Bethel Citizen 2/19/15

Prime Time Ski Club members are enjoying some of the best snow conditions there have been for a long time at Sunday River Ski Resort. Thanks to back-to-back-to-back snow storms, all the terrain on the mountain is open, including the many glades. Although frigid temperatures have kept a lot of skiers and boarders away, those who have braved the cold have been rewarded with near-empty trails and great conditions that last to the end of the ski day.

Many Prime Timers are getting in more days on the snow than ever before. Last year a few members logged more than 100 days on the snow with many others skiing well over 50 days during the season. Statistics gathered by the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) shows that the person who skis the most in a given year is age 65 and older. Those 68 and older averaged 9.5 days of skiing last season while Baby Boomers, those age 51 to 69 this year, also skied more than the national average of five times per year, according to an NSAA survey released in August.

Although younger people still make up the majority on the slopes – the average skier is 38.5 years old – the number of skiers 50 and over has been creeping up each year, says the NSAA survey. Thanks to artificial hips and knees, shaped skis and improved snowmaking and grooming that make skiing easier, plus more time and money than when they were younger, an increasing number of seniors continue to pursue skiing with a passion well into their golden years. Those ages 45-54 made up 20 percent of skiers last winter, up from 14 percent in the 1997-98 season; the 55-64 age group made up 12 percent, up from nearly 5 percent, and those 65 and older rose to 5.5 percent from 2.5 percent, according to the NSAA study.

Experts have a few suggestions to help seniors continue to ski later in life.  Stay in shape. Try to choose slopes with less traffic so you can safely ski a little slower. Think about afternoon sun and shadows: a west-facing slope will have better definition. Make sure you drink enough water throughout the day. Consider taking the gondola down the mountain if you’re tired at the end of the day. Consciously chose your danger level. “The repercussions of making a mistake are too great, said Billy Kidd, the 70-year-old Olympic skier who skis nearly every day as an ambassador for the Steamboat Ski Resort in Colorado.

Another challenge that older skiers face is finding friends who are still skiing. The Prime Time Ski Club can help with that. With a mission of making sure that no one ever needs to ski alone, the club provides camaraderie on the slopes as well as off and is the reason that many of our members are still skiing. The club boasts a membership of more than 140, ranging in age from 50 to 80 plus. Anyone looking for someone to ski with should stop by North Peak Lodge at 10 a.m. weekdays (upper level, right hand side past the bar). After a brief meeting, members usually break into small groups of four to eight skiers, based mostly on skiing ability and speed and terrain preference. For Prime Time Ski Club membership information and a schedule of activities check out our web site at www.primetimeskiclub.com.