For many Western resorts this is the season when it’s best to stay on the groomed. There just hasn’t been enough natural snow to enter the woods with confidence. The trail skiing I’ve done at the four resorts closest to Salt Lake City — Alta and Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon and Brighton and Solitude in Big Cottonwood Canyon —[Read More…]
Unless you’re riding with people you know, ski lifts are public places, and conversational topics should reflect that. At least, that’s how I view the 8 – 12 minute ride with people who, if nothing else, have the sport in common. But experience shows that others may not share that sensitivity. How else to explain the ride on a triple[Read More…]
What are Your Favorite Apres Ski Cocktails? “It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues,” Abraham Lincoln In case you’ve been in Siberia or solitary, you may have noticed the return of the cocktail. Search “Skier’s Cocktails,” and you’ll find a variety of hot toddies, Irish Coffees and Mulled Wines. Some spike hot[Read More…]
Wednesday, I skied Alta. It was my second day out. Snow was blowing. Light was flat. I felt the chill. After a few runs, it was time for something warm. I headed for Alf’s and looked around for a familiar face. No one even remotely familiar. So I took my bowl of mushroom bisque (consistently good at Alf’s), walked up[Read More…]
And Then, I’ll Take Off My Skis. That’s the punch line of a joke I heard in college. Many of you will know it. Two Russian soldiers are called home from their post in Siberia. They pack their belongings and start their long ski trek across the snowy steppe. They talk about what they’ll do when they arrive home. Boris[Read More…]
Many Readers Have Requested A Fabric Patch. It’s a good idea, and we’d like to make it available. The question is what to put on the patch. We’ve explored the vintage image of the skier that appears on the SeniorsSkiing.com sticker. Unfortunately, patch production technology makes him indecipherable. Whatever we do, we plan to include the SeniorsSkiing.com logo. You may[Read More…]
An Urban Legend From The World Of Skiing. Editor’s Note: Jan Harold Brunvand is a frequent contributor to SeniorsSkiing.com. An avid skier, he is a retired American folklorist, researcher, writer, public speaker, and professor emeritus of English at the University of Utah. Jan is best known for popularizing the concept of the urban legend, a form of modern folklore or story telling. Urban Legends[Read More…]
I Hate Sue. That’s the name we gave the voice on the rental car’s navigation system. We programmed her to direct us about 500 kilometers across France. Instead of doing as instructed, Sue gave us a Tour de France, all the way to the Mediterranean at the end of a major holiday. We were stuck, bumper-to-bumper, for hours. At one[Read More…]
Where Is Everyone? There’s Pow At Alta. Thanks to Snowbrains for passing this along. June 13, 2017 run at Alta.
People I’ve met love the Mountain Collective Pass For those prepared to travel, it’s a no-brainer. Two day passes at any number of well-known ski resorts for $399. I purchased one a few weeks ago for next season and quickly encountered the dark side of this attractive product: weak Customer Support. I made the non-refundable purchase and was then prompted[Read More…]
Anti-Freeze Face Tape is Quite the Experience. Okay, it’s Spring and for most of us the cold is fast becoming a distant memory. However, on January 8 at Alta, temps ranged from 12F to 18F. Sunny but chilly. So I took a package of Anti-Freeze Face Tape —a gift from a friend—followed the instructions and skied that day with a well[Read More…]
POW POW Not every reader has experienced the joy of powder skiing. Showing skiers scribing graceful lines on blank fields of bluish white is part of our skiing media culture. As those of us who pursue the experience well know, finding untracked, especially in a resort setting, is elusive. Powder is ephemeral and eagerly sought out. When there’s a dump[Read More…]
CALIFORNIA Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows received 10.5 feet since January 1! COLORADO Colorado resorts offering a variety of freebies, including: Free Snowcat to reach expert terrain Wolf Creek Ski Area https://wolfcreekski.com/. Loveland Ski Area – http://skiloveland.com/the-mountain/the-ridge-cat/ Free Lift Tickets for Airline Passengers Crested Butte — Fly Alaska Airlines from Los Angeles to receive free lift ticket anytime before March 25,[Read More…]
CALIFORNIA Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows announced that five of its skiers were named to the 2017 U.S. Alpine Ski Team. All are part of the area’s development system and have been successful in International Ski Federation (FIS) competition. COLORADO Numerous Colorado resorts offer free skiing for young children—a definite benefit for grandparents taking the kids for a ski holiday. Ages, dates,[Read More…]
Trump and Hillary on Skis, How to Hike, Hiking With Wild Flowers, New Stein Eriksen Exhibit, Ski Club Just For Seniors. Note of explanation to SeniorsSkiing.com’s non-US readers: The U.S. is in the middle of a Presidential Campaign. Please be understanding and stifle any laughter. A quick search shows that both major party candidates have some snow skiing experience. Donald Trump’s[Read More…]
Perfect Day’s Outing For Fit Seniors. [Editor Note: This article was contributed to SeniorsSkiing.com by Sue Z. Sue Z., born in Brooklyn, is now a senior skier who likes to spend her time at Alta. When she is not skiing or hiking with her husband, David, she paints in acrylics, plays the piano, and plays the drums. She and David have[Read More…]
George Says Make The Most Of What You’ve Got. “It’s a pleasure by itself to be in the great, fresh cold air that seems to uncloud your brain…It’s a chance to reflect on your own life…[Skiing] is an opportunity to reflect on the wonderful things you can do…The plusses far outweigh the minuses…Take time to appreciate the positives.” Thanks to Ski Utah[Read More…]
It’s Vast Open Space And Powder. Alta is the granddaddy of powder skiing. It averages 500 inches of snow a year which earns it the nickname: Skiers’ Paradise. It has wide, wide open bowls with groomed trails, but everywhere you look slopes are left au natural and full of powder. That’s ample for most senior skiers. But it also has[Read More…]
Many Years Ago, Alta Stayed Open Late And Guess Who Showed Up? With so many late, unexpected and unusual snowfalls this late spring, we wondered if people were still showing up. After all, it is almost boating season. Yet, a report last week from Faithful Subscriber Paul Remillard showed us that there are die-hards out there. It was not always thus,[Read More…]
SeniorsSkiing Honors A Legend Who’s Skied Alta For 55 Years. How’s the spring in your legs? Here’s George Jedenoff, a 97-year old from Oakland, CA, who has been skiing Alta, UT, since 1960. With a lifetime season pass and a healthy lifestyle, George shows us that skiing can be a part of any stage of life. Here’s a short video of George[Read More…]
Here’s How To Talk The Talk. Every region has its own pronunciations, so if you take a western ski trip you might want to brush up on a few words and say them the way the local say them. Word 1: Alta. This popular ski-only resort in Utah is the granddaddy of powder skiing. It averages 500 inches of snow[Read More…]
Salt Lake City launches campaign to attract skiers to a “base camp for skiing”. Visit Salt Lake President Scott Beck isn’t pulling punches when he says a new $1.8 billion campaign to boost SLC’s brand is aimed at luring skiers away from Colorado’s storied resorts. Expect a flurry of online and print advertisements promoting Salt Lake City’s short drive to[Read More…]
Alan Engen Recounts How Alta’s Wild Old Bunch has been meeting on the mountain since 1969. With the baby boomers now reaching retirement age, there is a growing population of senior age skiers on the slopes, some of whom are even active in competitive skiing activities. As a result, senior ski programs are becoming a significant part of many ski[Read More…]
