Short Swings!
Many in the ski resort industry harbor...
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This Week
Even though senior skiers ski more and spend more per capita on skiing than younger generations, there’s a perception throughout the industry that the older cohort is made up of tight wads taking up otherwise valuable space in the day lodge. Jon touches on the issue in this week’s Short Swings! column. In his typical light and informative style, Skiing[Read More…]
Short Swings!
Many in the ski resort industry harbor an image of older skiers taking up otherwise profitable space in day lodges while consuming their bag lunches and lingering over a cup of coffee. I take offense at that stereotype. I prefer a cup of hot tea to coffee and I take my own teabag from home. Clearly, the facility makes more[Read More…]
The Skiing Weatherman-November 12, 2021
Cold air supply growing… Before I look forward in this discussion, let’s look back. October was a very warm month relative to normal across the country, in large part because a sizable upper level dome of high pressure stretched across Canada and the northern states. Early snow cover over northern Asia and Canada are typically harbingers of a fast start[Read More…]
Around Walden Pond
There are two trips around Walden Pond near Concord, MA. The first is a ski tour through a picturesque New England landscape, with sharp and steeply wooded hillsides surrounding an ice-covered, lambchop-shaped lake. Around the same pond is a second trip, a pilgrimage that passes the cabin site of Henry David Thoreau, “self-appointed inspector of snowstorms”, conjuring the spirit of[Read More…]
The Day Three Slump
This is my shortest ever blog, but it may have a significant impact on your next ski holiday. It’s your first day back on the slopes, and you want to hit the ground running. You don’t want to miss a thing, so you‘re up early, on the first chair, and skiing like a mad thing all day. It feels so[Read More…]
Move it or lose it
In a sheltered, out-of-the-way spot, a tree nursery suddenly popped up at Brighton, the ski area gem at the end of Salt Lake City’s Big Cottonwood Canyon. That’s where 266 saplings are adjusting to life in pots until they’re big enough to be planted back onto the mountain. Mother Nature inconveniently sowed seeds on ski trails where they took root.[Read More…]
Buying NEW XC Ski Equipment
For newcomers to cross country (XC) skiing, deciding on the best skis can be intimidating, especially if you don’t want to rely entirely on retail sales people or on-line outlets for advice. The following guidance about selecting and using XC gear is general and intended to help you be an informed consumer. Note that as a rule of thumb, standard[Read More…]
Test Your Skiing Knowledge
Each issue of SeniorsSkiing.com has a picture to help test your skiing knowledge. The pictures are from collections in a variety of participating ski museums, which we encourage readers to visit. This big time skier was hardly stilted when it came to skiing or to publicity stunts. He was ski school director of the ski school of a New England[Read More…]
Bindings Made Simple
Originally published in the 2020-21 Masterfit Buyer’s Guide and realskiers.com Bindings are rugged little devices, but like any mechanical unit they can wear out quickly if not kept clean and lubricated. At the beginning of the season, do a binding check. Annual shop inspections of the ski/boot/binding system will reveal any deviations in the release system that may require a binding to be[Read More…]
This Issue
Ever since Vail Resorts and Alterra started gobbling up ski areas, there’s been industry chatter about corporate vs. independent resorts. Among other topics, this issue’s Short Swings! weighs in on the issue. Ski instructor and contributor, John Gelb, reports on Alta’s Intermediate Breakthrough instruction program and suggests ways to replicate it at other areas. One suggestion: take lessons on Sunday, when[Read More…]
Short Swings!
Every industry benefits from a mix of offerings. The ski area industry is no exception. I find it enjoyable to ski big corporate resorts as well as independently-owned areas. Some, like Alta, Big Sky, and Jackson Hole offer both big terrain and an attractive level of smaller resort intimacy. It may surprise you that, according to the National Ski[Read More…]
The Skiing Weatherman-October 29, 2021
Mother Nature picks up the pace… Halloween is upon us and it’s now reasonable to think snow. In the past week we have seen some major amounts of snow fall in the West, particularly in the Sierras of California. After a very dry summer, a veritable firehose of moisture pointed at the coastal ranches and let fly. Thankfully, there was[Read More…]
“Intermediate Breakthrough – IB” at Alta, Utah
Hello readers, super great comments and questions on my “Secrets for Your Best Ski Season Ever” piece. Also spoke with two readers in follow up. I can sense everyone’s excited for this ski season – me too. Shoot me your thoughts or questions and I’ll reply. Previously I mentioned my good friend (60+) who improved bigtime from only four group[Read More…]
Things to Remember when Choosing Alpine Ski Equipment
SKIS The ski shop makes more money renting out or selling higher performance equipment. Be honest with yourself – if you don’t ski hard and fast you probably don’t need it. Higher performance skis perform worse when not skied hard – they need higher momentum, and more force to get them to work well. Skied slower they can be harder[Read More…]
Keep Your Gear In Shape
Originally published in the 2020-21 Masterfit Buyer’s Guide and realskiers.com How long your gear remains in tiptop condition depends entirely on how well it’s maintained. At least once a season, it’s good to get skis tuned by a specialty shop, where tuning machines can reproduce a factory finish on the skis so they perform like new. Here are some tips[Read More…]
Dahu: The Tesla of Ski Boots
Isn’t it remarkable how electric vehicles are taking over the automotive industry? By 2035, virtually all General Motors vehicles will be battery powered. Our grandkids will look back and tell their kids about a time when combustion engines ruled. I think a similar new frontier is being established with the Dahu ski boot. The company has parted ways[Read More…]
Enjoy Don Burch’s Newest Creation
Don Burch creates short, artistic ski videos that capture the small moments showing people of all ages and abilities having fun together on the mountain. “Skiing The East” features scenes from Stowe, Okemo, Otis Ridge, Sunday River, Killington, Sugarbush, Mount Snow, Stratton, Wildcat, Magic, Waterville Valley and Maple Valley (long closed). Enjoy this two-minute ride.
Test Your Skiing Knowledge
Each issue of SeniorsSkiing.com has a picture to help test your skiing knowledge. The pictures are from collections in a variety of participating ski museums, which we encourage you to visit and to support. This image was submitted by the Alf Engen Ski Museum, located in Park City, Utah. The museum is dedicated to preserving the rich history of skiing[Read More…]
Tips to Buy New XC Ski Gear for This Winter
Last winter XC ski gear was in demand like never before and all segments of cross country ski equipment sold out, with few or no options for retailers to reorder. There also was an uptick for backcountry gear and snowshoes. Retailers are still experiencing demand and supply issues. Coupled with global supply chain challenges, everything from the components that complete[Read More…]
This Issue
Years ago, a fellow I knew in the fitness industry commented, “You don’t ski to get in shape. You get in shape to ski.” I didn’t always agree, but as I’ve aged, I’ve realized that it really does require considerable training to prepare for the season. This issue has some good advice from Pat McCloskey about similarities between mountain biking[Read More…]
Short Swings!
Would you pay an additional $49+ not to wait in the lift line? Express lines have been available for years for members of exclusive clubs and for skiers accompanied by instructors. Now it will be available for a fee on a day-by-day basis at Snowbird (UT), Killington (VT), Copper Mountain (CO) and Mount Bachelor (OR), all areas owned by Utah-based[Read More…]
The Skiing Weatherman-October 15, 2021
A bit of a false start… In the past week, some significant early season snow has fallen over portions of the western U.S. and far western Canada. The season is off and running…at least for now…as Wolf Creek Pass in southern Colorado will open this weekend with limited terrain. I wish I could say that it is a sustainable plan[Read More…]
How to Get Fit for Ski Season
Originally published in the 2020-21 Masterfit Buyer’s Guide Getting fit for ski season doesn’t take a fancy gym membership. What it does take is general cardio training– biking, hiking, running, or even vigorous walking–with some specific strength training that will improve your performance on snow. Just ask Tyler White, who runs iSport, a training facility at Killington that’s a branch[Read More…]
How Mountain Biking Improves My Skiing
There are many similarities between mountain biking and skiing aside from the fact that both sports engage the same type of people. I love to mountain bike, but I use it primarily as an exercise to keep me in shape for skiing. I don’t take any chances. I ride to ride another day. But it is good exercise and keeps[Read More…]
Test Your Skiing Knowledge
Each issue of SeniorsSkiing.com has a picture to help test your skiing knowledge. The pictures are from collections in a variety of participating ski museums, which we encourage you to visit and to support. This image was submitted by New Mexico Ski Hall of Fame and New Mexico Ski Museum, located outside Albuquerque, at the base of the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway.[Read More…]
