Oldest Skiing Buddy?

[playoutside]

Today I had a fantastic day skiing at Mt Sunapee. I headed there by myself and skied alone in the morning. After lunch my day changed because I found a ski buddy on the lift. He was great company; retired, very interesting, had traveled inc climbing to Everest base camp 7 yrs ago and he was a good skier -- more powerful than full of style. We had great fun all afternoon. So perhaps the most interesting thing of all was that he was 78 years young!

I believe he is the oldest person I ever skied with. He was not a timid/cautious skier at all. He frequently zipped past me as I bombed down some groomers! I sure hope I'm still skiing at his age and if I'm honest I'll be surprised if I can ski as aggressively as he does.

So dear Divas, how old is the oldest skier you have skied with? Do you think you will still be skiing at that age?

 

[alta_gal83]

I love this thread! Being a "young diva" you'd think that I only ski with peeps my age ... but guess again. I actually ski with a lot of older folks due to a few non-profits I'm involved with: The University of Utah Ski Archives and the Alf Engen Ski Museum Foundation. Although there are some people in their 80s who I've made turns with, I ski at least a day a year with a gal named Suzy Harris Rytting -- a member of the 1952 US Women's Olympic Ski Team. Any of you who have looked at the Mountain Chalet catalog have seen her, but you may not have known it. Anyway, here is the link to her photograph collection through the Ski Archives and a Mtn. Chalet offering .... Enjoy!

https://www.lib.utah.edu/spc/photo/p412/p412.html

https://www.mchalet.net/bw104.html

 

[sibhusky]

I used to ski regularly with Ray Panella before I moved to Montana. I believe the last year I skied with him he'd turned 89. He could ski backwards with one leg up behind him in the air and his hands out like wings! Ray once had a chain of ski shops in the Philadelphia area. I believe he is down to one shop now. GREAT GUY.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I used to ski regularly with Ray Panella before I moved to Montana. I believe the last year I skied with him he'd turned 89. He could ski backwards with one leg up behind him in the air and his hands out like wings! Ray once had a chain of ski shops in the Philadelphia area. I believe he is down to one shop now. GREAT GUY.

Back in old "hot-dog" (pre-freestyle/freeskier) days, that move used to be called a reverse royal christie -- DH did it but never backwards - wow!

I took some runs with a few years ago with a lady who was 77, and could she ever rip it. There are tons of seniors out there in the mornings in most of the regional resorts near me. They come out at 8:30 or so, ski til noon, head home (many are retired to their vacation homes permanently).

One of the most requested instructors for privates at Sugarloaf is a guy named Harold Biesaw. He's at least 70.

Gives me hope for my future??

 

[Jilly]

Hubby and I regularly ski with a group of "older men". These guys are all in their 80's and having a great time!!

 

[atlantiqueen]

My in-laws

Both over 70 and skiing all over the place! m-i-l just had a knee replacement too!

 

[playoutside]

I too have seen lots of seniors on the slopes midweek. I didn't ski with him, but had a great chat with a 92 yr old who was skiing that day with his son. So many stories, he'd been skiing since the 1930s.

I think the thing that struck me about my found friend today was how energetically he attacked each run. Amazing to watch him and fantastic motivation to keep my 44 yr old body moving every day!!

 

[atlantiqueen]

oh yeah and my 77-yr old aunt

She's a real firecracker - skis 5 days/week (alpine) and x-country the others - speed skates 2 nights/week and just came back from a hiking trip to Chile!!

WOW - inspiration!

 

[mollmeister]

I regularly ski with my Dad. He's HARDLY old, but he's 65 to my 35. And we have a good time, even though our skiing is at very different places. Gives me hope that my kids will want to ski with me, even when they're *grown-ups.*

I have done a lot of skiing alone at Vail, though, and all of the interesting people I have met mid-week, riding the singles line on the lift, have been people in their late 70s and early 80s. Some of them could really rip, and all of them were inspirational for getting out there and getting enjoyment and fun out of skiing.

 

[Jenny]

We go with my dad all the time. He was 70 in August and has been looking forward to this season for the last couple of years, since he can now ski free at several of the area ski hills.

 

[num]

I took a run with an instructor who's 89 when he was between lessons. He often still teaches the kiddies, skiing backwards down the bunny hill and all. Amazing!

 

[volklgirl]

Our buddy Loui Batori is still racing Nastar with us at 98!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Our buddy Loui Batori is still racing Nastar with us at 98!

WHAT? WOW!!! This person is newsworthy!

 

[playoutside]

98 - AWESOME. Makes the gentlemen I met when I started this thread seem like a youngster. May they and we all have many more skiing years!

 

[ritag]

98! Awesome! My father-in-law was skiing 2 months before he died at 92. I ski with my mother who is 82. But more amazing is she was 58 when she started!

 

[AnnKH]

I rode up the lift on Saturday with a 77-yr-old member of the Canadian Ski Patrol.

He said he wished he could ski when he was 30 like he does now!