10 replies to this topic

[Skiing#1]

http://www.ksl.com/?...48&sid=10137124

Man could be first one charged under Park City reckless skiing law
March 24th, 2010 @ 7:26pm
By Cleon Wall
PARK CITY -- A Salt Lake City man could be the first person ever charged under a relatively new reckless skiing law in Park City.

Witnesses say the skier was flying down a beginners trail on a Park City mountain when he slid 30 feet and collided with an 11-year-old Pennsylvania girl. The crash threw the girl through the air and broke her arm.

The park record says other skiers yelled at the man and held him until ski patrol arrived. The girl's father wants to press charges.

If prosecutors move forward, he would be the first person charged under the city's reckless skiing law.

[Kicking Horse]

He got what he Urned.

Anyone that skis that fast in a learning area should be be hung by the balls.

Sorry for the language but I cant stand watching assholes fly down a run full of noobs. You know, We should break his arm and see if he learns from it. How does that sound?

[monkey]

Anyone that skis that fast in a learning area should be be hung by the balls.

I couldn't agree more!!!

[floridaskier]

I don't know how far down Homerun this was, but if it was at the top section next to Bonanza, where everybody and his brother has to ski down and it's very wide, I can see how it would be easy to get up a good head of steam and hit someone. There's absolutely no reason to do this here. There are plenty of cruisers around PCMR that aren't crowded. You need to be careful here, and there are big slow signs all over the place on this run. The fact that other people tackled him after the accident suggests that he really was out of line, and it wasn't just an unfortunate accident.

[boardski]

Skiing and riding trails within one's ability not only means not using runs which are too difficult but also means not using runs which are too easy. Less experienced skiers and riders need room to learn without arrogant jerks getting their kicks by using children and less experienced skiers as slalom gates! I remember several close calls in Colorado teaching my daughter with people skiing/ riding too fast and close on beginner terrain. It is time for ski areas to step up patrols and consequences for reckless skiing/riding. (I realize that many are already doing this) Now that my daughter has advanced in her skiing ability, I insist that we do not ski beginner terrain unless absolutely necessary out of respect for beginners and less experienced skiers. I am not familiar with Park City but there is no reason to ski or ride beginner terrain by intermediate or advanced riders unless it is absolutely necessary to traverse to another section of the mountain or the skier/ rider is teaching someone the sport. Being a "Good" skier or rider means exercising consideration for others also and behaving in a considerate manner instead of like an arrogant, rude, entitiled jerk like some people do. Hopefully the skier will recover fully and justice will be done. There is absolutely no excuse for hitting another skier and needing to be detained for ski patrol to arrive!

I volunteer for the jury, any other takers??

This post has been edited by boardski: 25 March 2010 - 08:06 AM

[boardski]

boardski, on 25 March 2010 - 08:05 AM, said:

I volunteer for the jury, any other takers??

You know, on second thought, I like the idea of us running the guy over and breaking his arm approach.

[ewillso7]

Homerun trail @ PC is an absolute madhouse. There are hundreds of people on that trail at all times. It reminds me of Great Eastern @ Killington.

That trail is littered with slow signs and ski patrol. I don't know what the clown was thinking. As unfortunate as it is for the girl, It's a good thing that more people didn't get injured, considering the number of people on that run.

[boardski]

ewillso7, on 25 March 2010 - 06:38 PM, said:

Homerun trail @ PC is an absolute madhouse. There are hundreds of people on that trail at all times. It reminds me of Great Eastern @ Killington.

That trail is littered with slow signs and ski patrol. I don't know what the clown was thinking. As unfortunate as it is for the girl, It's a good thing that more people didn't get injured, considering the number of people on that run.

There are several areas which have runs with high traffic like this. River Run at Keystone, Jack Kendrick and Parkway at Winter Park, Born Free at Vail, ego and bottom of Bar UE where Buddy's Run intersects with Tornado lane at Steamboat come to mind and especially Main Vein early season at Copper. Improving the safety on these "funnel runs" makes an excellent QI (Quality improvement) project. I know at Copper, ski patrol is utilized at several points of the run. I have also seen gates although the gates need to be moved periodically to prevent ice from builing up and causing accidents that way. Are there any other effective ways to improve safety, manage the heavy traffic, and keep attitudes and behaviors in check that has been tried at different areas?

[floridaskier]

I don't think there's really a way to keep things like this from happening in high traffic areas. Even with ski patrol stepping up enforcement, and slow signs and other ways of discouraging reckless skiing, there will always be a few morons who decide to go fast without looking ahead far enough. I guess ski patrol as a deterrent is the best way to keep people from going too fast. But every resort has a few places where a lot of people have to go to get to other places.

Homerun at PCMR is a great example of this. Ontario, Bandana (less so since Lady Morgan lift opened) and Silver Link at Deer Valley are a few more good examples of places where it's inevitable that a lot of people will be going to the same place at the same time.

[Kicking Horse]

Snowmass just above the Village will have patrol and or other Mountain Staff standing out on Fanny hill with speed guns and or just watching for people skiing fast. They will and have pulled tickets for "reckless skiing" on fanny hill.

[DonaldMReif]

Kicking Horse, on 26 March 2010 - 09:57 PM, said:

Snowmass just above the Village will have patrol and or other Mountain Staff standing out on Fanny hill with speed guns and or just watching for people skiing fast. They will and have pulled tickets for "reckless skiing" on fanny hill.

I guess the way to avoid them is to take Coney Glade when you're doing runs in that area? Ever have the "funnel" effect on the trails that transition from Big Burn/Sheer Bliss to Alpine Springs or Alpine Springs to Coney Glade? I just wonder.

More Keystone examples: Mozart is used by a lot of people to get from Dercum Mountain to North Peak. I usually take the groomed black run Diamondback if it's groomed and open because that doesn't get as much traffic (be aware it's a south facing slope). The two blues from the top of North Peak that you need to use to get to the Outback Express don't seem to have as many bottleneck issues. If people are speeding on Anticipation, they're just trying to avoid stopping in the flat cattrack.

I think Breckenridge does a good job at eliminating funnels, since there are multiple routes between peaks. At Vail, the runs everyone takes down at the end of the day turn into funnel runs, like the Riva Ridge runout.