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Wednesday, February 25. 2015

How Skiing Went From the Alps to the Masses

Thanks to ski lifts, snow cannons, and plenty of dynamite, what used to
be a ritzy European pursuit is now an accessible middle-class pastime.


It's not too cheap, the hassle factor is huge, but it is great cold weather fun and excellent exercise.


Like many, I grew up skiing at a small local place with rope tows and poma lifts, and one two-seater chair lift, and slowly advanced to more challenging places as funds permitted.


I love it. For me, winter means skiing, spring means fishing, summer means boating, fall means hunting. It's that simple.

Posted by The News Junkie in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 12:32 | Comments (4) | Trackbacks (0)

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I skied Mom'n pops when I was a kid, home-made rope tows, warming cabins with wood stoves. Mom and Dad managed to afford it. Nowadays the ticket prices are ludicrous, I'll take my snowshoes and hit the backcountry
#1 Dale on 2015-02-25 14:15 (Reply)
It's great that you enjoy it, Junkie.

My opinion of skiing was shaped when I was a little kid in the early 60s. An American Olympic skier fell and broke (I think) her neck. Pretty much made her a quadriplegic IIRC.

I remember thinking if that could happen to an expert, I had no business trying it.

A couple of weeks ago I was driving back from California on I-70. Just seeing how steep those ski slopes are in Colorado gave me the whim-whams. It must be a tremendous adrenaline rush for those that enjoy the sport. My instinct for self-preservation is just to strong to give it a try.
#2 feeblemind on 2015-02-25 14:27 (Reply)
I know you Yankees (lease note: I did not say 'damn Yankees') are used to this kind of global warming but those of us in the South (I live in Georgia) aren't. I just shoveled two inches of "partly cloudy" off my front walk. But they are playing golf in the desert, spring practice is under way and the Masters is coming soon. Spring is on the way.
#3 oolioo on 2015-02-25 15:47 (Reply)
Nice to have something to do with snow other than shovel it and curse it.
#4 Knucklehead (Link) on 2015-02-25 16:09 (Reply)

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