A Get Together Of Senior Skiers Combines Fun, Learning and Friends.
Credit: Bill Runner
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 activities.
For example, Dodge Ridge, CA, has a twice-a-week Master’s Clinic in February, focusing on day-long instruction for seniors who were returning to skiing after a hiatus or injury, or who just wanted to get rid of bad habits. The idea came to Dodge Ridge’s ski school director John Mahanna when he realized seniors need some help adjusting to shaped skis. San Francisco correspondent Rose Marie Cleese attended a Thursday clinic in February and observed, “I learned to ski with more ease and efficiency and not be exhausted after a full day of skiing.”
Credit: Bill Runner
Ski instruction like the Master’s Clinic is only part of what ski resorts can do for its seniors. Waterville Valley Resort, NH, supports the Silver Streaks, the oldest senior ski club in the country. In addition to senior instruction, Waterville also has racing, amenities like close-in parking, social events and awards ceremonies. The result is a tight, friendly and upbeat senior community at the resort.
Credit: Bill Runner
Jack Frost, PA, also pays attention to its seniors. Famous for its Jack Frost Geezers ski club, the area also supports all its seniors big-time. In addition to a weekly special free, one-hour clinics for seniors, this year Jack Frost held a Senior Day in early Feb. A group of 40 regulars participated in demonstrations of telemark skiing and snowboarding, presentations on resort history, diet, exercise, and how to prepare for the ski season.
Held with the support of the local Area Agency on Agency, the event is a positive example of how a ski resort can take some simple steps to provide added value to its seniors.
So the question is: Why shouldn’t other ski resorts support these kinds of low-cost, no-cost activities for its loyal seniors?
whistler has a 74+ season pass for about $138 Canadian. there are lots of other senior “deals” in Canada as well. How about some Canada stuff in your posts please? lots of us read your site……….DCK
Yes, Doug, we know and we are grateful to have loyal readers in Canada. Lake Louise won our Senior-Friendly Award for two years running and we did visit Le Massif de Charlevoix in Feb 2015. Red Mountain Resort, BC Whistler Blackcomb, BC, Mont Tremblant, QUE also won Senior-Friendly Awards. So, we’d love to have more coverage, too. We depend on local writers to work with us, so if you know anyone who’s interested, please send them our way. Anyone? Anyone?