Skiers Push For Change After Accidents

[Little Lightning]

I know this woman. I skied with her in my Women's Wed. class at Copper a few years ago. She's an amazing, tough lady and I'm confident she will ski again.

Not sure what the answer is but I have full confidence that my friend will keep pushing until changes are made.

 

[badger]

She may well do whatever she can to promote her cause, however every resort states that use of the mountain is at your own risk; and whatever injuries that may occur to those users, cannot really be prevented by campaigns on safety, more awareness, insurance, etc. We are all responsible for our own behaviors as guests on the mountain, including control on the slopes.

Her desire is admirable and understandable. Many of us have seen or experienced accidents while skiing that were preventable, or acts of recklessness, or simply wrong place, wrong time. I just equate this campaign to similar endeavors to make drivers on the roads more aware of their actions while driving. The resorts are already doing the best they can.

 

[Powgirl]

Just my personal experience...

I have noticed a diminished ski patrol presence on the slopes in the last couple of years...and, have noticed an increase in reckless behavior...it seems worse at some Colorado resorts, and seems almost to be part of the culture.

I get the feeling the ski resorts are walking a fine line...yes, they promote skier safety, but also don't necessarily discourage younger skiers/boarders... Almost like they don't want the label of policing. I remember just a few years ago when ski patrol would pull over, chase down reckless skiers/boarders...it's been about 3 years since I've seen that happen...in fact, I rarely see patrol on the runs I ski now.

My mom has a friend that is terrified to ski blues...she sticks to black runs, even tho more tiring, her nerves get completely rattled by people zooming around her, too fast, at times out of control...she is a very accomplished skier.

Yes, snow sports have an inherent risk, but I think the industry needs to assert a little more with regards to safety...

 

[Little Lightning]

We had friends visit this month (March). Spring break weeks were spread out bringing more crowds than I'm used to. I saw a teenage girl face down sliding down the hill, screaming unable to stop. I thought she was going into the trees. I barely missed little kids. Not because I was skiing close to them but because they unexpectedly shot across the run in front of me. Another time a guy turned into me. Fortunately I was able to quickly move out of his way or we would have collided head on. He didn't seem to be aware I was there.

I witnessed a small child snow plowing straight down a fairly steep face past me. He was going way to fast, screaming his head off and had no clue how to stop. He fell at the bottom where skiers were crossing below the run. I thought he was going to hit someone or go into the trees. A ski patrol happened to be at the bottom and picked him up. Dad casually skied down to him and appeared unconcerned. I still shake when I think of it.

At the base yesterday I was near a boarder, we were close, maybe 3-4 ft. apart. I was turning left and he was going straight to the lift so I wasn't worried about him. Suddenly another boarder came in between us. We could have touched elbows. There was plenty of room on the right of the other boarder so I can't figure out what this kid was doing. Neither one of us knew the guy.

I don't ski during holidays or on weekends so maybe what I saw this month was normal. However, my observation was that many skiers had no clue what they were doing and no consideration for others

 

[Jilly]

I've decided that I am not going to ski at our local bump anymore. Too many out of control people. It's not that big to begin with and the trails are very narrow. Part of the problem is they promoted a $99 night pass. This brought out the hoards.

Ski patrol at many hills is first aid only. Tremblant has a completely separate safety patrol. At Whsitler they even use the RCMP radar guns and will fine you.

I love her attitude and idea, but putting anything into practice is going to be a problem.

 

[EeveeCanSki]

I barely missed little kids. Not because I was skiing close to them but because they unexpectedly shot across the run in front of me.

Something like this happened to me during my lesson last weekend. I think it was three kids who shot way too close to me near the bottom of a hill, and I had some good speed (for me) going. At the moment the kids passed me, my skis were pointed straight down the steepest slope I had yet skied ever and it took all my nerve to stay in control and revert to a plow until I could make my next turn. I don't know what they were trying to do...the hill wasn't crowded at all and other skiers and boarders were trying to give each other plenty of room.

I'm getting better at not freaking out during moments like this, for where skiing is most accessible to me it can be quite crowded during the regular season at any one of the three given hills within a two hour drive of home. I'll just try to do all I can to stay in control and courteous to those around me...

 

[Powgirl]

I had a similar thing happen to me a couple of weeks ago...I was at Copper on Moz...making nice rounds turns...clipping at decent speed (for me) and suddenly a small child blasts right in front of me...snowplowing out of control...I made a very quick hockey stop to avoid hitting him...I look around and his dad is above me...and skis down past me, unaffected, after his son, who is continuing to barrel down the hill out of control...I was pretty stunned.

I also got hit from behind 3 times last year by young boarders...thankfully, no collisions this year.

I know I sound like an old lady, and I love to see everyone enjoying the mountain, but we only ski during the week now, to avoid the crowds and craziness.

 

[Pequenita]

I've decided that I am not going to ski at our local bump anymore. Too many out of control people. It's not that big to begin with and the trails are very narrow. Part of the problem is they promoted a $99 night pass. This brought out the hoards.

I'm seriously thinking about transitioning exclusively to backcountry and xc in the next few years.

 

[Christy]

This is a big reason why I drive almost 2 hours to ski at Crystal when the 4 Snoqualmie areas are less than an hour, and Stevens Pass is 1 1/2. Crystal attracts a much higher caliber of skier, and beginner terrain is pretty segregated, so I rarely see that kind of yahoo behavior.

I don't agree nothing can be done and ski areas currently do their best. While I have occasionally seen employees standing by the "slow" signs at various resorts I've never seen or heard of anyone pulled over for reckless skiing. Just to have people skiing around the mountain, having conversations with people skiing recklessly or taking kids on inappropriate runs would help.

 

[Powgirl]

I don't agree nothing can be done and ski areas currently do their best. While I have occasionally seen employees standing by the "slow" signs at various resorts I've never seen or heard of anyone pulled over for reckless skiing. Just to have people skiing around the mountain, having conversations with people skiing recklessly or taking kids on inappropriate runs would help.

I agree...I think they could do more...just by having more patrol presence. I, too, am becoming more particular about my resort choice.

 

[ski diva]

I'm fortunate in that I ski during the week, and yes, I think it makes a difference; it seems to me that more out-of-control and crazy skiers are out on the weekends. Maybe it's just that more people are skiing and many of them don't necessarily know what they're doing; I don't know. In any case, when we had our Mid-Atlantic Diva weekend at Elk in PA, I had a few near misses with skiers like this, and it was pretty scary. I don't have this experience on weekdays here in VT.

 

[heather matthews]

On my recent(and first of many I hope)trip to ski in the US recently I was taken out twice by skiers from behind.On the first occasion it happened in front of the Vail yellow coat trail police and they put a warning on the guys pass.On the second at Breck the woman who hit me hurt her knee.I was lucky not to be injured on either occasion but it so easily could have turned out differently. At home in NZ it is never an issue at our club ski fields but at the commercial fields it can be horrendous at the beginning of the season and also the NZ and Australian school holidays.So many out of control bogans!!

 

[veronicarella]

Reminds me of this girl who was skiing so fast to keep up with her peers in the ski team that she skied over 8 pairs of skis right through the middle of our group while we were huddled in a circle with our instructor. Her coach's excuse? She was just trying to keep up!

 

[Abbi]

I know I sound like an old lady, and I love to see everyone enjoying the mountain, but we only ski during the week now, to avoid the crowds and craziness.

Not to me. I'm a weekday skier and even find some Fridays annoyingly crowded. Out of control or thoughtless, doesn't matter; it's dangerous.

 

[ski diva]

Not to me. I'm a weekday skier and even find some Fridays annoyingly crowded. Out of control or thoughtless, doesn't matter; it's dangerous.

Friday is the new Saturday.

 

[Abbi]

Friday is the new Saturday.

Yeah. And they can just stop that. It's annoying me!

 

[Christy]

At home in NZ it is never an issue at our club ski fields but at the commercial fields it can be horrendous at the beginning of the season and also the NZ and Australian school holidays.

Does your club have a private area?

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

Yup, lots of people seem to have no clue. Lots of people seem to think they are better skiers than they are and they ski too close to others for their ability level/amount of control. Then when they blow up and wreck they take out others who are just minding their business.
Actually I narrowly missed being creamed from behind just today! I was skiing along and I felt this spray of snow and right behind me was this gut who had wrecked. Literally inches away. When I saw he and his friend ski away, they were not really in control, they were skiing off the tails of their skis and basically had no idea what they were doing--but I'm sure they thought they were pretty good.
I mean anyone of any level can fall of course, but you really need to be mindful of others and how close you ski to them in the event something unexpected happens and you catch an edge and fall or if something else occurs.

That is why I refuse to ski on holiday weekends. Unfortunately my skiing at home is limited to weekends as I have to work but I totally avoid any dates that the masses are out in force.

 

[Gloria]

Friday is the new Saturday.

In college my ski buddy use to call Friday showday. The day everyone skipped class so they could be seen. The same thing happens now in the adult world on Sundays, everyone thinks Saturdays are too busy so they come Sunday instead. Which is great in terms of safety since all the little kid programs are on Saturday which are seldom crowded anymore.

 

[heather matthews]

Does your club have a private area?

NZ ski club fields are open to non members and they are generally much quieter than the commercial areas and the standard of skiing is higher.They are generally ungroomed with more technically challenging terrain.Often there is no beginner or intermediate terrain and they cater to a different demographic than the commercial fields like Mt Hutt or Treble Cone.