Biggest fear

[billski]

What's your biggest fear when skiing?

My biggest fear when skiing isn't getting lost, falling, breaking a leg, tumbling off a lift or dangerous driving conditions getting there.

My biggest fear is that one day I'll stick my hand in my pocket on the lift and out drops my wallet or car keys into the fresh fallen pow deep below the chairlift.

 

[Brettski]

Usually I try not to do anything on the lift...If I have to take my gloves off I stick them inside my Jacket...and then do whatever I have to do...I explain this to my kids...

That said, I was cleaning my glasses once, and a lense popped out....almost caught it as it was flying in the air...but no luck...kinda need them for driving...but not really...Only had them on because it was nighttime at Gunstock...usually I just ski with my non-script Raybans...

Use the force Luke.....

 

[riverc0il]

i keep fear out of my skiing entirely. you make mistakes when you let fear creap into your mind. fear becomes a self fulfilling prophecy if you let your thought linger on it too long.

some may advocate fear being a good thing to ensure people do not get in over their heads. but we should not confuse fear with self awareness of ability level, preparation, and having the right skills and tools for a situation.

having my keys fall out of my wallet is always a concern, but i wouldn't label it a fear. i generally triple check where my keys are before locking my door at a ski area and zip them into a secure pocket with my wallet that does not get opened on the slopes. but that is concern, not fear.

 

[JimG.]

My biggest fear is that there isn't enough snow.

 

[ozskier]

Blowing out my already weak right knee.

 

[Sky]

Fear....hmmmmmm.....bumps. Just too intimidating for me. I need to find some gentle bumps and work on the skills. The book "All Mountain Skier" has some great tips on how to approach them. But every set of bumps I've encountered are either rock-hard and/or on steep terrain.

Like RC...wallet/glasses/keys go into a safe zippered pocket (usually interior pocket) from the get-go.

Gloves and poles on a lift are a concern vs a fear. I sit on the poles (a trick I picked up from a ski-pal). If gloves come off, they go inside an unzipped jacket, then go right back on.

 

[riverc0il]

good call from sky521, i also put the poles under the leg when there is room (not so much on a full chair). if the gloves come off, i open up my jacket and stuff them inside.

soft bumps are a dream sky521. i recommend hitting up wildcat during spring skiing when the temps are around 40-50. before the snow turns to mashed potatos and it's time to harvest the corn, the cat has some wonderful soft and small bumps most springs i have been there. tis' where i got into the bumps myself.

 

[dmc]

I only get scared when I can't see over something.. Like a cornice or a headwall..
And I'm the first down...

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

...skiing with Greg at Killington in November, breaking my leg and missing the season...again :blink:

 

[Powderhound21]

My biggest fear is that there isn't enough snow.

Definately.

 

[Brettski]

Skiing in the fog is a trip...not that I was afraid..but the fact that you can hear the schussing around you is a bit strange...

 

[Greg]

...skiing with Greg at Killington in November, breaking my leg and missing the season...again :blink:

The fact that you skied down amazed me. That was a bummer day for sure...

 

[bvibert]

...skiing with Greg at Killington in November, breaking my leg and missing the season...again :blink:

Yeah, Greg can be mean like that if you don't let him go first... Gotta watch out...

 

[Sky]

soft bumps are a dream. i recommend hitting up wildcat during spring skiing.

Two things....Please, it's "Sky" The 521 was just a quick add-on to register in here (some lamo in NH has "Sky" as a user name yet has NO posts *sigh*)

Anyway, second thing...good call on Wildcat. Got there for the first time last year and LOVED it.

Yep, soft bumps...or anything on something not too steep is what I'm looking for so I can get in, hit a few and jump out, then work my way "up" on duration. @ 6'9", I don't expect to become a mogul man, but I anticipate there will be bumped up terrain in my skiing future that there's no way around....and I have this thing against walking down the slope (call it pride).

I think it was DMC above who said "headwall". Yep, me too...need to take a peak (looking for lack of bumps). Two years ago I was @ Killington for the first time and was getting a tour from a family member (owns a place up there). We hit something referred to as "the viper pit"? Relatively steep, definitely a headwall, relatively short run on the steepest portion. I had no problems with that once I looked over the edge.

I think the only other thing I get concerned about is steep, icey, narrow with non-skiers/riders. As much as it pains me to say "anything" negative about Wachusett....there tends to be a lot of under-skilled folks wanting to hit the summit. They tend to hit 10th Mountain trail (under the lift). On the steeper portion of the trail, Wa places bumps on the skier's left. That leaves the skier's right for the rest of us. The underskilled (skiers and riders) scrape their way down the middle of what remains (avoidng the edges most of the time (unless they opt to stop unexpectedly)). These folks give me pause.

TRUE, downhill skier has the right of way. They can have it. But picking your way down that slope with them, and hoping the guy behind you believes (and can control his speed) that the downhill skier (me) has the right of way also...well....it's a bit disconcerting. I usually just wait for a break in the crowd.

 

[Greg]

Fear....hmmmmmm.....bumps. Just too intimidating for me. I need to find some gentle bumps and work on the skills. The book "All Mountain Skier" has some great tips on how to approach them. But every set of bumps I've encountered are either rock-hard and/or on steep terrain.

Head up to Loon this season. They offer the best intermediate seeded bumps runs I've seen:

 

[dmc]

Head up to Loon this season. They offer the best intermediate seeded bumps runs I've seen:

Wow... I'd love to rip those things a new (you know what) on my 1080's....

 

[Greg]

Wow... I'd love to rip those things a new (you know what) on my 1080's....

But they're seeded, D. I thought you didn't like manmade?

 

[bvibert]

Head up to Loon this season. They offer the best intermediate seeded bumps runs I've seen:

Those look sweet! I think even I could ski those.

 

[dmc]

Wow... I'd love to rip those things a new (you know what) on my 1080's....

But they're seeded, D. I thought you didn't like manmade?

I prefer natural... And prefer natural when watching compititions... i think manmade takes the challenge out of them...

But I'd still tear them up with those little 1080's...

 

[tirolerpeter]

FEAR(s)

My biggest (natural) fear is having a trail turn into icy bumps after I have committed to a run. I generally try to visually scout it from a lift or simply ask if anyone has made the run recently. My biggest (human) fear is skiers who don't belong on a black or expert trail careening down out of control and NOT SCREAMING THEIR BLOODY HEADS OFF TO LET YOU KNOW THEY ARE COMING AT YOU UNTIL THEY CREAM YOU!