Since when...

[Little Lightning]

Ski Patrol was no where to be seen, except for 1 accident scene on Morzart. Keystone has paid slope watch but we only saw them at the end of the day. Copper has Mtn Patrol (volunteers) and they are visible all day long. This year Copper's Patrol will be skiing all groomed runs. They are supervised by Ski Patrol and report directly to them. Coppers safety record is pretty high.

Many resorts here are cracking down on behavior, but Keystone doesn't seem to be on the bandwagon. Many of these bad guys seem to be travelling in groups so when I saw them coming I stopped and waited for the run to clear. At one point I stopped by a slow sign and one purposely came by and sprayed me with snow.

I wonder if they mistake me for a kid as these things don't seem to happen as much to my SO.

My friend thinks in most cases these people are just not paying attention to those around them but sometimes I wonder.

I only get the VR passes so that I can ski with friends from out of town. Last year I skied there enough to get my money out of my pass. The majority of my days were at Copper. When asked by the Surveyor my favorite resort, I said "Copper"

 

[Greeley]

I agree they need to crack down on the young out of control skiers. We just got back from a short trip to Vail/BC. If you really wanted to ski you had to be there when the lifts opened and were pretty much done by 11:30 when the young idiots showed up. After that it wasn't skiing, it was more of a survival run... trying to not get hit. Most of them were on wide, twin tip, reverse camber skis. I bet they handled real good on the manmade hardpack. All they did was straight run with an occasional hockey stop to slow down.
This trip was a big reminder why we haven't taken an early season tip in 10 years. Later in the season we are never around skiers like this. Maybe because we stay away from the terrain parks?

 

[abc]

This trip was a big reminder why we haven't taken an early season tip in 10 years. Later in the season we are never around skiers like this. Maybe because we stay away from the terrain parks?

Later in the seasin, there're usually 500 times the terrain open so your chance of encountering these idiots are down to less than 1%! ;)

(I don't go to resorts when they are less than 80% open)

 

[pinto]

If you really wanted to ski you had to be there when the lifts opened and were pretty much done by 11:30 when the young idiots showed up.

The key to early-season skiing. All four days at Copper so far, my pass has been scanned before 9 am ... I'm not usually that early of a riser (except on powder days, natch) but it's necessary right now.

 

[Pequenita]

Some people with lift tickets are just idiots and only experience will get them to change their ways.

I know I've posted this before - I was once standing next to Marigee -- while she was wearing a bright red mountain safety jacket -- a foot away from the roped lift line when a guy came from behind me and knocked me off me feet. And it wasn't like I had just gotten to where I was standing. I'd been standing there for a while, and it should have been a no-brainer to avoid me.

 

[evaino]

I always teach my students to do a shoulder check before they start to ski and also to not ski so fast that they can't avoid someone in front of them (that speed will differ for everyone depending on skill level). That's how I was taught to drive, and I figure on the hill is really no different than on the road.

I have actually been hit three times! First two times were at Silver Star our west, which floored me since I'd been skiing for almost 2 decades at crowded eastern hills without a collision. The first time I got hit by a snowboarder while I was doing consistent short radius turns along the side of a very wide run and we were the only two people on the run! I got popped out of my skis and he and I tumbled together for probably 3 full turns. We were both fine although I was angry - and thankful that I had a helmet on. I let him have an earful and he replied that it was just as much my fault. Then I really let him have it!

Second time was also at Silver Star - another boarder - but this time I managed to stay up as he skied over the backs of my skis and clipped my boots as he kept going. This time I was skiing with friends who took off after him and let him have it.

Third time was the most ridiculous of all - it was at Camp Fortune on a Monday night and I was taking a session with a group of about 20 instructors - all of us wearing red suits. we were skiing GS, so pretty fast, but did the full shoulder checks before we started, and I was maybe the 5th skier to go, and after about 5 or 6 turns when I was going very fast I got hit from behind by someone who was going even faster! Amazingly I was fine although shaken up - I think I did a 1080 before the skis popped off and then about a 720 tumble and then a good 40 foot slide. The kid (teenager) actually stopped and waited to see if I was ok. I pretty much yelled at him for a couple of minutes. His excuse? He was going too fast so he couldn't avoid me. So I yelled that he should "take a lesson" and skied off.

I have since seen a trend of this sort at the smaller ski hills: teenagers are bored so they try to ski all the way down the hill without turning. I've threatened to take passes away (kids don't realize that instructors aren't allowed to do this) for this as I view this as insanely dangerous.

 

[abc]

First two times were at Silver Star our west, which floored me since I'd been skiing for almost 2 decades at crowded eastern hills without a collision.

I hear you!

Although I have my share of close calls skiing in the east coast, my 2 biggest collision both happened while skiing out west!

The second one was the most rediculous. There was this big wide super highway of trail and just me on it... making lazy arc's down the middle...

This guys, who's skiing at the head of a group of 5-6 SKIERS, clipped the tail of my ski. Popped my binding and sending me sliding a good 20'! :( How he can even "hit" a single lone skier in the middle of this big wide trail is totally beyond me!

He did apologized profusedly so that stopped me from ripping him apart in front of his friends (all middle age skiers, and they all stopped to check on me). And fortunately for me (and him), the snow was soft and I was a pretty relaxed "faller". So the long slide, while rather frightening, did not casue any physical demage (mentally shook up a bit for the next 1/2 hr:(). I just had a hard time figuring out HOW he manage to hit me at all...

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I’m in the “Hit 3X Club” - all since 05. Never mind how many "you've got to be kidding me" near misses. 2 direct hits, remarkably, were within a few weeks’ time at same resort. And to allay the stereotype, 2 hits were by women skiers, one a younger teen (that was a backside BAM moment - like Pequenita, I was out of harm’s way, standing still, hit from behind - can you say “SURPRISE?”), one 40+ (which resulted in injuries - to me). Alas, 3rd was a male snowboarder, on his blind heel-side turn, although he took the much harder fall than I did.

Pinto had the best early season advice: go early, quit early.
Or—just stay away altogether.
I have no great or sage advice herein.
But....
When it becomes as much fun as driving in urban rush-hour traffic, it’s time to do something else.

 

[Little Lightning]

We skied Copper yesterday. 1st ride up the chair we saw 4 mtn patrollers and 2 ski patrol out patroling. We stayed on top and had few skiers to bother us. There is one black run open with bumps so we had a delightful time playing on it.

Yesterday was my 12th day of the season, Copper and A-Basin, and I had not seen the behavior at either resort that I saw at Keystone.

Even my SO was shocked, at Keystone he saw a boarder jump a SLOW SIGN on School Marm which is a slow skiing, family area.

Later in the season is no guarantee.There are certain runs I don't ski because of the "do no turn" skiers. Last year at Keystone I had been skiing in the trees and was going to the lift. I had to enter a run, which I stopped and checked before I entered. Above me there was no one, below me was a group with a fallen skier. I started down giving the group plenty of room. A from "out of nowhere" skis pointed straight down the hill skier almost clipped me then swerved into the group nearly taking them out. He was able to regain his balance and sped off.

During the season we ski weekdays, avoid weekends, holidays, even spring break. While we're not the 1st skiers on the hill we do know the best places to avoid lift lines and "yahoo" skiers.

IMHO, the ski resorts need to offer cheap newbie lessons, crack down on these yahoo's and require safety classes to return to the slopes when they are ticketed.

End of my rant.

 

[abc]

When it becomes as much fun as driving in urban rush-hour traffic, it’s time to do something else.

I drive in urban rush-hour traffic out of neccessity. ;-)

So the least I could do is not ski in the same condition...

Or—just stay away altogether.

Until the "rush hour" is over, that is.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I drive in urban rush-hour traffic out of neccessity. ;-)

Exactly. And unless you are employed at a ski resort and have to be there, you choose to go when.

The bad behavior isn't anything new. Maybe it's worse, I don't know. But it has always been there and probably (regrettably) always will be. I can go back 30+ years to when DH was teaching a lesson and was plowed into so hard by an errant skier that his goggles shattered (PTL, NOT in his EYES), and the frame nailed his face so hard that he went to his FIRST day on the job as an engineer with an ENORMOUS SHINER.

Plus que ca change, plus que ca meme chose. (excuse lack of international symbols, i.e., under c in ca, over meme)

 

[SkiBam]

Well, I'm really hoping that my new powder blue jacket will prove more soothing and somehow attract fewer boarders, like the four who managed to crash into me last season.

 

[Jilly]

Geez, SkiBam, I went to red this year. You had red last year. Let you know how that goes!! My red will be a little bigger than yours!

 

[geargrrl]

Exactly. And unless you are employed at a ski resort and have to be there, you choose to go when.

The bad behavior isn't anything new. Maybe it's worse, I don't know. But it has always been there and probably (regrettably) always will be. I can go back 30+ years to when DH was teaching a lesson and was plowed into so hard by an errant skier that his goggles shattered (PTL, NOT in his EYES), and the frame nailed his face so hard that he went to his FIRST day on the job as an engineer with an ENORMOUS SHINER.

Plus que ca change, plus que ca meme chose. (excuse lack of international symbols, i.e., under c in ca, over meme)

yeah me too. I'm thinking, "this is nothing new". I've been hearing the same thing for my whole ski career.

I avoid crowds and crowded resorts as much as possible. I know that is easier said than done for some of you, sorry.

 

[PNWSkier]

At our mountain kids are taught the skiers code and must demonstrate before they could move up a level. I appreciate that and know that it is my job as a parent to enforce that as he gets older and especially when he hits those teenage years. Thankfully years away!

 

[evaino]

I've never had any problem on a crowded hill - but 3 problems on practically empty hills. My take is that this is because on crowded hills people pay more attention out of necessity.

I also never see the kids go straight down the hill on weekends. Maybe because they'd get about 10 feet before hitting someone! And at that point it probably wouldn't hurt anyone because they don't have speed yet.

Elsbeth

 

[F&M]

This is more back to to the topic of the contradictory nature of the rules. I wish that they would restate the "look uphill and yield" rule more as a "watch out for your personal safety" rule. If you're the downhill person, it's not your *responsibility* to yield but you have to watch out for yourself because there are inconsiderate and reckless people on the slopes. It's like crossing the road--even if you have the "walk" sign at the crosswalk, there may be a motorist who isn't paying attention, and the consequences of a collision are much worse for you than for them. (My mom got hit, blindside, by an SUV while she was in a crosswalk and had the right of way.) The uphill skier has momentum and gravity on their side, so the consequences to you are greater than to them.

 

[SnowHot]

At our mountain kids are taught the skiers code and must demonstrate before they could move up a level. I appreciate that and know that it is my job as a parent to enforce that as he gets older and especially when he hits those teenage years. Thankfully years away!

That's for the kids who take lessons or are in a program.
How many others (kids, teens or adults) learn from their peers with no kind of mentoring involved?

 

[Little Lightning]

Last week we saw boarders teaching skiers Skiers who could use a lesson themselves teaching friends to ski. These people were on an intermediate run even though the beginner areas were open. Last year I was on an intermediate high speed quad with a teenager who had only skied once before. I coached her on how to get off the lift, dad and brother didn't have a clue. She kept asking what to do once she got off the lift. I told dad to take her to the green area and get her a lesson. He said "by the time we finish today she'll figure it out"

On the radio last Monday the headline news was how Breckenridge was planning on taking skiers charged with offenses on the mtn to city court instead of county court. That way they could get their cases heard faster. Also, police officers will be patrolling at the bottom of the mtn.

Tues. morning the radio announcer commented on how there has been no new snow, the conditions were fast so "slow down and stay safe".

In the Summit Daily there have been letters to the editor on skier safety and complaints about skier's behavior.

Breckenridge has already had 1 death, which witnesses attributed to "fast skiing".

In the 5 yrs I've been here I don't remember so much concern about skier safety and behavior so early in the season.

 

[SuZieCoyote]

Keystone

I have skied A-Basin, Breckenridge and Keystone this season. Keystone had....by far, the worst behaviors on-slope. The patrol at Keystone seemed to do very little to moderate the actions of the "yahoos." Hope I'm not offending anyone, but my observation is they hung in clumps at the gates, slowing people down a bit at the very bottom, but doing little else.

Breckenridge was wonderful - crowded, yes, but people were quite considerate in the main. Patrol could be seen everywhere, skiing fast and slow, not killing the fun, but having a moderating effect. A-Basin, not so bad either. Don't know what it is about Keystone that brings out the worst.

We had quite a lively argument about it all on the Keystone Facebook page. Some of the posters (young male borders, almost exclusively) were quite ugly about it - basically said they owned the slopes and the less skilled riders should just get the hell out of Dodge. When I pointed out that in early season the limited terrain must be shared between the various levels of riders....(very politely and reasonably, I might add), I've was bombarded with the nastiest posts I have ever received. One guy said, "You have white hair, LOL, shut up bitch." Funny, because I actually have two-toned hair - white on top, black on the bottom and it costs me a small fortune to get this look. This seems to be the clientele that Keystone is directly or indirectly encouraging.