The 2016-17 Ski Season Thread

[HoarfrostHubb]

I saw Wachusett blowing snow this morning.  They will do more tonight and tomorrow night.    Hope Mother Nature helps

[eyewall]

I skied Smuggs and the main trails were decent considering. They lost a bunch of terrain though and some steeper trails were dicey.

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[HoarfrostHubb]

WaWa blasting the goods

 

[#NoPoles]

Sugarloaf employee died setting up a slalom course...crashed and slid down the trail...no helmet...appears to have died almost instantly.

 

Rough year, this year

[HIPPYVALLEY]

12 minutes ago, #NoPoles said:

Sugarloaf employee died setting up a slalom course...crashed and slid down the trail...no helmet...appears to have died almost instantly.

 

Rough year, this year

Wow, sad.  I have skied that trail many times. It's nothing outrageous but narrow in places and conditions were concrete anywhere close to the edges I'm sure. 

I'll be up there next week. 

[HoarfrostHubb]

8 hours ago, HIPPYVALLEY said:

Wow, sad.  I have skied that trail many times. It's nothing outrageous but narrow in places and conditions were concrete anywhere close to the edges I'm sure. 

I'll be up there next week. 

Yeah I read that last night and I have skied that trail. Doesn't take much.  That sucks

[Hitman]

20 hours ago, powderfreak said:

Snowmaking in March.  Not sure I've seen that before here.

Its not necessarily because its needed (though the skiing under the guns is fantastic today), but shows the effort and its more of a gesture to pass holders.

Sugarbush making snow too for the first time post presidents week.  Necessary and everyone's doing it.  

[Hitman]

9 hours ago, HIPPYVALLEY said:

Wow, sad.  I have skied that trail many times. It's nothing outrageous but narrow in places and conditions were concrete anywhere close to the edges I'm sure. 

I'll be up there next week. 

Tragic.  Not to minimize this in any way, but I think this is just one of those freak things that happens and isn't really "caused" by skiing even though it happened on a ski trail to someone skiing.  Like a few weeks ago when it snowed in NYC, a doorman lost his balance while shoveling, fell through a window and died instantly.  Sometimes, **** just happens.

[HIPPYVALLEY]

6 hours ago, Hitman said:

Tragic.  Not to minimize this in any way, but I think this is just one of those freak things that happens and isn't really "caused" by skiing even though it happened on a ski trail to someone skiing.  Like a few weeks ago when it snowed in NYC, a doorman lost his balance while shoveling, fell through a window and died instantly.  Sometimes, **** just happens.

Not hard to find ways for things go wrong on icy mountain pitches. 

My brother and niece skied down Skidder about a half hour before that guy got killed.

[HoarfrostHubb]

Need to pick a place for Friday.  Leaning Okemo since I think I can get tickets for 50% off due to a deal they have with Wachusett.  Thinking it is only 2 hours from here and we are just looking for cruising.   Bubble chairs are a plus as well

we have a free Waterville ticket as well and their Liftopia prices are pretty good

[snowgeek]

Thinking of Killington on Saturday.  They seem to be making a ton of snow.  $50 ticket day for Albany Ski Club members.  Will depend on how the weather pattern sets up this week.  

[Professional Lurker]

This made me chuckle today...

 

 

[powderfreak]

That news at Sugarloaf is tragic...that is life changing for a small community.  Everyone in the industry feels it.  

[#NoPoles]

2 hours ago, powderfreak said:

That news at Sugarloaf is tragic...that is life changing for a small community.  Everyone in the industry feels it.  

It is quite tragic. First, it's not like anyone can just walk in off the streets and be a snow maker or ski patrol. There is a limited population with those skills. Even if you didn't stay at one mountain, you usually end up knowing everyone or you know someone who knows someone. Also, when you have a job like that where you rely on one another not outsiders, it's a very small circle, you become family. And even if you don't know  someone personally, if you work that job you have an unspoken connection. 

 

[Professional Lurker]

Big yardsale today. Inconsistent snow on an active snowmaking whale. Too far forward in the front seat and disaster. It was a huge debacle, and I went down hard. Definitely shaken up a bit, and me left side aches like a champ. Not quite broken rib feel, but definite pain with movement.

Was planning on going back out tomorrow, now I'm not sure.

Scariest part was the slide, i just wasnt slowing down. Had to use my pole as as ice axe to avoid sliding headfirst into the woods. Yikes!

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[eyewall]

Big yardsale today. Inconsistent snow on an active snowmaking whale. Too far forward in the front seat and disaster. It was a huge debacle, and I went down hard. Definitely shaken up a bit, and me left side aches like a champ. Not quite broken rib feel, but definite pain with movement.

Was planning on going back out tomorrow, now I'm not sure.

Scariest part was the slide, i just wasnt slowing down. Had to use my pole as as ice axe to avoid sliding headfirst into the woods. Yikes!

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Glad you are ok overall. What resort?

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[HoarfrostHubb]

32 minutes ago, Professional Lurker said:

Big yardsale today. Inconsistent snow on an active snowmaking whale. Too far forward in the front seat and disaster. It was a huge debacle, and I went down hard. Definitely shaken up a bit, and me left side aches like a champ. Not quite broken rib feel, but definite pain with movement.

Was planning on going back out tomorrow, now I'm not sure.

Scariest part was the slide, i just wasnt slowing down. Had to use my pole as as ice axe to avoid sliding headfirst into the woods. Yikes!

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Ouch. Hopefully the ribs are ok.   I will go months without taking any spills (I am skiing like a grannies lately), but the last 2 times I've gone I have crashed.   Once was while skiing with our daughter. She fell and I was right behind her. Couldn't stop like I wanted and went azz over teakettle.  The next day I was skiing in a beginner area that had moguls and I misjudged one.  That knocked me for a bit of a loop

[Professional Lurker]

Thanks guys.  I'll survive.   I was at my home mountain (berkshire east).  Other than the slow, pillowy whale that I skied incorrectly, conditions were pretty much mid-winter with all of the snowmaking they've done over the past 3 days. 

I'll take a handful of ibuprofen and be back at it tomorrow...

[#NoPoles]

Crashing while skiing, as long as everyone is ok, it's fun to talk about. I caught unintentional air at Wawa. My skis were not meant to leave the ground. I was not meant to leave the ground. So many thoughts went through my head in the short amount of time. I just went with it and didn't fight it. Guess it wasn't quite a yardsale because I don't ski with poles but it was epic...one of those where you just lay there not moving and wait to see if you feel any pain...and then you slowly test out each limb to make sure they work and then decide to sit up slowly making sure there is no back pain...and then you laugh hysterically....

[SJonesWX]

i used to ski when i was younger, my buddies and i wouldn't consider it to be a good day skiing until each of us had substantial yard sales. for some reason mine were always the "best".

i need to get back on skis, it has been a long time. i can't imagine the conditions were any good anywhere this past weekend.

[tamarack]

11 hours ago, #NoPoles said:

Crashing while skiing, as long as everyone is ok, it's fun to talk about. I caught unintentional air at Wawa. My skis were not meant to leave the ground. I was not meant to leave the ground. So many thoughts went through my head in the short amount of time. I just went with it and didn't fight it. Guess it wasn't quite a yardsale because I don't ski with poles but it was epic...one of those where you just lay there not moving and wait to see if you feel any pain...and then you slowly test out each limb to make sure they work and then decide to sit up slowly making sure there is no back pain...and then you laugh hysterically....

"Unintentional air" reminds me of a crash I took at the old Glen Ellen many years ago.  It was cold and my goggles fogged so badly I was skiing w/o them - would stop when vision degraded to light and dark.  (Trails were nearly empty in late afternoon Thurs, but someone in a light-colored coat would've been in danger.)  Last run (by prior intent) my initial stop turn caught an edge, I somehow recovered, tried again with same outcome and - speed increasing all the time (still modest, prob under 40), 3rd time I must''ve hit a sizable pile or bump, and my air time was sufficient for me to think "Glad it's near the end of my ski week before I get wrecked."  Only tweaked a knee, which was fine for the next day's sliding, but I spent a fair bit of time on the ground counting all my body parts before heading downhill again.

[Ginx snewx]

12 hours ago, #NoPoles said:

Crashing while skiing, as long as everyone is ok, it's fun to talk about. I caught unintentional air at Wawa. My skis were not meant to leave the ground. I was not meant to leave the ground. So many thoughts went through my head in the short amount of time. I just went with it and didn't fight it. Guess it wasn't quite a yardsale because I don't ski with poles but it was epic...one of those where you just lay there not moving and wait to see if you feel any pain...and then you slowly test out each limb to make sure they work and then decide to sit up slowly making sure there is no back pain...and then you laugh hysterically....

So true every time you crash its an adventure. I have been skiing since I was 10 so 50 years? In all that time I have fallen and yard sailed many times without major injury except for the one time I narrowly escaped permanent paralysis or even death and it was on a simple slope not going fast. My story

I was at Sunday River for my annual week long adventure with the boys in March 2010. It was an epic week, we had 14 inches of snow after some rain. I was heading back to the chair at the bottom of Tourist trap on the 4th day when I innocently slid back on my skis, at the time it seemed like a normal slip and I would pop back up. Instead I whipped very hard to the left and suddenly the snow below me collapsed and I was in open air over a 20 foot deep ravine culvert (no snow fence). All of this happened so fast all I could do was turn my body to the right. I hit a massive boulder with my ass and back and was thrust under water into the stream. I did not know what hit me and aspirated water immediately into my lungs. I got up and was in shock. Adrenaline kicked in, all I thought about was where are my new 1K skis, lol. I dove under the water and retrieved them, weird I know. I then got up and did the normal body check, my shoulder hurt but I seemed OK. My ski mates went and got ski patrol and they walked me up to the trail. I actually skied back to the condo. It was only then the adrenaline wore off and I realized I was bleeding on my back and could barely move. I ended up in the hospital with a bruised kidney, spleen, torn shoulder labrum, torn meniscus, multiple contusions to my arse and a severely shattered tail bone. My body from my neck to my toes was black from bruising and bleeding. The Dr's told me I missed by a 1/4 inch from shearing my spinal cord. It took me a year but i made it back skiing the next year. I have however multiple issues left from that day, have had 3 knee surgeries, one shoulder surgery  with permanent nerve damage to my right leg, and an uneven gait. Epic yardsale. This picture is me clinging on to the sides of the cliff waiting for rescue. Apparently I hit that birch tree too. The first time I skied past that spot I was literally shaking lol but since then its meh. That day ended my woods days but I still enjoy skiing as a sport more than any other, well maybe body surfing. Oh and I wear a helmet now!

[Lava Rock]

2 hours ago, Ginx snewx said:

So true every time you crash its an adventure. I have been skiing since I was 10 so 50 years? In all that time I have fallen and yard sailed many times without major injury except for the one time I narrowly escaped permanent paralysis or even death and it was on a simple slope not going fast. My story

I was at Sunday River for my annual week long adventure with the boys in March 2010. It was an epic week, we had 14 inches of snow after some rain. I was heading back to the chair at the bottom of Tourist trap on the 4th day when I innocently slid back on my skis, at the time it seemed like a normal slip and I would pop back up. Instead I whipped very hard to the left and suddenly the snow below me collapsed and I was in open air over a 20 foot deep ravine culvert (no snow fence). All of this happened so fast all I could do was turn my body to the right. I hit a massive boulder with my ass and back and was thrust under water into the stream. I did not know what hit me and aspirated water immediately into my lungs. I got up and was in shock. Adrenaline kicked in, all I thought about was where are my new 1K skis, lol. I dove under the water and retrieved them, weird I know. I then got up and did the normal body check, my shoulder hurt but I seemed OK. My ski mates went and got ski patrol and they walked me up to the trail. I actually skied back to the condo. It was only then the adrenaline wore off and I realized I was bleeding on my back and could barely move. I ended up in the hospital with a bruised kidney, spleen, torn shoulder labrum, torn meniscus, multiple contusions to my arse and a severely shattered tail bone. My body from my neck to my toes was black from bruising and bleeding. The Dr's told me I missed by a 1/4 inch from shearing my spinal cord. It took me a year but i made it back skiing the next year. I have however multiple issues left from that day, have had 3 knee surgeries, one shoulder surgery  with permanent nerve damage to my right leg, and an uneven gait. Epic yardsale. This picture is me clinging on to the sides of the cliff waiting for rescue. Apparently I hit that birch tree too. The first time I skied past that spot I was literally shaking lol but since then its meh. That day ended my woods days but I still enjoy skiing as a sport more than any other, well maybe body surfing. Oh and I wear a helmet now!

Damn! That's a crazy story and sorry you had to deal with the recovery, but as you said, could have been worse. As you were describing going underwater for your skis, all I could think of was Tom Hanks diving underwater to save Wilson.

[Ginx snewx]

2 minutes ago, Lava Rock said:

Damn! That's a crazy story and sorry you had to deal with the recovery, but as you said, could have been worse. As you were describing going underwater for your skis, all I could think of was Tom Hanks diving underwater to save Wilson.

LMAO, true dat

[tamarack]

31 minutes ago, Ginx snewx said:

LMAO, true dat

Going back for the skis reminds me of what my brother did while sledding (by himself) when he was about 10 years old.  Took the Flexible Flyer down a long hill then onto the boat dock, and off the end onto the ice.  Unfortunately, said ice was only 1/4" thick.  A good swimmer, he easily broke his way back to the dock and clambered out.  After a few seconds of thought, he jumped back in and retrieved the sled.  He now lives in NC where lake ice is not a factor, and turned a healthy 74 last week.

[Ginx snewx]

40 minutes ago, tamarack said:

Going back for the skis reminds me of what my brother did while sledding (by himself) when he was about 10 years old.  Took the Flexible Flyer down a long hill then onto the boat dock, and off the end onto the ice.  Unfortunately, said ice was only 1/4" thick.  A good swimmer, he easily broke his way back to the dock and clambered out.  After a few seconds of thought, he jumped back in and retrieved the sled.  He now lives in NC where lake ice is not a factor, and turned a healthy 74 last week.

My man!

[HIPPYVALLEY]

5 hours ago, Ginx snewx said:

So true every time you crash its an adventure. I have been skiing since I was 10 so 50 years? In all that time I have fallen and yard sailed many times without major injury except for the one time I narrowly escaped permanent paralysis or even death and it was on a simple slope not going fast. My story

I was at Sunday River for my annual week long adventure with the boys in March 2010. It was an epic week, we had 14 inches of snow after some rain. I was heading back to the chair at the bottom of Tourist trap on the 4th day when I innocently slid back on my skis, at the time it seemed like a normal slip and I would pop back up. Instead I whipped very hard to the left and suddenly the snow below me collapsed and I was in open air over a 20 foot deep ravine culvert (no snow fence). All of this happened so fast all I could do was turn my body to the right. I hit a massive boulder with my ass and back and was thrust under water into the stream. I did not know what hit me and aspirated water immediately into my lungs. I got up and was in shock. Adrenaline kicked in, all I thought about was where are my new 1K skis, lol. I dove under the water and retrieved them, weird I know. I then got up and did the normal body check, my shoulder hurt but I seemed OK. My ski mates went and got ski patrol and they walked me up to the trail. I actually skied back to the condo. It was only then the adrenaline wore off and I realized I was bleeding on my back and could barely move. I ended up in the hospital with a bruised kidney, spleen, torn shoulder labrum, torn meniscus, multiple contusions to my arse and a severely shattered tail bone. My body from my neck to my toes was black from bruising and bleeding. The Dr's told me I missed by a 1/4 inch from shearing my spinal cord. It took me a year but i made it back skiing the next year. I have however multiple issues left from that day, have had 3 knee surgeries, one shoulder surgery  with permanent nerve damage to my right leg, and an uneven gait. Epic yardsale. This picture is me clinging on to the sides of the cliff waiting for rescue. Apparently I hit that birch tree too. The first time I skied past that spot I was literally shaking lol but since then its meh. That day ended my woods days but I still enjoy skiing as a sport more than any other, well maybe body surfing. Oh and I wear a helmet now!

I remember this story vividly back on Eastern.  Thanks for sharing again, I had forgotten the details of your injuries.  Glad you are still around to tell it!

[Professional Lurker]

i used to ski when i was younger, my buddies and i wouldn't consider it to be a good day skiing until each of us had substantial yard sales. for some reason mine were always the "best".

i need to get back on skis, it has been a long time. i can't imagine the conditions were any good anywhere this past weekend.

Things were great those weekend! Fresh snow, straight from the guns! It was like midwinter!

Today was pretty good too. Slightly warmer. Gotta admit, I was sore as hell today and skied very cautiously until the last run.

There were whales everywhere but no active snowmaking. Obviously they were keeping the whales intact through the midweek warmup and then will push them out as needed. O ly got about 10 runs in, my head was pounding so I decided to call it a day.

I almost didn't go out today since I was a bit shook up still (felt almost hung over and loopy). Was thinking about how athletes typically take time off to recover from even mild concussions, however the season is quickly winding down and I don't want to miss a moment of it. Not smart, probably, but I'm still here.

Glad I could start a string of posts about wrecks. Ginxy, I too remember yours. ...and when TB crashed headfirst into that hydrant on flying cloud several years ago. It was scary (and maybe I'm an ass), but it was kinda funny too...

Bummed that the season's winding down and i haven't met up with anyone.

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[Professional Lurker]

...thinking about braving the drunken idiots for the $17 st patty's day at mt snow... maybe mt ellen instead. We'll see.

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[powderfreak]

9 hours ago, Ginx snewx said:

So true every time you crash its an adventure. I have been skiing since I was 10 so 50 years? In all that time I have fallen and yard sailed many times without major injury except for the one time I narrowly escaped permanent paralysis or even death and it was on a simple slope not going fast. My story

I was at Sunday River for my annual week long adventure with the boys in March 2010. It was an epic week, we had 14 inches of snow after some rain. I was heading back to the chair at the bottom of Tourist trap on the 4th day when I innocently slid back on my skis, at the time it seemed like a normal slip and I would pop back up. Instead I whipped very hard to the left and suddenly the snow below me collapsed and I was in open air over a 20 foot deep ravine culvert (no snow fence). All of this happened so fast all I could do was turn my body to the right. I hit a massive boulder with my ass and back and was thrust under water into the stream. I did not know what hit me and aspirated water immediately into my lungs. I got up and was in shock. Adrenaline kicked in, all I thought about was where are my new 1K skis, lol. I dove under the water and retrieved them, weird I know. I then got up and did the normal body check, my shoulder hurt but I seemed OK. My ski mates went and got ski patrol and they walked me up to the trail. I actually skied back to the condo. It was only then the adrenaline wore off and I realized I was bleeding on my back and could barely move. I ended up in the hospital with a bruised kidney, spleen, torn shoulder labrum, torn meniscus, multiple contusions to my arse and a severely shattered tail bone. My body from my neck to my toes was black from bruising and bleeding. The Dr's told me I missed by a 1/4 inch from shearing my spinal cord. It took me a year but i made it back skiing the next year. I have however multiple issues left from that day, have had 3 knee surgeries, one shoulder surgery  with permanent nerve damage to my right leg, and an uneven gait. Epic yardsale. This picture is me clinging on to the sides of the cliff waiting for rescue. Apparently I hit that birch tree too. The first time I skied past that spot I was literally shaking lol but since then its meh. That day ended my woods days but I still enjoy skiing as a sport more than any other, well maybe body surfing. Oh and I wear a helmet now!

Jesus Christ dude.  I remember that but didn't know it was that bad.  Sorry you had to go through that.

Was the snow bridge marked or did you just fall through?  Crazy, the risk manager side of me has red flags going off like crazy...like how does it happen and how do you prevent it.