Thread: Doug Coombs 1958-2006

Today, in a little tight spot off Pepi's/Bird-in-hand, my wife said to my daughter "Flash the crux". We explained to her the flow of the line, and how Doug taught us that.

This is exactly what you're supposed to do, live in a way that your spirit is passed on through generations. He really did that.

I saw this today.

Coombs!!

what? no helmet or rope? how can that be?

that masshole was a damn fine skier and dood.

rog

Bump....

Originally Posted by wildskizer

Let's see some more?...This is one for all time...



Cheers

That needs a bump....

R.I.P Gone to soon

AWESOME
..

bumping for Coombs

Sorry about the long ass post, but it takes awhile for this particular story to come around and tell itself. It really made me happy to live it. Coombs impacted a ton of people. I was lucky enough to be one of them.

So, the other day at Jackson Hole I was skiing around with a guy who was not a very experienced skier. He was under my wing though. I could tell he wanted it. I was with him and my brother. It was a fairly hardpack day. We were turning him up a bit each run. We decided to take him over to the cirque. He was not ready for the Expert Chutes yet. Pulling into the cirque, I noticed a young kid and what appeared to be an instructor. They were stopped at the top of Meet your Maker Broadway.
I was intrigued. After all, I have a six year old that is starting to shred most of the mountain. I thought to myself as I skied up:
"How old is this kid"
"Is he going to hit it"
"This dude with me will be gaped to watch a kid, no older than ten, drop this line."
I stopped.
"How old are you"
He innocently replied, "I'm nine"
"Are you gonna hit this?", I replied
He looked back down Meet Your Maker and then back up at me and slowly responded, "I think so."
Next thing I know, my guy is next to me. I look at him and say, "Hey lets watch this. This nine year old is going to hit this little chute. This is a Jackson Hole classic. You can go after him." I chided jokingly.
The kid dropped in and ripped it. I looked over at this guy who had no business trying to ski this and asked?
"Do you want to go in. All you have to do is scooch down to the crux, turn left, let em rip and then make the critical right turn above the exit or else you will cartwheel down Broadway and that will be bad."
" I think I want it" he replied.
My innards dropped as thoughts raced through my head, "Oh shit. It was a joke. He wasn't supposed to say yes."
My stoke meter kicked in, "Fuck it. Let's feed it to him"
I looked at him, told him to follow my moves and dropped in.
Looking back up, I questioned whether or not I should be feeding this guy this line.
At this point my brother, who was leading out, was at the waiting spot at the bottom of the cirque watching us.
He looked up bewildered.
"What the fuck is he thinking taking that guy into there."
The guy dropped in. He slid his first turn down to the crux, just as I had told him to, and then he pointed it. He hooked the hard right hand turn. He made it through and let out a yell. "Wooo!!"
He had concurred his fears. He was pumped.
And then he hooked up.
And he tumbled.
He stopped before Broadway.
He was beat up.
"Are you OK? I asked.
He dusted the snow off his clothes and looked around for his gear.
It was a complete yard sale. Poles, skis, and goggles were scattered.
"Best run of my life" he replied
I watched him pick up his pieces and then took off and skied down to Steve.
"Dude, what are you doing. That guy had no business being there." my brother scolded me.
I quickly told him the story about the grom, our guy, and the conversation at the top.
I was bummed.
Steve was questioning my judgment.
I was sure I had done a good thing.
Next Steve started laughing.
"That's fucking beautiful. You Coomba'd him" he said
I breathed a sigh of relief. My judgment had been on point.
I did what I had the privilege of watching Doug Coombs do many many times.
I escorted someone to the edge. I challenged him. I gave him the best run of his life. It was a small nook, but it was all he needed.
I did not realize I had this super power handed down to me until Steve turned to me laughing and said, "That's fucking beautiful. You Coomba'd him"
Thanks Doug. Your values and vision are alive in many people. You Coomba'd all of us!!!! We miss you dearly.

Thanks for the story. The guy's an inspiration, I love watching videos of him skiing, whether from the 90's or right up until his death. Core to the max, but humble and obviously in love with what he did. RIP.

Originally Posted by TGR420

Sorry about the long ass post, but it takes awhile for this particular story to come around and tell itself. It really made me happy to live it. Coombs impacted a ton of people. I was lucky enough to be one of them.

So, the other day at Jackson Hole I was skiing around with a guy who was not a very experienced skier. He was under my wing though. I could tell he wanted it. I was with him and my brother. It was a fairly hardpack day. We were turning him up a bit each run. We decided to take him over to the cirque. He was not ready for the Expert Chutes yet. Pulling into the cirque, I noticed a young kid and what appeared to be an instructor. They were stopped at the top of Meet your Maker Broadway.
I was intrigued. After all, I have a six year old that is starting to shred most of the mountain. I thought to myself as I skied up:
"How old is this kid"
"Is he going to hit it"
"This dude with me will be gaped to watch a kid, no older than ten, drop this line."
I stopped.
"How old are you"
He innocently replied, "I'm nine"
"Are you gonna hit this?", I replied
He looked back down Meet Your Maker and then back up at me and slowly responded, "I think so."
Next thing I know, my guy is next to me. I look at him and say, "Hey lets watch this. This nine year old is going to hit this little chute. This is a Jackson Hole classic. You can go after him." I chided jokingly.
The kid dropped in and ripped it. I looked over at this guy who had no business trying to ski this and asked?
"Do you want to go in. All you have to do is scooch down to the crux, turn left, let em rip and then make the critical right turn above the exit or else you will cartwheel down Broadway and that will be bad."
" I think I want it" he replied.
My innards dropped as thoughts raced through my head, "Oh shit. It was a joke. He wasn't supposed to say yes."
My stoke meter kicked in, "Fuck it. Let's feed it to him"
I looked at him, told him to follow my moves and dropped in.
Looking back up, I questioned whether or not I should be feeding this guy this line.
At this point my brother, who was leading out, was at the waiting spot at the bottom of the cirque watching us.
He looked up bewildered.
"What the fuck is he thinking taking that guy into there."
The guy dropped in. He slid his first turn down to the crux, just as I had told him to, and then he pointed it. He hooked the hard right hand turn. He made it through and let out a yell. "Wooo!!"
He had concurred his fears. He was pumped.
And then he hooked up.
And he tumbled.
He stopped before Broadway.
He was beat up.
"Are you OK? I asked.
He dusted the snow off his clothes and looked around for his gear.
It was a complete yard sale. Poles, skis, and goggles were scattered.
"Best run of my life" he replied
I watched him pick up his pieces and then took off and skied down to Steve.
"Dude, what are you doing. That guy had no business being there." my brother scolded me.
I quickly told him the story about the grom, our guy, and the conversation at the top.
I was bummed.
Steve was questioning my judgment.
I was sure I had done a good thing.
Next Steve started laughing.
"That's fucking beautiful. You Coomba'd him" he said
I breathed a sigh of relief. My judgment had been on point.
I did what I had the privilege of watching Doug Coombs do many many times.
I escorted someone to the edge. I challenged him. I gave him the best run of his life. It was a small nook, but it was all he needed.
I did not realize I had this super power handed down to me until Steve turned to me laughing and said, "That's fucking beautiful. You Coomba'd him"
Thanks Doug. Your values and vision are alive in many people. You Coomba'd all of us!!!! We miss you dearly.

Love this story! That is exactly what pure skiing is. Coombs gave that to us all. Let each run with each person you meet be the best run of your life! Absolutely! Live it! FKNA!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using TGR Forums

Nice post, TGR420. Great story and so good to remember that mentality.

Originally Posted by icelanticskier

what? no helmet or rope? how can that be?

that masshole was a damn fine skier and dood.

rog

Thank god at least one of us from Mass could ski...

Grew up in the town next door and we were the same age. That's where the similarities end.