiing to be an excellent sport for seniors but often not understood or accepted by the once serious downhill skiing fanatic of decades past.
XC skiing will give you the opportunity to circumvent most of the “older” issues by building muscular strength, adaptive fitness, respiratory health, and the thrill of learning will return. A new challenge is in your future. XC skiing will make you much “wiser” on how your body parts really work, because you will be focusing on efficient movement, good diet, refined balance and more. XC skiing can also be “cheaper” than the downhill sport.
Being both an alpine and Nordic ski instructor, there’s a problem I’ve seen with the move from alpine to Nordic. Alpine skiers sometimes feel that since they are a seasoned, 40-year plus alpine skier, black diamonds, powder, NASTAR gold and all that they can put on a pair of XC skis and master the Nordic/XC sport.
Yes, you can try that but you will surely miss the fun, challenge, and the thrill. You must learn to XC correctly. XC skiing is easy to do BUT even easier to do wrong. I have seen this happen over and over again with close ski friends who are expert alpine skiers in their day. Ditch the ego and take a Nordic/XC ski lesson, you will not regret it. Yes, you will bring many skills in from your downhill resume, but you will also learn things you never even thought of. Your health will likely improve; you are going to be wiser learning a new skill, and you might—probably will—spend less cash.
And don’t give up your love for downhill because I also know your downhill skiing skills are going to be strengthened, and you will find a new thrill there as well.
For more information on properly learning XC skills, check out my web site, Nordic Fusion. As I tell all I ski with “Glide Long and Prosper”.