Dang boardheads!

Got hit TWICE by snowboarders this ski season. Once in Eldora in CO and the 2nd time at Mt. Charleston outside 'Vegas.

That 2nd encounter W/ an out-of-control teen boarder really hurt my right shoulder when I landed. Glad I was wearing my helmet both times. Hurts to raise my right arm to comb my hair, load the RAV4, etc.

BEWARE OF MUTANT TEENAGE SNOWBOARDERS!

Eric

Could be worse - I got hit two summers ago by a Mutant Teenage Mountain Biker.

It was unpleasant.

There are ways we can hit them back ya know <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Just kidding - them days are over now... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

One of those ways is getting the ski patrol to clip their ticket. I've read a few stories about boarders running into people then taking off. In one instance the boarder was met at the lift line by a couple of large friends of the victim. They turned him in and he was done for the season at that resort.

It gets worse...
Taos Ski Valley has decided to allow boarders. WHATS THIS WORLD COMING TOO?? Ernie is turning over in his grave! His kids made the choice!

Actually, I have no problem with adult or responsible boarders. My most dangerous encounters have been with out of control skiers, over the years. It's the 'cool dude' boarders that have no regard for physics and etiquette that I'll turn in, instantly, no tolerance. If the ski patrol can catch 'em, their done. Boarders can usually be found sitting on their butts somewhere, so they are easy to catch. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Things are slowly changing though....the etiquette thing is catching on and the rebel boarders of 25 years ago are now old grouchy poots, like me. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The little ski hill I worked at here in N. California was small enough that you could see about everyone on the hill. We would just holler at or tell them to not do what they were doing. Kids skiing out of the poma lift line, jumping while on it etc. advise them it could derail the cable. If someone didn't listen, you could always catch them at the bottom there were only two lifts, so they had to come to you eventually.:) Snowboarders fit right in with us mountain bikers.

I snowboard, but not very good. If I hit you, it is because you are spending too much time on the bunny slope. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Actually, the only people I hit are myself. I am not very good and tend to...well...fall. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

One day they will be old poots and some young, fast boarder will plow into them. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

I really think it has a lot less to do with what's on their feet than age and attitude. Come on guys, when I was young and dumb on the ski hills boards didn't exist and everyone still complained about the dangerous 16-19 year old idiots who skiied like nobody else mattered and periodically caused dangerous collisions.

It's not snowboards - it's just youth, speed, and testosterone. It'll always be a potential problem, and how much it is a problem will be directly related to how much people are educated on etiquette and safety and how well it's enforced when there are transgressions.

I ski at a small hill called Poley Mountain. It is not a big hill worth going out of your way for, but its worth mentioning that the skiers and boarders all get along really well here. Everyone practices safety and courtesy. Small local hills are probably the safest bet, I think. Just celebrated our 50th Anniversary. Original home of Mark Fawcett by the way.

http://www.poleymountain.com/index.php
http://www.markfawcett.com/

I agree, Phat.

For me, it isn't so much the snowboarders coming from behind as it is the dang snowboarders sitting smack in the middle of the steepest part of the narrowest trails! That pisses me off to no end, especially when it is icy and it is harder to control downward progress. I've come very close to hitting a number of boarders because they have a bad habit of wearing earphones and not looking uphill.

MNS

I have to confess that it's skiers that drive me nuts. I wish they could actually turn in powder and control themselves...such pain from those moving slalom poles.

I've been wiped out more than once by people skiing on terrain they didn't belong on, totally out of control, and on vacation...

One of the nice things about skiing in AK is that it is mostly locals you share the slopes with, and for the most part "trails" are just different ways down the open face (not alot of trees). Skiers here are generally pretty good to excellent... every once in a while you'll run into people who have no business being on the trail they are on, and they can be very very scary (because you know they are very very scared).

MNS

Crackers,

As a ten-year Nordic ski patroller I know idiots come on all kinds of sliding objects (including cars!) I was just venting but I DO know that most riders are courteous.
In fact, to their credit, both riders that hit me were polite and did inquire to see if I was OK.

Grumpy old man, Eric

Eric,

I know exactly where you're coming from, i was just poking fun. Let's face it, getting whacked by somebody just isn't pleasant.

grumpy younger graham