Are Skiing and Winter Sports doomed?

Having just returned from a 5-day ski trip that 25 years ago certainly would have provided 5-days of snow filled skiing, with good base depth and cold weather, Winter- or the lack thereof- was on my mind.  While early December was cold, a warm weather system drove temperatures in Vermont into the 50s and we suffered through 2.5 days of rain that basically wiped out skiing at Mad River Glen.

With no natural snow to ski on, we were relegated to skiing on manmade snow at Sugarbush.  Because Sugarbush had been blowing snow since November, they had enough base depth to survive the warm weather and rain.  There is no doubt now that climate change is upon us, most experts agree. Even if we can't agree what the cause is (I'll save that point for later), the trend is clear. Melting glaciers, shrinking polar ice, increased temperatures. The season of winter is becoming shorter, starting later and ending earlier.  The amount of snowfall and snowpack is dropping.

This is of particular issue at Western resorts, and was featured in a recent article in Powder magazine about "why snowmaking won't save us…"  The large Western resorts like Vail and Snowbird are huge amounts of terrain compared to smaller eastern ski areas. Snow making there is not feasible due to the high cost, limited water supply and regulatory restrictions. The article predicted that by the year 2100, that most of the Western USA ski resorts will be closed due to lack of snowpack. Those that remain will only have snow at their highest elevations.  In the east, only 4 of the largest ski resorts will remain. This is a scary thought..in just over 80 years, the sport of skiing and mountain snow sports could vanish. If climate change accelerates it could be even sooner.

I am seeing it in my own lifetime. Growing up in lower New York State we routinely had long, cold snowy winters. I have photos of snowbanks in our driveway that were 6 feet tall.  Small eastern ski resorts operated for many years without snowmaking systems.  While they were dependent on mother nature for snow, the snow was routinely reliable. Then beginning in the late 1970s there seemed to be fewer cold winters, more warm weather and rain. Today, there are few, if any eastern ski areas that operate without snowmaking.   Certainly the small, family oriented mountains cannot depend on natural snow in New Jersey in Pennsylvania.  At one time there were hundreds of smaller ski hills that dotted the landscape.  But due to the high cost of snowmaking infrastructure and operation, it does not work well on a small scale. So we are left with only two ski areas in NJ and a handful of larger mountains in the Poconos.  Snowmaking has even found its way to the Northernmost reaches of Vermont.

Snowmaking was once a way to extend the ski season. It could start earlier and end later with man made snow. But now, without it, some winters there would be no ski season at all. Mad River Glen, which lacks extensive snowmaking opened on December 15th with 40 of its 45 trails. But that opening only lasted 5 days, through Friday Dec. 20th.  By the time the warm weather/rain event was done, the only terrain available was one smaller trail fed by man-made snow.  It is likely there will be more snow in January, and they will reopen all 45 trails. But this is becoming all too familiar a pattern. A later start, a melt-down and then reopening in Mid-January. The ski season which used to extend into April, is now often done by March 20th.  Ski areas make nearly half their revenue on Christmas week. It is a huge blow to not have snow on the trails. It is a big expense to have to blow snow at times when 25 years ago the areas could rely on natural snow fall.

So yes, the future of skiing and outdoor winter sports is certainly looking grim, for our children and grandchildren.

Why are my feet cold? And what can I do to keep them warm?

Gaerne Winter Road shoes

Now that winter is really upon us, I've started hearing a lot of chatter about cold toes and feet. If you want to keep riding outside through the winter weather, having a strategy to maintain warm hands and feet is essential. Freezing cold fingers and toes can quickly ruin or cut short an outdoor ride. The risk of frost bite is real!  

To achieve warm feet, it helps to have an understanding of why your feet are cold. For the most part cold feet are due to the following factors:

1. Poor circulation
2. Wrong footwear and/or socks
3. Moisture
4. Heat transfer, convection and conduction.

Lets look at these in order. 

• Poor circulation.  Some people just don't have good circulation to their extremities. These people will be the first ones to say their hands or feet are cold. When temperatures drop your body thermoregulates by sending more blood flow to its core. Protection of vital organs comes before extremities.  Ever read "To Build a Fire" by Jack London?  The hunter knew that he might lose parts of his foot or toes to frostbite, but that he could live if he could make into camp.  One strategy to keep your hands and feet warm then is to make sure your core is warm. This means eating enough fuel before and during the ride, hydrating well to ensure good blood pressure and circulation and dressing properly so that your core stays warm. If your core is heated well, your body's thermoregulation systems will continue sending blood flow to the surface and extremities. When it goes below 35 degrees, I recommend a long sleeve base layer, a fleece long sleeve jersey and winter jacket. For the lower body, I've worn fleece bib knickers with a layer of winter tights on top. And long ski socks. 
• Wrong footwear. Your standard bike shoes are designed primarily for summer riding. In fact their design includes mesh and venting to let out heat and moisture. This is great for warm weather riding, but it will work against you in cold weather. As temperature drops into the 50s you can add toe covers, which work well, as temps hit 40 you may need a full bootie. The other problem with your summer bike shoes is that they are designed to be worn with a thin summer sock and be snug on your feet. If you now try wearing them with thick winter socks, you may find that your shoes are tight and that will restrict circulation in your feet.  All booties have a cut out on the bottom for the cleat and cold air will come in through the opening.  If you plan on doing a lot of winter riding, I would recommend a winter shoe.  The advantage of a winter shoe is that (a) it is insulated, (b) it does not have venting like a summer shoe and (c) it is build wider and roomier, to accommodate thicker socks without restricting your circulation.  The better winter shoes use Windtek fabric on the exterior, are water and windproof and have thermal insulation built in. If you buy a pair, they will last 5-10 years because you will only use them a few months out of the year. They come in road or MTB versions.  You will never again have to fuss with putting booties on.
• Moisture is often overlooked, but feet do sweat and get damp. If you wear booties, you will see the moisture when you get home and take off the booties. This is water vapor that leaves your feet and condenses upon meeting the cold air outside. The key here is the right kind of sock. Cotton socks are the worst, the absorb moisture and will be very cold when wet. Wool is the best, it will retain its insulating property even when wet. Some people like silk sock liners, which will carry moisture away from your feet to the outer sock. 
• Heat transfer.  Your feet are producing heat, but that is balanced with heat loss. The colder it is outside and the more frontal wind, the faster the heat loss.  Heat will be conducted away from your foot through direct contact with the sock and inside of the shoe. One of the keys here is to have warm air spaces in your shoe (i.e. shoes not too tight), because air is not a good conductor of heat, you will reduce heat loss if your shoe is more loose and has enough room around the toes.  Convective heat loss will be very high on a cold windy day and the only real solution is enough insulation and windproof fabrics.

What about supplemental heating? If you've tried all of the above and still have cold feet, you may want to try supplemental heating in your shoes. This can either be a chemical warmer (hot packs) or a battery operated footbed.  The chemical warmers are sold at Home Depot and Outfitter stores. You can attach the toe warmers to your sock or insole and I've found that these will produce heat for 3-4 hours. Some people put them on top of their toes, I've always thought that they work better under the toe.  There are also heated foot insoles available, one is the Thermacell, which cost around $100 and use a lithium ion battery built into the footbed. Some reviewers liked these, others said they didn't heat well. The Hotronics system used in ski boots is probably the best. If you already have Hotronics in your ski boots, you can buy another set of heating elements and footbeds for about $40. You can use your existing battery packs, although you will need another set of clips. Aside from looking silly having the Li-ion batteries attached to the back of your winter shoes, you will have adjustable heating that will definitely keep your toes warm even on the coldest of days.

Can exercise help a cold?

It's 12 noon and I'm feeling rotten…head hurts, stuffed up, pressure inside my ears. A head cold? Feeling kind of tired and blah, I debated whether to flop on the couch for a nap. But the sun is shining and I spent all day at my desk on Monday on my job search.  Perhaps there would be solace in a bike ride.

I quickly mapped out a route on ridewithgps.com, uploaded it to my Garmin Edge and kitted up. With 50 degree sunny weather, I needed only bib shorts and leg warmers and a base and long sleeve jersey.  I left the house around 12:45, with a nice little tailwind helping me. After the initial 20 min warmup, I started feeling OK.  The pounding head was gone, sinus passages cleared somewhat. I began ramping up the speed.  Unencumbered by heavy winter shoes and clothing, buoyed by the warmer, less dense air and enlightened by the sun I felt like I was riding in a dream.  I was. Between 10am and 2 pm out here in Hunterdon county (aka cow land) you can ride for miles and maybe see two cars. Wonderful!

So can cycling or moderate exercise help a cold? Absolutely, according to Dr. Edward Laskowski (Mayo Clinic). "Mild to moderate physical activity is usually OK if you have a garden-variety cold and no fever. Exercise may even help you feel better by opening your nasal passages and temporarily relieving nasal congestion."  How true!   After an hour on the bike, I'd forgotten all about my earlier symptoms. They were gone.  Regular exercise can boost your immune system, release endorphins that will make you feel better and less "blah" and increase circulation to tissues.  Our bodies were designed to be in a state of motion and sitting at a desk for hours and hours is a completely unnatural act.

I bombed down Cherryville Hollow through the bare trees onto a sweet flat section in Hamden along the Raritan River.  A few miles away I'd pass through Clinton, a coffee boost and slice of pumpkin bread would make this trip even more worthwhile.

Sometimes, when you least think you can exercise, just go out there and do it. You might be surprised at the results.