IKam
Certified Ski Diva
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Skiing's Gender Gap Widens with Age
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SkiBam
Angel Diva
The group I ski with fairly regularly is now more women than men. The women are all in their 70s (or a bit above that or below). We've just lost one of our guys (88 and seriously ill), and our youngest, a guy who just turned 60, is out with a fractured tibial plateau. So it's mostly just the ladies now, but I guess we're not typical.
That said, many women I know who are around my age have quit skiing. Oh yes, they say, I used to ski but took a fall, was run into, got too cold, felt it was too crowded, my feet hurt, etc. etc. It seems that the fear of falling and crowding are the main problems. I must confess that I worry less about falling than about crowds. I sometimes feel I should put a sign on my back saying "OLD LADY. DO NOT RUN INTO ME!" (though I'm not sure it would help...)
That said, many women I know who are around my age have quit skiing. Oh yes, they say, I used to ski but took a fall, was run into, got too cold, felt it was too crowded, my feet hurt, etc. etc. It seems that the fear of falling and crowding are the main problems. I must confess that I worry less about falling than about crowds. I sometimes feel I should put a sign on my back saying "OLD LADY. DO NOT RUN INTO ME!" (though I'm not sure it would help...)
snoWYmonkey
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@SkiBam I am quite a bit younger and the fear of others is my main concern, but ties into getting hurt. Oddly, my first ski real ski injury which was self inflicted, let me to stop mountain biking (hopefully just temporarily) but not skiing. Maybe because the stats show that skiing is nowhere near as dangerous. If I am walking on ice and snow all winter, I might as well ski on it. For me the osteopenia wake up call with my injury made the joys of aging a tad more tangible. I fully plan on continuing for as long as my body and vision allow me to.
Glad to hear your crew is part of bucking the trend.
Glad to hear your crew is part of bucking the trend.
floatingyardsale
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Right, or if it's an artifact of demographics. If fewer women skied 40 years ago, then there will be fewer 70 year old skiers now, even if more women are on the slopes.
But it's definitely sometimes a bro crowd, in a way that reminds me of mountain biking. Dad is a decent amateur with pro level gear, kids get lessons, mom has rentals because "all she is going to do is follow the kids.".
This is starting to be me and my husband. I dislike poor visibility and bad snow (ice, frozen chop}, crowds, single digit temps..., We are retired and ski midweek but at this point I will usually still go out if only one of my dislikes is present and will come back in if I'm not enjoying it since I can easily go another time. My husband goes out in all conditions, but in my defense he is younger than me.
I've also noticed more older women at my local hill than when we travel to a larger resort. In general though I see more women on the slopes than when I was in my 20's and 30's.
MissySki
Angel Diva
This is why I always encourage people to go out in every condition, and do so myself. I have felt as time goes by that I am more able to deal with bad snow, and that makes things that weren’t fun before more fun now. Still plenty of bad snow to work through though, and if it’s awful well it might be a shorter day! I figure if I keep skiing the “good for me” snow now, I hope for all of the more challenging conditions to be easier and more enjoyable down the road.
I’m 40.. but most of the fabulous instructors in my seasonal program are PSIA level 3 and in their 60s-70s. I am so inspired by their ease, efficiency, and all around badass skiing all over the mountain in any condition we see. Men and women. I want to be them someday. Well, I don’t aspire to the teaching piece, but I would love to be able to ski like them eventually.
MissySki
Angel Diva
Good point! Times are different and so are more recent generations of women. I’d like to think these numbers will keep moving in the right direction of women being bigger participants at all age groups!
snoWYmonkey
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@MissySki I think you are onto something with the going out in all conditions. As instructors we have to, and we also have to make it fun for our guests. I suspect I would be inclined to not go if the weather was far from ideal. Like today. Yes, most days when I go in spite of crappy conditions, I end up having a blast.
I know quite a few women in this age group (which is also my age group) who still ski. But even though I'll go out in all sorts of conditions, many of them won't. It could be there's too much snow, too little snow, too much ice -- you know, conditions they see as less than ideal. If it's not perfectly groomed with no ice or death cookies or snow of any depth, they're not interested. To be honest, I can't say I blame them. Getting injured could have significant repercussions. It's harder at this age to recover, and an injury could vastly affect our quality of life for the rest of our lives. That said, I'm still out there, no matter what. I'd like to keep skiing forever. Fingers crossed I'll be able to.
IKam
Certified Ski Diva
Some women I know talk about a problem they had 20 years ago like " I fell down," or "I had trouble stopping." I try to encourage them with how great it is to get lessons and the equipment has changed a lot since they last went, etc. Nobody has seemed very encouraged to try again. Anyone have anything to say to these folks that seems to get them back on the hill?
snoWYmonkey
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I honestly believe that they have to want it for themselves and that comes from within and is probably why so many quit in the first place.
I ski with so many women that have a bit of a love hate relationship with the sport, yet I point put that somewhere, somehow, they are hooked enough to keep getting after it.
Maybe a fun half day on greens with a shared instructor and a reward meal/drinks after as a group could be the motivation to try again?
AJM
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
We have a saying over here "4 seasons in one day " , I think its from a song but it so true.
The day can start out great then deteriorate quickly then go back to great again and vice versa and some of those crazy weather/conditions days can be the most fun plus its nice to know that you can actually ski those conditions.
marzNC
Angel Diva
I feel like I see more fathers skiing with their daughters than when my daughter was learning back in 2005-10. Meaning fathers who don't have sons. I know several mothers who got their daughters skiing even though the husband/father didn't ski at all. So the situation is changing.
The Massanutten ski/board teams have always been co-ed but I think the ratio of girls to boys has been shifting. I remember seeing the freestyle team working on a natural jump a decade ago after an usual big snowstorm. There was only one girl. The boys sent it without hesitation. She went last and the coach had to talk her into it. Her landing was far better than the boys. :-)
Christy
Angel Diva
I remember being on a lift with an older woman in Sun Valley and she said something about the flat light, and I countered that I'm from Washington State and the light we were experiencing was not that bad, and SHE countered that at her age, her eyesight wasn't as good, and a fall could mean a broken hip and serious consequences. So that shut me up. I know women lose more bone density and have more bone fractures when they are older. Could this be part of it?
santacruz skier
Angel Diva
Yes. It hasn't stopped me but it's true. Women definitely lose more bone density and have more bone fractures when older. I just had a dexascan and show a rather alarming percentage of a possible bone fracture in the next 10 years.
Yup, getting older has definitely affected my eyesight. And it's not only broken bones from a fall that concern me as even a bad bruise (especially to the knee) takes longer to heal and can keep me off my skis for several days.
santacruz skier
Angel Diva
I have to say I forget about hip fractures etc when I'm skiing as having too much fun. Then I get results from a dexascan and it's a reality check. Yep, this really could happen to me. I'm quite petite, 5'1 (well I think I shrunk 1/4 inch) and fairly light at 102 ish).....
snoWYmonkey
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My pelvis fracture last winter was the result of a pretty low speed fall on a blue groomed run where my hip hit the ice and pushed into my pelvis. It broke in three different places including the sacrum but I was very very lucky that none of them were complete fractures so I avoided surgery. I'm only in my mid-50s and I was absolutely shocked that such a low impact fall could cause that type of damage. It definitely has changed my understanding of my own aging process in relation to skiing 100 plus days a year. I plan to do so as long as I can with even greater appreciation for how special each day I get to ski is.
santacruz skier
Angel Diva
There are seven of us who ski Tahoe and all over 65 - we are all cyclists as well...
teppaz
Angel Diva
I think that’s an important point: women who are active year-round might have a higher chance of sticking with skiing? I also play tennis regularly and ride my bike when it’s warm enough here in NYC. I also go to the gym. For me being active is as much mental as physical well-being.
