Silver Tsunami (Part 3): Maple Grove’s Monte Miller defies age
They say age is just a number, and for many seniors, that’s not just a saying, but something to live by. As a continuing part of our Silver Tsunami series, we introduce you to a 82 year-old Maple Grove man who is active, accomplished and leaving his mark in the history books.
Summer or winter, you can find Monte Miller navigating the ski trails at Elm Creek Park Reserve, running rapidly up and down hills. During the summer months, he pole walks for about an hour and half each day.
Miller isn’t climbing hills just for the fun of it. He’s training for his next big adventure. He’s a ‘Worldloppet Global Skier’ – one of only 185 in the world.
“I used to hate snow”
“When I became a global skier… in the United States—think I was number 14,” explained Miller. “So there’s only 14 of us that in the U-S have done that.”
The 82-year-old history-maker didn’t take up skiing until he was 58 years old.
“I used to hate winter,” says Miller. “I spent most of my time inside the house, looking at maps of the Boundary Waters.”
That quickly changed after he saw his son hitting the slopes; now Miller loves to ski. He’s competed in over 18 countries, shredding the slopes and slaying the competition.
“There’s not that many people in my age category any more. So, there’s very little competition.”
“We all get old, but we don’t have to get older,” says Miller.
He also enjoys riding his bike and playing pickleball. Monte also helped to train the Osseo boys ski team for 22 years.
However, this year he’s taking a break.
Miller is currently training for another Loppet race.
