On mountain etiquette

[uphillklimber]

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[wa-loaf]

How boring would that be to ski the same turn all the way down the trail for your convenience? I mix up my turns short to wider radius, decide maybe the other side of the trail looks better and move over. As the over taking skiing it's your job to watch out for me. I do take a quick glance if I'm going to cross over, but if you are traveling fast I might not see you.

The dude sitting under the rise deserves to have his head taken off ...

 

[skidbump]

I do it just to screw with General public

 

[hammer]

I should not have to ski any particular way to please those above me.

That said, I do try to avoid cutting all the way over to the sides of a trail...I realize that many times the faster/more capable skiers like to play there. When I do ski on the edges of the trail I work on my short turns...

My peeve lately has been with kids followed by parents...the kid cuts right across to one side of the trail and I'm struggling to get around him/her without going between the kid and the parent. The parent (who is closer to the other side of the trail) doesn't appreciate it when I have to go between them.

 

[Cheese]

I've been on both sides of this one.

If I'm the lead skier trying to drag an elbow I will look up the hill for a clearing before starting, but then use the whole trail if I desire to lay down monster arcs. As you noticed, the turn shapes aren't always predictable. Worse than that, if I'm trying to bleed a little speed my turn may actually take me back up the hill.

On the other hand I've been the one trying to take a steeper fall line angle and felt the wind of the trees as I got pinched up against them while passing a slower skier.

Two ideas work for me.

First, I suck up my pride, stop and let the lead skier get ahead of me so I no longer need to pass. This obviously doesn't work if there are many more uphill skiers that will crowd your trajectory even worse if you stop.

Second, I think of it like passing an automobile on the street. I don't want to be tailgating when I'm about to pass. It's more efficient to back off, accelerate in the same lane, pull out already faster than the victim and execute a quick pass. The longer a pass takes, the more dangerous it is to all parties involved.

Snowboarders are notorious for sitting in blind spots. I always instructed skiers to stop where they could see uphill since that meant other skiers could see them as well. The careless boarders either never learned this or they look uphill to check for visibility then sit down and forget they're now much shorter. The kicker of this is it's probably another boarder who will go for air on the lip they're hiding under.

 

[jrmagic]

The code is the code is the code. That said if I am downhill I try not to do something erratic if I can hear others skiing near me.

 

[gmcunni]

i'm a timid skier. i find i check over my shoulder any time i "change lanes" when skiing.

 

[oakapple]

I wonder do people drive like this? Do they just drift right over 3 lanes on the highway with even a look over their shoulder? Being downhill does not give absolute right of way. You're supposed to look uphill when starting out, and at some point you do not have the right to ski directly into someone with out even looking where you are going. Or am I wrong on this?

Well, the comparison of skiing to driving is not really apt. Drivers have rear-view and side-view mirrors; skiers don't. That's why drivers are supposed to look for traffic behind them before changing lanes, but skiers are not.

And skis are just a lot harder to steer, as the terrain is far less predictable, and you don't have a machine helping you do the work. Cars are capable of much finer, more precise control, than skis.

In general, I think most of the people who make those wide or sudden turns on skis, are doing so because that's what they need to remain upright, not because they are rude or oblivious to their surroundings. Of course, there are exceptions, just as there are drivers who drive selfishly while remaining technically within the rules.

 

[jrmagic]

Well, the comparison of skiing to driving is not really apt. Drivers have rear-view and side-view mirrors; skiers don't. That's why drivers are supposed to look for traffic behind them before changing lanes, but skiers are not.

And skis are just a lot harder to steer, as the terrain is far less predictable, and you don't have a machine helping you do the work. Cars are capable of much finer, more precise control, than skis.

In general, I think most of the people who make those wide or sudden turns on skis, are doing so because that's what they need to remain upright, not because they are rude or oblivious to their surroundings. Of course, there are exceptions, just as there are drivers who drive selfishly while remaining technically within the rules.

I disagree. Some may be trying to avert a fall but most times when I see this, its someone looking to hit a different line or a jump or move to a spot where their friends have stopped etc.

 

[BenedictGomez]

The dude sitting under the rise deserves to have his head taken off ...

I find that "the dude" is always a 13 - 17 year old snowboarder.

And I loathe him.

 

[57stevey]

How boring would that be to ski the same turn all the way down the trail for your convenience? I mix up my turns short to wider radius, decide maybe the other side of the trail looks better and move over. As the over taking skiing it's your job to watch out for me. I do take a quick glance if I'm going to cross over, but if you are traveling fast I might not see you.

The dude sitting under the rise deserves to have his head taken off ...

This, and this.

 

[billski]

On highways the greatest risk of accidents occurs when there is a large differential in speeds. Ditto in skiing. An 30mph skier really shouldn't be on the same slope at a 2mph skier. I'll find another trail if that happens. If I can't, rather than try to out-run them, I'll sit back and wait for it to clear. If it never clears, I'm on the wrong trail. Don't go skiing at Otis ridge if downhill racing is your thing.

You want our sport to survive? Don't go blowing past a beginner, you're likely to freak them out and crash. There goes another paying customer! Your liberties should not impinge on my liberties.

Note to self. Consumers may use Tasers in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Go on, make my day. :angry:

 

[riverc0il]

Do they just drift right over 3 lanes on the highway with even a look over their shoulder? Being downhill does not give absolute right of way.

Actually, yes it does. Unless starting out from a stop, downhill skier always has the right of way and is under no obligation to "look over their shoulder" even if it might be a good idea. I don't have this problem at all. If someone is skiing erratically, I stop and let them get ahead of me or I pass quickly and decisively. I also avoid resorts which have lower levels of skiers/riders and more yahoos and traffic. Your problem is not one that I ever experience except at very rare appearances at the major resorts during their busy times when you can't just stop to get a clear trail because there are always skiers everywhere.

 

[steamboat1]

It's only a Sunday River thing...:blink:

 

[oakapple]

I gotta disagree with the mirrors comparison. Way back when I took drivers ed, I was instructed that we could use the mirrors, but we are required to turn our head and look backwards before changing lanes. Mirrors are good, but drivers still need to actually look.

I was taught that too, but in that case the quick look back is just confirming what your mirrors already told you (in case there is a blindspot). Skiers don't have the mirror at all.

Typically, I avoid all learning areas, as I can still remember how a faster skier scare the bejeebers out of me.

I think most of us avoid learning areas, but many mountains are laid out in such a way that green trails have a dual use as beginner trails and transit routes to more interesting terrain.

And this year, I'm seeing a lot of people snowplowing on black diamonds. Maybe they were always there, but I am noticing them more often.

 

[MadPadraic]

On hard pack days i stick to the edges of the trails and am guilty of crossing the entire trail in search of a softer surface. That being said, I always wait for the opportune moment. In heavy traffic, I keep my turns much more uniform...it is good etiquette.

Two major pet peeves: 1) some parents, but most instructors don't seem to look up hill before starting their group. 2) the very fast skiers/boarders who buzz those who are clearly uncomfortable and making erratic turns. Typically they don't collide, but I've certainly seen edges caught as a result of being buzzed.

 

[legalskier]

I try to stick to the Code but with a healthy dose of common sense. So when I change lanes I always glance uphill even though I have the right of way. Call me pragmatic- I'd rather live to ski another day than stand on principle. If a lane changer is below me I proceed with caution, always ready for a quick hockey stop. The only time I open the throttle completely is when I'm satisfied it's safe, usually on a wide open cruiser.
I dial down the speed when approaching a rise where I can't see the other side. In grade school a classmate's brother made the mistake of standing below a small "cliff" that people were jumping from and took a ski pole to the head. No helmet of course, only racers used them back in the day. Yes it was dumb but he didn't "deserve it."

And this year, I'm seeing a lot of people snowplowing on black diamonds. Maybe they were always there, but I am noticing them more often.

Me too, except they're really little kids...on double blacks...that they can't handle....with a parent. :dunce:

 

[TropicTundR]

What I do

Patience is something I've learned while skiing, I've practiced three bits below:

1) Stay at pace or slower than skiers in front of you.
2) Stop, Breathe and let skiers by till mountain has cleared a bit.
3) Crouch with poles outstretched at knees and flapping all the while singing "Bird, Bird Bird is the word"

To pull off 3) you must start singing it as soon as you come off the lift. It also keeps snowboarders off with their Kamikaze Suprise attacks.

 

[thinnmann]

In the bumps....

Running into other skiers bothers me more on bumped up runs than on flat fast runs.

On mogul runs I am more aware of where I am in relationship to other skiers. I don't want to mess up somebody's great bump run.

I also don't want those people that have no business being on that run messing up my line. They usually have rental equipment of one kind or another, no helmet, and a bandanna over their face because they saw Shaun White on TV once.

 

[Nick]

I agree it's boring to stay just here.

I like to meander all over the place, but that is always after a look uphill. I never feel I have the right to cut anyone off. And besides, what do my rights matter when my bones are breaking. To me, it is about self preservation.

I'm almost always skiing faster than most people so I very rarely have someone overtake me. It actually takes a lot of concentration for me to slow down and just enjoy the turns. So I normally feel comfortable using the entire breadth of a trail.