 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi folks,
Does anyone know if the piste patrollers at Breckenridge have a particular uniform / jacket that you can identify them by?
There's two sides to the question - one is that if we're going into some of the bowls, it would be nice to see the patrollers at some point before we go into fresh snow for the first time. Just gives us that bit of reassurance that all is good.
The second side is that I do like to occasionally have a spurt of speed, especially on an empty piste. I'm not talking daft stuff, just on a par with your average Austrian. A few of my pals who also like the odd hoon, who've been out to the States before have warned me about the piste police and marking your lift pass. It's not actually happened to them though.
Is this some sort of urban myth? Are they that harsh? Any advice appreciated - I really don't want to be looking down at a deserted piste with a flat run off and only be thinking about getting done, instead of concentrating on enjoying the snow.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@wadgebeast,
If the bowls are open, they'll have been avy-controlled and will be patrolled.
Speed is fine - except in designated slow ski areas: these are usually marked on the trail map, and will be signposted clearly on the hill (usually netting strung across where trails merge, and a guy in a hi-vis jacket making "slow down" signs.
Just be sensible and don't go at high speed where there are trails merging or ski-school trains around.
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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?
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If they are open then they are open - patrol consider them safe. Just DON'T duck any ropes no matter how tempting the snow beyond - you can definitely get your pass pulled for that or in extremis avalanched (including by explosive triggered).
Speed patrol will generally wear yellow jackets and be really visible. Just don't be vankers. No one has a problem with anyone getting a wriggle on on an empty piste they just don't like idiots blowing through intersections or showing how great they are by blasting through a crowd of beginners. Peak 10 late in the day down the race piste you can go as fast as you want (rarely anyone on it) - although that is part of a story of how I ended up through the rope upside down with my head jammed against a snow cannon. Don't do that.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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The patrollers have a zero tolerance of skiing fast in a designated slow zone - with immediate removal of pass and season ban. When I was there one of the seasonnaires was caught going fast in a slow zone and even though he was the only one around for miles that was it for the year. Anywhere else is fine - and there's some lovely, wide open groomers to fly down...
Otherwise they are all very helpful and happy for you to pop into the huts for a chat - and will only open bowls etc once they've blasted and patrolled and are happy they are safe. Anything closed/unsafe is pretty obviously roped off.
I'm jealous. Have fun!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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That actually sounds remarkably sensible and inline with the 'zones tranquils' that you find in France. Marvellous. Would never ever go onto closed pistes or similar but glad to know about the depth of the patrols. Cheers folks.
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| Quote: |
Does anyone know if the piste patrollers at Breckenridge have a particular uniform / jacket that you can identify them by?
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They are easily identifiable, usually patrollers wear black /red with white cross on their backs over in North America.
Usually seen loitering around huts drinking coffee/ bbqing. Or playing with their dogs, skiing hard, trashing powder and generally having a great time 
Seriously these guys do good work to keep the play areas safe, and are always willing to have a chat about virtually anything.
If its safe its usually open, if not its closed and for very good reason.
As Dave of the Marmottes, mentions, speed patrol usually very visible, often volunteers doing it for free skiing like the mountain hosts.
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There's a fun video of Lindsay Vonn being a speed patrol volunteer for the afternoon in Vail. Look at it on You Tube- it's great watching her talk to people about going too fast and their reactions when they find out who she is.
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