Fun And Fashion on Skis

Of All Amateur Sports, it is likely that skiing has had the most compressed and varied history. In a couple of decades, give or take a year or three, it has evolved from an arcane, perilous and arduous activity for the rugged few, to a hugely sprawling, wonderfully enjoyable, international winter pastime. Its devotees are legion and each one is a zealous propagandist for the sport and is apt to find himself mouthing the cliche, "Skiing isn't a sport – it's a way of life." And so it is: from those first brisk days when the ski buff starts scanning the skies and poring over weather reports, to the day when the first snowflake falls, the excitement mounts, the plans are made, the gear and tackle and garb are taken out and lovingly gone over, and thousands upon thousands of people happily turn their backs on the tropical resorts which used to be winter's only saving grace, to turn their eyes toward high country and the world of slopes, trails, log fires, hot grog, mountain – top sun decks and the joyous, informal camaraderie of the ski resorts.

All that has happened in a scant 20 years. The famous old names are still clothed in glamor – Zermatt, St. Moritz, St. Anton, Bad Gastein, Kitzbuhel, Garmisch, Klosters, etc. But American skiers have good reason to believe that our own ski areas can compete with the best that Europe has to offer. From the quaint French Canadian inns and ski trails of the Laurentians; down through northern New York State and New England's tradition – hallowed villages (Lake Placid, Hanover, Stowe, North Conway, Whiteface, Pinkham Notch, Pico Peak); from the mushrooming ski areas of the Midwest – Ishpeming, Boyne Mountain, Telemark, Caberfae, Northernaire, Wilmot; on out to the high mountains and open slopes of the West, from Banff, Spokane. Mt. Hood and Mt. Rainier through Sun Valley, Alta, Squaw Valley (scene of the '60 Winter Olympics) – to name just a few American ski areas – there is a winter world of wonderful fun awaiting the American skier (and the visiting European skier, too) which is fast coming to equal the best that Europe has to offer.

All these places have their special and unique qualities; winter after winter one can ski a region at a time and find constant variety in slopes, lifts, living accommodations and social life; but wherever one goes and however long one stays – and whether one is beginner, intermediate or expert – the healthy and informal atmosphere of high good fun, Which is the mark of the skier's world, is ready and waiting to be enjoyed.

Aspen, Colorado, is perhaps the most shining example of an American ski resort. This charming village nestled in the Roaring Fork Valley at 7900 feet, ringed by 14,000-foot mountains, now has just about everything for which the ardent or occasional skier can ask. Its average humidity is about 25%, its average annual snowfall is some eight feet, and it's never very cold or very hot. Aspen was a great big deal during the days of Bimetalism because it was the center of a thriving silver mining region. From the time of the silver panic until some 10 years ago, the little Victorian town slumbered in the crisp, clean air of the Rockies. Then, in 1947, the world's longest chair lift (14,000 feet) started operation to the top of Aspen Mountain, and modern Aspen was launched. Happily, the founding fathers of the new Aspen had the good sense to preserve and to perpetuate its quaint Victorian charm, and so today we see a fantastic mixture of the ultramodern and the charming Victorian, which live so happily together. New lifts have been added, new facilities opened up, such as the Highland Peak Area; and by the time you read this, there will be in operation a brand-new novice's paradise on Buttermilk Mountain, about a mile out of the town, complete with T-Bar lift and mile-long runs gentle enough for the beginner. Aspen offers a bewildering variety of slopes and trails – some 24 in number – and has what we like to believe is the best ski school in the world under the direction of Friedl Pfeifer and co-author of this piece, Fred Iselin.

But it also offers every conceivable kind of accommodation, from (continued on page 74) Fun On Skis (continued from page 70) dormitory to chalet, to say nothing of swimming pools, restaurants, nightclubs, bistros, bars, pubs, lodges, coffee houses, cafes and shops. In fact, since the F.I.S. (Federation Internationale de Ski) races were held in Aspen in 1950, it has developed into one of the most colorfully exciting places in the world. About the only thing you can't do there, in the wintertime, is get sand in your shoes. That's why Playboy selected it as an ideal spot to take the pictures you see in this issue.

But, as we've said, it has only recently been thus at Aspen, and it has only recently been that American skiing has added to the excitement and adventure of the sport itself, the glamor and gaiety of its accompanying pleasures. And, just as the skier's world has expanded from rugged outdoorsmanship to high good fun on and off skis around the clock, so ski fashions and ski equipment have evolved.

Time was – again, not so long ago – when skiing was strictly for the rugged. Lifts were unknown and a day's arduous climb might precede a half-hour downhill run. Skis were incredibly long and heavy – up to 14 feet in length; bindings were primitive and clothing had to verge on the Eskimoid since there were no lodges or rest houses to speak of. With the introduction of rope tows, a few lifts and a few ski resorts – and skis of maneuverable length with steel edges – the picture began to change. The mountaineering garb gave way to baggy wool pantaloons. Then came the "professional look." The experts and the more sophisticated skiers affected extreme conservatism, patterned on the clothing of the European pros who came to this country to teach skiing. Ski caps gave way to headbands. The tight and tapered ski trousers (at that time called "instructor" pants) and trim, lightweight jackets, were the thing. The hipster was an everything-functional boy. Those were the days, too, of the development of allmetal ski bindings which, though they held the foot and boot firmly to the ski and thus improved technique, also proved as unyielding as a steel trap – with a resultant sound of snapping bones rising above the cheerful shouts of "Track!" and "Ski Heil!"

Today this is all changed. The safety binding. the laminated ski, the perfected steel edge, the double boot, the lightweight and virtually unbreakable pole, have made skiing safer, better and happier. And the fashion picture has changed entirely.

There's virtually no sport activity in which a wider range of individuality can be shown within the bounds of good taste. Especially for good skiers, the bizarre and the original are perfectly all right. The famous skiers lead the way in this matter. Top coach Ernie McCulloch wears an old farmer-style straw hat with high crown and floppy wide brim; Willie Schaffler, coach of the University of Denver team, wears a stocking cap with a long tassle; Stein Eriksen, at Heavenly Valley, California, wears an Alpine beret, tam-o'-shanter style. Tyrolean hats are common. And sweaters have made a tremendous comeback. This is new; only a couple of years ago, they were rarely seen, except when ski jackets were removed. Today, the tightly knit, hefty sweater is one of the most colorful items of the skier's wardrobe. And the styles are as varied as the patterns and colors – rollovers, double-breasted fronts, shawl collars, zippered backs and sides – all have their loyal adherents.

Knickers are back, too – which gives the colorful skier an opportunity to wear some of those wonderful heavy Austrian and Scandinavian socks with ingenious designs and patterns.

New materials and new ideas have influenced ski clothing to such an extent that it is now possible to be original and even striking-looking, and still be dressed functionally for the sport. Underwear developed by the armed forces for coldweather service, in which the fabric has a sort of waffle-weave which traps the warmth of the body, makes it unnecessary to have your outer clothing warm – all it needs to be is reasonably windproof. Stretch pants, of course, are a boon to today's skier and – since they are also worn by the girls – the guy can readily verify some figure facts about a lass whose face he likes.

But perhaps the biggest news in ski garb – from the style standpoint – is the development of original and interesting after-ski clothing. Lederhosen, Austrian top hats, fur jackets of seal, reindeer or raccoon, paisley parkas, even loden cloth capes, flourish from the cocktail hour on.

Any non-skier who has read this far may be somewhat bewildered by all this talk about the skier's world. If so, it is likely that he has some misconceptions about this way of life – there we go, using that tired cliche. He may think that skiing is a sport of difficult acquisition, requiring the physique of a football player. The fact is that the very first run down a gentle beginner's slope is just as thrilling to the beginner as a schuss down a mountain is to an expert. And with modern equipment and modern teaching methods, the transition from beginner to fairly good skier is a quick and easy one which may be made even during a twoto-three-week vacation. The fact is, too, that good dancers, people who have a feeling for rhythm, and high spirits – rather than dogged determination – do better in learning to ski, and as skiers, than the heavy-muscle boys. The good skiers – and the top instructors – know this, and they know that elan and esprit mean more to the skier than brute force. That's why you will find them, after the day's skiing's done, not only sharing in the singfests, beerbusts, wine parties and gabfests around the roaring fires but, most often, leading the way in the jollification.

Anybody still in doubt? Then let's go back to Aspen and see how a man, perhaps like you, might spend his day there.

A bright, crisp morning finds you at the foot of the single or double lift which in less than a half hour whisks you to the top of the mountain. Although the temperature is above freezing, say around 40, the high altitude and low humidity make the powder snow completely dry. At the Sundeck, over a cup of coffee by the crackling fire, you look over the distaff situation and consider which run will be yours. Perhaps the former will influence your choice of the latter. Or perhaps you see nothing that excites you so early in the morning, so you swoop down through the powder on Bell Mountain. or take it easy down Silver Bell or Buckhorn, and wend your way to Spar Gulch where you'll meander over to one of the most sociable double lifts in the world: a ride to the top of Number 3 lift may find you a fair companion for the day; if not, you'll find Number 4 lift on Little Nell or Number 5 on Bell Mountain excellent places to make friends.

You may decide to lunch at the Skier's Cafe at the bottom of Number I lift. Or you may want to go to the Little Nell Cafe next to the swimming pool, or the Glory Hole coffee shop, right at the foot of the slope.

Possibly you've enrolled in ski school – a darn good idea unless you've way up among the elite. It is a rare thing for a ski class not to contain some delightfully helpless damsel who will turn to you to assure her that she hasn't got her skis on backwards.

A few hours of skiing and of wonderful scenery may find you ready to doff your skis for the day, go back to your diggings and change for the after-ski life which Aspen has to offer. At the Jerome bar you'll find the sophisticated crowd; at the Limelite you can sit around the fireplace, talking over the day's runs, while you watch the sun set over the ski slopes. Or you may prefer the Red Onion, always full of the younger college crowd, much given to the hoisting of tankards of beer. Maybe, before you settle down for some joyful preprandial swilling, you'll want to stroll the streets of Aspen – always thronged with skiers – to scan the offerings of the Aspen shops (Aspen Sports, the Mountain Shop, Terese David of Aspen, Sabbatini Sport, (concluded on page 94) Fun on skis (continued from page 74) Elli of Aspen, and many others). You can buy almost anything in Aspen that's in any way related to skiing, the finest imports and the best domestic stuff, too, much of it handmade – and you can find wonderful gifts at such places as the Alpine Jeweler and the Wonder Shop with which to console your non-skiing girl back home.

Perhaps you want to save your more alcoholic refreshments for after dinner. If so, be sure to try the very European coffee house atmosphere at the Epicure or the Delice pastry shop – or indulge in a pizza with beer at the Heidelberg (there's a nice juxtaposition of nationalities).

Night life in Aspen is, well, nifty. You might try dinner (to the accompaniment of folk singing) at the Limelite, or drop in to hear a chanteuse at the Rendezvous, with its intimate atmosphere and French cooking, or sample the Swiss fare at the Golden Horn and Guido's, or assay one of the Red Onion's charcoal broiled steaks. Or you might want to drive out of town to the Copper Kettle. And after dinner you have a choice of jazz at the Red Onion, dancing and floor show at the Golden Horn, or a quiet tete-a-tete over a nightcap at the Jerome.

Whatever you do, chances are you'll want to go to bed not too late because of tomorrow's skiing. This shouldn't prove a hardship, however, since the fun starts early in the P.M. At any rate, when it's time to wander homeward, you'll be going to the accommodation of your choice, made from a wide variety of lodges, motels, chalets, apartments or even dormitories. There's the Jerome, the luxurious Aspen Meadows, the Prospector, the swank Smuggler, with its heated pool, the more informal Holland House, the Norway and Blue Spruce lodges – or the Mountain Chalet for the young at heart. Maybe yours will be an apartment at the Hillside (converted from the old jail) or the Tipple and Towne Place, converted from an ore house. Perhaps it will be the new Villa Lamarr, the Aspenhof, Boomerang-Lodge, Westerner, Holiday House, Glory Hole Motel, Bell Mountain Lodge, The Pines, The Vagabond, or Alpine Lodge.

Wherever you stay, though, we offer one word of warning: don't imbibe so much that you risk the fate that befell a lad we know. One fine night late, this boyo staggered sleepily into a girls' dorm by mistake, only to be awakened at daylight by the sound of pretty young things cavorting about in their longjohns. Fortunately, he had the aplomb to sit up and say blandly, "What the hell are you girls doing in my room?"

Atop Asp en Mountain a merry group of skiers demonstrate, among other things, that wine is a fine accompaniment to the winey air, that relaxing can be as much fun as schussing, that skiing isn't a lonely sport, and that nothing tops ski garb for colorful variety and originality

Left: the guy's good – looking big bulk sweater is hand knit by the Cowichan lndians in unbleached raw wool, comes in a variety of patterns; $49.95. A fresh wrinkle at popular ski areas like Aspen, the face mask in the back does double duty against wind and sun, adds a jolly touch to the skier's garb. Right: the fun of apres ski gets under way at the Red Onion – pretty girls, lots of suds and the right duds. Guzzler on the left sports a red Tyrolean wool jacket from Austria, with antique silver buttons; $34.95. Fellow in the middle likes his gray Thalhammer jacket, also from Austria; $34.95. Lad at lower right wears the ultimate in a sealskin arctic – type parka, warm, rugged and distinctive; $175

Left: recommended gear. The skis, I to r: Head's Standard; $85. Cortina; $85. Blizzard; $89.50 (standard edge), $99.50 (hidden edge). Northland's Competition Downhill; $75.kastle Downhill; $82.50 (regular edge), $99.50 (hidden edge). The bindings, from the left: Cubco; $14.95. Ski-Free with Atenhofer Flex cable; $5 and $7.50. U.S. 2 Star; $13.75 (without long thong). Dovre #100; $7.95. marker Automatic Simplex with turntable longthong; $22.50.

Above: wide-wale corduroy Edelweiss knickers for the canny slopes man; $14.95.

The poles, I to r: Eckel's tapered steel; $13.95; Cortina's shatlerproof fiberglass; $14.95. Komperdell's steel; $14.95. Goggles, same order: Meiss' lightweight with four interchangeable lenses; $3.95; Olympia Vollsichtbrille racing style, slotted sides accommodate glasses; $2.50; same goggle unslottted; $2.50. Bouton goggles with four interchangeable lenses; $3.50.

Above: when you've had enough of the slopes (if that's possible), a good place to get away from it all is the heated pool at The Smuggler, one of Aspen's newer lodges, where a late afternoon coterie of guys and girls take to the waters to frolic and guzzle drinks floating on Styrofoam. Though the air outside may be in the brisk 3os, the pool is always over 70. Other winter sports available in the Aspen area include dog-sled trips, ice skating, sleigh rides and tennis.

Right: this chap, cruising the streets of Aspen while others are on the slopes, has found a candid means of illustrating his disinclination to risk his neck, as the has the bright yellow stripe he's affixed to the back of his parka clearly demonstrates.