I fell then slid down a very steep black at Forcella Rossa - Cortina d'Ampezzo, just 2 weeks ago.
I managed to arrest the slide with my poles, the slide occurred after the initial fall whilst trying to recover one ski from under the edge of the other! There was no natural snow just rocks off the piste so if I failed the consequences of continuing to slide could have been fatal. Looking at the advice above maybe I would have stopped sooner using that technique to drive more weight into the pole/snow.
Had an interesting long slide on a slightly icy red/black in the dolomites 2 years ago. Lost an edge wussing and sideslipping, gentle and unintended transition to hip, followed by undignified scrabbling to get skis below me and gently ease to a stop muttering rude words at my stupidity to have bottled the turn. Didn't want to dig in too hard due to risk of flipping and easily retained all kit it was so gentle...
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Scary stuff,
A few years ago, I skied an easier black in Livingo
and slipped, in a moment of panic, I kicked off both skis , in doing this I kicked off by brakes. I was on my back my body was now a sled
I tried to kick my heels in the snow , without overdoing it, concerned that if I kicked in my heels too hard, I would start to tumble
Difficult to put a speed on it, but it felt fast,and I knew I was in trouble if I veered off the piste (big trees) or tumbled , span around
If my jacket had not been zipped up, I am certain it would have rode up, exposing my back to abrasive snow . At the time, I didnt know about the arrest technique. Luckily the black was a short one perhaps 300m, and I stopped at the bottom, scared , but no marks or damage.
ii. it is easier to write on a web forum than to put into practice
I bet you have put into practice. I certainly have
Quote:
anyway they should make skis out of whatever his ski pants are made of, it seems to slide fantastically well, no need for wax even!
IIRC a woman was killed on the approach to the flying K in Les Arcs a couple years back when she slipped on the traverse. The reports said that her rubber suit prevented her slowing down sufficiently on Lanches
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@dklemm, top marks for verbal restraint, though the helpful woman who took your ski past you and 30m further down the piste could have made it a little easier.
From the first position, instead of reaching down to try to free the trapped ski, it maybe would have been better to grasp the tip up by your knee and then slipped the overlying ski clear of it to the right, as by trying to lift the ski off while in a sitting position you removed the weight on the only contact surface which was keeping you in place.
Also, that's an interesting picture you've chosen - looks like it has been rotated about 25 degrees to the right to make the piste look a lot steeper than it is...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
hawkwind wrote:
Anytime i fall on a steep im always gingerly short turning down so stop pretty much right away , can see how a bit more speed would cause you to lose concentration and gather speed before catching on.
The tricky situations are where the slope is steep enough and the snow hard enough that you will accelerate immediately even if you fall at a standstill.
I had this happen twice last season. First time I did a textbook self-arrest - both skis came off, dug a hand in to get feet first, rolled onto my front, did a push up and was amazed how fast I stopped as my toes dug in. Second time was off piste, from a standstill and only one ski came off - I was accelerating head first, on my back, and the remaining ski kept digging in every time I tried to get my feet below me, but didn't come off. I managed eventually to get it below me, and stop, but it took a few attempts and 100m. Luckily I missed the rocks. I'm not sure what I'd do differently in the same situation - maybe try to dig the tail in and get the ski to release.
It made me think though. I was trying someone else's jump turn technique for use in very tight spots for the first time, and hadn't really considered the possibility that I might fall. And I didn't think where we were particularly dangerous, although it was steep. Lesson learnt on that front.
After all it is free
After all it is free
The old threads are the best.
I was no-boarding (snowboards, no bindings) with a mate this year and he took a serious rag-doll fall on compacted snow. He stopped it by breaking the crust and his ribs at the same time. The crust was so hard I couldn't kick steps in it. Without poles or bindings you're in trouble. The moral is to pick your slopes very carefully.
Anyway, he reminded me of Yvon Chouinard's quote from "Climbing Ice". Google has it on page 47:
"The ultimate test case is a tumbling fall, and in Bob Dylan's words, "I just said, good luck".
That in turn seems to be from Dylan's "115th Dream" from "Bringing It All Back Home" in 1965.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
philwig wrote:
I was no-boarding (snowboards, no bindings) with a mate this year and he took a serious rag-doll fall on compacted snow. He stopped it by breaking the crust and his ribs at the same time. The crust was so hard I couldn't kick steps in it. Without poles or bindings you're in trouble. The moral is to pick your slopes very carefully.
Er, isn't the moral that no-boarding isn't a brilliant idea?
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