34 and feeling to old to ski anymore

[Rob sebenza]

Does anyone over 34 ski anymore? I go skiing at mountain creek in new jersey and dont see to many over 34 anymore, its mostly kids. Im thinking of hanging it all up. Ive skied for 21 years so far, but being the only elder on the mountain kinda brings me down. Guess ill just gain some weight and buy a harley, and hang with more people my own age , but please tell me im wrong if you think so, im just having a hard time getting old.

 

[ctenidae]

31, just started back after an 18 year hiatus. I better get more than 3 more years in.
You've just got to get out there, and show those young whippersnappers what's what. Regale them with tales of yore, how you used to have to hike two miles, up hill, both ways, just to get to the rope tow powered by two old mules. Back in the days when we didn't have real skis, we just tied two spatulas to our bare feet, and we liked it, because that's the way it was.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Does anyone over 34 ski anymore? I go skiing at mountain creek in new jersey and dont see to many over 34 anymore, its mostly kids. Im thinking of hanging it all up. Ive skied for 21 years so far, but being the only elder on the mountain kinda brings me down. Guess ill just gain some weight and buy a harley, and hang with more people my own age , but please tell me im wrong if you think so, im just having a hard time getting old.

I think lots of people are above 34 on this board. I am 35....Try another Mountain.

 

[hammer]

I'm 40, started two years ago, and I hope to continue well past the time that I qualify for the "senior" lift ticket rates.

I also talked with a retired guy at Gunstock just over a month ago that was starting his third season.

 

[Greg]

31 here. This is my 11th season and I've got a ton more to learn. I'm becoming more addicted each time I go out. My father-in-law is 57 and he skis just about anything on-piste but bumps. I expect to be skiing until I physically can't do it anymore. Don't worry about who else is on the mountain; just ski!

 

[djspookman]

my dad's 50, and still kicking my 25 year old butt at skiing. He always will be too.. until he goes off to the great big powder filled ski resort in the sky. we're both avid outdoorsman (hiking, biking, camping, skiing...etc..) but he's jsut been at it longer than I. So don't give up just because there's alot of youngn's around. go show them up and get some respect! (hint: go to the gym first though so you don't stress your body too much!) You can still do anything, but like an older car, it just takes a little more tinkering with your body to do it!

 

[BrockVond]

Does anyone over 34 ski anymore? I go skiing at mountain creek in new jersey and dont see to many over 34 anymore, its mostly kids. Im thinking of hanging it all up..

Mountain Creek is heavily skewed towards riders under 21. I'm 42, snowboarder, and season pass holder at Mountain Creek last season. I'd recommend going to another mountain. You'll notice a huge difference.

I still like MC, especially when I'm able to get out there on a weekday before school lets out. Weekends are way too crowded.

 

[stomachdoc]

Heck, I'm 42 and skiing better than I have in my life. I'm also skiing with my kids, which is a huge rush! As one of the previous posters said, you have to watch your body a bit more and hit the gym a bit pre-season, but this is a sport that you should be able to do into your golden years, and it's a great family sport.

 

[skidbump]

46 and mountian bike in off season to

 

[Vortex]

39 and no intention on stopping. Each year I find way to sneak in a couple more days. I am also glad to go with my wife and kids. I hope I can say that for many years to come. I ski with a guy at least 20 years older than me and he is insane skiier. :beer:

 

[tirolerpeter]

"Old Skiers"???

Rob sebenza I assume you asked your question: "Is anybody over 34 skiing anymore?" with tongue in cheek! I am 58 and will be 59 in three months. I ski at least two mid-week days every week and would ski more, if I didn't live so damned far from decent mountains. I regularily ski with my "Ski Buddy" Bobby, who is 34 (In December we did a week at Alta, Snowbird, and Brighton together in over 4' of fresh powder on a 100+" base.), and whenever possible with my sons ages 28, 25, and my daughter 21. I am never the one who asks if "we are done" for the day. I ski at a level that is higher then when I was a few years younger because I have committed myself to being truly physically conditioned for skiing. I do dedicated ski related work-outs a minimum of 4 days per week (or alternate them with 5 - 6 hours on the slopes on every kind of terrain. Now, before I make too much of this, I INVARIABLY run into and ski with individuals who are as much as 20 years older than I am! I am not talking about someone puttering around on groomed greens and blues. I'm talking about chasing these guys (or an occasional woman) down serious single and double blacks, with or without grooming. If you go to Killington any non-holiday weekday that has decent conditions and weather you will likely find that 50% of the skiers are over 50 or 60. A couple of weeks ago (at Jiminy) I made a number of runs with a guy who was expressing great satisfaction with his "new knee." I asked him if he had had ACL surgery? He said: "Hell no, I had an entire knee replacement for the knee that gave out on me when I hit 75 last year." He smiled, turned, and blasted off down to the six pack for another run. A good place to find the "oldies" is over at Bear Mt. Lodge at K. The parking is convenient, and there is never a crowd during the week. BTW, last season I joined another guy over 70 on a rather rapid descent down Outer Limits, giant moguls and all. So, maybe you just don't realize that some of the skiers blowing past you are that old. Maybe, those of us that keep on skiing just don't look our age! I know my helmet covers my full head (just the luck of good genes) of grey hair, but there is nothing I can do to hide my white beard.

 

[riverc0il]

my dad is mid-50s and we just skied together this weekend. i see lots of people in the 50-70 range skiing at the ski areas i frequent. actually, i'm 25 and see more retired people skiing than people my age.

 

[Buckeye Skier 1330]

I'm 45 and can't seem to get enough days on the slopes. Skiing keeps you young, although at the end of a good long day it can make you feel old. :wink:

 

[dmc]

41.... Still hanging in there.. Probably better shape now then whn I was in my 30's ...

You should try going to a Phish concert sometime - I'm like an elder statesman,,

"So Doug - tell me again what it was like to see the Grateful Dead"

 

[teachski]

Definately older than that(40+), still skiing and still loving it! You got to go someplace else! You'll see others your age and older at other areas. It sounds like just that area.

Hey, Rob sebenza, I've been skiing longer than you have been alive and don't plan to quit anytime soon!

 

[gladerider]

35 here. been skiing for 16. i plan on skiing until i drop dead.

Mt. Creek is for teens. After acquisition, intrawest purposely turned the mountain into a snowboarders heaven by building a respectable pipe. That's the market they are after.
In fact, I don't go there any more because some teenagers there are so out of control that people like me with little kids are shunning the place. Everytime I go there with my little kids, they get hit by teens wiping people out.
99% of my friends don't go to MC anymore. This is a well known factor in the last few years, which I learned from one of the patrols there.
Nowadays, I go to Hunter a lot. 2.5hours from me and I think it is worth it.

Don't dispair. Find your mountain.
Think snow !!

 

[RISkier]

Utter nonsense. I'm 51 and this is my third year on skis. I may suck but I'm lovin' it. On one of our first ski days we ended up sitting at a table with a couple of older gentlemen. Started chatting. One would not tell us how old he was but it was clear he was the elder statesman. The young guy was 81. As he was getting up to leave he grabbed his suspenders and said "skiing is such a great aphrodesiac." My goal now is to ski on my 80th birthday. I'll grant that at some of the areas most skiers are young. My wife often comments that she's the oldest woman on the slopes -- and she's been described as my child bride. But go to places like Stowe and you'll find tons of older skiers, and they'll ski you tail off. You're way to young to think you're too old!

 

[dmc]

Senior Citizens ski free at many places... Good thing!!!!
If your skiing at 81 - man - thats a great thing...

I have 50 year old friends competeing in the Bear Mountain Mogul challenge... They dont do that bad either!

 

[subdude]

41 here , been skiing for 20yr and will never quit. When you live in a colder climate you have to do something in the winter otherwise you would go stir crazy. I was in the best shape in yrs to start off the season unfortuanely I tweaked my left knee last Mon and haven't skied since. Tomorrow night i'm going to brace up the knee and head out to see how it feels. Either way, I got a trip to Stratton planned on Fri I just have to go now that they're gonna get 6-12" of freshies.

 

[Big Game]

Here's what I say:

Get a snowboard.

Myself, I skied my arse off in highschool and a few years after. But then during the 90's I got bored. I was wondering what the point of it was. Go fast down a hill? Make some turns? Why ? Spend money? I could do that and be warm. I went maybe two times during the Clinton administration.

I told this to a buddy of mine. He said that's it. You're going to try snowboarding. So I did in January of '02. My first day was better than my best day on skis. I make the turns on a snowboard because you can feel it, dude. Everything about the terrain, the sky, the winter, the world, and who you are starts to make sense. And then you care less and less about all of it..

I don't give a crap about that park b.s. ("the world is my park" --think I just stole that from dmc) except that it keeps the riff-raff of the slopes. If you ever get the oppourtunity to link together some carved turns on a snowboard (instead of skidding along), the world will never be the same. I have more fun carving stupid and deep turns on a bunny slope than some skier does in fresh powder.

Being a roadie and mountain biker, I used to really hate winter. Even when I was skiing back in highschool. Now, everything has changed. I could have blown a wad of cash on a Psych Doc and meds to get me over my SAD (which used to haunt me) and still not be satisfied. But I did the smart thing, I got myself a board --- and learned how to live, really live.

Or let me take back everything I said....I can't believe all these skiers are insane. The ones I see carving insane turns look like to me that they are having fun. I bet those folks are also able to find the soul of the mountain. I'm thinking that maybe your game has been stagnating? Maybe what you need is some advanced lessons and some new gear to get you back out there with a smile.

Hopefully by now you realize the age thing was really stoopid. I'm 33 and my man who got me into the junk is 43. And I'm a youngin'. Hate to be rough on you, but you need a kick in the snowpants you get your mind right.