Ready to start skiing?

[R. Pare]

I haven't the legs or reactions to even think about trying that any more!

[TimH]

"Cloudy on the slopes and Sonny in the trees."

[Terry Hanushek]

Breathtaking, indeed ...

Great snow but I certainly am not able to do that speed without landing in the trees

Thanks for sharing

[racingflyboy]

I do still ski in the trees, but not as much or as fast as I used to. Something about after you've hit one, you really don't want to do that again! Steamboat, 2005, big aspen. End of the day, had to take one more shot into the trees and fresh powder. Skied around a large evergreen just in time to see a short steep drop with a aspen grove at the bottom. Just like in racing, look for the opening, not at the trees. Only opening, just above the Big Aspen! Thought I'd made it when I felt a sudden stop and an excruciating pain in my left shoulder, as my head spun around and I got a very close look at the tree! Enough to squash my goggles against it! (Lucky it was snowing, or I'd have just had sunglasses on) First thought, there must have been something else there that I hit, as I was certain I'd cleared the Big Aspen. Next thought, as I fell back, "whoa, I hit a tree!" Then, "people get hurt hitting trees." Next, "crap, I'm hurt. Kinda bad too." I got up and went to squeeze between the BA and found there was another tree next to it, with my tracks between them, but I didn't fit. Had to twist my upper body to get through. Came out to the woods in time to find my wife skiing down some clear cut area (everyone knows she is smarter that I), hollered at her and we skied down to the next lift to get a Ski Patrol toboggan down the rest of the way. Lucky for me, after arriving at the Patrol building, they had one seat left on the bus to the hospital, leaving in 10 minutes! Sign in the Steamboat Hospital Emergency Entrance: "Skiers, Please Remove Boots Here". Apparently they get a few customers from the Ski Area!

One might dwell on the broken collarbone, but I find that there is often something good that comes from something bad. My collarbone healed such that the outer portion of the bone was under the inner piece, and they fused back together that way. This left one shoulder about 1/2 to 3/4" narrower than the other. The Good News? The next spring I was able to fit in a Swift FF! I had not been able to prior, shoulders were just jammed against the sides! But now.......so I bought one! And BTW, don't break your collarbone to fit in a car, just have it modified - broken collarbone is painful experience! Hurts every time your breathe or move.

Steve

"Ski, You'll run into the nicest people"

[R. Pare]

This guy, CandideThovex, apparently is a multi-time champion, and now makes his living making totally crazy ski films. This is one of many he has put together:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1NagZN2kjY

And another that is part of another long-length film he did called "ski the World":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXFRTLmCzbU

[R. Pare]

And when you have an hour to spare:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpi2fc5vfNs&t=107s

[R. Pare]

Skiing ocean waves:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PZGhIgAdLc&t=1s