Features

Group Lesson      Source: Jackson Hole Nordic

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH CCSAA

I recently was part of a conference call of U.S. and Canadian cross country ski area operators. The conversation touched on who our guests are, their wants and their needs; whether we’re in a growing business (short and joyful answer: yes!); and what we need to do to create new skiers and to retain past visitors. The questions are all[Read More…]

by February 3, 2022 1 comment Make More Tracks, Other News
Test Your Skiing Knowledge

Test Your Skiing Knowledge

Each issue of SeniorsSkiing.com has a picture to help test your skiing knowledge. Generally, the pictures are from collections in a variety of participating ski museums, which we encourage readers to visit. Note: this picture is not from a ski museum. Look closely and you’ll see that these dogs are towing a very large tire. It was not being sledded[Read More…]

LUV2SKI: The Poster

LUV2SKI: The Poster

We’ve selected some of the cleverest plates for the new “Licensed to Ski” poster. It is available as a gift in our annual SeniorsSkiing.com fundraiser which starts now and runs for the next three issues. Click here to donate.      

by February 3, 2022 0 comments Other News, SKI LICENSE PLATES
This Week: January 21, 2022

This Week: January 21, 2022

Last issue, a handful of readers had difficulty accessing articles. If you find yourself in that situation, please see the guidance at the end of this document. Several weeks back, we introduced LUV2SKI, the photo gallery of of skiing-oriented license plates. So far, we’ve collected about 100 of these clever combinations of letters and numbers gracing vehicles around the country.[Read More…]

by January 20, 2022 1 comment Other News, This Issue
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…]

The Skiing Weatherman-January 21, 2022

The Skiing Weatherman-January 21, 2022

East stays stormy…snow returns to the West As we approach the approximate halfway point in the skiing/riding season, the slopes in all regions of the U.S. and adjacent to Canada are in good condition, with the western half of the continent still benefitting from the astounding amounts of snow that fell in late December.  This season got off to a[Read More…]

by January 20, 2022 1 comment Other News, Skiing Weatherman
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…]

Kathy Brennan, new CEO, PSIA-East, at Seven Springs, PA

A Day With Kathy Brennan, New CEO, PSIA-East

I recently skied with Kathy Brennan, the new CEO of PSIA -E (Professional Ski Instructors of America- Eastern Division).  Kathy has an impressive background in the snow sports industry and is currently on staff at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. She has been touring areas in her division which extends from Maine to North Carolina. An accomplished skier and excellent teacher, Kathy[Read More…]

by January 20, 2022 8 comments Snow Sports Leaders, Features
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…]

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. The object pictured here was made in the kitchen, but its nothing you’d want to eat. It was available throughout New England in the 1960s and 70s. One more[Read More…]

This Issue

This Issue

Unfortunately, Covid continues to impact our lives…even on the hill. Jon’s Short Swings! column explores the different ways two neighboring Utah ski areas – Park City Mountain Resort and Alta – are handling Covid. He also describes the time he was banned from a ski area in the 1970s. Don’t miss the link to an informative critique of the trails[Read More…]

by January 6, 2022 7 comments This Issue, Other News
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…]

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 picture, submitted by The New England Ski Museum, shows a chair that serviced a New England area in the 1950s. It was the upper of two lifts that,[Read More…]

LUV2SKI (con’t)

LUV2SKI (con’t)

Isn’t it fantastic what a good imagination can do with six or seven characters…especially when a passion for identifying with skiing is involved? These new additions to the license plate gallery came from Margery Martin, Minneapolis; Jack Whalberg, Cape Cod, and Hamlin “Ham” Pakradooni, Cape Cod. If you run across a skiing license plate and want to add it to the[Read More…]

by January 6, 2022 0 comments Other News, SKI LICENSE PLATES

This Issue

This is being written from Salt Lake City, the day after 20” fell at Snowbird. It’s almost at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon and just a short distance from Park City, where the total was 10”. Compare that to Mammoth Mountain in California’s Sierra range… 44” in 72 hours! Jon’s Short Swings! column is a bit self-confessional this time,[Read More…]

by December 16, 2021 8 comments This Issue, Other News
The Skiing Weatherman-December 16, 2021

The Skiing Weatherman-December 16, 2021

Colder, snowy pattern evolving coast to coast… As we hit the holiday season, the weather pattern is changing to one that will soon be dominated by colder than normal air.  Cold air has been in relatively short supply for a couple of weeks now, but in the past week, a series of troughs have descended into the West, leading to[Read More…]

by December 16, 2021 2 comments Other News, Skiing Weatherman
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
Source: New Mexico Ski Museum and Sk Hall of Fame

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. The hairdo’s scream late 1960s. But these co-eds weren’t the only students of the man in the middle. He trained members of the US men’s and women’s Olympic ski[Read More…]

LUV2SKI (continued)

LUV2SKI (continued)

Ski license plates are definitely a thing. The call for additions to the gallery published in the last issue received a healthy response from readers around the country. Margery Martin, who lives near Minneapolis, has been collecting pictures of ski-oriented license plates for years. Several of her favorites have been added to the gallery; more to follow. Boyd Allen, Exeter,[Read More…]

by December 16, 2021 7 comments SKI LICENSE PLATES, Other News
The Skiing Weatherman-December 2, 2021

The Skiing Weatherman-December 2, 2021

Pattern coming alive on both coasts… Thanks to snowmaking and a nice dump of fresh snow last Friday, I kicked off my season with a nice day on the trails of Killington this past Tuesday. The surface midwinter stuff and it was fantastic to be making turns again. The storm late last week helped out across much of the Northeast,[Read More…]

by December 2, 2021 2 comments Other News, Skiing Weatherman
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…]

PSIA Podcast: Not Just for Pros

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by December 2, 2021 0 comments Other News, Snow Sports Leaders
The Skiing Weatherman-November 12, 2021

The Skiing Weatherman-November 12, 2021

Cold air supply growing… Before I look forward in this discussion, let’s look back. October was a very warm month relative to normal across the country, in large part because a sizable upper level dome of high pressure stretched across Canada and the northern states. Early snow cover over northern Asia and Canada are typically harbingers of a fast start[Read More…]

by November 11, 2021 2 comments Skiing Weatherman, Other News
Buying NEW XC Ski Equipment

Buying NEW XC Ski Equipment

For newcomers to cross country (XC) skiing, deciding on the best skis can be intimidating, especially if you don’t want to rely entirely on retail sales people or on-line outlets for advice. The following guidance about selecting and using XC gear is general and intended to help you be an informed consumer. Note that as a rule of thumb, standard[Read More…]

by November 11, 2021 4 comments Make More Tracks, Gear, Boots, Skis