Tag Archive for: The Buffalo Wool Company

new yorker
Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/3 Comments/in /by

Will I get hit by a boarder?

For most of my skiing life, I looked forward to next season with enthusiasm. But several years ago, I began to face the season with some anxiety. Was I in good enough shape? Will the knees continue to do what they’re supposed to do? Will I get hit by a boarder? Should I listen to my wife and go south?

Inevitably, my love for playing on snow overrides those concerns. And my impression is that most of you share the point of view. If not, there wouldn’t be as many of us still skiing. Those over 52 comprise 20% of all U.S. skiers and boarders.  

A ski through the park.

But the questions linger. For many, the older we get, the less confidence we have in our ability to return to earlier performance. Unless you’re in poor health or very poor physical condition, we should consider Bernie Weichsel’s advice. Bernie is a lifelong skier, winter sports marketing entrepreneur, past chairman of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame, and member of the SeniorsSkiing.com Advisory Council.

“Everyone gets in shape for the new season differently. Some people do pre-season conditioning. Others do it on the slopes with a lot of easy gliding,” he explains. Not of the “do as I say” school, Bernie tries to ski, at the very least, the same number of days as his age — a goal he encourages all to emulate.

My first time on the snow for this season will be in January, and if things go as expected, I’ll rack up at least half my age, the most days skied in several years. 

It will be good reward for working out five days a week. A few months ago I started to work with a trainer.My goal was to improve stamina and explosive energy. The trainer introduced me to several diabolically effective routines. Diabolical, because they require major effort. Effective, because hiking and walking staircases, I feel stronger.

 

And (sometimes) I listen to my wife and go South. That’s next week’s agenda.

 

If you’re a bit anxious about returning to the hill, give it a try. Most people are back in the groove after a few runs or a few days of runs, enjoying the thrill, the fresh air, and the scenery. So if you think you’re too old, think again. Go skiing!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Vermont Nordic Ski Center Stores Last Season’s Snow

Craftsbury Outdoor Center in Northern Vermont was able to save about 6,000 cubic meters of snow from last season. Working with the University of Vermont, the 500 acre Nordic center preserved more than 60 percent of its original snow supply. It’s an important development for low-elevation Nordic centers as the globe warms. Click here for The Boston Globe’s full report.

Mt Norquay (AB) Carpool Incentive

Paid parking is used as an economic incentive to reduce traffic and encourage carpooling. Mt. Norquay Ski Resort in Alberta is trying a different approach. Once a month, the resort lets all car occupants split the cost of a single $89 lift ticket and get their own pass for the day. The area also encourages use of free shuttles from Banff with $20 tickets for the day.

Wise Counsel From The Pontiff of Powder

Jackson Hogen (aka, the Pontiff of Powder) is a reliable font of useful advice, which he conveys through RealSkiers.com, the go-to website for info on skis and other gear. A recent missive presents the case for tipping your bootfitter. It’s really about the value a good bootfitter delivers to your skiing comfort and pleasure and how that service deserves a cash reward. It’s a simple idea and a good one. If your fitter delivers good service, give him (or her) a few bucks. BTW, RealSkiers.com is available to SeniorsSkiing.com readers for half its $19.99 subscription fee. Enter SS20 on checkout. 

Last Minute Shopping?

Here are five sites for unusual and interesting ski and cold weather gifts.

The Buffalo Wool Company

This is the place to get the most wonderful socks, hats and gloves. The socks I use are made primarily of bison down and merino wool. They’re soft, comfortable and wear forever. Visit https://thebuffalowoolco.com.

BRR! Skincare

This company makes a variety of skincare products specifically for skiers and others spending time in the cold. They use botanicals to protect against the effects of cold and wind on the skin without any toxic ingredients.  Visit https://www.brrskincare.com.

Vermont Glove

This little company has been hand making gloves in Vermont since 1920. They’re full grain goat leather and last forever. I use the heavy duty Farmer model for splitting firewood and other outside chores. Wool liners make them cozy on very cold days. They also make a mitten. Visit https://vermontglove.com.

Bootster

This is one of my favorite skier gifts. It’s the effortless way to get foot into ski boot. The smart design makes this little shoe horn for ski boots easy to fit in parka pocket so it can be used after lunch.  Great $25 gift. Visit http://thebootster.com.

NW Sales Connection

Here’s a fantastic site to find reasonably priced women’s and men’s ski clothing in a wide range of sizes and styles. You’ll also find a full range of kid’s ski wear and women’s swimsuits. Enter discount code seniorski10 for 10% off. Visit https://www.nwsalesconnection.com.

The “Snow” Song

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is the 1954 musical-comedy film starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. The Crosby and Kaye become a popular song and dance team following WW II, meet Clooney and Vera-Ellen in a nightclub in Florida and accompany them by train to Vermont. The film begins and ends with the song “White Christmas” and includes classics such as “Sisters” and “Gee, I Wish I Was Back in the Army.” On the ride from Florida to Vermont they sing “Snow,” in a delightful quartet laced with references to skiing. Click on the picture for a nice treat.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/2 Comments/in , /by

Twenty-seven thousand, three hundred and ninety-four days. Exactly, nine hundred months. On Wednesday I turned 75. For all but the first nine years, skiing has been my passion.

Two things about me contribute to this craziness: I love being outside in the cold, and what I lack in athleticism, I’ve made up for with persistence.

In Okemo’s early days, when I was 11 or 12, I spent the better part of a season determined to ride the Poma without falling. Eventually, I conquered that demon.

For several years, it seemed I was condemned to the stem, functional but awkward. I remember the moment at Mount Snow when a mogul inadvertently caused me to parallel turn. Before long, I had to think twice before stemming.

There were times when I was bedridden. Regardless of time of year, crumpled sheets became mountain ranges, and my mind took me places where I would ski.

In my teens and twenties, friends and I would jump-turn down Eastern trails, stopping with the occasional tip roll. We wore double leather boots wrapped with long thongs. More than once, I’d get to the bottom and realize my skis were splintered.

There were long weekend rides from Manhattan to Killington and Stowe. On the Stowe Road, the LaMarr’s provided a bunk bed and a hearty breakfast for $5.00. On one of those trips another car spun out of control and wrecked my new MG Midget. Hitchhiking that weekend put me on the road to getting hitched. One of the girls who picked me up became my bride.

Soon, skiing shifted to the West, starting in Alta in 1972. It’s been a rare season since when I haven’t
skied that magic mountain. At one point I fell in love with powder. Those of you who have been up to your knees or thighs or waist will understand. When it’s that deep, steep is your friend. It’s a joyful experience, and, like the word, “joy,” it’s ephemeral.

Over the years, I’ve learned to follow the snow.  It’s great to spend the day seeking out the best conditions. It might take you to blacks, blues, or greens. If you know how to use your equipment with the least amount of effort, and if you enjoy making graceful turns, you’ll understand this preoccupation with the physics of poetry.

These days, I’m deliberately slow. Wherever I go – and if I feel up to it – I like to play with the fall line, skiing slowly, making well-formed turns. Some kid me about getting more turns per vertical foot. Others get tired of waiting.

I view skiing as a metaphor for life. We develop and use a range of skills. Some days are bluebird; some are dark. There are times of confusion when we feel our way into clarity. Other times it can be cold, miserable, and ugly. But most of the time, skiing is an expression of love.

Legally Younger?

A 69 year old in the Netherlands tried to legally change his age to 49, which, he says, is how old he feels. The Dutch government rejected the request. He plans to appeal, based on the idea that other forms of personal transformation, such as name and gender, are gaining traction in the Netherlands. In one of the SeniorsSkiing.com reader surveys we asked about your actual age and how old you felt after a good day on the slopes. Your ages averaged about 67. How old did you feel? Twenty years younger!

Rare 20% Discount from Apex Ski Boot System

If you’ve been thinking about slipping your feet into a pair of Apex boots — they provide comfort and performance and, like the ad states, let you Ski Hard and Walk Easy — now is a good time to do it. The company is offering a 20% discount to the first 50 SeniorsSkiing.com readers who respond (shipping to the lower 48, included). Offer ends Christmas day. Go to the Apex website, make your selection, and enter  SENIOR3000 on checkout.

Ski Whiteface with an Olympian

Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid, is a lovely place to stay when visiting Whiteface Mountain and other North Country attractions. Starting this season, Andrew Weibrecht, son of the Inn’s owners and an Olympic medalist, is available to ski with Mirror Inn guests at Whiteface. It’s on the pricey side ($450 for 8:00AM to noon, lift ticket included), but for the deep-pocket set, it sounds like a fun experience.

Vermont Adaptive Honors Volunteers

Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, the nationally-recognized group empowering people of all abilities through inclusive sports and recreational programming, announced its Volunteers of the Year. They are Phil Crowell, of Plainfield, N.H., and Jackie Levine, Barry Whitworth, and Ryan Kennedy, all of Burlington, VT. Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports provides services regardless of ability to pay.

Stoking Your Inner-Pow

I don’t know where this video was shot, but it’s titled “First lines of 2018 – skiing some powder.” Enjoy.

More Great Holiday Gifts for Older Skiers

I just purchased a dozen GearBeasts– all different colors – as holiday gifts for my skiing friends. They’ll use and love this neat, little smartphone carrier. It fits over the neck and under the parka, keeping the phone warm, accessible, and safe. Warm, because it’s close to the body and helps keep the  charge. Accessible, because it’s always there and no need to search pockets. Safe, because the phone can be used on the lift without concern for accidental drops. GearBeast has a little built-in pocket to carry credit card, driver’s license and a few bills. When I use it – and I use it often — I leave my wallet in the car. As a holiday gift to SeniorsSkiing.com readers, the company – an advertiser – is giving 20% off its regular prices that range from $9.99 to $12.99 (I bought the $9.99 version.) Go to gearbeast.com (or click on the adjacent ad) and enter SENIORS-SKIING when checking out.

A thoughtful gift for any older skier visiting Aspen/Snowmass is a one-day Ski Younger Now session with Seth Masia: $820 with 7 day advance booking.

Other Recent Gift Giving Suggestions:

Wild West Jerky makes great-tasting, all-natural, jerky products. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers receive a 20% discount off full retail. Enter seniorsskiing in the promo code window at checkout

The Buffalo Wool Company makes socks, gloves, hats from bison down mixed with silk, yak, wool, and cashmere. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers get a 10% discount. Enter SeniorsSkiing in the discount code window at checkout.

Panda Poles have bamboo shafts and are beautifully hand-crafted in Idaho. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers get a 30% discount off the regular price of $95. Enter SENIORS30 at checkout.

Orsden makes wonderful parkas and pants in great colors. They’re sold only online. Comparable products in stores sell for twice as much. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers get a 30% discount through December 31. Enter WINTER30 at checkout.

DeBooter is a skiboot jack, that makes boot removal a breeze. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers get a 20% discount. Enter SENIORSSKIING at checkout.

The Bootster is a compact skboot horn. It’s small enough to be carried in a pocket. $25.00

Safe Descents is emergency ski and snowboard evacuation insurance. Among other benefits, it covers ambulance or air evacuation services if injured in-bounds at any ski resort in the United States. The policy is available to residents of all but five of the lower 48. $56.99 for the season.

Join Us in the Alps

Join us the week of March 10 when we ski in the Aosta Valley with guides from Alpskitour. Each day, we’ll go to a different resort in Italy, Switzerland and France. The all-inclusive price — $4500 to $5500 per person– depends on where you fly to and whether you stay in a 3 or 5 star hotel. Orsden is a sponsor and giving a parka to each participant. If interested, email me: jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/2 Comments/in /by

A friend recently commented that a key to greater happiness is to lower our expectations. It took a few days before I understood what he was saying. In some cultures, unhappiness can be traced to the variance between what we have learned to expect and what we have come to experience. Lowering expectations can change that, without lowering our standards.

My wife and I are still in the process of setting up a new home. It’s a different experience from the last time we did it. Online purchases aren’t always what we thought we were buying, and, for some merchants, making a return can be frustrating. With a few exceptions, in-store shopping has been weird. Salespeople – if you can find them – seem to know very little. Sometimes they say they’ll look for something and never return. I expect that in some ways, my disappointments are related to my expectations. In light of my friend’s revelation, when the salesperson doesn’t return or the person behind the counter is deliberately unhelpful, I reduce my expectation and the anger, the frustration, the aggravation slip away. And, when things turn out the way I think they should, I’m generous both with appreciation and thanks.

Join Us the Week of March 10 in the Alps

My wife and I will be skiing the Alps during March. We’re inviting readers to join  us the week of March 10 when we’re booked with Alpskitour, based in Saint Vincent in the Aosta Valley. Each day, a guide will take us to different resorts in Italy, Switzerland and France. The price — $4500 to $5500 per person– depends on where you fly to and whether you stay in a 3 or 5 star hotel. It includes everything for the 5 day/6 night experience: hotel, guide, meals, lifts, ski rentals, airport transfers, daily shuttles, etc. Each group is limited to six intermediate and higher skiers/boarders. Orsden is a sponsor and giving a terrific parka to each participant. More info about the trip appeared in last week’s Short Swings! column. If interested, email me: jon@seniorsskiing.com.

Richard Pazara’s Ski Streak

Reader Richard Pazara has skied almost everywhere on the globe and he’s still going.
Credit: Richard Pazara

In 2017 we published an article Richard Pazara wrote about his never-ending quest to ski where he hadn’t skied before. At that time he had been to 1,241 ski areas. In response to the recent Short Swings! column about the number of areas around the world (and my confession to having skied only 85), Richard emailed an update in the form of a spreadsheet documenting vertical feet skied, starting with 1994-95, when he began tracking vert with a ski watch. He’s clocked more than 1 million vertical in each of 16 of the ensuing 24 seasons. In 2007-08 he skied 1,667,940 vertical feet! In case you’re curious, Richard was born in 1946. Congratulations Richard! You are an inspiration.

Skiing in Georgia?

The New York Times: Ola Lewitschnik

The country’s Caucusus Mountains have four resorts, with Gaudauri being the most developed. It’s about a 90 minute drive from Tiblisi, Georgia’s capitol. According to the article appearing in the The New York Times’ annual Ski Issue. The country has good terrain, good food, and very reasonable prices. Additional reading made it clear that elsewhere in the country, with the help of cats and copters, it’s possible to access excellent backcountry powder. Can’t report on the quality of guides or safety protocols, but if you’re looking for something different, this might be a way to go.

Mt Bachelor Celebrates 60th

When it opened in 1958, the Bend, OR area had one 3,900’ Poma, two rope tows, and a 1,500-square-foot day lodge. Today, it is the country’s sixth largest area, with 4,318 acres covering an entire dormant volcano.

Great Holiday Gifts for Older Skiers

The Buffalo Wool Company is a small Texas outfit making exceptional woven things to keep your feet, hands and head comfy when out in the elements. Their socks, gloves, and hats are made from bison down, the fluff on the undersides of the 2000 lb animals. The company purchases 75% of the available supply, mixes it with silk, wool, yak, and cashmere and produces unique products that last long and make a good impression when given to the ones you love. In explaining it’s premium pricing, the company’s website states, “Nothing is more expensive than gear that doesn’t work.” SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers get a 10% break by entering “SeniorsSkiing” in the discount code window during the check-out process. I wore Buffalo Wool Company socks last winter when resting between ski trips at our place in the high desert near Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. What a luxury! The company has a “no questions asked” return policy in the unlikely event you or the person receiving the gift chooses to send it back. The American Field Bison Boot Sock ($54.00 less 10%) and the Pro-Gear Technical Boot Bison/Silk Sock ($45.00, less 10%) are particularly good options.

Wild West Jerky is another small company that makes the best jerky I’ve ever tasted. It’s based in the tiny town of Levan, Utah. The products – beef, buffalo, elk, venison, turkey, pork, salmon – are available in multiple flavors, sizes, combinations, etc. All ingredients and processing are entirely natural – unlike the commercial jerky products; even the high-end ones. SeniorsSkiing.com subscribers receive a 20% discount off full retail online purchases when they enter “seniorsskiing” in the promo code window at checkout. Leave the fruitcake and Christmas cookies to others. Send or show up with a truly delicious and unusual gift.

Something New: Rental Ski Clothing

Slope Threads is a new Colorado-based company that rents a package of parka, pants, gloves, and goggles for $35 a day. Customers make their selections online. Soft goods are from Obermeyer; goggles from Smith. The clothing is delivered to their destinations. When done, it’s returned via mail. All shipping costs are included. The site has nice-looking stuff for the entire family. I’d be interested in reports from any readers who use the service.

January 4-6 Trip to Stowe

Mogul Meister Ski Club has a few open spots for a weekend trip to Stowe. It includes private bus from Scarsdale, NY, 2 nights lodging, breakfasts, dinner, lift tickets, etc. Cost: $438 pp/double occupancy. Details: email trip leader, Harold Pressberg: hmp696@optonline.net

mikemaginn

Another Unique Gift: Buffalo Down Socks

/1 Comment/in /by

We Took The Challenge And Wore Them For Five Days.  Here’s What Happened.

Bison down and Merino wool make a warm and durable combination.

We love buffalo, the distinctly American creature who has been denizen of the Great Plains since pre-history, who was deified by native Americans, who has captured our imagination in countless legends, songs, stories, novels, and movies, who has shown up in hamburgers, (bison burgers) and who now contributes to keeping our feet warm. Such a versatile critter, we hardly imagined that they had enough…what, fur?…to make things out of.

Apparently so. An enterprising company out of Kennedale, TX, makes a variety of clothing and accessory items from what they call “Bison Down”. Come to think of it, have you ever seen a buffalo shivering? Their undercoat of thick down is the insulating mechanism that keeps these huge mammals warm. Ron and Theresa Miskin, the good folks at The Buffalo Wool Co., were kind to send us a couple of pairs of buffalo down socks for testing.

In the letter accompanying the socks, they wrote: “If you’re feeling brave, wear them for two, three even four days…We think you’ll be impressed at how they hold up, keep your feet dry. and don’t get ‘stinky’ like cotton or synthetic socks.”

Well, we went for five days.  We were impressed with how they held up and how warm they were. We hiked in our hiking boots, sat through Thanksgiving, went to the store, and, truth be told, even slept in them on a couple of particularly cold nights. All for the sake of not exactly science but an honest product review for our readers.

At the end of five days, we gave them our personal sniff test. Not bad, we thought, but we need a second opinion to be statistically correct.  So, when our grown up son visiting for Thanksgiving was sitting on the couch one evening, focused on a football game, we asked him to do a sniff test.  In honesty, we didn’t really ask him. Rather we shoved our five-day ripe socks into his schnozola and said, “Smell this”. After an awkward discussion, he agreed they didn’t have the aroma of the bottom of long-abandoned gym locker.

And they really didn’t.  They were terrific.  We noticed these socks were nice and thick, the kind that is really comfy for hiking, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing and outdoor activities in the cold weather whatever those might be.  The model we tested was made of 40 percent Bison Down, 40 percent Merino wool, 18 percent Nylon and two percent Spandex.  When we first opened the package, we noticed they were quite silky smooth and soft feeling.  They remained what way for the entire test period.

On the other hand, such thick socks might not be a choice for ski socks. SeniorsSkiing.com co-publisher Jon Weisberg, who also is testing a pair, says that some ski boots are so fitted to the foot that thick socks might get in the way, make the boots to tight and the feet too cold.

In any case, you can find a wide variety of different socks, hats, gloves, and even yarn at the Buffalo Wool Company site.  The model socks we tested were the Trekker Buffalo/Merino Wool for $38.  Other socks were as low as $32. Other products included different combos of Bison down with either silk or Merino wool.

And think of the fun you can have challenging your family members to a game of “how long can you wear your socks”.

The American Bison never shivers.
Credit: Brittanica