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From: ed@mtxinu.UUCP (Ed Gould)
Newsgroups: net.rec.ski
Subject: Re: On Crashing and Burning
Message-ID: <326@mtxinu.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 22-Mar-85 16:44:42 EST
Article-I.D.: mtxinu.326
Posted: Fri Mar 22 16:44:42 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 26-Mar-85 06:22:38 EST
References: <938@vax1.fluke.UUCP> <886@ames.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: mt Xinu, Berkeley, CA
Lines: 34

> perhaps the problem [hit and run skiing] is ski resorts, perhaps we
> should only have cross country skiing?
> 
> --eugene miya

In my experience, the problem is *much* more prevalent in California
than elsewhere.  In February, I had the pleasure to ski at Sun
Valley, Idaho for a week.  There, as well as in Europe where I
went skiing two years ago, people stayed within their ability.
I've also skied in Colorado and Utah, but there only for single
days.

Maybe the problem is that there are too many "kids" who get to ski
here.  The large Bay Area population that feeds the Tahoe area
on weekends makes it relatively easy for less mature skiers to
get to the slopes.  The less accessable resorts tend to attract
only more serious skiers - not the ones who get to ski for
one or two weekends a year and still want to prove that they can
ski the steepest, most difficult slope on the mountain.

I've long believed that there were really only two ways that
skiers got hurt - by skiing when too tired or skiing slopes that
are more difficult than ability allows.  It seems that I'll have
take a more liberal view of this to include getting clobbered
by other skiers who are either too tired or skiing over their
heads.  (At least, I believe, this accounts for something like
95% of injuries.  There are times when good skiers in good
shape get hurt, too.  Sometimes, there are hazards that can't
be seen.  Skiing isn't perfectly safe in the best of all possible
worlds.)

-- 
Ed Gould		    mt Xinu, 739 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA  94710  USA
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