 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
And the debate about helmets will crop up again, I'm sure, but as the report indicates both were wearing lids, it goes to show that whilst they have their place in safety, they're not the be all and end all. Very sad story.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
jocrad,
Agreed as many think safety can be bought if you have a helmet.
The first one went over an embankment in Vail and the other one ran into a tree in Breckenridge.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
I've said this before and I will say it again, all the safety features and gimmicks in the world will do you no good if you are out of control, most accidents on the piste occur when someone looses control of their situation, now that doesn't have to mean they are going down the slope in an out of control manner, it could simply mean their lack of experience in say skiing in a whiteout causes them to go over a cliff. Until you are comfortable going down any slope in any weather you still have things to learn.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
RIP to those who lost their lives, and condolences to their families.
Can we show a bit more tact than turning this into a flipping helmet debate? We have no idea how the accidents happen. Let's be a bit more respectful...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Timmaah,
I think the SH here were surprised by both victims wearing helmets.
I skied both Vail and Breckenridge but could not recall any dangerous cliff or embankment myself as vail looks quite harmless. I was surprised by some of the Vail's black runs as a few of them were just a forest erected with a red tape to stop visitor from entering into it. The run was a broken section of the red tape with a tiny sign telling the user of the name of the run.
Breckenridge does have some areas reserved for "extreme" skiing. Trees do feature prominently in both resorts but they are normally in between runs for skiers and boarders to get extra fun by going through them. The trees are quite dense and it is impossible to do high speed inside. Some black runs are not steep but populated with trees so users going into them would need skill and able to do turns quickly.
Their untimely deaths also serve warning to visitors using the same facilities. I thought fatbob's advice is spot on as everyone should be careful with the start of the season and give some allowance with the first few runs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I was on a lift in Breck some years ago and saw what I presume was a family skiing down a piste (probably a red) that ran under the lift . It was practically first run of the day and there were icy patches in the shade. There was just such a shaded patch as the run cut a narrowed gap though some trees under the lift line.
Dad looked a pretty competent skier and was skiing fast, Mum and the teenage kids (boy and a girl I think) following. They were wooping and obviously having fun but were clearly a bit outside their ability. I remember thinking "that's going to end in tears" just as Dad hit the icy patch but had the skill to turn and miss the trees. The scream as daughter hit the ice and the thud as she hit the tree I still remember very clearly, as well as the screams from Mum for Dad to help.
I can only hope it wasn't as serious as it sounded as I never saw what happened because of the trees in the way. I alerted the lifties once I got to the top of the lift and hope all ended well.
But I still remember the horrible combination of thinking how out of control they looked followed by the scream and sickening thud.
Be careful out there folks - as the saying goes "Trees always win" 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It is possible the American resorts may have a problem with the trees especially underneath the chairlift routes. I have seen skiers in every resort have piste users skiing along the chairlift route. In a European resort this is clearly off piste whereas in North America such area may be counted as inbound and therefore acceptable (or less objectionable). In generally the North American resorts are hot on trees but I don't think this is the case in the European Alps where the runs are well defined and regularly groomed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
There's no North American "problem" with trees. There is a lot of below tree line skiing and some fantastic tree skiing. However like rocks, buvettes, shepherd's huts, lift towers and piste bashers they will hurt severely if you lose control at "fast" piste speeds and run into them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
saikee, The issue may be more that the treeline is 700-800m higher in the Rockies that it is in the alps. So you get more trees, and more trees to hit. Those trees are one of the reasons many of us return to the US and Canada.
Then as you say there is the greater freedom to ski what you can see inside a US ski area boundary knowing it will be patrolled. But I certainly skied treed lift lines in Italy last year.
I'd say the resorts don't have a problem. But people who ski fast and out of control near tress do...
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Or in other words Fatbob +1
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Talk about branching out 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RIP, enjoying what we all do.
Easy to fall but in the wrong place with or without a helmet we are in the hands of God.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| Denver Post wrote: |
| The accident happened just after 10 a.m., on the Gitalong Road, a beginner trail between the Columbine and Bear Tree trails, the resort said.. |
The Gitalong Road is a "green" cat track that winds down the frontside. It is a short section from the bottom of the "blue" Columbine to the "Blue" Bear tree trail just above Vail village.
I guess most of us have survived moments when being over adventurous but this seems like a benign trail and was desperately bad luck, a tragic accident.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Quote: |
in the wrong place with or without a helmet we are in the hands of God.
|
Er, no. I prefer to believe that the universe, and our destinies, are governed by a purple squirrel that lives in a big teapot on the far side of the moon. He was the one that took millions of years to gnaw the Alps into the mountain range that we love. The ancient Acorn Writings tell us that he had hoped to get it all done in 7 days but it was just too big a job.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Going over embankments and hitting trees causing massive internal injuries a helmet probably isn't going to do all that much.
They don't call it the WROD (white ribbon of death) for nothing. Crowds of out of practice people on new gear on artificial snow = sh!tshow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
The original report has some misleading information. The Gitalong Road could be found in Edwards which is separated by another skiing resort called Beaver Creek in between. Thus the death occurred in the Vail mountain is correct but not in the Vail skiing resort. The Gitalong Road looks like a local recreational facility not what I would call a full blown skiing resort with proper facilities (installed to the regulated standard). It might be one of those popular back country skiing routes.
The Northstar trail in Breckenridge, where the second death reported, is a blue run within the Peak 7 of the skiing resort. This is a conventional skiing run created by cutting a path through a forest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
saikee, Look at the trail map with the aid of the pretty clear description of accident location.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
saikee,
| Quote: |
The original report has some misleading information. The Gitalong Road could be found in Edwards which is separated by another skiing resort called Beaver Creek in between. Thus the death occurred in the Vail mountain is correct but not in the Vail skiing resort. The Gitalong Road looks like a local recreational facility not what I would call a full blown skiing resort with proper facilities (installed to the regulated standard). It might be one of those popular back country skiing routes.
|
You seem to be getting confused - Gitalong Road is on Vail mountain, its a longish winding mountain road which is used as an easy way down the mountain( green) much alike a cat track. Shown on Vails piste map - it starts around Mid Vail and ends in Vail village.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Bones,
Yes your are right. I tried the Gitalong Road from Google after locating Vail skiing resort but none was indicated. The Gitalong Road I could find from the Goole map is in Edwards which is close by.
I have a second look at the Vail piste map and can locate the this cat track named as Gitalong Road. Think I passed it several time myself and the most dangerous part could be the embankment for going down the black runs International and Giant Steps.
If a skier got killed by travelling on a green run and accidentally overstepping into a black run then this risk is everywhere in most resorts. The trees and deep snow are normally able to arrest an accidental overshoot an embankment from a green run.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
This was on the Mölltal glacier and it was disabled racer (visually handicapped). He fell during training and landed on a rocky area. They go on to say that the pressure for space on the available pistes has resulted in serious injuries due to falls into the rocky areas around the available pistes. This includes another death last Saturday where a free skier was fatally injured falling into rocks outside the prepared area.
Mölltal was reported as being very rocky by kooky earlier this autumn. Her son and his trainer decided it was too dangerous to train on I believe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Zermatt was also really busy today with a few errant skiers and boarders around.
I was on the Furggsattel 6-man chair and just caught the sight of a 'way too fast for his ability' snowboarder smash into a 4/5 year old girl sending her flying with her skis and helmet all coming off. The sight and sound of her mother cradling her limp body sent shivers down my spine.
I skied down 5 minutes later and the little girl was luckily alright although naturally sobbing and very shook up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Touchguru, <<<shudder>>> Take care yourself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
