Got absolutely dusted by a 65+ year old man today at Gunstock.

[deadheadskier]

So today at Gunstock, I shared a lift ride with a guy with a Senior Season pass, which starts at age 65. Real nice guy, said he'd only been out for the past two weeks this season due to a torn pectoral muscle from a fall he took early season shoveling his driveway. Doc said he was done for the year and he said screw it a few weeks ago. Said he skied every single day and needed to be out there. He had a Gunstock Season Pass, Cannon, Bretton Woods and a Boyne pass (Loon, Sunday River and Sugarloaf), but he turned the Boyne Pass in after the injury early season to get a credit towards next season.

So, on the lift I notice he's got some newer Nordica GS race skis on that were a solid 10cm longer than my skis, I'm guessing 185s. I found such skis quite unusual for a man his age, so out of curiosity, I decide to take the same trail he does. Very quickly it's apparent this guy can carve like a pro and he starts pulling away from me, going faster, faster faster. Half way down the mountain on the steep section of the trail Trigger (for those familiar with Gunstock), he gets in a full downhill tuck and just let's them fly the rest of the way to the lift. Fastest I've seen ANYONE ski at Gunstock this season. I couldn't have caught him if I tried. 65+ Years old with a torn pectoral muscle skiing like he's Bode Miller. One of the most impressive skiing performances I've ever seen in my lifetime on the hill.

......if I can rip half way as good as that guy at 65, I'll be thrilled. Hell, I don't rip as fast as that guy now and I'm only 36.

 

[frapcap]

You gotta LOVE when that happens!
Last season I met with some older folks (easily 50+) on the URSA lift at Stratton. After some good conversation we asked if we could ski with them. They obliged and then turned on the after burners in what I'm going to call a hazing ritual. All three of those guys RIPPED. We struggled to keep up. The next run we all took was Kidderbrook where we were able to keep up with them knowing that they'd be opening it up. Some unexpected like that makes for a really good time.

 

[Warp Daddy]

Hey we need him in our RED group !!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like he fits in well -!!

. For perspective guys when one is in the last quarter of the game --------its balls to the wall, pedal to metal , point 'em south and let 'em run !! -- geez it's LIVING large and at that stage of the game it's go BIG or Go Home and sit in yer damn rocker !

 

[SIKSKIER]

Old is relative.At 53 I'm skiing as fast and technically better than ever.We have a regular group of 4 of us that rip as fast or faster than almost all skiers on the mountain.Lots of fun being the"old" guys and killing it.

 

[St. Bear]

Eh, that's much easier to deal with than when I see little kids whizzing by me on gnarly ungroomed trails that I'm picking my way down. That's the ultimate ego check.

 

[2knees]

Old is relative.At 53 I'm skiing as fast and technically better than ever.We have a regular group of 4 of us that rip as fast or faster than almost all skiers on the mountain.Lots of fun being the"old" guys and killing it.

I heard you're a sick skier!

 

[Puck it]

Face it. You ski like an old lady!!!!!!! I have seen you, too!!!!!

 

[kickstand]

I don't know how old he was at the time, but my buddy and I did the same thing with Stein Erickson out at Deer Valley back in 2001. We had seen him on the Empire lift and decided to follow up him down Supreme. He took 4 turns and was gone. I love it when older dudes can still rip.

 

[deadheadskier]

Old is relative.At 53 I'm skiing as fast and technically better than ever.We have a regular group of 4 of us that rip as fast or faster than almost all skiers on the mountain.Lots of fun being the"old" guys and killing it.

I expect that from guys in their 50s, but mid - to late 60s, I've never seen a guy ski like this dude. I'm thinking he may have been an ex-pro or at least had a ton of experience racing throughout his life.

the dude was bdfreetuna fast

 

[deadheadskier]

Face it. You ski like an old lady!!!!!!! I have seen you, too!!!!!

this isn't about how big of a gaper I am!!!!!

 

[Puck it]

this isn't about how big of a gaper I am!!!!!

Put your panties on the outside of your ski pants and face it like a man!!!!!!

 

[SIKSKIER]

I have a good friend that is 73 and if you saw him skiing from the lift you would swear he is a 40 yo ex racer.Fantastic form.

 

[JimG.]

Excellent old fart stoke!

Gotta love it when the old folks get some love.

 

[SIKSKIER]

Excellent old fart stoke!

Gotta love it when the old folks get some love.

I just woke up from my noontime nap.What day is it?

 

[WJenness]

I just woke up from my noontime nap.What day is it?

It's Powder Eve... get with the program...

-w

 

[JimG.]

I just woke up from my noontime nap.What day is it?

Eh?

I can't hear you.

 

[Edd]

the dude was bdfreetuna fast

Shut the front door!

 

[deadheadskier]

Put your panties on the outside of your ski pants and face it like a man!!!!!!

How'd you know I wear a mankini????

 

[jaja111]

Its good to follow / shadow the retirees and just about elderly that rip. They are the pinnacle of refined experience. Its why I like skiing weekdays at first chair some mornings. Skiing is one of the few sports that wisdom plays a large role. It makes me wish we all lived 300 years - imagine the skiing that could be done.

 

[snoseek]

Anything I ever learned from skiing from from the old-timer at cannon in the 80's. They themselves were in their 80's and owned that mountain. Anyone that was a regular at the time knows what I'm talking about.

On a seperate note my dad is in his late sixties and is still technically everything I ever want to be as a skier.