Patrol Tip of the Week 2

[ski911]

We are seeing more helmets being worn. This is a good thing. I have heard all of the excuses for not wearing one so don't waist your time. I could list all the pros, but, here are just a few.

1. Protection from incidental contact (restraining bars, ski poles, mad girlfriend, etc.)

2. Warmth

3. No pressure from goggle strap

 

Also, WRIST GUARDS! Our number one snowboard injury is wrist fractures. The wrist guards will not prevent them all, but, we have had very few when guards are worn. Again, i have heard all of the excuses, and as a sometimer snowboarder i say hooey! All I have to say is, if you do not wear them, I certainly hope you know someone that loves you VERY much. Try wipeing your but with two broken wrists!

 

And for you skiers, have your bindings checked at least yearly.

Edited January 23, 2007 by ski911

[AtomicSkier]

We are seeing more helmets being worn. This is a good thing. I have heard all of the excuses for not wearing one so don't waist your time. I could list all the pros, but, here are just a few.

1. Protection from incidental contact (restraining bars, ski poles, mad girlfriend, etc.)

2. Warmth

3. No pressure from goggle strap

 

Also, WRIST GUARDS! Our number one snowboard injury is wrist fractures. The wrist guards will not prevent them all, but, we have had very few when guards are worn. Again, i have heard all of the excuses, and as a sometimer snowboarder i say hooey! All I have to say is, if you do not wear them, I certainly hope you know someone that loves you VERY much. Try wipeing your but with two broken wrists!

 

And for you skiers, have your bindings checked at least yearly.

 

Good points! Helmets are a must.

[Glenn]

Also, WRIST GUARDS!

 

My roomate broke his wrist this week at camelback, he will probably be out for the season. It seems to be mostly beginner types that haven't figured out the art of falling in on a snowboard that have the wrist problems though. Any comments on that?

[skifreak]

I certainly hope you know someone that loves you VERY much. Try wipeing your but with two broken wrists!

 

Haha, I never thought of that

[Timeless]

My roomate broke his wrist this week at camelback, he will probably be out for the season. It seems to be mostly beginner types that haven't figured out the art of falling in on a snowboard that have the wrist problems though. Any comments on that?

 

As someone that was a beginner not too long ago I would agree that the majority of fall onto your wrists are in the early stages when the type of fall you take is different (or at least it seems that way for me). At the early stages you are still prime for that unexpected front edge which slams you forward with the unavoidable reflex to put your hands out to stop you, or the very sudden loss of the back edge and the hands going down behind you to cushion your fall.

 

I still have (and use sometimes) a pair of Level gloves with a type of wrist guard built in, in the early days I'm sure this saved me a few times but recently I am wearing them less in favour of more lightweight gloves.

 

Was your roomate a beginner?

[kragan]

Learning how to fall correctly is an absolute art form. It was hard for me to figure out on a snow board after all the years of skiing, but once I got it, it made a big difference. I think that they should some how teach that during lessons.

[Timeless]

Learning how to fall correctly is an absolute art form. It was hard for me to figure out on a snow board after all the years of skiing, but once I got it, it made a big difference. I think that they should some how teach that during lessons.

 

They did teach it in my first lesson, it's just difficult to overcome that reflex to try and save yourself.

[Papasteeze]

little girl in tahoe in '87 taught us the first thing to do was to ride like you were ready to punch someone. I will never forget that. (it was before wrist guards) LOL!

[method9455]

little girl in tahoe in '87 taught us the first thing to do was to ride like you were ready to punch someone. I will never forget that. (it was before wrist guards) LOL!

 

It's true - if you keep your hands in fists there is less leverage when you fall. I still do that sometimes.

 

As for wrist gaurds - most people don't know that they are important so whoever is teaching/renting them stuff should recommend it. If you have a choice the better wrist gaurds are made by R.E.D. - they're thin and flexible. They basically surround your wrist with metal strips that will bend a bit when you fall. They will prevent most of the wrist injuries and can fit under your glove easily. The ones from Dakine and others that are the hard plastic under the palm that are from roller blading don't work great because they are hard to fit under gloves (although mittens is usually no problem) - and they also just transfer the energy up your arm. On rollerblades its ok, or when you are learning, but when you fall on a really big jump that plastic will just transfer the force up and snap your arm instead. The R.E.D. ones absorb energy and while you still might sprain your wrist they won't break your arm. I have both, I like the R.E.D.s better for comfort although I only wear them when I recently hurt my wrist or trying something new in the park. I do always recommend them for beginners.

 

 

As for helmets there are a lot of people who ask what the 'best' helmet is. As far as I know the protection is similiar, but the fit is paramount - so try them on in the shop and don't buy them online!

[Glenn]

As far as I know the protection is similiar, but the fit is paramount - so try them on in the shop and don't buy them online!

 

I don't know if anyone else is doing it, but pro-tec has multi-impact foam in many (all?) their models. I would say the multi-impact is the "better" way to go, as I never replaced my older helmets after falls. Unless it cracked I don't think I would have replaced it.

[ski911]

Any helmet is better than no helmet (proper fit is very important).

We get all abilities with the wrist fractures.

[Glenn]

Was your roomate a beginner?

 

Not an absolute beginner but I think he's been to the mountain less that 15 times. He can't connect carved turns...

[tretiak]

he will probably be out for the season.

 

hmm i was back on the snow the day after i broke my wrist for the second time in 3 weeks back a few years ago.just getting my glove over the cast was a bitch but i lived with it for the 5 weeks that i had to have it on for. i believe it was the first pasr day we ever had at blue when i showed up with the cast on and i beleive jeff greg and glenn all signed it. wrist guards really do help when u fall in the park. saves me the 2k that i would have to pay to my dr.

[funkmaztafox]

gonna give this a bump as it has some good info that we all should be reminded of

[Matt]

I blacked out from a skiing accident in Killington last November, I also had a very very mild concussion too and that's WITH the helmet on.

 

I always recommend a helmet.

 

(Don't ask me how I managed to crash and blackout, I don't even remember how I fell, all I remember was seeing this ditch Killington didn't mark off and then waking up to the Ski Patrol attending to me)

[ski911]

I guess I can revisit this topic this season.

 

Poaching closed terrain. It's fun, we have all done it, and sometimes you even get decent snow (usually not, there is a reason it is closed). Keep in mind, on most occassions (see "closed for a reason") if something bad happens and you need help, the trail is NOT being patrolled when it is closed, so, rescue may take awhile (never ski alone). In some places, that rescue may cost you alot of money.

 

Be especially careful on trails that are closed for snowmaking. Not only is the snow usually wet, sticky, and very rarely worth it, there are many hazards that you may not be able to easily see. Guns, hoses, piles, holes, ice, and etc. The most dangerous thing would of course be the high voltage, electric lines that go to some of the fan guns. DO NOT SKI OVER THESE!!!

[Glenn]

There is extremely limited backcountry terrain in PA and a normal back country rescue will cost lots of money anyways. So I say poach when there is snow. Just be aware and ready to accept the consequences. Oh, and don't get caught.

[Kyle]

Always wear protection!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like helmets and wristgaurds

[method9455]

I poach at JF often when it is closed, but be wary.

 

1) It is always much more difficult than an open trail. Usually they are ungroomed, with snowmaking whales and usually natural snow. If it is the woods there are rocks, branches, stumps, debris. You WILL hit stuff and it WILL trash your gear. I have multiple deep scratched on my base from this year. Also if you catch a stump or a rock it can pull your edge out like a zipper, seen it happen, it will total your board. They are unpredictable. Be prepared to lose the board/ski as a cost of going into woods down here our base is never deep enough to avoid it. That said, I'm glad to trash the board I use in the woods the runs are the best I have gotten in PA and I'm using a park board i got for $50, so trash it I will.

 

2) If you get hurt what is normally a small injury could be fatal. In my town (Parsippany High School), we had a kid killed at Shawnee mountain circa 2002. He was skiing during our ski club on a wednesday night, went down a closed trail (Lower Tomahawk) and fell into the woods. Not sure why, could have been ice, no one knows. He landed in the woods and did not die on impact but was very injuried. Ski patrol searched the mountain all night after they realized he was missing when they got back to the bus at 8. They checked all open trails, the woods around open trails. Then they started checking closed trails and beside them, they found him the next morning but that point he had died. Had he been on an open trail he would have been found hours earlier. Never go alone, he did it alone and there was no one to notice he was missing until the roll call at hte bus, and also no one who knew where he was.

 

3) If you do decide to go in, and you do have a partner, still be wary of the stuff there. Last week I hit Floyds at JF before it open after the NYE snowstorm, it was great, but at the bottom there where a bunch of guns setup. We had enough speed to ride past but we stopped and unstrapped and walked out so we didn't take our edges over the hoses. If you cut a hose or a power line, either you are screwed from the pressure/electricity, or the next time the snowmakers fire up the hose will blow out. It might injure someone, and it will certaintly make a mess and cost them time and money. Be wary of their gear.

 

4) Never ever go down a trail they are working on, cats can and have killed people. Snowmaking machines are less dangerous but there might be snowmobiles flying around and same danger with the hoses, but now if you cut one it will be pressured and will hurt you.

 

 

Helmets are good for impact/laceration but they don't do too much for concussions. I still recommend them, they are cheap. I wear mine, it usually doesn't do much for me. But it saved my ass one time, I was in the park standing near the edge not doing anything. A skier went over a jump to spin and his binding released, the ski helicopters across and hit me in the back of the head when I wasn't looking. It dented the helmet, but I was fine not even a headache. I can't imagine what that would have done to my skull. So don't say "I never fall" that ski could have killed me no matter how good/bad I am at snowboarding.

 

Wrist guards are more debatable, I do recommend them for noobies though until they learn how to fall. I'd probably rather hurt my wrist than break my arm, but personal preference.

[ski911]

It is better (if you want to look at it that way) to break a bone in the middle (arm, leg) than to do damage in the joint (ankle, wrist). The joint takes much longer to heal and rehab.

[Glenn]

It is better (if you want to look at it that way) to break a bone in the middle (arm, leg) than to do damage in the joint (ankle, wrist). The joint takes much longer to heal and rehab.

 

Yeah but its way easier to ride with a cast around your wrist rather than one past your elbow.

 

 

P.S. Tree wells kill. Stay away from trees after big dumps.

[zaldon]

Helmets are good for impact/laceration but they don't do too much for concussions.

 

if you have the right helmet it can help with concussions

 

if you have ever played football and used a helmet with a adjustable air bladder the difference from just putting on a helmet and putting one on that is is properly fitted is huge.

[method9455]

if you have the right helmet it can help with concussions

 

if you have ever played football and used a helmet with a adjustable air bladder the difference from just putting on a helmet and putting one on that is is properly fitted is huge.

 

That is true but football helmets are designed such that they are GOING to get hit, often, at relatively low speeds. Shock protection is their #1 priority. Ski helmets are designed for huge impact loads to catastrophically fail. They may or may not ever get hit, and if they do get hit hard enough to be necessary they are probably going to have to be thrown out afterwards. There are two layers of foam in a ski helmet, the white stuff can only be compressed once and then it is done, that is for big hits. The black liner helps a bit but its not a huge deal. I do think they reduce them some though just by distributing the load a bit. I wish we had air bladders in these I get head aches all the time when I fall. I am just scared by the mouth guard bars people have, I can't imagine falling on your face, doesn't it torque your head back and snap your neck?

[HellOnSnow]

For those of you who are still not wearing a helmet, check out the sales coming up and find one with a style you like. Most importantly, wear it when you are on the mountain.

 

I picked mine because it could connect to my ipod and my cell phone. Today, it probably saved me from a serious head injury. IMHO, I am an expert skier. I stay away from moguls, but at my discretion, i can avoid the occassional bump or hit it, get some air, and move on. I don't bomb the trails and I enjoy making quick turns as I make my way down.

 

I skied the Asp today around lunchtime and did not like the crusty, icy area I was skiing in and cut right to get out of it. Good decision, bad timing. Dead ahead was a long bump of snow and I had to hit it. In a split second, the crash commenced and I was air bourne headfirst down the mountain. I hit chest first, head second. I rolled up onto the front of my helmet where I remained until I slow enough to flip over. Needless to say I was a little stunned about wtf just happened. A fellow skier came up and told me I was airbourne for 15 - 20 ft. I am sure it was a spectacular crash to see, but I really hit hard. Without the helmet, I doubt very much I would be here to type this.

 

No, my helmet cam was not on at the time of the crash. I checked when I got to the lodge to find out how I missed the bump of snow before I turned. I am going to assume it was in a blind spot from where I was skiing.

No, I did not take the sled down, but a ranger and ski patrol did stop by - thank you. I skied down and when the adrenaline rush was over, the chest pain set in and I went to First Aid - again, thank you.

[Glenn]

IMHO you are not an expert skier. I'm sorry to hear you had a rough time though. I was talking to my mom on the phone the other night and she was complaining about the exact same hump you wrecked on. A ranger gave her the heads up on a chair lift before she rode that trail though. Sounds like CB messed up with snowmaking and/or grooming and the center of a whale ended up brick hard.