To whom it may concern, As I get older, each year I have to reassess the value of purchasing an annual ski pass. And each year Alterra continues to practice ageism in its pass pricing structure! You offer NO SPECIAL PRICING for forgotten senior skiers and riders (many of whom are on a fixed income) over 70 years of age who[Read More…]
“You haven’t aged a bit.” “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” “Young at heart.” “So when are you going to retire?” “Still skiing at your age?” We’ve all heard, read or experienced comments like that, because American culture is grotesquely youth-centric. The notion is that it is sad to be old, that wrinkles are embarrassing and so on. There is[Read More…]
As always, resorts were busy over the summer replacing lifts and improving or adding terrain. Here’s a quick rundown to whet your appetite of what’s new and noteworthy in several states West of the Mississippi. In alphabetical order, by state – California Palisades Tahoe – For a second season under its new name, there’s a brand new Base-to-Base gondola. It connects[Read More…]
[Editor’s Note: We’ve published Don Burch’s article on storing gear in the past. It’s an excellent reminder that a little care goes a long way.] Hopefully your ski equipment has taken good care of you all winter. It’s time for you to return the favor. Some simple steps now can save you the frustration of rusty edges, musty clothing and[Read More…]
The way skiers and boarders enter the sport determines their behavior on the hill. Years ago, many were introduced to skiing by their parents; skiers who knew the commonsense safety rules and made sure their children knew them, as well. For decades, those entering the sport through ski school have been exposed to the Skier’s Responsibility Code during lessons, their[Read More…]
Like many of its patrons, Deer Valley is extremely well-groomed. Source: Deer Valley Deer Valley Resort is just easier. Easier to ski, easier to get to, easier to gear up for the day (free overnight ski and boot check). As a senior skier, I’m totally on board with that. A few minutes drive or free bus from ski town Park[Read More…]
1988 Val d’Isere / Tignes After a terrific lunch, my friends and I returned to an off-piste area we had skied that morning. On a traverse across the steep slope, I slipped, lost my skis and couldn’t stop sliding. Digging my heels into the snow launched me into a forward somersault. FINALLY, I came to a stop, only to start[Read More…]
East stays stormy…snow returns to the West This past week brought several rounds of fresh snow from Alberta Clipper systems to the northern Lakes and the higher peaks of the Northeast and as this weekend unfolds, new snow will fall over much of the West. I spent a couple of days at Stowe, where several inches of powder piled up[Read More…]
When’s the last time you screened a short, professional video of ski friends? Ski Buddies is the newest entry into the unique canon of ski videos being developed by Don Burch. At 82-seconds, it explores an aspect of skiing life overlooked by many.
For many of us, skiing through the aging process means no longer going places we once skied without thinking twice. Now, approaching my 80’s, my mantra is never to overstep my capabilities and always watch out for the other guy! I’ve always loved skiing in the trees and still do on occasions when conditions are right, and I’m feeling up[Read More…]
Editor’s note: Virtually all of us have amusing or near-miss skiing stories. Send in your stories and we’ll publish the most interesting…along with an original Mike Roth cartoon depicting the event. This story is from Carole Gray of the United Kingdom: Just under twenty years ago we invited our friend Kath on a ski holiday to La Plagne, France. In[Read More…]
In the past couple days many of you have read about two skiing tragedies: one affected multiple lives (a 5-yr old girl who was killed by an out-of-control skier), and the family she leaves behind, plus the alleged “killer,” a 40-yr old skier who has been charged by French authorities with manslaughter. As always would love to hear your thoughts[Read More…]
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…]
A version of this article first appeared in 2015 in Huffington Post. I was hardly able to move; disoriented on terrain I’d skied for years. Other skiers seemed to be managing fine. But the light was flat, and my eyes could no longer pick up contours in the white on white. “Flat light,” a version of whiteout, greatly reduces the[Read More…]
If you’re among the many newcomers to XC skiing, I suggest that you take a lesson. XCSkiResorts.com recommends starting at one of the following locations: Metropolitan Boston — Weston Ski Track, a county-owned golf course accessible by public transportation. Snowmaking guarantees good cover and lights allow for night skiing. A 75-minute session covers the basics (i.e. motion, turning and negotiating[Read More…]
A few years ago, Pam and I went on what was arguably the best ski trip of our lives. We spent six-days on Ski Safari in the Dolomites with Inspired Italy, a SeniorsSkiing.com advertiser. The updated account about this bucket-list experience follows: The Dolomites is the vast UNESCO World Heritage Site in Northern Italy. It received the designation because of its natural[Read More…]
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…]
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…]
Each issue of SeniorsSkiing.com will have a picture to help you 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 New England Ski Museum, a non-profit based in New Hampshire with locations at the base of the Cannon[Read More…]
[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…]
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The Secret To Breaking Decades-old Bad Habits: Attending A Master’s Clinic At Dodge Ridge. I hadn’t skied at Dodge Ridge, the closest ski area to the San Francisco Bay Area, in years. But as soon as I arrived at the base area a couple of Thursdays ago for one of its Master’s Clinics, a four-hour-long freeski instructional program designed for intermediate[Read More…]
It’s Vast Open Space And Powder. Alta is the granddaddy of powder skiing. It averages 500 inches of snow a year which earns it the nickname: Skiers’ Paradise. It has wide, wide open bowls with groomed trails, but everywhere you look slopes are left au natural and full of powder. That’s ample for most senior skiers. But it also has[Read More…]
Buy Before You Go And Save. We’ve just discovered GetSkiTickets.com, an online marketplace for advance purchases of discounted lift tickets, lessons, rentals, group lift tickets and season passes. The service is designed for people who know the specific dates they’ll be using the passes. Prices tend to be lower when purchased farthest in advance, somewhat like your airline tickets. Purchasers receive[Read More…]
Coalition Snow Fills Women’s Needs For Quality Equipment. Last spring, we’ve were impressed by Coalition Snow’s CEO Jen Gurecki when she talked with our friend The Ski Diva about her line of ski and boards for women only. She recognized a niche market, defined a set of unique needs, and she put together products that are based on research. Now her challenge was getting[Read More…]
