I patrol at blue

[Casimir]

Hello all. I just moved to the area and transferred into the patrol at blue mountain. I saw a paskiandride sticker on one of the lift bars and had to check it out.

 

After reading some posts, I thought the patrol could use a voice here and maybe I can take some suggestions to the patrol. Being new I think I can objectively look at this patrol.

 

Before I talk about some things I read I just want to say what our responsibilities are. We are mostly volunteers (some paid during weekday hours) and work with managment to prevent injuries and then stabilize and transport off the mountain any injuries that do happen. All decisions on where the jumps go, if there's a gap between the rail and the ramp, where the signs go, etc. etc. are done by mountain managment with our input.

 

Volunteers are required a weeknight shift and a 16 hour weekend duty every third weekend. At any time there are typically 4-6 patrollers doing ski cop. Managment gets tons of complaints every year about fast, out of control skiers in the slow zones and needed proof they were doing something about it. So evolved the ticketbook. Sidewinder is also an area where we are supposed to do S3P (safe snow sports patrol) as we call it. It often gets overlooked though. There is no way that this position can be staffed at all times by a volunteer group who's main responsibility is to get injured riders safely off the mountain. The busy days that require the most S3P have the most accidents which draw our attention. Besides, very, very few of us got into patrolling to sit on a run and yell at people being stupid.

 

You can join NSP as young as 15 (at least last I heard) and I've been doing it 9 years since I could drive. The medical training is usually done in the fall and then those patrollers are known as canidates and carry the white cross at blue. They train with the tobogans on Challenge on Sunday afternoons.

 

Sure, you don't have to be a great skier or boarder to be a patroller but I saw a few people here slander the whole patrol because of a few. One of the previous places I patrolled at in Michigan had only 250 inches of snow a year, 50+ foot cliff bands which most regular patrollers could drop, avalanches, and was all open, even the tree lines so thick you can only see 1/2 a turn ahead of you. I'm learning rails very slowly so laugh at me, not the rest of us if you see me in the park covered in snow. I have hit all jumps on sidewinder though. But I'll let my skiing speak for itself thursday nights...look for the patroller with either pocket rockets or teles on.

[Papasteeze]

Welcome casimir!!!! Great to have you aboard!!! Ski patrol provides a valuable service, thanks for chiming in and speaking up!

[2 planker]

welcome dude.

[romemadman]

are there many patrolers who snowboard

i would imagineit beign hardnto guide a tabogan on a board

 

 

i know mikebike is a patroler at cb who boards

[skifreak]

Welcome to PASR

[AtomicSkier]

are there many patrolers who snowboard

i would imagineit beign hardnto guide a tabogan on a board

i know mikebike is a patroler at cb who boards

 

mtbike mike isnt a patroller at CB, someone else with mountain bike in their name iis

 

Casimir, come out to NASTAR on thursday night, a few patrollers do it and have fun! Then you can strut your stuff

[Justo8484]

props for being the cool patroller who knows whats going on in the park, we could use more like you. since you are in a position to better educate your fellow patrollers than i am, i have a few requests. please explain the concept of park etiquette to those who dont know it. this includes patrollers, ski instructors who frequently take lessons of 6 year olds through sidewinder, and the weekend warrior family who thinks it would be so cool to say they skied the terrain park. the unnecesary traffic in the park this year has been rediculous. i know i am beating an issue that has been brought up on this site many times, but it will help those of us who want to ski the park as it was designed, and help you, since there would be fewer people in the park who dont know whats going on. sorry to come off so negative, but now that i have a someone who is in a position to do something and might actually listen or even care, i figured it was worth a shot. if you are going to be up tomorrow night (thursday), look for me. i'll have a dark green coat and white pants, on line invaders; my name's justin.

[adrian]

i would imagineit beign hardnto guide a tabogan on a board

 

i think someone mentioned that its better or easier or something of that nature to be pulled by a rider, which is their dark secret.

[mtnbiker99x]

are there many patrolers who snowboard

i would imagineit beign hardnto guide a tabogan on a board

i know mikebike is a patroler at cb who boards

 

 

 

Give me the biggest, steepest and iciest stuff you can find and I'll get that toboggan down better than most on a snowboard. Flats are a pain in the butt because you have to sometimes unclip and skate the catwalks.

[Casimir]

Yup, bohemia is one place I've patrolled. I moved here from Madison, WI where I patrolled at a place with skiing in June mentioned on this board a while ago.

 

As far as boarders on the patrol, they're typically 10-20% on each but not because its more difficult. One patroller who did both said it even has some advantages when handling a tobogan. You're square with the handles unlike a skier that needs to side slip to handle the weight behind you on a steep run. Not that side slipping is hard but just easier to mess up with your body twisted for a long time needing transitions. I think most patrols would rather more boarders join so if interested, ask for an application

 

Justin, don't worry about sounding negative, I just don't want the people that can handle sidewinder to think this is a simple issue the patrol just doesn't want to deal with. They will listen if you see them in the park or ride up the lift with any.

[mtnbiker99x]

 

As far as boarders on the patrol, they're typically 10-20% on each but not because its more difficult. One patroller who did both said it even has some advantages when handling a tobogan. You're square with the handles unlike a skier that needs to side slip to handle the weight behind you on a steep run. Not that side slipping is hard but just easier to mess up with your body twisted for a long time needing transitions.

 

I think most patrols would rather more boarders join so if interested, ask for an application

 

Most patrols are looking for people who board so don't be afraid to ask if you happen to run into a patroler. Or even stop by the patrol room or top duty.