He calls himself a super senior. At 80, Gene Haas certainly qualifies as senior and after skiing 24 Colorado resorts this season, he has earned the distinction of super. He skied the same hills the year he turned 70, and he’s planning to ski them all again. His goal is to encourage other super seniors to stay on the slopes.
Do you have a training regimen to get into ski shape?
No. Playing tennis almost every day in autumn, winter and spring seems to keep me in shape. Tennis gives me plenty of cardiopulmonary exercise and seems to keep my leg muscles strong and flexible.
What’s your favorite place to ski?
There are three resorts that have long, long intermediate runs: Snowmass, Vail and Telluride. My idea of enjoyment on the slopes is to ski those runs at moderate to fast speeds, stopping occasionally to catch my breath and look at stunningly beautiful scenery.
What fires you up to go skiing?
When I find out that a resort has 30-plus inches of snow at mid-mountain, I find it hard not to head for the slopes immediately.
Ever listen to music when skiing?
No. To do so might take away some of the great feeling that comes with seeing my skis make crisp turns on the slope.
What led you to ski all 24 ski areas in a single season?
At Vail, after my 69th birthday, the lady at the ticket window mentioned that in the next season I would be able to ski for free. Who doesn’t like that kind of a bargain? So, following my 70th birthday in October, I was all set to tackle every ski area in Colorado. Using my old motorhome, I drove to and skied each of the 24 areas in operation that season. … My cardiologist is also a skier and a tennis player. During my annual physical last autumn, I told him of my plans for skiing in the upcoming season. After several tests it was determined that I needed angioplasty. Two additional stents were implanted in my heart on Oct. 25, my 80th birthday. Four weeks later, I was on the slopes at Loveland Basin and feeling great.
Best advice you ever received?
About 20 years ago, my ski instructor said: “Don’t let the mountain intimidate you. As you begin to ski down, say to yourself again and again, ‘attack, attack, attack,’ and then do it.” That suggestion worked for me. Now my skis just want to run and run and I enjoy staying right there in an aggressive stance.
What do you know now that you didn’t know then?
With regard to skiing at my age, the levels of enthusiasm and physical stamina become markedly different as consecutive days of skiing pass. Enthusiasm stays high but stamina declines. I now know that skiing six different mountains, resting one day, and then doing the same thing again was a bad idea, at least for me.
