SeniorsSkiing.com Archives - Page 9 of 48

Make More Tracks: Predicting Participation In XC/Snowshoeing

November 16, 2020/0 Comments/in Make More Tracks/by seniorsskiing

[Editor Note: The following article was written by Kelly Davis, Snow Sports Insights. Kelly is a veteran snow sports industry researcher and a consult to the Cross Country Ski Area Association.]

Alternatives To Alpine Skiing Are Expected To Blossom This Season.

Participation in cross country skiing and snowshoeing is expected to increase significantly this winter for the second season in a row. Since late March, when the COVID-19 pandemic sent many Americans home, participation in many outdoor activities has spiked, including hiking, cycling, and paddling. Trailheads across the country were full, many on trails were there for the first time looking for activities that offered safe, socially distanced activity outside of the home and away from the gym. Some areas reported more than double the usual traffic on local trails.

The numbers that we’re seeing are greatly higher than we’ve ever seen before. We’re seeing it across all of the forest, in our places where we’ve kind of labeled as quieter places. They’re at capacity and spilling out as well. Tiffany Brenna U.S. Forest Service

As the weather turns colder, sending many indoors and driving up COVID-19 infection rates, Americans will again look for ways to get outdoors and participate in healthy and physically distanced activities. In addition to offering a refuge from COVID, cross country skiing and snowshoeing are some of the most accessible and economical activities available.

Participation

XC/Snowshoe participation numbers are up. Credit: Snow Sport Insights

Last season, despite the abrupt end of skiing at downhill resorts in March, cross country skiing and snowshoeing saw participation grow. More than 5.2 M Americans participated in cross country skiing, a 6 percent increase over 2018/2019. Snowshoe participation grew more than 12 percent last season to 3.6M participants.

Cross country skiing and snowshoeing are far more accessible than downhill skiing for most participants. Skiers and snowshoers participate at many different locations including cross country ski areas that offer miles of groomed trails, groomed municipal properties, golf courses, parks, frozen lakes, and even on snow covered roads and sidewalks in their neighborhoods. In fact, many participants can find trails within a few miles of their home.

According to an SIA study on barriers to participation, downhill skiers typically need to travel at least 45 minutes to get to the nearest lift-served resort and they can expect to pay about $100 for a weekend lift ticket. By comparison, cross country skiing trail day passes average $15 and season passes range from $25 for the Great Minnesota Pass to $212 at the Trapp Family Lodge located in Stowe, VT, to $280 at Devil’s Thumb Ranch in Frasier, CO. [Editor note: Local parks, golf courses, and conservation areas are often free or ask a small fee] .Once on the skis, remaining physically distanced from others on trails that frequently are 12-18 feet wide is a non-issue.

Retail

In speaking with retailers across North America, many are saying August and September sales of cross country gear are up as much as 300 percent. Several retailers are saying the gear being sold is entry level packages, indicating beginner skiers are thinking very far out about the coming winter and what activities they will be doing.

I’ve already increased all my orders exponentially—quite a bit for cross-country skiing. It’s going crazy now. I’ve never had the (ski) wall up so early. I’ve never had so much interest. We’ve never sold so many packages this early in the season. It’s pretty incredible. Trevor Norgan Canadian Retailer, Regina Sports

The 2020/2021 season projections are positive. Increased participation will drive hard goods sales that typically total about $40 M according to NPD. Participants will also need winter apparel but most who participate in other outdoor activities won’t need to spend thousands on a new kit. Cross country skiing doesn’t require a helmet, or goggles and not everyone chooses to deck themselves out in spandex (although wicking fabric is helpful).

The Experience

Cross country skiing and snowshoeing are fun to learn, healthy, family friendly, accessible, affordable, and offer great variety. Participants can hike their favorite trails on snowshoes, find amazing winter scenery on groomed cross country ski trails, or wait for snow to fall in their neighborhoods and ski around town. Cross country skiing uses natural movements; it doesn’t require special skills to get started and has a short learning curve. Snowshoeing may be more difficult than walking but most people can start snowshoeing within minutes of strapping on their snowshoes. As an added bonus, many areas that cater to cross country skiers and snowshoers offer fine food and craft beverages.

An important factor likely to drive increased participation on trails this winter is the obvious social distancing advantage these activities have over lift-served downhill skiing. The two largest alpine resort operators have announced that there will be capacity limitations at their resorts and season pass holders will have priority. Casual skiers, those that only ski a few times each season, may find themselves blocked out of weekend skiing at lift served resorts. Social distancing is far easier when skiers and snowshoers have miles of trails to explore away from crowds.

The financial bottom line on cross country skiing and snowshoeing tends to be small, making these winter activities an excellent option for anyone that wants to experience a true winter wonderland.

Weather

Finally, weather is always a factor in winter sports, and cross country skiing and snowshoeing depend on snowfall. The forecast for this winter is promising. This season, La Niña conditions are projected, the northern states and Canada will be colder and wetter than normal. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “La Niña favors increased snowfall over the Northwest and northern Rockies, as well as in the upper Midwest Great Lakes region. Reduced snowfall is observed over parts of the central-southern Plains, Southwest, and mid-Atlantic.” Many downhill ski resorts have snowmaking equipment that can compensate for natural snow, but fewer than 20 percent of cross country trail systems have snowmaking capability. This season’s weather looks promising for most cross country ski areas.

Make More Tracks: How To Snowshoe

November 16, 2020/2 Comments/in Make More Tracks/by seniorsskiing

Snowshoeing Is A Highly Accessible and Easy Way To Enjoy The Winter.

Now here’s a winter outdoor sport that brings you in to the vibrant , snow-filled landscape and fresh air with a minimum of hassle and expense. From our surveys, we’ve noticed that those who snowshoe often bring spouses and grandchildren along into an easy way to walk in the woods.

How easy is it to get started? Here’s a short instructional video from LL Bean. Click on the image to view.

Make More Tracks: Hidden Gems Of Nordic Skiing

November 16, 2020/1 Comment/in Make More Tracks/by Roger Lohr

[Editor Note: This article first appeared in XCSkiResorts.com.]

Less Known, Excellent XC Destinations To Explore.

Comfortable going along the river behind the Woodstock Inn. Credit: XCSkiResorts.com

With torrent of people hitting the trails and the outdoors across the country, XCSkiResorts.com wanted to give a shout out to hidden gem destinations for cross country (XC) skiing this winter. There may very well be an overflow of skiers at the most popular XC ski trails, so this guide will share some of the lesser known but excellent destinations.

In the east, the Woodstock Nordic Center https://www.xcskiresorts.com/woodstock-nordic-center offers more than 45 km of skiing right in the town of Woodstock, VT on two trail systems. The Mt. Peg trails begin on the golf course at the Woodstock Country Club and climb to the summit overlooking the village below. On nearby Mt. Tom, the Center grooms more than 20 km of trails on old carriage roads in the midst of Vermont’s first tree farm and Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park. The Woodstock Inn & Resort, which operates the Nordic Center is a 142 room AAA four Diamond Resort in the heart of Woodstock, a town that is the quintessential New England town with a wonderful collection of restaurants and shops.

Lapland Lake XC Ski & Vacation Center http://www.xcskiresorts.com/lapland-lake/ in Northville, NY features a touch of Finland in the Adirondacks from the food and the resident reindeer to the Finnish woodburning sauna and children’s games. They’ve got 38 km groomed for classic and skate skiing and 12 km of mapped snowshoe trails. The resort is located adjacent to the famed 133-mile Northville-Lake Placid Trail for limitless wilderness ski and snowshoe opportunities. Known for its courteous staff, this year-round family resort features a two-story warming lodge with a wax room, restrooms, changing room, and shower along snack bar, and eleven housekeeping cottages known as “tupas” that have fully equipped kitchens, living room, up to 4 bedrooms, electric heat, woodstoves, and a bath with showers.

Crystal Lake Ski & Outdoor Center https://www.xcskiresorts.com/crystal-lake-ski-center in Hughesville, PA (central PA near Williamsport) is in a snowbowl location that often has snow when the rest of the region is bare, and the trail system is second to none. There is varied terrain to please beginners, intermediates and advanced skiers. This is a full service area with rentals, ski instruction, and a cozy fireplace lounge.

Yes, West Virginia. Almost heaven. Credit: XCSkiResorts.omc

The White Grass Touring Center http://www.xcskiresorts.com/white-grass-touring-center/ is in the Canaan Valley and high Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia. It is a one-of-a-kind place to XC ski that gets 150 inches of snow annually. There’s 50 km of trails that are groomed or maintained and the area has 1,200 vertical feet with slopes and glades for backcountry skiers, too. Established in the late 1970’s the “fleece and flannel” scene at White Grass is alive with a popular natural foods café.

XC ski destinations in the central regions include Cross Country Ski Headquarters http://www.xcskiresorts.com/cross-country-ski-headquarters/ in Roscommon, MI which is a leading XC ski outfitter and ski area in the Higgins Lake area. Since 1974 this has been a premier destination for XC skiing in Midwest in

XC HQ in Roscommon, MI. Credit: XCSkiResorts.omc

the heart of Michigan, with 19 km of trails groomed for classic and skate skiing for skiers of all abilities and there are also miles of trails all around the region. The Cross Country Ski HQ is known for its friendly and experienced staff and retail operation. Trails are groomed for classic and skate skiing characterized as 10% hilly, 50% moderate, and 40% flat.

The Golden Eagle Lodge https://www.xcskiresorts.com/golden-eagle-lodge in Grand Marais, is a family owned year-round resort located on Flour Lake sitting at the Height of the Laurentian Divide in MN. It has 70 km groomed trails for classic skiing and 60 percent of the trails are groomed for skating in the Superior National Forest. The Baumann family owns the Golden Eagle Lodge, and they are the only residents on the lake, welcoming skiers to enjoy 120 inches of snow annually and the tranquility and solitude of the surrounding ancient forests. The lodge is also amidst the Gunflint Trail 100-mile system, which is a mecca for Midwestern cross country skiers.

Maplelag Resort http://www.xcskiresorts.com/maplelag-resort/ in Callaway, MN is located in the northwest region of MN and is within an hour of Fargo, ND. Maplelag has 70 km groomed for skiing, snowshoeing, and fat biking. Family style meals are known to feed the camaraderie at Maplelag and the lodge is a treasury of Norwegian Folk Art with nooks and crannies to enjoy together or get away to relax and read a book. The bottomless cookie jar policy provides endless sweets. The Richards family is the host that will guarantee you a memorable time.

Further west is XC skiers can visit Enchanted Forest XC Ski & Snowshoe Area http://www.xcskiresorts.com/enchanted-forest/ in Red River, NM, which has 33 km of trails groomed for classic and skate skiing, 15 km for snowshoeing, and 5 km that allow dogs. Enchanted Forest is known for the entertaining events and the great scenic views with 500 acres of ancient forests, aspen groves, and sweeping meadows in the Carson National Forest (that’s Kit Carson for you history buffs) There’s a day lodge at the base area for a snack and the Midway warming yurt and three rental yurts are available for overnight winter accommodations.

Crosscut Mountain Sports Center https://www.xcskiresorts.com/crosscut-mountain-sports-center is in Bozeman, MT next to the alpine ski area Bridger Bowl is a popular XC ski day area only 16 miles from Bozeman. This non-profit organization is a year round recreational sports training and educational facility providing human powered outdoor activities with 50 km of groomed trails for classic and skate skiing. Located in the Bridger Mountains, the center includes a biathlon range and includes a wide 15-foot trail width and narrow gauge trails for fat biking, snowshoeing and classic skiing with impeccable trail grooming. At 6,100 foot elevation there are no altitude problems at Crosscut.

Methow has lots of ways to make more tracks. Credit: XCSkiResorts.com

Methow Trails http://www.xcskiresorts.com/methow-trails/ is located in north-central Washington just below the Canadian border and anchored by the towns of Winthrop, Mazama and Twisp. It has more than 220 km (136 miles) of perfectly groomed skate and classic ski trails. Kids 17 and under ski free everyday in the Methow Valley. Many of the trails also welcome fat bikers, snowshoers and dogs. Methow Trails is a non-profit organization dedicated to connect people, nature and community through world class trail systems.

The Bear Valley Adventure Company http://www.xcskiresorts.com/bear-valley-cross-country/ is in Bear Valley, CA on Highway 4 on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the land of giant Sequoia trees. Bear Valley is perfect for new or experienced XC skiers with a trailhead meadow surrounded by hills and ridges. It is at 7,000 – 7,800 foot elevation and boasts substantial annual snow depths making it in most years the first to open and last to close among the Sierra XC ski centers. There are 70 km on 38 trails groomed for classic and skate skiing with 2 kids trails, a popular sledding and tubing hill, the Snowbound Café and 3 trailside huts There’s a groomed downhill ski area nearby, too.

Skiing Weatherman: Fast Movers

November 16, 2020/0 Comments/in Skiing Weatherman/by Herb Stevens

In last week’s first installment of my weekly discussion, the Pac Northwest and northern Rockies were enjoying a parade of early season snow events while skiers and riders in the Midwest and East had to be content with tuning gear and digesting the state-by-state Covid restrictions rolling out recently.

The storms have continued to hit the same general areas that were hit in the West recently, and dozens of resorts with scheduled openings between this weekend and early December could probably open now on plenty of terrain with the snow they have picked up already. By the way, those same regions are in line for more snow in the next week!

In the Midwest and East, a fast moving trough passed through earlier this week, and the air was cold enough for snowmakers from the upper Midwest into the Northeast to get started building bases. In a transient jet stream pattern like the one we are in right now, where troughs and ridges keep marching around the northern hemisphere, making snow in these areas is a gamble.

Resorts would love to open in time for Thanksgiving, but at this time of year, seldom is there enough cold air around to keep it cold enough for snowmaking for more than a couple of days. Only if a blocking pattern develops, when an upper level ridge parks near Greenland, which then allows a cold trough to come to a halt over eastern North America, do we see appreciable early season snow or extended snowmaking windows. Blocking is not in place, so cold shots will only come along every three or four days. Luckily, when it does turn milder, the short days and low sun angle will help limit the melting of the snow that falls or is made.

A modest cool shot will produce a minor amount of snow and enable a minor shot of snowmaking across the northern Great Lakes, Adirondacks, and northern New England later this weekend. The snow will be confined to higher elevations in the East. The next shot at cold and perhaps snow will come just prior to Thanksgiving Day, when another trough will move through the Midwest and Northeast. Right now it looks promising for snow in the northern Lakes, but in the Northeast, the best we can hope for is backside snow after rain on the front end of that event. So for now, any skiing/riding over Thanksgiving in the East looks very limited, prospects in the upper Midwest look a little better. Your best bet? In the Pac NW and northern Rockies. Here is a snowfall forecast for the next ten days that says it all.

Here are the regional details…

Northwest U.S./Western Canada: Strong troughs from the Gulf of Alaska continue to pinwheel into this region, leading to snow events every few days. Cascades and coastal ranges of B.C. will be the big winners.

Sierra: After a productive storm midweek, this region will be south of the action for the next week as the northern branch of the jet stream dominates.

Rockies: Northern Rockies pick up a couple of additional rounds of snow early to midweek. Resort opening prospects in ID, MT, and WY look positive near-term.

Midwest: Northern resorts in MN, WI, and MI will have nighttime snowmaking opportunities through this weekend, along with some natural snow. Fast moving trough will bring light to perhaps moderate snow Tuesday/Wednesday of next week. Some limited Thanksgiving weekend skiing/riding is possible.

Northeast/QB: After two nights of snowmaking this week, another nighttime opportunity will be present Saturday and Monday nights. Two messy events could “net” higher elevation snow late weekend and Wednesday into Thursday. Lower elevation resorts on hold, waiting for cold.

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov. 13)

November 13, 2020/1 Comment/in Features/by seniorsskiing

Classified Bonus, Skiing Weatherman, Volcano Snowshoeing, Renting Your Ski House Apt., Dust Of Snow Poem, Prep Advice, Strange Parka, Holiday Valley Review, COVID Rules Example.

So we had six inches of snow on Halloween and two weeks later we have 70 degree weather all week around the Boston outpost of SeniorsSkiing.com. And it’s Friday the 13th. And it’s a La Nina year. And it’s COVID time. And it’s 2020. What’s going on?

We’ll stop there. We’ve run out of synonyms for “unprecedented”.

One thing we know for sure is that our readers are beginning to discover our new Classifieds section. Reader ads are populating that page with some interesting offers from condo rentals and requests for ski buddies to ski club trips and offers of used gear.

We started the Classified section because we felt there was some kinetic interest in our readership for connecting with other readers. Comments in various Question For You features revealed there was some back and forth between respondents. Responses to our annual reader surveys revealed ideas for connecting with others. So, we thought a Classifieds section would be low-hanging fruit.

Our original plan was to offer readers the opportunity to post an ad for 30 days for $1. The offer was to end today, Nov. 13. But, because we started publishing kind of early in the season, and because this Fall as been so…um…unprecedented, we thought we’d extend our offer of a $1 classified ad for 30 days until Dec. 4th. Our regular, reasonable, affordable rates will begin after that date.

As a reminder, here are the categories:

Just click here to view Classifieds or post an ad:

This Week

SeniorsSkiing.com correspondent Herb Stevens, the Skiing Weatherman, points out there will be snowfall this week in some places and not others. Surprised? Find out where and why and what the prospects are for the near future. Click here.

Beautiful snowshoeing and XC skiing on a volcano. Credit: NPS

Make More Tracks correspondent Jonathan Wiesel writes about a visit to Craters of the Moon National Monument, a unusual park in south central Idaho where you can ski and snowshoe on top of a volcano. Extinct, but maybe not. Click here.

We hear from Steve Bell about how to market your ski house apartment, what online services to use, and how to prep your apartment for visitors. He has guidelines for dealing with COVID and guests. Part 2 of a three part series. Click here.

Our Question For You asks how you prepare for the season. What’s the ritual you fall into year after year, consciously or unconsciously? Click here.

Our Mystery Glimpse feature presents a photo of an old timer in an odd parka. We also reveal the identity of the instructor in comma position. Click here.

Correspondent Yvette Cardozo forwarded an interesting web page from Summit at Snowsqualmie which we are publishing as an example of what you can expect at almost any ski resort in the upcoming weeks. Be prepared. It’s unprecedented. Click here.

Reader Craig Scott sends in a report about Holiday Valley, a western NY powder catcher. We believe small resorts like Holiday Valley will benefit from increased traffic as customers will seek accessible, uncrowded areas this year. Click here.

Finally, we have a poem by Robert Frost as part of our Snow In Literature series. The message is uplifting and frankly we need an uplift. Enjoy. 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.

Credit:Creasy Mahan Nature Preserve

Short Swings!

November 13, 2020/1 Comment/in Short Swings!, SHORT SWINGS!/by Jon Weisberg

Every now and then, we give readers a status report on the state of the older skier and the status of SeniorsSkiing.com.

It’s fair to say that we’re all doing well. The magazine started in the Fall of 2013 with exactly “0” subscribers. Today there are 17,000 of you, and the number is growing.

We know from industry trade association statistics that in the US, 20% of all skiers and boarders are 52 and older. We also know that the number of skiers/boarders in this country has fluctuated between 8.3 million and 10.2 million for 25 years. The market is not expanding.

Our annual reader surveys tell us a lot about the older segment of that market. Almost 3500 readers – more than 21% of the subscriber base — responded to our last survey.

Your average age is just shy of 70. When we started, it was closer to 67. Two-thirds of you are male. When we started, the split was 60/40 (m/f).

A few seasons back, you skied about 15.5 days per season, compared to the national average of 6 days per season. Last season, short as it was, you skied, on average, almost 33 days!

Contrary to the perceptions of some in the industry, you are a significant economic force. When asked how much you spent on all aspects of skiing during the past season for yourselves and others, 51% reported up to $2500; 29% spent between $2500 and $5000, and 20% spent more than $5000. We expect that while there are larger numbers of younger skiers, the amount they spend in a season as individuals is considerably less. Two-thirds of you have told us that you’re financially independent.

Publishing SeniorsSkiing.com every week takes a lot of effort. No one – writers or publishers – gets paid. Ad sales and reader contributions cover costs, and the more we grow, the higher those costs. Our annual fund-raiser is conducted in February.

Sometimes we slip behind. Last season’s Trail Masters list is overdue, as is the annual report of North American ski areas where seniors ski free or at deep discount. It’s a lot for two older guys working with some younger people for technology, graphics and other specialized needs.

It would be nice to wave a wand and attract ads from companies selling pain relievers, financial services, and health plans. We’ve tried, but our audience isn’t big enough for their needs. It also would be great if ski makers and/or ski pass companies chose to advertise. When approached, they show minimal interest.

Is it because we’re focused on the older end of the market? Do they figure that SeniorsSkiing.com readers will buy skis and passes regardless of whether or not they advertise? Perhaps.

Skiing is a youth-oriented sport in a youth-oriented culture. When is the last time you saw an age-contemporary featured in an advertisement for skis or a ski destination? In an editorial feature in one of the few remaining ski magazines? In a recently released ski video?

SeniorsSkiing.com exists to show the world of non-mechanized snowsports through the eyes of the older skier. If you like what we’re doing, forward an issue to other older skiing friends.

Snow in the West

Source: Alta

Winter arrived at the Western ski resorts this week. Snowbird, in Utah‘s Little Cottonwood Canyon, got 29″. Alta, next-door, reported 30″. Wolf Creek in the Southwest corner of Colorado reports a 50’base, 7 out of 10 lifts open and 127 out of 133 open rails. Another pulse is expected over the coming weeks.

Vermont Covid Policy Places Season in Jeopardy

This week, the State of Vermont, suspended its policy allowing travelers from the Northeast to visit the Green Mountain State without quarantining. If Covid rates drop, the policy will probably allow more visitors in the state without requiring quarantine.

Utah: Too Little, Too Late

The Governor of Utah finally issued a statewide mask mandate. Cases there have been skyrocketing and wide portions of the population are defying suggested precautions. Among other reports from The Salt Lake Tribune, people in Utah County (south of Salt Lake County) have hosted large-scale, maskless dance parties. Mothers in the county are reported to be applying icepacks to children’s foreheads to help them pass school temperature checks, and coaches have been encouraging team members to conceal if they’re feeling flu symptoms. Prior to the new mandate, the governor’s mantra was that citizens of Utah “will do the right thing.“

Mask = Specs = Foggy Lenses

Using 3M Nexcare paper tape (available in most drugstores), tape the gap between top of mask and your face. It should eliminate fogging by preventing warm breath from reaching the glasses.

Joe Biden Skis

There are numerous Internet references to sightings of Joe on the hills of Aspen and Vail but no pictures of the President-elect on boards. If anyone has one, please email to jon@seniorsskiing.com, and we’ll publish with credit.

Tricks on Skis: 1937 Newsreel

This 1937 Pathe newsreel isn’t graceful but it’s worth watching.

Snowball Fight 1896

https://youtu.be/-rAMRBWy2to

This early film of a snowball fight was shot in 1897 in Lyons, France. Less than a minute long. Keep watching to see the modern, colorized version. It’s pure joy!

$1 Buys 1 Month of Classified Advertising

We’ve extended the offer to December 4. Purchase one month of classified ads for $1. Click on Classifieds on the dark blue bar at the top of the Home Page to place ad or see what’s being offered.

Nordic to be Featured in Next Week’s Edition

As part of our commitment to Nordic activities, next week’s edition will be dedicated to all things Nordic. Numerous Covid-related obstacles are interfering with the coming Alpine season. We expect many of you to shift at least part of your skiing attention to cross-country, skate-skiing, snowshoeing, etc. If you have not already done so, please visit our new Make More Tracks Nordic Resource Guide. And enjoy our weekly Nordic features.

Marketing A Rental Unit In Your Ski House: Part 2

November 12, 2020/3 Comments/in Features/by Steve Bell

Attracting Renters Using Online Booking Tools.

Steve’s rental unit is full most of the year. Here’s a summer view of the property. Credit: Steve Bell.

So, once you purchase the right house, how do you rent out the guest unit? You could rent on a long-term basis, but we found that to be a problem. A long-term lease gives the tenant a lot of time to mistreat the apartment. In the past, we rented to a long-term tenant. She was sweet, but she was busy. Over time she neglected cleaning, so she left us with a lot of work at the end of the lease. As a landlord, you can write security agreements into a lease, as well as periodic inspections, but these too can be problematic. In any case, we have found that short-term renting is much better. During short stays, even guests with less-than-ideal neatness (we have only hosted a very few of these) do not have enough time to create much extra work.

For advertising purposes, we started by listing on airbnb.com and vrbo.com, both of which get tremendous traffic. We rented our apartment most nights. If, for some reason, demand starts to fall, we can explore other sites and other advertising media beyond website listing. We created an entry on airbnb and vrbo without any professional help. The sites include cell phone photos that we took ourselves. To see our apartment, simply type “airbnb 36134350“ or “vrbo 1695325 “ into your browser. (Each website assigns its own unique identifying number to every listing. The preceding numbers are ours.)

Since December 2019 through the end of September 2020, except for a stretch when we stopped accepting guests due to COVID, we rented out our attached apartment for the majority of nights. We have been amazed by the demand, and especially delighted by the strong interest of summer visitors. We don’t spend that much time managing reservations, because the websites nicely facilitate the rental process. They provide a simple channel of internet communication, descriptions of the property and community, delivery of owner established rules, reservation management with calendars, seamless payment processing, renters’ reviews of their stay, and many other services. As an added bonus, we can invite friends and family to the apartment when we want to as it is simple to black out the calendars on airbnb and vrbo.

Supply The Basics

The apartment must be fully equipped with towels, bath mats, down-filled comforters, duvets for the comforters, fluffy pillows, hotel style soaps and shampoos, first aid kit, fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, etc. And for the kitchen: silverware, plates, bowls, napkins, wine bottle openers, cutting boards, pasta strainer, coffee grinder, coffee maker, etc. All-in-all, a lot of stuff to promote a blissful stay (buying on amazon.com saves us trips to Bozeman). Guests want to save money by preparing many of their own meals rather than paying hotel room service or resort restaurant prices. There is a good grocery store, nearby.

As mentioned above, the apartment has a separate entrance. Check-in and check-out are self-service. We leave the door unlocked before guest arrival, and airbnb or vrbo has already collected all monies before the departure day. The combined effect is that we often never see the guests. It’s not that we don’t love them, but due to COVID risk, separation is best for everyone. Guests are appreciative of this, too. Many resort visitors prefer an alternative to the common spaces of hotels, elevator buttons, shared door handles, and other opportunities to get sick. All communication is over the internet by email, cell phone conversations, or texting.

Before COVID was a concern, we would often invite guests for a drink to chitchat around our fireplace. Guests come from all over the U.S. and the world. They share fascinating experience and knowledge. The company enriched our lives and we looked forward to it. When the COVID pestilence is a fading thought, we expect to accept invitations to visit our new friends. And very soon, we hope to be able to resume hosting friendly fireside visits.

One final note about your rental unit: clean really, really well. We try to make everything squeaky clean or better. We have been thanked for this by our guests, who frequently indicate that cleanliness is very important to them. We are hoping that they will remember and return many times.

Editor Note: In Part 3 of this series, Steve will describe tips on operating a rental. If you have questions, just leave a comment below.

Make More Tracks: Craters Of Moon

November 12, 2020/4 Comments/in Make More Tracks/by Jonathan Wiesel

Ocean Of Volcanic Lava Offers Awesome XC/Snowshoe Experience.

“[It is an] area of about 60 miles in diameter, where nothing meets the eye but a desolate and awful waste, where no grass grows nor water runs, and where nothing is to be seen but lava.” (Washington Irving, The Adventures of Captain Bonneville, 1868 )

The North Crater shows the jagged lava outcrops. Credit: NPS

Some things leave a lasting impression. I flunked geology my freshman year of college—just couldn’t figure out technical things like how to measure a geosyncline or why it matters—and consequently rejected the whole science for years. And then I found that in the right context, absorbing geology can be amazing fun. Aside from Yellowstone National Park, the place that’s had the most volcanic effect on my geologic viewpoint is Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in south-central Idaho.

I used to pass the entrance a couple of times a year, driving between Jackson Hole and Sun Valley, at 5,900 feet in the middle of high-desert seeming-nothingness. Hummocks, ridges, cones, lava and cinders don’t create an inviting landscape; in fact, formations are so moon-like that the Apollo astronauts studied geology there prior to their lunar landing.

Craters isn’t exactly a winter destination. There’s not a whole lot of temptation to stop because there’s not much sign of human activity; there’s no on-site lodging; the nearest restaurants, motels, and gas stations are some miles away.

Beautiful snowshoeing and XC skiing on a volcano. Credit: NPS

Man doesn’t seem to have had much impact on the Craters locale. Oh, there’s more air pollution drifting through than a few decades ago, so you’re not as likely to see the high mountain ranges along the Snake River Plain; and larger animals like grizzlies and big-horn sheep disappeared a century ago—but overall, there’s not a lot of visible change.

The region began erupting around 15,000 years ago and stopped around 2,000 years ago. There’s a school of thought that another eruption is due in the next few centuries; but it’s expected to again be flowing lava rather than an explosion like Mount St. Helens in 1980.

There are no streams and few water holes, but the ecosystem is home to 2,000 species of insect, almost 200 bird species, 59 species of mammals, plus reptiles, amphibians, and a remarkably diverse plant population. Of course, you don’t see a whole lot of any of them in winter – primarily shrubs and limber pine.

It’s a unique land of tremendous extremes that an early visitor called “the strangest 75 square miles on the North American continent.” My first visit was in mid-summer with a geologist-friend who was ecstatic to see both aa lava (a Hawaiian name that’s spelled at least three different ways, meaning a jagged surface best avoided) and pahoehoe lava (smooth and ropey-looking). The heat was stifling – air temperatures may only reach the 90s in July, but surface temperature on that black rock can reach 170 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s more than hot enough to fry an egg – if you can find a flat surface.

I remember the physical shock of following a trail into a lava tube that’s perpetually chilly. We lost perhaps a dozen feet in elevation, started to shiver, and came across ice.

Snow covered spatter cone arises from the landscape. This is a place for other-worldy exploration. Credit: NPS

Winter Landscape: Milk And Vanilla Ice Cream.

Snow can bring a gentler face to Craters, or as one guide told me, a “Sahara arctic flavor.” He added, “It’s an entirely different experience from what you can have in any other area because of the brilliant white snow and the black basalt rock. It kind of looks like cookies and cream ice cream out there.”

Explore the snow-covered lava on snowshoes with a guide. Credit: NPS

Winter conditions can see -30 degrees Fahrenheit at night, with the wind rising to 30 miles per hour and not much tree-cover. It’s a great time to have the right clothing and good judgment on how far to venture from your car. There’s usually about a four-month season for skiing and snowshoeing.

The Park Service grooms up to seven miles of two-way trail along a summertime scenic loop drive. When I visited it was double-tracked, with a skate lane shared by snowshoers plus a separate snowshoe trail. There’s no fee, no dogs, no bikes, no snowmobiles. It’s easier to ski clockwise if you’re a beginner in order to avoid a downhill on the southwest edge of Inferno Cone.

In some ways, snowshoeing around the Monument is more fun than skiing because you get more flotation so can do more off-track exploring. But if you enjoy downhills, it’s a blast to make some turns on the open-sloped cinder cones, which can give you 400-500 feet of vertical drop.

You can climb to the summit of Mt. Paisley for grand views before heading back to the Visitor Center. As a guide once noted to me, “How many places can people say, ‘Ya know, I went out Saturday and snowshoed to the top of a volcano?’”

At 6,000 feet, snow dominates the landscape from November to April. Credit: NPS

Skiing Weatherman: Haves and Have Nots

November 12, 2020/3 Comments/in Skiing Weatherman/by Herb Stevens

So It Begins, Unevenly.

As is often the case at the start of the ski season, the weather pattern is designating “haves” and “have nots” in terms of sufficiently cold air for snowmaking and natural snow. Consistent with first year La Ninas, as this season will be, November has brought winter weather to the West while the eastern half of the country has been basking in Indian Summer warmth for the most part. The jet stream has been set up in a western trough/eastern ridge configuration since the start of the month, allowing cold air to spill out of Canada into the Rockies, Cascades, and northern Sierra. In addition to supporting a good amount of snowmaking, the western trough has also be productive in terms of natural snow and that has allowed a small number of resorts to kick off the season. From Banff Norquay and Lake Louise in the north to Wolf Creek in southern Colorado, turns are now being made. Wolf Creek, a legendary snow magnet, has all but six of their 133 runs skiable already. Don’t believe me? Check out their web cams!

In the short run, the western trough will remain in place, and additional snow will fall into this weekend in the B.C. coastal ranges, the Cascades, northern Rockies, and the peaks of NoCal. Yet another system will move in from the Pacific late in the weekend, but that one will lift more northeastward, leading to more snow in the Northwest, but also a rise in snow levels. Early next week, a ridge will pop up in the west, while a trough dives through the Great Lakes and into the Northeast. The air will be cold enough for at least a couple of nights of snowmaking across the northern Lakes as well as northern New York and New England. It will be a gamble to make the snow, because the cold is not ready to settle into the eastern half of the country. By next weekend, the jet stream will flatten out across the country, allowing mild Pacific air to move from west to east. This jet stream forecast for next Saturday illustrates.

Although the flow looks pretty flat and dull, a look at the temperature anomalies at 5,000 feet, a forecasting proxy for surface temps. There will be some modestly cold air along the Canadian border, so there is potential for some additional snowmaking late next week in the Lakes and Northeast. Here’s that map.

It’s still early, so we’ll take potential where we can find it!

Here are the regional details…

Northwest U.S./Western Canada: Two additional early season snowfall are coming, the first late this week, with a storm right on its heels about 48 hours later. The second storm will have higher snow levels.

Cascades and Sierra: The same two systems will bring snow to the Cascades with the snow extending down to the northern mountains of California.

Rockies: Northern Rockies pick up two additional snowfalls by early next week. First system reaches Wasatch, second stays further north. Central and southern Rockies miss most of the action…some light snow will reach Colorado late this week, though.

Midwest: Resorts in far northern MN and MI will be able to make snow late this weekend/early next week and again late next week. The early week cold will trigger some lake effect snow in the Upper Peninsula.

Northeast/QB: Northern New York and New England will have a couple of snowmaking nights early next week and again late in the week. Longer term, CONSISTENT cold is not happening until a major pattern change, not likely until very late in the month at the earliest.

Patience.

Summit At Snoqualmie COVID Rules: Expect This At Your Local Area

November 12, 2020/2 Comments/in West/by seniorsskiing

Here’s An Example Of What You Can Expect When You Make Your First Visit To Your Favorite Local Resort.

This comes from The Summit at Snosqualmie. The video below introduces the program. Thanks to SeniorsSkiing.com correspondent Yvette Cardozo for passing it along.

SEASON PASS SALES PAUSED Season Pass sales are currently paused. When season pass sales resume, quantities and types will be limited. Prior to resuming sales we will provide an update with more information. Thank you for your patience.

Question For You: Preparing

November 11, 2020/6 Comments/in Features/by mikemaginn

What’s On Your Agenda?

Last week, we noted that Warren Miller’s new movie Future Retro has hit the internet. For many, the premier of a Warren Miller film has been the starting gun of the season. Which got us to thinking about routines we have developed to start our own personal snow sports season. As we mentioned, perhaps it’s something like: Watch the Warren Miller movie, go to the ski show, get your gear cleaned up, visit the ski shop for a sharpening, watch the weather, etc.

Maybe you have a ritual that you follow every year. Buy a new hat or gloves? Put on snow tires? Start working out? Put away the summer toys? What is it? Share with your fellow senior snow sports enthusiasts.

How do you prepare for the upcoming winter snow sports season? Is there a set of activities you follow yearly? Something special you buy? Let us know.

Write your comments in Leave A Reply below.

Snow In Literature: Dust of Snow

November 9, 2020/0 Comments/in Features/by mikemaginn

By Robert Frost

Credit:Creasy Mahan Nature Preserve

The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart

A change of mood

And saved some part

Of a day I had rued.

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Holiday Valley

November 8, 2020/5 Comments/in East, Resort Reviews/by Craig Scott

Are there powder days in Western New York? Can Pete Widger yodel?

Yes, to both. In fact, septuagenarian Widger, the voice of Holiday Valley’s Snow Phone, will lace his conditions report with his trademark vocals every powder day of the season.

Holiday Valley’s powder comes compliments of Lake Erie’s snow machine, the same lake-effect system that gives Buffalo its arctic reputation.

Holiday Valley, in Ellicottville, Cattaraugus County, averages about 180 inches of snow per season. In addition, the resort’s snowmaking staff is able to cover 95 percent of the resort’s terrain with its 611 snow guns.

Holiday Valley’s peak elevation is 2,250 feet, a rise of 750 feet from its 1,500-foot base elevation.

It boasts 60 trails, served by 13 lifts (including three high-speed quads) over 290 acres. Green trails make up 37 percent of those runs, blue, 25 percent, black, 37 percent and double-black, 2 percent.

For a good warmup, take the Mardi Gras lift for a slide down Candy Cane, a green trail, with options for a blue Crystal Bottom. Or start blue with Independence or even black with Yodeler or Champagne. North Wind upper and lower trails are also accessible from this lift as are a variety of other lift-and-trail combos.

On the facing hillside, Cindy’s Run, accessible by Cindy’s Quad, is a challenging blue. Cindy’s can lead to black options such as Foxfire, Wall Top and the double-black Wall.

It is easy to spend a day at Holiday Valley mixing your trail colors and lifts. Most every skier will find challenges and satisfaction.

Comfy lodge at the bottom. Trails for all abilities at HV. Credit: Craig Melvin

The resort’s beginnings can be traced to the late 1930s when enterprising enthusiasts built a tow from an old truck and built a little warming hut. The operation has moved from slope to slope in the Ellicottville area. The current lodge site was established in the 1960s and the resort has grown from there.

The club atmosphere of those days has endured, said Jane Eshbaugh, director of marketing at Holiday Valley, “Especially in this part of the country, skiing is very social, we see many senior groups skiing together or having coffee or dining.”

“We have so many generations at Holiday Valley. We really market to families, but that includes parents, grandparents and great-grand parents,” Eshbaugh said.

One perk for senior pass holders is the ability to add a grandchild at an additional family rate. At Holiday Valley, loyalty pays. Skiers 65 to 69 can receive 5 percent of a Classic Pass. But if a senior skier has purchased a Season Pass or Ultimate Pass for the past five years, the discount goes to 25 percent. For those 70-plus, the initial discount is 10 percent and 50 percent for those with pass purchases the past five years.

Holiday Valley gets regular snow dumps from lake-effect storms. Nice coating on trees. Credit: Craig Scott

Holiday Valley’s employment rolls are well-populated with seniors. From office and maintenance to on-slope duties such as Ski Patrol, Ski School Instructors and Safety Patrollers.

Because Holiday Valley lies close to Canada (about an hour from the Canadian border), there are often as many Ontario plates in the parking lot as those from New York. The resort features, Canadian Friendship Week, during which lift tickets and rentals are at par with Canadian cash. It’s hard to ride the lifts on a busy day that week without meeting fellow skiers from, say, Toronto or Niagara Falls.

Lift lines, however, are rather rare at Holiday Valley. The lifts are efficient and only on the busiest days are there people waiting to ride.

Holiday Valley offers a number of lodging and dining options, and nearby Ellicottville is a friendly and hip little Eastern ski town.

The nearest large airport is Buffalo International, about 60 minutes away. Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Rochester are about two to three hours away by car.

CLICK HERE FOR HOLIDAY VALLEY TRAIL MAP

CLICK HERE FOR HOLIDAY VALLEY WEBSITE

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Nov.6)

November 6, 2020/2 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

Warren Miller’s Latest, Skis For Senior Recommendations, Rent Your Ski House, COVID Rules, Sun Valley XC, Mystery Instructor, Early Visitor Question.

November 7 marks the Eastern premiere of the new Warren Miller ski-a-rama movie, Future Retro. This year, the crew of extreme skier-athletes and videographers tackle remote mountain settings in Antarctica, Iceland, Alaska, Montana, Switzerland, and more, all blue sky, magnificent vistas, and incredible skiing marked by flips, chute-running, and dare-devilry.

For many years, the arrival of the new Warren Miller movie has marked the official beginning of the ski season. The routine usually is: watch Warren’s latest, head to the November ski shows, start gathering your gear, wait for the first flakes, and make plans for your first outing. It’s a classic calendar marker, like September is back to school, and July is the beginning of summer.

Streaming on three different nights in three different regions of North America, Warren Miller’s 71st feature film will premiere on the East Coast on Saturday, November 7th, Mountain/Central regions on Saturday, November 14th, and on the West Coast on Saturday, November 21st. Each event features regional sponsors and unique prize giveaways. Each ticket includes deals, prize entries and the live event for up to four people. The trailer is below. And Click Here to order tickets for the virtual tour.

But here’s a thought. When we first went to ski movies, probably back in the late 60s, we were enchanted and lured into the sport by a distinctly different kind of Warren Miller film. The characteristic features then, we recall, were beautiful slow motion shots of skiers carving down slopes or doing ballet-like flips with grace, rhythm, and a lightness that made it look easy, accessible, and enticing. Sure, many Warren Miller films also featured hokey jokes and silly skiing, but there were always those slo-mos that were beautiful. We thought we could see ourselves doing those moves. Well, maybe not the flips, but the graceful turns, sure.

Clearly, contemporary ski films are emphasizing the other end of the thrill spectrum: More edgy, athletic, and dangerous-looking skiing. Compare this trailer from Warren Miller’s 1972 film Winter People to this year’s Future Retro. Notice the difference? If you think of these films as recruiting tools for the sport of alpine skiing, which one appeals to the average Joe or Jane who came to the flick to see what skiing was all about. Could they see themselves straight-lining a narrow, rock-bound chute in the back of the beyond?

Okay, if you’re an aficionado and have been doing this for a long time, the extreme skiing films are eye candy and a psych-up tool for the season. But does the skiing they present appeal to the curious neophyte? What do you think?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6ZdZgdj8Wc

This Week.

The latest crop of Ski for Seniors recommendations is available. Created with realskier.com, the list includes a variety of ski types. For us guys and gals, it’s a good place to start the search for new boards. Bear in mind, inventory might be short this season so check around.

This is an online message from Mt. Hotham, a popular Australian ski resort the eventually closed for a good portion of the season this year. Could we be seeing these messages here?

Correspondent Tamsin Venn summarizes the restrictions and constraints facing Alpine skiers at resorts this season. You may have heard this information before, but it’s important stuff. Know before you go, well before you go.

Correspondent Jonathan Wiesel reports on a glamor spot for Nordic Skiing, Sun Valley’s Nordic Center. Consider cross-country skiing a viable and accessible alternative this year. As we are learning, interest in the sport is spiking. What better place to give it a try than Sun Valley? It’s naturally socially distanced, healthy, outdoors, and all that beautiful scenery.

This week’s Question For You asks those readers who have already visited an early-opening resort to report their experience. We are all facing unknown circumstances and advice from the first wave of senior skiers will be helpful to all of our readers.

Contributor Steve Bell offers his advice on how to rent a portion of your ski house. It’s an interesting idea that will definitely help pay the mortgage, especially if you’re in a popular area for both winter and summer activities. This is the first of a series of articles on finding and operating a rental property in your own ski house.

Finally, this week’s Mystery Glimpse features a photograph of one of our ski idols as a very young man. A noted instructor, and pioneer in the teaching of the sport, this person is a celebrity in the ski industry. And Happy Birthday to him. We also reveal the identity of the flying saucer-like gondola from Mt. Snow.

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

Short Swings!

November 6, 2020/3 Comments/in Home Top Box 1, SHORT SWINGS!, Short Swings!/by Jon Weisberg

You don’t stop skiing when you get old.

You get old when you stop skiing.

Recently saw that bumper sticker statement on a few posters and T-shirts.

It’s a wishful truism for senior skiers, cheering us on our snowy descents as we ascend to yet another year and another season.

But like almost every other overly simplistic proclamation, it simply doesn’t hold up under thoughtful examination.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably trending upward in age. And, more likely than not, you’re an avid skier. And, unless poor health or some other factor has entered your life you have no intention of giving it up.

I’d be dishonest if I told you it has not entered my mind. I’m about to hit twin sevens, and what I was able to do on skis in the past , indeed, may remain there.

In other words, I’m slowing down.

It’s not easy to lower personal expectations. But I realize that by doing so I may be able to extend my days and seasons on snow.

Maybe this is part of my pre-season jitters. Every Fall I experience a touch of anxiety. As a kid, it was about improving my skiing skills. As an adult, it was more about where and when I’d be on the hill. Over the past few seasons, it’s been more about how long it will take to get my legs back.

I have no plan to stop skiing. And I have no way to stop getting old.

Perhaps it’s best to accept what we have when we have it and, like another T-shirt reads, Just stop thinking about it…and ski.

Great Snow; Closed Areas

Kitzbuel. Austria

Austria’s Tirolean areas (Stubai, Hintertux, Soelden, Kauneral, Pitztal, and Kitzbuel) have excellent conditions but are closed until November 30 due to Covid. Some will remain open for professional racers.

Indoor areas in the UK also are closed, effective November 4.

Vermont Issues Covid Operational Guidelines

Vermont just issued guidance spelling-out a cautious and through approach to managing Covid. Out-of-state long term workers will require quarantine and testing. The number-of-out of state weekend workers and volunteers such as patrol and instructors will be reduced. Comprehensive contact tracing will be implemented for workers and guests. This will require daily completion of electronic forms. Social distancing and masks will be required in lines and on lifts. Windows on enclosed lifts will be open. Day lodges will operate at 50% capacity and guests will be limited to 30-minute stays. Contactless systems will be in place for ticket sales and rentals. Click here to access the complete document.

SeniorsSkiing.com Classifieds

It’s our new service to help readers sell, buy, travel, rent, meet, etc. Currently someone is offering a 2 BR condo in Winter Park for $150 a night. Another person has a room available in a 3 BR condo near Beaver Creek for $665 per week. There’s a pair of Apex Boots for $425, and Rossignol Antelope MH waxless Nordic skis with Salomon bindings for $50. Lots of good deals on skis, instructions, etc…even a ski-worthy Mercedes Sprinter van. Posting ads is easy and inexpensive. Sign up by November 12 and get 4 weeks of advertising for $1. Click CLASSIFIEDS on dark blue menu bar.

How do you wear a face mask with a helmet?

Frequent contributor Harriet Wallis emailed raising that interesting issue. This season, most US ski areas will require face masks on lifts and in lines. Personal experience with disposable surgical masks is that ear loops disconnect easily from the paper mouth/nose covering. KN95s are less subject to tearing, as are the less effective (in terms of virus-trapping) cloth masks. Are they to be worn on the inside or outside of your neck or face warmer? Do we pull them down or remove them when we get off the lift? How will areas requiring masks monitor compliance? Will that be left to Lifties? Patrol? Others? Reminds me of the curse: May you live in interesting times.

BOOTSTER for Holiday Gifts

The Bootster is a simple, compact shoehorn for ski boots. It helps the skier’s foot slip effortlessly into the boot – even when the boot is cold and the shell is stiff. It’s small and easily carried in parka pocket. Having used The Bootster as a holiday and birthday present for other older skiers, I know that it is well-appreciated, virtually indestructible, and gets a lot of use. $25. Click on adjacent Bootster advertisement for details and to order.

VIVE Wear Compression Socks

VIVE Wear is an orthopaedic surgeon-developed compression sock combining baby alpaca, merino wool, nano silver plates, and nano copper wire. The company website explains how the metal components enhance healing. I recently tried a pair on a wet and nasty day. EXTREMELY comfortable and added nice spring to my step. No doubt these will serve as excellent ski socks. Reasonably priced. Click here to visit site.

Nothing to do with Skiing Dep’t

Internal shell of ram’s horn squid. Source: New York Times

Researchers exploring Australia’s Great Barrier Reef last week made two never-before-seen discoveries using a remotely operated vehicle: a ram’s horn squid in its natural environment and a coral reef taller than the Empire State Building. The squid is the only living squid that has an internal coiled shell. It also has a single, searching eye and can emit a lime-green light.

A Different and Wonderful Ski Documentary

Every now and then a different kind of ski film pops up on the screen. North Country is a 21-minute documentary about Lahout’s, the oldest ski shop in the U.S. The film tells the story of the store’s founding in 1920 in Littleton, New Hampshire, and how Joe Lahout, returning from combat in WWII and with a deep passion for skiing, emphasizes ski gear and clothing. His three sons — lawyers and other profesionals move back from big city careers to grow the family business. Now, a third generation has returned to continue the growth. Great vintage footage. Wonderfully and sensitively told.

Senior Skier? Here are the Best Skis for You.

November 5, 2020/1 Comment/in Gear, Skis/by Jon Weisberg

This is the time of year when, with input from the Realskiers.com website, we publish SeniorsSkiing.com’s annual listing of the best new skis for older skiers.

Arrival of the pandemic virtually wiped out implementation of the comprehensive women’s test. But Realskiers.com was able to collect sufficient data to pick the best models for senior male skiers.

The 2021 Best Skis for Senior Skiers listing shows men’s choices only, many of which are suitable for female skiers. It also includes Men’s and Women’s choices from 2019-20. We did this to help readers interested in new skis as well as to help those of you who may run across previously owned boards at a Swap or Sale.

Realskiers.com’s member reviews (see end of this article to obtain a discounted realskiers.com subscription) include narratives that go deeper into each ski’s personality.

All of the selected skis share the characteristics of being designed and engineered to reduce the amount of energy required for turning. Generally, that means softer tip and tail and a bit of sidecut. Those designated as Women’s skis in the 2020 listing may be designed for female size and physique.

The recommended skis are grouped into five categories, each based on the ski’s width, which helps determine the terrain where its performance is optimized.

SeniorsSkiing.com suggests that when purchasing new skis, older skiers should start by choosing the most suitable category (see following) and working with a quality ski shop where they can demo before purchasing. If you score a pair at a Ski Swap, evaluate if the savings are worth sacrificing the demo. As long as you’re in the right category and find a good length, you won’t be too far off base.

Frontside (“Carving” skis)

–Encompasses broadest range of skier abilities from entry-level to experienced

–Use on groomed terrain. Wider models are usable off-trail

Ski width: 75MM-84MM

All-Mountain East

–Work equally well in on-trail and off-trail conditions

–“Re-entry” ski for those who have not skied in a few years

Ski width: 85MM-94MM

All-Mountain West

–For use in the West by high performance skiers

–Adapted for off-trail use but can be skied on-trail by skilled skiers

Ski width: 95MM-100MM

Big Mountain

–More maneuverable powder skis

–Inadvisable for regular on-trail use

Ski width: 101MM-113MM

Powder

–Specialty skis for use in Deep Powder only

Ski width: >113MM

To access the complete listing, a) click “COMMUNITY” on the dark blue menu bar at the top of the page, b) then click “SUBSCRIBER-ONLY CONTENT,” c) click on the 2021 Best Skis for Senior Skiers listing.

Detailed reviews are available at Realskiers.com. The site provides free access to equipment reviews and other information. In depth information and personal guidance from the publisher is available to SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers at a discounted annual rate of $9.95. To sign up, visit Realskiers.com. Scroll down to/click on “Subscribe Today!” Then click “Sign Up” in the “Annual Membership” box. Complete the form and enter SS20 in the field under “Coupon Code.”

Make More Tracks: Sun Valley Sabbatical

November 5, 2020/1 Comment/in Make More Tracks/by Jonathan Wiesel

Classy And Classic, Sun Valley Has Magnetism And Charm.

Sun Valley Nordic Center has beautiful vistas and trails. Credit: Visit Sun Valley

I’m a total sucker for romance, and Sun Valley, ID, radiates charisma, beauty, diversity, skiing history— the whole shebang. Known as “America’s First Destination Ski Resort,” it’s 2.5 hours from Boise. Happily, there’s a jet airport only a dozen miles away.

Set in the rugged Sawtooth Mountains, Sun Valley Nordic & Snowshoe Center was one of the first cross-country areas in North America, chronologically just after Vermont’s Trapp Family Lodge and just before California’s Royal Gorge. It’s complemented by a series of trail networks, mostly maintained by the Blaine County Recreation District.

Snowshoeing can also bring you out into the scenery. Credit: Visit Sun Valley

I’ve visited many times in winter and skied maybe a quarter of the trails. That’s actually not negligible, since we’re talking about a cumulative 200 km. There’s tremendous diversity in everything from terrain to snowfall to surroundings—some trails on the edge of Sun Valley Resort and the neighboring town of Ketchum, some higher and far from sight of any structure or even a road.

So here’s my take on skiing the two centerpieces of the region. It feels like a long and affectionate shared history.

The Resort: Sun Valley Nordic & Snowshoe Center

The Sun Valley Nordic & Snowshoe Center has easier trails diverging from the trailhead, leading to more difficult routes, and thence to the challenging stuff. Set at around 6,000’, it’s mostly delightful beginner-to-intermediate terrain, totaling 40 km. Much of this is on golf course grass, a lot winds through sage, with some aspen and pine, with great mountain views, including alpine skiing on famous Bald Mountain (aka “Baldy,” 9,150’).

Almost everything is groomed daily. Sun Valley is a recreation-crazy region, so you see a lot of ski-skaters, including local folk of mature years who are tearing along the trails. Steve Haims, a Sun Valley fixture who runs the Center and is former owner/operator of Galena Lodge, says that most visitors, skiers and snowshoers are women, and a typical skier is 50+ years old.

You can also enjoy 14 km of snowshoeing and 16 km of fat bike routes. A typical season starts a bit before Christmas and runs through March, with 100” of snow in a good winter.

The Center itself is a 58,000 square foot golf clubhouse in the off-seasons, though I suspect summer visitors don’t think of it in quite those terms. You can rent skis, snowshoes, or fat bike rental, and arrange instruction.

The County

Galena Lodge

Historic Galena Lodge is the region’s other Nordic kingpin. At 7,865’, it’s a snow magnet. If you’re coming from sea level, it’s smart to acclimate down below, and then drive up to Galena, where you can overnight in one of their yurts.

Yurt will welcome you.

The lodge is owned by Blaine County Recreation District, which does the grooming. Erin Zell and Don Shepler are the concessionaires and have been running the lodge since 2006. Erin says, “We make all of our food from scratch and have wonderful house-made soups, sandwiches, salads and sandwiches.” In addition to restaurant and bar, you’ll find ski and snowshoe rentals, instruction, and many happy dogs.

Galena is the centerpiece of 50 km of groomed ski trails, along with 25 km of snowshoe trails. There’s not much that’s truly flat, since terrain near the lodge is rolling, while it gets hillier as you get farther away. The landscape is dominated by lodgepole pine forest, with lots of meadows, and populated by wolves, coyotes, elk, and smaller critters.

For a personal touch, “Psycho” is a humbling black diamond route. I managed to stay upright until the final downhill, did a face plant in front of a bunch of other skiers right at the junction with Gladiator Creek Loop. At least I didn’t lose my glasses.

Accommodations

I’ve stayed at Sun Valley/Ketchum motels, inns, and B&BS and crashed with friends, but the most elegant and opulent visits have been at Sun Valley Lodge.

Question For You: Early Birders

November 5, 2020/3 Comments/in Features/by mikemaginn

Yes, It’s Early Days, But How Is It Out There?

Wild Mountain is open in Minnesota (Oct. 19). So is Mt. Norquay (Oct 24) and Lake Louise (Oct. 29) in Alberta. And Wolf Creek, (Oct. 28) Arapahoe Basin, (Oct. 9th!), Killington, VT (Nov. 6th), and perhaps a few others are spinning lifts by the time you read this. Perhaps we are pushing this a little, but inquiring minds want to know how it goes in resort-ville?

Mt. Norquay early birders on opening day.

If you’ve been out for a run or two, please let us know what your personal opening day was like. Was anyone there besides you? How about COVID rules; did they help or hinder? Could you detect karmic differences between this year’s first run and other years? If you skinned uphill at a not-quite-open-yet resort, what was that like?

You early adapters are canaries in the cage for the rest of us. Okay, bad metaphor, but you’re ahead of a lot of us, so do tell. What’s happening?

Write your comments in the Leave A Reply box below.

Ski Areas Ready For 2020-21 Season

November 5, 2020/0 Comments/in Features/by Tamsin Venn

This is an online message from Mt. Hotham, a popular Australian ski resort, that eventually closed for a good portion of the season this year. Could we be seeing these messages here?

This Is Probably Not The Year To Try To Ski Your Age.

Precautions may reduce the number of days you ski, but rest assured that resort managers have been huddling on defensive plays. They got a head start this summer when we all flocked outdoors to bike, hike, paddle, and golf.

“We feel there is going to be a strong demand for skiing, similar to outdoor recreation we saw this summer… Everything will be in record numbers,” said Vernon Greco of Pacific Group Resorts, which includes Ragged Mountain, New Hampshire, and Powderhorn Mountain Resort, Colorado.

Here is some of what ski areas have planned.

Standard Precautions

Following state, regional, city and CDC regulations, areas will uniformly require face masks, social distancing, requesting ill skiers to stay home, and hand sanitizing stations. They will use same-party lift loading, online lift ticket reservations and purchase, parking reservations, and limit ski school class sizes. Signs will abound as reminders. Lift lines will be delineated for six-foot distance on all sides. Many ski area operators feel happy that ski slopes make for social distancing, but will face challenges managing indoor space. The well-loved parking lot schlep? Booting up in the car, and carrying essential items with you skiing is part of the scenario.

Don’t Just Show Up

Adam White of Ski Vermont advised, “Go online and do research. This is not the season for an impromptu ski trip or powder chasing and walk-up-to-the-ski window to buy your ticket. Educate yourself ahead of time, so we can all continue to have a season.” White explained Vermont currently has some of the strictest interstate travel restrictions in ski country.

Trying to make it Predictable

“The exciting thing is that we are going to have a season. We are striving for consistency across the resorts to provide as much predictability as possible,” says Jody Churich, General Manager of Keystone, Colo., which opens Nov. 6 for its 50th season.

“We believe that the majority of skiers will be able to ski and ride on the days they want,” she said of the 37 areas that make up Vail Resorts.

State Quarantines

These are out of the ski areas’ control. In New England, New Hampshire is open to all New England skiers. Utah and Idaho have no travel restrictions.

The Canadian border is closed.

This is the season to try Nordic. Backcountry skiing will also be popular. If you go remote, get some training in First Aid and Avalanche skills.

Outdoor Dining

Ski areas will rely on our outdoor hardiness and business. Spruce Peak base area at Stowe, Vt., comes to mind. Expect outdoor heaters, fire pits, picnic tables, heated benches, ticket kiosks, pop-up tents, family group lessons, and food trucks. Drinking fountains will be closed.

Nordic Skiing Will be Very Popular

Ditto backcountry and uphill access. Nordic saw a run on purchase of season passes and package equipment over the summer, many by first-time skiers. Nordic areas feel confident that inside space won’t be a problem because Nordic skiers tend to buy a ticket and head for the trails and don’t crowd up.

Ready? Let it snow.

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (Oct. 30)

October 30, 2020/0 Comments/in Features/by seniorsskiing

Snow On Halloween! Skiing Weatherman Predicts, Resort Options Question, Mystery Air Ride, Nordic Exercisers.

Lots of Black Swans this year. Enough already!

This year is unprecedented in many ways. Perhaps another oddity to add to how unusual things have become is that we have snow forecast for the Boston area on Halloween. Well, the evening before Halloween, but still. If you know anything about statistics, you have probably heard of a “Black Swan” event, something that happens that goes beyond so-called normal variances and which has heavy consequences. This year, we have a bevy of black swans.

What will the early snow mean? It’s that old “Go” signal to skiers everywhere, but with a new direction, scurrying people to buy any new gear they can find in their local ski shops.

Why?

Last spring, when the hammer came down, retailers saw a rush of last minute buyers for end of season, on sale stuff. Kind of like the toilet paper phenomenon but with skis, boots, and gear. This fall, according to Freeskier, backcountry gear is currently selling out. Uphill traffic is predicted to explode. Expect to see a new emphasis on avalanche awareness and condition reporting, guide services and instruction, and new back country ski packages hard to find in retail outlets. In that mix is the cross-country ski and boot you can use at your local golf course. Hot cakes, they are. If you want some, “Go” now!

Fischer factory in Ukraine burns Oct 19, made many brands of skis.

In the Alpine world, the virus hit just as retailers were about to place orders for the upcoming season’s equipment. Factories shut down, orders were cancelled. With on the shelf inventory depleted and a recent fire in the largest ski factory in Europe, according to Pugski, you’ve got to buy it now or not this season. Forget about demos and consults with shop experts about what choices you might have. It’s a different swan this year.

Classified Hints

You can post a classified ad for 30 days for only $1 until Nov 12th. It’s easy. Tips:

Post a picture with your ad. You can actually post a “gallery”, or number of pics. It really helps.
Include details of the deal, including payment options, shipping, who pays for what, etc. in the description.
Your headline will make readers click on your ad. Think about how to frame your wording.

This Week

Skiing Weatherman Herb Stevens returns with his prediction for the upcoming snow season. Herb has looked at that La Nina out in the Pacific, cooling the atmosphere above the west coast of South America. Find out what kind of weather he says that will bring to your favorite ski resort.

Our Mystery Glimpse this week shows us a really different and, thankfully, quick-passing fad in ski gondolas. Tell us what this is, where it was in operation, and what you think? Would you like to ride up a mountain in a flying saucer look-alike?

Our Question For You takes a serious tone this week. We ask what you would do if ski resort management and a goodly portion of your staff turns up positive for COVID. Not a pleasant thought, but one has to plan. What would you do?

We had a lot of responses to our previous question for you about advice re: joint replacements. Many responses were well-thought out and extremely useful to anyone facing that kind of procedure. We decided to analyze the responses to see what bubbles up and forms a clear message. We want to thank all our readers for responding so conscientiously.

Finally, there are still several months to go before the snow starts to build up into serious accumulation. You can continue to get into shape using a variety of Nordic exercise equipment for both inside and outside use. Check correspondent Steve Hine’s advice on what is available.

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

Short Swings!

October 30, 2020/0 Comments/in Home Top Box 1, Short Swings!, SHORT SWINGS!/by Jon Weisberg

The other night, on Netflix, we watched “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet.” Sir David, 94 (93 when he narrated the film), is the British naturalist/broadcaster who has been filming and educating the broader public about the natural world since the 1950s.

“A Life on Our Planet” is an incredibly beautiful visual statement. Sir David talks about and shows an abundance of lifeforms and discusses how accelerated natural resource destruction is rapidly leading to an ecosystem that, eventually, will no longer sustain human life.

Referring to the film as a “witness statement,” he presents both beauty and destruction and, with calm and reassurance, explains what we can do to bring Earth back to a state that will sustain all animal life – humans included – for future generations.

Why am I calling this important film to your attention?

As people of a certain age, who love being outdoors, I expect you appreciate the fragility of our ecosystem. Overactive smokestacks. Rainforest destruction. Increasingly violent storms. Dying coral reefs. Depleted ocean life. Melting glaciers. Diminishing polar caps. These and other harbingers don’t bode well for the future.

I know many among us whose interest in short term pleasures limit their thinking to their own lifespans. We lived through what we were handed. Future generations will do the same.

I view it differently. We live longer and better because of industrial progress. But nature and humankind is now out of balance. The relationship must be adjusted in order for life on Earth to be protected.

As skiers we’re beginning to experience the results. Fifteen or 20 years ago I read a study indicating that by 2030, natural snow in Park City would allow only the top half of the mountain to be skied. I think it will take longer. Another sign of unreliable conditions: snow making everywhere. including at the top of Sun Valley.

We don’t need to worry about skiing during our lifetimes. And our children probably will be fine. It’s the future generations we need to think about.

John Donne published “No man is an island,” in 1624. Over the years I’ve come to understand it as a meditation on our interconnectedness, both as humans and as pixels in the larger picture. It’s reproduced below. But for those who remember the poem, it’s important to recall the final words: “…never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

No man is an island entire of itself; every man

is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;

if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe

is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as

well as any manner of thy friends or of thine

own were; any man’s death diminishes me,

because I am involved in mankind.

And therefore never send to know for whom

the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

Don’t Be The Reason We Can’t Have A Season

A lift line, last week, in Cervina, Italy. Not too much social distancing.

“Don’t be the reason we can’t have a season,” is the guidance from Paul Pinchbeck, head of the Canadian Ski Council. Last week, he and other ski industry representatives participated in a Zoom media briefing organized by the North American Snowsports Journalists Association. That clever rhyme captures a sense throughout the industry that responsible behavior — social distancing, wearing masks, etc. — will help areas remain open. Irresponsible behavior already has forced Cervina, in Italy, to close. That decision was quickly followed by Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte announcing that all of the nation’s ski areas, as well as gyms, pools and movie theaters would be closed until Nov. 14.

Among other US locations, concerns about complying with public health regulations are surfacing in Summit County, Colorado. Alan Henceroth, Arapahoe Basin’s COO, recently blogged about the sharp increase in cases across the county. He attributes them to “…socialization – an evening party, drinks after work, hanging too close with too many people. Many of the transmissions have occurred in the late evening, after partying, when peoples’ guards are down.” He warns that if it doesn’t get better, among other things, it will hamper the ability to ski.

Some states have a more laissez faire attitude and, most likely won’t do anything to close their areas. Utah, I expect, is one. But, as this week’s Question For You asks, what will happen if an area’s core operating group catches the ‘rona?

Certainly, après ski carousing does not apply to senior skiers ;>)

P.S. Wednesday, in an effort to halt Covid, France and Germany announced ski resorts would be closed until the beginning of December.

470

That, according to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) was the number of ski areas last season, in the United States. Of the 37 states with areas, New York has the most (51). Next is Michigan (40), followed by Colorado and Wisconsin (31, each). Click here to see entire state-by-state list of areas.

James Taylor: American Standard

Like many of you,, I started lsitening to James Taylor in the later 60s and kept on listening for the next decade or so. His style always brings back long winter drives to Killington and Stowe and sweaty summers as a single in Manhattan. Earlier this year, he released his American Standard album. Not to be confused with the plumbing fixture company, American Standards (aka The American Songbook) usually is interpreted as popular tunes from the 1920s through the 1950s. Think Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Tony Bennet, and the many others from that rich and wonderful musical era. Now James Taylor applies his special genius to the genre. It’s wonderful listening. Click on the image above to hear and learn more.

Peak Obsession Trailer

Jeremy Jones is the founder of Jones Snowboards and creator of some very interesting film projects. In this half-hour film, he documents a few of the ascents/descents he is attempting in his quest to climb and ride each of the lines in 50 lines chronicled in the book, “The Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America“.

A Friend…

I have a skier friend experiencing debilitating side effects from a chemotherapy-related process to boost her bone marrow. She’s a fine skier with a great mind and intelligent sense of humor. She emailed to describe what she’s going through. It’s not pleasant, but she’s among a handful of people I know who has the grit to get through it. Her experience is a sharp reminder of how fortunate it is simply to get through our days in comfort and good health and to appreciate what we have…as long as we have it.

Sleep-full Nights and Painless Days

October 29, 2020/6 Comments/in Health/by Jon Weisberg

Something exceptional happened in our bedroom over the past several nights.

Pam and I have been together for more than 50 years, and for at least 20 of them she’s had difficulty sleeping.

It’s been made worse by my ability to sleep almost anywhere and at any time…a skill honed over decades on planes, in the back seats of cabs, and in hotels around the globe.

Not sharing my good-sleeping fortune, she’s experimented with every sleep aid: pharmaceutical and supplemental. Some knock her out for a few hours. Others make her groggy the next day. You should know that she is an active meditator and an experienced yoga teacher/practitioner. Since menopause, nothing has helped her get a full, untroubled, night of rest.

Last week, we received a bottle of Deep Sleep, a product from Biofit 360, a relatively new SeniorsSkiing.com advertiser. It combines hemp oil extract with other organic, natural ingredients.

Pam applied a single full dropper of the liquid under her tongue about a half-hour before going to bed. She slept soundly through the night. Actually, she’s repeated the drops every night since and has slept soundly six nights in a row.

She hasn’t experienced that for years. No sleeping pills. No white sound. Simply a full dropper under the tongue, followed by a really good night’s sleep.

I was not planning to write about this, but the result is so impressive that I want to share it. I don’t know how many of you have difficulty sleeping, but it’s not uncommon among seniors.

Before the Deep Sleep drops arrived, I spoke with Heather Hughes, Biofit’s president and founder. She explained what makes her products different from those made by other CBD companies. Among other considerations, Biofit uses only medical grade ingredients.

During the call, I learned a bit about cannabidiol (aka CBD), an extract of the industrial hemp plant.

CBD occurs naturally in the human body and has a positive effect on the brain and other organs, each of which has CBD-specific receptors. It is legal in all states and does not make people high.

One of CBD’s many benefits is that it reduces cortisol, the hormone that surfaces early in the morning causing anxiety. CBD also releases serotonin, often known as the “happy” chemical because it contributes to the feeling of well-being.

Deep Sleep, the drops giving Pam such sound and untroubled sleep, combines CBD, CBN (another hemp extract that has a calming effect and promotes longer and deeper sleep), and melatonin.

Biofit’s current advertisement features Relief CBD Cream, a topical anti-inflammatory that reduces pain. That product is what led the company to advertise on a site geared toward active older skiers. As you know, it’s not unusual to experience achy body parts at the end of the day.

Relief CBD Cream is engineered to mitigate that pain within 15-20 minutes of being applied. A little bit goes a very long way, so don’t be put off by the cost; the jar lasts a while. Heather recommends applying a small amount before hitting the hill and after skiing.

A friend in her early-70s whose shoulder was bothering, tried Relief CBD Cream. It worked quickly and effectively.

Many CBD options have surfaced over the past few years. About 30 of them exhibited last winter at the big OR/SIA ski trade show in Denver. Claims ranged from reasonable to absurd.

What you’ll find at www.biofit360.com is a well-organized and educational approach to explaining CBD in general and its products (for relieving pain, improving sleep, reducing anxiety) in particular.

I haven’t tried the products yet. I will the next time something hurts. My hope is that I never need Deep Sleep drops. But I am grateful that, finally (and by accident), Pam has a product that gives her a good night of sleep (and that she’s no longer waking me to tell me to stop snoring).

What You Said About Joint Replacement

October 29, 2020/3 Comments/in Features/by mikemaginn

“Not a day goes by that I don’t marvel at my pain-free knees and thank my luck stars I had this technology available.” Nancy P.

Take it easy, wait for perfect conditions, think positive. Credit: Liftopia

We had a number of comprehensive, well thought out, and even emphatic responses to our Question For You last week. Recall, we asked for advice about getting joint replacement as an active snow sports-loving senior. We don’t usually analyze the array of responses we get to the QFY feature, but in this case, there are some findings that are worth highlighting.

Here’s what you said:

Some descriptive stats: The average time between surgery and returning to skiing was 8.46 months. Most of the respondents were in their 70s, fewer in their 60s, and one 80. Most respondents reported knee replacements, about a quarter of those double knee replacements. Fewer respondents reported hip replacements.
“Prehab”, exercise before surgery, and Rehab are the key to success. Many responses endorsed the need to strengthen muscles and stretch ligaments under the guidance of a PT and/or on your own. Post operative exercise brings back functionality faster and safer, but overdoing it—which can be a problem for some committed exercisers—can lead to setbacks.

“The value of pre-op therapy for strength and flexibility cannot be over stated.” Mark M., PT

“Go in strong, come out strong.” Donald M.

“Be religious about rehab.” Sherm W.

“Work your tail off.” John W.

“Strengthen, strengthen, strengthen.” Jack M.

Ongoing exercise after rehab PT was a frequent mention. You said these activities kept you going: Swimming, cycling/mountain biking, walking/hiking, elliptical machine, pickleball, Boot Camp fitness. Note: no running, jumping off the backs of pickup trucks, mogul skiing, or icy slopes.
Several readers offered advice about easing back to downhill skiing. This included doing snowplows, sticking with greens, waiting for perfect conditions, avoiding too much, too soon, i.e., glades, blacks. Interestingly, one person mentioned heading back to cross-country skiing before going to the mountains to gain confidence. Bottom line: Take it easy.
What helped getting back into skiing? There were several mentions of having a good surgeon and good appliance replacing the joint in the first place. Other readers mentioned enablers: New equipment, Knee bindings that release from the heel as well as the toe, Ski Mojo, a supportive device that relieves pressure on hips and knees. Another reader mentioned a positive mental attitude. Can’t argue with that.
Curiously, a number of readers mentioned alternatives to surgery including a variety of therapeutics including different drugs and stem cell treatments. Obviously, they are out there and worthy of inquiry. However, most respondents opted for surgery, some after years of a pain.
As far as outcomes are concerned, several readers reported they’ve never skied better. Clearly there is a transformation from pre- to post- joint replacement.

“It was the first time in 30 years that I didn’t have at least twinges of pain from that knee.” Nancy P.

Mystery Glimpse: Air Ride

October 27, 2020/6 Comments/in Mystery Glimpse/by seniorsskiing

Not A Flying Saucer.

Close, though. It certainly looks like it might be from…um…elsewhere. And that’s a giveaway to what was going on in that particular era. Is it an amusement park ride? Prop from a space movie? No, but at what stylish resort did this car-ish “gondola” appear? How about when? Does anyone know the history? We thank Jamie Storrs of Vail Resorts for opening his archive of historical photos for us.

Last Week

We have few answers as to the details of the video of vintage home movies curated by correspondent Don Burch. Clearly, some 50s and 60s footage. Don reports the first segment is from the Ostego Ski Club skiing at Hidden Valley, PA. The second is labelled 1961, and no data for the last segment. Fun, though, to see that world again.

Here it is in case you missed it last week.

Question For You 16: The Right Thing To Do

October 26, 2020/16 Comments/in Features/by mikemaginn

Let’s Do Some Scenario Planning.

We all realize that the snow season we are about to enter—or which has already started in some places—is going to be the most remarkable in our entire lives. We’ve asked what you were going to do about heading or not heading to resorts, and it’s clear everyone has a plan or at least an opinion.

But, here’s a different slant. Let’s take a situation that you can bet is gonna be happening out there. Based on the situation, you game out the best moves. Yes, it’s scenario planning and the stuff of off-site meetings and consulting gigs. But, we can do it in our online community. All you have to do is think of the optimal response, optimal meaning the best that can be done, given the situation. Optimal doesn’t mean ideal, it’s the best possible in a particular situation.

So here you go. The season has been progressing nicely at a moderately-sized mountain resort. Skiers are cooperating with the various restrictions, and the snow has been fab for great skiing. Mid-week crowds are up, everyone is having a manageable time, getting good runs in and coping in general with the changes. Then, ka-boom. We learn that 20 of the core staff—instructors, lifties, food service people, maintenance—have been infected by the virus.

Credit: David Zalubowski

What should happen now? What should management do? What are the options? What is the most likely, optimal outcome?

Write your thoughts in Leave A Reply below.

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Tag Archive for: SeniorsSkiing.com

Alternatives To Alpine Skiing Are Expected To Blossom This Season.

Snowshoeing Is A Highly Accessible and Easy Way To Enjoy The Winter.

Less Known, Excellent XC Destinations To Explore.

Classified Bonus, Skiing Weatherman, Volcano Snowshoeing, Renting Your Ski House Apt., Dust Of Snow Poem, Prep Advice, Strange Parka, Holiday Valley Review, COVID Rules Example.

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

Every now and then, we give readers a status report on the state of the older skier and the status of SeniorsSkiing.com.

It’s fair to say that we’re all doing well. The magazine started in the Fall of 2013 with exactly “0” subscribers. Today there are 17,000 of you, and the number is growing.

Snow in the West

Vermont Covid Policy Places Season in Jeopardy

Utah: Too Little, Too Late

Mask = Specs = Foggy Lenses

Joe Biden Skis

Tricks on Skis: 1937 Newsreel

Snowball Fight 1896

$1 Buys 1 Month of Classified Advertising

Nordic to be Featured in Next Week’s Edition

Attracting Renters Using Online Booking Tools.

Ocean Of Volcanic Lava Offers Awesome XC/Snowshoe Experience.

Winter Landscape: Milk And Vanilla Ice Cream.

So It Begins, Unevenly.

Here’s An Example Of What You Can Expect When You Make Your First Visit To Your Favorite Local Resort.

What’s On Your Agenda?

How do you prepare for the upcoming winter snow sports season? Is there a set of activities you follow yearly? Something special you buy? Let us know.

By Robert Frost

Are there powder days in Western New York? Can Pete Widger yodel?

Warren Miller’s Latest, Skis For Senior Recommendations, Rent Your Ski House, COVID Rules, Sun Valley XC, Mystery Instructor, Early Visitor Question.

This Week.

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

Great Snow; Closed Areas

Vermont Issues Covid Operational Guidelines

SeniorsSkiing.com Classifieds

How do you wear a face mask with a helmet?

BOOTSTER for Holiday Gifts

VIVE Wear Compression Socks

Nothing to do with Skiing Dep’t

A Different and Wonderful Ski Documentary

Classy And Classic, Sun Valley Has Magnetism And Charm.

Yes, It’s Early Days, But How Is It Out There?

This Is Probably Not The Year To Try To Ski Your Age.

Snow On Halloween! Skiing Weatherman Predicts, Resort Options Question, Mystery Air Ride, Nordic Exercisers.

Classified Hints

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

The other night, on Netflix, we watched “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet.” Sir David, 94 (93 when he narrated the film), is the British naturalist/broadcaster who has been filming and educating the broader public about the natural world since the 1950s.

Don’t Be The Reason We Can’t Have A Season

470

James Taylor: American Standard

Peak Obsession Trailer

A Friend…

Something exceptional happened in our bedroom over the past several nights.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t marvel at my pain-free knees and thank my luck stars I had this technology available.” Nancy P.

“The value of pre-op therapy for strength and flexibility cannot be over stated.” Mark M., PT

“Go in strong, come out strong.” Donald M.

“Be religious about rehab.” Sherm W.

“Work your tail off.” John W.

“Strengthen, strengthen, strengthen.” Jack M.

“It was the first time in 30 years that I didn’t have at least twinges of pain from that knee.” Nancy P.

Not A Flying Saucer.

Let’s Do Some Scenario Planning.

What should happen now? What should management do? What are the options? What is the most likely, optimal outcome?

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