I am NOT a lawyer. Nothing you read here should be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice, consult a licensed attorney. Check this out: skiinjurylawyers.com
- Always stay in control is listed as the first on the responsibility code list —because let’s be honest, you don’t want to become a human pinball! Make sure you can dodge those pesky people like your grandmom or your second cousins or unidentified flying objects like you’re in an action movie!
You can find the full responsibility code here. If you are interested, but I doubt. It would be too much to read for those instant gratification people of the 21st century. It was actually developed in 1962!
Did you know that Colorado ski area operators “do not have a duty to protect skiers and snowboarders from their own inappropriate behavior or another skier’s careless or reckless behavior leading to a collision“?
What happened to common sense on the slopes? Did it get lost with Millennials? No offense, I’m a proud Gen Xer. My 92-year-old father-in-law still dreams of hitting the slopes, but I’d only trust him on a cozy local hill—not the mainstream resorts. Let’s keep the snow adventures safe for the whole family, including the wonderful senior citizens. You should stop and listen to their ski stories!
When I started skiing 20 years ago, the responsibility code was everywhere—on napkins, lift towers, you name it. Nowadays, you’ll find it buried in fine print on the liability statement you sign when buying a lift ticket or season pass, once, on the bottom lifts and sometimes posted on lift towers.
As for the yellow jackets—the fearless enforcers of slow zones—they’re an endangered species, my friend. Maybe they all decided to trade their whistles for remote work or went into hiding after one-too-many encounters with overly enthusiastic speed demons. It’s a mystery for the ski resort operators… or possibly a remake and rewording of Bob Seeger’s song: “Where have all the Yellow Jackets Gone?” Spoiler alert: they’re probably sipping cocoa in the lodge, dodging responsibility like the rest of us.
Why don’t people stay in control on the slopes anymore? Is it the endless reels and YouTube videos of ski pros hurling themselves off cliffs with a casual ‘no big deal’ vibe? Or maybe it’s because taking a lesson now costs as much as a weekend getaway—up to $400 for a full day group lesson or almost $1700 for full day private lesson? Seriously? I can’t blame them. Everyone could benefit from a lesson, but nobody want’s to work anymore. I see fewer and fewer instructors, and those I do see could’ve taught my parents how to ski. Do not be fooled. Many of those guys actually can make circles around you when you straight-line down the slope, like a crouching tiger. Will ski instructing going extinct, replaced by AI-controlled drones? (Hmm, that might be a future blog post too!)
Do people ski like they drive, always needing to be in front no matter what, hitting the brakes just to make a sudden exit? Or do they think wearing a helmet turns them into invincible snow warriors? It’s like a mountain version of a freeway, complete with ‘must-pass-you’ maneuvers and questionable stunts. Next thing you know, they’ll be signaling with ski poles! Hmm, that would be an improvement since nobody knows how to make a pole plant.
There was a time when skiers competed to see, who could make the most turns in a run. Now, it’s all about counting vertical feet on ski apps. Turns? Who needs them! The fewer, the better—because straight-lining it down with stiff legs the mountain is the new black. Who knew? Return of the turn. Hmm, maybe he is into something. But trust me, you do not ski like them, not even close. You ski more like this!
Just yesterday I saw a family of four flying down on a icy steep black run with mom trying to slow herself down with a pizza and having a magnificent yard sale when she hit the catwalk. I was expecting to see smoke and flames. Bet she had an experience of a lifetime. Did I say I had to have my head on a swivel? Did you know that many people eat the dirt (or snow) on catwalks? Not all catwalks are created equal, and catwalk does not always equal easy. Back to the family of four (or five). The kids were not much better than the mom but were able to stay up with luck.
I see people skiing on the wrong type of skis for their skill level or snow conditions. How do you expect to stay in control when you’re coming down an icy hill on fat early risers? Here is a good informational video on what skis to choose.
Did you notice I did not mention snowboarders here? I did not see bad snowboarders yesterday straight lining on a icy black run. Are their stakes higher or tailbone achier? Don’t be fooled! Wait for my post on bad snowboarders grooming the hill for everybody on a powder day.
Stay on control and take a ski or snowboard lesson! Doodle doo! Let me know what you think!
Leave a Reply