Scary ride on Mansfield yesterday

[crashnburn'd]

Just a word of caution to EC people skiing anything steep... The icy/crust layer under our recent dusting is scary and will likely remain scary long after we get more snow.

Using poor judgment I tried to stick a side hill landing on a pretty standard line and could not. We had just skied an area above that was around knee deep and I was expecting the landing to be a little deeper than it was (basically dust on ice...) and I bounced, rather than sticking. As a result I went head first, on my back down a rocky and icy gully, then through a decent sized snowfield and off a small cliff. I had expected to stop after the gully, but despite all of my kicking, clawing and struggling noises, I didn't do anything but pick up speed. The only reason I ended up stopping was my momentum carried me into a flatter area outside the actual line. If that hadn't happened, I would have ended up getting smashed into a stand of trees. It was the scariest thing that's happened to me on skis... Thankfully, I came out unscathed and able to practice a little better judgment in the future.

So remember.... Icy landings on top of exposure are no good and mid winter warm ups fucking suck.

[JerseyDave]

Where were you? Glad you're OK.

[warthog]

Just a word of caution to EC people skiing anything steep... The icy/crust layer under our recent dusting is scary and will likely remain scary long after we get more snow.

Using poor judgment I tried to stick a side hill landing on a pretty standard line and could not. We had just skied an area above that was around knee deep and I was expecting the landing to be a little deeper than it was (basically dust on ice...) and I bounced, rather than sticking. As a result I went head first, on my back down a rocky and icy gully, then through a decent sized snowfield and off a small cliff. I had expected to stop after the gully, but despite all of my kicking, clawing and struggling noises, I didn't do anything but pick up speed. The only reason I ended up stopping was my momentum carried me into a flatter area outside the actual line. If that hadn't happened, I would have ended up getting smashed into a stand of trees. It was the scariest thing that's happened to me on skis... Thankfully, I came out unscathed and able to practice a little better judgment in the future.

So remember.... Icy landings on top of exposure are no good and mid winter warm ups fucking suck.

That is one of any skiers scariest moments, when they realize that they are gaining speed while on their back or stomach, and there is nothing they can do about it. Glad to hear you made it out unscathed.

Scariest moment for me on skis, actually happened on a carving type snowboard. I got it dialed in, and was really feeling the flow, laying down some serious trenches on a super firm slope. I caught an edge on a frontside carve. I was probably less than a foot off the snow when I lost my edge, so there was no recovery time. I was instantly heading towards the trees and accelerating. Thankfully, there was a ton of loose fresh snow in the trees, and it buffered the hit, and slowed me a ton. I would have, at best, broken my back. It would have been ugly if it were typical east coast bulletproof. I still think about that every time I am hauling ass near a stand of trees.

[buckethead]

damn, that sounds scary indeed.
glad you got out ok!

[Dromond]

I haven't been skiing in VT for a few weeks but can imagine how sketchy it could be. Be careful out there folks. Thin snow + ice can mess you up big time when you least expect it. For an example see my avatar.

[yodaottis]

Glad you're alright. I've been wondering how bad the layers would be up there.

[buckethead]

I haven't been skiing in VT for a few weeks but can imagine how sketchy it could be. Be careful out there folks. Thin snow + ice can mess you up big time when you least expect it. For an example see my avatar.

glad you bring that up....what exactly is that in your avatar?

[gregb22]

Is the waterfall hitable right now?

[Dromond]

glad you bring that up....what exactly is that in your avatar?

My two pancrei. They are very happy together. There is a TR on it from a few years back.

[jepilot]

Glad you're ok, man. This is a scary reminder to scope/probe the landing on something even small after a thawing cycle like this.

[ArmadaBC]

My two pancrei. They are very happy together. There is a TR on it from a few years back.

Holy shit dude I don't think I have ever heard of someone splitting their pancreas.

[JimmyCarter]

This forum both stokes and scares the shit out of me at the same time.

Glad to hear you both made it out ok

[laseranimal]

its really nasty under there

Ovation at K-mart apparently slid a couple days back, basically they were trying to pound it with manmade and it wouldn't bond with the ice layer. Took out a couple of snow guns

[iceman]

Holy shit dude I don't think I have ever heard of someone splitting their pancreas.

Dromond, I just bumped that thread to ask a couple questions.

Glad you're okay, Crash. A few years I got wiped out by a snowboard and went flying on my back down an icy groomer, gaining speed all the way. I missed a lift tower by about two feet before finally slowing down and stopping.

[crashnburn'd]

Is the waterfall hitable right now?

Only if you throw a triple backflip and land in the big hole at the bottom like a human basketball.

[telepow]

I assume you were up on the chin? Dropping anything is sketch right now until we get at least a foot. I would strongly discourage steep trees right now too based on recent experience

[buckethead]

My two pancrei. They are very happy together. There is a TR on it from a few years back.

from the feather-like appearance, that would have been my first guess.
damn! ...and glad you're okay as well. and that you don't hate all rocks for it

i hit a rock like that at speed a few early-seasons back, peeled the base on my brand new ski to the core, double ejected about 35 feet. was bummed about the new boards...but later imagined if a similar rock had been awaiting my face!

yes, everybody be careful out there

[extreeski]

Glad you're okay.

I've had a scary ride over a small cliff before.

(I wasn't on my skis, I was going helmet first over it.)

Not fun at all.

[crashnburn'd]

I assume you were up on the chin? Dropping anything is sketch right now until we get at least a foot. I would strongly discourage steep trees right now too based on recent experience

I'm not going to say where I was or the mafia will make sure I go over a bigger cliff... But, I wasn't on the chin or anywhere accessible from the chin.

edit - I will say though... From what I observed, conditions are the same everywhere. Dust on ice...

[stump832]

Hmm...that Sounds rough. Glad it Turned out okay, dude.

So did anyone get wet in banana?

[schuss]

Glad to hear you're okay B. Definitely a ton of ice and nastiness underneath that nice layer of fluff.

[crashnburn'd]

Hmm...that Sounds rough. Glad it Turned out okay, dude.

So did anyone get wet in banana?

Oh man... Last weekend was filled with dumb ideas. No though.

[allenataylor]

Also on the note of Mt. Mansfield sketchiness the snow is super unstable. I skied a chute that will remain unnamed last week in the fresh snow and slabs were ripping out all over the place. None of the slabs moved very fast and were only 4"-6" deep, tons of shooting cracks though, above and below us. I could see however when (not if, when) we get more snow this could be a big problem. Some stuff might be sketchy for the rest of the season.

[freedan]

This thread is linked over at ttips on the east coast thread where I regularly post. It struck me how different conditions are just across the pond in NY. I frequently ski N. VT but stay closer to home in the Adks and Tug Hill when lake effect is firing. Skied a slide on Saturday and while the ice layer made me think twice the 8"+ made it very skiable. Superlight snow, no slabbing or sluffing. Most difficult part was kicking steps into the thick ice layer. Pits and ski cut produced nothing. Agree that this ice layer could be a real problem with bonding and a future source of instability.

For my first post on TGR, here is an offering from Saturday's tour. Jong away.

[JerseyDave]

Ever try self arresting drills? Good skill to have.