Bill Jennings

Sports > Outdoors

Bill Jennings: Don’t give up on winter yet

Fri., March 29, 2019

A friend of mine just returned from a mountain-hopping trip through the Colorado Rockies. He had quite an adventure and the skiing and riding there is of an epic scale. But there’s a catch. The epic mountains attract so much attention from Colorado’s exploding urban population that getting there and back is as stressful as a daily commute.

Sports > Outdoors

Bill Jennings: Stretch your mind, body when it comes to staying in skiing shape

Wed., March 13, 2019

From my first lesson, I’ve learned that skiing starts with the feet. In a yoga session, your instructor’s first order is to activate your feet. The power you feel from nearly every pose, as well as the energy you feel coursing through your body, comes from the ground up.

Sports > Outdoors

Bill Jennings: Exploring Spokane’s rich skiing history

Sat., March 2, 2019

Cris Currie has been president of Friends of Mount Spokane for more than 20 years. He knows the place backward and forward and has channeled that passion into a 247-page book: “Spokane’s History of Skiing: 1913 to 2018.”

Sports > Outdoors

Jennings: When it’s (almost) too cold to ski

Fri., Feb. 15, 2019

Winter weather can be cruel. An Arctic storm delivered nearly a foot of snow to Mount Spokane last weekend. It arrived riding a wave of bitter cold, high winds and a chill factor of about 30 below on the slopes. But here’s the cruel part: I live to ski powder, but there is only so much suffering I’m willing to endure for it.

Sports > Outdoors

2016 Ski Preview: Silver Mountain the classic snow rider’s mountain

Thu., Nov. 3, 2016

There are several things about Silver Mountain that make it unique. Instead of driving up a winding mountain road, you ride a gondola to the top. Up there, the world turns upside down – you descend from the lodge and ride a lift to get back. Plus, you can slide on snow up above all day and soak in 83-degree tropical ambiance in the water park down below at night.

Sports > Outdoors

2016 Ski preview: Expansion comes to ‘mom and pop vibe’ of 49 Degrees North

Thu., Oct. 27, 2016

In the past decade 49 Degrees North has increased its skiable acreage by nearly 50 percent by expanding to Sunrise Basin to the east and Angel Peak to the west. The resort competes neck and neck with Crystal Mountain in the Cascades for the title of largest ski area in Washington state.

Sports > Outdoors

Bill Jennings: Bargains still exist for ski season passes in inland northwest

Wed., Sept. 7, 2016

Annual price increases for season passes and lift tickets at ski resorts are a fact of life. Every year operators raise prices with the aim to increase revenue, without provoking outrage. The good news is that despite this subtle annual rate of inflation, season passes in the inland northwest can still be a bargain.

Sports

Reifer’s full life always leads him to the slopes

Fri., April 1, 2011

Lookout Pass Ski Area has celebrated its 75th season. That’s about as many ski seasons as Hans Reifer has seen in his eventful lifetime. I joined him on his 102nd day skiing since November. Every day Lookout is open, you’ll know where to find Reifer, a limited partner in the resort. Don’t you wish you could figure out how to get away with hitting a mountain every day? I’ll settle for skiing like Reifer when I’m pushing 80. According to him, fate will make the difference.

Sports

Mead graduate Will Brandenburg endures baptism by fire on his first World Cup circuit

Fri., March 25, 2011

Mead High School graduate Will Brandenburg had a tough time sustaining the momentum from his top-10 finish in the 2010 Olympic super combined event at Whistler, British Columbia, last February. After three years of bouncing between the Nor-Am Cup and Europa Cup circuits with the occasional World Cup start, Brandenburg started every World Cup slalom of the 2010-11 season, including the world championships in Garmisch- Partenkirchen, Germany. In several events, Brandenburg carried the best time until the split, only to straddle a gate or careen off course.

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