Ideal ski towns for the future factoring in all issues?

[AdironRider]

I learned at an early age that if you want to ski, you need to live near skiing when you are young, because you aren't going to be crushing 100 day seasons at 65+. Don't even think about it after 70. There is a reason ski areas used to give 70+ people free passes, because they don't ski any more.

So sure, go ahead and wait if you want to save the coin for retirement, but you are going to pay for it with your knees and way less skiing. I'd rather find a way to make it work now, and cash out later. Given mtn town real estate I'll probably end up with more money in the bank once I do sell out, and will have skied pow for decades.

 

[LonghornSkier]

Well, if everyone needs to spend all day at home, working or attending school, we all need bigger houses!

That's not madness. That's just accepting reality.

But I bet real estate inside cities are a different picture

I live in the financial district and there's been a noticeable uptick in activity over the past few weeks..

On Saturday, West Village was completely packed and bumping..

Residential market is coming back strong too, though I think there will be a lot of shakeout in commercial and office space.

Luxury real estate contracts in Manhattan surpassing pre-pandemic levels

A new report indicates a 60% increase in contracts signed on luxury homes in the Big Apple during the first quarter of 2021 as compared to the same pre-pandemic time period in 2020. The findings, released Monday from Olshan Realty, suggest that buyers are banking on Manhattan's comeback.

www.foxnews.com

 

[flakeydog]

I learned at an early age that if you want to ski, you need to live near skiing when you are young, because you aren't going to be crushing 100 day seasons at 65+. Don't even think about it after 70. There is a reason ski areas used to give 70+ people free passes, because they don't ski any more.

Believe me, I am all for the "smoke 'em if you got 'em" philosophy. You just never know what's around the next bend in life. I remember as a youngster thinking that will be great when I am 70 I can ski for free! Well looks like 90 is the new 70. A quick check on the Sugarbush site shows that 90+ is now the age to get a free pass. Up to 79, same as everyone else, but you can get a pretty cheap pass if you are in the 80-85 range. Lots of 70+ skiers out there, clearly more than there used to be!

 

[abc]

you aren't going to be crushing 100 day seasons at 65+.

I don't need to ski 100 days a season, period.

But I'm pretty close to that age. I've skied 6 weeks non-stop without much issue with knees or what not. While I don't really "crush it" with all day long bump bashing or leaping off cliffs, I do "bump it" repeatedly as long as condition isn't too harsh. There're ways to ski without trashing one's knee. I don't see much problem keep going at this pace for a few years. In fact I ski a lot more "days" now than I used to, if not in total hours.

I see so many people in their 70's still "crushing it". I'm not going to worry about being able to ski when I reach my "legal retirement age". My only worry is I may not feel like stop working at my legal retirement age because I'm still enjoying my day in the office so much! There's a balance of all the things one wants to do. Mine isn't just about skiing.

That said, I totally agree if skiing is all you want to do day in and day out, you should try to make it work in the snow country. I'm very glad I switched career 20 years back to live in the big city with all its cultural attractions. The money I made from that career switch worked out in my favor. So if I ever got bored with big city and bright lights, I'll be out of there as fast as a lightening! And I'll have plenty of spare cash to live anywhere else I care to.

 

[abc]

I live in the financial district

I admire those of you who stuck it out in the city!

(My Mom stayed there too. I found it so depressing when I visited)

From my perspective, the city is probably at its best right now as far as living goes. Busy but not over-crowded. Me and my friends were able to find tables for eating out. I can find parking spots too. Far fewer traffic issues. Haven't tried public transport yet but will do soon...

Agree the shaking out will happen in the next 12 months. If companies aren't coming back to their offices, neither will workers. There goes the renters. Small landlords may feel the pinch eventually.

 

[Domeskier]

I don't need to ski 100 days a season, period.

100-day seasons sound like a grind to me. Hard to image most of those days being worth it.

 

[ss20]

100-day seasons sound like a grind to me. Hard to image most of those days being worth it.

I've done 83, 90, and this year I'm on pace to hit 80ish this season. Roughly half those ski days are days I'm a part-time ski instructor though. Make the money on the days that aren't worth it! Spending time with kids and friends and making a few bucks on the local hill 25 minutes from home when it's a skating rink are more fun/more productive than driving 4 hours to VT to ski on a bigger skating rink up there! The variety stops me from getting burned out. I've done the "weekend warrior" thing for 5 weekends straight and that's tiring, especially if conditions aren't the best all the time.

The people at go to ski country from NYC, Long Island, Phily, NJ, etc every. single. weekend. have my utmost respect. That's tough. I'd be happy to do 100+ days seasons if the real hills were closer!

 

[AdironRider]

You old guys can say there are plenty of 70+ skiers out there and keep kidding yourselves, but the reality is very different.

Father time is undefeated.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

I've done 83, 90, and this year I'm on pace to hit 80ish this season. Roughly half those ski days are days I'm a part-time ski instructor though. Make the money on the days that aren't worth it! Spending time with kids and friends and making a few bucks on the local hill 25 minutes from home when it's a skating rink are more fun/more productive than driving 4 hours to VT to ski on a bigger skating rink up there! The variety stops me from getting burned out. I've done the "weekend warrior" thing for 5 weekends straight and that's tiring, especially if conditions aren't the best all the time.

The people at go to ski country from NYC, Long Island, Phily, NJ, etc every. single. weekend. have my utmost respect. That's tough. I'd be happy to do 100+ days seasons if the real hills were closer!

i shoot for 50 days, and usually wind up around 45. I've hit 50 twice. i'm currently at 35 and will certainly hit 40. 45 if april cooperates. its a haul but i like it. gives me time to listen to my pods. doing 100 days on an every weekend 4-6 hour drive each direction schedule is literally impossible lol

 

[Domeskier]

The people at go to ski country from NYC, Long Island, Phily, NJ, etc every. single. weekend. have my utmost respect. That's tough. I'd be happy to do 100+ days seasons if the real hills were closer!

Indeed. I think I might ski even less if I lived in ski country and could pick and choose my days. But I probably don't enjoy skiing as much as the typical poster here.

 

[x10003q]

I admire those of you who stuck it out in the city!

(My Mom stayed there too. I found it so depressing when I visited)

From my perspective, the city is probably at its best right now as far as living goes. Busy but not over-crowded. Me and my friends were able to find tables for eating out. I can find parking spots too. Far fewer traffic issues. Haven't tried public transport yet but will do soon...

Agree the shaking out will happen in the next 12 months. If companies aren't coming back to their offices, neither will workers. There goes the renters. Small landlords may feel the pinch eventually.

I would not write off going back to offices. Millions of people live in studios,1BRs, and 2BRs. Going back to the office will be a relief.

 

[ScottySkis]

But I'm pretty close to that age.


160 years old
Go ski like u use and u make u feel better but talking on AZ makes u older

 

[kbroderick]

100-day seasons sound like a grind to me. Hard to image most of those days being worth it.

I think I've got about six 100+ days seasons in, although the last couple have been a little less than that (90ish). The first year I made 100 days a goal before the lifts shut down at my home area (first weekend in April) and I ended up at 142 total, with a 75-consecutive-day streak.

There were a lot of days that I felt grumpy about chasing numbers in the process of trying to get my butt out the door. There was only one that didn't turn out to be entirely worth it--high winds, raining, and something like 35 degrees, with only a lower-mountain lift turning--and there were a lot of days that were far better than I expected.

 

[jimk]

One thing good about this thread is that people made their choices and pretty much still stand by them with confidence in the future. That's all that really counts.

I'm in my late 60s. I come from the mid-Atlantic where I am a reasonably competent skier for my age. The last few years since retiring I'm spending a lot of time in Little Cottonwood Canyon. I am blown off the hill 500 times a day by people that are older than me. I don't know if they swallow gobs of motrin and live in a hot tub the whole time they are off the hill, but on the hill they are killing it. I am in awe. It's pretty motivating for me to keep active.


They skin too:





BTW, last photo is from April 2019, I hope to get some more of that spring pow in Apr 2021.

 

[ss20]

I'd like to do 100+ days in a season and I'd also like to do 12 months consecutive of skiing. I don't have a desire to do literally everyday for a season at a resort.

 

[slatham]

Haven't really followed and when I did people were talking about Pennsylvania ski towns which turned me off a bit.......

But I have to throw Manchester VT into the mix. Might be too small for some for sure but is has a lot of cultural activities, shopping, restaurants, housing stock etc. It is 15 minutes to Bromley and Stratton, 25 from Magic, 45 Okemo, 50 Mt Snow, 1:20 to Killington. Gore, Sugarbush are MRG are around 2 hours. VAST, Catamount trail, x-c areas, snowshoes areas. Lakes, ponds, streams, AT/LT and other hiking. Trail and gravel biking.

Need more activity? Saratoga Springs and Albany under 1:30, Burlington 2:30, and NYC 4. Of course there are too many NY'ers on holiday weekends - nothings perfect. Arguing my portfolio as they say - we have a condo at Bromley and are likely to buy a house and retire to Manchester. When we bought the condo it was mostly for skiing, then it was skiing/summer/foliage, and now after 75%+ of the past 9 months up there its the place we want to be.

As for # of days skiing, I can now envision 100 since I am slope side (or short drive to Magic) and can ski for an hour or so. To be sure these are not "days" of skiing but I really enjoyed getting out just about everyday for several long stretches this winter - even if for only a 1/2 dozen runs. And NOT skiing on Saturday after 10:30/11 and NOT skiing on major holidays. Yes I got spoiled.

 

[NYDB]

You old guys can say there are plenty of 70+ skiers out there and keep kidding yourselves, but the reality is very different.

Father time is undefeated.

I think if you are banging out 100 day of lift serviced /year years in your 20's and 30's and 40's then I think you are right. You aren't going to make it too long. that takes a toll.

But god damn you'd be surprised then when you go skiing midweek in VT - It seems that at least 50% of the people are retired and grey. At least mid to late sixties and up.

 

[cdskier]

I think if you are banging out 100 day years in your 20's and 30's and 40's then I think you are right. You aren't going to make it too long. that takes a toll.

But god damn you'd be surprised then when you go skiing midweek in VT - It seems that at least 50% of the people are retired and grey. At least mid to late sixties and up.

Hah. I remember pre-COVID when I used to ski mid-week in Decembers at Sugarbush to use up my vacation days before the end of the year that anytime I went in the lodge it seemed like I was walking into a retirement home!

 

[raisingarizona]

I’ve done around 20 years of 100 day or so seasons with another 10 in the 50 average range. I’ve been skiing for 35 years now. I even did an every month stint for 3 years. These days, I get bored with it. The loading, unloading the car with gear or putting on the cloths and boots sometimes feels more like a chore than something I’m excited about. I still love it but there’s absolutely no pressure to be out there when I’m not feeling it.

 

[kbroderick]

I'd like to do 100+ days in a season and I'd also like to do 12 months consecutive of skiing. I don't have a desire to do literally everyday for a season at a resort.

Location matters a lot in that regard. When you're close enough to accessible high-elevation snow that you can easily bang out a run or two on a July or August afternoon, 100 days is relatively easy, and once a month isn't hard, at least for a year or a few. September or October can be tough, depending on weather and high-elevation road status in your particular locale.

It's not for everyone, though, and you'll certainly get odd looks from the summer tourists walking across the alpine plateau to the just-out-of-sight snow.

If you have to really travel to ski in the summer months, it becomes a lot more challenging. I managed to keep going through September after moving back East, but my October plan to ski locally got foiled by a warm fall, and I'm on the fence about driving to Jersey this summer (it just feels...wrong).