Camelback Rangers

[Papasteeze]

I have been toying with the idea of the Ranger thing while I am skiing at Camelback. For a number of reasons.

 

1. to keep busy and out of my kids hair while they are practicing or training

2. to better help police the park - from and for the obvious etiquette things

3. skiing priviledges - need to save some money somewhere

4. Support CB as more of an "insider" - helps to know people, right?

5. Most importantly for one of the cool bumble bee jackets.

 

It seems that I have read a lot of stories about the Rangers being overly fanatical or unreasonable in their responsibilities. What are the true stories of why a Ranger stopped you.

[Nipples]

And to be the only ranger that knows what there doing.

[sibhusky]

I have been stopped a TOTAL of four times by a ranger. Once was by a ranger who wanted to give Siblet a poster for skiing so nice. And three times for help in filling out accident reports. THAT WAS IT over 27 years of skiing at CB.

 

There's one guy I always think of as a turd for almost running over toddler Siblet on Bactrian as he tucked it in a race with another ranger, but I found as long as I was clearly in control and not endangering others, the actual speed didn't matter.

[Glenn]

I found as long as I was clearly in control and not endangering others, the actual speed didn't matter.

29074[/snapback]

 

I've found if you are super stable (if so you are OBVIOUSLY in control), you can be moving rather fast, and it doesn't look it. I've made big smooth turns and blown by rangers and they didn't do a thing while remaining super stable. While others have been going slower, and making more eratic movements have gotten tickets. Kind of the difference between a 747 and a puddle hopper. Both may be in control, and the 747 goes faster, but who LOOKS to be in more control...

[Papasteeze]

And to be the only ranger that knows what there doing.

29048[/snapback]

 

 

awwwww - that's sweet, thanks steeeze! But hey something tells me that you would be the first person who would get their ticket clipped by me

[AtomicSkier]

To reiterate what Glenn said, Adam and I were skiing on the Asp, he went flying down, ranger behind him, me behind the ranger. The ranger was far enough ahead of me that he stopped, turned to look at me, I shaped my turn so that the apex of my turn was a few feet from him going mach 10. I was hoping he'd whistle at me, but nothing. I was mad. But of course my SECOND time at Camelback I get pulled over for merging from Asp to meadows (there were just lolipops) and at blue mtn most lolipops say Expert Only / Obstacle. There are some nice rangers out there, and some dicks. Ski patrol at camelback is great though...

[Glenn]

But of course my SECOND time at Camelback I get pulled over for merging from Asp to meadows (there were just lolipops) and at blue mtn most lolipops say Expert Only / Obstacle.  There are some nice rangers out there, and some dicks.  Ski patrol at camelback is great though...    

29081[/snapback]

 

 

This conversation has already happened here...

 

http://www.paskiandride.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1068

 

You even participated...

 

I won't lock the topic this time, but there is no need for ranger bashing, arguments about signage etc...

[poconoceancity]

most of them are good and you really have to be in the wrong or act with total disrespect to get in any real trouble.

[AtomicSkier]

This conversation has already happened here...

 

http://www.paskiandride.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1068

 

You even participated...

 

I won't lock the topic this time, but there is no need for ranger bashing, arguments about signage etc...

29082[/snapback]

 

you're darn right you won't lock it....anyway, and i quote from rob's orignal post...in case you can't read...

 

What are the true stories of why a Ranger stopped you.

 

I'm so sorry, but I was answering the question. He had every right to pull me over, and let me know that my assumption was incorrect. But to circle my ticket, and talk to me like I was pretending to not know what the lolipops meant, was absurd.

[LineSki]

I have been pulled over by rangers many many times and the reasons I have been pulled over were mainly because I was flying down the bactarian to get down into the park. Other times i get pulled over for going in the woods and stuff like that. I rode switch past a ranger hoping that he would pull me over but he didnt. I have been pulled over for filling out accident reports a bunch of times. Maybe its cuz I am 16 and he feels that its easier to pull me over than pull over a more mature skier who seems likes hes in control. Its not so much that I hate the rangers because I dont really give a shit if they pull me over becuase I know im fine with my pass. Its just that they hide and look for me and I dont feel like being interrupted. A friend of mine who I ski with everyday at cb, his uncle is a ranger up there, he is one of the coolest rangers up there. If you wanted to become a ranger I would say go for it.

[starfire14]

lets see, one time me and my brother were skiing in the pipe. you know some times there are little kids bombing the pipe so they just put up the lolly pop sings at the very top entrance? well that was all that was there, so we went on in. A ranger then sprang from the shadows and took my brothers pass. it was ridicules! he said the pipe way obviously closed.

one other time me and some friends were skiing and there was nobody around, so my one friend pulled a fast 180. he was in perfect control and was just pulling out of it when a ranger popped out of the shadows and took his pass. he said that he was endangering ppl and "what if a little kid had swerved into his way" which was completely crazy because if there had been ANYONE he wouldn't have done the 180.

 

i don't hate rangers, my health teacher is one and he is the cool

[Papasteeze]

Welcome Starfire!! Thats the kind of story I was wanting to hear! Thanks!

[Papasteeze]

I personally like the time steezemachine got repremanded for trying to retrieve a pair of polka dotted boxers that didn't stick in the lingerie tree.

[ben]

2. to better help police the park - from and for the obvious etiquette things

The last thing the park needs is a Ranger 'policing' it. That'll only breed more animosity against the Man.

 

Everyone should make a point of contributing to park etiquette to compensate for the few people who, unfortunately, don't give a shit about it: Ride around the kids that are sitting at the top of the hits, or let the guy go who doesn't call out before he drops into the pipe. This sort of thing is, in the end, much more effective than having a yellow jacket standing there for social control. You might be conducting your authority appropriately, but after certain Rangers get involved, it gets to the point where people are yelled at for the most pedantic bullshit. Once I saw a rider get stopped because the Ranger didn't see him turn his head when he went from one side of the trail to the other, even though the rider never once lost awareness of the other people on the hill. Its this sort of bullshit that loses respect for the Rangers, and it unfortunately seems inevitable when other Rangers start to follow your lead by 'policing' the park too.

[Sno Mountain Skier]

Wow Camelback is much worse than Montage. The rangers at montage only will yell at you if you are endangering others. I could account on many occasions where i would pull up next to one of montages people and pull a 180 or something off of a headwall and no one would care. I have Strait ligned lightning with both first aid and rangers and they did nothing. I m just glad i dont have any body as serious as CB's.

[librider]

at montage i cut into the woods maybe 5 feet and next thing i know im being stoppped by a ranger i was like wtf?!

[Sno Mountain Skier]

Their are only two places at montage you wont get busted for going into the woods. And thats on White Lightning, and Upper fastrack. They have are time seeing you in those woods but every where else they stop you.

[librider]

haha it was on upper fast track i think right off the lift. The guy was a jerk about it too.

 

"hey buddy whats the name of that trail you were on?"

"uhh i dont know"

"exactly dont go over there again"

[Schif]

I can't say I've ever had any problems going into the woods. The ones off of fast track are awesome beacuse you can go so unbelievebly deep and the trees are spaced awesomely.

[Wolverine21]

ya thats true but its hard to do on a snowboard.

[Papasteeze]

The last thing the park needs is a Ranger 'policing' it.  That'll only breed more animosity against the Man.

 

Everyone should make a point of contributing to park etiquette to compensate for the few people who, unfortunately, don't give a shit about it: Ride around the kids that are sitting at the top of the hits, or let the guy go who doesn't call out before he drops into the pipe. This sort of thing is, in the end, much more effective than having a yellow jacket standing there for social control. You might be conducting your authority appropriately, but after certain Rangers get involved, it gets to the point where people are yelled at for the most pedantic bullshit. Once I saw a rider get stopped because the Ranger didn't see him turn his head when he went from one side of the trail to the other, even though the rider never once lost awareness of the other people on the hill. Its this sort of bullshit that loses respect for the Rangers, and it unfortunately seems inevitable when other Rangers start to follow your lead by 'policing' the park too.

29214[/snapback]

 

WOW!!!

 

Hi Ben.. Sorry - I so disagree. Complacency in park?...... ask my kid if he thinks the park needs "policing" - It could be that the "park" rangers need some policing. educating if you will.

 

First and foremost no sitting on the slopes where you can't be seen from above or are like to get wiped by someone landing switch.

 

Second - call the drop ins - butting in ski lift lines isn't permitted, butting in on terrain park features shouldn't be either.

[zaldon]

The last thing the park needs is a Ranger 'policing' it.  That'll only breed more animosity against the Man.

 

Everyone should make a point of contributing to park etiquette to compensate for the few people who, unfortunately, don't give a shit about it: Ride around the kids that are sitting at the top of the hits, or let the guy go who doesn't call out before he drops into the pipe. This sort of thing is, in the end, much more effective than having a yellow jacket standing there for social control. You might be conducting your authority appropriately, but after certain Rangers get involved, it gets to the point where people are yelled at for the most pedantic bullshit. Once I saw a rider get stopped because the Ranger didn't see him turn his head when he went from one side of the trail to the other, even though the rider never once lost awareness of the other people on the hill. Its this sort of bullshit that loses respect for the Rangers, and it unfortunately seems inevitable when other Rangers start to follow your lead by 'policing' the park too.

29214[/snapback]

 

 

you r crazy the park needs rangers just like the rest of the mountian

[ben]

Hi Ben..  Sorry - I so disagree. Complacency in park?...... ask my kid if he thinks the park needs "policing" - It could be that the "park" rangers need some policing.  educating if you will. 

 

I'd agree with that. My argument, ultimately, is not that there should be no Rangers in the park at all - or, even, on the mountain in general - but that they (all) should restrict their authority to those situations in which a person's behavior is truly compromising other peoples' safety. People sitting in places where they could be taken out by riders landing is a great example of this.

 

Something must be done, though - and this applies to the entire mountain - about Rangers overexerting their authority. This is something Camelback Rangers have a notorious reputation for, and it's something that I'd hate to see brought into the park because it seems to me like the park one of the places on the mountain that is, in this respect, the least tainted. What I'd like to see avoided in the park is the currently common situation observable on the Front Four: Rangers, in a group, standing on a main part of the trail picking people off for borderline Responsibility Code violations because they want some "Contacts".

 

If you're reasonable in your policing, as it seems you would be, I'd have no problem with it in itself. My worry is that this might attract some of the more pedantic Rangers into the park and lead, ultimately, to a frenzy of whistle-blowing and red-marker-waving that's already observable on some other parts of the mountain.

 

I'd like to keep those Rangers isolated to as few parts of the mountain as possible and then, ideally, do as you said - "police" them so that they conduct their authority more reasonably.

[sibhusky]

I am starting to think maybe they pick on teenagers or something. I never saw any of this stuff happening.

[LineSki]

I agree with ben now more and more there really shouldn't be any rangers in the park. Because I have yet to meet a ranger who will just let something go. They get out that pen and pad whenever they get the chance. And if someone takes a fall they will probably close the jump do some research do interviews and the jump will be closed for like 2 hours. I just cant see any good coming out of this, your still going to have all of the noobs coming in the park and cutting people off then what is the ranger going to do put a circle on the little 8 year old girl's ticket. then the girls mom will come back and give the ranger shit for doing it and the woman will say like i paid for a ticket i can ski where i want on the mountain, and yes I have seen it done before.

 

And i do think that rangers do aim for pulling over younger kids. probably because they are the ones doing stuff there not supposed too. and its just easier, a lot kids get scared like there going to take there lift ticket so they just do what the nice ranger tells them to do.

Edited July 18, 2005 by LineSki