# Safety on the hills



## OU812 (Feb 2, 2013)

Maybe its because I'm a noob boarder, but ever since I started riding on a snowboard I've noticed how unsafe a lot of things are on the hill. Not mentioning other people running into you, both the ones that have no idea what they are doing (etiquette mostly) and the ones that hot dog on blue runs with their GoPro cameras on their helmets and almost kill themselves and others. 
I've noticed I recognize or am more aware of dangers quicker. On skies I was as well, but I feel like I'm more aware of my surroundings on my board. Skis almost give you a false sense of security, cause you can escape some bad situations more easily however when shit hits the fan....

Anyways a few examples I noticed, such as not having enough room when you get off the lift. Yesterday I was on a lift that had a fairly sharp bank down when you dismount and maybe 2m if that with a fence right in front of you. People running into the fence, spilling all over, crowded. Didn't help the fact that it was icy as hell. Never seen so many skiers wipe out and boarders....forget it. About half the boarders opted to carry their board in their hand on the lift which I've never seen before.
Ice all around when you get on the lift as well, lift attendants pointless. I went with a skier friend, who wanted to check out a run and in one section it was about 3m wide, so icy people were sliding down sideways only and it was packed wit people to the max. I understand hills are trying to make a profit but come on take care of your shit.

The thing that pissed me off the most yesterday was I was going down a run that was ridiculously wide, I went to the left side and found myself in an area with about 5cm of snow, frozen ground and rocks. Normally that side is rideable, but they didn't bother to add new snow or take care of it cause its late in the season and thats fine, yet didn't close it either. From a distance it looks rideable. Basically the whole left side of the run was like this. I noticed a bunch of other people made the same mistake as I, including some boarders. Ended up scratching the bottom of my new board. Shit happens but its not difficult to put up some sticks with a rope attached to it or warn people with a sign or two up top if they're cheap and don't wanna put up a full on fence.

Maybe I sound like I'm whining and I'm used to being on hills but sometimes just sit at the bottom of a run with a beer and watch people go down and it makes you wonder how there are not more injuries. 
I'm actually more vary on blues than reds. Red's are less crowded for the most part and you don't have to contend with having Alberto Tomba showing off while grazing your ass as you try and avoid a father teaching his little girl to ski.


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## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

I'm right there with little (or big?) brother. I came back to boarding after a 10+ year hiatus . before that I had like 12 seasons of 40-50 days so I've seen a LOT on the hill.

I'm from the east coast but riding in Cali for most of the season...so that could have an impact but I'm backing up your frustrations with my own. I seriously hate these effing cameras. Its not just boarders either. Every third person has a camera and I hate them. You get families videotaping their li. le ones. Hot dogs straightlining while looking at a view screen. Two weeks ago I almost plowed a gaggle of people under a roller (not on the side of the trail.) They were waiting for their buddy to hit it with a damn camera. But he was sitting above them when i went over it taking his sweet ass time with the drop in. 99.9% of us won't go pro and back in the day people found ways to improve form without video. 

But I guess its just the culture. People are addicted to their own awesomeness nowadays. Its the Facebook-ification of America. Similarly...entitled parents seem to be a problem. Hauling their kid on blacks to edgie wedgie their way down after creating a human shield of 50 ft wide turns above the kid and across half the trail. Parents are so neutoric nowadays they probably heard their neighbors little Jimmy was doing blacks last season and flipped the hell out. 

Or worse they dump em with ski school for the babysitting and one instructor herds a pack of 10 year olds across the mountain. Ever see an instructor without the presence to get kids to listen and mind instructions. Its like the madness on the back of the bus of your 4th grade field trip...only barreling at you at high speeds. 

I dislike iPods/iPhones. I never saw anyone snowboard with music in their ears before. Relieving yourself of one of your major sensory inputs while going 40 MPH with no padding makes no sense to me. You wouldnt put headphones on in the car mostly because its illegal in most states. 

And the hill staff not marking hazards is unnacceptable. I dont know where you are but there should be and probably is a code in the town or county statues. People can get seriously hurt that way. Same with lift ice. Ice happens but at most mountains the attendants are expected o shovel snow on the ramps between chairs. Chair, shovel, chair, shovel. Flatten. Not rocket science. But not doing it is sheer laziness. People fall off chairs. Lifts stop. Lines get bigger.Landings get more crowded. At least no one is going fast of the chair. 

And overselling is not in the vocabulary of anyone in outdoor recreation management. There's no such thing as too crowded. 

I totally agree. Snowboarding is dangerous enough. If you can support the hills that do a great job with safety and equipment reliability. The place I was at today did an excellent job with this and it was noticed and very appreciated. I will def be going back there.


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## MarshallV82 (Apr 6, 2011)

OU812 said:


> Maybe I sound like I'm whining and I'm used to being on hills but sometimes just sit at the bottom of a run with a beer and watch people go down and it makes you wonder how there are not more injuries.
> I'm actually more vary on blues than reds. Red's are less crowded for the most part and you don't have to contend with having Alberto Tomba showing off while grazing your ass as you try and avoid a father teaching his little girl to ski.


East coast rider? Overcrowded resorts full of begineers can be a death trap I suppose.

I feel fine in Colorado, I've almost had one serious accident this year, little girl popped out of trees onto a steep groomer. Luckily the snow was soft and I was able to stop quickly. Fast =/= Out of control. Most of those guys can avoid traffic better than you think. Most people seem to be good about following the skiers code. I always blast my music while riding, I don't see how it distracts anyone.


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## t21 (Dec 29, 2010)

There will be always danger on any ski resorts and i agree with you, some could be preventable. I've a lot of skiers/boarders who has no clue how to ride and skipping the bunny hill because their friends are on the greens. JUst today while riding with my 4 yr.ols grandson, a newb goes mach speed right towards me and my grandson so i went right behind him so i can protect my GS from this fool,luckily he just sat down and slid to about 3 ft. of me. about music, i ride alone on saturdays, and i have my mp3 on but with only one earpiece on. I can hear people behind me, i can have conversations with someone on the lift, and i just have to have music with almost everything i do. I watch people in front of me and even glanced up just in case someone might just be right there before i turn. so yeah, i basically ride defensively as i do driving.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

rocks > ptex


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## AcroPhile (Dec 3, 2010)

This thread is not what I thought it was about.


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## behi (Feb 27, 2013)

MarshallV82 said:


> Fast =/= Out of control. Most of those guys can avoid traffic better than you think.


Having gotten run over by expert skiers a few times (fortunately only board contact), I'm not so sure I agree. Each time, there was ton of space to pass me. 

There are a lot of morons who think they are cool if they zap by you leaving maybe 1ft of room. Not that they are completely out of control, but carving at 50+mph, they aren't going to make sufficiently quick course corrections.


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## OU812 (Feb 2, 2013)

EastCoastChris said:


> ......


I'm Canadian but currently live in Prague, Czech Republic. I would say the conditions here are similar to the east coast as you guys describe it. Icy quite a bit, powder? forget it. One of the reasons why I bought a board with Magne-Traction. Austria next door though is completely different, I skied in Kitzbuhel and it was awesome, well taken care off, different vibe.

I found that boarders here are pretty cool for the most part. Cruising down, having a good time, slowing down ahead of time before coming up to the lift line up and not showing off like skiers do here. Here's a photo from Saturday on one of the runs. 15+min wait at the lift, about 1:30min to get down. Line got even longer after I took that photo.


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## Soul06 (Dec 18, 2010)

Nothing personal but this does sound a lot more like whining than valid complaints.

1) I, from time to time, record while I ride. I have a Contour camera that mounts to the side of my helmet. Allows me to watch later or share with friends who may be interested. Don't see the problem with that. Thats the purpose for them. To record memories that can be watched later.

2) If you were talking about people ski/riding fast down green (beginner) trails then I could understand. But down Blues (Intermediates)....sorry but no. You can't expect everyone else to slow down for you because you want to cruise down an intermediate trail. Riding out of control is one thing. Everyone should be in control. But I could just as easily complain when I'm trying to ride fast/hard, in control, and there are two or three people who want to ride 10mph taking up the entire trail randomly carving back and forth forcing me to have to either shoot closely by them or stop all together till I can make out which way they are about to turn.

3) Rocks in trails. Thats youre job to avoid. You can't expect resorts to search every trails marking or fencing off exposed rock areas. Thats part of riding and your responsibility to avoid.

4) As for the place you road being icy....well not much they can do about that. As someone said before, its a weather dependent sport. You can only make so much snow and obviously the lift offload area is going to be ridden down to virtually nothing.


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## mhaas (Nov 25, 2007)

stopping to have a safety meeting every now and then might help ease your concerns.


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

I just ride, do my own thing and dont give a shit what anybody else does really. I always leave the mountain stoked, not full of pent up frustration from all the things I didnt like.


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## Banjo (Jan 29, 2013)

I can see where the OP is coming from, you dont want your new stick busted up b/c of a hazard you didnt know was there, and you dont want to have people zipping by you at high speeds who arent paying close attention/in complete control, BUT...

Have you ever driven on a highway in Alberta? A major freeway _anywhere_? Its the same thing...the roads can have hazards and people are assholes....something you just gotta get used to. 

Unfortunately long lift lines, poor conditions and inconsiderate people are something we have to get used to as the resorts are packed due this sport (and skiing but less so:laugh being awesome! We get spoiled by days that have bottomless pow and no lines (Nelson on a weekday is my white rabbit), but like my friend above from Japan said...just go do your thing and be stoked!


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## Derp (Feb 3, 2012)

Sounds like you are riding in spring time conditions. Extremely hard for a hill to manage. Rocks and brown patches are only going to get worse for you now. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. Impossible for every rock and patch to get roped off. Same goes with the icy spots when the temp rises and cools so fast. Now add the folks that either pizza or 50/50 down the entire run. Only makes things worse. What little snow there is gets pushed to the sides and the bottom of the mountain.

Music and video recording are something that every hill has. I have my mp3 player in one ear and a Contour on the side of my helm. I can hear just fine and have yet to become a liability to anyone else because I was recording something.

Lift ops will herd you like cattle when things are busy. Get use to it. If I'm running our 6 man high speed and there is a line, I want 6 to a chair so people can get in as many runs as possible. We don't allow anyone to "carry" their board or skis on the chairs. That seems like a accident waiting to happen. I don't want people flailing that shit around in my face when unloading.

If I happen to be riding and don't know the folks on my chair I will either unload at the last possible moment or push off the back of the chair to get a jump start. Works great for steering clear of wipeouts.

Nothing you can really do about it and getting bent out of shape over it will only ruin your day. The more you visit your local hill the better you get at spotting "dangers" before they happen. Just worry about yourself, relax, and have a good time.


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## OU812 (Feb 2, 2013)

Funny you mention highways Banjo because the drivers here are pathetic, so its only natural it transfers over to their skiing as well haha.

Like I said in the original post, I might be whining a bit too much but it was a really frustrating day. I'm ok with these things normally and I've always enjoyed myself but that day was a little excessive. Oh well, shit happens.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Is this thread just full of pussies or what? Sack up!


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## OU812 (Feb 2, 2013)

Derp said:


> We don't allow anyone to "carry" their board or skis on the chairs. That seems like a accident waiting to happen. I don't want people flailing that shit around in my face when unloading.


Yea, I've never seen that either....ever, anywhere. Its not that difficult to get off a lift and if you happen to fall well so what. They'd jump off the chair quickly and run down the little icy slope holding their board in one hand.


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## BigmountainVMD (Oct 9, 2011)

A lot of what the OP said is hard for the hill to manage, but I do get irked on a busy day when the lift attendants are just sitting there and not shoveling any new snow or cleaning up the lift entrances/exits. I experienced this last weekend when the grooves cut into the entrance to the lift made it impossible to balance on your board... I mean deep 4 to 6 inch valleys and troughs, 8 in each entrance to the quad (not the line, but getting on the actual lift). The lifty could have just raked it out... but that didn't happen the entire day. Just icy valleys and awkward slipping around by every snowboarder there.

Same deal with the exit... they could have easily shoveled some snow on the ramp and raked it but the lifty sat on his ass until 1 or 2 PM.


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## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

I'll add to the pile of dumb crap people do (I'll admit to doing this a few times too but I was too young to care at the time..) Don't get high and ride. Seriously. Its dumb. No one wants to get behind your Rally van going all 25 MPH up county roads on the way to the hill pothead. No one wants to share a lift or mountain with someone all screwed up.

Particularly with spring riding...the hill staff have to be dilligent in closing off trails and marking hazards. Not doing it is just lazy. 99% of places I've been to are good about this. Any staff that isnt shouldnt be getting your money.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

I don't see the problem....guess I have to start riding some shitty ass hills

But give the gapers a break...you../..I waz one once...and spring time is great for gaper learning...yesterday there was a ton of little kids out on the hill that were very stoked. They were even pretty cool...in that they let my crew "play through" to inaliate some fresh 24" 50 degree slope powder field for them.


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## kpd2003 (Sep 8, 2011)

EastCoastChris said:


> I'll add to the pile of dumb crap people do (I'll admit to doing this a few times too but I was too young to care at the time..) Don't get high and ride. Seriously. Its dumb. No one wants to get behind your Rally van going all 25 MPH up county roads on the way to the hill pothead. No one wants to share a lift or mountain with someone all screwed up.


Potheads out trying to take over the world again! Those crazy potheads. Constantly ruining everyones fun time by having fun of their own. What assholes. They are just the absolute worst. I can't think of anything worse than a person minding their own high business while not bothering anyone. Fucking hippies.

Is there a sarcasm button I can enter?


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## BigmountainVMD (Oct 9, 2011)

EastCoastChris said:


> I'll add to the pile of dumb crap people do (I'll admit to doing this a few times too but I was too young to care at the time..) Don't get high and ride. Seriously. Its dumb. No one wants to get behind your Rally van going all 25 MPH up county roads on the way to the hill pothead. No one wants to share a lift or mountain with someone all screwed up.


You should start a thread on this and see what people say...


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## OU812 (Feb 2, 2013)

I don't mind the potheads. Funny enough the most weed I smell at any given time in a public place is on the hill. Its the morons who consume too much alcohol then go skiing thats worse. 

Didn't want to turn this into a bitching thread. I understand resorts can't take care of everything out on the hill and I do just want to ride and have fun, I'm pretty laid back. The closing off parts of the hill in the spring, well if its a small section and you can see brown grass well thats obvious. The part I ran into was all covered in snow, about the length of half the run and about 50m wide. Coincidentally, they've now closed that whole run as of today.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

EastCoastChris said:


> I'll add to the pile of dumb crap people do (I'll admit to doing this a few times too but I was too young to care at the time..) Don't get high and ride. Seriously. Its dumb. No one wants to get behind your Rally van going all 25 MPH up county roads on the way to the hill pothead. No one wants to share a lift or mountain with someone all screwed up.
> 
> Particularly with spring riding...the hill staff have to be dilligent in closing off trails and marking hazards. Not doing it is just lazy. 99% of places I've been to are good about this. Any staff that isnt shouldnt be getting your money.



Such a lame post Chris. See if you can keep up with me going "up the hill" :icon_scratch:


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## MarshallV82 (Apr 6, 2011)

I ride high all the time, I pretty much do everything high I guess. I even have my own growing room now, it's a lot more work than I thought it was though. I don't see how it hurts anything.. I typically have 3-4 drinks throughout the day too. Sorry world. 
I HATE when resorts close down areas because they have a few bare spots and rocks poking through, just put an unmarked obstacles sign up and call it good! I've never had issues with the chairlift..


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## CassMT (Mar 14, 2013)

mhaas said:


> stopping to have a safety meeting every now and then might help ease your concerns.


studies have shown this to be a fact....riding is a time to leave all your worries behind

i love my 2pm lager...never more than 1 though


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

CassMT said:


> studies have shown this to be a fact....riding is a time to leave all your worries behind
> 
> i love my 2pm lager...never more than 1 though



I prefer 90% Sativa buds.\. On the chair, as I pick (ideally) my next pow line.

Hating summer already.


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## CassMT (Mar 14, 2013)

alas, to be far from CA, WA, or OR has it's 'price', in the availability of certain....favors


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

CassMT said:


> studies have shown this to be a fact....riding is a time to leave all your worries behind


Very very true. And it doesn't matter what specifically you're doing -- whether it's snow sports, hiking, river rafting, flying, jogging, etc etc etc. The idea is to be doing something that takes you outside your life for a few hours. While I'm on the lift or on the run I'm not thinking about mortgages, projects at work, my daughter's braces, or anything like that. You need to spend a certain percentage of your life doing something that has no ROI, no goal other than what you set for yourself, and otherwise no redeeming objective "value" outside of the deed itsself. This is zen.

And you will live longer, and enjoy it more.


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## Noreaster (Oct 7, 2012)

Donutz said:


> Very very true. And it doesn't matter what specifically you're doing -- whether it's snow sports, hiking, river rafting, flying, jogging, etc etc etc. The idea is to be doing something that takes you outside your life for a few hours. While I'm on the lift or on the run I'm not thinking about mortgages, projects at work, my daughter's braces, or anything like that. You need to spend a certain percentage of your life doing something that has no ROI, no goal other than what you set for yourself, and otherwise no redeeming objective "value" outside of the deed itsself. This is zen.
> 
> And you will live longer, and enjoy it more.


On the contrary, I find riding to be a huge ROI. If not for snowboarding I would have been Xanax-ed up to my gills by now. And that shit costs a ton.


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## CassMT (Mar 14, 2013)

well said donutz

i see alot of people on the hill getting upset over one thing or another...talking business on the phone on the chairlift, complaining about sevices, hill conditions, visibility , any number of other petty shit...we are *sooo* damn lucky to be out there for even one damn day, gotta make the most of it, carpe diem yo


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## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

KIRKRIDER said:


> Such a lame post Chris. See if you can keep up with me going "up the hill" :icon_scratch:


I dont care that much really. Was being facetious more than anything. But living in NoCal vs NYC for a season....omg its SO funny how much people are smoking out here. Not that we dont smoke on the East Coast. Its just not decriminalized and culturally acceptable. I'm always laughing driving on weekends because its not rare to get behind a dude on the Freeway going reaaaaallllly slow with the car fishbowling. Lol. I still drive like a new yorker so I just weave around em. POTHEADS!!

Stoners on the hill are usually pretty entertaining too. Yeah def waaaaay more tolerable than people riding drunk. One of the last times I rode in my 20s my best friend and me went to Mt. Snow for the first time. We did our wake n bake on first chair and spent probably 85% of the day on our asses looking at the trail map. In our defense...that shit was waaaaay confusing. Ever notice how the colored lines like...cross each other? It was quite possibly the biggest waste of money ever.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

EastCoastChris said:


> Stoners on the hill are usually pretty entertaining too. Yeah def waaaaay more tolerable than people riding drunk. One of the last times I rode in my 20s my best friend and me went to Mt. Snow for the first time. We did our wake n bake on first chair and spent probably 85% of the day on our asses looking at the trail map. In our defense...that shit was waaaaay confusing. Ever notice how the colored lines like...cross each other? It was quite possibly the biggest waste of money ever.


lol...east confused and arguing looking at trail map..damm typical...vs west "brah...fuck the map and bust the gnar"


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

EastCoastChris said:


> I dont care that much really. Was being facetious more than anything. But living in NoCal vs NYC for a season....omg its SO funny how much people are smoking out here. Not that we dont smoke on the East Coast. Its just not decriminalized and culturally acceptable. I'm always laughing driving on weekends because its not rare to get behind a dude on the Freeway going reaaaaallllly slow with the car fishbowling. Lol. I still drive like a new yorker so I just weave around em. POTHEADS!!
> 
> Stoners on the hill are usually pretty entertaining too. Yeah def waaaaay more tolerable than people riding drunk. One of the last times I rode in my 20s my best friend and me went to Mt. Snow for the first time. We did our wake n bake on first chair and spent probably 85% of the day on our asses looking at the trail map. In our defense...that shit was waaaaay confusing. Ever notice how the colored lines like...cross each other? It was quite possibly the biggest waste of money ever.



Cool...
To me is more a flavor added to the day...a slight buzz.. to enhance the ride...not screw it up... pothead is as nice as to call a friend drunk because he had one beer?


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## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

wrathfuldeity said:


> lol...east confused and arguing looking at trail map..damm typical...vs west "brah...fuck the map and bust the gnar"


Hahaha! So true.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

NWBoarder said:


> Hahaha! So true.


then the rest..."brah...fuck where are we?...Idk dude, but its like alice in wonderland's closet where they enter ice queen's winterland"


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## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

The worst part was...after like 20 minutes of trying to figure that fucking thing out...we ended up on a soul and knee crushing black mogul run anyway. In my defense though, my friend is complete and total moron when it comes to anything approaching critical thinking. 

If I remember correctly Mt. Snow is a couple mountains with a ton of flats. So we were trying to find a way to the far side lodge to meet up with a buddy without skating too much. It turned into a debacle. Ya know how when you eat something like a cap or tab and going to the 7/11 turns into a life altering adventure? It was like that. Lmao.


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## RockyMTNsteeze (Oct 21, 2012)

I hate the skiers that are oblivious to their poles when they walk around the villages. I wonder how many eye injuries occur each season.

I really hate the people who get very close to me on the mountain and buzz by. Those people ski/ride like idiots. You don't know if the person you get to close to is going to stop, butter, slow down or whatever. Give everyone space, especially beginners and children. Collisions are avoidable but pretty common. There is normally plenty of space.

Some parents are really stupid with their children. They push them to hard and take the fun out of it. Then they put the children into situations they are not ready for. I saw this on the lift. The child did not want to ride the terrain the mom was pointing out. It was pretty steep and icy. The kid had enough sense to notice the people on the slope struggling. Then when they get off the chair the child sharply cuts in front of me. he could not even un load a lift properly and the mom wanted him to ride all these steep icy blues.


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