Helping People On The Mountain

[dmc]

That is a sign I would like to see posted on several trails, next to CAUTION signs... "NO RENTAL SKIS". That would save a lot of trouble....

Please no more signs...

All you have to do is look down LowerK and that should be sign enough...

 

[andrec10]

People dont read signs anyways. I call it Evolution at work! Weed out the weak and stupid!:flame:

 

[Johnskiismore]

completely gender dependent decision :lol:

If I am not going too fast I'll help the skier/rider retieve their equipment and see if they're okay

 

[dmc]

People dont read signs anyways. I call it Evolution at work! Weed out the weak and stupid!:flame:

Send the signs to Windham....

 

[jaja111]

I think if you ski decently, everyone is to some extent ski patrol - depending on the severity of the situation. If someone looks smashed up I stop all the time. If someone is struggling, it depends on my mood and who I am with that day (pace of the group). I have bailed on a group though and spent an hour teaching a kid just the absolute basics to negotiate getting down the trail. He was just too pathetic by the third time I passed above him on the lift. Same story as usual: all his friends bailed on him and he never even had a lesson. Once to the bottom I redeemed one of my 5 free lessons and gave him the ticket (bonus of the Sunday night pass at a hill here, having already used 4 lessons to spend an hour each time just skiing around with an instructor, none of which could offer me any good bump techniques (the only hole in my skiing)... so we just skied and shot the shit). Later in the evening I spotted him with a good wedge handling the hill he was paralyzed on before. I felt like I had a little part in that. It was all good.

Definitely a Karma thing.

 

[legalskier]

Definitely a Karma thing.

One thing I noticed and appreciated from the start was how helpful other skiers always were, from offering tips to cleaning up a yard sale. IMHO it's something that seems to be unique to the sport, creating a sense of comraderie. I try to continue that. Everyone I've ever assisted was thankful, like the elderly gent a couple weeks back who slid down an icy bumped up double black below me after catching an edge. Who knows--it might even encourage someone to stay in the sport, reassured that there's usually someone there to help, like jaja111. And you're also clearing a hazardous condition for the next guy down, e.g. a certain ghost snowboard. If I should encounter someone not wanting my help, it wouldn't discourage me; and patrollers ought to focus on the tough cases, the reason they are out there. Helping the downed skier, making things safe for the next one, for the love of the sport.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

all the time...

 

[Jisch]

At Snow on Sunday I was skiing behind a lady who double ejected, it wasn't a bad fall, just one of those things (and it seemed her bindings were set really loose). I stopped and picked up her skis and brought them down to her (30 ft or so), she was grateful, though a bit embarassed and said it wasn't as bad as it looked. I told her it didn't look that bad.

I do the same when mountain biking, you only pass through here once!
John

 

[Bostonian]

definitely, in fact if the person who is down and is a cute girl all the more reason But seriously, I have taken enough spills and am grateful for anytime someone asks me if i am okay. I do the same since it is all about karma and doing the right thing.

 

[thaller1]

I do try to help others... I've stopped a few times to make sure someone was ok if they'd fallen and just recently a young boy (6ish?) had fallen and kept sliding down the hill..his Mother was desperately trying to grab him from behind but she kept pushing him further.

I skied up in front of him and blocked his skis with mine to keep him from sliding and then picked him up... he did fine after that and gave me a big "thank you!"..very polite child.


T

 

[Warp Daddy]

We Always stop for anyone who looks like they took a bad fall or a child in distress

. If it looks like a non serious biff, i'll SLOW down and ask if they are all right or if they need help .

I've ALWAYS been helped whenever i needed it so try to reciprocate .

 

[Vortex]

I always do, the kids picked up the trait. Kind of funny to see my tiny daughter go up and ask adults are they okay, or bring them a ski.

 

[maineskier69]

I to will go out of my way to help most anyone from bringing a pole down to them to notifying patrol. Not helping someone on the hill by no means teaches them a lesson. Not around here anyway.

 

[dmc]

Not helping someone on the hill by no means teaches them a lesson. Not around here anyway.

I still believe that part of skiing is learning to deal with what happens when you yard sale.. And if there's nobody around... You can't just stand there and wait... So better to know what to do and have practiced it...

 

[maineskier69]

I still believe that part of skiing is learning to deal with what happens when you yard sale.. And if there's nobody around... You can't just stand there and wait... So better to know what to do and have practiced it...

I agree that it is Basic Skiing 101 to gather yourself together post yardsale. If I see someone that could some help, I will if I can. I will also be the first person to tell someone if they are somewhere they shouldn't be whether it is their ablity level or a "blind spot" on the trail.

 

[mattchuck2]

I think we have had this thread before . . .

 

[Hawkshot99]

I took a real hard fall this evening. Double ejection going through very wet and sticky man made under the guns. Slammed my head hard on impact, and managed to slam my shoulder pretty good too. Slid way down the trail. My goggles were totally covered in snow, so I could see nothing, as I was trying to self stop. A snowboarder saw i was heading for the woods at a good clip, and cut me off to keep my sliding body out of the woods. I was very grateful, for him, and he stuck with me, till he was sure I was ok.
My skis and poles were now 200+ yards up a pretty steep trail, and was gonna be a very long hike. Luckily, some more very nice people were able to help me out and get me my gear with only minimal hiking on my part.

I am always very thankful for any help I get, and always willing to help a person out.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I took a real hard fall this evening. Double ejection going through very wet and sticky man made under the guns. Slammed my head hard on impact, and managed to slam my shoulder pretty good too. Slid way down the trail. My goggles were totally covered in snow, so I could see nothing, as I was trying to self stop. A snowboarder saw i was heading for the woods at a good clip, and cut me off to keep my sliding body out of the woods. I was very grateful, for him, and he stuck with me, till he was sure I was ok.
My skis and poles were now 200+ yards up a pretty steep trail, and was gonna be a very long hike. Luckily, some more very nice people were able to help me out and get me my gear with only minimal hiking on my part.

I am always very thankful for any help I get, and always willing to help a person out.

Yikes, now I really feel bad. I just figured you'd passed me and I didn't see you and we missed connection. I went back up and skied Left Bank, while you where probably still getting yourself together. I had no clue, but sorry I wasn't there to help.

 

[Hawkshot99]

Yikes, now I really feel bad. I just figured you'd passed me and I didn't see you and we missed connection. I went back up and skied Left Bank, while you where probably still getting yourself together. I had no clue, but sorry I wasn't there to help.

No problem. I actually almost passed you as I was sliding down on my rear end. It was good to take some runs with you.

 

[catskills]

I still believe that part of skiing is learning to deal with what happens when you yard sale.. And if there's nobody around... You can't just stand there and wait... So better to know what to do and have practiced it...

dmc I understand what you are saying.

On the other hand there are many reasons to stop and help out. If someone falls hard enough to have their skis come off, there is a reasonably good possibility that they may have hurt something and will need ski patrol. Picking up their gear gives you a reason to talk to them to see if they need help. Its possible the reason they fell is because of a medical problem. Maybe they act like their drunk but are really a diabetic. Maybe they had a fall on the previous run and hit their head and they don't even remember having the fall (this actually happens more than you would think). DMC, if they need help I am sure you have the ability to ski to the bottom in less than 60 seconds to get that help.

As a ski patroller I find that many people initially tell you they are fine and you eventually find out they in fact have a bad injury. If they are hurt they need a toboggan ride down to prevent the possibility of further injury.

If you witness the fall you can probably tell from the mechanism of injury (MOI) if they are going to need ski patrol or not. Go with your gut feeling. For example, if you see a bad fall from the chair lift and they don't get up, mention it to lift attendant to call ski patrol to go check it out. Note the number on the tower for the location. Better safe than sorry.

My buddy skied down 2,000 feet with a fractured fibula a few years back. Reason was he didn't want to bother the ski patrol. Tough macho but not real smart.