Articles by: Don Burch

Fact Or Fiction

Fact Or Fiction

Test Your Ski Knowledge The most ancient ski in existence was found well preserved in a peat bog in China, dating from about 450 AD. The furthest anyone has Nordic skied in a 24 hour period is nearly 300 miles. In 1918 Denmark had the first “ski army”. With about 472, the US has the most ski reports of any[Read More…]

by November 11, 2019 2 comments Features
Ski Resort Word Search

Ski Resort Word Search

by October 8, 2019 0 comments Features
SeniorsSkiing.com Analogy Test

SeniorsSkiing.com Analogy Test

[Editor Note: Thanks to SeniorsSkiing.com Correspondent Don Burch for this challenging test. Good luck, you’ll need it. Answers at the end.]

by October 1, 2019 5 comments Features
Seniors Visit Cranmore, Bring Grandchildren

Seniors Visit Cranmore, Bring Grandchildren

Historic Mountain Is Perfect For Seniors Who Like Mellow Skiing And Kid-Friendly Amenities. Cranmore offers a lot for seniors to like: Fun and varied terrain, manageable size, easy flat walk from parking lots and most of all, friendly vibe. I visited Cranmore on a Saturday with a group of senior skiers. Though busy, the main chair lift to the summit,[Read More…]

by April 3, 2019 2 comments East
Now this ad turned a few heads. Credit: Lange

Selling Skis: 50 Years Of Gibberish

Remember Lange’s “Soft Inside”? I get it. It’s not easy to sell skis. With so many advances in ski design, there are tons of great skis out there. So how does a brand differentiate their products from others? Just like they always have, advertising and marketing. This means slogans, endorsements, performance claims, use of exotic materials and “systems” and of[Read More…]

by March 19, 2019 12 comments Gear
We've all been there.  Cartoon Credit: Mike Roth

Rope Tow Escapades

Grabbing That Twirling Rope Was Not Easy. It was the early 1960s, I was in first or second grade and learning to ski at Mohawk Mountain in Connecticut. At the time Mohawk had just installed the first chairlift in Connecticut but most of the experiences I remember where on their numerous rope tows. The first thing newbies had to master[Read More…]

by January 22, 2019 13 comments Remember When?
See if you can spot Draufganger on Big Boulder's Trail Map.

Trail Name Series: Pennsylvania

Extrovert, Powder Puff, and The Elevator Spend a little time looking at resort maps and you’re sure to find some attention-grabbing trail names. When I looked at Pennsylvania resorts I found some beauties. Powder Puff and The Elevator at Jack Frost along with Extrovert at Blue Knob topped the list. Among the best is High Hopes also at Blue Knob.[Read More…]

by December 5, 2018 2 comments East
Trail Name Series: Michigan

Trail Name Series: Michigan

Idiot’s Delight, Fun Bubble and Crisis. [Editor Note: Last week, we launched Don Burch’s Trail Name series with a round-up of trail names from resorts in California.  This week, we move to Michigan. If you have some trail names that stick in your memory, please let us know in the comments section below.] Look at some resort maps and you’ll[Read More…]

by November 20, 2018 3 comments Features
High Voltage, Squaw Valley. Credit: Patrick Saffarian

Trail Name Series: California

Consider The Name Of A Trail. You Will Often Find Uniqueness And Whimsy. Peruse a few resort maps, and you’re sure to come upon some great trail names. Doing so with California resorts was no exception. Training Wheels at Mammoth is a wonderfully apropos name for a beginner trail. Amusement Park at Big Bear is fitting for a trail designed[Read More…]

by November 12, 2018 4 comments Destinations
“Ultimate” Quiz Of Ski Terms

“Ultimate” Quiz Of Ski Terms

You Think You’ve Been Around Snow Sports For A While, Eh? See How Many You Get Right. Milk Run a. Ski trail with lots of slush b. Off-season mountain bike race on ski trails c. Trail full of slow skiers d. First run of the day   2. Chatter a. Noisy lodge b. Excessive talking on chairlift c. Squeaky noises[Read More…]

by October 23, 2018 16 comments Nostalgia
Anticipation

Anticipation

A Chill Is In The Air. It’s usually the cusp of late summer and early fall when I first start thinking about skiing. All it takes is some cool days and seeing the first leaves starting to turn. Wearing long slacks for the first time, turning on heat for the first time, and the beginning of football season get me[Read More…]

by September 25, 2018 2 comments Features
Reader Opinion: The IKON vs M.A.X. Pass For Northeast Skiers

Reader Opinion: The IKON vs M.A.X. Pass For Northeast Skiers

Compare Ikon and M.A.X. And Major Differences Are Revealed. To evaluate the Ikon Pass I’ll compare it to what it replaces, the M.A.X. Pass, and look at what it offers in and of itself. Because they are at similar price points I’ll be comparing the M.A.X. Pass with the Ikon Base Pass. While both passes include a variety of resorts[Read More…]

by March 27, 2018 3 comments Features
12 Tips And Tricks For Skiing And SnowSports

12 Tips And Tricks For Skiing And SnowSports

Clever Hacks For A Better Winter Experience. When skiing wet and slushy snow, spray the top of your skis and even your ski boots with silicone (wipe it off after spraying). The faster heavy snow slides off skis, the easier it’ll be to make turns. Toe warmers work better in gloves than hand warmers. Use the sticky back on toe[Read More…]

by January 15, 2018 3 comments Features
The Ultimate SeniorsSkiing Ski Quiz

The Ultimate SeniorsSkiing Ski Quiz

You’ve Think You’ve Been Around Snow Sports For A While?  Okay, Test Your Knowledge. I know what you’re thinking; “Ultimate, I doubt it.” You’re a really good skier, you’ve been skiing for years and you’ve skied just about everywhere. “There’s no quiz about skiing that’s going to humble me.” Let’s see… As of the 2016-17 ski season, what state has[Read More…]

by December 18, 2017 7 comments Features
Don Burch, circa, 1970, with the infamous Ford

A Wad of Tobacco, A Chairlift, And A Ford Maverick

A Long Forgotten Incident Comes Rushing Back. In the late 70s, I was working at a ski resort and poor as could be. When the Head Maintenance Engineer asked around for someone to pick up a part for one of the chairlifts, I quickly volunteered. He probably figured I knew what I was volunteering for and wouldn’t have done so[Read More…]

by December 5, 2017 3 comments Remember When?
Intentions For Upcoming Season: Mindfulness

Intentions For Upcoming Season: Mindfulness

Put Away The Phone And Be Here Now. On a midweek day last winter I went into the lodge for lunch. Nearby were six men, obviously friends enjoying a day skiing together. During their entire lunch five of them were on cell phones, and the sixth had no one to talk to. On the ride up on a six-pack bubble[Read More…]

by November 6, 2017 7 comments Features
What's in a name? A few resorts create a theme for trail names. Memorable. Cutesy. Provocative (?)
Credit: Don Burch

How Do Ski Trails Get Their Names?

Themes That Pick Up The Resort Name Can Be Catchy And Easy To Remember. Sometimes trail names are descriptive (Easy Mile at Suicide Six), sometimes they are a tribute (Thanks Walt at Mt Snow for its founder Walter Schoenknecht), sometimes they’re humorous (True Grit and No Grit at Waterville Valley), sometimes sensational (Widowmaker at Sugarloaf and Snowshoe) and at several mountains[Read More…]

by April 24, 2017 9 comments East
Small is better? Accessible, economical, family-friendly, local ski areas have a community feeling.
Credit: Ski Sundown

The Case For The Local Ski Area

So It’s Not The Rockies.  But What Makes Mom-And-Pop Special? [Editor Note: As we are seeing in a month of startling industry news, the ski business is rapidly consolidating.  Big corporations are buying portfolios of resorts.  Vail has added Stowe to its collection. Aspen and its private equity investors, KLS Capital Partners are plucking up Stratton and Mt. Tremblant, among[Read More…]

by April 18, 2017 8 comments Features, East