Tag Archive for: SeniorsSkiing.com

Jan Brunvand

Fifty-Five Years (So Far) of “The Greatest Snow on Earth”

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Part Six: Jan and Judy Become Senior Skiers.

We moved to Utah in 1966 when we were in our early thirties. We retired in 1996 in our early sixties, and now we are in our eighties, still skiing what is hyped as “The Greatest Snow on Earth.”  It’s a catchy slogan and mostly true.

Many of our best skiing memories are of powder days, bluebird days, and especially Bluebird powder days, but there are also memories of less-ideal days.

Like the time Judy and I were evacuated from a quad at Solitude on a cold blustery morning. Some essential part failed, leaving us along with about one hundred other skiers stuck half say up. It’s an interesting experience to be lowered from a dangling chair by rope and pulley.

Or the time I lost our granddaughter Rosalie at Deer Valley when she was eight years old. I was half way down a trail before I realized that she had not followed me. I headed to the nearest lift, while Rosalie appealed to a host for help. When I returned to the summit I found her in the ski patrol cabin petting the rescue dogs and having a snack.

From the same year here is Rosalie leading Grandpa and Grandma down a run at Brighton. She’s wearing her trademark panda helmet cover.

Then there was the time when I got lost in thick fog at Snowbasin guiding a visiting friend. After twice failing to find the fog poles to lead us back to the main base area, ending up at Strawberry base instead, we appealed to the patrol. The sent over two snowmobiles, and the hair-raising ride to safety at top speed was almost as scary as skiing in the fog.

I got to ski with my brother Tor again in the Rockies when he came out for visits.

Not all of our skiing has been in Utah. From 1999 through 2016 Judy and I did a dozen downhill skiing Elderhostel trips (aka Road Scholar), including Schweitzer Mountain, Sun Valley, Big Sky, Smugglers’ Notch, Steamboat, Grand Targhee, Crested Butte, and Telluride. We drove to all the western sites except for Lake Tahoe North and Winter Park which we reached via Amtrak.

After joining the International Skiing History Association we attended several of their annual gatherings, including Sun Valley, Aspen, and Vail. At the ISHS event at Park City in 2014 I met Jon Weisberg and learned about SeniorsSkiing.com.

Our ISHA connection led to a couple of group ski trips to Europe led by Penny Pitou, 1960 Squaw Valley Olympian. We went with her to Chamonix (2007) and to Zermatt (2009). Here is the obligatory tourist photo from the second trip.

In August 2008 Judy and I fulfilled a lifelong dream by skiing at Portillo. And then, finally, in 2015, we qualified for free skiing at Alta when we had both passed 80 years old. Here we are celebrating the occasion, now on modern fat skis but still using bamboo poles, retro creations by Soul Poles in Park City.

Becoming Alta senior skiers also required joining the notorious Wild Old Bunch. I’m posing here with two fellow WOB members, all in our Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic volunteer jackets. That’s George Ramjoue in blue and Larry Weir in yellow. We never did find anyone in the fourth color, red, to pose with us.

That brings us up to the curtailed season of 2019-20 and the COVID-diminished present season. Last season I managed 55 days, closing out at Powder Mountain on March 16, 2019, after which all local areas shut down. This season I had a bout with gout, so have skied only sixteen days before seeking treatment and laying off sports. Meanwhile, Judy has knee issues and is not skiing this season. But we did get to Alta one sunny day to picnic in the parking lot and talk to other skiers, and we hope to ski into our 90s. I’ve already renewed one of our season passes, and more will follow.

No more reports, though. Thanks for reading.

seniorsskiing

Make More Tracks: Favorite Nordic Centers In Colorado

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Small Ranch Resorts And Large Scale Nordic Centers Span The State.

[Editor Note: This article by Pete Wilson first appeared in The Nordic Approach.] 

In this state of mile-high life, opportunities to elevate your outdoor activities abound. Taking a page from the book of their Alpine resort neighbors, these cross-country ski areas center their offerings around the spectacular peaks of the southern Rockies—though in a slightly different way than downhill does it. Rolling and widely varied terrain lets Nordic skiers, fat-bikers and snowshoers work their way up and around some of the countries most magnificent slopes, giving them access to exclusive vistas, and breathtaking drops on the way back down. A combination of small ranch-resorts and larger scale Nordic Centers, the ski venues surveyed here span the breadth of Colorado’s natural bounty and the various adventures it has in store. For explorers of every age and inclination, if you’re Colo-ready, Colorado awaits!

ASPEN SNOWMASS NORDIC CENTER

Recognizing that Nordic skiing is something so incredible that everyone should have access to it, the volunteer board which oversees Aspen Snowmass works hard to maintain it as one of the largest free trail networks in the country. This awesome array of routes connects three towns—Aspen, Snowmass, and Basalt—and their respective trail networks into one massive adventure waiting to be had. Start from any of the towns, or from either of the two Nordic centers (yes, two!), and perhaps go check out the view from Buttermilk Ski Area, or continue on the trail for lunch in Aspen village, or simply cruise to your heart’s content. Plan your outing here!

GOLD RUN NORDIC CENTER

As its name suggests, this Breckenridge destination really is a gold mine for fun-seeking families. The skiing is excellent—30 km of beautifully groomed trails for both skate and classic skiing. Beyond that though, this nugget of a Nordic center boasts 15 km of dedicated snowshoe trails, a full fleet of fat bikes for rental, sleigh rides and more! Learn more about all of Gold Run’s golden opportunities, along with its punch pass system and ticket deals here!

KEYSTONE NORDIC CENTER

Just outside of Frisco, this humble Nordic Center promises memorable experiences for the whole family. For the seasoned skier, Keystone’s nine miles of trails combined with the adjoining White River State Park’s 35 miles offer thrillingly hilly fun. For dedicated snowshoers, the Perimeter Snowshoe Trail gives a wholly different perspective of area, taking you deep into the Keystone backcountry. And for the littler ones, a safe-yet-stimulating tubing hill is just a short walk from the lodge, where kids can do loops sledding down and hiking up for days. For the grown-ups, be sure to wind up back at the Nordic Center bar for some après-ski sips after your outing. Read about all of Keystone’s excellent amenities here!

VISTA VERDE GUEST RANCH

A smaller trail system of predominantly meadowy and gently hilly terrain, Vista Verde is geared towards getting their guests out on snow for their first times. And for this purpose, the place is perfect. A dedicated staff of Nordic pros will outfit Ranch guests with well-fitting, complementary equipment, and then give careful instruction, gentle advice or guided ski tours as you require. Trails loop across sprawling fields, over babbling brooks, through the aspen stands, and all the way back to the Ranch—where, it might go without saying, excellent lodging and fine-dining fare are to be readily found. Learn more, and book your trip, here!

HOWELSEN HILL

Owned and operated by the city of Steamboat Springs, Howelsen Hill is renowned as America’s oldest operating ski area—and though its most famous for its Alpine creds, this little mountain has some serious Nordic terrain. With 21 km of widely varying trails, ranging from flats to fairly intense climbs and drops, Howelsen’s adds a bevy of possible activities to your next Steamboat trip. Learn more here!

BRECKENRIDGE NORDIC CENTER

Just a few minutes’ drive from downtown Breckenridge, this family-oriented Nordic center has been granting visitors access to thousands of acres of the area’s most picturesque terrain for almost half a century. Not only do 30 km of well-cared-for trails wind their way up to above 10,000 feet elevation, stopping at two hand-hewn “destination huts,” but the Center offers group tours of the same terrain from the warm comfort of glass-enclosed snowcats. After you’ve made it up to the continental divide and had a little break in one of the warming huts, be sure to circle back to the Lodge for happy hour and a hearty bowl of soup! Learn more about this unique Breckenridge destination here.

FRISCO NORDIC CENTER 

Conveniently located just outside downtown Frisco, this high-altitude Nordic Center has something for every skier. Work your way up to the summit’s panoramic views of the Breckenridge region, or tootle around with the kids on the flatter, but no less fun, beginner’s loop. Plus, for even more kid-friendly activities, just down the road is the Frisco tubing hill and beginner’s ski hill. With 27 km of crisply groomed trails though, there’s more than enough adventure on the Center’s spacious land. Learn more here!

CRESTED BUTTE NORDIC CENTER

A gem of Colorado Nordic skiing, the Crested Butte Nordic Center’s super-convenient downtown location lets users hop on the trails without any driving—just walk from your home, hotel, or VRBO! In minutes you can be geared up and out on over 50 km of world class terrain. While skiing in Crested Butte, be sure to stop in at the trailside Magic Mountain Yurt for a chef-chosen dinner menu. The mile route to the yurt is lit by solar lights, so you can easily ski or snowshoe out for an exquisite and absolutely memorable meal. See why some call Crested Butte the Nordic Capital of Colorado here!

DEVIL’S THUMB RANCH

Ranked the #1 Cross-Country Ski Resort in the country for two years running by USA Today, this luxury Ranch’s Nordic terrain is a sight to behold. With 120 km of expertly maintained trails winding their way through the foothills of the continental divide, there is something to wow skiers of every skill level. The resort’s in-house outfitter, Zach’s Mercantile, offers a full range of skate and classic Nordic equipment for rental or purchase. Plus, a team of world-class Nordic instructors stand ready to give visitors and guests all the instruction you need to have the best possible ski experience. Check out this wondrous Colorado destination here!

SNOW MOUNTAIN RANCH

Tucked well up in the Rockies, a ways West of Denver, Snow Mountain Ranch cares for over 5,000 acres of pristine Colorado ski terrain. At 9,000 feet in elevation, it’s not called Snow Mountain for nothing—averaging around 200 inches per winter, which bring dependably fantastic conditions to all of the Ranch’s 120 km of trails. If you’re not too busy exploring the endless ski adventures, be sure to check out the tubing hill and the ice rink—and to grab a yummy bite at the Skinny Ski Café! Whatever you decide to do, you can’t go wrong in this unique winter wonderland. Learn more here.

LATIGO RANCH

Continuing the proud Colorado tradition of guest Ranches with excellent cross-country ski terrain, Latigo Ranch has centered their winter programming on their stellar backcountry and Nordic terrain. And with 50 km of beautiful trails, meticulously groomed for both skate and classic, plus another 200 square miles of deep powder perfectly suited for backcountry skiing, its easy to see why. Luckily for us, these wonderful trails are open to the public. If you do go for a day trip, consider booking a lunch or dinner reservation at Latigo’s elegant-Western restaurant. You can find more information about this secluded ski destination here!

TELLURIDE NORDIC ASSOCIATION

Bringing together the impeccable ski terrain of six different areas, the Telluride Nordic Association (TNA) maintains and gives users free (though donations are encouraged) access miles upon miles of gorgeous cross country trails. Ranging from the dog-friendly hills of Priest Lake to the classic-skiing-only River Trail, perfect for the Nordic tourer, TNA has something for everyone. Their Nordic Center in downtown Telluride also offers top of the line rental equipment, tuning services, and lessons. You can even ask about multiday rentals, to keep you going during your whole stay in Telluride! Learn more here.

ELDORA NORDIC CENTER

Branching off to the left of Eldora Mountain’s alpine trails, the Nordic Center’s 40 km of wide, well-groomed thoroughfares show off all that the mountain has to offer, albeit from a different perspective than the chairlift-accessed terrain. Winding through old-growth forests, alpine meadows and alongside big-mountain viewpoints, these trails are sure to get your blood pumping and your senses stimulated. With the added amenities of Eldora’s on-mountain restaurant, bar and smoke shack, you can easily make any outing on these excellent trails extra memorable. Plan your adventure here!

TENNESSEE PASS NORDIC CENTER

A dedicated Nordic ski hub, Tennessee Pass takes a classic Alpine ski lodge approach to cross country. 30 km of trails extend out from a central building furnished with all the Nordic and Nordic-related equipment you could want available for rental and purchase, a bar and restaurant, and a spacious sunny deck on which to relax. The trails themselves are excellently maintained and vary in difficulty from beginner flats to expert climbs. Just to add to the magic of this place, Tennessee Pass has a collection of off-the-grid sleeping yurts available for group or individual rental.

ASHCROFT SKI TOURING

A bit of an oddity in the ski world, Ashcroft Ski Touring is a ski center that doubles as the Pine Creek Cookhouse restaurant. At Ashcroft, you can peruse the 35 kilometers of stunning Aspen wilderness by day, and by night peruse the mouthwatering entrees that the locally-sourced, chef-driven restaurant has to offer. In addition to the Cookhouse, this wondrous trail network also makes stops at three different warming huts along its gorgeous loops. Be sure to check out their especially awesome all-inclusive tours—which cover trail fees, rentals and a delicious meal. Learn more about this wonderful aberration here!

Karen Lorentz

The Big K’s Ambassador Program

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Ambassadors Help Create A Congenial Climate At Killington.

Here are the 2019-20 Killington Ambassadors saying hello. Volunteers commit to 21 days of service during the season. Credit: Killington Mountain Resort

As a huge ski area with several base areas and mountain peaks, finding one’s way around Killington can be a challenge. That’s where the green-jacketed Ambassadors come in, often saving the day by showing guests how to get where they want to go—or in some cases—avoid a too difficult or too flat a trail.

This year the COVID-19 pandemic has made the Ambassadors duties extra special as so much has changed—from getting a lift ticket to the necessity of wearing masks.

Ambassadors are dedicated volunteers who enjoy skiing or snowboarding so much that they commit to 21 days wearing the green to help guests have fun. Ambassador Program Manager Pete Duffy notes, “They are passionate about the mountain, the sport, and they want to help people.”

Hard to miss the Ambassadors in the green jackets. Credit: Karen Lorentz

To do that, Ambassadors attend morning briefings before the lifts open so they are up to date on conditions, lifts operating, and anything else pertinent to that day. They answer questions as they greet people mornings at the base areas and later help them find their way back to starting points at the end of the day.

Throughout the day, they ski around assigned mountain areas and answer questions just as their bright green jackets invite.

They also help reunite parties that get separated. Seeing a small boy reunited with his parents was “priceless,” Roger Halye said of a best memory.

Another joy Ambassadors cite is assisting with marriage proposals—whether it’s writing a “will you marry me” on the snow under a lift or taking a photo of a proposal at the peak.

They also assist other departments as needed. The sweet perk is skiing until it’s time to help the ski patrol with the end-of-the-day sweep or man various end-of-day stations. Duffy notes, they do all these tasks in all kinds of weather, including extreme cold, wind, snow, and rain.

In a normal season, Ambassadors also give free Meet the Mountains Tours, offer tips on events, take photos of people, greet bus groups, and staff the hotel and events, all of which went by the boards due to state COVID-19 related guidelines this year.

They ARE smiling. Green jacket Ambassadors Mike Cahill, Pete Duffy, Susan Cummins, Keith Murphy guard new ticket booth. Credit: Karen Lorentz

Recently I had the great fun of being shown around by Ambassadors Susan Cummins and Mike “Mickey” Cahill. Cummins prides herself on being “a friendly face willing to help and guide.” Like others, she also praises the social aspects of being an Ambassador, noting, “Through the program, I have generated some wonderful friendships; some so close they have come to my family events like weddings and holidays.”

Retired State Trooper Mike Cahill briefly dips his mask at the new automated ticket kiosk. Credit: Karen Lorentz

Noting he loves skiing Killington and helping people enjoy the mountain. Cahill said becoming an Ambassador helped him fill a void in his life after he retired from being a New York state trooper at the mandatory age of 60. “I enjoy the camaraderie within the group of outstanding people who share the same goals,” he added.

Bobby G has given tours for 20-plus years and counts many special moments, including people who return year after year for another tour, which leads to great friendships. One friendship has taken him to England several times. Another repeat guest is a clinical psychologist, causing Giordano to “sometimes wonder if it’s just the friendship or if I’m a ‘research subject’ that needs to be carefully watched.”

When fierce winds were buffeting a petite beginner who kept falling, Noreen McGill used her own body to shield her from the gusts, and together they managed to slip and side step to the shelter of trees. There McGill applauded the woman’s tenacity and thanked her for “sharing her struggle and strength” with her.

Riding a lift, Ambassador Louise Young met a guest from Toms River, NJ.  “I mentioned Toms River made the news years ago (1998) by winning the Little League World Series. Turns out he was one of the coaches!!”

Joe Schorle had a guest ask him “what he could do about boots causing his feet to hurt. I started to recommend a shop for adjustment but then looked down and realized his boots were on the wrong feet!”

Marc Pileggi recalled a “most unusual thing that happened was having to call a transport for a group of 12 who decided to go to the top of Ramshead at 3:45 with no ability to ski down.”

Questions People Ask

“How do you get to the main lodge? They usually mean the lodge where they started from,” notes Louise Young.

“What’s the easiest black diamond trail?”

When he’s stationed at the top of Killington Peak on a cloud-free day, people ask Robert Ide to identify the other visible ski areas.  The mountain they wish to have identified most is Mt. Washington, he said.

Questions Anthony Russo hears include: “Can you take our photo (asked prior to COVID)?” “Where’s the restrooms?” “What time does the lift close (usually asked at 4 p.m.)?  Where are the beginner slopes? Where is a good place to eat? Can you recommend other things to do besides skiing? Is there an easier way down from here?”

In late March and April, Phil Lipari is often asked, “Why does the mountain close at 4:00 when there is still a lot of day light? In January and February, why there is no night skiing?”

“What do you do with all the man-made snow in the summer?” Noreen McGill overheard a woman ask an Ambassador. “We store it in all the silos on the farms,” elicited an “Oh” as she contentedly walked away.

Pete Duffy said he was greeting people when a woman holding a glass bowl asked where she could leave her pet turtle while she skied. Since pets were not allowed inside a lodge, he never did find out what she did with it.

 

shared-ownership ski house
Alice Winthrop

Sharing A Ski House: Seven Ways To Share Without Stress

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Setting Expectations And Providing Reminders Are Key For Sharing.

shared-ownership ski house

Keep relationships positive by clarifying processes, procedures, and rules up front.

When sharing a property with a club or friends and family, it’s important to establish a sustainable system for access, expenses, safety and maintenance.

Time and effort invested in setting expectations will pay off in the long run.

Here are seven ways to share without stress:

1. Commit to an arrangement (in writing).

This could be anything from an informal email to family members, or a letter attached to a rental agreement, to a lawyer-drafted LLC operating agreement. The point is to make sure that everyone is on the same page so that misunderstandings are avoided.

2. Include a plan for expenses.

Do people replace the supplies and help with maintenance work, or does your group divide expenses according to use or ownership percentage? Figure it out ahead of time so that there are no surprises.

3. Set expectations for using the property. 

Do you allocate use, reserve time slots, require permission or allow for first-come-first served? Are guests or pets allowed? Make sure that everyone knows the procedure. Depending on your situation it may be most convenient to call or email one person to request a stay, or you could use a shared online calendar.

4. Separate and simplify House Rules and make them easily accessible.

Few people will read a dense page of complex rules. It’s more effective to keep the house rules short and focused on safety, liability and other key issues.

5. Designate a place to store other information.

An on-site binder with appliance manuals and restaurant menus, local attractions, and directions to the nearest ER is helpful. Contact information for the preferred plumber, heating engineer, cleaner, and babysitters should be easy to find at the property. Make a version available online as well for easy access and updates.

6. Have a Departure Checklist

A list of tasks to check off before you leave can save the property and your peace of mind. Items might include turning down thermostats, making sure the oven is off, checking for laundry, emptying the trash. This is also a good place to make a note of any breakages or supplies that need replacing.

7. Be transparent and over-communicate if necessary.

Better to send an extra text or email than to make assumptions. Family and friend groups are vulnerable to relationship damage from seemingly small miscommunications (see Shakespeare for examples). Transparency builds trust.

What else? If you have suggestions on how to make things run smoothly, or what to avoid please let us know in the comments.

This article was written by the creator of Resercal, an app for shared property scheduling and management. Other options for scheduling and sharing information online include Google Suite (calendar, sheets & docs), or a custom website.

mikemaginn

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (March 12)

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End Or Interim, Snow West, Cooler East, Vail Run, Jan’s Saga, Demo Tips, Ski Japan?, NW XC, Happy At Appi, Sharp Porcupine.

Alta closed on March 17, 2020. Abruptly.

We’ve been through quite a year.

Last year at this time, we were hearing about and experiencing the abrupt closures of ski resorts all over the globe. Races, vacations, bookings cancelled. People just arrived to start vacations had to turn around and go home. Super-spreader events were reported at slow-to-shutter Ischgl, in Austria, Sun Valley and in Colorado. The ski industry shut down, in stutters and starts perhaps, but down tight.

Tough to relax at Ishgl after the superspreader.

A year ago, we began as skeptical, then, as the numbers grew, we became apprehensive. We had to “flatten the curve”, “social distance”, refrain from travel, and frequently and thoroughly wash our hands. We stocked up on toilet paper. Some of us knew people who had gotten sick from the virus, others thought of it as a remote and distant “hoax” impinging on their freedom. Wearing a mask became a statement of the extent you trusted in government directives or not.

Regardless, we learned to adapt, change our plans, and our lifestyles, recreational activities, and expectations. So many of our readers stayed local, skied mid-week, brought bag lunches, and made do. Others took up alternative winter sports; we’ve noted the phenomenal increase in cross-country skiing, thanks in part to regular, staying snow in urban/suburban parks and open areas. Others gave this entire season a pass, opting to wait it out. Others took trips to destination resorts, or, if they lived nearby, went on with the season skiing between the scant numbers of tourists.

This week, one year on, we are either at the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end.

On this anniversary week when the closings started in earnest and almost everything in our lives changed, we remember the 500,000-plus citizens who succumbed.

We also celebrate the vaccines now being injected in earnest. The New York Times reports that 40 percent of Americans are, in one way or another, protected from the virus, either through vaccination or by recovering from infection.

As on a ship coming nearer and nearer the coast, we can begin to see details of what will be appearing soon on the horizon. There is pressure to return to normal.  Spring Break may be a festival of youth and sunshine, or it may be yet another super spreader event. Beyond the spring, there are expectations that the summer will begin to look like it always has, and that by the fall, schools will return to classes, restaurants will return to capacity, concerts and theaters will return to performances.

Perhaps. If the virus doesn’t spike again, that is. It’s still out there, looking for people to infect. Variants may play mischief with recovering economics and public health. So, although the trends are in the right direction, this year of virus isn’t over. Far from it.

Will snow this weekend impact closing-dates in the Rockies? Credit: Joe Durzo

Which leaves resort owners with an interesting management challenge.  Given the relaxing of CDC guidelines for gatherings of people who have been vaccinated and the potential for yet more snow (Colorado and the Northwest are expecting big dumps this weekend), do resorts extend the season as practicable? Open up capacity to all comers? Try to recoup a small amount of revenue lost this season? Or, because many staff are probably not in priority groups for vaccinations and won’t be for a while, and because it may be expensive to undo the physical changes installed to protect customers and staff, just decide to end the season under COVID rules?

Vail announced this week it is extending its closing date one week to April 11.  With the current snow forecast, who knows if that might be extended? Bretton Woods, NH, is closing April 15, Killington, VT, will go to May 2. Is it worth it to change virus policy for a few weeks? If you were the manager of a ski area or resort, what would you do?

Like it began, the year of COVID continues with uncertainty.

This Week

Free run for our readers down the front side of Vail all the way to the bottom. Credit: Glenn Robbins

Herb Stevens, the Skiing Weatherman, sees continuing snow events in the West and a cool down in the East following this unusually warm weekend. There’s potential for more snow out there, check the maps. Click here.

Ever skied Vail? No? Well, take a vicarious run on the front side of Vail on a sunny day. We found the run very different from our mental model of what Vail would be like.  Click here.

Jan Brunvand continues his ski life saga, this time describing his lucky move from the Midwest to Utah. Click here.

Take your pic. The lads at Epic Mountain Sports at Winter Park will help you out. Credit: Epic

Marc Liebman gives advice on how to get the most from demo skis. His tips make your demo assessment more objective. We also learned Marc always rented skis on trips, leaving his own sticks at home.  That gave him the opportunity to try lots of skis and think about how to evaluate demos. Click here.

Dave Chambers, the Traveling Australian, tells us about his trip to Appi Kogen, a big resort in Northern Honshu, Japan.  He revels in telling us about finding a back side of the resort where he skied for a week in untracked powder. Click here.

Our Question For You this week follows up the Appi Kogen story, asking you if you skied Japan and what your experience was like. Click here.

As the next in our Make More Tracks series, Pete Wilson writes in the Nordic Approach about really cool cross-country resorts in Cascadia in the Pacific Northwest. Click here.

Finally, Harriet Wallis tells us a very punny tale of the nameless porcupine who stopped traffic on the trails at Alta.  Clearly, he made a point.  Click here.

Thank you for reading SeniorsSkiing.com. And thank you for supporting us in our recent fundraiser.  We are very grateful. Remember, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

Appi Kogen is one of Japan’s best ski resorts. The resort’s tagline: “Be Happy in Appi”, of course.

Herb Stevens

Skiing Weatherman: Action West, Cool Down East

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Not Quite Spring Yet. More Snow In The Forecast.

While the resorts in the Midwest and East got a solid taste of spring this week as temperatures soared well above normal for a few days, the winter weather action picked up in the West.  A cold trough spun its way down the coast from B.C. to SoCal, depositing wonderful low density snow along the way.  The highest totals came from the Sierra, thanks to the left hand turn of the trough, which brought the core of the circulation closer to the coast than it was when it passed by further north.  The trough will spin across the southern Rockies this weekend and as it does, moderate snow will fall across the western half of Colorado into Wyoming while a major dump will unfold on the Front Range, including metro Denver, so access to the fresh snow is likely to be disrupted.

Over the Midwest and East, the warmth of this week has taken at least a modest toll on trail counts at most areas, but colder air will return this weekend and potentially set the stage for fresh snow next week.  With the return of the cold air, this weekend you should seek out sunny trails in the Northeast, where the surfaces have a chance of softening up.

Next week, another low will move from the Gulf of Alaska toward Oregon and California, and snows will return to the Cascades (Monday) and Sierra (Tuesday).  That low will track eastward and blanket the Wasatch and central and southern Rockies by midweek, so the prospects for skiing and riding in the West next week are outstanding.

The pattern is going to be very active going forward, as illustrated by this jet stream map for Monday.

The blue areas are upper level storms (cold) and the orange peaks are ridges (milder).  The storm over Kansas is the one that will hit the Front Range this weekend and as it works east, we could see a surface low get pushed through the Mid-Atlantic States with high elevation snow during midweek.  You can see the storm on its heels along the west coast. That system will arrive in the eastern half of the country by Friday morning as you can see on this map.

The surface map at the same time looks like this…

From a position over the central Appalachians, the low center will head northeastward.  With the clockwise flow around the high over Minnesota helping to push cold air into the path of the storm, there is the potential for significant snow, at least at the higher elevations, over the northern Mid-Atlantic and Northeast at the end of the week.  Beyond that opportunity, the pattern will remain favorable for late season snow events right through the end of the month.  This week’s warmup was just a spring mirage.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:

Pac NW/B.C.:

Coastal ranges in B.C. get moderate snow this weekend.  Oregon snowy early next week.  Larger storm late next week extends further inland in B.C. and throughout the WA and OR Cascades.

Central and southern Sierra:

Great weekend after fresh snow…another moderate to heavy event early next week. Rest of next week looks quiet.

Rockies:

Jackpot is Front Range in Colorado this weekend.  Another moderate to heavy event unfolds central and southern Rockies Tuesday/Wednesday next week.

Midwest:

Northern MN resorts close this week with fresh snow…rain elsewhere.  Colder air arrives this weekend will firm/preserve snow.  Snow threat across this region later next week.

Northeast:

“Spring Break” ends Friday.  Cold weekend firms up the snow.  Pattern looks promising for meaningful snow late next week.  Season far from over.

Mid-Atlantic/Southeast:

Colder air comes back this weekend.  Higher elevation snow potential early next week…again late in the week.

seniorsskiing

Top To Bottom: Vail

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Take A Vicarious Vacation On A Beautiful Blue Run.

A ticket-free run for our readers down the front side of Vail all the way to the bottom. Credit: Glenn Robbins

Here’s a long (15 minute) run down the front side of Vail on a really nice blue. For those who haven’t been there, seeing wide, groomed slopes at Vail may be different from the mental model you’ve had of what it’s like at the fabled resort.  This is not the Back Bowls, but still very nice and, for those of us on the lesser side of the risk scale, most do-able.

Curious, we notice the skier Glenn Robbins, isn’t using his ski straps. (See 1:44 and following.) Is this a thing?

Jan Brunvand

Return To The Rockies

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Part Five: Jan and Judy Move To Utah

Our residence in Illinois proved to be similar to grad school in Indiana. I progressed in my academic career, we had another baby, and (sigh) there was no skiing. But a phone call changed everything.

At SIU-Edwardsville, we were renting from a colleague on sabbatical, and we had just started looking for a house to accommodate our growing family. Karen, our last child, was born in February, 1966.  Then a call came from folklorist Barre Toelken in Salt Lake City. He was leaving, and he sought someone to apply for his position at the University of  Utah.

I responded, “Barre, you don’t ski do you?” My interview trip was an eye-opener. I assumed that the season had wound down by late March, but the department chairman assured me. “We’ll have skiing through April.” So it was an easy decision to leave the Midwest again after just one year.

We arrived in Utah at the cusp of the development of major skiing there. Alta and Brighton had been in business since the late 1930’s; Snowbasin opened in 1940, and Timp Haven (later Sundance) started in the mid 1940’s. Park City’s ski resort, then called Treasure Mountains, was in its third season and had its trademark gondola pictured on a patch. You could still buy little houses used by former silver miners for a pittance, and skiers could park within a few yards of the gondola base.

None of the local resorts had much in the way of base facilities or housing at that time. Solitude opened in 1957, then underwent a couple of name changes and at least one closed season before prospering. Park City West opened in 1968, then had several name changes before eventually being acquired by Vail and merging with Park City. Snowbird opened in 1971.

This photo of Judy and me at Alta was taken in 1967. The old Snow Pine Lodge is seen just off Judy’s right shoulder. A luxury hotel replaced it last season.

This was the year we finally got modern skis. I know the exact date (October 31—Halloween—1967). Stein was in the shop representing Head skis, and he signed and dated a poster for us.

As the kids grew up, we shopped for the best family season pass deals. Here’s a photo of us at Solitude in 1972. Left to right: Karen, Erik, Amy, Judy, Jan, and Dana. After the photo was taken I stepped forward to retrieve my camera, leaving Dana without support. She slipped backwards into the trees and had to be rescued.

In 1981 we skied in Austria with two of our daughters. I had developed an interest in the folklore of Romania, and we had all been there twice in the ‘70s. In 1981 I received a grant to return from January through the summer. We brought Amy and Karen with us.

Erik was in college then and stayed in our house. Dana was on an exchange in New Zealand. Both were able to ski, so why not the rest of us? We each packed one ski outfit and hoped for the best.

As we drove south from Salzburg into the mountains in our Renault Le Car, I parked in front of a sports shop in the town of Wagrain. I asked a clerk in my best college German whether there was any skiing nearby. He grinned and pointed to a map on the wall, explaining that we were right in the middle of  “The Three Valleys,” a major ski center. There were 45 lifts linking Wagrain with the towns of St. Johann and Flachau.

We rented gear, found a B&B, and had a delightful weekend skiing the Alps. Here are Judy and the girls waiting for the ski bus. Wherever you ended up at the end of the day there was a free bus to take you back “home.” I almost gave up on Romania and switched to Austrian folklore.

Although we never managed to ski in Romania, the weekend in Wagrain made up for it. When we returned to Utah in the fall we learned that Deer Valley was opening that season. Modern skiing had arrived in the Beehive State, and we kept on enjoying it through our middle age and into senior status.

To be concluded . . .

seniorsskiing

Make More Tracks: Favorite Nordic Centers In The Northwest

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Cascadia Contains Cross-Country Resorts Close To Metro Areas.

[Editor Note: This article by Pete Wilson first appeared in The Nordic Approach.] 

The Pacific Northwest of the contiguous US is a wonderfully strange bit of geography. The Western edge is home to the fjord-filled Pacific Coast, where long beaches and towering seaside rock formations make for otherworldly getaways. Go the other direction, East and inland, and the mountains await. The Coast, Cascade, Olympic and Columbia mountain ranges boast massive snowcapped peaks and thick, lush temperate rainforests at the lower elevations. All this is to say that the landscapes of Oregon and Washington are utterly unique, with highland regions that turn quite alpine in the winter months. A smattering of excellent Cross Country ski venues dots this snowy swath of Cascadia, which all offer a Nordic experience unlike any others. At these awesome centers, you can cross glaciers, gaze upon craggy horns of ice, bob beneath the snow-laden branches of ancient redwoods—all within driving distance of the bustling metropolises of Portland and Seattle, and the thriving maritime world of the coastline.

Methow Trails
METHOW TRAILS

With a staggering 200km of well-maintained terrain sprawled along the majestic Methow Valley, the Methow Nordic Ski Trail System is at the pinnacle of Pacific Northwest adventure. Not only do the near-endless trails (which are designed for fat biking and snowshoeing as well as skiing) wind their way to some breathtaking vistas and natural features, they incorporate plenty of climbs, drops and flats fit for skiers, bikers and shoers of every stripe and skill level. Bookended by the twin towns of Winthrop and Twisp—and yes, the town of Twisp exists, and is an awesomely artsy destination in its own right—visitors to the Methow valley will find plenty in the way of libations, delicious meals, and warm hospitality.

LEAVENWORTH WINTER SPORTS CLUB

Cradled in the heart of the Cascade mountains, this one-of-a-kind winter sports club offers everything from Nordic skiing, sledding and tubing to alpine skiing and fat biking. This wintery wonderland as all the infrastructure needed for such a slew of activities: two groomed ski hills serviced by rope tows, 26 kilometers of pristinely groomed Nordic terrain, dedicated Nordic trails, and even a 27-meter ski jump are all available to make lasting memories for Leavenworth visitors. With trail passes starting at $14, be sure to check out this Washington gem whenever you’re in the area.

Leavenworth Winter Sports Club
49 DEGREES NORTH NORDIC CENTER

Tucked away in the far Northeastern corner of Washington (as the name suggests), 49 Degrees’ gorgeous Nordic network expands out from the Cross Country Center, a large yurt with a spacious deck that overlooks the trails and ski school area. From there, 25km of wide, well-groomed trails roll along into hundred-year-old forests, crisscrossed by narrow snowshoe paths. A full rental lineup and certified ski instructors stand ready to make ski days special for skiers of every ability.

MT. BACHELOR NORDIC CENTER

Considered one of the premier Nordic centers in Oregon, Mt. Bachelor is a fully decked out Cross Country Ski Shop, with the ski terrain to match. Almost 60 km of widely varied terrain wind around the base of the big peak, offering stunning views of the snowcapped, glacial peaks, leg-burning climbs and heart-pumping drops. For those looking to get some off-season training or free skiing in, it is worth noting that Mt. Bachelor has the longest groomed Nordic season in North America.

Tea Cup Nordic
MT. HOOD MEADOWS NORDIC CENTER

Perched at the base of Mt. Hood, the Meadows Nordic Center takes full advantage of the excellent snow conditions it inherits from the glacier looming above it. 15 km of groomed and set track wind through woods and across meadows with Hood poised as a picturesque backdrop behind it. For a perfect blend of big mountain views with small ski center accommodations and attention to detail, be sure to swing by Meadows if you are in the Bend, OR area.

 

Dave Chambers

Ski Japan: Happy Appi Kogen

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Untracked Deep Powder For A Week.

Appi Kogen is a self-contained resort in northern Honshu.

Casting aside the duvet and, with a flourish, we spread the curtains wide to greet a new day, a new location, a place of considerable legend.

Here the tall Japanese Black Pines punctuate the landscape between the tall buildings of our hotel in this place almost three quarters of the way up the island of Honshu.

Appi Kogen is one of Japan’s best ski resorts. The resort’s tagline: “Be Happy in Appi”, of course.

We have arrived by road to Appi Kogen, almost taking a whole day to do so. This road trip was tedious, attributed to a slow traffic jam and, paradoxically, the most exciting bus trip we could ever conceive.  Our bus driver, growing weary and ever more frustrated by the constant traffic jam, decided a different route was needed. The existence of a little used forest track was discovered—a forest track at times covered in deep virgin powder snow.

Our driver revealed quite a level of skill when required to navigate slippery and often poorly delineated tracks through the forest. Our driver and his co-driver were engaged in constant discussion as to how to proceed when fast acceleration was required. It was best alpine driving we are ever likely to witness. Although I well remember being in a taxi going up a hill from St. Anton to Lech in Austria where our driver exclaimed in strong language his scorn for the slippery steep slope and the driver of a Mercedes that halted his progress. Then, sliding backwards down a considerable slope completely at ease with his dilemma, he just reversed to a lower slope where he could gain some traction and move forward back up the steep narrow slope.

Back to Japan. Our trip, a long, long ten-hour drive by bus, one we hired  at Lodge Scolé at Zao Onsen Ski Resort to take us to Appi Kogen. Zao was a place of big tree runs and Snow Monsters. Traveling plans were adjusted for what we thought would be just a four-hour trip up the main island of Honshu.

A huge snowstorm of cold air from across the Sea of Japan unloaded across the north.  Our movement down the road now so slow at one point we left the bus to obey a nature call at a rest stop. We visited said rest stop and purchased takeaway lunch before returning to find the bus only 80 meters further down the road.

Appi Kogen is not far from the East Coast where those winter winds suck up the moisture from Sea of Japan and dump when they hit the land mass around Appi. Indeed this is often the case along the whole coastline particularly in the North where we are now.

It is another skiing day, a day not quite like we have experienced before above the snow line. Although I recall a day in Lech where we skied in snow so deep the only reveal of me deep in this fine dry powder is the top of my ski helmet.

Appi Kogen is very similar to this as is much of Japan in winter where it will often snow down to the beach and cover the sand.

Light fog at the top of the gondola leads to fields of deep powder.

After a couple of runs down medium steep slopes on the front side, we decide to venture as far out as we can to the most outer edge of the ski resort. We are at the topmost point on a black run now with powder so deep and almost un-skied, the day still early. We set an easy pace to get some rhythm in to our legs and balance in the fine powder. The visibility is ok but a little foggy. Japan is like this in winter because the cold is only -2 C (28 F) or at most -8 C (18 F), this knowledge gathered over many previous visits.

As we proceed down the slope, it is obvious the area has not been skied today or even possibly this last week. The slope is lined with trees mostly beech, so definition of the journey down is easy in the slight fog. As we near the end of this trail, the skiing gets flatter and, after 900 meters, we arrive at the gondola. It will surprise you to discover we skied all day down that one slope in fresh powder. Would you be further surprised to learn we skied that same slope for a whole week with no change to the perfect powder? Well, it amazed us to discover that many Japanese don’t like ungroomed snow. When you learn to ski in Australia. the quality of snow is mostly hard pack ice. There, the day temperature around -1C  (30 F) to 1C (34 F) and then freezing overnight: result, ice. So we are very lucky in Oz if we ever experience powder. At Appi Kogen, we have never experienced such perfect conditions for skiing for one whole week .

Be adventurous if you dare. Take a trip soon you will find the country very rewarding in so many ways.

Appi K: 70 percent of runs are intermediate or “easy”.

For a more extensive report in Appi Kogen, click here.

Harriet Wallis

Trailside Porcupine Becomes A Celebrity

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That’s one sharp porcupine. Credit: Laurie O’Connor

Skiers nimbly dodged a porcupine as he wallowed through deep snow to cross Alta’s ski slope. Some stopped to watch the prickly fellow tumble into a tree well and then start to climb. That’s all there was to see. The show was over. He was as prickly as the evergreen so his camouflage was perfect. He virtually disappeared.

But porcupine puns spiked when someone asked: “Why did the porcupine cross the trail?”

“He was looking for love,” said one.

“There was no point to staying where he was,” said another.

And the jokes continued …

“Something was needling him.”

“Because he didn’t want anybody to get stuck waiting for him.”

“He pined for a different tree.”

“Needle-less to say, to get to the other side.”

“His friends kept calling him slow-poke.”

“Where there’s a quill there’s a way.”

Most rodents don’t get such laughable attention. Do you have a porcupine pun to add?

Looking down from a chairlift, porcupine tracks are easy to identify. Tracks look like they were made by a tiny snowboard. Porcupines can weigh 12–35 pounds, and their quills detach easily if touched. They’re the third largest rodent in the world after the beaver and South America’s capybara. Porcupines crave salt, and when we lived in New England they were known to eat outhouse toilet seats for traces of salt left by human bottoms. And to get road salt they’d chew the tires off hikers’ cars parked overnight at remote trailheads.

 

mikemaginn

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (March 5)

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Looking Ahead, First Timers Tips For Europe, Personal Risk Test, Midwest Nordic Centers, DV/PCR Visits, Brunvand’s Journey, L2A Top-Bottom, Tune Up Kit, Okemo Founders, Harriet’s First Time, Emily And March.

Outdoor author Patrick McManus said: “God invented March in case eternity proved to be too brief.”

March, the elongated month, stretching from the cold of February to the sunshine of April.  March, do you know what you are doing to us?  You are driving us crazy. First, snow, then, nothing, then warm rain, then snow. March is the transition month, the signal that the year is changing, moving from one state of being to the next.

Behind is the COVID year with all its unusualness.  Ahead is the change. It appears the virus and all the aberrations it brings MAY be receding, and, like the month of March, may be transitioning, too. One can certainly hope.

And if the virus morphs to a more benign level of threat, be prepared for a really big change, an explosion of demand for all things forbidden in the last year. People are rabid to get back to whatever degree of normalcy makes sense.

Example: In Ipswich, the picturesque little town down the road, a new bakery shop announced it would be opening in an historic building near the town green. The “soft opening” would be on Friday last week, testing their equipment, procedures, recipes, etc.  The local news carried the announcement. People were lined up for coffee, bread, pastries well before the doors would open for the first time, standing out in the chilly morning, lined up way up the hill for something different. Lots and lots of people who wanted a taste not only of pain au chocolat, but “normalcy”. Call it by the familiar cliche: Pent Up Demand.

We believe that if normalcy or a facsimile comes in the fall, then now is the time to think about your plans for next season. What have you always wanted to do that you feel you must do in the upcoming year? Time is marching on, dear readers. Think big and broadly about next season’s adventures.

Season pass, sure, but no big deal.  Trip out West, yes, definitely. But, if you want to put a real exclamation point on your COVID year, consider a ski trip to Europe.

Kirchburg: €€ and just down the road from Kitzbuehel

If you’ve always wanted to ski in Europe, now is the time to think about where and how. You can go on a group trip with our advertisers—the 70+ Ski Club, AlpSkiTour, or Inspired Italy—or  or you can venture forth yourself. If you’ve never been, you are presented with a dizzying array of questions: How do all those interconnected areas work? Will I need a guide? What’s crowded and when? What resorts are expensive? Touristy? Weather?

You can start your research with Bob Trueman’s article this week.  A long time ski coach, Bob is UK-based and knows the resorts in Continental Europe quite well. He offers some tips for first timers as well as sharing some of his favorite spots.

Time to spin some plans.  Or fantasies. Regardless, March is the time to shift out of our status quo.  Let’s hope.

________________________________________

Thank you, dear readers, for your generous support of SeniorsSkiing.com.  We are humbled and gratified by your response. We plan to start mailing out premiums at the end of March or beginning of April. Please be patient.

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This Week

Jan, Judy, Erk, 1962.

Our Question For You asks what side of the risk spectrum you would place yourself? Are you a fast-and-furious hucker? A sedate blue carver? It will be interesting to see where are readers are along the continuum between those poles. Click here.

Finally, we focus on the Midwest.  Reader have rightly criticized us for not promoting Midwestern skiing.  Here’s an attempt to correct that: a compilation of the top Nordic resorts in the Midwest, part of our ongoing Make More Tracks series. Click here.

Contributor Pat McCloskey reports on a recent trip to Deer Valley and Park City. He tells us the true skinny of what it’s like to ski at big destination resorts this crazy winter. Click here.

Jan Brunvand continues his narrative of his ski life, this time, describing what happened when he returned from his Fulbright in Norway in the mid-50s. Click here.

How are your quads? Do you think you can make a non-stop run from the top of Les Deux Alpes down to the village (about one mile vertical)? Here is a video of someone who did.  Click here.

Or is this you?

Correspondent Karen Lorentz offers another profile of entrepreneurial ski resort founders, this time, the Mueller family, who bought Okemo in the early 80s and built it up, expanded, and attracted many new visitors. Click here.

The ever practical Marc Liebman shows us what is in his ski tune up kit.  He takes ski tuning very seriously. Do you? Should you? Click here.

Long time correspondent Harriet Wallis offers a memory of how she learned skiing.  Trust us, she’s just as fiesty now. Click here.

Skiing Weatherman Herb Stevens sees a storm coming to the Northeast soon. March madness, indeed.  Find out when. Click here.

Finally, our Snow In Literature series brings you a poem from Emily Dickinson about her visiting friend, you guessed it, the month of March.  Click here.

Tell your friends about SeniorsSkiing.com. Remember, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

Sunburst Six as it approaches the summit. Credit: Okemo Resort

 

 

 

Bob Trueman

First Timers Tips For Skiing Europe

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The Straight Story On The Continental Skiing Scene For Seniors.

I have coached in pretty well all of the European skiing countries. SeniorsSkiing asked me could I recommend resorts to suit mature American skiers, especially first time visitors to the Continent. Here goes.

The range of possibilities is vast. France plasters its slopes with lifts, Italy takes a more environmental view and installs fewer but longer lifts up valleys, offering equally long descents. Gressoney St Jean in the Aosta region (about an hour from Turin) is a classic example, it also links to Champoluc and Alagna.

Other Examples

Waidring: 10 lifts, 16 trails, intermediate-beginner, gemutlichkeit.

A friend went to Waidring in Austria every year for ten years. Great people, great snow, warm welcomes. They have a tradition called gemutlichkeit – geniality or friendliness. It is tiny – 10 lifts,16 trails all told, half of them intermediate, half of them beginner.

Val Thorens: 163 lifts, 373 miles of trails, ski to Courchevel

Compare that to Val Thorens-Meribel-Courchevel – 163 lifts, 373 miles of trails, 192,000 feet of vertical descent. Start in Val Thorens, ski to Courchevel, and you may not have time to get back. Hugely popular with Brits (far too popular for me, I hate lift queues)

What’s On Offer?

Different resorts in every country target different types of skiers – though they hope to get everybody.

Take the Chamonix Valley for instance, steeped in mountaineering history. Each of its resorts offers a spread of challenge but with a bias.

The lowest resort, Les Houches: charming, easier, all trails are in wooded areas, amply supplied with atmospheric mountain restaurants.

Almost an hour’s ski bus ride from Les Houches – is Le Tour. Almost treeless, big sweeping terrain, as well as plenty of intermediate trails it offers some easily accessible off-piste.

In between you have Le Brevent – high, steep, not easy; or Argentiere, home of the “hard men”, some of the blues would classify red (black) in other places.

When conditions permit, from Chamonix centre a telecabine takes you to the 22 km Vallee Blanche in the high mountains, and you only need to be intermediate, but you’ll need a professional guide: don’t try it on your own.

So How To Choose?

The internet is full of “the three best French ski resorts”; or “the ten best Austrian ones”; it’s endless.

What we need is a selection process. How does this seem:

Kitzbuehel: €€€€€

  • How pricey is it? There are big differences. If you select Kitzbuhel (fashionable) everything is more expensive than Kirchberg which is just a few miles up the road and accesses the same trails. Some resorts are designed around high net worth folk seeking luxury.
  • What duration is the connection time between your airport and the resort. It can be up to four hours or as little as only one. Does it matter to you?
  • Many European resorts are inter-connected, ask them what standard of skiing do they mostly offer. They’ll tell you they have everything, but insist on knowing what they mostly offer.
  • Within the connected areas ask them the approximate skiing times to get from one resort to another, and back: it can seriously affect your day – and how tiring it might be.
  • Ask them if skiing guides available who can show you early in your visit the general shape of the place. Many of the chalet owners and hotels offer this service – not teaching, just showing you around.
  • When are the school holidays? In France they go on for weeks. Lift queues can be horrendous. Outside of them, you can often just walk on. And remember, in some European countries lift queue etiquette and politeness is conspicuous by its absence; France is one of them.
  • Consider less popular countries that don’t have inter-connected valleys – Slovenia (home of Elan skis) has some nice small resorts; Bulgaria has more than you might think and inexpensive.

Kirchburg: €€ and just down the road from Kitzbuehel

My personal favorite? Baqueira in the Spanish Pyrenees. Two hour connection from Toulouse airport. Nicest folk you’ll ever meet (I go to the Hotel Tuc Blanc, and I’m not paid to say so). Watch out for school holidays though, it’s just across the border from France, but the Catalans queue politely.

Baqueira, the author’s favorite.

One Last Tip.

Never do “the last run down”! Everyone wants to get one more “last run” in. They do it on the return to the valley.

Don’t. They’re all tired; they’re skiing at their worst; there are crowds of them; the trails down lower are worn out or slushy. If you want “one last run” stay higher (the areas they’ve just left!) have better snow, fewer people, quieter mountains, and go down to the valley on the lift.

Hotel Tuc Blanc, author’s fav hotel in Baqueria.

 

seniorski5
Herb Stevens

Skiing Weatherman: Pattern Is Relatively Quiet

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Fresh Snow in Cali. Mild Temps Next Week.

Last week’s installment touched upon the fight we usually see in March between lingering cold to the north and advancing spring warmth from the south.  The fight usually takes the form of storminess, where it only a matter of whether there is enough cold air in the mix to produce snow instead of that other stuff.  And yet here we are in the first week of March with something resembling a mini snow drought over the eastern half of the country.  There hasn’t been a significant widespread snowfall in a couple of weeks and aside from northern New York and northern New England, where there have been one or two light snowfalls across in recent days, surfaces have morphed into “machine groomed” or, when temps rise above freezing, “loose granular.”  Fear not, though.  I hoped that a storm late this week would turn the corner and hit the Northeast, but a cold northwesterly flow has suppressed that idea well to the south.  By no means has the East seen its last snowfall, but the next sizable one will come after a turn to milder weather during the week of the 8th.  Here is a forecast for the jet stream level on the 11th that illustrates the cause of the warm-up.

If you follow the lines around the burnt orange center in a clockwise fashion, you can see that the air mass that flows into locations east of the Mississippi originates over the Southwest, where temperatures are running above normal.  At the same time stamp, the following surface map shows a high pressure center off the coast of New England.

Following the lines clockwise around the blue “H” indicates a broad, low level mild southwesterly flow reaching the Great Lakes to New England.  So, look for a shift to softer, spring-like surfaces in these areas next week.

The flip side of these ridges at the surface and aloft are the upper troughs and surface low centers that will be moving through the West next week.  The air flow is around troughs is counter clockwise, and if you look at the first map and picture the western trough sliding down the coast from Washington to southern California, you can see that a broad onshore flow of moisture will immediately precede the arrival of the center of circulation, which is a great recipe for fresh snow in the Cascades and Sierra ranges.  The highest totals will come from central and southern Sierra resorts, where the core of the trough will pass overhead midweek. Farther north it will be offshore.  Later next week, the weakening trough will swing through the southern Rockies, where lighter snow will fall but refresh surfaces.

Back to the East.  The pattern is progressive, so the warming will be transient.  Here is a jet stream forecast for the 15th that shows a cold trough returning to the Midwest and East.

That setup will help preserve snow and produce fresh snow at times and there are signs that the colder pattern will dominate the second half of the month.  More on that next week.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:

Pac NW/B.C.:

After a heavy late week dump in B.C., lighter snows fall this weekend in the Cascades.  Periodic light snows during the week of the 8th.

Central and southern Sierra:

Fresh snow as well as wind this weekend for Tahoe.  Snowy much of the week of the 8th for all Cali resorts.

Rockies:

Turning colder next week with light to moderate snows across the north.  Weakening upper trough brings light midweek snows in southern Rockies.

Midwest:

Seasonably cold weekend and milder next week.  Best shot at snow later next week across far northern Minnesota and Michigan.

Northeast:

Cold weekend with temps moderating by midweek.  Transition back to colder pattern gets underway next weekend with potential messy storm.

Mid-Atlantic/Southeast:

Midwinter temps this weekend; spring skiing develops next week.  Colder air returns week of the 15th.

 

 

seniorsskiing

Question For You: Risk Rating

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Are You A Hucker, Ripper, Park Rat, Or Just A “Sick” Planker?

This you?

Sorry for the jargon.  This week, we’d like to explore on which end of the risk spectrum our readers reside. We have a sense that some readers have slowed down, taken down the speed a notch or two, search for corduroy on on sunny days, and switched to Blues and Greens. On the other hand, we know for a fact that some readers regularly race, seek double Blacks, huck off jumps, go outside the ropes, and generally find fire in their skis.

Question For You: So which are you?  Use this scale to rate yourself:

       1 is risk lover, jumper, fast, ski whatever, go-go-go, chute flyer.

       5 is graceful carver of the wide, groomed Blues and Greens, nice, rhythmical arcs, slow-ish, and in control.

Since this is an unscientific and statistically insignificant survey, make up your own criteria for 2-3-4 on the rating scale.

It will be interesting to see how our readership sees itself.

Or is this you?

 

GiantsRidge_OldSawMedia-9369
seniorsskiing

Make More Tracks: Top Nordic Centers In The Midwest

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Here Are Five At The Top Of The List.

[Editor Note: This article by Pete Wilson first appeared in The Nordic Approach, the site of the Cross Country Ski Area Association.]

Midwest terrain is ideal for cross-country skiing.

Generally speaking, the midwestern states make up an overlooked bit of the country—literally, the fly-over states. And sadly, this wild misjudgment often extends to the world of outdoor activities. It’s easy to think of the old woods of the East and the vast mountains of the West as focal points for things like Nordic skiing; in truth, the Midwest is chock full of world-class country ski terrain and culture. Between the region’s breathtaking plains and dense rolling woods, working fields and forgotten valleys, it offers ample opportunity for amazing winter exploration. Below are some of our favorite Nordic centers in the Midwest, all of which combine a warm plains-state hospitality with unique and visit-worthy trails into your next ski destination.

ABR TRAILS

Tucked on the Western edge of Michigan’s Upper peninsula, almost in Wisconsin, the family owned and operated ABR Trails (Active Backwoods Retreat) takes full advantage of the Lake Superior Snowbelt in which it sits. Over 60 km of expertly groomed trails climb, drop and meander along the nearby Montreal river, reaching the heights of Blueberry Bluffs and the Hautanen Highlands and the lows of Coyote Canyon. In order for every skier to easily find the perfect route, trails are divided into loops that each offer a different level of difficulty. ABR’s professional staff (whose grooming skills are so honed they host clinics on Nordic trail building and grooming) stand ready to set you up with gear, advice, warm beverages, and whatever else you may need to keep exploring their nearly endless terrain.

ABR
GIANTS RIDGE

Originally designed as a training facility for Olympic skiers, it is no surprise that Giants Ridge towers today as a pillar of world class skiing. With over sixty kilometers of meticulously maintained trails expanding in broad loops over the hills that stretch out westward from Lakes Wynne and Sabin, memorable skis are guaranteed. Combine their epic terrain with the reliably snowy Northwoods winters, and it is quickly clear why Giant’s Ridge remains such a prized destination. Backed by the indulgent amenities of a large resort, Giant’s has a near endless array of activities, lodgings, and meal options ready to make create a unique ski getaway for every guest.

MAPLELAG RESORT

It is not often you strike upon a resort that places cross country skiing at the heart of its guest experience. Originally a maple sugaring operation, Maplelag has converted their 600 acres to pristine ski terrain, while the various buildings on the property now accommodate upwards of 200 guests. Boasting 64 km of trails flanking the frostily picturesque Little Sugarbush Lake, two onsite saunas, and a half a dozen uniquely comfortable lodging options, this erstwhile outpost updates the best Nordic traditions with Minnesotan hospitality and North American grandeur. The last chunk of forest before the Rockies, Maplelag is well worth a stop on your next trip to the Northern Midwest.

 
SOLBAKKEN RESORT

Nestled along the north shore of Lake Superior, midway between the winter sport hot spots of Lutsen and Grand Marais, Solbakken Resort’s sprawling, snowy playground awaits skiers, snowmobilers, and fat bikers alike. Consisting of 58 km of their own excellent trails, plus several hundred miles of connected trails this northerly play area promises endless adventure and a bottomless supply of what the Norwegians call Hygge—“well being.” With lodgings that run the gamut from motels to luxurious lakeside cabins, there are comfortable accommodations fit for individual skiers, fun-loving families, and couples looking for a romantic retreat alike.

GOLDEN EAGLE RESORT

Sitting both smack dab on the stunning Flour Lake and alongside the famous Gunflint Trail, Golden Eagle Resort is a well-situated gem buried deep in the wilds of Superior National Forest. The Resort’s real claim to fame, though,is its part ownership of the Central Gunflint Ski Trail System. This behemoth network of over 70 km of excellently groomed trails offers climbs to some of Minnesota’s loftiest peaks, and the spectacular views to match. Golden Eagle also maintains a small lighted loop for skiing after dark—on which, if you’re lucky, you might see the northern lights dancing in the night sky.

Jan Brunvand

Moving To Indiana Then Idaho

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Part Four: Jan and Judy Find Lots Of Places To Ski.

We returned from Norway in 1957 and headed to Indiana University. We skied Caberfae near Cadillac, MI, a couple of times, but otherwise, our four years at IU were devoted to my studies and having Bloomington’s New Year’s Baby in January 1960. Where and when would we ever start little Erik on skis?

When I graduated in June 1961 we had a second child on the way, and I had a job offer from the University of Florida. Then came a call from Moscow, Idaho. The chair of the Humanities Department wanted to expand offerings in American Studies, and he had contacted the well-known IU program to see whether any newly-minted folklorist was interested.

This was the only job I ever took without a site visit and a personal interview. Everything was done by telephone and letters. The offer came as a telegram. It worked out perfectly: Moscow was a pleasant small town, the university was solid, my colleagues were smart and friendly, and—best of all—there was a nice little ski area just north of town.

The North-South Ski Bowl had a couple of rope tows and a log warming house. Here is a photo of Judy and me with toddler Erik ready to ski. His baby sister Amy, was with a sitter. Yes, I’m still wearing that old Norwegian sweater.

Jan, Judy, Erk, 1962.

Besides our local area, we visited other ski resorts in our region. We skied Mt. Spokane a couple of times, and returning from a meeting in Seattle I skied Snoqualmie Pass. When I gave a lecture for an extension course in Boise I brought my skis and had a day at Brundage Mountain near McCall, a place Judy and I also skied together. By then we had replaced the front clip on our Norwegian skis with first-generation “safety bindings.”

In early 1962 I was surprised by orders to join the US Army and fulfill my ROTC obligation. Even this led to some  skiing.

On my way to join my class at Ft. Gordon, Georgia, I visited my parents in Lansing. My dad suggested that we go skiing. But was there time to drive up north? Not a problem. A new little area called Mt. Brighton was on I-96 down towards Detroit. In my dad’s garage I found some gear that fit, and thus I had what turned out to be my last ski day in my home state. Hard to believe that little old Mt. Brighton is now part of the Vail empire.

I was assigned to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, for a year. Judy and the two kids joined me, and we found a local ski club that met in a neighborhood bar. Their meetings were the last time either of us were carded to buy drinks. We never took a ski trip with the club, but we did get to some eastern ski areas on our own.

Judy’s aunt lived in upstate New York, so we could leave the kids with her and go skiing. Here’s Judy in 1963 at the now-defunct Petersburg Pass. It’s not clear whether she was planning to ski an expert or a novice trail.

Judy checks trail map at Petersburg Pass, 1963

Back in Idaho a major new area opened in the mountains above Sandpoint: Schweitzer Basin, now Schweitzer Mountain. We skied it in January 1964 when Judy was pregnant with our second daughter, Dana, born in Moscow in June. The views from the mountain looking past the frosted trees to Lake Pend Oreille were stunning.

Lake Pend Oreille from Schweitzer.

In spring 1965 opportunity knocked in the form of an offer from the Edwardsville campus of  Southern Illinois University. I felt I should not pass up a chance for a promotion to Associate Professor and time off for folklore fieldwork. So back we went to the Midwest with our three little kids, hoping that eventually we would be able to teach them skiing.

To be continued . . .

Marc Liebman

The Skiing Tune Up Pack

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DIY: Prepare And Repair  Ski Bottoms. Here’s What It Takes.

Crowded ski tool box: There must be a pony in there somewhere. Credit: Marc Liebman

Way back when I used to drive to ski resorts, I used to slide a toolbox into the back of the car with everything needed to tune a pair of skis, fix a gouge in the P-Tex and wax the bottoms. The biggest and most important item was my Toko hot waxer.

Between ski trips, each pair of skis received a coat of paraffin dripped onto the bottom, spread, scraped off and buffed. This was done three times and made the P-Tex rock hard as well as providing a base for any additional wax for the conditions or none at all. The treatment also made the bottoms much more scratch resistant.

As a back-up, or to allow someone called children to do their own skis, I had a simple travel iron. Another vital item was a 12-foot extension cord.

Also in the box was a brick of paraffin used in canning. Back before the turn of the century, each box had four, ¼ pound slabs.

In the box there were a collection of P-Tex “sticks” of varying colors to drip them into gouges. They sat in the same tray in the toolbox with a scraper and butane cigarette lighters I’d use to melt the P-Tex sticks and a soldering iron used to help clean out some of the gouges.

Several flat files were in the bottom for sharpening the bottom part of the ski’s edges. To take burrs off and to sharpen the edges to a perfect right angle, over the years, I’d acquired several different “planes” or edge sharping tools. Then once I was finished with the filing I had small whetstones to take off any microscopic burrs.

Most shops have belt sanders to grind off the bottoms and that just grates on my nerves. For one thing, the sander takes way too much bottom off. And two, the sander leaves burrs that need to be carefully filed off. Too much pressure during a careless pass down the belt sander could ruin a ski.

When finished, the edges could slice paper, which if you ski or race in New England a lot, is very helpful.

Every night after dinner, the family’s skis were waxed. My kids started helping around age eight and by the time they were teenagers, they could wax their own skis (!) And, yes, they could feel the difference between a tuned ski and one that wasn’t. The ritual also gave me a chance to check my family’s skis and bindings.

Also in the box was a box of helicoils which can be inserted in holes to enable a screw to be tightened. Having started skiing way back when metal plates were not built into the ski, they were handy to have around.

Ski tuning, or even de-tuning is an art as well as a science. Today, I can’t tell you how often a shop has given me a pair of high-performance rental skis that was desperately in need of a tune-up.

Karen Lorentz

Okemo Mountain Resort: A Mom And Pop Success Story

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The Muellers Saw The Potential And Took The Risk.

The young Mueller family in their first season at Okemo. Credit: Okemo Resort

When Tim and Diane Mueller purchased Okemo Mountain  in August 1982, it was a ski area with six Pomalifts and three double chairlifts. Under their mom-and-pop hands-on leadership, it became a year-round destination resort with summer activities and programs as well as a vastly expanded two-mile wide ski area with 667 acres of terrain, 46 miles of trails, 98 percent snowmaking, 121 trails and glades, a 2,200 foot vertical, and 20 lifts.

Attorney George Nostrand characterized the purchase as  “a struggle and a monumental risk. They had limited funding and if it failed, they would have lost everything they owned. I told Tim that I wouldn’t have had the stomach to take this kind of risk. He said to me, ‘Well, George, that’s the difference between an entrepreneur and a lawyer.’”

Referring to a Sno-Engineering 1981-82 Master Plan which concluded Okemo could become “a major destination resort,” with $8 million in improvements, mountain expansion and additional condominium complexes, Tim cited “the potential” as worth taking that risk.

“We assumed we would be successful because that is part of being an entrepreneur, but never in our wildest dreams did we foresee Okemo becoming what it did. Tim thought going from 90,000 skier visits to 200,000 annually would be doable, and that was our idea of being successful. We never thought we would reach 600,000 or operate three resorts — that was not a goal then,” Diane said.

Hospitality and Service Orientation

The Classic Red Poma Lift in 1956 which the Muellers replaced. Credit: Okemo Resort

With their background operating and expanding a beach resort on St. Thomas — and a Vermont home construction business prior to that — they had “a lot of energy and experience. There were good employees here with experience so it wasn’t as if we were wildly entering some field blindly,” Tim noted.

Still their first season was a struggle. With no time to research a chairlift, they focused on sprucing up with paint, new signs (saving money because Diane did them), and fixing the lifts as fast as possible when they broke down.

With natural snow not falling until mid January, the Muellers relied on snowmaking and had six trails by Christmas with two from the top, contributing to loyal skier appreciation and a “we can do it” attitude among staff.

They also focused on service. Diane cited their beach resort experience as giving them “a jump on the ski industry” in terms of offering quality service. The emphasis on Okemo and its employees providing top notch service was part of Okemo’s core values that enabled the ski area to grow to such a success, she added.

Their hands-on management style was impressive as they worked alongside their staff and management team . They listened to staff suggestions and were able to delegate responsibilities, which eventually allowed them to add Mount Sunapee (NH) in 1998 and Crested Butte (CO) in 2004.

Expansion and Success

Sunburst Six as it approaches the summit. Credit: Okemo Resort

With employee input as to where the replacement chair for the main Pomalift should go, the Northstar Triple was installed in 1983 (later a quad and then a sixpack). The development of the Clock Tower reception area and base village followed in 1984, creating excitement and a growing confidence in the mountain and the Muellers.

Hands-on resort operators Tim and Diane Mueller shown at the 2005 start of the Spring House at Jackson Gore. Credit: Karen Lorentz

The continuing addition of chairlifts, snowmaking, and new trails was impressive. The expansion to Solitude Peak in 1987 provided the Muellers’ first new lift-and-trail complex on 225 acres and was enhanced by a lodge and trailside units.

The development of convenient trailside condominium complexes — on private land the founders had purchased and on land the Muellers acquired — enabled profits to be invested into mountain improvements, including lodges, halfpipe and terrain parks, another new trail-and-lift complex at South Face (1994), a novice area at lower Solitude (1995), and the Jackson Gore complex (2004-06).

The offering of children’s daycare and ski instruction programs combined with an early welcoming of snowboarding in 1987 enhanced the area’s appeal as family friendly and an avant garde ski and snowboard school further propelled its growing popularity. By 2009, Okemo ranked in the top two in Vermont and the East and top 13 in the nation by skier visits!

When Vail Resorts acquired Okemo Mountain Resort September 27, 2018 it may have been the end of the Mueller era at Okemo, but thanks to their success, it was also the beginning of an Epic era that pays homage to their legacy of creating a great family-oriented resort.

 

Harriet Wallis

Don’t Tell Me To Stay Home

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How I Was Reinvented As An Athlete.

Riding the rope. Harriet’s daughter Alison, 5, in leather boots and wooden skis on Jiminy Peak’s rope tow. Credit: Harriet Wallis

I learned to ski on a dare. Actually, it was a threat.

When my husband announced he was going to learn to ski, I gulped. I thought skiing was something crazy people in the other side of the world did, but not here in Connecticut.

“You’re going to do what?” I asked. “How are you going to learn to ski?”

“I read a learn-to-ski book, and I’m going to do it,” he said.

I was still processing that concept when he added, “And you can babysit the kids.”

I was being told to stay home and take care of the kids while he was going off to learn some stupid sport. That was the last straw.

“Whatever this ski-thing is, we’re all going to learn to ski,” I insisted. “You, me, and the kids.”

It was the early 70s and equipment was changing rapidly. Plastic boots were making a hit, and leather boots were cheap at ski swaps. We outfitted all four of us – boots, boot carriers, wooden skis, poles, and a few jackets – for under $100. Lessons got us started, and we spent many Saturdays practicing wedge turns from Jiminy Peak’s free rope tow. The sport was beginning to stick.

As for me, I didn’t know I was athletic until I learned to ski. I was in my 30s with two children. Back in high school gym class, I was always the last one picked when they chose teams. I wasn’t even chosen. I was the last one standing there and the gym teacher would say: “Harriet, go over to that team.”  I just wasn’t very good at team sports: volleyball, basketball, or softball. But when I learned to ski, I was reinvented as an athlete.

And that has stuck too.

mikemaginn

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Feb. 26)

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Cross Country Bubble, Skiing Styles History, Aspen Top-Bottom Run, Gelati Apres-Ski, Norway Skiing, Yellowstone Yurt Resort, Goggle Fog, Weather Ahead.

Dawn, Appleton Farms, Ipswich, MA. Credit: NSNA

Across the street in Appleton Farms, we notice many disparate groups of xc skiers, snowshoers, dog walkers, and hikers have been descending in growing numbers whenever there is a decent covering of snow, a frequent occurrence this February.  The stalwart North Shore Nordic Association, a non-profit group of volunteers, grooms miles of trails at night and reports snow conditions in their daily online update.  Cars overflow the parking lots provided by the Trustees of Reservations, spilling over to the tiny country roads around the farm. When the snow falls, snow lovers come out to the country.

The numbers are many, many more than we’ve ever seen at Appleton’s, a sprawling 900-acre tract of conservation land on Boston’s North Shore. The good news is that cross-country skiing and snowshoeing have arrived. You can tell from the technique of many of the skiers, the heavyweight parkas and snow pants, and the way they hold their poles that some of the many are truly neophytes. A good thing! New people into the sport!

It took a pandemic, months of being shut-in with limited activity, Alpine ski resort restrictions, and some decent snowfall all over the country to bring cross-country and snowshoeing into the spotlight.

According to the Cross Country Ski Areas Association, sales of cross country skis, boots, and bindings are up more than 30 percent compared to sales through mid-February last season. Snowshoe sales are also up 30 percent. Some retailers noted that sales have doubled or more. And some retailers are sold out and report they can’t get additional products from suppliers. Fat bikes didn’t see a jump in sales, though. That’s probably because of a lack of inventory after last summer’s biking boom.

We view this as a very positive development for winter sports. We know our readers want to get out in the snow, the cold is not an obstacle, and that the exercise and fresh air make all the difference after being cooped up and distanced.  If you have been reluctant to discover or re-discover these other snow sports, now’s a good time to give it a go. Take those old skinny skis down to the ski shop and have them checked out. Look at the articles in SeniorsSkiing.com’s Make More Tracks Resource Guide. Find a place near you. Golf course, cross country resort or ski area, (see XCSkiResorts.com), city park, baseball field. Take it slow and flat at first, bring your lunch in a backpack with a couple of cans of Heineken. Sit down in the sun and enjoy the feeling. Get some instruction. And tell your friends you’ve just had a terrific day outside on the snow.

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Thank you to you, dear readers, for your amazing support during our February Fundraiser.  The response has been overwhelming, and we are sincerely touched.  The premiums and stickers will be going out by the end of March. If you want to make a donation, please click here.

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This Week

Judy in powder on her new skis and outfit.

Correspondent Jan Brunvand continues the saga of his skiing life with a look back at his Fulbright year in Norway in the mid-50s.  Newly married, Jan and Judy seem to have immersed themselves in all kinds of Nordic adventures in and around the Oslo area. Click here for Part Three of his ongoing story.

Dining room and kitchen yurts glow at sunset.

When this virus finally clears out, you might be interested in a real outdoor adventure in a beautiful setting.  Correspondent Jonathan Wiesel describes his magical stay at Yellowstone Expeditions, a rustic, remote, yet comfortable camp-resort tucked away in the National Park. Sleep in a yurt, ski among the wild life, dine in a tent. Yellowstone Expeditions is definitely a Make More Tracks resort to check out.  Click here.

Our Question For You this week comes from a reader who believes that COVID has brought new problems to keeping goggles clear. Offer your advice and solutions to his question: “What do I do about face mask-induced foggy goggles?” Click here.

The Traveling Australian, Dave Chambers, reflects back on the tail end of a three-week ski trip to the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps.  His story isn’t so much about skiing, but rather the joy of decompressing in the beautiful city of Milano, and being obsessed by the abundance of Gelati, the elixir of the weary alpine skier. Catch the flavor here.

Gelati in the presence of Il Duomo di Milano. Perfect. Credit: Dave Chambers.

Ski coach and frequent contributor Bob Trueman explains the history of ski styles and the role international competition between France and Austria played in creating, and, in his opinion, branding defined ways of skiing and teaching skiing. Where did that counter-rotation idea come from? Those ankles welded together? The French turn? You’d be surprised how some mistaken observations and assumptions created a rigid orthodoxy around technique. Click here.

We found another “top-to-bottom” video taken by a skier, this time taking us from the tippy top of Aspen Mountain all way down to the Silver Queen gondola. Since you probably aren’t heading to Aspen this season, (if you are, lucky you), this will serve as a nano-vacation. Enjoy the non-stop run, and, since it’s vicarious, your quads will love you for it. Click here.

Finally, The Skiing Weatherman Herb Stevens pipes in with a view of next week’s weather. As you will see, like the stock market, conditions will be going up and down. Click here.

Thanks again for supporting SeniorsSkiing.com. Please tell your friends and remember, there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.

Groomed trails ready for the day. Appleton Farms, Ipswich, MA. Credit: NSNA

 

 

Herb Stevens

Skiing Weatherman: Transition Month Trials

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Late Season Powder. Rain And Snow.

Although astronomical spring begins with the vernal equinox later in March, “meteorological spring” begins on the first day of March.  That’s when the questions start to arise about how long the season is likely to extend.  Those questions are more common for resorts over the eastern half of the country, where injections of milder Pacific air have been present at times in the past week, and they will continue to come east at times during the first two weeks of the new month.  Surfaces have become more variable, especially on sunny days when trails with full exposure to the sun start to soften up and moisten by midday, thanks to the increasing seasonal output of Old Sol.

Transitional months are the most difficult for forecasters as the battle between warm and cold expands both in area and magnitude.  It is still mid-winter cold in Canada, but the South is steadily warming up in spite of what we witnessed in Texas a week or two ago.  The contrast in air masses can lead to some blockbuster late season snows but if the low center happens to cut up over the Great Lakes rather than run up the eastern seaboard, some of the early spring warmth from the South can rush northward and deal a nasty body shot to snow conditions.  However, back in 2014-2015, three Nor’easters came up the coast and the Northeast got three significant dumps of snow.  While it is great to see a late season parade of storms like that, more often than not, the air mass fight leads to more variety in terms of temps and precip types.  For the next couple of weeks, the pattern will be quite changeable over the eastern half of the country.  With colder air a little harder to find, elevation will play a big role in the snow vs. rain equation.

Overall, the pattern currently does not look like as productive in terms of significant storm threats as what unfolded during February.  The best shot at a meaningful snowfall would appear to be at the end of the first week of the new month.  Here is a surface map for Friday the 5th that shows a storm impacting the central and northern Appalachians.


The track is hugging the coast, which would allow enough mild air to spread into the mountains to start the precip as rain.  However, as the low tracks northeastward, the rain would change back to snow and a sizable “backside” accumulation could be in the cards, as suggested by this snowfall map for the 5th and 6th.


Longer term, I tend to think that the pattern will deliver enough cold air to keep the season going.  March in La Nina years tends to favor a continuation of winter across the North and for now I am going to lean on that analog.

In the West, weather worries are minimal, as transient upper level troughs will swing through the region at times and those systems will produce some late season powder days and sustain outstanding conditions.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:

Pac NW/B.C.:

The hits just keep on coming.  After very heavy snow to end the weak, weaker systems sustain the snowy pattern next week; quieter in OR.

Central and southern Sierra:

Windy weekend for Tahoe and SoCal resorts. Quiet week coming up, best shot at snow next weekend.

Rockies:

Light snow this weekend; ridging leads to quiet week thereafter.  Next shot at snow next weekend.

Midwest:

Seasonable weather overall for next week.  Passing weak systems produce light snow in northern Great Lakes.

Northeast:

Light mixed precip this weekend. Elevation matters!  Early week cold shot, then milder.  Potential for sizable late week storm.

Mid-Atlantic/Southeast:

Damp weekend; colder with high elevation snow Monday.  Snow potential mid to late week-north.  Challenging upcoming week of weather in southern Appalachians.

 

 

Jonathan Wiesel

Make More Tracks: Yellowstone Expeditions

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A Rustic Retreat In Remoteness.

Yurts and heated tent cabins accommodations in remote corner of Yellowstone.

When skiers talk about great backcountry, they often cite the Tenth Mountain and Braun systems in Colorado; Sierra Club huts in California; Skoki Lodge, Assiniboine and Shadow Lake in the Canadian Rockies. I’d like to add a new destination, near Canyon in Yellowstone National Park. (Check an atlas, find Yellowstone in the northwest corner of Wyoming; Canyon is in the north central part of the Park.)

Actually, Yellowstone Expeditions is in its 38th season. And to be honest, they use yurts and tent cabins, not log huts or lodges. But “great” is perfectly appropriate, whether it’s skiing or snowshoeing, staff, dining, or the amazing landscape of the world’s first national park (1872).

Yellowstone isn’t exactly a winter secret, but skiers visit the Canyon area only when they’re passing by in enclosed heated snowcoaches or on snowmobiles, mainly because there’s no lodging within 35 miles except Yellowstone Expeditions.

The company was founded by Arden Bailey, who in summer works as a geologist who once specialized in radioactive waste disposal. (There’s a theory Arden is such a bright guy that no one in his vicinity needs a headlamp.)

The high point of my winter used to be running winter trips in the U.S. and Canadian Rockies, so it was a joyous thing to be a guidee around Canyon. Most of the time I skied with Erica Hutchings, a Renaissance woman who’s been office manager, snowcoach driver, PSIA-certified instructor, and super-guide. Come summer, she’s been a river ranger in Grand Teton National Park.

Who Are Those Guys?

Dining room and kitchen yurts glow at sunset.

All the guides are a hoot. They’re also naturalists, dishwashers, and talented cooks, working crazy hours with all kinds of clients, and carrying it off with humor and panache and quick wits. What a work ethic!

Arden’s talents include amazing stories and still more unbelievable jokes. This sense of humor seems to inspire guests, who tend to be crazy-diverse in their professions and interests anyway. Our group on one visit included a doctor from New Mexico, a writer from New York, and the owner of a trucking firm in Texas. I learned something about publishing fiction, summer weather around Houston, anatomy, movies, Superfund sites, national politics, and succession tree species after the Yellowstone fires of 1988.

A typical four-, five- or eight-day trip begins with a snow van ride from West Yellowstone to Canyon with skiing near the rim of the Yellowstone toward the end of the day. We enjoyed a novel experience along the Gibbon River—a herd of maybe 200 slow-moving bison. We couldn’t pass them for almost two hours. It was a photographer’s dream, including the chance to take pictures of fuming snowmobilers who revved engines but still didn’t intimidate the beasties.

And There’s Skiing

Here’s why people come to Yellowstone.

You can visit the park for its beauty, for wildlife, for geysers. I did it that time for long tours, powder, and downhills. It’d been a long time since I’d really skied hard in the backcountry. It’s easy to forget how few miles a small group can REALLY go in eight hours when you’re breaking trail through two feet of fresh snow.

The Yurt Camp is based at 8,000 feet, so it gets and holds 200-250 inches of snow, usually the light stuff Montanans call “cold smoke.” It’s in a spectacular area, minutes from the deep canyon of the Yellowstone. Terrain runs from long-open-steep to wooded-gentle.

I’ve always been a so-so unenthusiastic telemarker, never quite found that ideal combination of grace, strength, and technique. After that trip, I’m a certified Wannabe.

It stood to reason that 205 cm light touring gear would do the trick for touring, even for low-angle telemarking. This might have worked if the heels of my boots hadn’t kept jamming with snow. It’s demoralizing to start a turn, come round just far enough that skis are pointed down the fall line, and find the only part of the boot/binding system meeting its obligations is the toe.

Humility is a great teacher.

Yeah yeah, I know, “It’s the equipment.” But the next day I used mid-length general touring gear with a 3/4 metal edge with backcountry boots and bindings. Spectacular improvement! Even carrying a full pack, those skied floated and came around on request.

Actually, we could have skipped hills almost entirely. There’s a huge variety of trails—groomed, ski-set, or just marked—taking off right from camp, including gentle tours to places like Inspiration Point and Cascade Lake.

Wilderness luxury

Guests stay in warm, comfortable hut tents, a moments walk from the kitchen and new dining yurts. Here’s the thing you sweat for and dream of on skis or snowshoes: getting home at twilight and trying the new cedar sauna before dinner. Or better yet, a backwoods (indoor) shower—rapture!

Among my favorite moments were the intermittent thunder of the Yellowstone’s Lower Falls (much higher than Niagara); walking around Washburn Hot Springs (it’s a map-and-compass trip in); watching a park ranger skate at dusk beside the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, just after a grooming machine came through; learning the differences between fisher and coyote tracks; digging a snow pit for evaluating avalanche potential; and the pleasure of a heated outhouse.

Now, that’s livin’!

More Detail

Packages include delish meals, lodging, snowcoach, sleeping bags and sheets, and guiding. The season runs December 17-March 7th. Four-day/three night visits run $1,260 per person, double occupancy. The camp holds 10-12 guests. Check out the dynamite web site by clicking here or call 800-728-9333.

Late afternoon along the thermal waters of Alum Creek

 

Dave Chambers

Obsessing Over Gelati In Milano

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After Your Ski Trip, Do This, Especially When In Italy.

Duomo di Milano where we indulged in our initial Gelati. Credit: Medium.com

It is the 8th March 2013, the day is cool but sunny. It is still winter here in Milano, Italy. Food and Italians go together like toast and marmalade on Isle of Wight. The clever people that they are they gathered the recipe from Marco Polo and created ice cream. Gelati to the Italians, and not simply ice cream as we know it.

We have skied some legendary powder. Morzine, Avoriaz, Courmayeur, and the slopes of high Switzerland. Now all behind us. The mishap that was Marg’s on the slopes of Morzine Ski Resort where her hip parted company with her femur. It’s done and sorted. She by now languishing in a hospital back in Australia. Ahead of her months and months of exercises by physical therapists. Our remaining group of skiing tourists head to downtown Milano for some creature comforts and good European hot chocolate and to search for that legendary Gelati.

Forget your bucket list, it’s so yesterday; just visit Italy. Don’t dally, this place is cool. Built by people that know a thing or two about how to construct a medieval village. It has everything you never realized you needed. But now know where your life experiences can be fulfilled.

In Italy, they have Gelati; it’s everywhere. In Italy, it helps to be passionate and quite obsessive about food. You fit the culture better. The medieval diet is a thing. The food here makes your heart sing. I am a man of simple taste, I like a Lou Reed riff, Italian Gelati, fresh snow, Uva di Troia, blue sky, powder snow, porcini mushrooms, wasabi pear paste, Nutella Pizza, Italian hot chocolate, and cats. Italy has nine out of the above, that’s plenty to make a trip of a lifetime.

Tack it on to the end or start of your next skiing trip.

Anyhow, Gelati is our focus. We decided, as you do in Italy, to search for that Zen moment. Or nirvana when food passes your lips and mere seconds later you are taken to another place.

Gelati in the presence of Il Duomo di Milano. Perfect. Credit: Dave Chambers.

Day One Milano. We sit in the hugely dominating presence of the massive cathedral that almost blankets the whole square. The Duomo di Milano, 600 years and still standing, all 135 gargoyles of it. Seated at an open-air restaurant, we eat yet another excellent pasta. Porcini mushrooms grow wild in the forest here. Collected from the forest and scattered with a slip of black truffle across a fresh house made pasta. Simple yet sublime. Accompanied by a very good Montepulciano.

The conversation turns to Gelati, and, I kid you not, within twenty quick paces we find a purveyor of fine Gelati . We ordered enough scoops to satisfy a platoon.  All your typical flavors. Our excitement was rewarded with explosions of flavor.

Could it get better than this. We didn’t think so.

Day Two. Now down to just two of us, the other tourists having skipped and flown home. We are just getting a feel for Italian lifestyle. Our concentration heightened now we are tuned in to the local food scene. Feeling switched on. We trawl through the piazzas. We circle and wander the streets looking for shops that mysteriously stay hidden for almost two hours looking for snow wear retail stuff. My mate has a tired ski jacket in need of replacement. Suddenly we blunder upon the old bohemian quarter, exclusive and designer expensive. The luxury within these narrowed walkways is revealed. By chance or divine intervention, our next serve of designer Gelati is nigh. Imagine Mango, so smooth, the deepest orange in color and very glossy with smooth mouthfeel. This mango Gelati has the most intense sweet flavor and equal first place to yesterday’s I decide. Sacrilegious, I know, but folded within a wispy thin, crepe.

Simply the best: cioccolata italiana milano.

Last day. We lunch under the brooding gargoyles of the Duomo di Milano, now grey with mist and rain.  Within our shallow bowl, pasta. The waitress recommends a very fine local red wine. I ask her about Gelati. “Oh yes,” she says encouragingly, “You should visit Cioccolata Italiana,” further adding, “It is the best in Milano.” We are excited. I demand four flavors.  It’s a bucket but a small one. Of flavors chosen, I can’t remember because my tastebuds had hard wired to my brain. Endorphins now in overdrive. The Cioccolata Italiana Chocolate conjured angels. Those angels started dancing on my tongue, the intensity of chocolate, the smoothness as it melted around your taste buds, all balanced with a not too sweet finish, a deep dark chocolate that lingered long after the first taste. The heavens had opened just then for a tiny glimpse of ice cream nirvana. This is not just any Gelati, this is alchemy for the tastebuds and simple the best Gelati I have ever experienced. The ancient Romans may have brought you the amphitheatre, sewers, and concrete, but I am thanking them for their wonderful Gelati and the Medicis for Marco Polo.

Chocolate, please. Credit: Dave Chambers

 

mikemaginn

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Feb.19)

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Why Support SeniorsSkiing.com, Ski Test Process, Flat Light Nemesis, Women Behind Pico, Sustainable XC Resorts, Snow In Literature, Skiing Weatherman.

Fresh snow. Credit: AA Maginn

If you are of a certain age, you’ve probably figured out by now that people in business, sports, and marketing, who design, sell and market products and services, who have hiring responsibilities, and, generally, who are under 40, view aging as a liability. You get that attitude from ads which extol youth, age-ism in the workplace, and people who view us a draw on the economy.

And yet, the AARP says Americans 50 and older represent 35 percent of the population but control 83 percent of all household wealth (2018). And we are responsible for 56 cents for every dollar of consumer spending. So, we’re not nothing.

We get it. The old view of aging is that people get old, look like dried apples, consume medical care, juggle doctor appointments, and go away to rocking chairs on porches watching birds at the bird feeder and occasionally babysit.  That’s the old view, and, unfortunately, the view that many, many un-old people have of aging.

Of course, we know that’s totally misguided. Readers of SeniorsSkiing are those who recognize what’s possible later in life. We are out there, actively living, doing what’s meaningful, and chasing goals and dreams. That’s the view we have; the demographics below our senior level haven’t figured that out yet.  But they will when they mature.

Our surveys have shown that even though our reader’s average age is about 69 years old, our self-image age is in the 40s. That’s the point. We don’t feel or act old. No stereotyping here. We just keep going.

That is what makes SeniorsSkiing unique. We are the only publication we know of that focuses on seniors who love the winter outdoors and all the sports and activities that includes.

And, we’ve found a wonderful audience that resonates with the idea of being active, engaged, and connected.

Consider supporting SeniorsSkiing. We are on your side. Click here.

[Editor Note: Co-Publisher Jon Weisberg is facing a medical challenge this week. You can wish him well by taking a run for him. Short Swings will be on hiatus for a while.]

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This Week

Nipika is totally off the grid.

Correspondent Marc Liebman recalls how he and John Perryman created a more objective set of procedures for ski testing back in the 70s. Controlling ski tester bias is the big variable. Click here.

Co-Publisher Jon Weisberg found an unusual accessory for the original Model T Ford. Various parts could turn the car into a snow mobile. It was marketed as a way to save money on horses. Click here.

Our Question For You this week shifts to a practical question: How do you manage flat light? It’s been our personal nemesis when we encounter it. We’ve had several articles about flat light, but this time, we want to hear what you do. Do you goggle up with special lenses? Do you head for the lodge? Is it a big deal for you, as it is for us, or is it just one of those things? Click here.

Karl and June Acker took over from Janet and continued to expand the Pico resort.

Correspondent Karen Lorentz sends a report on the women who shaped the history of Pico Mountain Resort, VT. Several determined women owners actually led the development of the resort—one of America’s oldest—with their partners. An impressive story about impressive people. Click here.

XCSkiResorts.com publisher Roger Lohr has an interesting Make More Tracks story about how xc ski resorts are saving money and protecting the environment by adopting a variety of clean-energy sources. Click here.

The Skiing Weatherman brings us a view of the next week in Snow Land. What’s ahead? Click here.

And here’s the next in our next Snow In Literature series, Robert Frost’s On A Tree Fallen Across The Road. There’s a message here about how to deal with obstacles. “Seize the earth by the pole” is a start. Click here.

Thanks for reading SeniorsSkiing.com. Tell your friends, and remember there are more of us every day, and we aren’t going away.