19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

FLUFF PUFFS
Sirs:
What a delightful case Writer Paul Stewart and Photographer John Zimmerman made for powder skiing (The Perils of Powder, Nov. 15)! The picture showing arm and pole midst swirling powder expresses more succinctly than could any number of words just what "floating the fluff" is all about. The American skier must be fast becoming bored with skiing on hills that are like well-manicured putting greens—and of reading about variations on the basic technique for maneuvering down same.

Bravo SI!
BEATRICE SWENEY
New York City

Sirs:
John Zimmerman's deep-powder photographs were great, but who decided Eddie Morris of Alta, Utah is the best powder instructor in the country? Aspen Highlands' Fred Iselin and Lefty Brinkman, not to mention Aspen's Jim Snobble, or Sepp Kessler and half a dozen others from Aspen, would qualify for the best in anybody's book.

Who decided Alta invented deep powder? I was introduced to it by Max Bertsch of the Davos ski school, in Davos, Switzerland in 1945, and it had been going on there before Alta was born.

Who decided Vail had Colorado's best powder skiing? Why don't you ask Ted Johnson? He has skied them all.

It seems to me that a little less editorial license would have endeared you more to the skiing-in-deep-powder lovers, of which I'm one.
MILTON JAFFEE
Aspen, Colo.

Sirs:
Your cover billing reads: "The World's Best Snow: Western Powder." I'm quite insulted, because I thought everyone knew Vermont has the best snow—and, I might add, the best skiers!
JEAN TUDHOPE
New Haven, Conn.

Sirs:
One point that you mentioned, but did not state very forcefully: nowhere in the world can you find such snow and sun conditions as in the Taos Ski Valley, Santa Fe (N. Mex.) region. For a native of the Alps like me, the light powder and the brilliant sun of the southern Rockies are a continuing source of wonder and delight. In fact, it is hard to understand why so few Europeans come here to ski, where it is still fun and by no means more expensive. I find it amazing, living in the Southwest, that so many Americans fly to the Alps when they have the world's best skiing right here in their own backyard.
VICTOR FROEHLICH
El Prado, N. Mex.

Sirs:
It is interesting to note that it is the European visitors especially who go wild about Taos snow and Taos sun—in fact, many of them end up by working for Ernie Blake and his various lodges. The result is that you can find some of the most fabulous French, Swiss and Scandinavian food right on the slopes of Taos Ski Valley.
HERMANN KRETSCHMER
Taos, N. Mex.

FUNERAL MARCH
Sirs:
In his article, The Celtics Isn't Dead Yet (Nov. 15), Joe Jares asks Philly if the champ is still alive. Why not ask Boston who's the toughest team in the league? Ask Red Auerbach how many cigar-smoking nights he has missed against Philly. Ask Bill Russell who is the greatest center in the league. Bill Russell? Hah! Since Wilt Chamberlain has come into the league, you can count on one hand the number of games Russell has outplayed Wilt. We "fanatics" down in Philly wouldn't trade the 76ers for any team in the league, including the Celts, and we folks here in the basketball capital of the nation know what we're talking about.
LARRY PAUL
Philadelphia