Will I ski again?

[mike.horner]

Hi folks. It's at least five years since I've been here. In fact, I'm surprised to find that telemark tips is still here. I'm not sure that I'm going to ski anymore although I don't think I can keep myself from skiing. This is my story.

I began skiing after college and did downhill and cross country at New England resorts like mt snow, killington, etc and xc at cummington farms, northfield mountain, etc. In 1979 I moved to Davis California and I still live in the country near Davis and Woodland. I loved the downhill resorts here but the xc was a bit more than my old tennis shoe style ski boots could take so I bought a pair of Snowfields to ski with the sierra club folks. In 1983, I broke a rivet on my Kastinger boots and couldn't replace it - so, I began to use my snowfields and XCD GTs solely and got a crash lesson in tele. Like many here, I moved to plastic and wide sidecut skis. Since then, I've skied 50 to 80 days a year mostly backcountry and mostly in Lassen National Park.

I got a late start last year after promising my back doctor that I wouldn't ski until February - well, mid January is almost February! I skied five days last year. The last trip, I skied Diamond Peak on Saturday when I got there, a long xc trip to mill creek falls on Sunday (and I returned across the worlds most terrifying bridge for skiers), and a long xc trip from outside the park to the caldera rim on Monday. Skiing back, I hooked my right ski tip on something in the snow, my right leg went violently out and back, and I got spun around and dumped on my butt and backpack. I took over a half hour to get back up by climbing the branches of a small tree like a ladder. I was solo when I got hurt and it was frightening to not be able to get back up. Almost used the beacon for the first time.

I got back to the car and got home but my right hip was truly destroyed. I tried to heal naturally, got a cortisone shot, and ultimately went onto the total hip replacement calendar.

After a year of hip pain, I got a new right hip joint in late October and am now convalescing. I can finally walk more than a few hundred feet but there's still a bit of pain involved. Certainly, no skiing this year! Screwing up the implant would be very very bad.

Fifth major skiing injury in 50 years of skiing. I just don't know if I will ski again. It hurts to be watching the powder in the sierra and be stuck at home, but a bad crash could end even walking.

My savior through all of this has been a 27.5+ full sus bike that I now ride on the local farm roads. Just starting to do a little offroad again but I'm liable to get ahead of the healing curve so I'm limiting that too. Zero serious injuries on the mtb in 28 years of riding, believe it or not. (Whack on that wooden desktop). .

So will I ski again? At 72, I'm not dropping big stuff anymore but I've lived to ski my entire adult life (not good career wise). But, cartilage tears on both knees, a 30 year old whiplash injury that still periodically hurts, a bad skier's thumb - I can't pick up a beer with my left hand using just thumb and forefinger, a bad concussion on Donner Summit. Plus, a raft of lesser bangs, bungs, cuts, and just plain hurts. I am conflicted, but I have a summer and fall to figure it out.

I have a couple of mild xc videos on Youtube - search "Miketeleskier" on you tube.

[Montana St Alum]

WOW! Sorry to hear, but I expect you know what you have to do. I think if you're honest with yourself on timing, you could be back skiing, even if at a lower level of risk. Same for mountain biking.
At any rate, best of luck!

[wooley12]

I'm the same age with a blood flow issue that causes my legs to turn into rubber after a few strong turns so I've dialed back my aspirations. I can still pizza/ french fry/sideslip down a double black so I'll ride to the top for the view once or twice a season. I talked to a doc I met on the lift about my thoughts of trying to get some air at the park as a biginner at my age. He said to consider that my joints and sinews don't stretch like they used to and healing might be slow to never. I have a lifts served 1 mile long XC/ blue groomer to play on so it is working. This year has been a bummer as I go mostly to socialize on the lift and in the bar. That Lassen vid looked to be my speed. Enjoy it.

[1EyedJack]

Another "Crip" in the crowd. My knees are trash, mending from a total knee replacement last September. One more knee to go. I dialed down from my Fischer SBound 98s and 3Pins to Fischer E99s and NNN-BC boots. Finding skis this year was a nightmare. I found the skis in Finland and boots in Norway. Did a short testdrive at Crater Lake rim last week.
Blue bird day and corn snow in the sun. It felt so good just to get out there on skis. Been skiing since 5yr, 73yr old now. Missed 1 year in the jungle, 2 years with major knee surgery in '75, and last most of this winter.

Dial it down and have a good one.
Lassen is awesome.
Ski Heil

[MitchW]

Hey 1EyedJack,

After 66 years my right knee is pretty bad and I'm considering a knee replacement. Reading about the limitations make it sound pretty scary so I'd love to hear how its going. I can probably get by without surgery for another year or 2 but everyone is pushing me to do it now while I'm still in good shape.

Mitch
Denver, CO

[lowangle al]

Good luck to you guys. The lucky thing is that XCD is probably the easiest type of skiing on the body, and IMO is the most rewarding.

[jyw5]

You guys still around??

I would like to ski Mt. Lassen, California this sunmer.

I want to go when the snow poses no avalanche danger. Probably in mid-late June? maybe before the road from the campground to the trailhead opens but not too early so I am not postholing through 4ft of rotten snow or worse, skiing a solid sheet of ice. It is about 17 miles roundtrip with approx 3900ft vertical to reach the summit from the Visitor Center campground.

Depending on the conditions and relative difficulty, I would either use an AT setup or NNN-BC with one of my Asnes skis. The first 3000ft is a gradual ascent. There may require some boot packing and scrambling at the top depending on conditions. I have hiked the trail in September when it is completely snow free (it's a very easy hike).

With the west coast getting dumped with rain and snow this yr, did Mt. Lassen get the snow storms? snow until July this yr??

Any info would be appreciated. Anyone want to go?

[spopepro]

Lassen is a great trip, but you'll need to be much earlier than june in all likelihood. Last year early April was the beginning of the end of the snow, but CA got very little after a big december, so it was on the odd side. I'd say you're best off targeting late april/early may, but you're going to have to watch the weather. If we get another big batch of storms in Feb like this, then june very well might be in the cards.The Shasta avy center will have conditions that will be similar to what you'll see on lassen. Just remember lassen only tops out at 10k.

I've been up twice, both times on switchbackX2/V6. The road is prime nnnbc territory but there's a couple of steps that i'd personally want something bigger, or walk it with crampons depending on how icy it is (I was happy to have ski crampons last year). The spring corn is only going to be good for a window, so you'll be going up in the ice, trying to hit the time for it to be good and before it's slushy especially since I'm assuming you'll be targeting the south face.

[randoskier]

So will I ski again? At 72, I'm not dropping big stuff anymore but I've lived to ski my entire adult life (not good career wise). But, cartilage tears on both knees, a 30 year old whiplash injury that still periodically hurts, a bad skier's thumb - I can't pick up a beer with my left hand using just thumb and forefinger, a bad concussion on Donner Summit. Plus, a raft of lesser bangs, bungs, cuts, and just plain hurts. I am conflicted, but I have a summer and fall to figure it out.

Hi Mike. Since you are over 72 years-old you can ski free at Les Deux Alpes in France. No catches, no date or period restrictions. Under 4 and over 72 = free lift ticket PERIOD. It is fantastic lift-serviced skiing- the vertical drop is 7,547 feet (2.300 meters) and there are 40 lifts and over 200km of pistes. It is right on the edge of the Massif des Ecrins (I used to live in a valley in the Ecrins). La grave is right next door, best to pack a body-bag for that one. It is also right across the valley from l'Alpe d'Huez- also good skiing but not as kind to 72 year-olds. Hope you are still skiing, and kind regards.

[GrimSurfer]

@mike.horner

I would have a serious sit down with your doctor, with the view to getting onto a path that would build/test your endurance, movement, and tolerance before you tempt fate on sticks. At some point, a physio will need to get involved too.

Skiing might be fun, but it doesn’t replace walking. If something happens on the trail that prevents you from doing the latter freely ever again, you’ll find out just how much life can truly suck.

One step at a time. Medical assessment. Programme. Reassess. Ski (only if it makes sense).