Taking Risks while Skiing

[Nick]

The discussions around skiers responsibility code, etc. got me thinking a little about what it means to take a "risk".

I kind of think of "risk" when skiing as doing something that starts to push my comfort boundary. Going a little faster, a little steeper, a little more on edge, to the point where your heart skips up juuuussst a bit from the lack of confidence in that new situation.

I guess technically to follow "the code" you shouldn't really push yourself there because you are getting closer to the boundary of losing control. However, how can you really ever improve your skills if you don't push the boundary once in a while (and occasionally exceed it ... i.e. yardsale or otherwise wreck).

That assumes your goal is to be always improving. Maybe it's just to be out on the snow and that's all.

 

[hammer]

Depends on the mood and whether I have the space on the trail...most times my goal is just to be out on the snow so I'm a slowpoke, but I'm fine with pushing my personal boundaries at the right time of the day and if I don't have to worry about someone cutting across a trail in front of me.

Comes with being of a certain age I guess. I'd rather throttle back to keep it safe and injury free. Others will likely feel differently.

 

[o3jeff]

Very rarely, getting too old and have a mortgage to pay for!

 

[Puck it]

Always, live on the edge.


Plus I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express!!!!

 

[vcunning]

I've slowed down after a combo of age and a mega ski injury that was probably a result of way too much speed and air (although I had done the same hit over 100+ times that year). I'm actually more concerned on crowded weekends about others, especially with my boys out on the slopes. On these holiday weekends, I make sure we're first on the slopes and get off when it starts to seem "risky". Although, I've just recently found my 6-year old can "wind it out" completely in control down the cruisers. Gotta keep up.

 

[drjeff]

I've slowed down after a combo of age and a mega ski injury that was probably a result of way too much speed and air (although I had done the same hit over 100+ times that year). I'm actually more concerned on crowded weekends about others, especially with my boys out on the slopes. On these holiday weekends, I make sure we're first on the slopes and get off when it starts to seem "risky". Although, I've just recently found my 6-year old can "wind it out" completely in control down the cruisers. Gotta keep up.

How much longer until we all just send our kids (plus Glenn ) out together and we *cough* "mature" *cough* grownups (Mrs. Glenn included) ski together until atleast 8:45? :lol:

Risk for me is totally a situational event. There are sometimes when I'm actively pushing my limits, and there are others when I'm totally throttling it back, and those scenarios might even be on the same trail during the same run. If the situation warrants and i'm feeling good, i'm likely to do some pushing of my limits. If that little voice in my head is sending me some warning signs, then i'm likely adding some caution and safety into the mix. If my kids are around skiing with me, then if conditions dictate, we will push the limits, with plenty of before, during, and after teaching of the rules of the road about what, why and when we're pushing things

 

[kingslug]

I've been wondering the same thing lately...I think I've pushed it as far as I will ever go and may start to scale back a bit. Time to cut down on the no fall zones...

 

[drjeff]

I've been wondering the same thing lately...I think I've pushed it as far as I will ever go and may start to scale back a bit. Time to cut down on the no fall zones...

What I find myself doing more and more of as I get a bit older, is kind of refining how I push my boundries now a days on the hill vs. in the past (especially my pre-kids past). I'm not purposely and actively seeking extreme/"no fall" stuff as I was inclined to in the past - a) I don't recover as quickly as I used to and b) I feel that my roll as a Dad supercedes my roll as trying to be as extreme a skier as possible and there are times when those 2 things most definately DON't coexist

Nowadays, I might be looking to take a KNOWN tight line just a bit quicker, or trying to hold that edge while carving on some steep/icy terrain at just a little bit higher of an edge angle for just a bit longer, or try and ski that bump line just a little quicker and smoother. Not necessarily REVOLUTION boundry pushing moments as much as they're EVOLUTIONARY boundry pushing moments - I'm totally cool with the fact that if I haven't purposely launched off a cliff more than say 12 feet in the past when I was in my teens, 20's and 30's then i'm 99% not going to start purposely doing that in my 40's and beyond!

 

[bigbog]

Terrain, terrain, terrain....as everyone knows..the more difficult terrain you ski...the better you get. Maybe cause I started later on in life than most onboard(early 30s)...I'm just getting to the point of finally relaxing in difficult terrain. Having gotten, of late, a little mental game to level my hips with the given terrain down....taking on more difficult terrain isn't the horror show it used to be, especially on one's first run. I do try to take it easy as I'm now what I used to think of as old & over the hill..LOL.. But I love tough terrain....but am taking it on slowly..lol...as I'm starting to get my skills doing the right things..lol.
$.01

 

[Hawkshot99]

I have no problem pushing my limits when skiing. I will ski right on the edge of bad things happening, but I choose when to take those risks. A saturday when the trails are busy is not the time to take that risk.
Also what one person sees as a out of control skier or someone taking extreme risks may be entirely different than another. The intermediate skier who rarely gets out may see my freinds and I haveing top speed runs with GPS's as careless and unsafe, but we are all in control for our abilities.

Sent from my SGH-S959G using Tapatalk 2

 

[wtcobb]

I have no problem pushing my limits when skiing. I will ski right on the edge of bad things happening, but I choose when to take those risks. A saturday when the trails are busy is not the time to take that risk.
Also what one person sees as a out of control skier or someone taking extreme risks may be entirely different than another. The intermediate skier who rarely gets out may see my freinds and I haveing top speed runs with GPS's as careless and unsafe, but we are all in control for our abilities.

Agreed. I'll ski on the edge or outside of my comfort zone if I have an open trail, but when it's busy you need to dial it back. We're all in control until someone zigs when you expect him to zag. And it goes both ways - I'm wary of others getting in my way on the slopes, and I absolutely do not want to hurt or bring harm to anyone else. Even just blasting through a crowd unscathed can be inconsiderate.

 

[Cheese]

We all start with an empty bucket of skill and a full bucket of luck. Our goal is to fill the skill bucket before the luck bucket runs dry. I've still got space in the skill bucket and reserve in the luck bucket so I'll keep pressing on.

I'd like to be responsible enough to stay under control but unfortunately I tend to grab air on just about every run. By definition anytime I'm in the air I'm out of control. Best I can do is plan my out of control moments at times and in places where I can only hurt myself.

 

[abc]

A lot of "the code" has to do with safety of others (who has right of way etc). I don't like to be in crowded slopes, period. Never mind pushing my limit on such slopes.

On a (seemingly) empty slope, I would ski as fast as I feel I have control. And at chosen area, might even exceed it a little. But I'm only risking myself.

I've had close calls. But not during any time I'm "pushing myself". It usually happens when something unexpected happens: seemingly smooth slope got a stump, someone turned unexpectedly, or they trip over something and fell in my path...

 

[Nick]

Yup ... taking risks when solo is obviously totally different from taking risks when you could impact others.

 

[boston_e]

Pretty much agree with what people are saying on here... pick and choose the times you push the edge. Can be based on a lot of things, crowds, conditions, how you feel that day etc

As each year goes by, I do find I do that less and less though.

 

[steamboat1]

I've never been into speed, even when I was young. Steeps are a different story. I feel I'm always in control, even if there's no one around.

 

[Scruffy]

Skiing even a green run, slowly, and in control by an expert skier is a managed, calculated risk. Their skills are up to the task to manage the risk within acceptable limits. As is the same with each one of us, I'm sure. I see no reason to throw caution to the wind to improve. As your skills build, you can assume more risk and stay within acceptable boundaries for yourself ( these boundaries will vary for each of us of course ).
Think of the ski jumpers, the ones that take a elevator to the top of a huge ramp in the sky and launch themselves down this narrow curved ramp and fly through the air for a number of yards. For anyone to just attempt that without training would be near ski suicide. Those athletes, start real small and work their way up. Each increment along the way builds the skills to take on a bigger jump.

As you build your skills you learn recovery skills and tactics, these recovery skills allow you to step outside your comfort zone knowing you can recover; recovery becomes part of your managed risk assessment for attempting new things on skis.

 

[bobbutts]

I stopped taking jumps in the park and avoid heavy skier traffic like the plague.
I feel like in eastern skiing, the biggest risk I take regularly is speed on groomed terrain. Steeper and tighter terrain I tend to naturally lower the risk by slowing down.

 

[spring_mountain_high]

driving to the hill is likely riskier than anything we do on it

 

[bdfreetuna]

I just turned 30, and I feel in better shape physically and mentally than at any time in my life thus yet. So my goal is still to keep improving and take this sport to the highest level I can enjoyably take it.

I will not punish myself to try and perfect slalom skiing or other niche disciplines I am less interested in. But I will work at being the best all-mountain and especially expert terrain/woods skier I can be. Maybe I have 10 years until I can't push myself and have to plateau before the slow decline. Maybe it's 20 or God willing even more.

Taking risks to me does not mean doing down a <><> trail when it's iced over. This represents a challenge in adaptation. Ski it carefully and deliberately. Taking risks to me does not mean skiing in the woods when there's very thin cover. This is another game of adaptation. It need not be dangerous if done purposefully. These are the kinds of things I enjoy doing on skis.

To me taking risks means skiing very fast in high traffic areas with unpredictable skiers present. Or pretending my skis are totally race tuned and taking 2000 foot vertical in 4 turns on an icy day. Or skiing past 4:00PM on a day when I've lost all the strength I have to give and I know I still want to ski fast but I don't have the strength to control myself in a pinch.

Those are the things I won't do. Getting better at tackling cliffs and variable conditions and expert terrain is what I will do. These are only as dangerous as you make it. It's a matter and a difference of being in or out of control.