Muriel Watterworth is less than two years from becoming a centenarian, but she has no plans to stop sliding down the slopes on a pair of skis.
Even two broken ribs a few years ago hasn’t stopped the 98-year-old Edmontonian from enjoying her passion.
Watterworth, who has skied for more than 60 years, is part of the Rocky Mountain Seniors Ski Club, which since 2008 has brought older skiers together at Snow Valley Edmonton for coffee and shared time on the slopes. She first tried the sport after watching her late husband glide effortlessly down the mountain at Lake Louise.
“He was an avid skier. I did not like it at first, but the bug finally hit me. I got used to it and enjoyed it.”
These days she sometimes skis more than once a week, depending on her energy level. “Every once and a while, I just like to go off by myself,” she added. “Sometimes I get tired, so I have to take a day off.”
She joined the Rocky Mountain Ski Club six years ago. It gives seniors aged 55 and over of all skiing skill levels the chance to enjoy the alpine sport together. It also offers cross-country classes and mountain skiing trips away from its home hill at Snow Valley.
For Watterworth, a typical day is an hour of skiing, followed by socializing over a warm beverage. If she’s feeling energetic, Watterworth will sometimes ski again after finishing her refreshment.
These days she only skis at Snow Valley, but she recalls fondly the days she and her husband travelled annually to Marmot Basin in Jasper, “When I was younger and the kids were still at home, we used to go to a lot of Canadian ski areas, also some in the U.S., but that is over with now.”
At Snow Valley she tackles runs of medium or less difficulty that are well groomed to avoid injuries, such as the time she fell and broke two ribs. “I was nearing the end of the run, on a flat, flat area, caught an edge and that was it for the day. A tough ride home.”
Despite her injury, Watterworth was soon back on skis and is now the group’s most popular member. “She’s on the ball all the time,” Ilene Larson, a past ski club president, told CTV Edmonton in January. “She has an excellent sense of humour. You think, wow, and we’d all like to be like that.”
For Watterworth, skiing is a way to grow old gracefully, make new friends and get outside in the fresh air. And even though she’s approaching 100 years of age, she has continued to learn new skills on the slopes.
“I guess you are never too old to learn, and the one thing I remember from my last session at Marmot was always finish your turns. My husband taught us short radius turns which I have always wanted to do. Not any good at it yet!”
Snow Valley Marketing and Communications Advisor Alex Mickelson says the non-profit Rocky Mountain Seniors Ski Club is beneficial to seniors because it creates a consistent, dedicated community of like-minded individuals who like to stay active, hit the slopes, and socialize.
