Snowbasin patroller controversy

[Edd]

Other forums are talking about about this so I'll start this inevitable thread.

http://vimeo.com/34270195

The snowboarders posted this obviously but it's difficult to tell exactly what they did that had the patroller so pissed. Gets a little ugly. I'm not sure we're getting the whole story.

 

[deadheadskier]

You sure that's not GrilledSteezeSandwich at Blue Mountain, PA???

 

[Edd]

You'd think so from the snowguns going off. Can barely make out what's being said.

 

[snoseek]

lot of shit slinging via fb page. Yeah the patroller was an asshole, maybe there was history, maybe it was the skinny jeans? Sounds like Utah needs some snow....

 

[riverc0il]

"We're locals... you shouldn't treat your locals... we bring you business.."

Seriously, dude?

It is impossible to tell if the pulled pass was justified without seeing exactly what those guys did and where. But you don't mouth off to patrol. Take your case to head of patrol or management but patrol was just doing their job. And it looks like all patrol did was tell the kid to get his pass back at the patrol building.

That being said, no employee, paid or volunteer, should drop expletives at guests. That is pretty shameful. Everyone is wrong in that video. I don't really feel bad for the two boarders, though. If patrol deemed they were doing something wrong, they should listen to the patrol, nod their heads, and move along. Take it up with someone upstairs if you feel that you were wronged.

 

[neil]

I'd probably guess they were going fast (so many people do through slow zones), but that's definitely ski patrol taking it too seriously and acting like they are a cop.

 

[Smellytele]

Soon they will try to outlaw helmet cams like police tried to do with people video taping them when the police pulls some one over.

 

[drjeff]

Soon they will try to outlaw helmet cams like police tried to do with people video taping them when the police pulls some one over.

Video, often the biggest "convictor" when parts are shown, and then sometimes the biggest "aquitter" when all of it is shown

That clip looks like the ski school/patroller over reacted in that situation, but you don't know what happened both before that clip started and possibly even in days before that. Had that snowboarder been warned before that encounter in that same area??

Speeding through a slow zone is one thing that so many people, who have atleast some skills do without second guessing their actions, figuring that THEY'RE skilled enough to avoid a lesser ability skier/rider. What they don't really grasp is how much getting "buzzed by" at a close proximity and high(er) rate of speed to that lesser ability person their passing can cause problems for that lesser ability person. I will completely admit to never fully grasping that situation until a few years ago when I was skiing with my then just starting out kids down some "slow" terrain and getting buzzed by. It's the kind of experience that you just can't really convey what it's like to the person being "buzzed by" until they're in that similar situation for themselves

 

[bigbog]

Obvious deep, permanent, psychological trama/scarring from the patroller's scolding. Perhaps they should tell Dad about their trama and to have him call the family ambulance chaser. If anything, he'll learn to use less speed and will be able to stop in less than a hundred feet, possibly preventing him from colliding with someone's two year old at 20mph.
Just sayin'....

 

[Kerovick]

I don't know what the cause of the stop was but as soon as started getting cussed at the head of ski patrol and the mountain manager would be on the way to talk to me.

 

[catskills]

Longer version of the same video showing the snowboarder jumping near the instructor.

http://vimeo.com/34277693

Something to consider here is that this same patroller "may have" recently had to provide medical treatment and transportation to a hellicopter landing zone for a young child with severe trauma injuries because someone recently collided and hit a child in this very same area. Does that mean that this patroller handled this situation correctly? Absolutely not. This patroller needs to be more professional. In addition the snowboarders should have said, " I am sorry and I will go slower next time." Obviously they were going a too fast for that area.

 

[gmcunni]

i have no use for punk-ass kids but the patroller was way out of line IMHO

 

[Gnarcissaro]

Both are in the wrong here.

If you're going to jump in a slow zone, you should expect to get a talkin' to every now and again. Even more so, if you do it within arms length of a instructor/ski patrol/ambassador, etc.

The patroller has to be more respectful in this situation, absolutely.

 

[gmcunni]

If you're going to jump in a slow zone, you should expect to get a talkin' to every now and again. Even more so, if you do it within arms length of a instructor/ski patrol/ambassador, etc.

LOL, at one point one of the kids says " i get yelled at all the time"

 

[witch hobble]

More dystopic, brave new world stuff.

Expect more videotaped confrontations with patrol. Seeing a large up tick in helmet cams. Must have been a big Xmas item this year.

I'm sure the patroller regrets his "STFU".

 

[thetrailboss]

Both are in the wrong here.

If you're going to jump in a slow zone, you should expect to get a talkin' to every now and again. Even more so, if you do it within arms length of a instructor/ski patrol/ambassador, etc.

The patroller has to be more respectful in this situation, absolutely.

+ 1. The video does not make me want to visit Snowbasin. That said, with the low snow there are just not many places for folks to ski or ride, and slow zones are being enforced, especially during this holiday period.

Patrol is tough out here. I saw a guy last week get his pass taken for ducking a rope at Snowbird. The reason: ducking a rope can lead to an avalanche onto others below, so they are very strict about that rule and with good reason. My buddy also got stopped by patrol on Monday because he thought we had poached the Upper Cirque (we did the Sweep Three Traverse and then pulled just off the traverse and waited for our friends, but from the bottom, it looked like we had come from the top and were waiting to avoid patrol). The patroller was cool and just doing his job, but he didn't tell my buddy to "shut the f%^& up."

To the patroller's credit in the vid, he did apologize while the camera was running. I'm not sure if it was because he saw the camera or if he was genuine....

 

[Kerovick]

LOL, at one point one of the kids says " i get yelled at all the time"

I LOL'd and called him a dumbass.

 

[thetrailboss]

And so the plot thickens.

Unfortunately for the patroller you can clearly see his name tag in the video.

 

[Black Phantom]

Where is groundskeeperwillie to weigh in on this?

 

[vdk03]

The reason he was stopped was because he practically rode over an instructors skies to hit a little jump. The patroler shouldn't have sworn at the kid, but he probably has to deal with punks like this all day. Stereotypes don't come out of thin air. If you don't want to be harassed stop doing stupid shit like this and pull up your pants.