Panic attack at the Top

[2ski2moro]

All this talk about Gore... I'm going there in two weeks...
I agree with everyone above on getting freaked folks safely down steep spots. Learning to sideslide is a key trick to keep in the bag.

PM me when you are coming. Gore just announced that beginning Feb. 27, a passholder can bring a friend for half price.

 

[litterbug]

Last year, someone said something on some forum that made me think of sideslipping as a skiing skill. Not preferred, not recommended, and not a replacement for learning to ski steep and hard stuff, but it's a way to get past a headwall when you either know you can't ski it or are flipping out and not fortunate enough to have a supportive friend nearby.

Good skiers complain about less-skilled skiers scraping off all the snow on steep sections, and I get that, but I'd rather get to where I can start turning than present other skiers with a splayed broken-boned obstacle in the middle of a run. It usually takes only a few feet before I start making rudimentary turns, anyway.

 

[segacs]

Agreed. It's not a technique to aspire to; it's a survival skill. If you know that you always have a fall-back option, you're less likely to panic.

 

[ski now work later]

I took a lesson at Stowe and we went into the woods where conditions were marginal, at best. One of the coaches mentioned sideslipping as a "strategy." That really clicked for me and much later that day when I found myself on narrow, curvy, huge rocks with ice and frozen granular, steep terrain, I employed that "strategy" very effectively and got down it without falling or straining and even made a few turns.

Plan to return there when there is more snow, beautiful trail on Spruce Mtn., quite out of the way. A hidden gem. That strategy allowed me to enjoy it although it was gnarly for me.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

A quick thought on the question regarding whether or not to call ski patrol when someone in your party is in way over their heads for whatever reason.

I can not speak for your ski area, but our ski patrol will absolutely provide "courtesy" rides in their sleds. Don't expect it to happen right away if they have real emergencies. However, it is often much safer than attempting to walk down a steep pitch (or up) in ski boots. It is safer for the walker and the skiers who might hit the walker.

Also, expect to get a recommendation to take a lesson.

On a funnier note, it is the absolutely most shameful call an instructor ever has to make to ski patrol "can you come give my student a courtesy ride please". It has happened to a handful over the years and always lends itself to some funny stories in the locker.

In all seriousness, walking is more dangerous than skiing on most steep runs and patrollers recognize this fact.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Last year, someone said something on some forum that made me think of sideslipping as a skiing skill.

Agreed. It's not a technique to aspire to; it's a survival skill.

Instructors, help me out here!! I'm not referring to side-slipping an entire run - I'm talking about the release and engagement of edges, and controlling the fore-aft motion of your skis through side-slipping -- which is the basis of pivot slips, which is the moguls instruction imperative. And learning to "feather" edges in a short side-slip can get you through the nastiest boilerplate anywhere, combined with a forward motion, which you obviously control, to get to where the snow is. This is a major skill! Bumps, trees/glades, boilerplate. Even sliding over to where your group of friends are!

 

[bounceswoosh]

Last year, someone said something on some forum that made me think of sideslipping as a skiing skill. Not preferred, not recommended, and not a replacement for learning to ski steep and hard stuff, but it's a way to get past a headwall when you either know you can't ski it or are flipping out and not fortunate enough to have a supportive friend nearby.

Good skiers complain about less-skilled skiers scraping off all the snow on steep sections, and I get that, but I'd rather get to where I can start turning than present other skiers with a splayed broken-boned obstacle in the middle of a run. It usually takes only a few feet before I start making rudimentary turns, anyway.

If you're properly side-slipping, you're not using your edges, so you're not so much scraping as redistributing. But in any case - self-righteous whiners who've forgotten what it's like to be a beginner complain about scraping off the snow. Good skiers aren't skiing where there's likely to be much scraping. Fear of "scraping off the snow" and making everyone upset ruined my chances at learning to ski moguls for over a decade. I don't want to see anyone else's progress impeded by that "gem."

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Maine ski lady,

I totally agree with you! Side slipping is not just one of the best skill drills out there, it is truly a useful way to negotiate tricky terrain. How that is defined is up to the user. It can be getting through a particularly steep section of a blue run, or a way to get past the crux between some steep trees.

A shining testament to its usefulness was pointed out to me by a friend who is just getting into black runs and watched the recent Seth Morrison documentary An Ordinary Skier. She noticed that he was side slipping quite a few sections in Chamonix, and it made her realize that it is not a sign of being a bad skier, but rather of being smart by using the safest and most efficient tool for the job.

I would practice and perfect falling leaf side slips as well...for greater versatility when turns are not an option.

 

[litterbug]

Or you could be Ted Ligety sideslipping in powder...
(sadly you have to watch for a while to get there...durn it all! )

 

[snow addict]

Instructors, help me out here!! I'm not referring to side-slipping an entire run - I'm talking about the release and engagement of edges, and controlling the fore-aft motion of your skis through side-slipping -- which is the basis of pivot slips, which is the moguls instruction imperative. And learning to "feather" edges in a short side-slip can get you through the nastiest boilerplate anywhere, combined with a forward motion, which you obviously control, to get to where the snow is. This is a major skill! Bumps, trees/glades, boilerplate. Even sliding over to where your group of friends are!

+1

 

[Bayla]

This has also been me! This usually happens on a trail I've never been on before. Sideslips, falling leaf all my go to survival moves. On a recent trip to Alta I felt overwhelmed, had new boots so I chose a lower level lesson to reinforce my confidence if nothing else. I get really frustrated when I know I can do it but fear gets the best of me. I may sideslip past a really hairy area and will stop, regroup, check my form, BREATHE and as an instructor once taught me in such a situation- focus on one turn at a time.

My husband recently took me down a trail that he said was great. It was a black tree lined mogul run. I have no business even attempting to ski such terrain (yet). Uh-oh he says, this isn't it. We traversed forever to get back to a safe place for me. Now the joke is "I wouldn't follow you to the bathroom".

 

[Downunder Diva]

Instructors, help me out here!! I'm not referring to side-slipping an entire run - I'm talking about the release and engagement of edges, and controlling the fore-aft motion of your skis through side-slipping -- which is the basis of pivot slips, which is the moguls instruction imperative. And learning to "feather" edges in a short side-slip can get you through the nastiest boilerplate anywhere, combined with a forward motion, which you obviously control, to get to where the snow is. This is a major skill! Bumps, trees/glades, boilerplate. Even sliding over to where your group of friends are!

^^^ I absolutely agree MSL I don't know if it is because I learned to ski in a bygone era but I don't understand why sideslipping would even be considered inferior skiing??? Surely having an arsenal of techniques and the judicious use thereof in the name of control and efficiency **is** the sign of the skilled skier...

 

[MaineSkiLady]

^^^ I absolutely agree MSL I don't know if it is because I learned to ski in a bygone era but I don't understand why sideslipping would even be considered inferior skiing??? Surely having an arsenal of techniques and the judicious use thereof in the name of control and efficiency **is** the sign of the skilled skier...

Seems to me that the "latter day skiers" (i.e., those who never skied straight boards) put most if not all of their focus on the carved turn, fully bypassing the use of the flat ski. I've noted this in recent years when skiing with same who cannot do/never learned to do a whirlybird (360 on the snow) - which is a brilliant combination of edging to flat ski, lots of steering, back to flat, then back to edge. Most of us old-schoolers could do this before we ever carved a turn!

But the learning curve is different now (unless regular with ski school, where this stuff IS taught), so many of them are backtracking in skill set learning - and feeling possibly as though using a flat ski, for whatever purpose, is retrograde to their learning. It's evident in how they struggle (some, that is) with learning to ski bumps. As noted prior by a previous post that she didn't get there until learning use of the flat ski.

 

[SkiBam]

Sideslipping = losing altitude gracefully.

An absolutely key skill for any skier.

 

[marta]

PM me when you are coming. Gore just announced that beginning Feb. 27, a passholder can bring a friend for half price.

There might be a bunch of Divas at Gore on March 3. Maybe mention it in the Whiteface forum and you might have company!

 

[wpsally]

The thing about panic attacks is that there isn't always a real reason. There may not be anything specific that triggered it or anything to do to help her next time. I had a total melt down a few years ago on a blue run I'd skied many times as a warm-up run of the day. I sat down on the side of the trail, cried and cried and desperately tried to get in air. It was like I came off the lift fine, got to the trail (via another trail) just fine, and then all of a sudden my mind just turned on me. I ended up getting down the hill by scooting on my butt for a bit then doing some side slipping, then freaking again and back to my butt. It was horrible. And there was no reason. Went inside after, had some hot chocolate and and hour later was out there skiing bumps and blacks like nothing had happened at all.

As to calling patrol... Absolutely call them. I don't think anyone should be ashamed to call patrol if they're unable to get down something. It's better to call them for a courtesy ride than to call them to bring a tobaggan because you've hurt yourself trying to ski something you can't handle. I keep the direct number programmed into my cellphone for patrol at the areas I usually ski.

Patrol doesn't want to get called to take drunk people down the mountain, but most patrollers I know would rather come get someone who's in a bad place than come get someone who is injured.

 

[SkiNana]

I had my bad panic attack scuba diving in 90 feet of water: that would be on the bottom under 90 feet of water! And, as you said, no for discernible reason at all. We were seasoned divers, Master Scuba Divers and Rescue Divers, with 200 plus dives under our belts. Fortunately, we had enough experience, and were good enough at communicating with each other under water, that I made no attempt to go up but let DH know I was in a bad place and just hung on. (Had I tried to go to the surface, I would have bolted, and going up too fast is extremely dangerous, even fatal.) We were experienced enough that Dive Masters, after the first five minutes or so, never paid us much attention, so I opened my regulator to the max, and added a few rocks to my pockets. We got out of the (awful) current as best we could, and waited it out. It turned out okay: we did the shark dive the next day and dived for the rest of our time in Fiji, but it had a lot to do with our decision to hang up our gear and return to skiing after having concentrated on diving for two decades instead. At least you can't drown skiing!

 

[2ski2moro]

And for the good news...

Today, we skied Gore again. After a few runs, my friend specifically asked if we could ski Uncas, the run where she had the panic attack.

I wish to report that she skied it with style. No panic.

 

[MissySki]

And for the good news...

Today, we skied Gore again. After a few runs, my friend specifically asked if we could ski Uncas, the run where she had the panic attack.

I wish to report that she skied it with style. No panic.

Alright! That is awesome, good for her!!

 

[bounceswoosh]

That's awesome! And a great reminder to "check in" with ourselves every day - something that's fun one day can be intimidating the next, and vice versa - not just because of snow and weather, but because of our own internal conditions.