Powder Is His Passion, And His Daily Workout Keeps Him Fit. Let’s Grow Up Like Him.

George at Alta this February. He’s an inspiration to us all.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

George is an inspiration. Watch him ski and you’d never know he’s over 99. He skis Alta or Snowbird every day when he’s in Utah, and he has a knack for finding patches of untracked powder days after a storm.

George came to Utah in 1960 to be the general manager of the thriving Geneva Steel Plant. He was athletic, and he thought he should take up skiing. He learned from the best: Alta’s legendary Alf Engen, Snowbird’s iconic Junior Bonous, and Earl Miller, the granddaddy of release bindings.

“While buying my first pair of skis, I met Earl Miller who offered to teach me how to ski. Of course, I used Miller bindings—the only safe bindings available at that time. We used the rope tow at Alta Lodge for my first lesson.”

Miller demonstrated how his bindings released by showing photos of himself making some sensational falls. But George’s falls were even more spectacular, and Miller complimented him saying: “You know, George, you’ve made some falls that I’ve never seen before!”

George grew to love Alta’s powder with and without falls.

When he was transferred to Indiana in 1967, community leaders honored him for his community service and gave him a gift to lure him back.

“They presented me with a Lifetime Season Pass to Alta,” George said. “I have made good use of this wonderful present.”

But how does a 99 year old stay in shape? He has five fitness machines in his home’s basement, and he works out every morning before breakfast. He’s motivated by his love of skiing.

“I know I’ve got to stay in shape, or I won’t be able to ski,” he says.

He calls it his philosophy of powder: Stay strong, never give up, enjoy whatever the snow conditions are, and, above all appreciate, every day to the fullest.

Ski Utah, the state’s ski industry organization, has produced a video of George skiing for each of the last 5 years. Click here to see my favorite video when he was 95.

He’s the oldest skiing member among Alta’s Wild Old Bunch, the group of senior skiers who enjoys skiing and socializing together.

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

George Jedenoff still shredding at 99 1/2 at Alta this February.
Credit: Harriet Wallis

3 Comments

  1. Val Wonsavage says:

    I was inspired by George. I am 92 years old and Alta has always been my favorite hill. I hope to see George during spring skiing .

  2. Harriet

    Thanks for featuring George, whom I have been following for a few years now. At a young 55 years of age I hope to achieve what George has in life and skiing, with a similar positive attitude. I lead groups of skiers in CO who are close to his age (60s, 70s, and 80s) and it is always fun to work with them. Several of my “old-timers” ski with George. They are all an inspiration.

    I am reminded of another skiing inspiration; Klaus Obermeyer. A recent interview with Senior Skiing and Klaus revealed a fundamental of a skier at that age and that is “skiing is easier than walking”.

  3. Marilynn Christensen says:

    What an inspiration! I started skiing when I was about the age George mentioned in the video clip. I used to live in Utah and always wanted to learn to ski but it wasn’t until I moved to Arizona in 1988 that I actually took it up seriously. I met a few girl friends at work who skied and they patiently helped me down the hills after my morning lessons. I was skiing every year until my remaining ski partner moved to Maui, HI four years ago. I’m hoping to strap the skis on again but am reluctant to go alone so haven’t gone since she left. I am contemplating at least once more when I turn 70–that was always my plan to keep skiing until I could ski free. Not giving up yet–I also think it’s a good motivation to stay in shape–love that beautiful, quiet solitude of the snow in the mountains.

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