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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Jackson
    Posts
    348

    Central Couloir Incident - What Really Happened (pics/vid)

    I thought I would post about my incident at the base of Central Couloir the other day. I'd also like to dispel the silly rumors I've been hearing. Unfortunately it made it into the Daily yesterday that I fell down most of the couloir. I'd just like to say that I find that a bit comical due to the fact that if anyone, myself included, fell down most of Central with the cover that is in there now, they would, at best, be mangled beyond recognition but most likely dead.

    With that out of the way here's the real story.

    Jackson has been having a lackluster winter, everyone knows that. With the season ending quickly I wanted to ski some lines I had on my list for this year. Central Couloir is a beautiful line out on Cody and from the reports I'd been hearing it was plenty ski able. So the night before I told SkiJunky we were skiing it the next morning if it was sunny. We awoke to beautiful blue skies and unseasonably warm temperatures. We got the 9am Gondi with our buddy Justus and were soon on the Cody hike. The skies were still clear, not a breath of wind and it was warm. Once at the top we looked in and felt comfortable with the nice chalky conditions. After peaking at Once is Enough and watching Justus make a sketchy take off with his speed kite we decided it was time to ski.

    I setup the head cam and entered skiers right of the chute to click in. I made a quick check to see if our friend Brett was ready above to take photos. He was. The plan was for me to ski down with the head cam and then film SkiJunky skiing it from the bottom.

    I felt good, dropped in, and made turns on the chalky snow and was watchful of the little bit of sluff. Due to the lack of snow the middle crux had to be sidestepped. I don't like side slipping stuff so at one point I tried to side hop a bit to save the snow cover. Just before dropping into the lower part of the chute I looked around and took in the view from inside the couloir, it was beautiful and quite unique.

    I enjoyed the last few turns before the exit crux. I stopped and started to get a feel for it. For those that may have seen me from afar I did stand there for a few minutes, but not out of fear or the unexpected like some have thought. It was my first time in the couloir and hence my first look at the air. I had heard that it could be taken as a double or aired out. It looked like the ledge to hit for the double had melted a bit and there was a decent amount of rock exposed. I saw a bomb hole in the landing and thought that if I took it as a double I would have to go slow and would end up landing in the bomb hole (unfortunately I would anyway, but I'll get to that). The second option, and the one I was much more comfortable with, was just airing the whole thing-either to the left or right. A simple 25ft-er maybe less, not bad. My decision was to air the whole thing and hopefully land to the right of the bomb hole.

    The takeoff was somewhat cup shaped and as I took off it threw me back towards the middle and the bomb hole. I proceeded to land on the edge of the bomb hole and rag dolled down the apron. (I think this is where the confusion about falling “quite aways” as cited in the paper is confused with falling inside the couloir). I ended up dislocating my shoulder and putting my knee to my face resulting in a broken orbital. The paper said I was knocked unconscious when in fact I wasn't. I was conscious the whole time and talking with SkiJunky and our friend Brett at the top via radio (despite not remembering it, its on camera and quite eerie to watch I must add). Hindsight says two steps higher and I would have cleared over the hole, but oh well, can't go back now.

    SkiJunky, Brett and Justus came over once they realized something was wrong. Brett performed a primary assessment to determine my consciousness, awareness and any physical injuries. I didn't remember anything at first, but it slowly began to come back. SkiJunky called the patrol and they arrived quickly. The rest is details, but the Patrol did a great job of getting me quickly and safely off the mountain (Yes via heli. Being my first ride in a chopper I tried to lift my head to look out the window but I was pretty well strapped to a backboard).

    I know a lot of people were freaked out about the heli evac because that usually means something really bad happened. Since I hit my head and was not fully with it, the patrol took full precautions for a head/neck/spine injury, and rightly so. My shoulder was also out for this whole process. I just want to say thanks to SkiJunky, Brett, Justus (thats why I travel in the mountains with these guys) and all those involved in helping me out that day. If anyone from JH Patrol reads this, I'll be by with beers in a few days. I'm fine and will heal quickly. And you better believe there will be a head cam shot on here next year with a complete run down Central. Until then...

    Headcam: WMV, 25MB (My encoder is f-ing up, I'll try to get an mpeg up sometime)
    http://www.uvm.edu/~cgermain/jackson...al_headcam.wmv


    All photos taken by Brett Schneider, full res at http://www.uvm.edu/~bschnei1/images/jackson/cody/

    Myself psyched for the day with Central in the background


    Myself and SkiJunky


    Sneaking a peak at Once, lots of rocks exposed and losing snow fast


    Justus Meyer starting to takeoff


    Me entering Central




    Its an aesthetic line for sure and I'll be back next year


    SkiJunky and myself before the heli ride out
    Last edited by snowrider; 03-10-2007 at 09:50 PM.
    "Stoke your own fire or burn out like the rest"

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    SF
    Posts
    3,627

    Talking

    Glad you're OK...enjoy those pain meds...
    Craig Kelly is my co-pilot.

    Buy Your Lift Tickets in Advance and Save

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    S.L.T.
    Posts
    743
    Sweet line I hope to ski someday. Heal up quick!
    Quote Originally Posted by Conundrum View Post
    I'm the most extreme skier in my office. I'll see your III and raise you one level of radness.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    SF
    Posts
    3,627
    Yikes - you really jacked into that bombhole!
    Craig Kelly is my co-pilot.

    Buy Your Lift Tickets in Advance and Save

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    1,002
    Shit, dude. Sorry about the injuries, but I'm happy to see some helmet cam footage of that line. That definitely puts a whole new perspective on how scary central really is.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    8530' MST/200' EST
    Posts
    4,397
    Dang man, heal up fast....UVM misses the yall

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Colyrady
    Posts
    3,781
    Sounds like you came out OK considering.

    Looks a bit thin in the whole thing. I bet in a decent snow year its more straightforward.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Slut Lake City
    Posts
    7,785
    Glad you're basically alright.

    The thumbs-up pic is awesome!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Posts
    2,051
    Sweet vid. Heal fast.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    SW CO
    Posts
    264
    damn man.... looks like you hit that bombhole hard. glad you are OK. nice to see a helmet cam vid of the the line. it puts it in good perspective.
    Heal Fast.
    SS

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    SF
    Posts
    869
    Very cool line. Great "I'll crush it next year" attitude.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    arcata
    Posts
    1,256
    very much props......you skied the line well with no hesitation about your limitations/the lines limiting factors....sucks that the out was that blown....over-all......awesome, you will heal and handle that line next time...
    MAN THAT IS A COOL LINE!!!!!!
    whatever I feel like i what to do!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    33,440
    fkna. great tr.
    edit: missed the helmetcam link. going back. doh.
    editedit: sick shit.
    good job supporting him for the obligatory thumbs-up shot.
    hope you got alpine club insurance or something.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
    Posts
    6,587
    Sickbird! That's a pretty cool line, and vid, and story (except for the getting hurt part). Heal up quick!
    Putting the "core" in corporate, one turn at a time.

    Metalmücil 2010 - 2013 "Go Home" album is now a free download

    The Bonin Petrels

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Posts
    7,628
    Nice TR and great vid man. Love that air helmet cam shot and bummed ya got nailed by that bomb hole. you'll get it clean for sure next time man, heal up. thanks for posting it up here.
    Waste your time, read my crap, at:
    One Gear, Two Planks

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    4,719
    Nice!

    ...and by "nice", I mean entertaining!

    ...and by "entertaining", I mean I'm glad you're OK.

    That looked like some kind of impact. Looking forward to next year's version - you're going to ace it!
    "Active management in bear markets tends to outperform. Unfortunately, investors are not as elated with relative returns when they are negative. But it does support the argument that active management adds value." -- independent fund analyst Peter Loach

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Wilson, Wyo.
    Posts
    4,818
    nice snowrider--hope you heal up, fast.

    thanks for posting that. your buddy also captured some good stills showing the pitch of the upper portion -- it's definitely steep in there (although slippy tells us otherwise! )

    it's definitely a fun line, particularly in a good snow year. it's too bad you had to sidestep that much. usually one can make jump turns in 'the narrows', at least.

    cool to have the vid + your commentary. i know how far down you were, and you definitely had to clear alot without too much of a run-in. i think even on a lower snow year i'm up higher when dropping it.

    glad you will be OK to ski it again. the lines that make you work for them are the worthy/memorable ones. you'd have cruised it last year!!

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Wilson, Wyo.
    Posts
    4,818
    Here's are some photos from last year, so you can see how much easier it was. I was solo the times I did it, so there's no skier for reference.

    This is looking back up at "the narrows" from below:


    Looking down before the final air:


    Looking back up at the air:


    And a view of the whole thing:


    Props for going after it & having good communication with your buddies/having them there to help you out just in case.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    ???
    Posts
    1,386
    Sick helmet footie. Makes me wanna break out the hc soon. Too bad you didn't walk away from that one unscathed. Heal up soon and glad to hear you want to get after that one again next year.
    If you had a nickel for every nickel he has, you would have a lot of fuckin' nickels!

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Da burgh
    Posts
    2,664
    great line, got really unlucky on that bombhole, but youll get it next time. Heal up quick.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Behind the Red-Head
    Posts
    1,236
    shit!

    great tr.
    I have mastered all major sporting activities to a high degree of mediocrity.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    People's Republic of Shitshow
    Posts
    7,582
    "Don't land in bomb holes"


    could be paired with

    "Wear a full face when skiing burly ass lines with sketchy ass airs and bomb holes"



    Ive seen enough mangled faces

  23. #23
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Trying hard to stay in the present moment
    Posts
    933
    Nice vid and commentary. As a patroller (not at JH) I know the beers will be appreciated, and that is definitely a cool gesture.
    Try to keep two ideas in your head at the same time without blowing your brains out your ass.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Glasgow, UK
    Posts
    1,312
    sick TR. That line looks amazing, nice helmet cam footage too. I watched my friend land in a bombhole a few weeks back and it wasn't pretty. heal up quick and get it next year. On a side note if you are recording on a mini dv cam or something with that helmet cam try cleaning the heads, it will help get rid of those digital hits in the vid.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Ventura Highway in the Sunshine
    Posts
    22,431
    You must have hit your head harder then you thought. You got the details all wrong, we all know the press is infallible.

    Nice video, and pictures. It is really cool to see that line from a skiers perspective. Some thing I doubt I will ever experience first hand. Good to hear you are reasonably okay. Pain meds are your friend.

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