East

View from top of slide at Mountainside Water Park.
Credit: Janet Franz

Vermont Ski Hill Morphs Into Summer Water Park

Grandkids Would Love A Summer Day At Smugglers. [Ski resorts are being creative about developing off-snow season attractions.  Smugglers Notch in Northern Vermont has gone the extra mile in creating three separate water parks.  There’s still time to get up there if you’re looking for a getaway for Labor Day.  Special thanks to Janet Franz, a feature story writer covering[Read More…]

by August 22, 2016 0 comments East
Cannon Mountain is a state-owned area, famous for its aerial tram and free skiing for 65+ seniors.
Credit: Cannon Mountain

Cannon Mountain Update: Seniors To Continue Free Skiing

House Rebels Against Bill That Would Have Ended Free Senior Skiing. Senior resident skiers can breath a sigh of relief after NH legislators agreed to drop a plan that would have ended free skiing for seniors. House and Senate representatives had agreed to a plan where resident NH seniors would begin to pay $5 a day for lift tickets, increasing[Read More…]

by August 1, 2016 2 comments East
Spruce Peak's bull wheel was pulled downhill by the weight of the cable and chairs after the foundation gave way.
Credit: WCSH

Sunday River Lift Foundation Detaches From Ground

Mysterious Accident Luckily Happened In Mid-Summer. The top terminal of a triple-chair lift at Sunday River, ME, has pulled out of the ground, collapsing the lift.  The foundation failure was discovered by a maintenance worker during a routine evening inspection on July 10. The detachment caused the top terminal to be pulled downhill which released tension on the cable, causing[Read More…]

by July 14, 2016 3 comments East
Ellicottville is a cool place the just hang-out.  Non-cycling spouses can browse in many boutiques.
Credit: Pat McCloskey

Cycling Series: Small Ski Town Turns To Bikes In Non-Snow Season

Western New York Ski Town Has Lots Of Cycling Opportunities. One of the more interesting things that happens to a ski town is the metamorphosis that occurs after mud season.  Mud season is traditionally when spring rolls along and the snow melts and the locals in ski town head for vacation.  Soon after, the festivities that define the area in[Read More…]

by May 31, 2016 0 comments East
Cannon Mountain is a state-owned area, famous for its aerial tram and free skiing for 65+ seniors.
Credit: Cannon Mountain

Update: Free Senior Skiing at Reinstated In NH House Bill

Now The State Senate Must Approve. A bill that would have eliminated free skiing for NH seniors has been amended to reinstate the senior benefit and is being sent back to the Senate for approval. The bill would have charged seniors different rates for weekday and weekend skiing and was an attempt to cover the large deficit at state-owned Cannon[Read More…]

by May 25, 2016 3 comments Features, East
Tower of Babel watches over Arches National Park, UT.
Credit: John Nelson

This Week In SeniorsSkiing.com (May 20)

Spring Survey Responses A Wow, Fling Golf, La Nina Coming Soon, More Cycling Series. We are truly awed and grateful for the incredible, enthusiastic responses we’ve been getting to our Spring Subscriber Survey 2016. If you’re familiar at all with surveys, you know that response rates are often in the single digits. So far, we’ve received fantastic 27.5% response rate.[Read More…]

by May 19, 2016 0 comments Features, East
The Globe reports about 600 skiers showed up for a final fling before Black Fly season.
Credit: Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff

Final Ski Run In New England

May Skiing In Maine? Who Knew? The hardcore showed up in the first weekend of May this year to take their last licks on the…ahem…snow.  As we all know, it has been a bad, bad season in the East, but the miracle snowmakers and groomers have managed to salvage a tendril of a season. Here’s a story from the May[Read More…]

by May 3, 2016 2 comments East
Free Senior Skiing Under Threat In NH

Free Senior Skiing Under Threat In NH

State Legislature Considers Ending Decades Of Free Senior Skiing At Cannon Mountain. Since 1973, state-owned Cannon Mountain has been the only ski area in New Hampshire to offer free skiing to seniors 65-plus.  This year, a second attempt to end free skiing for seniors was introduced to the legislature.  The change would mean seniors would pay a discount of two-thirds ticket price on[Read More…]

by April 19, 2016 3 comments Features, East, Home Top Box 1
Gore Mountain Resort is headquarters for the Back Country Ski Club. It's not always this foggy.
Credit: Pat McCloskey

Backwoods Ski Club: Informal Senior Group, No Rules, Just Fun

Good Times On Gore Mountain With Senior Skiers. I am riding the chair at Gore this week with my good friend Mike Smith.  He said to me, “McCloskey, I have found the meaning of life—speed, horsepower and altitude.” Mike is an avid skydiver and pilot as well as a real good skier.  At 66 years old, he has more energy[Read More…]

by April 6, 2016 2 comments Features, East
Check Out Jay Peak's Video.

Jay Peak Making Lemonade From A Lemon Ski Season

Vermont’s Jay Peak’s Video Shows How Creative Eastern Skiers Can Be When Making The Most Out Of Lemons. The clever skiers from the Northeast Kingdom discover a lemon tree right on the ski trail.  Can you count the number of ways they make lemonade?  Nice work, Jay Peak.  Next season will be better.  

by April 4, 2016 0 comments Features, East
Sugarbush offers a $99 mid-week pass for seniors.  Act now.  Price goes up on May 4.
Credit: Sugarbush

Seniors Save Big in New England

Fabulous Deals For Senior’s Next Season Passes Are Happening Now. It’s never too early to think about next winter. Most ski areas have opened up season pass sales for next winter with some big savings for seniors if they plan ahead and purchase their passes now. Here are a few of the highlights. If you’re 65 or older and planning[Read More…]

by March 24, 2016 6 comments East
Senior Day at Jack Frost included instruction and demonstrations.
Credit: Bill Runner

Jack Frost Senior Day: A Model For Other Resorts

A Get Together Of Senior Skiers Combines Fun, Learning and Friends. Our mission at SeniorsSkiing.com is to promote the value of senior snow sport enthusiasts to the ski and snow sports industry. This year, we’ve discovered that some ski resorts are, in fact, focusing on their older demographic through “Senior Days”, a variety of no-cost, low-cost events that are seniors-only[Read More…]

by March 15, 2016 2 comments East
Magnificent views provide a backdrop for senior friendly skiing at Waterville Valley Resort.
Credit: Waterville Valley Resort

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Waterville Valley Resort Is Super Senior-Friendly

The Silver Streaks Make Senior Skiing Unique: What A Great Idea. When it comes to picking a spot to ski, seniors are after two things: Other seniors to ski with and a price that’s less than a bundle. That is why my husband and I have come to enjoy skiing at Waterville Valley Resort in New Hampshire. Skiing began here in[Read More…]

by March 8, 2016 2 comments Resort Reviews, East
Terrain for everyone at Sunday River and lots of room for blue cruising.
Credit: Sunday River

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Fixed Income Skiing on a Liberated Schedule at Sunday River, ME

Big, Big Four-Season Resort In Maine Has Activity-Filled Social Scene For Seniors. For seniors on a fixed income and liberated schedule, a top place to ski in the East is Sunday River, ME. That is for three main reasons. First, it is huge. When you look up from the South Ridge base lodge, you see wide slopes slung over rolling[Read More…]

by February 24, 2016 2 comments Resort Reviews, East
SeniorsSkiing Guide: Trapp Family Lodge Nordic Skiing Has Trails for Seniors

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Trapp Family Lodge Nordic Skiing Has Trails for Seniors

The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Senior Skiers. In 1968 Johannes von Trapp opened the first commercial Nordic Center in the U.S. on his family’s farm overlooking the Worcester Range in Stowe, Vt. The Trapp Family Lodge continues as a diamond of Nordic skiing with 100 kilometers of trails on more than 2,500 acres in one of the most[Read More…]

by February 22, 2016 0 comments East, Resort Reviews
Stowe in the morning.  Skiing starts at 7:30 am.
Credit: Stowe Mountain Resorts

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Stowe Mountain Resort—Easy Ways Down

Legendary Ski Trails As Well As Amazing Blue Runs. Visibility was poor as I slid onto the Forerunner Quad to reach the summit of Stowe Mountain Resort, braced by Mt. Mansfield, highest peak in Vermont at 4,395 feet. Somewhere below in the gray swirl were the legendary front four—the Goat, Starr, National, Liftline—the gnarliest and most iconic ski trails in the[Read More…]

by February 18, 2016 2 comments East, Resort Reviews
Skiing in open fields under a bluebird sky at Appleton Farms, Ipswich, MA is about as good as it gets.
Credit: SeniorsSkiing

SeniorsSkiing Guide: History All Around At Appleton Farms

Boston’s North Shore Has A Peaceful Place For Senior Nordic Skiing Or Snowshoeing. We cross the road and climb over the stone wall into a grove of trees, walking a few yards to a trail. Stepping into our skis, we take a look around; we are in the woods, frosty air, untracked trail ahead. No one around but us. Off we go[Read More…]

by February 10, 2016 1 comment East, Resort Reviews
Mad River and Bromley Snow Report: Ain’t Pretty

Mad River and Bromley Snow Report: Ain’t Pretty

Too Soon, The Groundhog Is Seeing Spring In New England. While our friends in the west are dealing with blizzard conditions, those of us in the east are practicing patience. Why? The winter is an on-again, off-again affair around here.  This week, it’s off.  Mad River Glen and Bromley are temporarily shutting their lifts until this weekend.  An inch of[Read More…]

by February 3, 2016 0 comments East
Hannes Schneider is called the Father of Modern Skiing at Cranmore.  He established ski instruction that opened the sport beyond college athletes.
Credit: SeniorSkiing

SeniorsSkiing Guide: Cranmore A Classic Senior Ski Hill

This Venerable Mountain Is Super Senior Friendly. Returning to Cranmore Mountain in North Conway, NH, is like coming back to the basics. You will not find flash, large verticals, or multiple-piste skiing.  No heart-stopping double diamonds.  You will find like-minded senior regulars gathering in the little lodge, classic New England narrow trail skiing as well as broad, open blue cruisers. Low key[Read More…]

by February 2, 2016 7 comments Home Top Box 1, Resort Reviews, East
Next week's jet stream pattern from the Weather Channel. Don't like the word "Mild" where it is.
Credit: Weather Channel.

East: Too Warm To Believe

Start Wishing Harder, New Englanders. It Worked For The Red Sox. There’s an old adage here in New England that half your cord wood should still be left over by Ground Hog’s Day.  But, so far this winter, we’ve hardly touched the wood pile; we’ll have most of it left over come April if this trend continues. We guess that’s one[Read More…]

by December 16, 2015 0 comments East
SkiNH: Deals Galore For Seniors

SkiNH: Deals Galore For Seniors

Many Alpine, Nordic Discounts From The Granite State. Hey, you guys!  Look what we found.  Our friends at SkiNewHampshire just sent us their Senior Deal page from the SkiNewHampshire website.  Lots of deals for both Alpine and Cross-Country skiers.  Check out mid-week at Cannon Mountain for 65+ skiers! Let us know which deals you like best.  

by December 10, 2015 1 comment East
Rain comes with early season skiing. Lilly Venn braves the drops at Bretton Woods and gets to see the moody views towards the Presidential Range.
Credit: Tamsin Venn

Skiing In The Rain: Yes You Can

Don’t Stay Home: Precip Can Be Hip. For seniors who like to zig without the worry of another skier’s zag, one of the best times to hit uncrowded slopes is in the rain. Sometimes that is what these early season ski days bring us. It’s not exactly the bluebird day most of us hope for, but before you turn on[Read More…]

by November 24, 2015 2 comments Features, East
Gorman Chairback Lodge is a rustic winter retreat that appeals to your inner Thoreau.
Credit: Steve Hines

An X-C AMC Lodge Deep In The Maine Woods

X-C Ski Six Miles To Gorman Chairback Camp Lodge and Guest Cabins. If you’re an active cross country skier, you probably enjoy staying where you ski. Plus, if you’re an active senior xc skier you most likely enjoy comfortable surroundings, pleasant company and staff as much as you enjoy snow covered trails. A number of locations across the USA come[Read More…]

by November 17, 2015 0 comments East
Early Season Pass Special: Sugarbush

Early Season Pass Special: Sugarbush

Some Ski Resorts Are Really Trying To Be Senior-Friendly. One of the mantras of SeniorsSkiing.com is that it is a good thing for ski areas and resorts to be kind to seniors.  Not only do discounts, special activities and amenities bring more frequent senior visits, it also encourages them (us) to bring our families who are the next generation. So,[Read More…]

by September 2, 2015 1 comment East
Family hiking in Smuggler's Notch is a perfect summer vacation.
Credit: X-CSkiResorts.com

Hike Vermont: Trails For Seniors And Families

Great Advice From Roger Lohr, Publisher of XCSkiResorts.com. There’s no better way to enjoy the outdoors than hiking on a trail alone or with your friends or family. Whether you are a first time hiker or a walking aficionado, hiking with the family provides quality time together, allows the family to grow closer, develops life-long memories, and introduces the next[Read More…]

by July 16, 2015 0 comments East, Home Top Box 4