Skier deaths at Hunter Mt

Hey, Louie, no argument from me.  I said “point to be made” because I’m not one who should make it......a 2 brew  lunch is pretty standard for me.

what set me off was watching a 20 something year old stuff a six of beer into all his pockets..
having a beer or so while eating lunch is a lot different then drinking at 10 am while on the lift..

He was probably bring some of those beers for his buds, to drink at their safety meeting.....another thing that doesn’t help.

JTG4eva! wrote

He was probably bring some of those beers for his buds, to drink at their safety meeting.....another thing that doesn’t help.

LOL

his buddy was stuffing his pockets too..

JTG4eva! wrote

He was probably bring some of those beers for his buds, to drink at their safety meeting.....another thing that doesn’t help.

Speak for yourself! Safety meetings help some of get into a state of zen!

I don't like to have more than one beer while skiing. Any more than that makes me feel lethargic and I don't enjoy skiing like that. Weed though.......look out dawgy! I get fired up.

Lately I've been jokingly calling the AZ Snowbowl the Hunter of the Four Corners Region. It's overrun on the weekends by ASU and NAU students as well as our version of the NJ/NY guido, the Scottsdale Joey's. So many shirtless, shorts wearing exhibitionist types sporting speaker packs and smoking cigs in the liftlines. So many collisions and close calls. Our ski patrol might be one of the best in the country as far as running wrecks. Thank god for the touring though. I don't ski in area much any more on weekends.

raisingarizona wrote

JTG4eva! wrote

He was probably bring some of those beers for his buds, to drink at their safety meeting.....another thing that doesn’t help.

Speak for yourself! Safety meetings help some of get into a state of zen!

I don't like to have more than one beer while skiing. Any more than that makes me feel lethargic and I don't enjoy skiing like that. Weed though.......look out dawgy! I get fired up.

+1

I can't / don't drink and ski.  I've done it twice and have gotten hurt both times, after the second time I learned my lesson. I just do stupid shit.

Burn and ski --- yep, I'm in

Me, I’m comfortable with a couple drinks at lunch.  I feel like I’ve still got my head on straight, but I feel more loose.  Now, far be it from me to light up, but I’d imagine if I did I’d lose a bit of my judgement in regards to my perception of risks.  That kind of hyped up might lead me to take bigger risks, without realizing I was doing so. No, if I was ever going to light up, which I’d never do, I’d only do it when I knew I wasn’t going anywhere near consequential terrain.  I’d imagine on wide open low angle stuff the speed and flow could be enhanced by a little bud.

I don't find that a beer at lunch effects my skiing all that much.  What it does do is make me have to pee a couple of times, which if the woods aren't open can be a real PITA.

Fam, I'm sorry for your loss.  Words can never replace the emptiness when you lose a loved one, especially a child.

Regarding drinking and skiing.  I spent 27 years in the alcohol business, between retail and wholesale.  I can't imagine drinking a beer in the middle of the ski day.

Just got back from the French Alps. Hooboy, talk about a long lunch.

Mom:

Skiing is a dangerous sport. I am sorry that yours met their maker doing it, but it is what it is. Don't blame Hunter or any other ski resort. I ski. So do many others people. But it IS A DANGEROUS SPORT. It says so right on the ticket -- read it. When I bought my season's pass I had to sign a statement saying I could die.

Here is only a partial list of the dangers on the slopes:
- Bare ground. There can be bare ground anywhere on the slope or in the trees. Any time of the year.
- Ice: There is ice on any hill, especially at a resort on the east coast. Most of any slope on the hill can be and will be covered in ice at any time. It doesn't have to rain to make ice. A snow maker pipe can leak water on the slope at any time, and ice up the slope.
- Trees. They don't pop out at you, but if you hit ice and don't stop, you will eventually hit a tree.
- Rocks. Yes they can be on a trail that is covered in snow, or not covered in snow.
- Plain regular snow. Yes, you can fall and snap your head on plain old regular snow, even if you are wearing a helmet, if you fall hard enough and in the proper direction. You can die just from snapping your neck wrong.
- Lift poles: Yes they are marked and they may be padded. Treat them like trees. They can kill you.
- Getting on and off the lift: Yeah, this will kill you too.
- Soft sticky snow can kill you. If you are going down a hill fast on hard packed snow and hit a patch of soft sticky snow, you will fall. Hard. On your face. You can get really hurt. And die.
- Equipment: There are snowmobiles, snowmakers, groomers, and other equipment on any given slope at any time. Sometimes they come up over a blind spot. I've seen skiers ski right into them even when they were plain as day.
- Riding the lift is dangerous. Yeah it's inspected and it's maintained. But there are bad bearings and defective parts. The lift operator is only human and he's going to make a mistake eventually. Maybe she doesn't hear you tell her to stop the lift when your kid was messing around on the loading amp and ended up hanging 20 feet in the air (yeah this happened to my kid).
- Skiers themselves: They stop unexpectedly. They ski out of control. They ski too fast for conditions. They think they are better than they are and go down slopes they have no business on. They hit other skiers, as well as all the other stuff listed here.  Skiers are usually their own worst enemy on the slope because they think they are skiing in control, but they are not. Even expert skiers.
- It doesn't matter whether the slope is marked Beginner or intermediate or expert. You can still hit an ice patch or  sticky patch, fall down, and die.
- There are terrain parks loaded with jumps, mogels, rails etc. All these things can, and do kill, even when properly set up and maintained.

Skiing and boarding is dangerous. The danger is why I carried life insurance until my kids were out of school. Its also a sport that I introduced my kids to at an early age because there is nothing else like it.  It teaches you self control at an early age. Yeah, some of us will die. Eventually all of us will die. Yes, it sucks. But more people die every day on the highways and people still drive.

If you ski or board, you are responsible for your own actions and you could be injured or killed by the actions of others, including the actions of the resort itself. From the moment you put on the equipment you are at risk.  The only way I'd hold a ski resort responsible for the death of someone I know whose skiing is if they did something like chase me down and murder me with a groomer.

That's the way it is.

All or much of what you are saying is true. Still I hope Fam doesn't return to read it.

Drinking and skiing is just stupid. But its a known hazard of skiing with other people. Especially at a crowded slope. It sucks.

I have never been hit by a drunk skier. But I would view getting hit by a drunk skier as an assault, and I'd call the cops. There may not be a Skiing under the influence law in NY, but there are such laws in other countries.

I think she should read it. What he said is completely true IMHO

It’s rough.  I lost a parent to an accident that didn’t make any sense, and part of the coping and grieving process is to look for reasons, to try and place blame, etc.....even if it really can’t be done.  I was going to comment along those lines, but I figured it wouldn’t help fam’s unimaginable pain, losing a child.  I pray she gets some answers that help to bring the family some closure, but it will never be adequate and the answers may never be what they want.  I suppose that perspective will come to the family in time, but it’s a long process grieving the loss of a loved one, especially to a seemingly senseless accident.

Me too. Have a heart dude.

I agree too..I'm sure she realizes that skiing is dangerous..

she is suffering unimaginable pain and just venting..

I assume everyone reading this is a decent dedicated skier. Please remember you don't own the slopes everyone there has paid for the use of the mountain, there are kids, older people , even handicapped skiers on the slopes. Simple rules should be followed. If you are overtaking someone let them know, ski in as much control as you can because shit happens, don't jump unless you have an idea of what's on the other side, and don't ski hammered. I guess this will piss off some people. Yes every once in a while there will be someone on a run who shouldn't be there. Can you tell me it never happened to you when you were learning or advancing, give them space and courtesy, If all the beginners or "joeys" or seniors or kids stop skiing your ski area may just have to close. Out West you can drop in woods or backcountry where you may never encounter another skier or situation where you need to watch out, but that isn't the East , especially on the weekend. I have 5 grandchildren who ski and do it well but some of them weigh all of  fifty pounds, if they get hit by a two hundred pound guy going 40 mph it's like a car accident. You could maim them and believe me your life will be affected immeasurably.