History Suggests That Designing A New Boot Is A Multi-Million Dollar Gamble. Just the molds for a plastic shell boot cost a million dollars, and that doesn’t include engineering costs and other expenses. Then there is the need to make it profitable when annual manufacturing runs are in the thousands, not hundreds of thousands or millions. These and other factors[Read More…]
Beattie, Who Coached The US Team For Nine Seasons, Was A Ski Competition Innovator. Bob Beattie, the coach who put the US Ski Team on the world stage in the 60s, has died on Easter Sunday in Aspen, according to his son, Zeno. For details, click here for the news story from The Aspen Times.
Try This New Game: It’s A Cross Between Where’s Waldo And A Scavenger Hunt. I was skiing at Deer Valley, and I was taking photos. I’m always taking photos. It’s what I do. I never know when I’ll need a certain shot to illustrate a story. The next time I skied Deer Valley, I was with a friend. I showed[Read More…]
St. Bernard, The Doggie’s Namesake, Is An Actual Saint. [Editor Note: This tidbit was submitted by LuAnn Snyder, a freelance writer from Maryland.] Here’s a bit of trivia about the Patron Saint and Protector of Skiers: St. Bernard of Montjoux. Little is known for certain about St. Bernard of Montjoux who was probably born in Italy, c. 996 and died at[Read More…]
Easter/Passover/Spring Arrives, Song Sample, Stumped-The-Crowd Mystery Glimpse, New XC Editor, Ski Boot History, Season Pass Quandary Redux, Big Sky Report, Big Party At Alta For 94-Year-Old Skiin’ Guy. This week is a milestone pivot point for the 2017-18 ski season; it’s Springtime in full glory, and ordinarily parkas come off, t-shirts abound, zaniness ensues, and the snow sport world looks[Read More…]
“Finding Meaning and Happiness in Old Age” is the title of Jane Brody’s March 19 Personal Health column in The New York Times. The article is about developing a healthy perspective on the aging process. It gathers information from two recent volumes on aging. She describes them as “inspired and inspiring.” One is The End of Old Age; the other,[Read More…]
Here’s A Classic-Looking Skier In A Classic Pose. Looks like an instructor demonstrating to a kids’ class. Check the straps around his boots, and you will get a hint about the era depicted here. Don’t you love that turtleneck? No, parka, hmmm. Looks a little like California-stylin’. That’s enough of a hint for this one. Who is he, where did[Read More…]
XC Ski In Shorts And T-Shirts This Spring: A Peak Experience! As the cross country (XC) ski season winds down most XC ski areas close because of lack of skiers rather than lack of snow on the trails. The sun comes out, the temperature rises, and the XC skiers quit. Why? Are we infected with winter fatigue? Is the lure[Read More…]
Roger Lohr has been named cross country and snowshoe editor of SeniorsSkiing.com. Mr. Lohr is founder and editor of XCSkiResorts.com, a promotional website for recreational and travel-oriented cross country skiing and snowshoeing. “We welcome Roger to the editorial staff of SeniorsSkiing.com. His participation will expand the site’s cross country and snowshoe coverage, two activities popular with our readers,” said Mike[Read More…]
As a SeniorsSkiing.com reader, you may remember how much plastic inserts increased the lateral stiffness of your boots. Back in those days, if you were really cool, your boots were further stiffened when wrapped with a six-foot long thong. Then the plastic boot shell arrived, along with innovative designs from Rosemount, Scott and Hanson. The[Read More…]
Compare Ikon and M.A.X. And Major Differences Are Revealed. To evaluate the Ikon Pass I’ll compare it to what it replaces, the M.A.X. Pass, and look at what it offers in and of itself. Because they are at similar price points I’ll be comparing the M.A.X. Pass with the Ikon Base Pass. While both passes include a variety of resorts[Read More…]
Big Sky is not ritzy. It is not pretentious. It is not crowded. And, as one of country’s greatest ski destinations, it is not to be missed. With 4350′ of vertical and 5,800 acres, Big Sky justifiably calls itself “The Biggest Skiing in America.” The last time I skied there was before the acquisition of Moonlight Basin, a smaller adjacent[Read More…]
Hip, Hip, Hooray! Skier Bob Turns 94! You might say that 94-year-old Bob Murdoch is a “senior’s senior” skier. He represents many skiers across the country who are skiing into their 90s and enjoying their mountain friendships as much as the slopes. Ski friends matter. Skiers gave Bob a birthday card that said: Count your age in how many friends[Read More…]
60s Ski Songs Available Now, More Pass Wars Comments, Ski New Zealand Soon, Fat Bikes, And More. Back in the early 60s, folk music was just beginning to become popular. Colleges, concert halls, and coffee houses were hosting a wide variety bands like The Kingston Trio and The Weavers with stringed instruments singing old time music as well as newly[Read More…]
I’m in the desert with my skis. There’s snow in the higher elevations but the nearest lifts are a few hundred miles away. It’s nice to be enjoying a respite from winter. But I feel like a city dweller, removed from my favorite pastime. It’s not permanent. I have the good fortune of being able to get in the car[Read More…]
