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Short Swings!

Short Swings!

Each season, at this time, we pass the fund-raising hat. Your contributions, modest and generous, help keep SeniorsSkiing.com arriving to your inbox free of charge. Please click here to access our fundraising page. We’re requesting a minimum contribution of $14, or $1 per issue. Readers contributing $50 or more will receive Licensed To Ski, the original 28” x 22” poster[Read More…]

Source: #RideAnotherDay

Can’t We Stop the Fast & Dangerous Skiers/Riders?

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…]

Breezy Days Skiing the Ice Coast: Don Burch’s Newest Video

Breezy Days Skiing the Ice Coast: Don Burch’s Newest Video

FINALLY, the East Coast got hammered. Although this newest addition to the Don Burch ski video canon was produced before the big storm, everything about it – color, sound, scenes – expresses its title: Breezy Days Skiing the Ice Coast.

by February 3, 2022 1 comment Other News, Home Top Box 4
An original Mike Roth illustration.

Hair Cutting Skills Save Skier’s Day

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. Reader Michael Hudson writes: I was a ski patrolman at Mt Hood, Oregon, back in the 60’s. I helped rescue a young lady whose long hair got twisted into[Read More…]

by February 3, 2022 3 comments Other News, Home Top Box 2
Photo by Melissa Shelby

Short Swings!

I don’t mean to be a bummer, but I really need to get this off my chest. Does anyone else out there get the feeling that things, in general, are falling apart? You call a company “help” line and wait for 15-20-30 minutes to speak with someone…that is, if you’re not disconnected. All that while being told “your call is[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…]

Celebrate Winter: Anecdotes and Insights from a Cross-Country Skier’s Experience

Celebrate Winter: Anecdotes and Insights from a Cross-Country Skier’s Experience

Over the past 50+ years, John “Morty” Morton has cross-country skied around the world, been an international-caliber racer and coach, and, as far as I’m concerned (this is homage from a friendly competitor), is the premier Nordic ski trail designer in North America. Morty has seen dramatic evolutions in the sport – from wood skis to synthetic, wool to spandex,[Read More…]

Hanging On for Life and (Almost) Getting Eaten by the Rope Tow

Hanging On for Life and (Almost) Getting Eaten by the Rope Tow

Editor’s note: Spend enough seasons skiing and most of us will get into some form of trouble. Last issue, I explained how I got into hot water by inadvertently becoming end-of-day Pied Piper to a bunch of kids who followed me on a long winding trail, while their parents anxiously waited their return. A few readers emailed their tales of[Read More…]

Alta's Smiling Rock

Short Swings!

This is the first issue of SeniorsSkiing.com of 2022. I wish all readers good health, happiness, and peace for the New Year. But Covid’s omicron variant is challenging that wish for good health. It’s spreading fast, even among those who have been triple vaxxed. For most of the infected, it appears to be less taxing than Delta or earlier iterations. One[Read More…]

Flat light sucks.     Credit: Jan Brunvand

BLINDED BY THE (FLAT) LIGHT: SENIOR SKIERS CAN SEE CLEARLY IN SNOW

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…]

by January 6, 2022 9 comments Other News, MedTech, Home Top Box 3
Source: Trapp Family Lodge

Four Bucket List New England Cross Country Ski Towns

XCSkiResorts.com recommends these classic New England towns and areas for a cross country  ski vacation: Stowe, VT, is quintessential New England with its white steepled church and main street lined with stores. It’s also the home of the Trapp Family Lodge of Sound of Music fame. Trapp Family Lodge has a 110 km trail network with 60 km of groomed[Read More…]

Short Swings!

Short Swings!

Yes, age does give many of us some advantages. Wisdom is often cited, but, I, for one have made enough errors in judgment to be exempted from checking that box. I’m probably not alone. Financial well-being is another frequent citation. Fortunately, along with about two-thirds of SeniorsSkiing readers who say they’re financially independent, I’m okay in that category. But I[Read More…]

The Fear Monkey in Our Heads

The Fear Monkey in Our Heads

When was the last time this happened to you on the mountain: you’re skiing down one of your regular trails, having fun, where you know every turn by heart, and then, as you approach a trail sign for a more difficult run than you’re used to, you think maybe it’s a good time to try it…but then you keep on[Read More…]

by December 16, 2021 16 comments Other News, Home Top Box 2
New To Cross Country? These Nordic Centers are Great Places to Start.

New To Cross Country? These Nordic Centers are Great Places to Start.

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…]

by December 16, 2021 3 comments Other News, Home Top Box 3, Make More Tracks
Diamonds Are Forever Martini

Short Swings!

We live in what some call an attention economy. Those who attract attention – regardless of how they go about it – appear to be the victors in our narcissistic new world. The companies making skis and related gear are no exception. One of their primary ways of competing for attention is producing short videos of pro skiers using their[Read More…]

by December 2, 2021 3 comments Home Top Box 1, Short Swings!
Cortina

The Best Ski Trip, Ever

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…]

by December 2, 2021 4 comments Other News, International, Home Top Box 3
Wecome to Latigo Ranch

Latigo Ranch: High-Country Nordic

Sometimes life exceeds expectation. That’s what I’ve found with winter ranches in the Rockies. In summer, hundreds of dude ranches draw thousands of visitors. They’re crazy-diverse: homespun and elegant; private and heavily peopled; mostly self-service or with staff at your call. You’ll find Spartan working ranches as well as places with canapés and kidney-shaped swimming pools. The few ranches open[Read More…]

Skiing Technique:  Where should you be headed?

Skiing Technique: Where should you be headed?

  Several responses to a recent article under the same heading suggest I left the wrong impression on some readers. That’s anathema for a coach, so this is an attempt at clarification. The sketch is my attempt to explain the direction in which the skier’s torso is best oriented; not the direction your skis will be taking. In reality, every[Read More…]

by December 2, 2021 13 comments Other News, Home Top Box 2
Rodney Dangerfield

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…]

Henry David Thoreau in 1856. Source: Wikipedia

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…]

by November 11, 2021 3 comments Other News, East, Home Top Box 2
The Day Three Slump

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…]

by November 11, 2021 5 comments Home Top Box 4, Other News, Conditioning
Test Your Skiing Knowledge

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…]

Short Swings!

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…]

Alta's Intermediate Breakthrough program help people go from blues to blacks

“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…]

by October 28, 2021 20 comments Other News, Home Top Box 2
Source: FreeSkier

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…]

by October 28, 2021 7 comments Gear, Home Top Box 4