Big_Hitter
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
when I retire I'll probably ski just about every day the hill is open, or ski and golf, or ski, golf and fly fish (i.e. the trifecta)
Any other hard core ER skiiers out there?
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hesperus
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snowcat, I am bleeding with envy. You must be glacier skiing to get 6+ months a year. Where is your ski town?
RunningBum
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I find that if you have good form, skiing isn't that much work unless you are hitting the moguls, deep powder, or woods. When I was learning it was a lot of fatigue in my legs, but now I can ski groomers for 4-6 hours and then run 10 miles. And do it again the next day. Yes, I am in very good shape, but if it was a hard workout I'd feel it in my runs. Not trying to argue with you, just pointing out that the better you get, the less work it is.
When people find out I'm retired and ski every day, they give me "helpful" suggestions like joining the ski patrol. No thanks. That's work. If I don't like the conditions, I go home. If I really like them, I want to ski top to bottom and shoot up the express lift and back down again. Ski patrol has to stay on for their whole shift, and often have to stay up top so they can quickly ski down when they get called and not be delayed while they finish their run and take a lift back up.
Or they suggest the courtesy patrol, so I can stand in high traffic areas and blow a whistle at people skiing too fast. Yeah, I'll pass on being a ski cop.
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hesperus
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This is true. I am a better telemark skiier at 57 than I was at 27 because my technique has improved, although I am not as strong as I was then. Where I feel my age is in the bumps. After a day of moguls my quads and gluts are totally spent. If you've never tried telemarking moguls, you probably have no idea how much leg strength is required. It's akin to doing lunges at the gym all day long. Fortunately, my knees have held up for those 35 years of freeheeling.
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I do hit the moguls occasionally on my snowboard and that's a hardcore workout.
I bet on skis it's really hard.
Sometimes I go the wrong way and get stuck on the bumps. Not fun but a nice challenge.
That will be a perfect retirement.
Unfortunately for me I am still working and too many hours to get into great shape. So when I go snowboarding I push myself hard for 3 weeks and I hit a wall.
I hope to someday retire in a mountain town or just chase the snow and rent.
But Yes the cool thing about skiing and riding is you can adjust your day depending on how hard you want to push yourself.
Just kick back and relax when your legs are tired.
Today at keystone the lines were short but the runs were tricky with a mix of really great skiers and riders going too fast.
Not even sure why they had the slow zone signs up.
Sorry for the delay in getting back...why, yes, I was skiing. Great stormy, powder day. Still snowing. Tomorrow, is another don't miss day. Our ski season is long-(early) November opening and normally go through Memorial Day. On big snow years, we are still skiing on Independence Day. Within those days, it really becomes a "what is your priority" to make ~200 days. My priority is pretty clear. Yes, I know that it is crazy by some standards.
Both of us are very athletic. It is very rare that our day does not have some physical activity-sometimes multiple activities. We picked up backpacking/hiking as our new retirement activity as ski season ended last year. We are big cyclists. Mostly mountain biking but enjoy road riding.
Most ski days start at 8:30 (the best time of the day). I normally stay out until early afternoon. Some days, I ski in the morning take a break (for a meeting/appt) and return for closing (the second best time of the day). I don't feel the need to ski from bell to bell very often. However, DW does ski all day quite a bit. I do agree that with more fitness and skills, skiing is an "easy" sport. With 45 years of skiing experience, new technology and strong general fitness, skiing in more of a rush than a workout. Now, I completely feel different about shoveling. Speaking of which, I need to get going on the ~6 inches of snow on our deck.
Both of us are very athletic. It is very rare that our day does not have some physical activity-sometimes multiple activities. We picked up backpacking/hiking as our new retirement activity as ski season ended last year. We are big cyclists. Mostly mountain biking but enjoy road riding.
Most ski days start at 8:30 (the best time of the day). I normally stay out until early afternoon. Some days, I ski in the morning take a break (for a meeting/appt) and return for closing (the second best time of the day). I don't feel the need to ski from bell to bell very often. However, DW does ski all day quite a bit. I do agree that with more fitness and skills, skiing is an "easy" sport. With 45 years of skiing experience, new technology and strong general fitness, skiing in more of a rush than a workout. Now, I completely feel different about shoveling. Speaking of which, I need to get going on the ~6 inches of snow on our deck.
Hermit
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I have a season pass for Keystone and A-Basin. Hoping to get quite a few days in there this season. Last year I skied with a friend at Monarch quite a few times. He will be 80 this year. I can't get him up to Summit County because he can ski for free at Monarch. Its a 2 hour drive to either Monarch or Keystone so I won't be doing as many days as some of you, but I hope to get in around 30 days or so.
I was talking with a guy from Colorado Springs today and he said monarch is a nice powder mountain.
That's awesome your friend is skiing at 80.
I sure hope I am that active at 80.
Sounds like you guys would love windsurfing.
RunningBum
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Well, you convinced me not to try telemark skiing, because I did 15 lunges yesterday and my knee hurt. There are some things that irritate it and that's one of them.
timemoveson
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My experience with windsurfing is exactly the same as some of the comments upthread about skiing. It is wickedly physical and tiring until you master the techniques and then it is a complete RUSH at a great adrenaline level. Just like a perfect line down a great mountain when you have confidence and things are just right. Wow, great thread!
Ronstar
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I envy you skiers. I used to ski in my early- mid twenties in co, mi, and wi. Gave it up after a nasty fall where I ended up with a collapsed stomach and cracked ribs. I stopped at Vail for a driving rest this past year in early April. Watched some skiers from the base of the mountain. They were having a great time getting in their last runs of the season.
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hesperus
Full time employment: Posting here.
Yeah, it does put a lot of stress on the knee, so I am always training my legs during the offseason. I've been fortunate to have kept my knees intact. Actually, telemarking has probably helped me avoid injury when there's a hard fall - since the heel is not locked down, it's unlikely to stress the knee unnaturally during a fall - it's easier to roll out of it. I've known a lot of downhillers who have injured their knees during a fall because the knee twisted unnaturally before the binding released.
Love skiing - have tried to ski every continent - when I lived in Europe, skied at least once a month, sometimes twice during the season along with a week long trip. Skied in CO and Italy (Dolomiti) last year.
Have had both my ACLs reconstructed due to ski accidents (both in Switzerland) - so ski slower now and tend to go for groomers - still love it. There's nothing like being on top of a mountain and looking down and then gliding down feeling the wind on your face. That was the most amazing feeling after my first ACL recovery - will never forget it - was in Zermatt.....lots of work to get there.
My goal is to ski until my 70's - 80's if I can even if it's only on a bunny hill
Have had both my ACLs reconstructed due to ski accidents (both in Switzerland) - so ski slower now and tend to go for groomers - still love it. There's nothing like being on top of a mountain and looking down and then gliding down feeling the wind on your face. That was the most amazing feeling after my first ACL recovery - will never forget it - was in Zermatt.....lots of work to get there.
My goal is to ski until my 70's - 80's if I can even if it's only on a bunny hill
+1
I've never been anything but a recreational skier, so I can't quite relate to some of these stories, but it's fun to read.
Long ago when I lived in Colorado, I skied nearly every weekend and hit practically every ski area in the state.
Now, pushing 70, I just schedule one trip out west per year. By the end of my skiing week I'm exhausted, but I still have a great time even though it's practically all on blue slopes.
