How Skiers Survived the Summer of 1978

It's not news that many skiers spend the summer months on two wheels. After all, some of the best downhill mountain biking in the world takes place at ski resorts, and biking is a great way to keep the legs in shape. 

As chronicled in Vol. 6, Issue 6 of POWDER, there's no bike suspension or electronic shifting in sight, but rather the early days of U.S. road racing.

Featured is the Red Zinger Bicycle Classic, an event started by the founders of herbal tea company Celestial Seasonings to promote their Red Zinger tea (the SleepyTime bear would never). The 1978 edition of the race was slated to take place over nine days as an eight-stage 'Tour of Colorado.' The route crossed between Keystone and Aspen via Freedom and Independence passes before stopping in Aspen for a crit race, and then continuing on to Vail, Denver, and Boulder. 

In true '70s fashion, it seems the helmets are minimal, the brakes are mechanical, and the riders are using true clip-in pedals. Just like it was with '70s ski gear, it's darn impressive what they were doing on bikes at the time. It makes one think these cyclists must have been in survival mode to do a nine-day stage race on bikes like these. 

Sky Diving

"Imagine standing on the edge of vertical faces with two fresh feet of powder on top of it. The time and effort expended searching for it and maybe experiencing it once or twice a year, the exhilaration you feel when you are finally there suspended in space and time until somebody says "GO!" and you are over the edge, almost like you are floating on air." This very same feeling, described by and according to Vol. 6, Issue 6 of POWDER, can be achieved in the summer by skydiving. 

Obviously, if you miss skiing that much, the next logical step is to jump out of a plane to achieve the same feeling. 

I've always wanted to go sky diving, but it's the thought of jumping out of a 1970's aircraft that's really getting me. As pointed out by the magazine, it's not the plane that keeps you safe, but the parachute, and how much could the technology of a piece of fabric have changed?

Anyway, a world record skydive was executed in 1977 at the United States National Skydiving Championships where 43 people performed a simultaneous jump. So, if you and 42 of your friends are looking for something to survive the off-season, consider skydiving as an option.  

Water Skiing 

I'll be honest: For whatever reason, water skiing seems like the least unhinged idea in here. 

"The transition from snow to water skiing is an easy one to make. You already have the balance, and hopefully the muscle tone to make your efforts rewarding instead of frustrating," says Vol. 6, Issue 6.

You mean, I'm gonna be good at this sport already, and it'll feel like skiing pow? Twist my arm. Sign me up. I'm in. Maybe they were onto something in 1978. 

Rafting 

All of the raft guides I used to work with in the summer who ski patrolled in the winter didn't come up with that idea on their own! 

I don't need any convincing from Vol. 6, Issue 6 on this one. River running is an excellent pastime for the off-season.

While unlike water skiing (or skydiving, apparently?) I don't think the feeling of river running is too similar to rafting; there is a similar sort of magic floating down desert canyons as one finds on a powder day. The stillness of the canyon is much like the silence you find in the trees while it's snowing, the distant roar of a rapid downstream not unlike the hoots and hollers of your friends just out of sight on powder days. The thrill of rowing a rapid clean isn't too far off the adrenaline rush of skiing a big line in great conditions either. 

As for the culture? River runners are arguably even dirtier, smellier, and more talented beer-drinkers than skiers, if you ask me, but at the end of the day, we're all just looking to play in mountain water whether it's in frozen or liquid form. 

While some river running essentials have changed for the better since the '70s, (life jackets, self-bailing rafts, dry gear, and paved boat ramps, to name a few), Vol.6, Issue 6 was most certainly onto something with this one.

This piece is part of POWDER's Summer of Ski Nostalgia content series. Stay tuned in daily for more nostalgic articles, and keep an eye out for the upcoming Summer of Ski Nostalgia badge to identify future content.

You can also view all of POWDER's summer nostalgia content here.