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Ski season off to rough start...

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
So, I thought I was getting in my first day of skiing in yesterday, but I was only able to get in 1.75 runs before being taken out by an out of control snowboarder. According to my husband, who actually saw what happened, the guy lost control about 20 yards behind me basically straight lining it down the hill. Because he had so much momentum going, he basically flew down the hill after falling and right into my backside. I never heard him coming. I was skiing along and then something just slammed into me from behind. The snowboarder was fine, and luckily I'm fine for the most part. My upper back is incredibly sore and stiff, and my bum is killing me from where I slammed into the hill after he hit me, but luckily nothing is broken. I guess I'm out of commission until the back heals up. I was really upset last night that that killed my "first" night out, if you can even call not even 2 runs that. Certainly NOT how I wanted to start my season. :mad:
 

beckylh84

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Ouch! I feel you pain! I got a concussion last year when a snowboarder decked me from behind. LIke you, I never heard anything. I don't really even remember the impact at all...just waking up on the snow. SO glad I had my helmet on. At least the kid broke his binding when he hit me. I pretty much fear for my life when I am around snowboarders (I now call them Teenage Death Squads).
 

Christy

Angel Diva
I was skiing along and then something just slammed into me from behind.

Exact same thing happened to me last year from a snowboarder. Ugh.

Did you report him at all? With me, we weren't anywhere near a lift and there was no patrol around, so I didn't see how I COULD report the guy. But it would be nice if at least these guys were booted from the mountain that day, apologetic as they might be.
 

Sheena

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
ouch! sorry to hear your day ended after only 2 runs.

Many years ago I got nailed from behind by an out of control skiier, I had a sore tricep for about a month. Mr. Sheena (before he was officially Mr. Sheena) had to help me brush my hair and cut my food because it hurt me too bad to do those movements.

Hopefully the soreness is not too bad that it keeps you off the slopes!
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@becky: Youch! Glad you were ok... I've never had a concussion, but I can only imagine the headache.

@christy: No, we didn't report him. He did stick around to make sure I was ok before leaving, but ski patrol wasn't to be found anywhere. It's kinda ironic we didn't see any ski patrol, since I went down on the hill directly in front of the first aid clinic, and within view of the lift line.

It really stinks that there's not much you can do when you don't know what's coming. It's crazy how similar all 3 of our experiences sound.
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Mr. Sheena (before he was officially Mr. Sheena) had to help me brush my hair and cut my food because it hurt me too bad to do those movements.

Now there's a good guy. :smile:

Hopefully I'm back out there again in the near future, but I'm not gonna lie that I'm a bit nervous now. I'm gonna aim for the emptiest trails I can find, if that's possible in PA.
 

climbingbetty

Angel Diva
Ouch! Curious as to where you skied yesterday Tinymoose.

Yesterday was my first day out too. I was doing pretty good with my lesson until we went on one of the beginner trails. There were so many out of control beginner snowboarders, I was petrified of being mowed down by one of them. I'm still pretty new to skiing but yesterday unfortunately reminded me of why I stopped going to resorts in the first place. The Teenage Death Squads! (I wish resorts had the equivalent of "adult swim" where for a few hours, we make all the kids & teens take a break an just let the adults have the mountain.)

Granted, that was me in high school :embarrassed: But I at least had the decency to go night skiing when there were fewer people out.

But this exactly why I want to go backcountry skiing- to leave the resort riff-raff behind! Unfortunately, I'm going to have to put up with it a little while longer while I work on getting past the pizza-french fries stage!
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Betty - We were at Blue Mountain in PA. Good mountain, but usually pretty crowded. I'm definitely not a fan of crowds either. Like you, I oftentimes feel like I'm going to get run over. Just this time, I did.
 

Christy

Angel Diva
I wish resorts had the equivalent of "adult swim" where for a few hours, we make all the kids & teens take a break an just let the adults have the mountain

What a fantastic idea! Except make it males between 13-30. I'm not afraid of a 4 year old wiping me out but young guys....*shudder*

I'm not gonna lie that I'm a bit nervous now. I'm gonna aim for the emptiest trails I can find

The thing that bummed me out about my incident was that it was on this cat track that I've always been a bit freaked out by--you get off a high volume lift and onto a road that has a sheer drop off on one side. I've always been afraid of catching an edge or being hit and sent flying 1000 feet down.
 

skyy_blue7

Certified Ski Diva
So sorry to hear this. I had the same thing happen to me. When you get a chance, I highly recommend you visit a chiropractor to have an exam and particularly check out your SI joint. If this gets out of line (as it did for me) it can become chronic and a real pain!
 

Mom of Redheads

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
What a fantastic idea! Except make it males between 13-30. I'm not afraid of a 4 year old wiping me out but young guys....*shudder*

Umm... My last run at Tremblant last February, I was hit from behind by a kid not much bigger than my then-8-year-old. I slammed my head into the ground pretty good and ended up with what was probably whiplash. It hurt to move it for months, and I still feel like I have less mobility turning my head than I did before. I'm certain a chiropractor could help, but who has time?:doh:

Anyway, he was a skier, so it's not just boarders or testosterone driven teenagers who can be dangerous! And it was a long section of a green run, too...

Feel for you, Tiny Moose! Hope you're feeling better and back on the slopes soon...:hug:

At least I was hit on the last run of the day... although to be honest, I was hit hard enough that it probably would have been the last run of the day even if it was early in the morning!:eek:
 

volklgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Sorry to hear that, TM! Hope you heal quickly.

I was another snowboarder casualty a couple of years ago and ended up with a fractured pelvis. Grrrrrrr. The story is on here somewhere.
 

MaineSkiLady

Angel Diva
Echoing sentiments of all: so sorry this happened to you! Sadly, it seems like many of us have been through it. Hopefully, this was your first, last and ONLY time!! Feel better soon! :hug:
 

BackCountryGirl

Angel Diva
I had a few near-collisions while working this weekend. With such limited terrain, everything is crowded. Kids form the weekend race program were bombing down green terrain -- certainly not respecting "GO WITH THE FLOW." I had two 5 year-old girls from the seasonal program with me, who were simply terrified. Both were new to the program and a bit timid, and I was skiing with them to get them "up to snuff" to be able to join a group. The racers were so intimidating to them. I finally screamed at one: Slow down. Actually got an apology! Best advice for early season -- keep your head on a swivel and ski like an owl!
 

Downunder Diva

Angel Diva
I never heard him coming... The snowboarder was fine, and luckily I'm fine for the most part. My upper back is incredibly sore and stiff, and my bum is killing me from where I slammed into the hill after he hit me, but luckily nothing is broken. :mad:

Poor you tinymoose and my commiserations... I too was a victim at the beginning of a season taken from behind by a hotshot snowboarder doing 'tricks' - left me with a broken thumb and a back of thigh snowboard imprint. My only consolation was I scared him to death because I.was.so.angry. :mad2: Am I okay??????? what do you think you *^%* moron, why dont you (*)*! look where you are )*$%^ going!!! :boxing: I hope you feel better soon and are carving it up before you know it !
 

TeleChica

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Oy! So sorry you were taken down and hope you heal up quickly!

Honestly, I don't think it's the equipment, I think it's the age--and the fact that most young boys at least start on snowboards.

Funny story. My SO is a snowboarder (or grays on trays as men of a certain age are often called). Anyway, he has been learning to tele (it has certain advantages in the New England backcountry compared to splitboarding) and he was on a mellow green run when this young girl on a snowboard came right up behind him over his skis, clearly unable to stop, and ran right into the back of him, taking them both down.

I have to say that I did laugh. Rather ironic. Fortunately no skiers or snowboarders were harmed in this incident.
 

SuZieCoyote

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yahoos

I have a divot/scar on my chin from when a very large skier flew out of nowhere and launched me about 10 feet. He never saw me and I had on a quite noticeable jacket. It is not a huge scar, but every time I look in the mirror, I see it. I am at the age where every year, things like this look a little more noticeable. :mad: I have been taken out more than once by boarders as well.

I think the resorts need to be more proactive, especially with the snow-boarder crowd. 90% of them are wonderful people and great snow riders. Another 5% are nice enough, but they just don't know mountain etiquette and no body has bothered to teach them. It is as if they don't get it in classes (or, if taught by a buddy, no one clues them in.)

The skiers code needs to be updated to address issues such as, "Snowboarders should be aware of where they sit to fasten their bindings and sit no more than two abreast so that other riders can get by them." And...."Riders (skiers and snowboarders) should not stand blocking the lift lines while looking for their buddies." I've seen some nasty tangles at the lift lines - sort of like a large car pile up because boarders have blocked several of the lines at once. If you've ever watched helplessly as someone came in hot on you in the line, been hit, pushed into several others and fallen to a crumpled mess of skis and awkwardly bent knees, you know what I mean.

The resorts are so concerned about potential boycotts by boarders that they let them get by with just about anything. I've had boarders smoking in line in front of me, refuse to put out the cigarette (and not just cigarettes) and get up in my face nasty when I've asked nicely (and then not so nicely) for them to be considerate of others. (The girls have been the worst offenders.) Lifties sit there and watch, saying nothing.

This is lack of training/appropriate expectations on the part of the resorts. They need to train their crews to address bad actors and pull them out of line, crack down and pull a few passes. Interesting, they are right on top of training their staff to look for pass cheaters. *That* is important to them. Cutting down on dangerous and rude behaviors - not so much, I guess.

There are many things they could do that would be "gentle reminders." They could, for example, put a sign up at the top of the lifts reminding boarders not to make long, impassible barriers while they do up their bindings. Or, they could mark an area back from the lift exit, but behind the slope entry, as the area for fastening bindings.

I know that patrol is not always around but my resolution for this year is to report every incident with an out of control skier or boarder to patrol as soon as I can with as full a description as I can muster. I'm going to be a right B1tch about it.
 

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