Our First Ski Date Didn’t Go Well. [Please consider supporting SeniorsSkiing.com with a donation. We appreciate your help. Click here.] Growing up Norwegian-American in Lansing, MI, I was introduced early to skiing and became fairly proficient by my teens. When I entered college in 1951, I was ready to improve. I joined the Ski Cub at Michigan State College (not University then), and[Read More…]
A Ski Patrolman Rises To The Challenge. Before I ever had a ski lesson, I had become a ski patrol director, certified (the highest level) by both the National Ski Patrol and the Professional Ski Patrol Association. One morning while working at a small ski area (240 feet of vertical), I was called into the base lodge by the woman[Read More…]
A classic ski poster shows a blonde baby in a quaint wooden cradle, one outstretched hand holding ski poles, with a pair of skis protruding from the other side. The caption is “Norway. The Cradle of Ski-ing.” This poster reminds me of my roots. I was on skis from before I can remember. An undated snapshot in the family album proves this.[Read More…]
Santa Santa Santa Where are we? What’s special about what’s going on? Last Week Clearly, there are some fantastic ski history buffs in among our readership. We had some spot-on descriptions of this old hotel last week. This is the Poland Springs House in Poland Springs, ME. Here’s a bit of this famous landmark’s story from Glenn Parkinson, the historian[Read More…]
Where? When? What? This week’s Mystery Glimpse is a challenge. Major hint: The identity of the magnificent hotel can be found on the website of the Maine Ski and Snowboard Museum. Spend some time there browsing around and consider supporting the Museum and its mission. If you know where, when and what this is a picture of—or when you find[Read More…]
This Is An Oldie. Can you identify where this rope tow was and when? If you can, write your comment in Leave A Reply below. Many thanks to Ski History magazine for this picture. Ski History magazine is the publication of the International Ski History Association. Find out more about ISHA by clicking here. Last Week In keeping with last[Read More…]
Perhaps The Greatest XC Competitor Of All Time? This week’s challenge might be very difficult for some, easy for others. Why? Because not as many people follow the fortunes of cross-country competitors compared to their Alpine counterparts. Everyone knows Karli Schranz, Jean-Claude Killy, Bode Miller, and the rest. But how about Sverre Stenersen, who consistently won medals in the Olympics[Read More…]
What The Heck Is He Wearing? Who is this person? There must be a story behind that coat. Something to do with the Olympics? This might be a tough one. Please reply in Leave A Comment below. Thanks to the Colorado SnowSports Museum for contributing this picture. Did you realize there snow sports museums all across North America? Many are[Read More…]
Famous Instructor And Ski Celebrity. Here’s a picture of one of skiing’s most famous instructors, demonstrating the equally famous comma position. This might be an easy one for many readers who have been around skiing for a while, like since the early 60s. Heavy hint: He just had a birthday. Last Week Yes, it’s the famous Air Car, a sui[Read More…]
Not A Flying Saucer. Close, though. It certainly looks like it might be from…um…elsewhere. And that’s a giveaway to what was going on in that particular era. Is it an amusement park ride? Prop from a space movie? No, but at what stylish resort did this car-ish “gondola” appear? How about when? Does anyone know the history? We thank Jamie[Read More…]
Vintage Scenes Of Skiing. Here’s a different Mystery Glimpse challenge. Correspondent Don Burch has uncovered some old home movies from an online video archive. Can you spot where this footage might have been taken? Are there clues in these different videos that might reveal when these were taken? Even if you can’t identify the locations, check out that equipment and[Read More…]
The Face Of Intensity. Here’s the first of our Mystery Glimpse feature for this new season. We post a picture from snowsport’s past and you guess who the person, place, or thing is. Write your response in the Leave A Reply box below. If you know any details about the photo or the situation, let us know. Here’s a racer[Read More…]
Remember Classic Skiing? Here’s a really great tribute video from Outside TV on Stein Eriksen’s role in creating the world of modern skiing. From extreme skiing to blue cruising, Stein has had a deep and lasting impact on the sport. Who hasn’t tried to ski with knees locked together in a comma position just like him? Click below to watch[Read More…]
Buddy Werner, Movie Star Many readers identified this Bogner-clad high-flyer as Buddy Werner, the celebrated ski racer. And yes, there is a strong resemblance to Jean-Claude Killy in this pic. Many thanks to Steamboat’s Tread Of Pioneers Museum for contributing this photo. Just three weeks after the 1964 Innsbruck Olympics, Buddy Werner was in Switzerland to film a movie produced[Read More…]
Who’s This? This is a still from a movie this celebrity ski racer was in. Many thanks to the Tread Of Pioneers Museum in Steamboat Springs, CO, for this photo. Last Week From the Journal Of The New England Ski Museum: “Pete Seibert worked as a ski patroller in Aspen just after the war, then in 1950 attended L’Ecole Hoteliere[Read More…]
A Founder Another easy one. Let’s hear from you. Do you have any stories about this person? Last Week Nancy Greene-Raine, skiing’s girl next door. Not only was she a successful ski racer for Canada, she became a senator for British Columbia in 2009 until her mandatory retirement in 2018. She has a long list of ski industry related accomplishments,[Read More…]
Who Is This Racer? Major hint: O, Canada! This one should be easy. This week, we all need an easy one. Can you tell us about her history? Her extraordinary career? Thanks to the New England Ski Museum for this picture. Last Week This photo was taken at Crested Butte Mountain Resort in 1963, showing off the installation of their[Read More…]
What Ski Area Is This? And what’s the story behind these yellow and blue gondolas? Special thanks to Dana Mathios, curator of the Colorado Snowsports Museum, for providing this week’s photo. Last Week This is a photo of Cannon Mountain, Franconia, NH, home of America’s first aerial tramway which began operation in 1938 and was renovated in the 80s. Taken[Read More…]
What Are We Looking At? Thanks to a friendly aviator, we have this magnificent, recent (last week) view of a most formidable mountain resort. How’s your pattern recognition? Can tell us where it is? Major hint: That wide trail to the right is used for racing team practice. Last Week Yes, Lucille Ball visiting the Mittersill Alpine Resort in Franconia,[Read More…]
[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. ______________________________________________________ All The Way From Television Land. Here’s[Read More…]
[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. ______________________________________________________ This week, I had the privilege of[Read More…]
[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. ______________________________________________________ You Can Probably Guess Where, But Who’s[Read More…]
[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. ______________________________________________________ Esquire Magazine Published “The Snows Of Kilimanjaro” 84[Read More…]
[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. ______________________________________________________ Nice Sweater, But Who Is She? Looks[Read More…]
Journalist, Historian, Innovator, Hall of Fame Member Passes On. [This article first appeared in Ski History Magazine. We thank the International Ski History Association for permission to reprint this memory of a ski industry legend.) John Fry, the dean of North American ski journalists, died suddenly but peacefully on January 24, two days after celebrating his 90th birthday Fry was[Read More…]
