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Notes From A NH Ski Trip, Mystery Water Color, Weekly Weather, Jack Frost Senior Program, Avalanche Warning, Cal Safety Day, Againer Review, OR/SIA Show Wrap.

We’re up in Franconia, New Hampshire for the week, skiing and sort of vacationing. From this adventure, come many observations we’d like to share.

• Stopping at the New England Ski Museum, either the new North Conway branch or at headquarters at the foot of the Cannon Mt. tram, is definitely a way to get into the skiing mood for the week.  If you are lucky, you will run into staff member Ted Laliberte at North Conway who graciously explained some exhibits and showed us United We Ski, a documentary about truly little ski hills around NH and Vermont that rely on community support and Yankee ingenuity to provide affordable skiing to local kids and families. Entrance is free, the staff helpful and friendly, the exhibits riveting.
• Deciding to not head out to one of the local ski hills on your first day of your ski vacation because it is 1) wicked cold, 2) blowing like stink, 3) Sunday tickets are too pricey anyway is okay. Getting up late and going exploring is just fine.

• Speaking of exploring, this corner of NH has a collection of antique stores from high quality to honorable junk. This is a fine alternative to spending money on lift tickets on a overly crowded, cold, and windy day.  No guilt. Check out the town of Bethlehem for starters.

• Franconia, North Conway, Lincoln, even Bartlett are the notable ski towns around here, catering to the weekend warriors from MA, CT, and points there around, as well as the condo retirees. Go a bit farther up I-93 and you come to the old, formerly-down-at-the-heels-now-experiencing-a-renaissance town of Littleton. We were surprised to find Schilling’s, an artisan brewery and restaurant filled with young and hip people, a Main Street with artist co-ops, boutiques, vintage clothing stores, refugees from LA and NYC running interesting and inviting businesses.  Stop at the National Historic Landmark Thayers Hotel (1843) on Main Street to see the list of celebs who have stayed there in its 177 year history. Chang Thai is a restaurant on Main Street not to be missed.
• At 2:00 pm, the base lodge at the local resort starts to clear out.  Is that our imagination? People start at 9:30-10:00 am, stop for lunch, and are gone by 2:00?

• In 1961, Betty and Barney Hill were driving at night on Route 3 in Lincoln, NH, close to Loon Mountain, when a bright light filled their car.  Afterward, their vivid dreams were drawn out through hypnosis, revealing, they claim, that they were abducted by aliens who experimented on their bodies and returned them to their vehicle. There’s a museum with articles, memorabilia, and videos in a gas station very close to the spot where they claim the incident started.
• We declare Bretton Woods, NH’s largest ski resort, to also be among the most friendly to seniors. The week day walk-up ticket price for seniors is $32. Down the road, Attitash charges seniors $63 mid-week, Loon is $79-86, day-dependent, and Cannon is $60, any day for us guys. Only Waterville Valley, also just down the road, offers a $31 senior ticket on non-holiday mid-weeks.  Thank you, Bretton Woods and Waterville.  We’re going to visit WV next time.
• The better the condition of the snow, the better skier you are. Discuss.

This Week

Harriet Wallis writes a strongly worded letter to her nephew Ted about the reality of avalanches and the mortal danger they represent. Last season, 25 skiers were lost to avalanches, this season, the toll is 13. This is a real and present danger. Tell your loved ones to be prepared.

SeniorsSkiing.com is always looking for resorts that offer something special to their long-time senior customers.  PA’s Jack Frost has a special, Wednesday morning program for seniors that includes lessons, lectures, and lunch does just that.  Thanks to Bill Runner for connecting us with this news story from the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader that explains how a group of senior folks can work with a resort to come up with a program that works for everyone.

Yes, Suzy Chafee was the fast-moving woman in last week’s Mystery Glimpse, and yes, she was barreling down Fountain Mt, the famous Mt. Snow attraction.  Apparently, it was a photo shoot as there are several similar shots of her. And thanks again to Peak Resort’s and its wonderful archive for the pic. This week’s photo comes from the New England Ski Museum.  You’ll probably easily guess where, but what about who the artist is.

Co-Publisher Jon Weisberg reports on his visit to the OR/SIA Show in Denver last week and his sortie to Winter Park to demo some new skis. The two hottest new items at the show: Wearable warmers, and CBD for what ails you.

San Francisco-based SeniorsSkiing.com correspondent Rose Marie Cleese reports on Ski California’s Safety Day, featuring educational events and demonstrations up and down the state. As we are learning from looking at reports of and comments about ski accidents, safety education is an important part of reducing injury potential.  How effective that is is another story.

We publish a review of the Againer, an exoskelton-computer device that takes the pressure off knees.  Our review was pleased. Check out his report, “I Felt Like I Skied One Run Not Eight.”

Finally, the Skiing Weatherman reports on conditions for next week. There will be more storms coming along; it’s just a question of timing.

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