Skiing and smoking.

[ski diva]

I was talking with a friend today who asked me if any ski resorts have banned smoking. And to tell you the truth, since I don't smoke, I'm not sure if any have or not. I do know that some people smoke on the lift -- I hate to be in the chair behind them and have to travel through a cloud of second-hand smoke. I've never understood how someone can be engaged in an aerobic activity, yet still insist on lighting up.

Your thoughts?

 

[Jilly]

The top lodge at Tremblant has always had a non-smoking policy. Now the whole province has gone smoke free, so you can't smoke on the gondola. (or a taxi for that matter). It is really nice now to go out for dinner and not come home smelling like an ashtray. Both Ontario and Quebec have gone smoke-free in public places. BC has been for years! As for the chair, well its still considered open air, but your chair mates may have other ideas. Like you SkiDiva, I don't smoke and most of our friends don't. The ones that do, respect our right for clean air.

 

[altagirl]

I don't smoke either but I don't see how it would be possible to enforce on an open air lift.

And while I don't get it either, when I was in college, two of the fastest runners I knew would have a cigarette both before and after each run. Go figure.

 

[RachelV]

We were behind a guy smoking in the lift line once this year. I don't get it. Now that smoking is banned everywhere in NYC (and has been for 3-4 years), I really notice it. I don't care if they smoke, really, but at least go and stand off somewhere where you're not immediately surrounded by dozens of people.

 

[Greeley]

Breathing 2nd hand smoke from the chair in front of me is one of my pet peeves. Some of the resorts in Colorado have banned smoking on the chairs, but is a little hard to enforce.
I did notice more smoking outside on the decks this year, so we always ate inside. We thought it was due to the Euros, there appeared to be more Euros due to the bad snow in Europe this past season. In fact when we were in Aspen, english was a minority.

 

[SnowHot]

I'm not a smoker, so I also have a difficult time understanding smoking while doing something aerobic. A few years back, I ran the gas crew for my husband's Enduro race team. Two of the 13 guys he was racing with were sure to leave their cigarettes with me in the gas truck so they could have a smoke when they came in to fill up and get a snack.
Imagine that? a 100 Ground mile dirt bike race, and all the endurance and strength it takes to do that, and they needed a smoke break?

I think its difficult for someone who's never smoked to understand this, but I know I'm a lot happier going out to dinner knowing I don't have to sit in a restaurant filled with smoke, and I'm perplexed when I catch a whiff of smoke from a chair in front of me.

 

[joycemocha]

Timberline has signs banning smoking in the lift lines. I've not seen anyone smoking there except right outside the day lodge.

 

[Sheena]

Not just the aerobic stuff, but I also can't understand how someone can continue to polute their lungs in such clean fresh air!

That is one thing I like about being out doors ont the slopes.. clean montain air.

 

[lil mountain girl]

i'm not a smoker, but when consulting with smokers and non smokers alike there tends to be a general consensus: second hand smoke sucks!

 

[IdahoSkiGirl]

You can not smoke in the lodges (in Idaho you can't smoke in any restaurant) but you can outdoors (on the chair or in lift lines). We have talked about how nice it would be for the whole mountain at our local resort to go smoke free. I work in the area of tobacco cesssation research and it is something that I am passionate about. I have always thought that it is hypocritical to be getting physical activity while skiing then have to breathe someone's cigarette smoke. I was just at a cancer summit today and they had a banner up stating "You have a right NOT to breathe cigarette smoke!"

 

[Native Vail Gal]

This past late season, there was a lady in the lift line in Vail and she just threw her lit cigarette off to the side of the lift line. There was some hay there and it caught on fire (small fire). I kicked my skis off fast and went over to the hay and stomped it out...right in front of her! I told her that we have a big forest fire problem in Colorado and she should really put the butts (or her butts! :D ) in a covered metal can (provided not 10 yards away). She replied to me in French. I figured she was from France or was cussing me out in French!

I don't get it! Skiing in a beautiful area and smoking! Death while staring beauty in the face!

Equally disturbing....Golfers who smoke! Yuck!

 

[ski diva]

This past late season, there was a lady in the lift line in Vail and she just threw her lit cigarette off to the side of the lift line. There was some hay there and it caught on fire (small fire).

Unrelated but not quite: did you know that the Vail arsonist just got sentenced to 13 years in jail? I assume that the result of her action was unintentional. Still.....

 

[Native Vail Gal]

Unrelated but not quite: did you know that the Vail arsonist just got sentenced to 13 years in jail? I assume that the result of her action was unintentional. Still.....

I wish her actions were unintentional, but they were not. She was part of a group called the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and she was one of 2 who were sentenced here in Denver, but there have been over 5 other arrests. (The third member committed suicide after having an FBI raid on his home). This group was responsible for setting more than 20 arson fires over 6 years in 5 western states that caused over 40 Million....yes MILLION dollars in damage! (Two Elks Lodge was estimated at a loss of 26 million dollars).

Vail suffered the loss of Two Elks Lodge and 2 other buildings. The arsonists point? To support endangered wildlife.

Unbelievable. Tragic for all involved....including the endangered wildlife.

 

[ski diva]

I wish her actions were unintentional, but they were not. .

No, no, no -- I meant the fire caused by the woman in the liftline was probably unintentional; the one you stomped out -- not the Vail arsonist! THAT was definitely intentional. Sadly so.

 

[Pequenita]

I've never understood how someone can be engaged in an aerobic activity, yet still insist on lighting up.

Your thoughts?

Most annoying to me is the 2nd-hand smoke. Second most annoying (and this just really reflects my competitive behavior, in general) are smokers whose lungs have been, over time, conditioned such that they can actually perform aerobically well. So not fair. Every time I come across a smoker who has more endurance than me, I think of how much BETTER the smoker could be if he/she didn't smoke (and am the same time jealous that they were granted the great gift aerobic capacity).

 

[Native Vail Gal]

No, no, no -- I meant the fire caused by the woman in the liftline was probably unintentional; the one you stomped out -- not the Vail arsonist! THAT was definitely intentional. Sadly so.

LMAO!!!! Remember...I do have a brain injury! Seriously......I do! :D (welcome to my poor family's world of my not understanding something!) LORD! Help me help my brain!

I should have let the lady from France know that I will be traveling to France....some day ......and I would be more than happy to start smoking and throw a little butt out on the grass below the Eiffel Tower! (Evil Kelly...Evil!)