Articles by: Harriet Wallis

US Ski & Snowboard Team Race Suits Have Climate Message

US Ski & Snowboard Team Race Suits Have Climate Message

Goodbye traditional red, white and blue suits. Hello race suits with a climate message. It’s a whole new concept in race suits. The blue and white pattern is based on satellite photos of icebergs breaking up and floating in the ocean. The design is intended to draw attention to climate change. The new suits were showcased by the U.S. Team[Read More…]

by March 6, 2023 3 comments Other News
Five Things You Should Know When a Skier Crashes

Five Things You Should Know When a Skier Crashes

“Stop! Don’t do that. Don’t move him”, I screamed. My husband had misjudged the slope, crashed, and landed in a heap in the middle of the trail. He was also out cold. We were skiing with his good buddy Lars when it happened. Lars skied to him and dragged him by his right arm until his body flattened out. Meanwhile,[Read More…]

by January 16, 2023 14 comments Other News, Home Top Box 4
How Okemo saved Thanksgiving

How Okemo saved Thanksgiving

“Quick. Look over there. Do you see what I see?” The fog was as heavy as a wet blanket. I’d already been driving for 3 hours and most of it was in the pea soup as I headed north up the Connecticut River Valley. High beams were too much. Low beams weren’t enough. Just stay on the road. Destination: Killington,[Read More…]

by November 24, 2022 12 comments Other News
At Some Ski Areas, the Flavor Really Lasts

At Some Ski Areas, the Flavor Really Lasts

A rag-tag snowboarder with a ratty-looking mop of hair held the door open for me. Then he graciously acknowledged my thank you. A staff wearing a headband with jiggling Thanksgiving drumsticks raced by to check on something. I burst out laughing. A lodge cleaner guy pushing a vacuum around the locker room looked up to cheerily wish: “Happy Thanksgiving and[Read More…]

by November 24, 2022 6 comments Other News
Harriet and Alison at Alta by Peak Photo

When an Avid Skier Faces a Life Threatening Challenge: a Perspective

Aging comes with health issues — sometimes life-threatening health issues. Body parts wear out and disease happens. I often jest that it would take five or six seniors to have enough good parts to assemble one complete person.  But in spite of fused spines, mechanical joints, heart stints and disease, we ski.  We ski for the fresh air, the whole[Read More…]

by November 9, 2022 27 comments Other News
Finding a Senior Ski Buddy / Part 2

Finding a Senior Ski Buddy / Part 2

Finding out about senior ski groups is like sharing tales around a campfire. A few words whet our interest and we sit on the edge of our seats waiting for more. As we build a list of senior ski groups, we have some exciting clues that really whet our interest, and we’re on the edge of our seats. So let’s throw another[Read More…]

Meet 96-Year-Old Ski Legend: Junior Bounous

Meet 96-Year-Old Ski Legend: Junior Bounous

Ski industry icon Junior Bounous, 96, is a mover and shaker whose passion is to keep people skiing throughout their lives. In a nutshell, he tells seniors: Just “keep moving.” Junior’s career spans nearly eight decades with a list of accomplishments and awards longer than both my arms: Intermountain cross country and national gelande jumping champion, national race course setter,[Read More…]

The Wild Old Bunch meets daily at the only round table in Alf's, mid-mountain at Alta.   Photo Harriet Wallis

Finding a Senior Ski Buddy

Finding someone to play with was easy when we were kids. “Can Johnny come out and play?” But as seniors, it’s not easy to find someone to ski with. Ski friends drop out, move away, or go to the great beyond. SeniorsSkiing.com is an amazing source of information. Here’s what happened recently: A skier emailed me saying: “I saw your stories[Read More…]

by December 16, 2021 70 comments Other News
Move it or lose it

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…]

by November 11, 2021 1 comment Other News
That's one sharp porcupine. Credit: Laurie O'Connor

Trailside Porcupine Becomes A Celebrity

  Skiers nimbly dodged a porcupine as he wallowed through deep snow to cross Alta’s ski slope. Some stopped to watch the prickly fellow tumble into a tree well and then start to climb. That’s all there was to see. The show was over. He was as prickly as the evergreen so his camouflage was perfect. He virtually disappeared. But[Read More…]

by March 8, 2021 5 comments Features
Riding the rope. Harriet's daughter Alison, 5, in leather boots and wooden skis on Jiminy Peak's rope tow. Credit: Harriet Wallis

Don’t Tell Me To Stay Home

How I Was Reinvented As An Athlete. I learned to ski on a dare. Actually, it was a threat. When my husband announced he was going to learn to ski, I gulped. I thought skiing was something crazy people in the other side of the world did, but not here in Connecticut. “You’re going to do what?” I asked. “How[Read More…]

by March 1, 2021 1 comment Nostalgia
Here's Harriet. Two new knees, two new hips. When it comes to joint replacement, she knows what she is talking about.
Credit: Courtesy of Alta

Is A Hip Replacement In Your Future?

Here Are Some Tips From A Two-Hip Skier. Your decision to replace any body part is a serious decision. Unlike a purchase from a retail store, you cannot return an implant! But when your “original equipment” wears out, it’s time to have it replaced. Overall, we’re living longer, we’re living healthier, and we want to enjoy life—and ski. As background,[Read More…]

by June 24, 2020 8 comments MedTech
Wish the rules for buying a season pass were as clear as the skies over Alta. Credit: Harriet Wallis

Buying A Season Pass In The Covid Year

[Editor Note: This article first appeared in the Cottonwood Heights Journal on May 18, 2020. The situation unfolding in Utah is similar to what is happening in other regions of North America.]   A Season Pass Is A Complicated Decision. Gone are the days of one deadline, one price. This year, season passes are a jigsaw puzzle. It’s complicated by[Read More…]

by May 21, 2020 8 comments West
Harriet gets fit in a bike shop studio with an Oriental rug on the floor. Credit: Harriet Wallis

Spring Is Time To Bike Fit

Ride More, Enjoy More With Properly Fit Bike. If you think your bike hates you, it’s time to schedule a bike fitting. If you hurt when you ride, there’s probably a mismatch between your body’s geometry and the geometry of your bike. Sure, all bikes look pretty much alike. They have wheels, pedals, handlebars and seats. And they come in[Read More…]

by May 20, 2020 1 comment Conditioning
Seniors participating in Life Elevated Utah having fun and acting silly for the camera. Credit: Harriet Wallis

Senior Small Group Ski Week With Lodging Right On Uncrowded Powder Mountain

Plan Now For Next Winter Gary and Sandy Nielsen have run Road Scholar programs in Utah for about 20 years. They’re experts at planning and organizing week-long programs including Hopi pottery, dinosaurs and rock hounding in summer—and the very popular senior ski program in winter. But several years ago as the demand for more senior ski weeks kept growing, Gary[Read More…]

by March 19, 2020 7 comments West
70+ Ski Club group photo. The club ventures to US, European, and this year, New Zealand resorts. Credit: 70+ Ski Club

70+ Ski Club: Ski Trips, Fun, And Camaraderie

You Are Never Too Old To Be Young. Ski clubs have been around ever since people strapped skis on for fun. But the 70+ Ski Club has a unique niche. It’s the only ski club for skiers – and boarders – who are at least 70 years old.  People often give up skiing when their spouse passes away or when[Read More…]

by March 12, 2020 7 comments Features
Up the hill goes the PistenBully. Quietly. Credit: PistenBully

There’s A Big Green Machine At A Few U.S. Resorts

It’s More Than A Pretty Paint Job. It’s The World’s First Hybrid Snow Groomer. On the outside, it looks pretty much like all the others in a resort’s fleet. It has a fierce-looking blade up front, a cab in the middle, and a corduroy-making tiller behind. What’s “under the hood” makes the green groomer special. The PistenBully 600 E+ is[Read More…]

by March 4, 2020 1 comment Features
Nose cone fashion statement? Credit: Harriet Wallis

Recipes For Toes And Nose

[Editor Note: SeniorsSkiing.com is asking our readers to contribute to support our online magazine. Yes, we have grown in the number of subscribers and advertisers. But our expenses have also grown. You can help us defray some of these expenses by helping us out with a donation.] Support SeniorsSkiing.com by clicking here. ______________________________________________________ Nifty Tricks For Your Feet And Schnoz.[Read More…]

by February 26, 2020 5 comments Accessories
Ted, you do not want to meet this on your bluebird, outback ski day.

A Letter To A Very Stupid Nephew

[Editor Note: SeniorsSkiing.com is asking our readers to contribute to support our online magazine. Yes, we have grown in the number of subscribers and advertisers. But our expenses have also grown. You can help us defray some of these expenses by helping us out with a donation.] Support SeniorsSkiing.com by clicking here. ______________________________________________________ Avalanches Don’t Care Who You Are; They[Read More…]

by February 12, 2020 7 comments Features
Uncrowded Powder Mountain

Uncrowded Powder Mountain

[Editor Note: SeniorsSkiing.com is asking our readers to contribute to support our online magazine. Yes, we have grown in the number of subscribers and advertisers. But our expenses have also grown. You can help us defray some of these expenses by helping us out with a donation.] Support SeniorsSkiing.com by clicking here. ______________________________________________________ 500 Inches Of Snow, 8,000+ Acres, And[Read More…]

by February 5, 2020 9 comments West
Harriet's daughter bought her a cupcake helmet cover. Seriously, there are such things. Credit: Alta

Hip Hip Hooray! I Turned 80 Today!

Harriet Hits The Big Eight-O. [Editor Note: A big hug and salute to Harriet Wallis, snow sports journalist, who has written dozens of interesting and useful articles of these pages since SeniorsSkiing.com began in 2014. Happy Birthday, Harriet.  Many more and have a great year ahead!] I planned to celebrate my landmark 80th birthday by taking cookies to my aerobics[Read More…]

by January 13, 2020 8 comments Ski Heroes
How about those smiles? 
Credit: Harriet Wallis

Should You Teach Your Munchkins To Ski?

[Editor Note: From time to time, SeniorsSkiing.com re-publishes an article from its archive.  Here’s one from Harriet Wallis about teaching your grandkids to ski from way back in 2014. Comments welcome.] Five Non-Obvious Tips For Making Learning Fun For All. Because you love to ski or ride, you probably hope that your grandkids will also share your passion for the snow.[Read More…]

by January 6, 2020 15 comments Home Top Box 3, Features
"Take some runs with us," say Howard and Naimi. Credit: Harriet Wallis

Skiing Single: Five Best Words To Hear On The Slope

Life Happens. We Get Older And Our Spouses Pass Away. That’s When We Ski Alone, Often Really Alone. This is a true story, and a sad story. It’s just one of many similar stories. It might sound like sour grapes, but the goal is to offer a perspective on what it’s like to ski as a widow. The story has[Read More…]

by December 30, 2019 10 comments Features
Monster Traffic Jams Overwhelm Canyon Roads At Four Salt Lake Resorts Last Winter

Monster Traffic Jams Overwhelm Canyon Roads At Four Salt Lake Resorts Last Winter

Big Changes Are Underway This Season. Will They Help Solve The Problem? Flashback To Last Winter Bumper to bumper traffic creeps up Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons toward Alta and Snowbird, Brighton, and Solitude. But resort parking lots are already full. It’s mid-morning on a typical weekend. Rabid skiers ignore the parkies. And they ignore One Way signs. They drive[Read More…]

by December 2, 2019 6 comments Features
Archives Honors Ski Club And Life-Long Influencer

Archives Honors Ski Club And Life-Long Influencer

Alta Icon Alan Engen and Wasatch Mountain Club Earn Top Honors At Ski History gala Every year, the country’s largest ski history research organization, the Utah Ski Archives, awards honors to movers and shakers in the ski industry. This year the Wasatch Mountain Club earns the History Maker award for offering outdoor recreation for 100 years. It was founded with[Read More…]

by November 11, 2019 1 comment Features