It's an interesting read.

Here are the first few paragraphs. Click the link to read the rest of the article.

"STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo.””If you've walked into a ski lodge the past few years, likely as not you've seen tables filled with gray-haired skiers wearing sweaters so old they're back in style.

That's because the number of skiers on the far side of 50””some on the very far side””has been creeping up each year, according to the National Ski Areas Association.

Credit advances in artificial hips and knees that make it possible for skiers to continue enjoying the sport; shaped skis, along with better snowmaking and grooming that make skiing easier; and high-speed lifts and luxury touches like ski valets that make it more pleasant.

"There are no excuses," said 93-year-old Klaus Obermeyer, the Aspen-based skiwear designer. Despite breaking his leg in a wipeout two years ago, Obermeyer still skis each day.

Sure, younger people still make up the majority on the slopes””the average skier is 38.5 years old””but, "The person who skis the most in a given year is 65 and older," said Michael Berry, president of the NSAA, based in suburban Denver."

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_24554419/slopes-changing-demographics-more-senior-skiers

I love it.  One minor point to quibble: I'm actually pretty impressed with how older skiers have kept up with the latest materials, at least in stuff like jackets and fleeces.  I occassionally see the old guy in some 1980's sweater, but I've found you retirees are just as much gear hounds as us younger guys (I'm 33).

Makes perfect sense to me, given that I'm part of the boomer demographic.  When I started working, I didn't have the time or money for skiing.  After I had the money, I didn't have the vacation time when I was still working.  Now that I'm retired and am lucky enough to have the money, my number of ski days locally and out west is increasing every year.

The average age for the folks who are sharing my condo for a week in Utah is probably going to be close to 60.  We are going for a gathering of Ski Divas, which will include plenty of boomers.

Have noticed that the EpicSki thread for beginners/intermediates ages 40 and up is one of the most popular in the Beginner Zone.  Few posters, but clearly a lot of lurkers.

Still enjoying it at 72, just don't have stamina and strength of my more youthful years.  Definitely prefer groomers to other slopes, no  moguls.  Carrying and donning gear a real pain.  Lack of fellow  older mellow ski friends a negative, especially on a weekday.    Double occupancy hotel rates unfortunate, need single rates for retirees, at least during midweek.  Ski less runs per ski day, but really thankful to still being active in sport I love.  Fortunate enough to start all my grandkids (7) skiing and loving it by age 4 - my lifetime legacy to them!   Always thinking snow!

The Colonel

As the article mentioned, those who live where there is active ski club for retirees seem to have a lot of fun.  I've run into pairs of retirees at Wintergreen mid-week who drove over from the VA coast for a day trip.  I would certainly do midweek day trips to Wintergreen more often if I had a friend willing to drive up together.

The Over The Hill Gang 1-week trips are intriguing.  But at the moment my schedule is not quite flexible enough.

I'm 72 also, Morgan, and lose a bit more stamina every year.  Nevertheless, I prefer the powder and the trees until my legs run out, then I'll quit fror the day and take a late lunch rather than ski groomed slopes.  The latter are fun with a group of like minded friends, but all too often i ski alone and find groomed slopes boring when alone.  When I do have company they are almost always younger so I am pushed hard to keep their pace, which soon stops being fun.  I once disdained ever joining an over the hill group, but maybe it's time.

That reminds me . . . when I went to Big Sky for the first time, my ski buddy and I ended up doing the free Mountain Host tour with several members of a NE ski club.  Average age of the club members was somewhere in 60-65.  They split up into several different groups for the tour.  Our little group were blue-blue for the purposes of the tour since it had to be on groomers.  Everyone normally skied black runs but no real steeps or tight trees.  Our Host soon figured out that everyone could move pretty fast on the groomers so we got a very thorough tour.  All the way over to the shared lift with Moonlight and back.  The club members were clearly having a very good time and skied together at home too.  We saw the group later when they were having a lunch together.  Must have been 40-50 people.  Mostly couples, but also some solo travelers.  Seemed like a good way to go out west without having to deal with the complications of trip planning and logistics.

I'm glad that everyone seems to be enjoying the article.It appears that this post has had more first day responses than anything that I've ever posted.

I'm 62 and skiing as hard as ever. I did 3 million feet of vert in 61 days at age 60. I'm not seeing any real loss in physical capability  -- yet. Although the first few days of any season seem a bit harder than they used to be. I completed my second real day of the season (opening day Nov. 1 doesn't count) yesterday, and did 35k of vert -- which is about what I normally would ski on the second day of any season over the last 22 years. I try to beat the hell out of my legs thefirst week of any season, and then they don't give me any trouble for the rest of the season. I'll be out again today for what appears to be a powder day.

My favorite skiing story is that a few years back I was sharing a chair with an 85 year old. We talked about older skiers and I asked him if he skied with the "Over the Hill Gang (a group of age 50+ skiers)." His response to me was very funny --- "No, I don't like skiing with old people."

I never thought of myself as an older skier or a senior citizen but now that my retirement from my real job is withing the year, it'll be nice doing things at my own pace and hooking up with some of my "mature" friends in the future.  I noticed a few years back that the ski skool at t-line is definetly becoming a "mature" group.  Lots of snow on the roof but most of us can rip turns with the best of them.  We like off piste too.  Probably one of the reasons why t-line is developing its glade skiing to the level it is.  If you ever get to t-line after a big dump, hook up with an instructor for a level 9 off piste lesson/adventure.  

Wow, you guys are old! Skiing needs young-uns like Jimmy and myself. ;)

This demographic shift is known technically as the oldfartenization of skiing. I turn the big 6 -oh in 2 months so I am going to make it official.  I went to my doctor the other day and told him I no longer have the stamina to ski for long periods and he gave me a prescription to Skiagra.  I tried taking one and it got stuck in my throat. The next thing you know I had a stiff neck.

Go Bob go.

Let me in on this geezerfest!  Picking up old strays on the ski hill can be a beautiful thing:-)  I ski with and am out skied by old timers frequently.  I'm quickly becoming one myself, just passed the big 6-0.  Taking every opportunity to reminisce, here is a quickie pictorial inspired by Bob:

Ten Oldies But Goodies

-70 year old Gordon (pictured) and his buddy 66 year old Ed gave me and Vince a righteous powder day tour in the trees at Sierra at Tahoe, Jan 2013.  Gordon told me he was racking up lots of days skiing on a $99 senior season pass. *

-71 year old Phil from Modesto showed me around Kirkwood one morning in 2013, including quiet glades and spacious side country way out by the ski area boundary that I never would have ventured to by myself.*

-In Jan 2012 we followed a couple of approximately age 65 mountain ambassadors named Dexter and Terry for 90 minutes groomer zooming at Beaver Creek with a ski club group from NJ.  All the ski clubbers were middle aged or older too.  I seriously fantasize about filling Dexter and Terry's shoes/boots someday.*

-73 year old Charlie H. (left) took us into a black diamond glade at Taos called Lorelei Trees in 2012. *

-Also in 2012 we skied a run with Olympian Billy Kidd at Steamboat.  He was 68 at the time. *

-In Jan 2011 I rode a chair at Solitude with a 79 year man who enjoys skiing with his great grandchildren. When I told him my age (57 at the time) he said, "you’re just starting out." *

-In Mar 2008 I saw a beautiful senior lady skier at Mont Sainte Anne that caught the attention of my entire family as she swept by us moving at a fast clip on a green circle run. Hands clasped behind her back with poles dangling like matched pony tails, she was bent at the waist and made smooth S turns in a tight parallel. Swooshing within 20 feet of us, the serene smile on her face was framed by deep wrinkles. She was 75 if she was a day, yet moved with the ageless grace of a speed skater.*

-Back in 2003 a friendly older guy named Edi showed me around the ski area of Zauchensee, Austria.  Edi was probably close to 70 at the time.  He had instructed at Sugarbush, VT earlier in his life and spoke great English.  We downed some schnapps together at lunchtime, that’s when I turned my hat around backwards :-) *

-I've skied with The Colonel (70+) every winter in recent years.  Here he is in some nice Canaan Valley fluff, Feb 2012.*

-I've skied with Denis too (70+).  Somewhere online I found this shot of him in his beloved glades.  I did not take it, Kevin Broderick did. *  

One very cool thing I've noticed about all senior skiers is that their whole look and demeanor seems to shed about 20 years the moment they hit the slopes!

Bonus shot, MDSkier ~70 on Extrovert at Blue Knob* 

Great topic! One issue not mentioned is the importance of off-slope conditioning for skiers of any age, but especially older skiers. Exercise (strength, core, balance, cardio, and flexibility) is probably the key ingrediant for a long life on the slopes.

johnfmh wrote:

Great topic! One issue not mentioned is the importance of off-slope conditioning for skiers of any age, but especially older skiers. Exercise (strength, core, balance, cardio, and flexibility) is probably the key ingrediant for a long life on the slopes.

The bonus of being an older skier is that there is more incentive to stay in shape all year long.

One of the Mnut instructors is over 70.  I rode up with him on the chair last winter.  Said he loses money driving over from his home on the VA coast, but he obviously still enjoys both skiing and teaching.