 Poster: A snowHead
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Anyone who says they ski as well in their 60's as they did in their 40's must have been a pretty crap skier in their 40's!
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Indeed. I'm not sure I'd even started then and if I did certainly didn't have race coaching every week on the dry slope. Oh! and equipment has got a lot better since then. Just comparing my 175cm piste skis with the 200cm straight beasts we had in the 1990s going down a mogul field for example it's so much easier now. I imagine most of us on this forum are better skiers than we were 30 years ago.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I didn't say when posting that photo, but at 76 I still don't exercise that much, except the last few years I go to the gym twice a week (usually). I am not a fair-weather skier but ski in all weathers with favourite guides off piste with a group of friends (one is 78 ), generally 4 weeks per year (it was 3 till lockdown - the new one is instead with The Spring Off-Piste Bash). We normally ski 8 days, Saturday to Saturday. My 78 year old friend skis all 8 days. The last 2 years I have usually taken one day off (normally the 5th.). I am a bit of a wimp as I no longer enjoy long skinning sessions to reach untracked snow and often drop out. I find skinning more tiring than skiing.
I am trying to join YouTube on my macOS Monterey computer as suggested but nothing is as they say it should be on the tutorials. Is there another platform which is more Mac friendly?
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Thu 16-01-25 18:55; edited 2 times in total
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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good on him..life goals.
to be on skis in 70's..i d be very happy to take that
get busy living or get busy dying.....
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm not really approaching 60 yet (just leaving 55 behind at a concerning rate) but even so, I've noticed a big issue with my eyesight recently. I think not being able to see the snow so well affects me more than gently declining traditional physical capacity i.e. strength, stamina, flexibility etc.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| DirkPitt wrote: |
| I'm not really approaching 60 yet (just leaving 55 behind at a concerning rate) but even so, I've noticed a big issue with my eyesight recently. I think not being able to see the snow so well affects me more than gently declining traditional physical capacity i.e. strength, stamina, flexibility etc. |
I, possibly mistakenly, feel like this may have been a factor in my fall. Light was flat and I was struggling a bit. Had already swopped my goggles for sunnies but it wasn't ideal. I just bought some photochromic goggles I'm hoping make it easier to see as the conditions change throughout the day.
I just read the other day that at 60 it takes 3X the amount of light to see what you could at 20. Ooft.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Irony... a bit like steely but not as shiny 
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@B., Eyesight in flat light is definitely a factor.....and in my case, a lower back that doesn't like unseen sudden shocks.
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| B. wrote: |
| I just read the other day that at 60 it takes 3X the amount of light to see what you could at 20. Ooft. |
I can believe that! My kids are early 20s and they don't have any issues at all seeing the snow whereas sometimes I literally have to feel my way down turn-by-turn, so as to avoid picking up too much speed on terrain that may be "above my pay grade".
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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In Obertauern in 2000 on a Thomson package (memorable for a colossal blizzard dumping 2m of settled snow and I did a Skier’s Thumb injury), we made friends with two amazing older blokes. Posh farmers from North Yorkshire, slim, incredible skiers, far better than anyone else. Age 78 and 82.
That was an eye-opener. Stay fit/slim, decent technique, then the skiing sky’s the limit.
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I'm saddened, was looking forward to my free lift pass at 70 years old, but now its 75 years old and €50 for Paradiski 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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My stepfather started skiing at 68 and was still skiing at 90. He was delighted that most of the time was with a free season pass. I hope that I can follow his example.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I am 75 and my OH will be celebrating his 80th in a couple of weeks. The roof box is on the car as we picked up a few pairs of skis and helmets from two of our kids who will be joining us for a weekend break with their families. We leave Sunday, along with the dog, for nearly three weeks in Les Gets. Old friends we met skiing in 1989 will be coming next week, they have skied with us every year since then, other than 2021. One of them is 78 and the other 80. It will all be good fun.
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Gosh, I'm feeling quite young on here at a mere 75.
I'm in denial about getting old, I can't believe its ever going to happen and all these aches and pains are just a passing phase.
I'd like to think my skiing is still improving, but I'm a much bigger wuss when I get up in the steep ice mountains.
I feel pretty good about getting either a free ski pass or a bargain one.
I'll use the Mojos if I'm going to be out all day.
I do go to the fridge every 2nd Wednesday.
I'm doing an hour of "Aquacise" twice a week, but if I didnt ski regularly I probably not bother.
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You know it makes sense.
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| B. wrote: |
| DirkPitt wrote: |
| I'm not really approaching 60 yet (just leaving 55 behind at a concerning rate) but even so, I've noticed a big issue with my eyesight recently. I think not being able to see the snow so well affects me more than gently declining traditional physical capacity i.e. strength, stamina, flexibility etc. |
I, possibly mistakenly, feel like this may have been a factor in my fall. Light was flat and I was struggling a bit. Had already swopped my goggles for sunnies but it wasn't ideal. I just bought some photochromic goggles I'm hoping make it easier to see as the conditions change throughout the day.
I just read the other day that at 60 it takes 3X the amount of light to see what you could at 20. Ooft. |
I’m over 60. I can see quite well.
In fact, I see better now than I did in my 50’s.
Perhaps having my cataract removed have something to do with it?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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The other week I rode with a guy who was 83. Not that you'd have known when he was kitted up and skiing. He was there with his son and grand daughter, although he was the strongest skier of that family. He was technically excellent; I'd guess that I think those with less technical ability will probably drop out earlier as it's hard work doing it wrong.
With this stuff I think about a graph age/time left to right across the bottom. One line is physical ability, peaking at, what, 18-32 or something like that. The next line is technical ability... which in my case at least has increased with time/ practice. The third line is "how good the gear is"; that one too has improved over time. The combination of those... well that's a race. So far my graph is still going up.. but it won't last forever...
| Quote: |
| Anyone who says they ski as well in their 60's as they did in their 40's must have been a pretty crap skier in their 40's! |
I'd go the other way on that.
If you're no better now than 20 years ago despite the massive improvements in equipment, you're doing something seriously wrong.
If 20 years practice didn't make you better, what were you doing with the time?
My buddy just hit 60 and has ridden every day since he retired; it's day 53 this season. That's a lot of practice.
=> Anyone who doesn't ski better in their 60s was likely not skiing very well in the first place 
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Poster: A snowHead
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@abc, I had my cataracts done in the summer and hope my ski vision might be better now.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| B. wrote: |
| DirkPitt wrote: |
| I'm not really approaching 60 yet (just leaving 55 behind at a concerning rate) but even so, I've noticed a big issue with my eyesight recently. I think not being able to see the snow so well affects me more than gently declining traditional physical capacity i.e. strength, stamina, flexibility etc. |
I, possibly mistakenly, feel like this may have been a factor in my fall. Light was flat and I was struggling a bit. Had already swopped my goggles for sunnies but it wasn't ideal. I just bought some photochromic goggles I'm hoping make it easier to see as the conditions change throughout the day.
I just read the other day that at 60 it takes 3X the amount of light to see what you could at 20. Ooft. |
We have a fair few threads on low light vision and goggles. I believe its one of the most difficult areas when people are struggling too, perception and orientation dropping, you'll likely not be challenged as much outside this scenario as significantly as here. That's however aged or well performing your eyes are.
From that set of circumstances, I'd stack any advantage you can find into this specific perception/performance part of vision.
A dedicated low light in low ambient contrast enhancing lens is more ideal than an all round type. Usually yellow, high yellow or such description, in one of the "chronic, pop" type manufacturer description, with make the most difference to you. The difference for some can be astounding, far exceeding that which maybe readily appreciated.
Brighter conditions, and you'll not have the same challenge, far less critical in absolute terms to target visual acuity.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Snow&skifan wrote: |
In Obertauern in 2000 on a Thomson package (memorable for a colossal blizzard dumping 2m of settled snow and I did a Skier’s Thumb injury), we made friends with two amazing older blokes. Posh farmers from North Yorkshire, slim, incredible skiers, far better than anyone else. Age 78 and 82.
That was an eye-opener. Stay fit/slim, decent technique, then the skiing sky’s the limit. |
Even at my lowly level on the skiing "food chain", I hope to be able to keep plodding along on blues/reds (or flatteringly graded blacks in good conditions) for many years yet, with attention to diet and year-round physical conditioning being central to this plan.
Hopefully by my mid-70s and beyond, folk will think I'm a good skier just because I'm still skiing, regardless of my ability!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| RedandWhiteFlachau wrote: |
@Layne, Anyone who says they ski as well in their 60's as they did in their 40's must have been a pretty crap skier in their 40's!  |
I wasn't a skier at 40. First trip at 43. At 50 I was downright dangerous. Lots of lessons since then and I'm not too bad at 62. Every season, I'm better than the one before.
Getting fitness back when I'm daft enough to let it slip takes a bit longer and so does recovery but still ski all day without issue. Don't really care about conditions; Worse they are the more the challenge and the more I learn.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| ski3 wrote: |
We have a fair few threads on low light vision and goggles. I believe its one of the most difficult areas when people are struggling too, perception and orientation dropping, you'll likely not be challenged as much outside this scenario as significantly as here. That's however aged or well performing your eyes are.
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This is certainly the case, and may be more so for older people if we assume that, like most people, their vision deteriorates with age. But IME it's less about the visibility itself than the confidence and technique. Often what happens is that a downward spiral can start as a person get older, they aren't as string, they struggle a little more, they start losing confidence, they struggle more, every possible problem becomes very real; and the low vis issues are a part of this sadly too-often-continuing cycle.
So yes, better goggles, sure. But also take some time to (re-)discover defensive skiing. Very slow controlled medium turns with the body following the skis (i.e more like a classic long turn than a short one with shoulders downhill) completing each turn until you've lost nearly all of the speed. Skiing like this it is literally possible to ski with the eyes closed. Obviously not recommended except as an exercise on a known empty piste, but we've had some success over the years, once or twice transformational, from people with poor vision who've lost their confidence and therefore their ability to ski in low light conditions.
I recall one elderly lady who had been a racer and a Ski Club rep in her earlier years, who had been downgraded to purple on a previous Freshtracks holiday and who was 90% blind in one eye. My wife took her to one side and worked with her over a couple of days, starting with a "follow me, keep your eyes on my back, don't try and look at the snow, just turn like I'm doing" and working from there. Next holiday around a season later and she was back up to a proper gold standard skier again. And very grateful to my wife.
As an unapologetic aside, those are the sorts of things people have been reminding me of about Judith since she died last month, and despite bringing tears back to my eyes as I type this it makes me happy that she had such a positive effect on so many people.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Not sure I can join in this thread being only 59. But my knees could, they keep telling me they're at least 90!
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For me, growing old means finding the right balance between "giving up too easily" or "striving to prove that nothing's happening". Between fatalism and denial, if you like! That applies as much to skiing as to anything else in life.
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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| But IME it's less about the visibility itself than the confidence and technique. |
I can only speak for myself, but I disagree here. When I was skiing last week, visibility was real poor on one Day 4 (flat light and mist) to the extent that I couldn't make out the piste surface and found out "by feel" whether I was in loose snow, on ice or on nicely groomed snow etc. There were some points where I couldn't actually work out if I was moving or stationary, or speeding up or slowing down etc. I was having such difficulties that I ended up just following the tracks of my daughter who had been skiing behind me. It wasn't a confidence issue in that there was no rising sense of fear, or feeling of "I can't do this" etc. I just couldn't see where I was going and had resigned myself to skiing slowly down to "somewhere", texting the family to let them know where I was and then heading for lunch (albeit potentially solo at a different location from that planned!)
The next day, there were blue skies and great visibility and I was back to normal.
Full disclosure: I am more cautious than I was prior to breaking my shoulder in a crash, but this manifests itself in me skiing a little more slowly and avoiding busy pistes at "home time". (My crash resulted from being skied into 200m from the end of the last run of the day.)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@gixxerniknik, I'm 56 and seem to have been allowed in. Plan for the future!
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@DirkPitt,
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Plan for the future
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I bought brand new, shiny skis in last seasons sales along with a family size tub of positive attitude!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@gixxerniknik, I like your style. I am regularly describes as being "terminally optimistic"!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Chaletbeauroc, that's really lovely to read. If it's any consolation, it brought a tear to my own eye.
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| richjp wrote: |
I am now 77 and still skied off piste with Snoworks for a week in December. The weather was very disappointing although the last day we had fresh powder overnight and a blue sky off piste day to finish with. I was struggling in bad light though and I was wondering to myself if it might be a balance issue as I get older. I have no balance problems in good light or in my everyday life.
The previous few years I have skied four weeks per season, but I wonder if for all of us there comes a tipping point when you ask yourself whether or not it is time to finish. That will vary from person to person and I was not being as negative at the end of last season as I am at the moment.
I do intend to ski again next season assuming I can get back to what I consider to be a reasonable fitness and will take it from there.
As for the opening post, 60 is nothing! |
I have reached the age threshold of this thread (70+) and now only ski for a couple of hours a day. My wife has given up on downhill skiing due to back problems but still enjoys accompanying me to resorts as she loves being in the mountains (we always find lots of other activities to do other than downhill) and of course it saves on the cost of lift passes
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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just sitting in the apartment in Mottaret enjoying a fantastic view after a short walk around the lake here. Leg elevated with cryocuff on for an hour is the daily routine now after skiing or hiking.. Sadly old injuries, arthritis etc definitely has taken its toll. Although still get out skiing as much as I can in my early 60's but definitely not for the amount of hours on skis, nor at the technical level as I was in my 40's and 50's when I was doing instructor exams and EuroTest training... If the knee holds up will probably do more Telemarking vs alpine to ease the joint pain but sorta getting resigned to quality over quantity now... For me and others who played a lot of sport over the years the chronic pain and niggling injuries that make even light fitness training tough to manage is the hardest thing to get around. One step forward two steps back is what I hear a lot from Instructor mates with >25 seasons of knocks under their belts when doing pre season training...
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Poster: A snowHead
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@skimottaret, 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| ski3 wrote: |
We have a fair few threads on low light vision and goggles |
When I have trouble with vision, changing goggles (or taking them off) didn’t seem to help.
On the other hand, even though my night driving vision had drastically improved since cataract surgery, there’s relatively little impact on my skiing itself.
Yes, I can see signs further away. But it doesn’t really help much in fogs or flat lights. I still get disoriented like before. When there’s nothing to see, having better vision doesn’t really matter I’m afraid.
So I’ve stopped chasing after different goggle or different lens. There’re just some weather condition that can’t be helped. One thing I don’t try very hard is to look at the snow itself. There’s not much benefits in doing that. I just let my feet FEEL it and react to it. (That is, assuming the snow doesn’t disappear into a cliff)
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| DirkPitt wrote: |
| I can only speak for myself, but I disagree here. When I was skiing last week, visibility was real poor on one Day 4 (flat light and mist) to the extent that I couldn't make out the piste surface and found out "by feel" whether I was in loose snow, on ice or on nicely groomed snow etc. There were some points where I couldn't actually work out if I was moving or stationary, or speeding up or slowing down etc. I was having such difficulties that I ended up just following the tracks of my daughter who had been skiing behind me. It wasn't a confidence issue in that there was no rising sense of fear, or feeling of "I can't do this" etc. I just couldn't see where I was going and had resigned myself to skiing slowly down to "somewhere", texting the family to let them know where I was and then heading for lunch (albeit potentially solo at a different location from that planned!) |
That's a true whiteout, if you can't tell the difference between the ground and the sky. You shouldn't feel bad about that; they're extremely rare and no-one can ski in them. What most people refer to as a "whiteout" is usually just very low vis. All you can realistically do in a true whiteout is wait for it to clear.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Je suis un Skieur wrote: |
| That's a true whiteout, if you can't tell the difference between the ground and the sky. You shouldn't feel bad about that; they're extremely rare and no-one can ski in them. What most people refer to as a "whiteout" is usually just very low vis. All you can realistically do in a true whiteout is wait for it to clear. |
That happened to me in Glencoe on (or perhaps somewhere near) Rankins Return, which is a very gentle green. I was completely lost with all the kids in tow. I took one step to my left and fell over because I'd skied onto a 2ft ledge. I couldn't tell the difference between the ground and the sky even when they were directly under my skis.
I wasn't really old enough to qualify for this thread at the time, but I am now.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| KenX wrote: |
I'm 70 next year and definitely skiing better than 30 years ago (started 40 years ago) both on and off-piste, for me it's all about skiing smart, ie without tons of effort which meant adapting my technique to use less effort!
A nice side-effect of this is a tidier skiing style |
+1 to skiing smart. I may not be skiing better than I did 30 years ago (I started 44 years ago but skipped 18 of them consecutively) but I'm sure I'm more efficient.
I was skiing with friends a year ago, and my knees were giving me enough trouble at every lunch or coffee stop to make me seriously consider buying Mojos. I went with the family this season and concentrated on skiing smart and trying to carve, or at least skid as little as possible. No knee trouble to speak of, even after 3.5 hours solo on the last morning, stopping only to get on lifts. I wasn't going any slower (if GPS is to be believed), I was just taking a less direct route and enjoying each piste more.
It's definitely the way forward, even if forward is not as close to the fall line as it was when I was younger.
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| gixxerniknik wrote: |
| Not sure I can join in this thread being only 59. But my knees could, they keep telling me they're at least 90! |
Have you tried getting into yoga? For year round joints conditioning, it’s fantastic imho.
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@Chaletbeauroc, I’m sorry for your loss.
I turned 60 this week & now I just hope the next 60 years will be as much fun as the first 60. I started a new career in May as a PT & see no reason why my skiing shouldn’t keep improving the way it has every year since 1970.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I'm 68 and still going fast, at least until the next big crash. But what I want to know is: has anybody my age-ish taken up XC skiing? Curious how the hips and back handle it. Looking more and more like a fun way to stay in the mountains when I'm older and the vis sucks.
@Chaletbeauroc, peace.
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@Scooter in Seattle, are you asking about skate skiing?
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FAQ
