Tanner Hall hurt himself today

[str8line]

I'm a bit hesitant to post this out of respect but I figured that the news is about to be common knowledge and since I was there I can start it off without any rumours or B.S, or at least try to.

This weekend I'm doing a Straightline camp and I got the news from photog Brent Benson that Chads was being sessioned today. I thought it might be cool to show the campers some radness and they agreed so we decided to head over to Chads to check out Jon Olson, Andy Mahre(I think), Pep Fujas(I think), Tanner and Bjorn Leines(?) and another snowboarder hitting Chads in all its built to the hilt hugeness.

We got there and saw a snowboarder bust huge and stylie with a 900 or something and blow up upon landing(hardpack).

5 minutes later I was standing next to one of my campers who happens to be an orthopedic surgeon when Tanner came railing in switch and busted an amazing corked 900(I think). Even though he hit it twice earlier and stuck one of them(I didn't see those jumps but that's what I heard), this time he was a little short on speed on take off and he came up about 4 feet short. It sounded like a car wreck and the impact was unreal. He rag dolled about 100 feet and when he came to a rest he started screaming like bloody murder that he had broken his ankles. His screams for help were downright chilling in their prolonged anguish and pain.

Dr. David and I skied over to him within 2 minutes and there were already about four others trying to help Tanner out. I mentioned to Tanner that Dave was a doctor and that he was in good hands. His shrieking did not abate for a while though and he was in massive pain. At that point I would have bet that he had a double compound fractures based on the horrific nature of the impact and his state of agony.

Alta patroller Dave Richards(grom) was next to us within a couple of minutes(he was there as a precaution I assume) and took over assessing Tanners mental state while Dr. Dave supervised the removal of Tanners boots. Someone had a first aid kit and Dr. Dave cut off Tanners socks. I was nervous to look as I'm sure we all were but there was no blood. Dr. Dave felt Tanners lower legs, feet, and ankles and spouted out a bunch of medical terminology that I had never heard before. But basically he figured that Tanners right heel and ankle were broken and the left ankle was possibly broken. Tanner then said that his right ankle felt especially fucked. Tears were shed by Tanner intermittently during the 30 minute ordeal before he was taken off the hill. I've never seen anyone so heartbroken and in such life sucking pain before.

Discussion turned to evac and Grom asked Dr. Dave if an immediate trip to the hospital via ambulance was neccessary or if he could go to the Alta clinic for X-rays. Tanner was like, "fuck that ambulance shit I ain't payin for that if it's not necessary" and the Dr. said it would be o.k. to get the X-rays done at the clinic.

While they splinted his legs and loaded Tanner into a kitty I talked to Jon and he said that from above it looked like Tanner scrubbed speed on take-off due to the rotation he began before going airborne. It was also getting hotter and hotter and the inrun probably slowed a little in the time between jumps. Jon also said that he could barely sleep the night before wondering if the risk of this jump was worth it.

Later Dr. Dave went in to look at the X-rays and his original prognosis was just about spot on. Badly fractured right heel and ankle(at least from what I understood) and he said Tanner might need surgery immediately to prevent possible nerve damage. His left ankle was also broken but not as badly. I asked him how serious the injuries were and he said that the right ankle could potentially be very serious but he thought things could be o.k.

I know Tanner gets a lot of shit for being a punk but I chalk up a lot of that to his youth and his often poor handling of fame. But personally I sincerely hope he recovers well and quickly from this because whenever I've seen him he has been cool to me, and you may not respect the man but you must respect his work ethic and talent on the snow. This type of experience can be life altering and I hope he comes back from it strong and maybe with a different perspective on life and his good fortune.

[powderfarmer]

He may be a punk, but damn that sucks, never good to see someone go down like that.

BTW, please feel free to cut my boots off if I ever break my lower anything. pain must have been unreal.

[powderwhore]

Shitty! Seems a little crazy to be hitting that gap today, but then again all those guys are nuts. If its only breaks then he should be back in a couple months.

[gonzo]

never good for anyone to get hurt. period. hope he fares well.

[Duker]

Id never wish that injury on any skier, best of luck for a speedy recovery to tanner.








ps. In a few posts the amazing squawman sends this thread to the gutter with a stupid rant about 'park rats' please disregard and keep it relavant to the mood of the thread. Thank you!

[FollowMe]

Hearing a story like this brings back some not so distant chilling memories. I bet some of his screams were a result of him visiualizing his season, what has become his lifeblood, wash away. Sad and scary stuff. I wish him a full, healthy recovery.

[Trackhead]

Calcaneous fractures (heel fracture), can be bad. Depending on if they are displaced or not.

A friend of mine broke her calcaneous while she took a whipper climbing in AF Canyon. I told her "If you broke your calcaneous, your fucked". I thought she had just bruised her heel and sprained her ankle. She makes a living from skiing. Anyway, her's was non-surgical and she came back quickly.

Hopefully his calcaneal fracture is of a mild varity, if not, they can be a prolonged healing time.

[Blurred]

I've always liked Tanner, that blows bro. Good luck with the healing.......

That being said, WHY WEREN'T TANNER AND JON AT THE GRAVITY GAMES?????

[SquawMan]

Somebody's got to figure out a better way for the sport to progress without more and more young kids killing themselves for 5 seconds of glory. If it can happen to 'professionals' like Tanner, what happens to every park rat in America who tries to immitate him without the incredible number of days on the hill that Tanner has?

You only get to see the successful runs in ski movies, but not the wipeouts and not the kids who end up paralyzed or crippled for the season or worse. Those guys are abandoned the minute they don't heal up right or can't compete against the newer and younger stars. Instant has-beens.

I saw a guy break his neck in front of me at Squaw a few weeks ago, a guy trying to do a simple jump to impress the people standing in the KT-22 lift line. If he just ends up in a wheel chair he'll be lucky (he was unconscious and in traction when they carted him away, and his neck was clearly contorted)

I think the Gordy's, the Schmidt's, the Moseley's and Moe's and the others who are old enough and experienced enough to really assess the risk & rewards and the dangers of the sport ought to step up and coach these kids and help them negotiate contracts that don't disappear when they break their ankles or legs for the season. Tanner's probably won't, but he's unique.

It seems to me that in the realm of sports endorsement deals, skiers and snowboards are the world's **dumbest** athletes, at least comparing what they receive to the risks they take. They assume the most risks (risk of being paralyzed almost every time they're to do a drop) for the least amount of (monetary) reward, and ski companies will continue to offer these pathetic 'standard' deals until the older leaders of the sport put a halt to it.

Try to tell an NFL linebacker that he could break his leg and be out for the season every time he steps on the field and his agent would negotiate the biggest retirement package imaginable if it ever happened. But skiers get jack.

At least when Bode catches and edge and flies off the course, he's got nets to catch him. Tanner's got nothing if he hits the deck in a pipe.... big mountain skiers have nothing to protect them if they get caught in an avalanche, slide off a cliff or break their neck doing flips or switch in the backcountry. The film companies find the next brave (stupid) young stud to take his place.

If ski movie producers expect younger and younger athletes to continue to push the limits, they should have clauses in contracts that pay for the damage that their bravado creates. Want Simon Dumont to hit a 20 ft switch in the pipe? Fine. If he crashes on the deck in his attempt, the ski movie company should have insurance to pay for his lost earning ability if he becomes unable to do it anymore.

The sad thing is most ski athletes are too young to really assess the risks and there isn't much money in the industry (at least on the movie side) to pay these kids for the risks they take.

Forget Eider, Gordy, think about the larger picture. What does a young guy get from Eider if he breaks his leg for the season after the second week and can't compete any longer? Is it worth it???

For a poor guy who can't afford a lift ticket, I'm sure any endorsement is found money, but this is a sport where the found money is earned by risking life and limb.

Thare's got to be a better way and the answer to the better way is found in other major sports and how they endorse and treat their athletes.

[uarementallyill]

I've always liked Tanner

oh yeah, you and Tanner are like this



All the best Hall...

[Blurred]

Somebody's got to figure out a better way for the sport to progress without more and more young kids killing themselves for 5 seconds of glory. If it can happen to 'professionals' like Tanner, what happens to every park rat in America who tries to immitate him without the incredible number of days on the hill that Tanner has?

You only get to see the successful runs in ski movies, but not the wipeouts and not the kids who end up paralyzed or crippled for the season or worse. Those guys are abandoned the minute they don't heal up right or can't compete against the newer and younger stars. Instant has-beens.

I saw a guy break his neck in front of me at Squaw a few weeks ago, a guy trying to do a simple jump to impress the people standing in the KT-22 lift line. If he just ends up in a wheel chair he'll be lucky (he was unconscious and in traction when they carted him away, and his neck was clearly contorted)

I think the Gordy's, the Schmidt's, the Moseley's and Moe's and the others who are old enough and experienced enough to really assess the risk & rewards and the dangers of the sport ought to step up and coach these kids and help them negotiate contracts that don't disappear when they break their ankles or legs for the season. Tanner's probably won't, but he's unique.

It seems to me that in the realm of sports endorsement deals, skiers and snowboards are the world's **dumbest** athletes, at least comparing what they receive to the risks they take. They assume the most risks (risk of being paralyzed almost every time they're to do a drop) for the least amount of (monetary) reward, and ski companies will continue to offer these pathetic 'standard' deals until the older leaders of the sport put a halt to it.

Try to tell an NFL linebacker that he could break his leg and be out for the season every time he steps on the field and his agent would negotiate the biggest retirement package imaginable if it ever happened. But skiers get jack.

At least when Bode catches and edge and flies off the course, he's got nets to catch him. Tanner's got nothing if he hits the deck in a pipe.... big mountain skiers have nothing to protect them if they get caught in an avalanche, slide off a cliff or break their neck doing flips or switch in the backcountry. The film companies find the next brave (stupid) young stud to take his place.

If ski movie producers expect younger and younger athletes to continue to push the limits, they should have clauses in contracts that pay for the damage that their bravado creates. Want Simon Dumont to hit a 20 ft switch in the pipe? Fine. If he crashes on the deck in his attempt, the ski movie company should have insurance to pay for his lost earning ability if he becomes unable to do it anymore.

The sad thing is most ski athletes are too young to really assess the risks and there isn't much money in the industry (at least on the movie side) to pay these kids for the risks they take.

Forget Eider, Gordy, think about the larger picture. What does a young guy get from Eider if he breaks his leg for the season after the second week and can't compete any longer? Is it worth it???

For a poor guy who can't afford a lift ticket, I'm sure any endorsement is found money, but this is a sport where the found money is earned by risking life and limb.

Thare's got to be a better way and the answer to the better way is found in other major sports and how they endorse and treat their athletes.

this is one of the reasons skiing is so cool. It's risky, it's sick, we're not doing it for the money, it's for the glory.

[SquawMan]

this is one of the reasons skiing is so cool. It's risky, it's sick, we're not doing it for the money, it's for the glory.

Tanner's not, Gordy's not, Bode's not

they're the subject of my post, not recreational skiers like us

[Blurred]

Tanner's not, Gordy's not, Bode's not

they're the subject of my post, not recreational skiers like us

That's where you're wrong. There are kids out there doing 100 foot backflips onto hardpack, and they fit your category of "recreational skiers like us".

[tywhy]

dude that sucks.

[SquawMan]

That's where you're wrong. There are kids out there doing 100 foot backflips onto hardpack, and they fit your category of "recreational skiers like us".

I know there are, so what? this is a sport that lends itself to bravado because unlike other major sports, this one can be copied by anyone stupid enough to try

if you see Sage do a 1080 over huge gap in Alta? any JONG can find that same location and try it for themselves

that's the problem

I'm not against progressing the sport, I'm just saying that the 'pro's' aren't making enough money to compensate for the risks they take and in following, the recreational guys copying them doing 100 ft hucks are in an even worse position

being a military guy, I've been in too many hospitals with wounded people who will never walk again, who can't work or support themsevles

in my opinion, as skiing has progressed the risks are increasing at a higher run rate and the rewards for being 'sponsored' seem to be not keeping up

[Blurred]

I know there are, so what? this is a sport that lends itself to bravado because unlike other major sports, this one can be copied by anyone stupid enough to try

if you see Sage do a 1080 over huge gap in Alta? any JONG can find that same location and try it for themselves

that's the problem

I'm not against progressing the sport, I'm just saying that the 'pro's' aren't making enough money to compensate for the risks they take and in following, the recreational guys copying them doing 100 ft hucks are in an even worse position

being a military guy, I've been in too many hospitals with wounded people who will never walk again, who can't work or support themsevles

in my opinion, as skiing has progressed the risks are increasing at a higher run rate and the rewards for being 'sponsored' seem to be not keeping up

Dude, c'mon. NFL football players sprang their thumb and sit on the bench while skiers get back up and do it again cuz they're tough. Skiing is more about heart than contracts, sponsors and endorsments. If someone is dumb enough to try a "1080 over Chads", that's what it takes. You act like there's no skill involved, go try that shit on the water ramps....Thought you were in the military or something. You should be familiar with the saying, "no guts, no glory".

Stop the bleeding heart BS and go shoot someone already ya pansy.

[13]

I just saw some amateur video of his wreck that that a buddy of mine shot ... all I can say is: o u c h.

Best wishes to a speedy recovery.

[G]

Best wishes, Tanner.

[SquawMan]

Dude, c'mon. NFL football players sprang their thumb and sit on the bench while skiers get back up and do it again cuz they're tough. Skiing is more about heart than contracts, sponsors and endorsments. If someone is dumb enough to try a "1080 over Chads", that's what it takes. You act like there's no skill involved, go try that shit on the water ramps....Thought you were in the military or something. You should be familiar with the saying, "no guts, no glory".

Stop the bleeding heart BS and go shoot someone already ya pansy.

skiers are no tougher than any other athlete, just more willing to kill themselves

Special Forces guys are no tougher than regulars troops in the military, just more willing than a regular person to put themselves in harm's way



p.s. go visit a hospital and see what real injuries look like and you wouldn't talk like such a jackass

it's 30 minutes of your time that will change your life

or ask Tanner

[skiHOG]

I thought he was supposed to be at the Gravity Games this weekend?

[Blurred]

skiers are no tougher than any other athlete, just more willing to kill themselves

Special Forces guys are no tougher than regulars troops in the military, just more willing to kill themselves

Name the last NFL player to die playing the game. No skier wants to die, they just have more balls than most. Doing lincoln loops off 160 foot cliffs takes way more balls than some guy wearing full body armor getting tackled by another guy.......BFD.

[SquawMan]

Name the last NFL player to die playing the game. No skier wants to die, they just have more balls than most. Doing lincoln loops off 160 foot cliffs takes way more balls than some guy wearing full body armor getting tackled by another guy.......BFD.

that's the point, skiing is multiple times more dangerous than football or any other professional sport

there is a fine line between balls and stupidity

nobody ever thinks an accident will happen to them, that's what drives sports like professional skiing and allows the military to recruit young people for impossibly dangerous tasks

my point is that the elders of the sport ought to step up and represent and guide the younger people so that if they do have a career ending injury, they aren't left out in the cold

[Blurred]

my point is that the elders of the sport ought to step up and represent and guide the younger people so that if they do have a career ending injury, they aren't left out in the cold

First you say that we should keep kids from skiing,
now you want to give them a safety net to be crazy.....

Which is it waffle house?

[MacDaddy]

Name the last NFL player to die playing the game. No skier wants to die, they just have more balls than most. Doing lincoln loops off 160 foot cliffs takes way more balls than some guy wearing full body armor getting tackled by another guy.......BFD.

....ooops!

[lph]

That sucks. I wouldn't wish a calcaneal fracture on anyone. Even if the surgery goes well, if it involves any of the joints of the ankle it can be a life altering fracture.