Category Columns

In the past two columns, I’ve been fondly remembering the great early start to the 1968-69 season, but this season has blown that one away! The Mount Mansfield stake set an all-time record for November hitting 46 inches on the… Continue Reading →

For me the beginning of the ski season in 1968 was the weekend of November 9th when Sugarbush opened. Remember that was before any areas had significant snowmaking so that early opening was based on natural snow. The only lift… Continue Reading →

Wow! About a week ago I wouldn’t have thought that the ski season was going to start on schedule, but what a great start! This season is special to me as it marks my 50th year as a “Vermont skier!”… Continue Reading →

RetroSki columns will begin Thanksgiving week for the 2018-19 season! It’s snowing as I write this so the ski season should be off to a good start! So dust off those 205’s, lace ski boots, and stretch pants for another… Continue Reading →

I begin with the sad news of Bob Beattie’s death on April 1st at age 85. Beattie was a Middlebury College graduate who was better known there for playing football than his skiing. However in 1956 as a post grad… Continue Reading →

Alright, I’m going to say it. Today’s World Cup mogul competitions are boring! They’ve become formulaic with two pre-built jumps and machine-made moguls. The top competitors piston their way through the bumps and launch very similar complex jumps. Any slight… Continue Reading →

A couple weeks ago Mikaela Shiffrin broke the record for most FIS World Cup wins before the age of 23. A couple of years ago Lindsey Vonn broke the women’s record for most total FIS World Cup victories. In both… Continue Reading →

Last week I wrote about Fritz Wiessner who was a skiing mountaineer best known for his ascents. This week I’m writing about a skiing mountaineer best known for his skiing descents – in particular, the first skiing descent of the… Continue Reading →

What does a wooded trail network on conserved land in Stowe have in common with a peak in British Columbia’s coastal range? Both Wiessner Woods and Mount Wiessner carry the name of one of the greatest mountain climbers of the… Continue Reading →

There are two types of skiers in the world: those who put their ski boots on in the parking lot and those that put theirs on in the lodge. However there was a time when there was only one type… Continue Reading →