Ski Bum

A Ski Bum is not what you think...

ski bum. noun phrase. A person who frequents ski resorts habitually, often doing casual jobs, for the sake of skiing (1960+) The Dictionary of American Slang, Fourth Edition by Barbara Ann Kipfer, PhD. and Robert L. Chapman, Ph.D.

I gave serious thought a couple of times to becoming a ski bum and a couple of times I came close but... fact of the matter is I'm better at being a beach boy (I really don't like living in land locked areas)... I started skiing in the 60's and as a matter of fact Ski Magazine was the first magazine I was ever a subscriber. Since I began I have been a member of the US Ski team and taken to the slopes of every site the Winter Olympics have been hosted except Sarajevo Yugoslavia and  Socci in Russia. I have worked as a ski instructor, ski patrol member and briefly as a ski boot and binding compatibility technician--- quite simply I sold, installed and adjusted ski boots and bindings for a sporting goods company... but I've always been and will always be a safety advocate. 

Just like last week narrowing down beaches I had a difficult time choosing my top picks for skiing... but after some thought I was able to finally pick after considering the terrain, scenery, social life and my overall enjoyment level of the experience. I've been  shussing down mountains most of my life and I've done it on every continent that has ski resorts... (I even donned my skis once in Hawaii)...

I'm going to start today with some practical issues; the first is being in shape--- being physically fit  not only makes skiing more fun but it can help prevent some soreness and  possible serious injury... as a skier what you really need to focus on is---

• Muscle tone and flexibility is crucial
• Have strength in your abdominal core  that will help with balance and take stress off your back.
• Strong legs and strong and flexible ankles are essential.

Swimming, tennis, gymnastics and ballet helped me the most but I've talked to others who claimed running up and down hills made a big difference for them. You have to find something you enjoy and will devote at least three and a half hours to a week; also make sure you do a warm up with your key muscle groups for about 15-20 minutes before anything strenuous and a cool down to relax them afterward (I'm not a big lover of hot tubs but I've really come to appreciate them after a day of skiing)

OK now you need to think about your equipment and I can't stress enough working with competent professionals and please keep in mind with ski equipment--- You get what you pay for.

Your equipment must match your skiing profile... by that I mean are you a beginner, intermediate level or advanced? You also need to consider where you are skiing and the overall conditions... is the snow packed and groomed? Is it icy? Slushy? or Powdery? You also need to take some consideration of your height and weight.

The length and width of your skis will determine how they will perform in turns and at higher speeds; a shorter ski will give you better reaction time and overall easier maneuverability and stability so I always, always recommend a shorter ski if you are beginning... Some skis will float better in powder and others will edge better on a packed surface.... If you are intermediate or advanced you can use the following as a guide...

Boots should be snug but not painful...

Bindings are the performance and safety link between your boots and your skis and are in my opinion one of the most important considerations; so please consult with a professional and never attempt to adjust them yourself. Always have your equipment cleaned and treated and tuned up at the start of each season and store them in a warm dry place off season. There are also special considerations when buying or renting equipment for children. I have Solomon boots and bindings and Volkl skis and am happy with the performance but I've had many others over the years... I always buy at the end of the season because the savings are incredible... There used to be a place in downtown Denver called Gart Brothers and I would fly in just to buy new equipment (that's how good their end of season sales used to be)

Only a few more things on the list...Eyewear... I once lost my sunglasses in the morning and ended up sunburning my eyes and of all the physically painful experiences I have had in life  that one is in the top ten. The power of the suns reflection on snow at high altitudes is incredible and I'm someone who hates ski goggles so I wear wrap around sun glasses designed for alpine skiing and have a tether on them so they are more difficult to loose.

While color should not be your most important consideration for skis and boots it's paramount for what you are wearing. You want to be able to be seen in the snow... so I don't recommend white (I have RED,BLACK, BLUE and ORANGE  that stand out against the snow but I have different weight sweaters, pants and parkas depending on the weather conditions and what I take into consideration if I'm skiing in the winter or spring. Most ski resorts are open from December until April. I was once doing some stunt double work as a skier in late April and we were able to ski wearing only bathing suits when not filming (you have to be careful when you fall because the snow is still cold in April... The following is an easy guide for  choosing...

Pleasant Conditions

Cold Conditions

I always wear silk long underwear under my ski togs as it keeps me toasty warm... but don't wear anything under the silk because it will cause you to perspire very heavily. and have gloves that keep your hands warm but you are still flexible enough to maneuver your poles. I made an investment in the Grandoe Glove Component System and it's the best money I have ever spent on ski gloves... now here is my advice on poles... Weight and flexibility are the key factors. To test them take different sets and flick them back and forth faster and faster (the ones that lag are not for you) I like poles with a broad grip and break away straps and I prefer inverted cone-shaped crater tips over sharp pointy ones.

It's also important to know what areas you ski in... Whenever I've gone to a new area I always buy a map and study the mountain and surrounding area I like to know where I'm going, and whenever I go to the top for the first time I take a lesson. The lifts typically operate from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. I like to know where I am on a mountain in relation to how much sunlight there is... I like to be closer to the bottom by 4:00 in the afternoon. (I don't like skiing when the sun starts to set)

 The fact that I still take a lesson from one of the pros is my testament to the fact that the only time I've ever had an injury skiing is once when a child had a spaz attack on a chair lift (I no longer ride with children)

But if you are skiing alone you can sometimes cut your wait time by shouting "Single" and and you can ride up with another person skiing alone (I've met some of the most interesting people doing this and on quite a few occasions spent a considerable amount of time with them apres ski snuggling in front of the fire and what not)

No matter what level skier you are you will improve by taking lessons... if you spend a little bit more money on the smaller class size the rewards are worth it.  Most ski schools offer beginner and intermediate classes in the morning and you can practice what you learned in the afternoon. I usually take an advanced class in the afternoon and warm up to it in the morning.  It's really important to have a good breakfast and always stop for lunch to keep up your stamina... it's also a good time to catch up with the people you may be traveling with and make sure everyone is safe and confirm plans for later... (I always keep some kind of power bar and a candy bar in my pockets)... One of my lunch favorites is Bonnie's in Aspen, it's mid mountain and the food, atmosphere and views are fab!

Bonnie's Restaurant Aspen Colorado

The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) started grading the ski runs on difficulty and skill level in 1964; before that you were kind of on your own... and skis were made of wood and boots were leather and laced up and bindings had straps that kept the skis tethered to your boots if you fell down... We have come as far in technology as I have in skill over the years.

1962

A Piste is a marked ski run and you will find the following symbols to help you...

It's easy to make the translation from North American to European and Japanese Symbols... 

So...

• A Green Circle is the easiest  and has very wide runs with a slope of less than 25%
• A Blue Square is more difficult and geared toward intermediate ski ability and has a slope of 25-40%
• A Black Diamond is for advanced expert skiers and has  slopes that exceed 40%
• Double Black Diamonds are for extreme experts only as the slopes are very steep in places but you have bumps or both in tandem with obstacles of cliffs and trees) I stopped taking the Double Black Diamonds about 20 years ago... it's one of the life is too short decisions and I would rather enjoy my day. I typically do a quick warm up on a blue intermediate run and then head to the top to spend the day.
• The Terrain Parks are kind of a new-ish thing and it's groomed for the more extreme skier and snowboarder... If you are not I would back away slowly and ski away.

The thing to remember is the ski trail rating system is only consistent with each resort, by that I mean that a Green Circle run in Jackson Hole Wyoming might be the same degree of difficulty as a Blue Square run in Winter Park Colorado. Before you plan any ski trip almost every ski resort in the world has a website and you can learn a great deal about it before you get there and can spend your trip skiing and not doing the research you should have done before you arrived.

Here are a few things you need to know before you hit the slopes...

58.2% of all the skiing fatalities are by climbers, and skiers outside of the groomed runs.

47% of all avalanche deaths occur when conditions are reported as considerable.

49% of all avalanche deaths in the US are snowmobilers.

80% of ski fatalities are men.

74% of all human-triggered snow slides occur on slopes between 35-45 degrees.

Terminal velocity of an avalanche reaches speeds of over 150 kilometers per hour (93 mph)

Wind can deposit snow 10 times faster than actual snowfall from a storm.

The average skiing death is a 37 year old male wearing a helmut on a Blue groomed run who looses control and runs into a tree.... 54% of all fatalities occur on a Blue groomed run and 31% on expert trails

The increased use of wearing a helmet unfortunately has not resulted in fewer fatalities...  protective helmets are designed to protect you at speeds up to only 12 mph; typically when you are skiing or snowboarding you reach speeds ranging from 25-40 mph.

I hope I have scared you enough to take lessons, not take chances with safety and always use caution. Finally  if you see someone in trouble or hurt call for help... make sure you have the emergency number of the ski patrol in your cell phone. If you don't have your phone make note of where you are on the mountain and go for help and if necessary guide them back to the site.... I hope I have not scared you enough so that you will actually enjoy your time on skis... it's hands down my favorite way to spend a day, weekend or vacation. The following is a partial list of where I have loved skiing in my life... My final word is if you go slightly off season (early December or March and April) the savings are considerable. Sometimes you can buy packages that include air and ground transportation as well as accommodations and lift tickets (all can be quite pricey)... I've had a room at a hotel... I've stayed in a lodge, a chalet, a home and rented an apartment. Decide as a group what you want and how much you want to spend and plan in advance. One of the reasons I love Europe so much is you can combine a few places in one trip with the right organization...

Gstaad-I once went to school nearby & I became a better skier & learned to party on a grander scale

Cortina d'Ampezzo is sublime and I once combined this trip with a December visit to Venice

Big Bear is where I learned to ski and worked as an instructor---2  hours from LA

Megeve... some of the most magical things in my life happened here including where I was conceived

Riding Champagne Powder in the back bowls of Vail is an experience I  have never been able to duplicate anywhere else in the world and remembering the experience is how I sometimes lull myself to sleep

There are so many other places I would love to talk about  including...

Chamonix, France

St. Moritz, Switzerland

Lake Placid, New York

Oslo, Norway

Squaw Valley. California

Innsbruck, Austria

Grenoble, France

Sapporo, Japan

Lillehammer. Norway

Vancouver, Canada...

I could go on and on... maybe someday soon I will again. See you next week... I'll be talking about airlines and taking flight!

I've been looking around as the lights and decorations that are on the display for the upcoming holidays and while people watching I noticed that being mean makes you look very unattractive and there is likely no cream or cosmetic that can fix it... so being nice has  many rewards in addition to being a long term beauty and health treatment.