 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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More candidates for a Darwin award
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Garfield, LOL . how very true !!!
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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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Brainless gits. You just have to hope that they haven't got families who give two hoots whether they live or die.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I take it none of you have got an adrenaline rush from skiing...
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Timmaah, Why do you 'take it'? Most of us push ourselves, and indeed enjoy an adrenaline rush, but not to the point of extremely likely suicide. But, if that's what turns you on, go right ahead.
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Well skiing steeps, or skiing fast yes. But strangely enough I try to avoid avalanches.... ``But come to think of it, the time I was carried 300yards by avalanche and was lucky enough not to get buried.... once I had unblocked my throat and got over the initial shock and battering I did get a bit of an adrenaline rush!
Last edited by After all it is free  on Thu 20-12-07 23:02; edited 1 time in total
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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.
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| Garfield wrote: |
| More candidates for a Darwin award |
And yet, and yet. I will never have the skill or nerve. But I kinda wish I had.
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Unless I'm mistaken there are at least a couple of skiers in the trailer who are now dead.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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davidof, QED.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks for finding that gorilla - a very interesting documentry.
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You know it makes sense.
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gorilla, Very interesting indeed. But no more intellectually convincing than comments about Darwin awards. It completely fails to address what I see as a central issue, namely whether what the male director refers to as a 'challenge' which the 'atherletes' face so bravely is any more than a total and selfish addiction to extreme risk. But then the female director seemed remarkably insouciante about losing her husband (I'm assuming he was also an extreme skier though, admittedly, that's not totally clear.) Sorry, but I find this difficult to stomach. It's a close relative to a snuff movie.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Doug Coombes, Shane McConkey, Seth Morrison, Glen Plake among the guys in the vid. all top pros so good luck to them, I dont think it's for us (or me at least) to say anything other than "holy shite" when we see their antics. criticism as to their sanity or common sense is not for any of us to say. Doug Coombes died a couple of years back skiing. Their lives, their professions. The fact that we wouldnt dream of doing anything like that - be it because of lack of ability or more abundance of common sense and self-preservation instinct orwhat ever doesnt mean we should criticise those that have the ability and choose to do so. Part of me wishes i had the ability to do these things and live my life that way but i know i never will. Darwin awards are reserved for idiots who have no idea of the consequnces of their action and lack any semblance of ability in a given situation - fair enough anyone other than a top pro that would consider doing this kind of thing would be a front runner for such an award
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Hurtle wrote: |
| Timmaah, Why do you 'take it'? Most of us push ourselves, and indeed enjoy an adrenaline rush, but not to the point of extremely likely suicide. But, if that's what turns you on, go right ahead. |
I personally don't think it's right just to call them a bunch of idiots and what not. They do what they love, something a lot of us probably actually don't get to do often enough. Do they have a couple of screws loose? Sure, otherwise you wouldn't do the kinda crap they do but you got to admit it is mind-boggling what they manage.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Hurtle wrote: |
| But then the female director seemed remarkably insouciante about losing her husband (I'm assuming he was also an extreme skier though, admittedly, that's not totally clear.) Sorry, but I find this difficult to stomach. It's a close relative to a snuff movie. |
you say you find it difficult to stomach, yet you presume to judge someone else's feelings about their husband's death?? THAT is digusting. dickhead
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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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Timmaah, barry Of course I am not denying that these people are unbelievably skilled. But is the testing of that skill, in a way in which the odds against surviving are so very high, really worth turning a wife into a widow and a child into an orphan? Furthermore, I don't actually see that 'doing something you love' is, of itself, particularly commendable: more often than not, it's plain selfish. As I implied before, if their folks are happy for them to die in pursuit of these goals, then it's their choice, good luck to them; but no doubt some of their kids are too young to decide whether they'd prefer to have a dad around, rather than to know that he died launching himself off a cliff, because that's what he liked to do.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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barry,
| Quote: |
you presume to judge someone else's feelings about their husband's death?? THAT is digusting. dickhead
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She said that he would have been proud of the film: and that was all she said about his death at what was obviously a young age. I did not 'presume' anything, I merely remarked on what I saw. And I think it would lend more weight to your argument if you refrained from calling people names.
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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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Hurtle, I'm not sure I understand you. You suggest that others shouldn't "call people names", on a thread where you called some of the skiers in that movie 'brainless gits'. One of the guys in that movie is a poster on another ski forum - if he was here would you say the same? I participated in a camp run by another extreme skier, not featured in this movie but still pretty radical. Should I have called him a 'bloody idiot' (someone else's expression on this thread)? After all, his ski movie career ended with a knee injury...
Why is it that people who cannot do something are so quick in condemning those who can, and have the courage to?
And as for "selfish" seeming to be a no-holds-barred condemnation word, I suggest a book called "The Virtue of Selfishness" by Ayn Rand.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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horizon, I meant calling other posters names, which would be akin to your calling someone who was running your camp 'a bloody idiot.' Because there is some sort of relationship, admittedly pretty tenuous on an internet forum, it's not particularly polite. Certainly, if one of those skiers appeared on this forum, I wouldn't call him a dickhead, though I might strenuously argue against the sense of what he does. However, do you never call people you read about idiots, or equivalent? Some politicians, maybe? I'm sure you do. 
I'm afraid I don't know what a 'no-holds-barred condemnation word' is. My Shorter Oxford Dictionary tells me that 'selfish' means: concerned chiefly with one's own personal advantage or welfare to the exclusion of regard for others; deficient in consideration for others. That's what I meant. I'm interested that someone has written in defence of this trait, I'll keep an eye out for the book, thanks.
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horizon, ah, I Googled the author and found this. From a very cursory glance, her theories look as though they could be influenced by utilitarianism (JS Mill, Bentham etc) a philosophy I have great sympathy with. But, note this quotation: Rand understands, though, that the popular usage of the word, "selfish," is different from the meaning she ascribes to it. Many people use the adjective "selfish" to describe regard for one's own welfare to the disregard of the well-being of others. It then goes on to say, many people would be willing to characterize any instance of desire-satisfaction in these circumstances as "selfish," no matter what its content. I meant the former, which she appears not to condone, certainly not the latter - I'm all for harmless 'desire-satisfaction'.
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I'm sorry, but this movie looks sick.
I'm pretty sure that these guys aren't setting off class 3 avalanches for fun, its not like they're going up to the top of the mountain to set them off, then hopping back in the heli to fly away and set some more off.
And they are doing something they love, I know a lot of people in this forum are doing the things they love everyday of their lives, but how many of us aren't. These guys are! If I'm doing what I truly love when I'm slightly older I will be very very happy, but the likelihood is that I will end up sacrificing it for something else.
And this movie is all about giving these guys some recognition, I commend Sony for taking on a project like this, which will hopefully bring freeskiing a little publicity, so that when we take about the amazing lines we did back in the office or on the tube, we are not given funny looks by the person next to us!
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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.
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Well I am hoping it gets a cinema screening in the UK and that I am able to see it. It actually looks like a serious attempt to track the history of steep skiing and will give a bit of coverage to Europe for once - I think I saw that people like Anselm Baud will be on there.
As to the morality of it, well some people feel the need to push themselves to their limit and maybe it is irresponsible. That said, if their wife/children forced them not to ski the next descent/climb the next mountain etc I am not sure that they would be much fun to be around. I think the trailer probably makes it all seem a bit more EXTREME!!!!! than the movie really is and actually these people put a lot of time in preparing for their descents.
Hurtle, I suggest you wrap yourself up in cotton wool and stop going out - it's selfish of you to risk getting run over by a bus on your way to buy the newspaper in the morning 
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I'm with Hurtle on this. The skill and commitment required is not in question here. The result is impressive. If you're a single fella with no dependants, it's your life to do with as you please. If you've got dependants, either your anti-selfish screw or your risk assessment screw has definitely come loose.
barry, your message will be lost every time and you'll get into a lot of pointless quarrels if you use such language on this site.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hurtle, seems harsh criticism for people who are just trying to have some fun. Maybe not your definition or my definition of fun, but none of those people will fail to understand the risks that they face or the enjoyment that they will get.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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rob@rar, The best athletes always take risks, calculated risks, while the amateur just takes risks. 
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Hurtle, slikedges,
I don't see what the problem is - we ALL take calculated risks every day, whether it's jumping out of an aeroplane or just crossing the road. Who is to say that one person's perception of acceptable risk should be the benchmark for everyone else?
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You know it makes sense.
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Too many folk are forgetting the most important thing here....
It's coooooool 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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shoogly, 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Caspar, the overworked man in the cloak with the scythe?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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For me its like base jumping, free diving, and other extreme sports. People know there is a good chance they may die and it is their choice. If my wife were to take it up now, then I would be must upset. If my kids were to take it up it would be awful because I would worry so, and miss them so much if anything happened.
Would that make me selfish, or them?
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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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slikedges, Once he is involved, we are out of the realm of risk as it is already a certainty.
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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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live hard, cause hell, die young - some people live by this ideal and it is their choice and not for us to judge, unless they are our sons/brothers/sisters etc.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
If my kids were to take it up it would be awful because I would worry so, and miss them so much if anything happened.
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I watched the interview, I'm assuming the "ski instructor who lost a son" they refer to is Anselm Baud. I knew his son, Eduoard, and have often wondered how his dad came to terms with the loss.
I think it is easy for the film makers to say they are "mountain folk" who accept the loss as an occupational hazard. Apart from his son Baud has lost a lot of friends (there is a brief shot of JM Boivin in the trailer, a ski buddy of Baud's) and I imagine it must be quite hard for him. Certainly the people I know in the situation find it very difficult. Just because someone is matter of fact or taciturn about the losses of friends and family doesn't mean that it is not difficult for them.
Still I look forward to seeing the full movie. While some people like Jamie Pierre appear to have a death wish I don't think skiers like Doug Coombs get up in the morning with the attitude morituri te salutant. It is just when you are exploring the envelope very few mistakes are pardoned.
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Caspar, eh, wot? I meant that the death rate is high so it's something that's best not to do if you are being sensitive to those who care for you and may even need you.
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I believe there has been a few groups of extreme skiing folks doing this sort of things and shoot a movie every year or every few years. I saw one did by Warren Millers in UK cinema before and bought his DVD. His movie covers a few European resorts too but the majority was in the USA and some remote areas elsewhere in the world.
The trailer looks very similar to the previous ones.
It is not everybody's cup of tea but if there is a limit in skiing then they are the people pushing it or living at the edge of it.
One mentioned it made a man out of him. Presumably he looks at skiers outside his circle as kids. That is the sort of mental state some of them are.
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brian
brian
Guest
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Coombs died trying to save his (younger, less experienced) pal, didn't he ?
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slikedges, Sorry - misunderstood your point.
I was simply saying that because someone else's perspective of acceptable risk might be different to yours, it does not necessarily mean that they 'have a screw loose' (only from your perspective).
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FAQ
