Guard Duty?

A snowHead

Whilst on the subject of dangerous practices, am I alone in noticing the phenomena of ladies skiing in a leisurely fashion (usually snow ploughing) back from lunch, with a male on point duty traversing the entire piste immediately uphill, to ensure that no-one can get past, this has much the same effect as a Jam Sandwich driving at 70 on a motorway ... I am sure that this causes more accidents than it prevents!

A snowHead

I have been guilty of sheperding beginners down a blue run. The mountain can be a dangerous place and not neccessarily due to beginners on a slope that they have the right to use as indeed I or you would as we bought a lift pass. I can ski around a moving beginner and their buddy no doubt you would be able to do the same, so what is the problem? Bearing in mind that the uphill skier has to give way to those below, I suggest you just use your skiing ability and judgement and pass them both in a controlled fashion.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

On my last trip I skied behind 'er Indoors to block spazzes that might have put her at risk. It was her first trip, and I preferred not to have her come to harm. I didn't use the entire piste, though, instead copying her turning arc from above. I nearly got hit by someone in my party who was skiing beyond his ability to keep up.

It's not point duty if you're at the back, by the way.

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I used to do it with the kids....... but then they went skiing for a 2nd week Embarassed

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I leave mine to fend for herself.... sexual equality and all that... mind you, she's geenerally more fearless than me anyway so i'm the one playing catch-up!! Smile

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Must admit I do similar behind my 6-year old in busy areas - although don't use the entire slope!

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But does it even work?

I can see using only a portion of the slope width might "help" by visually "mark out" a usage pattern. Otherwise, faster skiers from behind simply THREAD through the two slower skiers individually. at whatever speed they deem fit.

After all it is free

I tend to use such people as mobile slalom gates Twisted Evil

I think running interference can be dangerous in and of itself in many situations unfortunately - yes its clear why you are doing it but in doing so you're presenting a bigger collective target for a muppet to crash into and as soon as you go out of phase a much bigger target

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Never been aware of it.

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I found "rearguarding" saved me a lengthy uphill trek to help my 7 year old get back on his skis after a tumble

It is useful if there are enough parents present for them to "rearguard" their children.... my OH came across a small French child in the middle of the piste the other day - one ski off, big, big tears running down cheeks and clearly distressed but not hurt. He stopped, looked around for any parents and in their absence got the girl up and on her skis again - I skied past and came across TWO adults and a child waiting much further along - said in my best French that 'my husband is helping your child' and carried on. He escorted child to its parents where he got a feeble merci.

He didn't think that the child was crying because it was hurt so much as upset at seemingly being abandoned - of course we don't know what else had gone on earlier in the morning, perhaps she had been a big pain in the backside but just seemed to us that as there were two adults and two children it would have been easier to have a 'sweeper'.

But take the point that it can be very frustrating to come across the situation noted in the OP.

You know it makes sense.

Of course, off piste someone really competent at the back of the party can be much appreciated.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Ha! Are you serious?! I'd honestly be mightily miffed if someone did that. If you can't ski confidently - HAVE LESSONS! A giant case of "toughen up soft pants" if ever i've seen one.
More than welcome to buy me a "well done" baileys when I get to the bottom of something bloody horrible, but don't do the "precious flower" routine.

A snowHead

Nadenoodlee, ? What happened?

A snowHead

Roy Hockley, When I got a "well done" rum? I followed the big boys off the back of some nasty off piste - they thought i'd picked the piste and bombed off. I fell over and quickly realised I was in way over my depth, but toughened up - applied some "no one else can help you" mentality and got down it ahead of al l the pesky skiers etc who couldnt decide how to get down.

Then I got on the piste at the bottom and rang them crying - hence the booze! snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Nadenoodlee, Laughing

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Got big brownie points and 2 chocolate-rums so not all bad! GO HARD OR GO HOME Very Happy

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Nadenoodlee, redbull and vodka is great, but now I'm sensitive to caffeine (no I'm not a alfalfa sprout muncher) so I can't have it Sad

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

HH, I imagine the only time that will happen to me I will be in a coffin.

After all it is free

It's difficult to contribute to this thread: either the opening post is a joke - which is how I took it on first reading - or if it is serious, the attitude to other skiers that underpins it is not worth responding to.

I made the original post because this phenomena only seems to exist on runs from lunch venues back to home.

I can fully understand the idea for guarding children who might be intimidated, but I am unconvinced of the benefit of skiing wide arcs uphill of less competent adult skiers. My particular gripe is that they don't seem to be around for the rest of the day.

I appreciate that skiers come in a wide range of flavours and abilities, but if you are less competent (and I include myself) then surely you should take lessons (as suggested by Nadenoodle).

My complaint is that this formation blocks pistes and it is unclear where one can pass because of the width and distance occupied by these skiers, the result is more danger to all parties.

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It seems commonsensical to me to have a fairly strong skier (and fairly strong person) skiing behind the others, so that if they fall/lose skis/get hit or whatever they are in a position to help. That doesn't mean mounting guard duty just behind, though - rather keeping an eye out from well up the piste, before catching up. It's very discouraging for someone who is already struggling to fall and lose a ski, or just get left behind. Certainly kids should have a "backstop" rather than rely on kind strangers except where the family group is lapping round the same easy piste to scoop up any straggers. I once came across a weeping, stuck, child in the middle of a nursery slope. I picked it up and got its skis back on but couldn't communicate with it in my small collection of languages. I stood there for a while hopefully looking round but nobody arrived - I sort of non-verbally sheperded it to the side of the piste, and then left it there hoping they'd notice he was not with them. It was quite a busy piste, and an easy one, so he was in no danger. I had kids of my own to sort out, but it felt bad leaving the poor neglected little mite. Sad

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When I was getting back on skis after treatment for breast cancer either my brother or husband would ski behind me, it wasn't so much to protect me from other slope users but more to help pick me up if I fell as, at the time, my fitness wasn't great. It was a real confidence booster for me but I imagine not a lot of fun for them.

I agree pam w, that young kids need a 'backstop', and when ours were younger and not such strong skiers there would always be a grown up skiing behind - nowadays I'm still skiing behind but that's because I can no longer keep up with them Embarassed

The more I read this thread, I start to wonder perhaps the "rear guard skiing" isn't as deliberate as people think.

Perhaps it's merely an artifact of a bored skier trying to ski "slowly" down the slope without actually slowing down?

Think about it, if you're accompanying a very slow skier. How many options do one have. 1) stop from time to time as one is about to over take the slower skier. 2) making wide arc across the full width of the the piste. 3) snowploughing slowly like a beginer? Shocked

So maybe the "guard" isn't really "guarding" the beginer. Just skiing slowly?

You know it makes sense.

abc, Possibly but in that case surely the appropriate behaviour is to "man/woman up" and say "see you at the bottom darling" or start working on switch skiing/telemarking/ super slow technical skiing etc

Most rearguarders of adults that I have seen seem to be overconcerned husbands though & not much better technically than their timid other half (no sexism intended)

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

Well I've rearguarded for my wife and some time ago for my son. Usually on very crowded runs, and I tend to keep right behind, doing short (and ugly) turns to match their turn shape. Not much chance of someone sneaking in between us, I keep close by. (And if someone really has a go at doing this on purpose, well, I CAN ski fast just past him and then hit the brakes right in front. To stay in the same spirit of keeping things interesting on the slope, you understand).

I can't see how this brand of rearguarding increases the risk to anyone (except maybe myself, but then that's the idea). I'm just weeding out the skiers who don't have enough control to attempt passing both of us when they speed up. Last thing I need is someone to take out my wife so she really gives up skiing.

But I agree that doing wide turns not far behind someone who snowploughs straight down doesn't help much.

fatbob, I'll think about your comments. I've wondered if it's more risky but I'm not convinced.

A snowHead

horizon, Don't think your version is necessarily much more risky (if close & in phase) and I guess understandable given MrsH's past injury IIRC. But not sure that it deters people from attempting a pass even if they don't have the skillz.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

horizon, True, if the idea is to protect the timid skier you have to stay close and follow their turns. It does prevent the bad skiers from using you and the other skier as a slalom course! Says more about them than anything else.

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I do a really good broody hen impression behind the youngest (5) down the piste. This came about after I assured him he does not have to worry about the skieers behind him, and an older gentleman promptly skied right over him! Now I am on guard duty, like it or not.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I have always skied behind my son when we've been on holiday (although now it's not necessarily by choice!). A couple of years ago in Les Houches he hit a bump in flat light, lost control and only just avoided a big coming together with an ESF group. The instructor gave me a right ear-bending saying I should be leading him (the boy, not the instructor) down and the accident wouldn't have happened.

I just asked if he preferred to be hit by a four and a half stone 7 year-old or a 15 stone 38 year-old?

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Jon.L, you should have told him that he'd lost his ESF group and you were trying to help him!

We're lucky in that I generally lead and pick a route and Mrs Boris clears up. Is tricky on your own though - I tend to ski in-front still to pick route, but spend all my time looking behind to check kids are there - and of course a long walk up if one falls.

Is getting better now they are older and more trusted - I can generally tell them to ski down to bottom of lift and wait

Help!!

Guard Duty?

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