Anyone notice any new ski trends this season?

[TiffAlt]

Thank you! Please stop, everyone. Keep a path for patrol to respond! I *will* move unattended skis down to the racks, depending on my mood. Grrr.

Grounds crew fantasizes about running them over with a snowcat midday and making a giant pile. "You want your skis? Go get 'em!"

Also, learn to skate uphill if you're a skier. Seriously. It's faster and leaves fewer chopped-up boot-holes around the base area. Leaves little excuse for abandoning them on the snow near the lift. A few patrollers need to be reminded to "lead by example" from time to time, too, so it's not just a youth/newbie thing.

Granted, our hill desperately needs more ski racks...

@brooksnow I appreciate your conveying of ski etiquette to the next generation!

I want to clarify that when I leave my skis on the ground, it is off to the side, right by the lodge because there is no place on the racks unless I want to put mine in with another pair. So uphill, not by the lift. It's the unfortunate reality at the one open lodge that serves lunch at Crystal Mountain on the weekend as they build out the new buildings.

If there is no room on the racks, I usually leave mine out by the snowpack on the side of the lodge. You can see it by the "street signs" and people mill around on either side. But there are people who leave them out in the open as you can see further down and that irks me a bit. Though it's not that close to the lift, it can get pretty congested at times.

 

[scandium]

Thank you! Please stop, everyone. Keep a path for patrol to respond! I *will* move unattended skis down to the racks, depending on my mood. Grrr.

Grounds crew fantasizes about running them over with a snowcat midday and making a giant pile. "You want your skis? Go get 'em!"

Also, learn to skate uphill if you're a skier. Seriously. It's faster and leaves fewer chopped-up boot-holes around the base area. Leaves little excuse for abandoning them on the snow near the lift. A few patrollers need to be reminded to "lead by example" from time to time, too, so it's not just a youth/newbie thing.

Granted, our hill desperately needs more ski racks...

@brooksnow I appreciate your conveying of ski etiquette to the next generation!

Asking for a friend, but... is it a bad thing to just take one of the unattended ground skis and put it on the farthest ski rack whilst also moving the other unattended ski out of everyone's way in the opposite direction? Assuming, of course,rack space exists and there's clear laziness involved.

 

[Jilly]

I think that if management doesn't have enough racks that's one thing. But if they do and people are just being lazy....management should just gather them all up and move them, like the lost and found.

 

[Iwannaski]

@shadoj … YES re: the skating. I am a decent skater and am grateful for it, but it is a real pain in the butt on a new skier heavy day to navigate the PITS that crop up from the boots.

Re: new trends, the muted colors for sure. I don’t like it, although I like the colors, because I think it will create visibility issues.

I feel like a very crotchety old lady. ;)

 

[BlizzardBabe]

What do you think? Anyone notice something that's caught on this season, whether it's gear, fashion, or activity?

I'll start:

• Drab colors in skiwear. I've been wanting to buy a new pink/fuschia jacket, and I can't find one anywhere.

• Also, it seems to me that it's become more acceptable/common to leave skis on the ground, rather than propping them up against a rack. I know this is something that's been done for a long time, but I can't recall a season when I've seen it more.

I agree on both counts. "Blah" seemed to be the order of the day in color choice this year (my horsey friends are a bit more descriptive re the same color(s) in jods - "baby puke green"). That said, last week I scored pants in the brightest pink I've ever seen - from a Japanese skiwear company. It took some looking.

Re leaving skis on the ground. Hate it. HATE IT. All the cool kids seem to think this is acceptable regardless of whether the skis are a trip hazard. When I see it, I pick them up and toss them to the side where they aren't in traffic. Let the lazy boneheads go find their skis.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

I keep comparing mental local notes with these skis on the ground stories. We really only see it in front of one place. Oh yeah, the only hotel that sells slices to the public at the bottom, but only provides racks for hotel guests and their private members. Sort of makes me laugh that they are thebones who have to trip over skis on the ground to reach their exclusive racks. Most of the other hotels and lunch places at the base do provide racks that are generally speaking respectfully used. Class division creates some funny situations in a sport that leans towards the affluent to begin with.

 

[SallyCat]

Almost all the big cases were single person injuries and thankfully not collisions.

In the east anyway, and I'm not saying this to be glib, it's usually young guys, blue trails, and trees. The statistics are overwhelmingly that demographic and those trails.

 

[Salomon]

Interesting thoughts about accidents etc. Here in Europe everybody thought that accident numbers are very high this year and many reports in the press etc. Turns out, once the stats are analysed the percentage accidents to number of skiers is the same a usual.
I also hate dull colours . I have recently found a brand form Munich ( which is where OH is from coincidentally) and they have relaunched all the 80s freeski styles. Neon everything. I got some stuff for himself and he loves it. Not expensive . Very technical fabrics and very practical styling. And you can see him a country mile away !!!!!

 

[EdithP]

That said, last week I scored pants in the brightest pink I've ever seen - from a Japanese skiwear company. It took some looking.

I was similarly lucky and got a Rossignol pair on a huge sale in hot pink/magenta, thus parting with a pair from ten years ago that was already unattractively bunching all over. It was luck combined with determination; I could not spot a pair in my size, but kept checking. And indeed, one sleepless night I checked again and YESsir! they had a pair in my size saying 1 item remaining. Probably someone made a return. Stickability paid off!

 

[Tennessee]

While out at Grand Targhee I noticed that ALL the younger women skiers were doing the same hair thing. I watched one woman getting ready and very purposefully extracting a hank of hair from each side of her face from under her buff before she put on her helmet. These strands then fly freely while skiing and look cool. I thought about impersonating a young woman by trying this style trend, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. Seemed somehow dishonest, lol! I do like the look. I first noticed it on some of the Olympic snowboarders but feel like it’s become pretty common in young women skiers and boarders.

Drab colors, check. Noticed that too.

 

[beane]

While out at Grand Targhee I noticed that ALL the younger women skiers were doing the same hair thing. I watched one woman getting ready and very purposefully extracting a hank of hair from each side of her face from under her buff before she put on her helmet. These strands then fly freely while skiing and look cool. I thought about impersonating a young woman by trying this style trend, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. Seemed somehow dishonest, lol! I do like the look. I first noticed it on some of the Olympic snowboarders but feel like it’s become pretty common in young women skiers and boarders.

Drab colors, check. Noticed that too.

Yes this is so that people know you’re a girl even in helmet and bulky ski gear (ahem, *to express femininity*). There’s a name for the hair strands I won’t repeat because it’s vulgar but I do think it is often a cute look. Nevertheless I too feel too middle aged to attempt.

 

[AJM]

While out at Grand Targhee I noticed that ALL the younger women skiers were doing the same hair thing. I watched one woman getting ready and very purposefully extracting a hank of hair from each side of her face from under her buff before she put on her helmet. These strands then fly freely while skiing and look cool. I thought about impersonating a young woman by trying this style trend, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. Seemed somehow dishonest, lol! I do like the look. I first noticed it on some of the Olympic snowboarders but feel like it’s become pretty common in young women skiers and boarders.

Drab colors, check. Noticed that too.

Guilty as charged !!
My hair always works its way out of my helmet anyway so I figure I might as well make it look purposeful

 

[racetiger]

While out at Grand Targhee I noticed that ALL the younger women skiers were doing the same hair thing. I watched one woman getting ready and very purposefully extracting a hank of hair from each side of her face from under her buff before she put on her helmet. These strands then fly freely while skiing and look cool. I thought about impersonating a young woman by trying this style trend, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. Seemed somehow dishonest, lol! I do like the look. I first noticed it on some of the Olympic snowboarders but feel like it’s become pretty common in young women skiers and boarders.

Drab colors, check. Noticed that too.

Yeah....there's even an Instagram page for these strands too. I'm on the other side where I think it looks stupid when done on purpose. Also do not support what they call them . I don't feel like I have to broadcast "Hey I'm a female!"
I hate having hair flopping around in my face when I'm skiing or really doing any sports. It's so annoying, distracting and sometimes itchy. If I have hair falling out it's because I've been skiing hard!

 

[shadoj]

Yes this is so that people know you’re a girl even in helmet and bulky ski gear (ahem, *to express femininity*). There’s a name for the hair strands I won’t repeat because it’s vulgar but I do think it is often a cute look. Nevertheless I too feel too middle aged to attempt.

Ah, to be young and seeking identity...
I think preemptive hair strands pulled out of my helmet pre-workout is about as silly as buying ripped jeans off the rack. Both look great when earned... but show me you can ski/landscape/etc. all day first!

 

[scandium]

While out at Grand Targhee I noticed that ALL the younger women skiers were doing the same hair thing. I watched one woman getting ready and very purposefully extracting a hank of hair from each side of her face from under her buff before she put on her helmet. These strands then fly freely while skiing and look cool. I thought about impersonating a young woman by trying this style trend, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. Seemed somehow dishonest, lol! I do like the look. I first noticed it on some of the Olympic snowboarders but feel like it’s become pretty common in young women skiers and boarders.

Drab colors, check. Noticed that too.

I feel like unless you're a snowboarder or freestyle skiier it is reaching a little. I sometimes do it if I'm boarding but never on my skis.

 

[lisamamot]

I watched one woman getting ready and very purposefully extracting a hank of hair from each side of her face from under her buff before she put on her helmet. These strands then fly freely while skiing and look cool.

There’s a name for the hair strands I won’t repeat because it’s vulgar

We have more than one similarly named thread on the site, so I feel fine putting it in print - according to my daughter, who sports them when skiing, they are affectionately referred to as “slut strands”

 

[brooksnow]

I've taught young women who carefully pull out the strands on their first day ever skiing or snowboarding. They know how to look the part, and pictures will be taken.

The first time I remember seeing it was the Olympics. There was a Chloe Kim interview where, in addition to talking about her win, there was a discussion about her hair and how she likes the style but hates the term slut strands.

I'm not fond of the use of slut in any context, but I think there's a big difference between calling oneself a (for example) pants slut as a joking reference and the way the term slut strands implies the woman with the hairdo is a slut. It bothers me the most when it's used for young girls who emulate their sports heros.

 

[Jilly]

I'm seeing a lot of the DOPE and Montec suits on the younger generation. I guess it's fashionable and cheap. And I will admit that I like some of the colour combinations.

But drab - so much black. Even in Quebec where people like colour!

 

[RachelV]

... I don't feel like I have to broadcast "Hey I'm a female!" ...

So, counterpoint - I got a pretty short haircut about 2 years ago and the only downside is I think it makes it less obvious that I'm a woman when I out ski braggy men. I want them to KNOW.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

At the risk of offending the naysayers, I love my slut strands but also hate the commonly unacceptable name for them.

Cheaper and safer than botox for this middle aged skier, so no shame for joining the ranks of younger women who all sport them.

We all are allowed to seek self expression and this is one trend that is about as harmless as they comes.

Not sure what is more stupid? Styling ones hair to show some of it off (I paid my dues to earn my silvers and while my body shape is clearly female, I am stoked to show off my age, which only my hair color does when dressed to ski) or complaining about about how stupid the look is and bashing on those who choose it?

The style frames my face in a much more flattering way. I always wear my buns with lots of loose strands for the same reason.

Besides, if the Navajo/Dinè WW2 scouts lost their tracking skills when their hair was chopped off, then perhaps my hairy antennae give me that wee bit of edge over the male colleagues in my skiing skills. Wink, wink!