Tag Archive for: SeniorsSkiing.com

mikemaginn

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov. 10)

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Veterans Salute, Free Skiing For Seniors Announced, Rush To Prep For Season, Funny Mammoth Memories, Ditch The SmartPhone.

A platoon of the 10th Mountain Division training at Camp Hale, CO. They were one tough bunch; many went on to become ski industry pioneers.

We’re heading off to Boston’s Ski and Snowboard Expo at the World Trade Center this morning, armed with lots of SeniorsSkiing.com stickers and many copies of a hot-off-the-press news release announcing a list of resorts where seniors can ski for free.

When we started SeniorsSkiing.com, we were told by many industry veterans that, in the past, many resorts offered free skiing for seniors.  Over the decades, that benefit eroded away until it became noticeably absent at major and mid-sized resorts. Nevertheless, with the help of baseline information provided by the International Skiing History Association, SeniorsSkiing.com has ferreted out where seniors can still ski for free. Most of the 111 ski resorts we identified are on the small to medium size, but some are bigger, almost destination resort sized.  It is clear from this research that there is a sizable segment of the ski resort industry which values the contributions of and business from senior skiers, many of whom have been skiing for multiple decades.

The list of resorts offering free skiing is available to our subscribers under the COMMUNITY menu pick on the top blue menu.  If you’re not a subscriber, sign up, it’s free, and, hey, we’re fun city.

Veterans Day is a time to remember those who served.  This year, we salute the 10th Mountain Division, the iconic and hardy group of hunters, climbers, skiers, and outdoorsmen who transformed themselves into a potent military force. You can click through to an article on the 10th Mountain from Snow Magazine.

There’s an interesting development in the Blandford Ski saga.  This venerable area was almost in the hands of real estate developers when it was purchased in early September and saved for a skiing future.  Blandford is the type of area families and seniors love: friendly, accommodating, pleasantly challenging and convenient.  We are ecstatic the resort will continue.  Now the challenge is to get ready for the upcoming season.  Thanks to correspondent Harriet Wallis for this report.

And, here’s a funny story contributed by Roger Monty, a subscriber who responded to our call for reader submissions.  It’s an example of how age can prevail over youth.

If you have an anecdote to share, send it along to us at info@seniorsskiing.com.

Finally, correspondent Don Burch reminds us to be mindful when we head out to mountains and trails.  Basically, enough with the Smartphones already.

Thanks for reading SeniorsSkiing.com.  We are on your side.  Please tell your friends about us, and, remember: There Are More Of Us Every Day, And We Are Not Going Away.

If you’d like a couple of SeniorsSkiing.com stickers, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to SeniorsSkiing.com, Box 416, Hamilton, MA 01936.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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This will be my 64th consecutive year on skis, a factoid I should have mentioned at a recent ski industry event where each of the 50+ people gathered for lunch were asked to say something brief about what they do.

I was the oldest in the room and spoke about older skiers and how we comprise 20% of the US skiing population. I sensed they were more interested in desert. Now when I get the question, I mention my 64th consecutive ski season. It gets their attention. Many of us have lived through a significant period of skiing history. As we enter 2017-18, I encourage you to share your skiing experiences with the kids. That is, if they’ll put down the phone, take off the speakers, and pay attention.

Free Subscription to Skiing History Magazine

International Ski History Association

On the subject of skiing history, the International Skiing History Association is offering readers a free one-year subscription to the digital edition of  Skiing History Magazine. It’s a $29 value. Published bimonthly, Skiing History has been documenting all aspects of skiing for many years. It is a gem. To subscribe, go to https://www.skiinghistory.org/join, scroll to Digital Membership, select 1 Year-Digital Only, add to cart, enter coupon code SENIORSKI17, checkout, then set up your account. P.S. Once you’ve subscribed, you’ll have access to the archives to 2009.

Seniors Ski Free at 111 U.S. Resorts

See the full article on the 2017-18 list of resorts where can seniors ski free. Most resorts provide free skiing at age 70, but its also available to those in their 60s.

Bromley, Cranmore, Jiminy Peak Introduce Airline-Style Ticket Pricing 

Jiminy Peak, Cranmore Mountain, and Bromley have introduced variable ticket-pricing. Similar to air ticket pricing, the system rewards skiers who purchase early with lower prices. Consult each resort’s online pricing chart to lock in the best deal. One sacrifice for lower cost: no refunds.

CALIFORNIA

Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe was the first Tahoe resort to open this season. It began daily operations on November 11.

Gondola to Link Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows

If the plan overcomes resistance from environmental advocates, the base-to-base gondola will be ready for the 2019-20 season. The gondola would eliminate the need to drive or bus between mountains.

CANADA

Crowd funding investors are responding positively to Red Mountain Resort’s (Rossland, B.C.) pitch against the trend for big corporate ownership of ski resorts. Using the slogan, “Fight the Man, Own the Mountain,” the resort’s web-based campaign drew pledges for C$508,500/$394,000 the first day. The campaign closes Dec.1 with a minimum target of C$1.5 million.

COLORADO

Colorado Ski Country USA’s Kids Ski Free programs offer free and discounted lift tickets for children, specialized lessons and rental discounts at member resorts. There’s a 5th and 6th Grade Passport Program covering most of the state’s resorts and many other free skiing benefits at individual areas. To learn more visit http://www.coloradoski.com or area websites.

IDAHO

Lookout Pass opened Nov 4 with 28″ at the summit and 16″ at its base.

Opening dates:

Sun Valley: Nov. 23
Silver Mountain Resort: Nov. 24
Schweitzer Mountain Resort: Dec. 1
Brundage Mountain: Dec. 8
Tamarack Resort: Dec. 8
Bogus Basin: Dec. 9
Pebble Creek: Dec. 16

MONTANA

Teton Pass Ski Resort will be closed this winter.

UTAH

Beaver Mountain in northern Utah got 20″.

Park City ended night skiing for recreational skiers.

Park City Area Lodging Association is offering a $300 Delta Gift Card with three-night stays at Lodges at Deer Valley, Silver Baron Lodge, Goldener Hirsch Inn, Signature Collection, or Trail’s End Lodge between December 1 and April 8.

Opening Dates

Alta Ski Area: November 22
Brian Head Resort: November 17
Brighton: Early As Possible
Cherry Peak: December 18
Deer Valley Resort: December 2
Eagle Point: December 21
Nordic Valley: December 9
Park City Mountain: November 17
Snowbasin Resort: November 22
Snowbird: November 22
Solitude Mountain Resort: December 2
Sundance Mountain Resort: December 8

VERMONT

Vermont resorts are offering a variety of ways to save on tickets. Visit the resort sites for more details.

Okemo’s annual Ski and Snowboard Swap benefiting Okemo Mountain School is scheduled November 17-19.

OTHER

Bode Miller will be an Olympic commentator. It will be the first Olympics since 1998 that he hasn’t competed.

 

seniorsskiing

SeniorsSkiing.Com Salutes Our Veterans

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Thank You For Your Service.

For a history of the 10th Mountain Division from Snow magazine, click here.

Jon Weisberg

Now Available: 2017-18 List of 112 US Resorts Where Seniors Ski Free

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This Season, Free Skiing Will Be Available To Senior Skiers At 112 Resorts Across 26 States.

The list of resorts is available to SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers. The annual SeniorsSkiing.com report was first issued for the 2015-16 season.

The number of resorts reporting free skiing privileges for seniors increased slightly from last season. Most provide free skiing at age 70.

According to recent National Ski Areas Association statistics, 20% of the nation’s total skiing/boarding population are 52 and older (1,843,000). Those 52-62 total 1,220,000 participants; 62-71 total 510,000, and 72+ total 113,000.

Each resort establishes its own age threshold for free skiing. People in their 60s ski free at nine resorts in six states. Those 70-79 have a choice of 62 resorts in 22 states, and those 80 and older ski free in 40 resorts in15 states.

The three states with the most areas offering free skiing are New Hampshire with 11 and California and Michigan, each with 10. New Mexico, New York, and Pennsylvania each have 8 resorts with free skiing. Maine has 7, Vermont has 6, and Washington has 5.

Three resorts, Alta Sierra (California), Welch Village (Minnesota), and Sugarbush (Vermont), have a minimum age of 90 to ski free.

Many resorts have a range of discounts for older skiers purchasing lift tickets and other products and services. The editors of SeniorsSkiing.com advise looking online or asking before making purchases.

The free list is available to SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers. Existing subscribers have immediate access to the list by clicking Community in the menu bar and then Subscriber Only Content in the dropdown box. New visitors to the site must enter their email address to have access.

Harriet Wallis

Butternut Buys Blandford Ski Area; Rushes To Upgrade For New Season

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Family-friendly Blandford in southern Massachusetts was poised for extinction or development, but Ski Butternut and its owner Jeffrey Murdock bought it Sept. 1 and saved it.

Here comes the snow making. Blandford’s lodges get facelifts and the slopes get upgrades in grooming and snow making.

It’s a rescue mission of historic proportions. Right now, crews are working furiously to renovate Blandford’s base lodges, upgrade the grooming equipment, and install new snowmaking to help smooth out fickle weather cycles that have troubled the family-style ski area in the Berkshire Mountains.

The timing is tight. Renovations couldn’t start until Sept. 1 when the purchase was finalized.

“We’re putting a lot of resources into Blandford,” said Dick McCann, general manager of Ski Butternut. “We want to build the skier base back up. And we care very much about making skiing affordable.”

“We think the ski industry is better for having these small ski areas,” McCann said.

In reality, no one needs a mega resort to learn to ski and have family fun. Yet mega resorts across the country are gobbling up smaller areas.

Historically, Blandford Ski Area was founded in 1936 by members of the Springfield Ski Club, and it was owned by the members. At that time, hardy skiers drove to the end of the road and then hiked to ski the rolling hills.

It’s surmised that Blandford might be the oldest member-owned ski area in North America. It’s located about 20 miles west of Springfield, Mass.

By the 1970s, the popular day ski area had many rope tows and one double chair lift. Families loved the area and spent many volunteer hours doing maintenance and especially picking up stones from the slopes and tossing them into the woods. That made the slopes skiable even if natural snowfall was skimpy.

That’s where I learned to ski and I loved the place. The snow was often thin, but it was groomed to perfection with no stones poking through.

Today, it has 25 trails, three double chairlifts and two base lodges. But snowfall became erratic during recent years and families drifted off to do other things in winter. Blandford was on the brink of extinction.

Ski Butternut’s owner Jeffrey Murdock now owns three ski areas in the Berkshires: Ski Butternut, Otis Ridge, and now Blandford Ski Area.

Ski area management runs in his family, and it started with Butternut. Its first trails were cut by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) in the late 1930s, but that was followed by many rocky years. Finally in 1962, Channing and Jane Murdock, Jeffrey Murdock’s parents, bought the state-of-the-art chairlift and the ski area that went with it.

Ski Butternut now has one of the largest uphill capacities in Southern New England.

As to Blandford Ski Area, Murdock is breathing new life into it. Massive renovations are underway and they’ll be ready for this winter. A season pass is $199 for adults, $169 for kids 7 to 13, and $79 for kids 6 and under.

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

 

Roger Monty

Mammoth Memories: See Ya!!!

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In the winter of 1993, I was in my 29th season, age 55 and still in that happy state of benign self-deception when I believed I skied better each season than the season before.

On the Gon at Mammoth.
Credit: Sarah Sherman/ MMSA

A lifelong wage slave, despite passionate longings to the contrary, I had never given myself the luxury of a ski-bum year. As a weekend-warrior, a good year would be 20-25 days.

It was late May and all of my usual Tahoe destinations closed. I decided to take a solo road trip to Mammoth to close the season. The sun was warm and the slopes covered with corn. I quickly racked up formidable verts and boarded the old Gondola at mid-station for what was to be one last run. Three 20-somethings joined me in the cab, regaling each other with boasts of what a fine day they had all had. “Good show!” I offered, “Now we can all relax and coast down on that good old last run.”

“Oh? Why last run? I can handle more,” one guy responded.

“Yeah, well, I don’t think so,” I said.

“Why not?”

“Well, it’s 2:20, now,” I began to explain. “Lifts stop running today at 2:30. We’re still at least five minutes from the top, and it’s a long way down, so… hey!”

“Yeah, well, whatever,” the guy said. “I suppose if I were your age, I’d see it that way, too.”

That smarted. Damn whippersnappers, can’t they show a little more respect… then I thought how I must look to these guys… gray hair, faded parka, scuffed-up red boots… Ah, hell, they’re just kids, who cares, anyway? Still…

At the top, we exited and quickly descended the stairs. I clicked into my skis as fast as I could, and checked my watch – exactly 2:27. No way… BUT… I glanced over my shoulder to see the three guys ready to shove off; they hollered, “See ya!” Then, rather than my usual cautious chicken-slow entry onto the slope, I launched straight out into the air, off the cornice, into the most direct route down.

What the hell am I doing? flashed through my mind. But, to my mild surprise, I nailed the landing, then hauled ass through those soft steep moguls all the way down to the wide groomed outrun. Already flying, I tucked all the way. A hundred yards ahead, the attendant had already started to pull the “CLOSED” rope across the entrance. I waved my poles and shouted, “HEY! HOLD ON!” By the time he looked up, I had scooted through the gate. “Oh, OK,” he smiled. “You’re the last one.” Grateful as hell, and breathing hard, I proceeded to the loading platform and boarded the last gondola of the season.

As the car left the station, I looked down, and saw the three youngsters from the last ride, approaching the now-closed lift entrance. Unable to do otherwise, I opened the window, stuck out my head, and hollered, “SEE YA!”

At the top, I exited slowly, took a long time drinking in that glorious view of the Minarets, Mono Lake, the whole beautiful scene, then coasted down, easy, stopping every few turns to admire all that grandeur, one last time, in all my quiet solitude.

2017-2018 will be my 54th season. I turned 80, last week. It’s been quite a few years now since I last believed I skied better every year. But that passion is still there, and I have no plans to quit, any time soon.

Mammoth’s season goes past Memorial Day in snowy years.
Credit: Peter Morning/ MMSA

Don Burch

Intentions For Upcoming Season: Mindfulness

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Put Away The Phone And Be Here Now.

On a midweek day last winter I went into the lodge for lunch. Nearby were six men, obviously friends enjoying a day skiing together. During their entire lunch five of them were on cell phones, and the sixth had no one to talk to.

On the ride up on a six-pack bubble chair lift one of passengers took a call from work and loudly carried on a conversation for the entire trip up the mountain.

I was skiing with a group, and one of the skiers spent nearly half the day recording himself using a selfie-stick.

It was saddening but all too familiar; people were skiing in a beautiful mountainous area but unable to unplug and enjoy their surroundings.

One of the most pleasurable elements of skiing is attending to nature through all our senses. On the mountain, I can smell the aroma of pine and hear water in streams hidden beneath the snow. If I was plugged into a device, I’d miss one of my favorite sounds, ice kernels spraying off the tails of my skis in spring snow.

Skiing is often about sharing the fun with others. It may be conversations with strangers on a lift or sharing the joy of a great run with friends. Being on the phone or looking at the LCD screen on the safety bar (yes, this is coming) isolates us from others.

Recreation and being in nature are about replenishment. They’re about forgetting everything and being present in the moment. They’re about being mindful and aware. With all the confusion, chaos and distraction in the world we need to take full advantage of skiing’s restorative potential.

On the ride up chairlifts I’ve spotted hawks, owls and voles. Early one morning, I was the sole skier on a trail sharing it briefly with a coyote. Rugged terrain with rock outcroppings, snow and frost covered trees and unique weather events like cloud inversions might be go unnoticed if my eyes are on a screen.

Being outdoors on a mountain in the winter is an incredible gift, and skiing is a remarkably sensual experience. We need to be fully present in order to benefit from all they have to offer. So turn off the phone and listen, look, feel and enjoy.

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Oct. 27)

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Getting Fit, A Snowmaking Legend, Novel Gift Idea For Seniors, Ski Shows, Happy Birthday, Doug Pfeiffer.

Ski & Snowboard Expos are coming! Official start of the snow season.
Credit: BEWI Productions

The snow season has started, officially and unofficially, in different places around the country.  We urge our readers to start thinking about getting their gear out of basements and start spiffing up those skis and boots. It always pays to get those skis sharpened and bindings adjusted right about now, before crowds hit.

Here’s a cool video about the Boston Ski & Snowboard Expo coming up soon.

https://youtu.be/-01lk71ytJU

The Ski & Snowboard Expos are being held in Boston (11/9-12) and Denver (11/10-12).  In many ways, the coming of the shows is the point of departure for the new snow sports season.  In Boston and Denver, you can find equipment and clothing deals galore, so if you’re close by, it’s worth a trip. Click through from the banner ad on top of the page and get a $3 discount.

Birthday Boy Doug Pfeiffer, ski industry legend, and Mike Maginn, SeniorsSkiing.com co-publisher.

It’s also the birthday for one of our favorite ski legends, Doug Pfeiffer, a pioneer in ski instruction and editor of SKIING magazine when we worked there in the early 70s. Here’s a picture of Doug and SeniorsSkiing.com co-publisher Mike Maginn at the International Ski History Association meeting at Stowe in February this year.  Happy Birthday, Doug; you are one of our favorite Scorpios.

This week, we remind our readers that it is time to begin a shape up program for the ski season. Under the Health tab, we have several conditioning articles that will get you started, most notably, a from-easy-to-difficult set of specific exercises from physical therapist Rick Silverman.  

We have a profile of snowmaking pioneer Herman Dupre, who was an early contributor to the arcane technology of creating snow out of…air and water. Herman still hangs out at the Seven Springs Ski Resort in Western PA.  Thanks to contributor Pat McCloskey for bringing this into our pages.

Finally, talk about unusual gifts.  Correspondent Harriet Wallis has managed to discover a boutique shop in Vancouver which makes and sells a variety of beverages, bread, vinegar and other items made from Douglas Fir trees.  Clearly, this is a gift idea for the senior snow sports enthusiast who has everything.

Speaking of gift ideas, we’re looking for products you think would be appropriate for our readers—people who are active seniors, outdoor-oriented folks with an interest in fitness, socializing and adventures.  If you have any ideas, please contact info@seniorsskiing.com

Meanwhile, on to November.  Thanks once again for reading SeniorsSkiing.com, tell your friends.  If you want a free, three x three sticker, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to SeniorsSkiing.com, Box 416, Hamilton, MA 01936.  We have a bunch to give out.

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

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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SeniorsSkiing.com Needs You!

…especially if you’re willing to write articles that would be of interest to our readers.

Articles can cover prepping for the season (exercising, nutrition, personal accounts, etc.); thoughts on equipment, gear, clothing; technique; profiles of older skiers (well-known or not), destinations, planned trips, nostalgia, ski/board/snowshoe history, skiing with kids and grandkids, etc.

We prefer articles no longer than 500 words and like them to be accompanied by pictures.

Articles don’t need to be Pulitzer Prize ready. We edit as needed.

If you’re not ready to draft something but have an idea you think might interest readers, feel free to send it along.

Sorry that we’re not in a position to pay. But there are other perks: the opportunity to receive products for review, occasional skiing privileges (some areas will comp your lift ticket if you’re on assignment), and the personal pleasure of contributing to an online magazine read by thousands of skiers/boarders/snowshoers worldwide.

If interested, drop an email to jon@seniorsskiing.com or mike@seniorsskiing.com.

GOOD NEWS FROM NOAA?

Good News: NOAA predicts wetter-than-average conditions across most of the northern US, extending from northern Rockies to eastern Great Lakes, and western and northern Alaska.

Less Than Good News: NOAA’s caveat reads Snow forecasts are generally not predictable more than a week in advance because they depend upon the strength and track of winter storms.

CYBER BULLYING A FEMALE SKI MOUNTAINEER

Caroline Gleich is a professional ski mountaineer and adventurer based in Salt Lake City. An advocate for social and environmental justice, she works on issues such as climate change, clean air and cyber harassment. She is committed to inspire people to experience and protect the out-of-doors. Caroline is the first woman to ski all 90 lines documented by Anrdrew McLean in The Chuting Gallery, the back-country steep-skiing guide to Utah’s Wasatch range. Unfortunately, those and other accomplishments have been accompanied by cyber-bullying and harassment. REI produced this thoughtful video about her. It’s well worth watching.

IS SKIING THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH?

Salomon produced a nice video of a late 40s American skier who traveled to northern Japan to learn about the relationship between skiing and longevity. He spent time with a father and son who summited Everest together when the dad was 80. The son is a microbiologist specializing in aging. He concludes that skiing adds years to life. (We know it adds life to years.) Among the reasons: proper technique = less impact on joints. He believes there’s a relationship between lower body strength and longevity.

IDAHO

Grandkids in 5th and/or 6th Grade ski free or at steep discounts at all 18 of Idaho‘s ski resorts. Idaho residency not required. More info at skiidaho.us/programs/passport. There’s a $15 processing fee.

UTAH

If your plans take you to Utah mid-November, consider attending the BMW IBSF Bobsled and Skeleton World Cup, Friday/Saturday November 17/18 at Utah Olympic Park in Park City. Bobsled and Skeleton athletes from 20+ countries will participate in Women’s Skeleton, Men’s Skeleton, Women’s Bobsled, and 4-Man Bobsled.  Admission for spectators is free. While there, don’t miss the Alf Engen Ski Museum. It’s a real treat!

VERMONT

Members of the Hermitage Club, the private ski resort at Haystack Mountain, are being assessed a one-time $10,000 fee. The fee is needed to cover cash flow problems related to state permitting delays, poor weather in the 2015-2016 winter season and a slow membership drive.

Killington is installing several new solar projects. They are expected to generate more than 3,300,000 kWh of annually for the resort and sister property, Pico Mountain.

R.I.P.

Morrie Shepard died Thursday, Oct. 12. He instructed at Aspen, before joining Vail in 1962 where he was its first ski school director. His other titles while at Vail; building inspector, fire chief, building coordinator; professional funster. He was born July 2, 1925.

OTHER

All Adventure Camp Blankets are the first modular three-part blanket system. Each of the lightweight components can be used to stay warm and/or protected in variety of situations from camping to sitting on the beach. The manufacturer, Kammok, is raising funds via Kickstarter. Their home-made video explains the system.

 

mikemaginn

Shape Up: How To Get Fit For The Season

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Progressive Exercises From Easy To Difficult Can Help You Tone Up.

Okay, it’s late October, and you’ve put this off long enough.  You need to limber up for the upcoming snow season. Without topping up your muscles and stretching those ligaments, you can hurt yourself and have a very short season indeed. With some daily or weekly fitness routines, you can feel and move better on the slopes and trails.  So, get going.

Check out our collection of Conditioning articles under the Health tab.  We have recommendations for some basic yoga poses as well as advice on calibrating your exercise regime to your age.  Be advised, if you’ve spent the summer cycling, hiking or kayaking, you may find that you’ve got to pay attention to muscle groups that aren’t engaged in those exercise activities.  If you’re a walker, you need to think about your upper body.  If you’re a cyclist, what about those hamstrings and shoulders?  Rowing a kayak will build your arms, shoulders and abs, but what about your lower body?  See? Even though you’ve been active, you need to think total body for the season coming up.  Both Alpine and Nordic skiing require active muscles groups all over your body’s geography. So think total body work out.

Physical Therapist Rick Silverman starts us off with a basic leg lift.

Under the Health>Conditioning menu, you will find a progressive series of exercises that are designed to do just that. Physical Therapist Rick Silverman shows us a set of exercises from easy to moderate to more difficult that will get your battery charged up.  In the series, Rick demonstrates exercises for abs, quads, hamstrings, and hips. You can add your own favorites to this basic set including some basic yoga poses like squats, planks, and down dog.  Yes, add Tai Chi, too.

Here are some links the Rick’s series. And we have correspondent Rose Marie Cleese’s own story of her fitness journey for inspiration.  Check them out and start thinking about a regular conditioning program.

Rick Silverman’s progressive exercise series:

Easy Starters For Seniors

Up A Notch

Challenge Yourself

Rose Marie Cleese’s fitness journey starts here.

If you’re reading SeniorsSkiing.com, you are typically an active senior, so the advice in this article probably make sense to you.  Nevertheless, we know older folks who venture out into the snow world without preparing themselves and wind up injured and unhappy.  You can avoid this; get going!

 

 

 

 

 

Pat McCloskey

Snow Sport Leaders: Herman Dupre, An Original Maker Of Snow

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Son Of Immigrant Parents, Herman Dupre Found A Way To Give The Sport Snow.

Innovator, pioneer, snowmaker, Herman Dupre is a legend in snowsports.

Aside from building the Seven Springs ski area in western Pennsylvania into a major mountain resort, Herman Dupre’s claim to fame is that he is a pioneer in snowmaking.  He always tinkered with how to utilize high pressure air and water to help Mother Nature spread some snow on our local area which is hampered by cyclical warm weather/cold weather events.  When you ski in the mid-Atlantic, you need some help to keep the slopes open.  Snowmaking was the answer, and Herman was at the forefront.

Dupre holds 34 U.S. patents for the HKD snowmaking system. He is the chief engineer for Snow Economics, Inc. and his system is now sold worldwide. His new Backyard Blizzard home system based on the HKD concept became available in the winter of 2000. Without the benefit of his work, many winter resorts throughout the world would not have the snowmaking capability they utilize today.

In 1973, he applied for and received his first of many patents, and in 1990, he introduced the standard tower snow gun that was the first of many low energy products that he and his son in law, Charles Santry and his daughter Anni would bring to the ski area management market.

If you look at their website, you will find all the technical detail of their tower guns, and their new fan jet technology with their recent acquisition of a Canadian company which has increased their R&D capabilities as well as their engineering expertise.

Click on the video below to hear Herman tell his story.

Yvette Cardozo

Here’s A Special Gift Idea: Eat A Tree

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If You’re Looking For Novel Gifts For Snow Country Lovers, Yummies Made From Fir Trees Are Worth A Look.

Laura Waters at her shop, Snowdon House outside Victoria, BC, Canada on Vancouver Island, where she sells edibles made from new growth on douglas fir trees. These include vinegars, jams, dried seasonings and more.
Credit: Yvette Cardozo

Of course, this is a Christmas story. What else when you are talking about eating Christmas trees?

It’s just the growing tips that you eat, actually. And the pine flavor is, well, way better than you expect if you are more used to sniffing pine sap from your fingers when handling fresh cut boughs.

When Laura Waters planted Douglas firs on her four acres of land in 2009, she intended to sell them for Christmas trees.

“But it takes six years for them to grow and then, all you wind up with is stumps,” she said one late spring day as we inspected the bright green growing tips of her trees.

“I was out there, hot and bothered, mowing to keep the grass down between the trees and I had a pot of strawberries on the stove in the kitchen. I cut a branch and out of curiosity, tossed it in.”

The same way that vinegar adds an essence of sweet/tang to fruit compote, the fir tips added … something. And it was a sweet and tangy something good. That experiment became Laura’s first strawberry fir vinegar.

A bit of research revealed that First Nations people in the area used to make tea from the fir tips. It was not only tasty, it provided more vitamin C than citrus fruit.

“When Capt. James Cook was on the BC coast, everyone had scurvy and the local natives told them to make tea out of the Doug fir tips. That took care of the scurvy,” Laura added.

There are lots of way to take the essence of fir trees and make edibles. Laura Waters has literally “botted” trees.  
Credit: Yvette Cardozo

Laura’s first vinegar led to carbonated drinks, which led to fir seasoned bread, brie toppers, a drinkable vinegar that you add to evening cocktails, dried seasoning blends and more. She sells all this in her shop, Snowdon House, in North Saanich, a suburb of Victoria on Vancouver Island. While I was there, a group of visitors arrived. They had come up from Seattle by ferry and taken a cab out to the shop.

Along with the visitors, I tasted the fir essence drink, a bottled non alcoholic drink that was amazingly refreshing. It had a piney back woods flavor that hit the top of my tongue, along with citrus and floral notes. I learned I could pretty much make my own with Laura’s fir vinegar, so I bought a bottle to add to tonic (with a bit of vodka) at home.

We also nibbled our way through her Fir and Fire Brie Topper, which is actually a sweet, piney red and green chili jam that offsets the stringent brie flavor really well. Plus I bought a packet of dried seasoning blend (parsley, lemon peel, Doug fir, dried spinach, ground juniper berries) with which I plan to make a party dip.

There’s a bread mix (with an added blend of Doug fir tips and juniper berries) that results in fresh bread with a pine accent. Laura also makes gift papers by hand and sells outside products such as organic hot chocolate mix wrapped in her hand made gift papers, plus there’s racks of her handmade gift cards. And fresh eggs she sells when her crowd of chickens are in a producing mind.

In addition, she has created a collection of recipes and holds cooking classes. The one she did the day before I visited featured chicken thighs marinated in apricot and bay leaf vinegar, cooked in the vinegar, then wrapped in flat bread with mayo and her apricot/mango topper (yes, she makes toppers that don’t involve fir tips).

If this isn’t enough, on her drawing board are plans to dehydrate the tips for a tea and she was experimenting when I visited with pickling fir tips to make into capers. And then, there was also the Doug fir flavor to be whipped into butter for popcorn topper.

Plus the B&B she opened this year.

Meanwhile, her shop is open Tuesday through Saturday 10am – 5pm.

Yes, Laura Waters is a very busy woman.

Snowdon House Gourmet Gifts

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Oct. 13)

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Weird Weather, Senior Profile, Von Trapp Cross-Country Innovator, Getting Ready.

October 2017 blizzard in Rocky Boy, MT, left 30 inches behind, breaking a monthly record for the state.
Credit: Shawn/Steph White

We can’t stop thinking about the major weather events that have descended across the globe this year. Hurricanes with epic levels of destruction, surprisingly early and deep snows in the Rockies, (and from what we hear, prodigious snowfalls in parts of Australia), wild fires creating horrendous destruction and loss of life in California and Montana, heat waves in Europe all point to the fact that something is going on in the atmosphere. Basically, it is warming up, as predicted by scientists across the world, and we are starting to see the consequences.

What this means for winter sports remains to be seen, but the direction of global temperatures is not positive. One group that has taken the future of global warming and winter quite seriously is Protect Our Winters, an advocacy non-profit whose objective is to create awareness of the connection between the two and to provide opportunities for businesses, individuals and others to influence policy.  If you’re interested in taking some action, check out POW and let us know what you think.

Meanwhile, here’s the latest three-month forecast from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center for November-December-January.

Temperature Predictions Nov-Jan

Precipitation Predictions Nov-Jan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What you will notice at a glance is that the temperature predictions across most of the US (left) are above average with a probability of from 33-to-50 percent of actually happening. Above average precipitation (right) is focused in the Rockies while the Southeast looks like below average precip. Everyplace else is a toss-up; equal chance means there could be more, less, or the same as “normal”.  Of course, a prediction is not something to take to the bank.  But since the National Hurricane Center’s forecast for the number and severity of hurricane activities was spot-on for this year’s season which is closing down soon, perhaps the odds of being right about the predictions are changing as climate changes become more extreme.

This week, we revisit the Trapp Family Lodge and a scion of Sound of Music fame, Johannes Von Trapp. In this article from publisher Roger Lohr, our colleague at XCSkiResorts.com, we learn that Johannes was the first one in the US to have the idea that cross-country ski resorts could be a real thing.  In inventing a new winter vacation destination, Johannes changed how people enjoy cross-country beyond local golf courses, parks and back yards.

Don Burch shows us how to get ready for the season with some tongue-in-cheek advice for locating and dusting off your long lost gear.  Harriet Wallis profiles Ruth DeSouza, a senior skier who learned about stick-to-it-iveness from her experience in World War II.  By the way, we intend to profile more senior snow sports enthusiasts in the coming months.  If you know anyone who has a long history in snow sports and who has an interesting story to tell, please let us know.

Thanks, Ben, you’re our kind of guy.

Speaking of senior skiers, we received the following note from Ben Prupis, a 91-year-old reader from Westlake Village, CA. He included it in his request for free SeniorsSkiing.com stickers.  We sent him a bunch and our thanks very much for reading our online magazine and for skiing 50 days a year. Totally awesome. We salute you, Ben.

If you want a free SeniorsSkiing.com sticker, please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to SeniorsSkiing.com, Box 416, Hamilton, MA 01936.

And, tell your friends about SeniorsSkiing.com. Remember that there are more of us every day and we are not going away.

Short Swings
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Responses To SeniorsSkiing.com Reader Surveys Indicate That Finding Boots That Fit And Perform Correctly Is A Challenge. And 25% Of Readers Plan To Purchase New Boots.

Two of our advertisers can help.

America’s Best Bootfitters.com has a host of useful boot-related information, including the names of ski shops where highly trained fitters are available to get you the best fitting boots.

Apex Ski Boot System is a relatively new concept in ski boots delivering comfort and performance through a combination of three components: 1) an exoskeleton offering customizable flex, superior stability, and precise edge control; 2) a snowboard-like boot that provides comfort and warmth, and 3) a heat-molded custom-fit liner. The system uses the Boa® reel and stainless steel cable lacing system allowing the wearer to precisely control fit. I skied an earlier generation of the Apex and was impressed by its support, comfort, and infinite adjustability. They’re also great for simply walking around without the hassle of conventional ski boots. Apex boots are available in ski shops and online. The Apex website does a fine job of explaining the product.

Another advertiser has a great gift for the Senior Skier on your list. DeBooter is the elegantly simple ski boot jack for removing conventional ski boots effortlessly and painlessly. I carry one in my SUV. Those who use it absolutely love it! Click on the DeBooter ad to reach the product site. $39.95

COLORADO

The Amtrak Winter Park Express will offer expanded service for the new season. The train leaves from Union Station (downtown Denver) and drops passengers within a few steps of the lifts. It will operate Saturdays and Sundays, January 5 through March 25, plus on the first Friday of each month.

New and expanded flights to/from Colorado’s eight regional airports for the season:

  • Steamboat: new nonstops from Austin (AUS) and Kansas City (MCI) on ViaAir into Steamboat/Hayden (HDN) airport beginning Dec. 13.  Steamboat now direct air service to 14 major U.S. airports.
  • Aspen Snowmass: new daily nonstops through American Airlines from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) and expanded service from both Dallas Ft. Worth (DFW) and Chicago O’ Hare (ORD).
  • Telluride: increased access through new American Airlines direct Saturday flights into Montrose-Telluride Regional Airport (MTJ) from Charlotte Douglas International (CLT) and Delta’s new flights from Salt Lake City (SLC) Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
  • Three daily non-stop flights from DEN via Boutique Air  (round-trips as low as $100) to Alamosa San Luis Valley (ALS) providing closer access to Telluride, Silverton, Purgatory and Wolf Creek..

UTAH

Ogden-Hinkley Airport, serviced by Allegiant Air, is adding Thursday through Monday flights from Los Angeles (LAX) and Las Vegas (LAS). Prices start at $35 each way. A terrific way to get closer to Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and back country operator, Whisper Ridge.

Snowbird’s Cliff Spa has undergone a massive renovation. The rooftop outdoor pool and hot tub were upgraded with radiant heated decks and gas-fed fire pits. The spa’s interior also got a makeover.

Alta has a new co-ed Breakthrough Camp for intermediates ready to reach a higher level. The package includes four nights lodging at the Alta Lodge, full breakfast and dinner daily, three days of instruction with top coaches from Alta’s Alf Engen Ski School, lift tickets and demo skis. www.altalodge.com/ski-adventures/breakthrough-camp

Staying in Salt Lake City? The Ski City Super Pass provides unrestricted access to Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and/or Solitude. Can be purchased for three to 10 days of skiing.  Includes ski bus to and from resorts. Priced by number of days purchased. www.visitsaltlake.com/skicity/super-pass

Ski3 Pass ($157) – This new, fully loaded pass includes a full day of skiing at Snowbasin, Powder Mountain plus a full day and night skiing at Nordic Valley with the purchase of two or more nights at participating hotels in Ogden: www.visitogden.com/ski-ogden/ski3

OTHER

For the first time, 70+ Ski Club is organizing a ski trip to Japan. Dates: March 21 – April 1. Visit the 70+ Ski Club site for more information. I came across this video about skiing in northern Japan. Watch it and visit 70+.

Pre-Season Training? Consider the SkiA Ski Trainer, a unique dry-land training device, for use with ski boots. The Trainer is used by thousands of skiers, and recommended by professional skiers and racers, leading ski schools, and national ski instructor organisations worldwide. More info and pricing: http://www.skia.com

Johannes Von Trapp
Roger Lohr

Johannes Von Trapp: Climbing Every Mountain

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Scion Of The Famous Family Is The Inventor Of The Modern X-C Center.

Johannes Von Trapp makes X-C skiing acccessible and fun for guests at the family lodge.
Credit: Roger Lohr

[Editor Note: This article first appeared in XCSkiResorts.com.  Our thanks to publisher Roger Lohr for allowing us to reproduce it here.]

If there was an American Cross Country Ski Hall of Fame, Johannes von Trapp would be one of the surefire inductees. The famous story of the von Trapp family is well known; their escape from Austria in the beginning of World War II, and the Broadway and Hollywood songs such as Edelweiss, My Favorite Things, and Do Re Mi. In November of 2014, Johannes von Trapp spoke at a luncheon of Nordic ski area operators and one could tell they looked at him as their living history. He grew up with nine siblings as the last born in the original von Trapp family and he is also known as the proprietor who opened Trapp Family Lodge, the first commercial Nordic ski area in 1968.

In 1938 just before World War II, the Baron and Baroness von Trapp left all their possessions and estate near Salzburg, Austria. With nine children and one on the way, they fled Austria and were granted asylum in the US. That child on the way was Johannes, who was born in 1939 and now is the president of the modern day Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT.

Arriving in the US with only four dollars, the family settled in Philadelphia and, through their music, turned a family hobby into a profession as the Trapp Family Singers. In 1942, they bought a small farmhouse in Stowe, Vermont because the landscape reminded them of home. They rented out rooms at their farmhouse to skiers and ran the Trapp Family Music Camp.

Johannes commented that they were too poor to pay to use the ski lifts in Stowe, so they skied up and down in the woods around the farm. He attended Dartmouth College and upon returning to Stowe, he later operated the lodge. He started the ski area out of his barn, renting cross country skis, and giving ski lessons to become the first commercial cross country ski resort in the world. He had hired his first staff person, Per Sorlie, an ex-navy man from Norway, who had great enthusiasm for cross country skiing and who had a brother who wholesaled cross country ski equipment from Norway.

They would pack the trail in the early morning, rented and sold Nordic skis, and taught ski lessons. Johannes stated that he grossed $8,000 that first year in the cross country ski business, and he doubled the revenue in the following year. The original concept was a way to attract guests to fill the rooms at lodge.

He always thought that the business would involve backcountry skiing as the key element and today he still hopes that backcountry will grow and become a more noticeable part of the Nordic ski scene. He commented about the “violent contrast” in product development that has become “plastic, nylon, and form fitting,” citing the Americanization of Nordic skiing. But he does admit that the new equipment and clothing have great virtues, and he has come full circle embracing the high tech that has been incorporated into the sport and business.

Johannes reminisced about the first snow machine he bought for $50 to pack the trails. They built many different weighted boxes with skis on the bottom to drag behind a snowmobile and set tracks on the trails.

In the early 1970s, the lodge included a riding stable but the horses impacted the trails too much so horseback riding was discontinued. Johannes cited a recent survey taken by UVM students at Trapp Family Lodge that revealed the skiers mostly cared about the track quality. But he still believes in the psychic benefits of being outdoors and loves how the sport has taken off.

The lodge occupancy has increased over the years.  Acquiring the nearby land (Trapp Family owns 90% of the trail property) was important to maintain the trails. The lodge history included the fire in 1980 and rebuilding in 1983. In 2000, Trapp added 24,000 square feet of meeting space and accommodations to the lodge and four years later the first villas adjacent to the lodge were completed and sold.

Johannes’ son Sam became vice president of the operation in 2007 adding mountain bike trails in the summer and snowmaking in the winter. In 2008, Trapp Family Lodge celebrated its 40th anniversary and was covered in the NY Times, on ABC World News, and the lodge created its first television advertisement. In 2010, Trapp Lager beer was introduced on the property and a new facility was opened in 2015 in Massachusetts to greatly expand the brewery operation.

Johannes von Trapp is one of the American cross country skiing forefathers, who will be recognized for his vision of cross country skiing and his connection to a world famous family story.

Ruth DeSouza
Harriet Wallis

Senior Profile: WWII Survival Shaped Ruth DeSousa’s Resolve

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She Applies What She Learned To Life And Skiing.

At 86 and a bona fide survivor, Ruth DeSouza offers sound advice for seniors.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

When the air raid sirens blared in Bingen, Germany, residents scrambled down into their cellars for protection. The town on the Rhine was bombed again and again by Allied forces.

After each attack, Ruth’s mother would rush to the roof of their building to pick up the burning flares that had been dropped and hurl them off the roof so the building would not catch fire.

Historically, Bingen is on a critical transportation route established in Roman times. During the war, Allied forces were not trying to destroy the town but were aiming their bombs at the major railroad hub and communication lines.

But bomb drops were not accurate. High winds carried them off target into the town destroying schools full of children and homes of those who wanted no part of the war.

At that time, Ruth was an athletic school girl in Bingen. She was a gymnast, practiced ballet, played tennis, and learned to ski on a local farm hill. The turmoil of war shaped her resolve. She learned to expect little but to keep going no matter what.

Today, she lives by the resolve she forged during the war years. Ruth is slim and active at 86. She skis three or four days a week at Alta, Brighton, or Solitude. The other days she walks for 30 minutes. “You have to keep going, and you have to stay strong,” she says.

Ruth’s attitude has always been undaunted. As the war grew worse, Ruth’s family fled from Bingen. After the war, they walked for days to get home. As Ruth walked, she decided to use the fabric of her old school uniform and make a bikini for herself. She envisioned happiness even when life was full of misery.

Today, like the bikini she made long ago, she dresses fashionably and keeps a positive attitude. She advises senior women to be positive also. “Eat right and don’t let yourself get fat,” she says.

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

 

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seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (September 29)

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It’s Warm In The East, And The Rockies Are Turning White.

So it makes sense that one of the articles in this week’s package reviews the Tannus tubeless foam-filled bicycle tire and another explains why this is the best time to purchase a season pass.

Harriet Wallis, an active biker, skier, and SeniorsSkiing.com contributor wrote the piece on the foam tire. If you’re considering that as an option, it’s worth seeing her critique.

Mike “Bear Foot” Warner publishes SeniorSkiDeals.com. His piece on the economy of passes, even if they’ll be used for a portion of the season, is well-reasoned. Next month, we’ll add to the discussion when we publish our comprehensive listing of all the U.S. areas where seniors ski free.

Remember ski ballet, the short-lived Olympic demonstration event? Jon’s reminiscence about that graceful form of skiing is fun to read. The vintage Bogner video featuring Suzy Chaffee and John Eaves is a joy to watch.

Thanks for subscribing to SeniorsSkiing.com and for being a part of this growing community of older skiers. We still have SeniorsSkiing.com stickers available. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: SeniorsSkiing.com, Box 416, Hamilton, MA 01936. A new design is in the works.

In nautical terms, Senior Skiers are the stabilizing keel of the ski industry. As a group we represent 20% of total US skiers/boarders. Per capita, we ski more frequently and spend more than younger population segments. The industry sees youth and other factors as the fuel that keeps it sailing toward the future. That’s why it markets to younger generations. Senior skiers have power and influence. There are more of us every day; we aren’t going away.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Snow Has Arrived Around The West.

Utah first snow. Ski Utah

Half-Price Subscription to realskiers.com: Jackson Hogen, publisher of realskiers.com, publishes short essays related to the the sport. The current one, about older skiers, is titled “Not Dead Yet.” You can sign up for the essays and receive them free. I recommend getting a paid subscription where, among other things, you’ll find intelligent and comprehensive ski reviews (including the best skis for senior skiers). Subscribers also are entitled to one-on-one consulting with Jackson. That comes in handy when considering your next equipment purchase. Youngsters pay $19.95 for a year’s subscription. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers pay $9.95. To sign up, visit realskiers.com. Scroll down to/click on “Subscribe Today!” Then click “Sign Up” in the “Annual Membership” box. Complete the form and enter SS17 in the field under “Coupon Code.”

COLORADO

Area developments for 2017-18 follow: 

  • Arapahoe Basin: 371 acres of difficult/extreme terrain to be accessible by hiking; 4 person lift to be added next summer.
  • Aspen Snowmass: Snowmass celebrates 50thAnniversary with $6.50 lift tickets (opening day 1967 lift ticket price) on December 15, plus other activities throughout season. Aspen to host Olympic qualifying events when the U.S. Grand Prix stops in Snowmass January 10–14, 2018. Breathtaker mountain coaster opens at Snowmass in December. 
  • Cooper: Celebrates 75thAnniversary New Year’s Eve.
  • Copper Mountain: Hosts Olympic qualifying events December 6-10. New Kokomo Express Lift and Koko’s Hut serves beginner terrain in West Village. Rocky Mountain Coaster opens this Fall.
  • Eldora: New six-person high speed detachable Alpenglow Express lift ready for action.
  • Loveland Ski Area: Celebrates 80thyear of operations; adds snowcat skiing in Dry Gulch.
  • Purgatory: Expanded terrain with new intermediate and expert trails on the back- and front-sides; adding new gladed skiing; installed a mountain coaster.
  • Silverton: will celebrate 50+” powder days with area-provided snorkels.
  • Steamboat recently opened its Outlaw Mountain Coaster, the longest in North America.
  • Telluride celebrates its 45th anniversary.

 MASSACHUSETTS

BOSTON: 36thANNUAL SKI & SNOWBOARD EXPO kicks off season, NOV. 9-12, at SEAPORT WORLD TRADE CENTER. ADMISSION:$15 adults; Under 12 free. Paid admission includes one-year subscription to SKI magazine and a $10 Gift Card from GetSkiTickets.com.  Purchase tickets online at www.skisnowexpo.com/boston-expo or at door.

MICHIGAN 

Ishpeming: Eight skiing athletes/others to be inducted to U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame next April . They include freestyle icon “Airborne” Eddie Ferguson, freestyle’s somersault king Herman Goellner cross-country coach Marty Hall, ski mountaineers twin brothers Mike and Steve Marolt, and (posthumously)130 mph alpine speed skiing world record holder, Steve McKinnney. Ceremonies to be held at Squaw Valley.

MONTANA

 Big Sky reported snow above 6500′. National long-range forecasts for the 2017-18 winter season predict average temperatures and above-average precipitation in the Rocky Mountain West.

PENNSYLVANIA

 “First-Time Ski/Snowboard Program” gives beginner ticket, lesson and rentals for $59. Click here for more.

TEXAS/FLORIDA

NOAA reports that Harvey delivered 49.32″ of rain and Irma, 16″. At 30°F, 1″ of rain falls as 13″ of snow. The snow amount could be as much as 50″ dry powder under certain conditions. Using the 30°F/1″rain =13″ snow formula, the amount of rain from Harvey would produce 641.16″ snow; the amount from Irma would equal 208″.

Dick Brooks with Hurricane Harvey debris in Houston

Dick Brooks is a SeniorsSkiing subscriber who lives in Houston and Durango, Colorado where his home resort is Purgatory. He reports that his home was dry and that he and wife, Claire, have volunteered by preparing food for those impacted and by carrying damaged items to the curb. Dick sent this photo of nearby damage.

 

 

 

UTAH

Deer Valley, which Ski Magazine readers just named the #1 resort in North America, will host the 2018 Visa Freestyle International, January 10-12. The event determines the freestylers who will represent the US at the South Korean Winter Olympics in February. The event is held at night under lights. The steep slope is covered in bumps. It can get chilly, but it’s a terrific thing to see.

Opening dates for Utah resorts:

  • Alta Ski Area: November 22
  • Brian Head Resort: November 17
  • Brighton Resort: Early As Possible
  • Cherry Peak Resort: December 18
  • Deer Valley Resort: December 2
  • Eagle Point Resort: December 21
  • Nordic Valley Resort: December 9
  • Park City Mountain: November 17
  • Snowbasin Resort: November 22
  • Snowbird Resort: November 22
  • Solitude Mountain: December 2
  • Sundance Mountain Resort: December 8

VERMONT 

OOPS. Ski Vermont recently announced that Parker Riehle, e group’s head, would leave that post to lead National Ski Areas Association. Citing personal reasons, he decided not to take the new position. Long time NSAA president, MIchael Berry, will remain in post until a new replacement is identified and transitioned.

Snowmaking and grooming improvements will improve the experience this season at Bolton Valley, Burke Mountain, Mount Snow, Okemo Mountain, Stratton Mountain, Sugarbush, and Suicide Six.

Okemo Ultimate season passholders now qualify for $49 lift tickets at Stratton Mountain Resort during the 2017/2018 season. Limited to one per day, non-holiday periods only, this special offer is non-transferable, and can only be used by the passholder. Stratton Summit passholders receive this same benefit at Okemo.

 

 

 

Suzy Chaffee and Mark Steigemier
Jon Weisberg

Dancing With Skis

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Many Readers May Remember Ski Ballet, The Graceful, Sometimes Amusing, Phenomenon From The 1980s.

Costumed performers on skis took skiing to new levels as they executed freestyle moves to a variety of musical themes.

It was the snow equivalent of free style figure skating with individual and pair performances.

Ski Ballet with Suzy Chaffee and Mark Steigemier

Some observers saw ski ballet as liberation from the restricted forms imposed by European techniques, a natural outgrowth of the freewheeling youth movement of the 60s and 70s.

Shorter skis and smooth slopes were used. Occasionally, moguls played a role. When participants took air, it generally was close to the snow. In 1988, it was exhibited at the Canadian Winter Olympics in Calgary. It appeared again in ’92 in Albertville, France. But it never made it to a full Olympic event. FIS ended formal Ski Ballet competition after 2000.

Every now and then you may spot a rare bird linking ballet moves together on the hill. When I’ve encountered this endangered species, it’s been on gentle terrain. Terrain park acrobatics — another form of pushing limits on skis — are far more aggressive.

To me ski ballet represents a different, youthful and more innocent time. It is a historical curiosity that, like other things, from our past, may one day be rediscovered.

Are there any SeniorsSkiing readers who performed back in the day? If so, let us know. Better yet, send stills or video.

Many of you will remember Suzy “Chapstick” Chaffee. She performed ski ballet with grace and beauty. In this vintage video from Bogner she performs with John Eaves.

seniorsskiing

Best Time to Buy Senior Ski Passes is Now

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The Deals Are Out There.  Time To Act.

Mike “Bear Trap” Warner is a former ski instructor committed to finding discounts for seniors.

[Editor Note: Mike “Bear Foot” Warner produces SeniorsSkiDeals.com which publishes the prices of top ski resorts and offers advice on where to find the best discounts and when to buy.] 

If you are a senior skier and are planning to ski over a week this winter, you might want to consider buying a season pass. The ski resorts’ season passes  listed here are worth buying if you plan on skiing four or five days at one area. Telluride 70+ Season Pass is $900 while Aspen is $499. With daily lift tickets at $114 on a week’s ski trip you would buy the pass in Aspen but not at Telluride. There is also insurance available for your pass if you need to cancel your trip.

When Alex Cushing owned Squaw Valley, kids up to 12 and seniors 65 and over skied for free. His thinking was the kids would love the sport and come back for 60 years, and the seniors were being rewarded for a lifetime of lift tickets. Now seniors are a profit center for most resorts. An article appeared in Huffington Post in 2015 of 108 ski area’s with free lift tickets for seniors. This year of the 100 top rated ski resorts from ZRankings.com only four offer free skiing for 70+ skiers.

There are a number of ski areas that still offer very good senior season pass rates. Below is a list of the resorts that still offer real deals to 65+ or 70+ senior skiers. These resorts make it worthwhile to buy their pass if you plan to ski there five days or more.

Eastern skiers will be surprised, or already know, that there is only one good deal offered out of the top ranked 17 ski resorts. Out of the top 11 Canadian ski resorts, again only one deal is posted. An example is Killington’s senior pass 65-79 costs $659. The online daily lift ticket is $70. So you’re better off buying lift tickets if you ski nine days or less there.

California:

Heavenly Valley 65+ Epic Value Pass $389

Also good discounts with restrictions at Northstar and Kirkwood.

Homewood 62-69 $349

Diamond Peak 65-69 $169

Mammouth: 65-79 $499

Also good discounts at June, Bear Valley, Snow Summit

Utah

Sundance 65+ $150

Beaver Mountain 70+ $100

Eagle Point 62-69 $ 239  70+ $199

Idaho

Bogus Basin 70+ $229

Tamarack 70+ $199

Colorado

Aspen 70+ $499

Winter Park 60-69 $ 429 70+ $339

Loveland 60-69 $ 399 70+ $99

Copper Mountain 65+ $319

Wolf Creek 65+ $323

Also good discounts at Snowmass, Buttermilk, and Highlands

Montana

Whitefish Mountain 70+ Free

Oregon

Timberline 65-70 $ 169 71+ Free

Mt. Hood Ski Bowl 65-70 $ 149  71+ Free

Washington

Mt. Baker 70+ $ 125

Stevens Pass 70+ $ 99

White Pass 73+ $ 20

Vermont

Smugglers Notch Resort 70+ $29

British Columbia

White Water 70+ Free

Harriet Wallis

Cycling Series: Update On “Arthritis Proof” Never Flat Bicycle Tires

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I’ve Learned A Lot And Here Are The Lessons.

Find out what Harriet thought about these tubeless, foam-filled tires. Credit: Harriet Wallis

If your hands are arthritic, you know how hard it is get a tire back on the rim after fixing a flat. Lightweight Tannus tubeless foam tires were recently introduced into the U.S., and I was quick to buy a set. They don’t take a tube, and since they are filled with foam, they can never get a flat. Never. And they’re good for 5,000 miles. That seemed to be the perfect solution for my hands.

I had them installed just before a charity ride in the cool weather of early June. They rode wonderfully. They were the cat’s meow.

But as summer temperatures heated the road surface, the road softened the tires, and they became sluggish. The hotter the day, the slower they rode. Hot weather riding and hill climbing became work. Dang!

I think the lightweight, solid foam, Tannus tubeless tires live up to their reputation that they can never get a flat. My tires picked up several of those dreaded goat head thorns. I pulled them out and rode on. No problem. No flat. I think casual riders and commuters who face road debris will enjoy them. And they come in 12 lively colors.

But for me, it was time to move on and find another “arthritis proof” bicycle tire. Stay tuned for my review of the Bontrager brand tubeless tire-wheel system.

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

 

seniorsskiing

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Sept. 15)

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Down Under Snow Reports, Experticity Update, Early Winter Forecast.

A unique arrangement: No lifts at Charlotte Pass in Australia, just a 30-minute Sno-Cat Ride each way to the slopes.
Credit: Bernie Weichsel

While we start thinking about buying season passes, contemplating new boots, and enjoying the last of summer activities (btw: great sailing in New England these days), the snows of Australia have been falling mightily.

We have two reports from the land of Down Under.  One focuses on the massive amounts of snow currently covering the ski hills of Victoria and New South Wales, Australia. Folks, it’s yet another weather phenomenon; it’s the most snow in a decade. Thanks to Snowbrains.com for bring this to our attention.

The second report comes from Ski and Snowboard Show Impresario and SeniorsSkiing.com advisory council member Bernie Weichsel who has just returned from a three-week trip to New Zealand and Australia.  His report is a really interesting guide to some of the most popular ski hills in those countries as well as some differences in how resorts are run done down there. Thanks, Bernie.

Last week, we published an update on the new Experticity application process for our subscribers. We are publishing it again because we know that right now and the next few weeks are the start of the equipment and clothing buying season. The discount policy offered to our subscribers is different than before, and it requires that a subscriber demonstrate some type of “professional” connection to the ski industry. There’s contact information for Experticity if you have questions.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center has published its early winter forecast. Here are the late-fall, early winter maps from the NWS.

Precipitation forecast: Sept-Nov 2017

Temperature forecast: Sept-Nov 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, above average precip in the Rockies and Wasatch, a drier Florida, and/but above average temps radiating out from Arizona. However, do not place your bets yet.  We also hear from the folks who monitor the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) that the waters off western Peru are “neutral”, not too hot, not too cold.  Since the ENSO drives a lot of the weather in North America and around the world, having a neutral ENSO makes the forecast much more difficult to predict.  Again, these predictions are merely placeholders in an ongoing story.  We will be watching and will let you know what evolves.

Thanks for subscribing to SeniorsSkiing.com.  We very much appreciate your presence and your input.  If you’re interested in a free and wonderful 3″ x 3″ SeniorsSkiing.com sticker, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: SeniorsSkiing.com, Box 416, Hamilton, MA 01936.

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

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Something Old. Something New.

I just read two books about trails.

The old one is American Skiing, published in 1939. It’s author, Otto Schniebs, was one of the Arlberg Technique pioneers in New England and contributed to the development of several areas.  He founded the American Ski School of Boston and coached at Dartmouth College and later at St. Lawrence University.

When was the last time you saw someone do this?

The first chapter, “Adventure on Skis in the Colorado Rockies,” is a colorful account of a Spring visit to the Elk Mountains between Aspen and Crested Butte. This was ’39 and Aspen didn’t start as a ski area until ’46; Crested Butte in ’62. Schniebs and his companions encounter a variety of terrain, snow and avalanches. The text is fun to read and is richly illustrated with photos. Throughout are page references to technique, which is covered in the next section, where he uses motion picture stills to explain a full range of ski moves ranging from those for beginners to achieving jump turns, and somersaults!

This is followed by ruminations about organizing ski areas, building trails and slopes, a single sentence on mechanical lifts, longer sections on ski patrol, developing instructors, ski schools, and equipment.

The book has many photos, including a fold-out panorama of the northern Adirondacks (Whiteface to Mt. Marcy to Redfield in Winter), a classic shot of Dick Durrance, skiers in Tuckerman’s Ravine, etc.

I’ve had my copy since 1962. Google shows first edition copies for less than $50.

The new book is On Trails: An Exploration, by Robert Moor. This New York Times Bestseller is a wonderful read. The information — it does not cover ski trials — is fascinating and presented with graceful and engaging prose. We accompany the author as he explores a multitude of ancient and modern trails. His observations take us into the realms of natural and human history, economics, philosophy, and literature. Who knew that studies of how ants travel have been digitized and the results used to inform flows in factories and warehouses? The trail and road walkers he encounters range from amusing to weird. I highly recommend On Trails. The pages turn on their own.

New Zealand

Mt Hutt has a 120″ base, and plans to remain open through October 15. The 6800’+ resort is one of the highest in New Zealand.

Vermont

Listed below are the deadlines for lowest season pass prices in Vermont. Note the threshold ages for skiing free (some may require a small processing fee).

  • Bolton Valley: September 25 Ski Free: 75
  • Bromley Mountain: October 15
  • Burke Mountain: October 9
  • Jay Peak Resort: October 9
  • Killington Resort: October 12 Ski Free: 80
  • Mad River Glen: October 15 Ski Free: 70
  • Magic Mountain: October 15
  • Middlebury Snow Bowl: November 30 Ski Free: 70
  • Mount Snow Resort: October 18
  • Okemo Mountain Resort: October 9
  • Pico Mountain: October 12 Ski Free: 80
  • Smugglers’ Notch Resort: October 31
  • Stowe Mountain Resort: October 8
  • Stratton Mountain Resort: October 9
  • Sugarbush Resort: September 13; Boomer Pass (Age 65-89) Price: $139; includes midweek, non-holiday skiing at Lincoln Peak and Mt. Ellen. Ski Free: 90

Other

Take five minutes and give yourself a treat. The Man at the End of the World is a beautiful video about an older couple living in Tierra del Fuego, Chile. If you enjoy the clip, click “like’ in the lower right corner to help it score well in a video competition.

 

 

Bernie Weichsel

Oz And EnZed: Skiing The Antipodes

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Ski And Snowboard Show Impresario Bernie Weichsel Reports On The Down Under Scene.

Bernie (r) at Thredbo’s highest lift.
Credit: Bernie Weichsel

For most of us in the international ski community, whether here in the US and Canada, or within the Alpine countries of Europe, there is good news to be found in Australia and, to a lesser degree, New Zealand. Over the past three weeks, I had the opportunity to visit a number of ski areas in New Zealand’s South Island and in Australia’s states of Victoria and New South Walks. I skied at the four areas around Queenstown and Wanaka (The Remarkables, Coronet Peak, Cardrona and Treble Cone and in Victoria (Mt Buller and Falls Creek) and New South Wales (Skiing at Perisher, Thredbo, and the unique Charlottes Pass. I am glad to report in both countries skiing, and, in contrast to the US at least, snowboarding, too, seemed to not only being doing well, but to be thriving.

Skiing The Remarkables, Queenstown, NZ. Anyone notice any hobbits?
Credit: Bernie Weichsel

New Zealand areas’ growth seemed to be coming from visitors from Asia. There were loads of Chinese and Koreans, plus a lot of athletes from Northern Hemisphere countries taking advantage of the snow to prepare for the upcoming Olympics, including Lyndsey Vonn among other US athletes.

But it was in Australia where the growth in the local market was most evident. All the resorts I visited were crowed with families and students, and it wasn’t even vacation time. Resort management all said that they were witnessing growing interest and participation in SnowSports which might be the only SnowSports market in the world where that can be said!

One effort that is propelling growth is a program called Inter-School, a regional wide, multi-discipline, competitive program with local races that lead to regional events and ends in a National Championship. The regional event I saw at Mt Buller—the Victorian State Championships—had 6,000 participants, in many cases, with their parents on hand for a whole week. I am not aware of a similar program in our country. I presume the best analogy is an NCAA program but for High Schools. We all know how school programs for soccer, football, etc. dominate American youths’ time and keeps them—and their families—away from the slopes. Maybe the Australians have found something for us to think about!

All the resorts had decent facilities—from lifts, snow-making and day lodges—and pretty good grooming. New Zealand, for us spoiled North Americans, is a bit of a challenge since there is virtually no on-snow lodging. Most of the lodging is in Queenstown and Wanaka, where it almost never snows;  to get to the skiing you must drive with chains always at the ready in your “boot”—or take a bus.

Weather is also a consideration in New Zealand since all the skiing is above timberline, leading  to some serious white-outs when the clouds hang low, which is often.  But the snow quality is good, the runs decently long— think Northern New England. When it is clear, you can see some of the most stunning scenery anywhere.

Australia, on the other hand, has lodging right on the mountains making it possible to ski in, ski-out. However, the mountains are not as high as New Zealands’ and are wider rather than high, that is, many runs over a number of hills.  That is, except for Thredbo which has a vertical of about 2,000 ft. What really intrigued me was how popular skiing was given that in Australia, there were many road-blocks one has to overcome to get the mountains.  You have to pay an entry fee to enter the Park; all the ski resorts are in state or national parks, you have to pay to park and again pay for a snow taxi to take you to your lodging—not in all resorts but the majority.  And lodging isn’t cheap. The resorts, though, have copied—or might have pioneered—the idea of expensive day tickets versus reasonable priced season pass.

Usually, so I was told, New Zealand gets the better snow.  But, during my visit, it was the opposite: I had basically spring skiing in New Zealand and super mid-winter conditions in Australia—packed powder and blue-bird days. And recently Australia’s resorts have had some of the biggest snow dumps in almost two decades!

One oddity worth noting. The small area near Perisher, Charlottes Pass, might be —I can’t think of any other resort that can only be accessed—in and out—by Sno-Cat . It’s a 30-minute ride each way. Nice, but small skiing, once you get there,  and it’s pretty private and worth the effort.

A unique arrangement: No lifts at Charlotte Pass, just a 30-minute Sno-Cat Ride each way to the slopes.
Credit: Bernie Weichsel

seniorsskiing

Update: Change In Gear/Clothing Discounts From Experticity

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There’s Been A Big Change In How SeniorsSkiing.Com Subscribers Can Access Discounts From Experticity.

When SeniorsSkiing.com was launched, we made an arrangement with Promotive.com to offer discounts to our readers.  There was no cost involved, readers who subscribed signed up with Promotive using a code provided and enjoyed the same kind of discounts offered to professional racers, teams, coaches, instructors, etc.

Promotive merged with Experticity, another discount gateway website. Experticity promises the vendors that list their products on its site that people who have access are bona fide members of a professional group of some kind to earn the offered discounts. When Experticity looked at our list of subscribers, they had no way to tell who was a pro and who was a committed amateur without industry standing.  So, the rules of access to Experticity have changed.

If you are already signed up with Experticity, you will still have access to the site up to the anniversary date of your initial sign up.  After your anniversary date of your sign up passes, you will be asked to re-apply using the application process below.

If you are new to SeniorsSkiing.com and are signing up with Experticity for the first time, you have to follow the new application process.

The new application process requires you to enter the code provided by Experticity which you can find in our Subscriber-Only Content area under Community in the top blue menu. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire and verify your status by submitting some type of evidence.

Here’s the application form.

If you have any questions about any of this, please call Experticity at 866-376-4685 or email at member.support@experticity.com.