Skiing Down Edge of Trails Fast

[Rambo]

How dangerous is it to ski fast down the outer edges of ski trails?

Often there is the best snow surface on the outer edges of the trails, especially after high skier traffic and the center sections get scraped down to ice. But I guess if you are cruising fast down the outer edges and you catch a ski-edge hard you could lose control and soar off into the woods and hit a tree. I remember hearing about a 16 year old boy who a couple of years ago was racing NASTAR at a PA ski resort and he lost control and flew into the woods and hit a tree and unfortunately died instantly.

 

[crank]

I used to do it until I missed a turn, smacked a tree - hard - luckily hit it with my thigh and got away with the biggest, purplest and most painful bruise ever. I knew I would be dead if I hit my head. I stopped skiing fast down the edge of trails after that.

 

[kcyanks1]

I used to do it more. Somewhere around college time, I started generally developing more fear when skiing..I don't ski as fast generally, definitely not near the edges. I ski as challenging trails as I ever did before but haven't made much progress there as far as advancing more which is a bit frustrating (the fear generally comes into play when cliffs are involved).

 

[EPB]

I used to do it more. Somewhere around college time, I started generally developing more fear when skiing..I don't ski as fast generally, definitely not near the edges. I ski as challenging trails as I ever did before but haven't made much progress there as far as advancing more which is a bit frustrating (the fear generally comes into play when cliffs are involved).

I used to do "tuck runs" down Attitash throughout high school from about 8 to 10ish every morning. Every weekend and vacation day, you could count on it. Turn with the trails, that was about it. I shiver thinking at how fast I would go and how close I came to the edges of the trails sometimes going around curves. I went to college, cut my ski days at least in half, and haven't even considered it since.

 

[Warp Daddy]

i usually still ski the edges fast as you say the snow is often the best out there -- but several yrs ago before i had BETTER skis and Boots had an issue at Tremblant once.

We were ripping and whooting and hollering but not really watching for cookies i Hit a large death cookie left off the groomer edge that i frankly did not see coming off a fairly steep drop and took a 100 ft or so fast flying dive thru the air down the steep with my legs behind me . I relaxed let my poles go and luckily just landed hard on my chest and stomach and was visibly shaken .

My buddies all rushed to get the redcoat sled crew. One guy who stayed with me urged me to stay down but i said after a minute " I'm getting back up and skiing cuz if i don't get back up on this horse i'll probably quit " So I skied away from it with just a slight groin pull but skied fine the rest of the day and all week long after it.

On our home hill and Early in the am we still sometimes under the right conditions do "tuck runs" but before anyone else is out there.

 

[polariso]

Fast?

What do you mean by fast.. I ski the edges but at moderate speeds and always under control. Staying in control should always be priority number one. Something that seems to have been lost these days. I wont go into the current park rat snowboarder syndrome.

 

[dmc]

Hell yeah!

the meat is always best next to the bone...

 

[dmc]

What do you mean by fast.. I ski the edges but at moderate speeds and always under control. Staying in control should always be priority number one. Something that seems to have been lost these days. I wont go into the current park rat snowboarder syndrome.

I like being a bit out of control. It's fun!

Of course I don't ride like that if there's people in front of me.. But I do like pushing it for sure.

 

[Warp Daddy]

What do you mean by fast.. I ski the edges but at moderate speeds and always under control. Staying in control should always be priority number one. Something that seems to have been lost these days. I wont go into the current park rat snowboarder syndrome.

to be clear i mean balls to the wall fast -- haulin azz any questions ??

 

[polariso]

I like being a bit out of control. It's fun!

Of course I don't ride like that if there's people in front of me.. But I do like pushing it for sure.

I was amazed talking with a snowboard INSTRUCTOR the other day. She was upset that a skier had approached her yelling at her for wiping him out from behind. She started telling me she was flying and he made a turn and cut her off, no where to go. I told her she needed to go back to the kiddie hill and learn the rules (person downhill ALWAYS has the right of way) etc..She was dumbfounded like this was some new concept and tried to turn it into a skier vs snowboarder thing.I just think that alot has been lost in the etiquette department these days.

 

[mondeo]

What do you mean by fast.. I ski the edges but at moderate speeds and always under control. Staying in control should always be priority number one. Something that seems to have been lost these days. I wont go into the current park rat snowboarder syndrome.

And some would say society is too risk averse these days.

Under control is boring.

 

[polariso]

to be clear i mean balls to the wall fast -- haulin azz any questions ??

Thats CRAZY MAN!!! But to some people fast really aint fast :wink:

 

[polariso]

And some would say society is too risk averse these days.

Under control is boring.

If it involves putting others at risk its just DUMB..

 

[Edd]

I'm on the trail edge most of them time but at moderate controlled speeds. I think about hitting trees all the time, even while not skiing. But, thats where the snow is.

 

[Warp Daddy]

Thats CRAZY MAN!!! But to some people fast really aint fast :wink:

Yeah well IF i'm at a place i'm not familiar with i'm skiing it moderately fast and under control BUT on my home hill i'm haulin baby -- -----------------------------------except in slow ski zones if we encounter them , then i'm respecting newer skiers . Fortunately i can ski midweek the vast majority of the time and its like a private club out there so haulin ain't no big thing

 

[polariso]

Yeah well IF i'm at a place i'm not familiar with i'm skiing it moderately fast and under control BUT on my home hill i'm haulin baby -- -----------------------------------except in slow ski zones if we encounter them , then i'm respecting newer skiers . Fortunately i can ski midweek the vast majority of the time and its like a private club out there so haulin ain't no big thing

I always get a laugh when I see people with horrible technical skills bombing the blue squares as if they were Franz Klammer at Innsbruck. :smile:

 

[RSTuthill]

Putting others at risk == very bad and very uncool.

Skier or boarder in front has the right of way, full stop. Hit someone from behind, just like in car traffic, it is YOUR fault.

This is coming from someone who will occasionally take a tuck run down Gunny with his 215 dh's. Not near the edge of the trail and NEVER when there are people on the trail. That means weekday mornings around 10:00 in February for the most part. After 11:00 there is always traffic. Before 10:00 or before February, there is not enough sunlight to see the stuff your skis are hitting at high speed (could ruin your day).

 

[Warp Daddy]

I always get a laugh when I see people with horrible technical skills bombing the blue squares as if they were Franz Klammer at Innsbruck. :smile:

Me 2 and i laff my azz off macho dudes who go to the Blacks right away and have low to no skills and usually end up yard saling or riding em on their azz down the slope . We see lots of guys on ARMY training who've obviously never skied and it is always the case

 

[gmcunni]

Skier or boarder in front has the right of way, full stop. Hit someone from behind, just like in car traffic, it is YOUR fault.

i watched in amazement once when a snowboarder plowed into a guy who was just standing there. the snowboarder gets up and starts yelling at the guy, blaming him. her logic was based on "what are you doing stopped in the middle of a hill" :roll:

 

[dmc]

I always get a laugh when I see people with horrible technical skills bombing the blue squares as if they were Franz Klammer at Innsbruck. :smile:

Who's Franz Klammer?