The Older We Get- The Better We Were
Howard Johnson’s at Tuckerman Ravine- 1984
So, I was surprised this week when my friend Eric, from Tahoe (formerly of Vermont), mailed me some pictures from way back when we skied Tuckerman Ravine together. Looking at these 40 year old photos, I thought back to a time when we laid down the only tracks one day in Dodge’s Drop ( and Eric had a cast on his wrist). We had some good times up there as we skied it many times together. But the thing that is amazing about this picture is the equipment we used. I mean, look at the skis. Probably 203 or 205 cm GS skis. Look how narrow compared to today’s equipment.
The other interesting thing about these pictures was the external frame packs we used. We added cross bars with latches and wing nuts to secure the skis to the frame. He was from Vermont and naturally used wood. I was from the steel city and with the help of my dad, we used aluminum cross bars. All in all, with the boots secured in the bindings, our clothing and food for the week, sleeping bag and mat, the pack weighed in at around 85 pounds which was a pretty good load to haul to the shelters where we stayed. One year, I thought I would save some time and make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches ahead of time. By the time the week ended, that package of sandwiches had been slept on, eaten from, and generally the once nice, neat stack of sandwiches had turned into a peanut butter dough ball. Lots of memories came flooding back to me as I opened the envelope this week from my friend.
In today’s world, people who climb and ski as we did, use internal frame packs. There are slots in the side of the packs that allow easy placement of the skis and the internal frames are much better suited to securing a lot of cargo. Lots of guys today use skins on their skis for climbing, and AT equipment to hike and ski to their destinations. Eric and I basically hauled our alpine equipment up to the shelter, and from there basically climbed up in our ski boots with our skis over our shoulders. Equipment surely changes and evolves over the years and skiing is no exception.
40 years later at Mammoth Mountain, California.
The other things that evolve over time are the stories that we tell about the old days. Sure, there are embellishments, the runs are bigger and badder than perhaps they were, and the stories that we tell each other evolve with the passage of time. But like my friend Paul Vey still says many years later, our trip down Corbet’s Couloir at Jackson Hole, was the highlight of his athletic career. He played Div 1 basketball at UVM and that is still saying something. Somehow the beers taste better when the stories start cranking up. Eric’s wife Helen usually disappears when she starts hearing the old stories. She has heard them way too many times. But when pictures like these start showing up again, they remind me of a time gone by and the good times that we had. I mean, we are still at it – 40 years later. Maybe not camping and hiking Tuckerman Ravine anymore, but still skiing in some pretty good places and having a pretty good time. And still skiing relatively well.
So, if you get a chance, go look in your old photo boxes and take some time to review your old times with great friends. They will remind you that friendships are important and like equipment and stories, they evolve over time. Having friends that you can still do things with after many years is a true blessing. Encourage each other to stay in shape, stay at it, and make the effort to get together whenever you can. And always remember- the older we get……………the better we were.
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Great story, at 84 I’m still cross country skiing with a
long time friend — not skiing the same hills or trails
we once did but having fun.
Thanks for the article it’s a reminder that we are never to old to get out there and have fun.
Thanks Jean. We just have to keep doing it.
Great post interesting and 100% accurate. I ski almost daily at 85 and as I ride the chair it is amazing to me how well a majority of skiers are now turning and carving their skis. Years ago with long straight skis very little grooming and rocks and ice, we all had to add in unweighting that took plenty of strength and coordination so maybe 10% of the skiers did a good job and 90% just muscled their weight around. Today’s technology has really changed the number of good skiers, yes few are really outstanding but the view from the chair has really changed.
Thanks for reading Michael. You are my beacon out there skiing at 85. Kudos to you. And yes- the view from the chair has changed with the new equipment.
Tucks is Tucks: unique high alpine terrain in the east other than other White Mt hidey holes. I remember my skis down Dodges fondly but without the anxiety of being there. While I mostly side slipped the steepest part of the low entrance my buddies hucked the cornice into the narrow chute of the high entrance with style.
When we did it that time, we had to slide down over an ice fall on our rear ends until we could get our traction in the snow again. A little dicey but memorable.
Haha, that’s so great! I keep reminding myself, I need to digitize the old photos! I feel like I’ve got my timelines backward, though. In ’84, I was skiing Mammoth, and this year, I’m trying to convince my friend to come ski Tucks with me!
Go for it Ken. But I am on my way to Mammoth in two weeks. LOL!!
Hopefully, the memories help motivate us to keep sliding on snow. An old mentor told me years ago to grow old gracefully by ignoring it. It gets harder to ignore, but so far it’s working- 76 and still teaching skiing at Smugglers Notch.
I know your PSIA pedigree Sherm. Lots of good work on your part.
I love it! “Grow old gracefully by ignoring it”.At 78 skiing as often as I can and trying to ski with pals that are better than me.
I will NEVER ski some of the insane runs that I used to, badly, I might add.
Five months pregnant skiied Mammoth then quit skiing til next season. My (unexpected) twin daughters started skiing by 2 1/2! They are fine skiers who can and will ski anything. My home mountains now are Alpine Meadows/Palisades and sometimes Northstar at Tahoe.
That is all good news Carol. Thanks for reading and keep skiing Tahoe.
From my first day at Boyce Park on alpine skis with my older brother to my first time cross country on the Penn State golf course I just knew winter was for gliding on snow. Fifty-six years later I’m counting the months till ski season and watching the calendar for the last day before season pass prices increase at my neighborhood ski hill. Thanks for the reflection on skiing as a lifelong passion.