Prime Time Ski Club news for Bethel Citizen 1/30/14
This past week at Sunday River ski area the cold was not nearly as bad as the weather reporters would have you believe. Forecasts of chill factors in the 20-below range kept a lot of people off the slopes but the Prime Time Ski Club members who ventured out (and quite a few did) found no wind, uncrowded slopes and great conditions.
Thanks to an occasional ride in the cabin of the chondola (Sunday River’s combination 6-pack chairlift/gondola lift out of South Ridge) or hot chocolate stops at Barker or North Peak lodges, the cold was not a deterrent to having fun on the many groomed slopes that awaited those who braved the weather forecast. As a matter of fact, most Prime Timers agreed that we experienced some of the best skiing of the season this past week.
So don’t let unfavorable weather reports keep you off the mountain. Just remember to cover up any exposed skin with neck-ups or face masks to prevent frostbite and use hand warmers, foot warmers or battery-operated boot heaters to keep the extremities comfortable. There are also battery-heated gloves/mittens and vests if you can afford them!
Also, lift rides seem shorter and less cold when you’re busy talking with someone. So if you don’t want to ski alone, consider meeting Prime Time Ski Club members (for those 50 years and older) at the North Peak Lodge every weekday around 10 a.m. in the area just beyond the bar. Introduce yourself to anyone that’s there and you’ll soon find yourself meeting a lot of new friends. After a brief time for announcements, we usually break into small groups of from four to eight skiers, based primarily on skiing ability and terrain preference.
We are in the midst of Go50 Week which has been a fun time so far. Join club members Friday morning at 10 a.m. at Peak Lodge for free mountain tours by some of our more avid skiers who log upward of 75 to 100 ski days a year. Friday night the local Blue Willow band will be playing at the Phoenix Restaurant at 8 p.m. There still may be time to make a reservation for the Snowflake Factory tour at 3 p.m. today (Thursday). Call 207-824-5234.
Remember the Prime Time Ski Club motto, “No one needs to ski alone.” Check out our website at www.primetimeskiclub.com or just show up at North Peak Lodge at 10 a.m. weekdays and ski a few runs with us and see what you think.
