Skiing your age

I'm 69 and learning to ski better every year. I've been skiing since 1968 and I'm skiing better than ever. Now the days on snow aren't as much as I would like, only 32 this year, I've had as much as 119 days nine years ago. I only have so many days left so I cherish them all. Next year I have about 37 scheduled.

Good for you. I'm 60. Wish I could have been there with you but already used up all my skitime for '08. One of the things I like about EPIC is we've got a mix of the young and invincible who don't know they can break and some "Old Farts" like us who are looking to keep skiing more as we get older and not flame out at 30 something. For me, I certainly ski better today than 10 years ago and I'll ski better in '09 than '08, but the risks I take today are more related to terrain than speed.

I'm 53y/o and have averaged 65+ days a season for the last 12 years. What am I going to do when I turn 65 ?

I was under the impression that skiing your age was based on how many 1000' vertical (give or take?) runs you could get in per day. Take the number 100, subtract your age, and that is your daily goal (par for your age). So if you're 18, try to get in 82 runs in a day. If you're 82 try for 18 runs.:

My goal is to exceed my age in both days skied and maximum mph skied This year I think I made both. Definitely days, just a guess in mph

Just wondering....

How old some of the REAL veteran skiers are here.

Many years back now, when my dad passed the 70 mark (years not days skiing) we were up at Okemo and I was amazed by the number of folks skiing at 70 plus. Now 85 and still skiing, I wonder how many others out there are still enjoying this wonderful sport.....

I've long said that you shouldn't worry about acting your age, but you should ski your age! Unfortunately, achieving that goal gets tougher every year, especially for those of us with demanding, non-ski-related careers. Yesterday I made it; day 57! And today, I was the last person of the year to ski A-Basin's "West Turbo" (formerly "Rock Garden") while my wife was the last of the year to ski "Turbo". Woo-hoo! Old farts rule.


Congratulations!!! As a "flatlander" I'd be lucky to ski 1/2 my age, but I sure have fun trying. Only 3 short this year with 27 days.

I'm 20, live in a snowless country and am limited by both funds and free time in winter due to being a studentso I'm lucky to get 21 days a year in.
All I can say is that I very much hope I can keep up with all you "old farts" as you like to call yourselfs when I get to your age, you's don't seem to be doing too bad to me.

Actually, for me it's getting easier every year (unfortunately). For years my average number of days skied, which doesn't really change much, was higher than my age. This year I just about had a perfect match.

5th year in a row I've accomplished the skiing my age goal I set. 55 days this year.

My in-laws did, skiing in the 66-67 range. I came close to mine at 41.

Phil, what about matching up the quiver size and the age?

Turned 65 yesterday and average about half that many days a year BUT THEY are full 6 hr ski days opening chair till shut down . Lunch is lite and if i'm skiing alone often a power bar (s) while on the lift

Several of MY ski buds are in their 70's and as ex college jocks in great shape who can rip non stop runs for the day .

The good thing is we all have several other athletic/ and volunteer pursuits to keep us both physically active and mentally sharp

Age is BUT a number --Attitude is everything

I've exceeded my age (56 this year) by quite a bit for the past few years-do I accrue credits for future years?

Geezzz--I don`t quite know how to classify myself....I`m 79...I teach weekends and a day or two during the week...I`m EPSIA-lev3...45 yrs.
I have to ski efficiently--I have two new knees ,within the past 4-5 years...
If my technique was not efficient , I could not make it, what with diminished core strength and musculature....skiing technically correct is what allows me to continue. I ski the whole mtn. However, don`t do moguls unless I have to.. If I didn`t have a good time and enjoy what I do, I wouldn`t be doing it...
I think that If I weren`t teaching , I would lose most of my technique..I try to get a good portion of the day to free ski....I do go West/New England when available.

OK Larry, One new knee past age 50 should increase your "handicap"-sorry for the pun: by 50%. Since you've got 2 new knees you've skied yor age by just showing up

Here's Jean Mayer and Dadou Mayer in 1964 and 2008 (?) at Taos, NM. Same trail 44 years apart. I think Jean's 73 now.

(from:stbernardtaos.com/hotel/hotel_staff.php)

Larry C , you are an inspiration ! Good to have proof my goal of skiing through the white hair stage is realistic. Then again, I saw that on the mountain by others already & it helped set that goal.

Tog, looks like they just got better as they got older !

I try to ski with good form.

Hands forward, quiet upper body, not hunched over. shoulders facing down the fall line, feet underneath me, ect.

What do i get? Someone tells me i ski like an old man.:

So am i skiing my age?

(im only 36!)

I'm hoping to ski my age when I get to my average annual days total since 1970 of 100. I've got 32 more years to go.

Likewise but I'm no longer a student and only got 16 days this season. Uni holidays and workload were always terrible for skiing.

On how "old" everyone is around here - just take a look here. Just note the dates on some of the posts - you'll need to do some addition

to make up for my youth I skied over 6 times my age this year.

My next trip up will make three times my age.

I've got a friend who's pushing 70 and skis about 100 days a year. I try to make twice as many turns as he does, figuring I ski half as many days, maybe it all evens out.

I expect to finish up my season on May 31 - June 1 at Whistler, and get my 51st and 52nd days this year, so I've finally skied my age.

Actually, it gets easier as we age...

What with careers and families, we get to ski MORE!

When I started in my 20's, I wasn't near any big mountains. So I only ski my age then. Then work gets in the way and I ski less or about the same and my age passed my skiing days.

Now, as my career "matures", I have a lot more time I can finess around to enable skiing. I ski a lot more days than I ever did. So it's catching up to my age...

I can see when I do retire, I'll have a lot more time to ski. All I have to do is keep healthy so I can ski MORE than my age!

I've seen it in the cycling circle. We do "birthday rides" for the older folks and it's often the "younger" riders who can't keep up!!!

Larry,
>>>If my technique was not efficient , I could not make it, what with diminished core strength and musculature.<<<

Thats my secret, skiing efficiently. at 76 I'm only three years behind you and still have two good knees, (even if my wife Ann doesn't, thanks for your advice, she just can't bring herself to do knee replacement)...The shaped and shorter skis have helped a great deal.

In my prime, my domain was the fifteen feet from the edge of the trail, better snow less crowded and easily ski around folks standing on the edge. Not any more. Though I am very secure on my skis, one oopla could have me kiss a tree. Likewise I avoid the moguls unless I can't avoid them, with a little planning avoiding them is easy, though. I ski between 2-4 days a week and a three week vacation of skiing almost every day, blizzard days I don't enjoy anymore.

While I'm at it, A couple of weeks ago a group of my old time skiing buddies were at a supper and I took an informal poll and the result were:

75 to 80 year olds, mostly retired ski instructor and patrollers had confidence problems, despite skiing all they skied before, every time they start they have doubts and are surprised that they had no problems skiing it. My former ski school director, now in his 80s, and a super skier in his time gave it up because he said: "I am scared to ski fast and I don't enjoy to ski slow, so to hell with it".

Other issues were medical, reduced eye sight or depth perception, some loss of balance at times, and mostly strength.

One issue that came up is that is often perceived as too much to have to put on the layers of ski clothing, drive to the hill, carry in the skis and ski bag, putting on the boots, etc. but once that is done and they are on the hill it all is worth it.

And lastly, they look at the weather forecast and pick a nice day.

....Ott