Do you fall?

No falls - No balls
Usually get bitten by sno-snakes a couple of times a year. Good fo a laugh. Last major yard sale was at Hickory. It was epic

Last year I fell, in an icy parking lot and it took me out for the rest of the season. I don't have an infinite number of seasons left so I back it down when conditions warrant and try really hard not to fall. I have had one fall this season, not spectacular - just hit a patch of pond ice at very slow speed and wasn't carrying enough speed to get me over it before I went down. No damage that time.

Slammed my elbow dropping into Skyward a few weeks back but ok. Dropped, literally. Wasn't even moving until I was in motion going down. Lucky though, another bit of slam and I'm speculating I would have shattered  my elbow. It always seems it's those stupid incidents like this that can spell the end of one's season prematurely. To top it all off, my wife asked me for an Aleve two nights previous and I removed the small bottle from my jacket, never to  put it back in my pocket. Didn't want to head back down to source some, so dealt with some pain for most of the day, as I had my "spill" second run of the day. Keep an eye out for me if you are at WF and need some Aleve, as I'll never head out without it again after this incident.

Fewer falls every year, not because I'm improving.

I was trying to do handplants on the top of these huge whalebacks on Blockbuster at Plattekill today.

Yeah I fall.

The key is to not be fighting falls with the "phantom foot" thing going on, leading to a blown ACL. Falling is totally acceptable, given one does not posture themselves for disaster at all cost.

Read about Phantom Foot here:

http://www.vermontskisafety.com/kneefriendly.php

Quick summary...

Six elements define the phantom foot profile while falling or fighting a fall:
•Uphill arm back.
•Skier off-balance to the rear.
•Hips below the knees.
•Uphill ski unweighted.
•Weight on the inside edge of downhill ski tail.
•Upper body generally facing downhill ski.

Hoser wrote

 the wild arm wave to counterbalance saves the day!

I do that one, quite well in fact. It's my best aerial trick.

Yes.

Man i hear you about having a finite number of seasons left andbeing careful . At 72 now andhaving to take thisyear off due to hip replacement will make me 73 before I get back up on them .

 The biggest challenge will be mental and overcoming the fear thing again as far as speed and falling .Hopefully a terminally positive attitude will help but hey it ain't getting any easier asi watch most of my contemporaries now sitting on the sidelines ..But gotta try ,my desire is still there even though the skills may be in decline

I think I fall less now as I ski more conservatively than I did when I was younger.  My first true fall of the season was last weekend - I hit a death cookie and my ski slid out from me.  I have been hit twice this year once pretty bad at the beginning of the season which was my only released ski of the season so far.

I heard that 3 instructors were hurt at Belleyre last weekend with some injuries from getting hit.

I'm good for an unexpected high speed groomer edge catcher flying W every few years on easy terrain.  Did it on showcase in January and my thumb is still jacked.  It's crashes like this why I refuse to try snowboarding anymore.

Definitely once a week.   Sometimes 10-12 times per visit.    
I am working on clean 180s and 360s.    I fall.    That said, they are more controlled than out of control.  

I also fall a bit now and again on groomers working on stupid human tricks trying to improve my skills.    Again slow speed falls.    

About once in 3 or 4 times in the bumps when either working on something (different tactics) or skills, I might take a fall...and sometimes, like yesterday, when I ski bumps all day, I forget to breath and systematically loose all strength then just sit down.    Then I remember to breath and move on.      


Only three major falls in the past 4 years.     One in very bad visibility, moving very fast on groomed.  I hit a depression and collapsed....lost both skis and slid 100 yards.   felt safe because the slope was wide and groomed.    

Fall two---skiing way faster than I should have at night on slope they just reopened after a race.    I hit a rut and while I tried to retract, I flew.  Out of bounds about 75 yards.  Very afraid.   It was my mistake for going so fast on what was otherwise a groomed slope, but the race group should have slid out the ruts,,,,I just assumed they did, as our resort requires slipping ruts 2 times by the team/racers.    

Fall 3, a few days ago.  I was testing a slalom ski and mistakenly jumped into tight bumps.    I jumped in as fast as I normally do with a softer ski.  To demo the ski I set the dins light at 6--I am an 8.    I buried the ski and double ejected.  I slid down 20-30 bumps before arresting.   I got up, climbed the hill and skied the rest of the day.   That night as I was putting on my jacket to get dinner, I stretched my left arm (previous two surgeries) and something happened.   Pain to tears.    I did not sleep.   Two days later whatever was caught in my joint, dislodged and I am good again.    I am sure it is floating around, I will have it looked at this summer.    

What comes after summer---?     Fall.