Print  email 

Prime Timers

There's nothing over-the-hill about this downhill skiing group

By Rich Landers | Spokesman Review • Published February 10, 2009

• Comments (0)

"If this is what it means to be an old fart, sign me up," a 40-something skier said. He'd been advised he was too young to join a boisterous group that had taken over the lodge lunchroom's top floor during happy hour. But he left with a smile and something to look forward to - when he's at least 55.

It was Prime Timers Wednesday at Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park. The most active group on the mountain was celebrating the upside of going downhill.

Discounts on season passes and ski lessons plus cheap food and drink are part of the deal.

"Prime Timers have been all over this mountain," said group founder, Donna Larson, noting the members' skills range from novice to national-class. "Some of them stick to the groomed slopes and others will do the trees or go off the back side."

"This is a very sociable group of great skiers," said Sue Blatt, who described herself as "more of a spectator, rather than a skier, who just loves to be around such a healthy group of seniors. They're very much in shape."

Indeed, as many of them swooped down to the lower runs and put their skis in the racks outside the lodge, advancing age wasn't apparent until they took off their helmets or caps.

Clearly there's a lot of gray area for skiers between retirement and the rest home. Just 11 years after the social skiing group was organized with 39 charter members, the Mt. Spokane Prime Timers' roster has ballooned to nearly 600.

Smaller Prime Timer groups are active at Schweitzer and 49 Degrees North, plus a new group that started this season at Lookout Pass.

"We had 276 pre-registered for lunch today and we signed up 10 new members," said Larson, who'd arrived at Mount Spokane State Park with her husband, Roy, around 8 a.m. to meet two other couples just to prepare the lodge for the weekday blitz of seniors.

A total of 36 people were taking their turns as servers and helpers to make the day of skiing, lunch, more skiing and happy hour flow like an Olympian through grand slalom gates.