What's stopping you?

Harvey wrote

Benny hope it's ok I added some "air space" in your post to make it easier (for me :) to read.

Your post is a bit dark, but also realistic IMO.  Agree with much of it.  Plus I've never been very good at getting out of my comfort zone.

I feel like North Creek is a bit of a hybrid, it's a ski and tourist town, but it's also just a town.  Locals are real.

Ha, yeah, thanks, I do tend to run on at times. I did that before my morning coffee.

Seriously, though, I may have been dark, but, getting old sucks. I'm losing friends left and right to sickness and death at this point, and, I just broke up with a woman, so, loneliness is a concern. I have had two friends die of cancer recently, and, no way I'm going through those treatments like cemo and that other stuff without a support network. Value that over everything, people. This may be heresy, but, skiing isn't everything in life. I've had a few knee and leg issues ver the past five years that had me down for months at a time (from skiing and biking), so, I've had a taste of what could happen, and, it ain't pretty if you don't have a plan B. Hey, be happy, get out and enjoy life, definitely, instead of becoming an old, bitter drunk, like so many, but, don't fool yourself and go start thinking you're thirty again. Oh, and, get the hell off my lawn! I'm done with you kids!

Falling in love with hiking and working on the Northeast 115

Benny summed up why it might be best to ski bum when you are young instead of waiting for retirement. I’ve met or known a few people that worked crazy hard and retired in their 40’s but there aren’t many of them.

raisingarizona wrote

Benny summed up why it might be best to ski bum when you are young instead of waiting for retirement. I’ve met or known a few people that worked crazy hard and retired in their 40’s but their aren’t many of them.

I actually agree with this 100%. Everybody has to make their own decisions obviously but my own experience is that my "fuck you money" level has gone higher as I've gotten older. When I was in my twenties, having a grand in the bank and a paid for car meant total freedom. I would love to have an outdoor-sports-oriented retirement but I don't think we can depend on that. I'm glad I had a few years of freedom when I was young

I have few regrets in life. I do regret not taking a year off during college to go with my buddies and ski bum at Steamboat. My parents really didn't want me to do it. They paid for my college education and said if I took a year off I was on my own financially.  Truth is I didn't know I'd like skiing, I just wanted to be with my best friends on a big adventure.

My buddies were total ski newbies when they arrived, they got crappy jobs waiting tables and lived together in a shitty apartment with dirty socks and pizza boxes everywhere. They were good athletes and got to be pretty good skiers in 100+ day season. I never found the sport until I was 40 (lift served anyway).  I can't help thinking if I had started twenty years earlier I'd be pretty good by now.

It's not a huge regret, but it's there.

I've thought about this question a lot, but then realized that it's been the center of my life for quite a while.  I was fortunate to be able to ski every weekend from the time I was born (just about).  I taught skiing while in college, then out west for a few years....minimum 150 days/year of skiing there.  There was a huge skiing void for about 20 years, but I re-prioritized and am able to get about 45 days in/year.  (BTW, a divorce, although highly un-recommended, will "help" that out quite a bit).

I'm exceptionally thankful to be able to do all this.  It costs a boatload of money.  I don't take vacations - 1 in the last 10 years - but every weekend is my vacation.  Would I want to push the button and do the same out west?  Sure, but the risk is not worth the reward for reasons that others have mentioned.

When I did live out west (Banff), I loved it.  After a while, though, the mountains become a bit confining.  You either went west to do something - rare, and involved lots of driving - or east, with much the same.  The scenery, again spectacular, was white, gray, forest green and dark brown.  No change of colors, water too cold for a swimming hole and no sailing for hundreds of miles.  That area is good for a while, but not the rest of a lifetime.

Brownski wrote

my own experience is that my "fuck you money" level has gone higher as I've gotten older.

I'm still working on getting beyond "please" and "thank you" money  

Gunny J wrote

   If the money was there I would spend my time between the  beaches of Delaware and slopes of Gore ,Killington ,and the rest of NY and VT.

Yeah, as Benny mentions, with the cost of places out West, you could almost buy two places in the east. A beach place & a mountain place and just split time between them.

Skiing powder is just so good, though. I want to do more of that and less skiing on icy groomers. Also, I'm not sure how much winter is going to be left in the Eastern U.S. in about 15-20 years, when I'm 52-57.

It's funny, one of my recently acquired regrets is not getting into school about 14 years ago so my daughter could have a more financially stable Dad but no use in dwelling on what's done I guess. I could have had 10 good years ski bumming and then had plenty of time to get an education and a job over these years! In the end none of this matters as much as we like to think it does, the world will keep turning long after we are pushing up daisies. You won't be taking your money or things with you either.

The west has plenty of places with affordable housing, you might not get to live in Jackson but there's lots of other places that have really good skiing. Saying the east has more affordable housing is not very accurate imo, ever try to buy property in New Jersey? The property taxes alone can be what a ski bum can live on for a whole year.

The terrain and climate is different so if your stuck on green leafs and the eastern fall then I guess it comes up short out here but you can find that sort of thing if you go looking for it. there are plenty of micro-riparian zones with deciduous trees. I love upstate NY and New England, it's a beautiful place for sure and I get being connected to your home state and needing family but everything else is sort of like......whatever. And as far as being brown and depressing once the leafs fall out east it's seriously depressing looking unless there is snow on the ground.

I miss the pizza.

I don't miss that gloomy grey sky that seems to dominate throughout the winter months or the shit tons of disease carrying ticks or the traffic or the busy body lifestyle or that terrible humidity. I don't care to ski groomers or ice really at all any more. I guess I'm spoiled and I'm pretty darn ok with that! Our ski area opens tomorrow and I'll be riding my bike or hiking instead of lapping the WROD.

Powder skiing is the shit btw, it's like crack and I can't ever get enough of it. Back country skiing out here without people around is freaking amazing and delivers some real deal adventure and exploration that you just can't experience in the east.

 Hi. First post here.

 What's been stopping me from skiing all I want has been my career mostly, with family obligations coming in as a distant second to that, since my wife also skis, so at least there hasn't been that polarity. I've been lucky to have had a full career within 50 min. of good skiing, so I can't complain, but still working a high tech, high stress job pulls at you constantly and doesn't allow the freedoms one dreams of if one were to be independently wealthy. I normally get 30-50 days a year, with at least one out west trip a year, two if I'm lucky, but not usually.

 All that is changing soon, as I'll retire next year. I'll have more time to ski, but less money to ski, so it'll be an interesting challenge for sure. I also have a diverse set of interests which keep me from pursuing any one of them to the point of saturation, which is fine with me as I don't want to ever get bored with skiing, so I really don't see myself skiing everyday, even if money wasn't an issue. In retirement, I'll probably only ski 3 days a week on a cheap mid-week season pass and one ski trip out west, and cross country or back country--assuming there's natural snow enough--in between those resort days, but who knows until it gets here.

 As far as moving out west, I've thought about it throughout the years, but probably not interested now. I'm lucky to live in an area I don't hate. It's rural where I live and I'm surrounded by mountains and rivers, and forests to play in; and yet there's culture enough around and within easy driving distance to liven the soul, when needed. I love upstate NY and New England, and have traveled enough throughout the world to know what a special place we have here--the Catskills, The DAKs, the Greens, and Whites. Sure, there are places in NY and NE that are too crowed for me, and too filled with rudeness, but I fortunately don't live in any of those places, and if I did, I'd move. Don't get me wrong, I love skiing out west, the snow and terrain are awesome, but I've come to appreciate the challenge skiing in the east has to offer. Sure, sometimes it's just icy groomers, and that does suck, but they have those days out west too, just less of them.

 Oh well, just rambling on a bit here. Actually now that I'm day dreaming about it, hmm..I could see myself living in a place, maybe Montana, where the trout fishing is better and skiing softer snow most days...naw... gotta a good thing going here and lot's of ski friends here, which is important, I'll probably stay put and vacation once in a while.

 

Welcome Scruffy.

Scruffy wrote

working a high tech, high stress job pulls at you constantly and doesn't allow the freedoms one dreams of if one were to be independently wealthy

Low tech jobs do it too!  

I'm sure there are downsides to being independently wealthy. Right? Right?

Harvey wrote

Scruffy wrote

working a high tech, high stress job pulls at you constantly and doesn't allow the freedoms one dreams of if one were to be independently wealthy

Low tech jobs do it too!  

I'm sure there are downsides to being independently wealthy. Right? Right?

That's where I'm at as well, I am very fortunate enough to be able to make a living wage coming right out of college in a field I went to school for. The only issue is that I love where I work and it's not in the best spot to be skiing all of the time. The next thing I need to work on is getting work where I can ski much more.

MidwestTeleMan wrote

Harvey wrote

Scruffy wrote

working a high tech, high stress job pulls at you constantly and doesn't allow the freedoms one dreams of if one were to be independently wealthy

Low tech jobs do it too!  

I'm sure there are downsides to being independently wealthy. Right? Right?

That's where I'm at as well, I am very fortunate enough to be able to make a living wage coming right out of college in a field I went to school for. The only issue is that I love where I work and it's not in the best spot to be skiing all of the time. The next thing I need to work on is getting work where I can ski much more.

if you love where you work, don't mess with it..that's a major win...skiing ain't that important..

Harvey wrote

I'm sure there are downsides to being independently wealthy. Right? Right?

I think the people that say there are all sorts of problems to having money push that idea so that people don't get pissed at them for having so much money.

At the same time, it's not the possessions they have or the lavish trips that make me envious of such a life. It's the freedom - free time because they don't have to work, freedom of movement because they don't have to own a home for years to build equity & can just rent an apartment for a few months wherever they choose to live, freedom from consequences if they make a mistake and want to fix it (anything from buying the wrong skis to investing in the wrong asset class to umm... bankrupting Casinos).

Agree with RA that there are expensive places to live in the east, too. But if I ever run low on money, I'd have no problem taking out a 3% 30-year mortgage (~$400 a month?) on say, something like this:

 http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/63574180_zpid/

Life is full of choices. We might not all be able to strike it rich (financially), but living in a great place for really cheap gets you *almost* as much of that freedom.

cool place
but does it have a bathroom?

Details...

JasonWx wrote

cool place
but does it have a bathroom?

It has two bathrooms......two outhouses.
Not sure the misses would appreciate that feature.

Harvey may know what's involved with getting a well dug in that area.

Harvey wrote

I'm sure there are downsides to being independently wealthy. Right? Right?

Not independently wealthy, but was lucky enough to join a start up at the right time.  I retired early with a nice nest egg.  Also married a frugal man who worked for a major corporation long enough to retire after 30 years with a nice monthly pension.  But my husband is a non-skier.  Saw him try for a second time and last time when my daughter was learning.  He really doesn't have the personality to enjoy sliding on snow with any sort of gear.  We've been married over 25 years.  Moving from North Carolina is not an option for assorted reasons.  Spending money on skiing is my big ticket item that isn't related to being an older parent with a kid in high school.

I'm getting in 25-30 days out west in recent years, plus another 10-25 days in the Mid-Atlantic (Jan-Feb) or northeast (Dec or Mar).  Usually go west for two trips that are about two weeks each, one mid-season trip and a stay at Alta Lodge during late season.  Staying longer makes the altitude adjustment more worthwhile.  The trips out west are with ski buddies and friends I've come to know since starting to ski more after 2008 when I first took my daughter to Alta.

Have thought about the idea of renting a house or condo in SLC for a month during mid-season.  Would want to find one big enough to invite friends who are working but could stay for a week with some planning.  But wouldn't want to do that year in, year out.  I like exploring new places.  Even more so now that I'm a solid advanced skier so that there is less to worry about when wandering around a new mountain.  Especially with a ski buddy for off-piste adventures we haven't skied before.

Talked a retiree on a lift at Alta once who was a midwesterner who was spending winters in a condo at the base of LCC.  His wife didn't ski but like SLC well enough to prefer it over the cold at home.  He lamented that for the first time none of his children were going to bring grandchildren for a ski vacation, even with free lodging.  He alternated getting a season pass for Alta or Snowbird.

Naomi Wain stayed at Alta Lodge the first two weeks of every month during ski season (Dec-Apr) for about 50 years.  She skied pretty much every day those two weeks, even after age 90.  At some point she was only skiing 2-3 hours in the mornings, but she was always waiting for Collins to open at 9am.  I was lucky enough to take a few runs with her the last couple years.  Quite a lady.  Her husband was a skier but suggested the Alta Lodge stays when he was still busy with work.  He obviously left enough money when he died for Naomi to continue to ski as much as she wanted without any financial strain.  So having good financial resources is a factor for where someone skis during retirement in the long run.

marznc wrote

Harvey wrote

I'm sure there are downsides to being independently wealthy. Right? Right?

Not independently wealthy, but was lucky enough to join a start up at the right time.  I retired early with a nice nest egg.  Also married a frugal man who worked for a major corporation long enough to retire after 30 years with a nice monthly pension.  But my husband is a non-skier.  Saw him try for a second time and last time when my daughter was learning.  He really doesn't have the personality to enjoy sliding on snow with any sort of gear.  We've been married over 25 years.  Moving from North Carolina is not an option for assorted reasons.  Spending money on skiing is my big ticket item that isn't related to being an older parent with a kid in high school.

I'm getting in 25-30 days out west in recent years, plus another 10-25 days in the Mid-Atlantic (Jan-Feb) or northeast (Dec or Mar).  Usually go west for two trips that are about two weeks each, one mid-season trip and a stay at Alta Lodge during late season.  Staying longer makes the altitude adjustment more worthwhile.  The trips out west are with ski buddies and friends I've come to know since starting to ski more after 2008 when I first took my daughter to Alta.

Have thought about the idea of renting a house or condo in SLC for a month during mid-season.  Would want to find one big enough to invite friends who are working but could stay for a week with some planning.  But wouldn't want to do that year in, year out.  I like exploring new places.  Even more so now that I'm a solid advanced skier so that there is less to worry about when wandering around a new mountain.  Especially with a ski buddy for off-piste adventures we haven't skied before.

Talked a retiree on a lift at Alta once who was a midwesterner who was spending winters in a condo at the base of LCC.  His wife didn't ski but like SLC well enough to prefer it over the cold at home.  He lamented that for the first time none of his children were going to bring grandchildren for a ski vacation, even with free lodging.  He alternated getting a season pass for Alta or Snowbird.

Naomi Wain stayed at Alta Lodge the first two weeks of every month during ski season (Dec-Apr) for about 50 years.  She skied pretty much every day those two weeks, even after age 90.  At some point she was only skiing 2-3 hours in the mornings, but she was always waiting for Collins to open at 9am.  I was lucky enough to take a few runs with her the last couple years.  Quite a lady.  Her husband was a skier but suggested the Alta Lodge stays when he was still busy with work.  He obviously left enough money when he died for Naomi to continue to ski as much as she wanted without any financial strain.  So having good financial resources is a factor for where someone skis during retirement in the long run.

Even though I said I dislike SLC, I may be there for a few weeks, maybe more this winter. Because: AirB&B. Big inventory there, because, duh, lots of houses in the valley. And AirB&B usually gives you a very good discount if you stay over a month. It varies with properties. I'm in Italy right now, rented an apartment in Verona for 32 days, and got thirty percent off the total day rate. Saves a lot of money on food, too, with a good kitchen. Make sure you have that. Not some stupid hot plate setup. Combine that with 17 days in Utah with the MC and Maxpass combo, plus half price Alta/Snowbird after that, and, you're looking at a cheap month. Damn Mormons, though.

Benny Profane wrote

Even though I said I dislike SLC, I may be there for a few weeks, maybe more this winter. Because: AirB&B. Big inventory there, because, duh, lots of houses in the valley. And AirB&B usually gives you a very good discount if you stay over a month. It varies with properties. I'm in Italy right now, rented an apartment in Verona for 32 days, and got thirty percent off the total day rate. Saves a lot of money on food, too, with a good kitchen. Make sure you have that. Not some stupid hot plate setup. Combine that with 17 days in Utah with the MC and Maxpass combo, plus half price Alta/Snowbird after that, and, you're looking at a cheap month. Damn Mormons, though.

SLC these days has become a pretty cosmopolitan city.  At least when it comes to food choices.

What I'm also keeping in mind is that Alta senior passes start at age 65.  My main ski buddy turned 65 over the summer.  I've got a few years to go, but it's a reason to wait a few years before thinking seriously about spending a full month in Utah.

I know a semi-retired man who has been spending 6-8 weeks at Powder Mountain in recent years.  His two sons are running the company, which is in Florida.  Each one shows up to ski for about a week, plus his wife skis for one week.  She doesn't really like cold weather so one week of winter per year is just about right.

Grand Targhee senior pass is in the 300s, also at age 65. The housing situation is different, though, because, what makes that side of the pass desirable, lack of crowds, also makes it a little harder to find a long term rental. But, they are there. If you want to buy, there are very affordable, recently built condos still left over from the housing crash. Won't be there forever, though.

I just want to get my hands on a Targheezer sticker. The old guys formed a club, and they have a great logo.