Picking up the pieces.

[sorcamc]

So, this is sort of random, but hey, we're skiers. We can be a little random and that's ok. I ski at a small mountain in the Poconos and as joyful as that can be, it can get really old, really fast. There are 4 or 5 runs that I really love to do, but I am down from top to bottom in under a minute. Last week, I had the opportunity to ski a few days. My kids are old enough now that they can venture off on their own with their friends at this mountain and that is great. My hubby doesn't ski, so that leaves me solo if I don't see any of my mountain friends there.

This last week, on my first day skiing solo, I decided to check out some of the blues that I don't often ski on, just to change things up and focus on technique. I found lots of "me"s when I was learning to ski. People sprawled out all over the hill- full on yard sales, people half way down a headwall paralyzed in fear to continue, people that looked thoroughly confused about what to do next.

I made it a point to just STOP and help and it was SO SO rewarding. I'm not saying I'd never stopped to help a person before because of course I have, but I made a point to go out of my way to do it this time and it was great. I met some awesome people. I remember the first woman, probably in her late 20s early 30s and she was stopped sideways on the headwall. I came right up next to her and said, "you are terrified, aren't you?" She looked at me like with fearful eyes and said, "YES, I AM". I asked her if I could help her and she said, "PLEASE DO". I helped her down the hill turn by turn, slowly, but surely and hopefully gave her some pointers to help her grow her love of the sport. Her gratitude really inspired me to continue on helping people throughout the day. I have to say, it was one of my favorite ski days ever.

I think I got lucky because the people I stopped to talk to welcomed the help. I know some people might take offense to it, though. It's amazing what doing a small thing can do to lift people's spirits. I just saw the news of another shooting in FL, so I wanted to think happy thoughts and this was the one that came to mind. Happy Skiing!!!

 

[Jilly]

I love your passion. That's what this is all about!

 

[badger]

For a " random" subject I find it coincidental that I too was in the helping mode this past Tuesday. This was a day where I had taken my granddaughter to a full-day snowboard lesson and was returning to the learning hill on a regular basis to see what she was doing. After awhile I just decided to hang out there for a bit and took off my skis.

The resort was unusually crowded with first-time skiers and riders, many foreign groups that must have been tourists on their way to the Grand Canyon. (I live in AZ) . Two hours of afternoon time, I found myself assisting several skiers back into their bindings, uprighting the fallen on flat terrain, and picking up " yard sale " items off the snow. There will never come a day when I forget how frustrating skiing is for beginners. We have all been there and can share our tips and experiences graciously to those in obvious need!

 

[SkiBilly]

What a beautiful skier person you are

 

[bounceswoosh]

That's fantastic! I stop to help sometimes. Especially if I see that dynamic where a male skier has dragged a female skier into something that the female skier doesn't know how to handle, and male skier is impatiently yelling up to "Just ski it! Don't think about it!"

 

[newboots]

Thank you all for your gentleness and kind offers of help! I had lovely help from an older man (I had met him the week before for a couple of minutes) when he came across me sprawled all over the snow. He offered to help me up (I find this terribly awkward and just take off one ski instead). Then he said, "Follow me" and skied with lovely, sweet wedge turns down to the next flat, where he was headed one way, and I another. I had been trying to get past wedge turns but it was a lovely little run, and so easy!

 

[mustski]

I had that kind of day too. I was skiing greens and easy blues with my son's GF and came across a young women out of both skis and had them pointing the wrong way-off piste- into terrible crap. It was fun stabilizing her skis while she clicked in! Also, one binding was funky. I had to assist and pop it up with a pole while she stomped down. I suggested she go back to the rental shop.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I had that kind of day too. I was skiing greens and easy blues with my son's GF and came across a young women out of both skis and had them pointing the wrong way-off piste- into terrible crap. It was fun stabilizing her skis while she clicked in! Also, one binding was funky. I had to assist and pop it up with a pole while she stomped down. I suggested she go back to the rental shop.

My friend and I came across a guy last season who turned out to have a completely broken demo binding. The heel piece was moving back and forth freely. We had initially thought we could help him stomp in, but ultimately we told him he might have to get ski patrol to give him a ride down, because trying anything would be dangerous.

 

[mustski]

^^^Rental stuff scares me. I have demoed skis with no edges on pretty slick days. In my world, it's the best reason for a quiver

 

[sorcamc]

I Know i'm not alone in offering help to new skiers. I love that so many of us have similar stories. It's one of the things I really love about skiing. I'll never forget when I did my first black diamond..it was UGLY. I thought I was ready and wasn't. Someone stopped to help and she was so sweet. When she bent down to help me, I heard, "OH HI!!!" it was my neighbors daughter. She was there with all her friends, but still stopped to help out. It left an indelible impression of her character. I'm not skiing this weekend, but hope you all have a great time on the slopes.

Those rental stories are crazy!! Loose bindings would cause anyone to hate the sport! SCARY!

 

[Snowmonkey]

I'll never forget the time I was riding up a chairlift and saw a young man apprehensively approaching the trail under the chairlift, which happened to be a black diamond. It was a small resort, so it wasn't a truly horrible black diamond, but it was one, nonetheless. He seemed very unsure of himself, and I was planning to ski that trail anyway, as my last run of the night, so I decided to approach him and strike up a conversation. He turned out to be a foreign student, who barely spoke any English. I managed to piece together that he had come with a group of friends, who had seemingly abandoned him at the top of the summit. It was his first time on skis--ever--and he was about to head down a black diamond!

I guided him over to another trail, which as a green, and convinced him that it was a much better option. I taught him the pizza/french fries moves, and we started off down the trail. He must have fallen a billion times, but he stayed in good spirits for the most part, and was very thankful that I stayed with him. About a third of the way from the bottom, he finally became so frustrated that he took the skis off and walked the rest of the way down. I walked him back to the lodge, where I hope he gave his friends a big dose of grief for leaving him behind the way they did. I am still shocked that they would just leave the poor kid up there to fend for himself! I have come across some other newbies I have helped get through scary portions of trail, as well. I'm glad that we're out there to give some encouragement and help to those who need it!

 

[Moonrocket]

One day my husband and friends were skiing over a mile outside of the ski area through an access gate and they ran into a dad and son in not great ski gear. They approached them to see if they were okay. They said they were looking for a certain blue trail at the resort.

They led them all of the way down to the highway and helped them hitchhike back to the resort. The dad told his son- you don't have to tell mom about this.

Now whenever we get somewhere questionable we always ask "how do we get to Edelweiss"?

 

[BrookeK]

@sorcamc
That's terrific! I've helped a good amount of people (I once came across a poor girl who's friend shad brought her skiing....her first time...for her birthday...and then left her!) I really think some people believe you jusy put on skis and it's easy, then find out the hard way that it isn't what they expect. Or the end up on trails and realize too late that it's outside of their skill set (I've done that! Whoopies!)
I think it's great that you take the time to stop.

Not sure which Pocono mountain you ski at...but if you ever see a chick on a wednesday in bright green floral print pants, a blue jacket and a neon yellow helmet ... say hi, it's me!

 

[lisamamot]

The dad told his son- you don't have to tell mom about this

Not in regards to skiing, but I do believe this phrase has been uttered in my house as well. The kids have been known to throw dad under the bus, lol.

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

I love helping out newbies! I don't always stop for adults (especially ones that look pretty angry at their falls lol), but I've helped countless kiddos get their skis back on, picked up their equipment, told them they were looking awesome before the death cookie got them, etc. Seems to help them laugh it off and keep their confidence!

Funny story: a beginner completely skiing out of control on a black whizzed up on me from the side, we collided, I rolled to avoid my skis going into his face, and then he somehow grabbed my pole and we slid about 20 feet together down some moguls. After asking each other if we were okay, we high fived each other for a "perfect" collision with no injuries and the 20 foot stretch of yard sale we left in our wake. Evidently his buddy convinced him to go straight to a bumpy black after he had one run on a green where he didn't fall. With friends like that, who needs enemies? Lol!

 

[badger]

Again, speaking of helping people on the slopes: Yesterday I had watched another beginner on a steepish slope who had come out of one of her skis. She was a woman with a husband waiting down at the bottom. I had been skiing behind her little group of other beginners pizza-wedging on a slope they did not belong. All without poles.
I helped the lady get back into her ski, which can take several minutes. My question is this: Are there any special tactics one can use to get back into a ski on a steep slope? Trying the platform creation method only works if there is enough snow to make a little shelf. (not the case yesterday.)

I can so totally understand the plight of this lady. I've been there myself many times, and it is quite frustrating.

 

[Obrules15]

Again, speaking of helping people on the slopes: Yesterday I had watched another beginner on a steepish slope who had come out of one of her skis. She was a woman with a husband waiting down at the bottom. I had been skiing behind her little group of other beginners pizza-wedging on a slope they did not belong. All without poles.
I helped the lady get back into her ski, which can take several minutes. My question is this: Are there any special tactics one can use to get back into a ski on a steep slope? Trying the platform creation method only works if there is enough snow to make a little shelf. (not the case yesterday.)

I can so totally understand the plight of this lady. I've been there myself many times, and it is quite frustrating.

This is probably going to sound weird but what helps me the most is to stop, breathe, calm down, and relax. I find that I'm already pissed I wiped out and if I don't take charge of my headspace I can let anxiety run away with me, but if I'm calm I problem solve much better, which gets me back into my ski faster.

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

Again, speaking of helping people on the slopes: Yesterday I had watched another beginner on a steepish slope who had come out of one of her skis. She was a woman with a husband waiting down at the bottom. I had been skiing behind her little group of other beginners pizza-wedging on a slope they did not belong. All without poles.
I helped the lady get back into her ski, which can take several minutes. My question is this: Are there any special tactics one can use to get back into a ski on a steep slope? Trying the platform creation method only works if there is enough snow to make a little shelf. (not the case yesterday.)

I can so totally understand the plight of this lady. I've been there myself many times, and it is quite frustrating.

I plant myself below them, and have them push on my back or shoulder to get enough force to click back in.

 

[bounceswoosh]

This is probably going to sound weird but what helps me the most is to stop, breathe, calm down, and relax. I find that I'm already pissed I wiped out and if I don't take charge of my headspace I can let anxiety run away with me, but if I'm calm I problem solve much better, which gets me back into my ski faster.

Why would that sound weird?

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

Why would that sound weird?

I second that! Get your zen on, and things go much more smoothly....or at least, even if they don't, you found your inner peace, so screw it lol.