Trails with high potential risk of injury/fatality

[Scruffy]

Practically all beginners, faced with this situation, ski the trail VERY slowly and carefully. That's why you hardly ever hear of a beginner dying on the slopes. If it's going to happen, it tends to be someone with enough experience to become over-confident and build up unsafe speed.

The topic of the thread as started was injury or fatality. I know a too many good/advanced skiers taken out by these over confident noobs on slopes they don't belong. Some of these injuries, while not life threatening, have caused those advanced skiers to not be able to ski anymore, others have recovered and are back at it. The point is your wrong in assuming all beginners will be over cautious and go slow. I agree most will, but I've seen some really stupid stuff out there.

 

[SIKSKIER]

It does get icy there and the turn at the end of Ravine also. You would think they would put in some type of catch fence to prevent this from happening.

The old Skylite ending was much more narrow and almost a90 degree intersection which made that turn very icy and scary at speed.You always had to make sure you set up waaay skiers left and let off some edge pressure at the intersection if you wanted to make through.The end of Ravine is known as Mickeys corner named after the longtime head of Patrol Mickey Libby.He had a bad crash there many moons ago.They have since widened and flattened it which has really helped but this year that corner has been terrible.Just can't go cranking through there like I'm used to.

 

[kingslug]

The Belt Pkwy at Hunter..which can be as dangerous..as the Belt Pkwy..

 

[oakapple]

The topic of the thread as started was injury or fatality. I know a too many good/advanced skiers taken out by these over confident noobs on slopes they don't belong. Some of these injuries, while not life threatening, have caused those advanced skiers to not be able to ski anymore, others have recovered and are back at it. The point is your wrong in assuming all beginners will be over cautious and go slow. I agree most will, but I've seen some really stupid stuff out there.

The key words in the thread topic were high potential, not merely any potential. While practically anything is possible, the scenario that you cited is not how most ski injuries occur.

 

[Black Phantom]

The key words in the thread topic were high potential, not merely any potential. While practically anything is possible, the scenario that you cited is not how most ski injuries occur.

How do most injuries occur? Interested to hear your rationale.

When I first recall hearing about deaths on the slopes back in the 80's, the primary cause was impalement.

 

[wa-loaf]

How do most injuries occur? Interested to hear your rationale.

When I first recall hearing about deaths on the slopes back in the 80's, the primary cause was impalement.

On what? Snowmaking equipment? 10+ years ago a ski patrol died at Sugarlaof on upper White Nitro. Slid into some snowmaking gear and cut his femoral artery.

 

[JimmyPete]

A and B slope at Pico, also Upper Pike very just off the lift, and Upper Giant Killer. Of course Lower K-27 at Hunter, These trails can be tough even on a good day. My son is an excellent skier and I still feel obligated to warn him about lower K-27 on iffy days. He doesn't usually listen but now that he's a father I hope he will.

 

[KevinF]

There have been 3 deaths at Cannon at the bottom of Skylite.You must make a hard right onto the traverse to get back to the summit quad.Everyone didn't make the turn and ended up below the traverse in the trees.They have widened the approach quite a bit since and made the transition much easier.

How long ago was the approach widened? The Skylight / Ravine intersection is still pretty sketchy. People on Ravine can't see those on Skylight (heck, they can barely tell there's a trail coming in) and vice versa.

 

[Black Phantom]

On what? Snowmaking equipment? 10+ years ago a ski patrol died at Sugarlaof on upper White Nitro. Slid into some snowmaking gear and cut his femoral artery.

Ski pole. Crushing the pelvis, stomach, chest, etc.

 

[catskills]

Much bad karma in this thread. Moving on.