Walloped @ K

[falldise]

Sorry to hear about that. I have broken both collarbones(ultimate frisbee). One time it was my fault, the other time someone elses. I was bitter when someone else caused it. Try and let go of the bitterness, it will not help at all. Clearly this was an accident that could have been averted. It makes me sad the other parties reaction to it.....

Killington is a great mountain with lots of positives. But the downhill traffic is so intense at times it scares me. Skiing is still a wonderful sport, don't give up on it.....

[Streamtracker]

Sorry about your encounter with a reckless rider. I have been hit twice from behind by snow boarders this year already. Luckily I was uninjured both times.

Downslope riders always have the right of way. No exceptions. If the boarder who hit you had hit a little kid, it might have done critical damage. Then he could plead to a jury about who was responsible.

I think there are far too many boarders who have enough skill to stay upright and go fast on a board, but that lack the skill to turn quickly at fast speeds.

And way too many people on the slopes that do not know the code. I wish the patrol and ambassadors would be more aggressive about marking/pulling tickets and talking to people who violate the code.

[Geoff]

I wish the patrol and ambassadors would be more aggressive about marking/pulling tickets and talking to people who violate the code.

The problem is that the Killington ski patrol wants nothing to do with policing this and I can hardly blame them. When they went union back in the ugly Les Otten days, this was one of the major points in their contract with the resort. I don't know how it works now but you certainly don't see a visible ski patrol presence dealing with the issue. The ambassadors are volunteers. I don't think it's reasonable to ask them to be the solution and, as volunteers, I don't think you want them to be the ones yanking lift tickets. I realize it's completely counter to the Chris Nyberg philosophy of staffing with the absolute minimum number of people but the resort really needs a bunch of employees up on the hill empowered to deal with the problem. Killington doesn't need staff highly trained in first responder first aid and the nuances of hauling a sled down the hill assigned to this issue. They need staff trained up to be polite but firm to punch tickets and clip tickets.

[RENO]

Really sorry to hear about your injuries Knobleone. I hope you are feeling better soon! I was pretty spooked skiing K last week. There were too many close calls of people flying by with minimal control. I was spooked enough not to ski at all on the weekend. Is it my imagination or is it getting to be the wild west at K? I know ambassadors can't pull tickets and ski patrol folk don't patrol much (I suspect they are stretched pretty thin). Don't know how that law was written Geoff - but even if K has no liability - is there a clause for gross negligance?

The biggest problem right now is limited terrain. When you get to this point in the season with very minimal terrain you get a lot more of beginners mixing with advanced and many more problems/collisions, especially on weekends. Hopefully now the snow will continue and we can get more terrain open quickly. I was on Great Eastern Saturday early afternoon just before making a left onto Cruise Control near the Vista Deck and it was unbelievable the wave after wave of people coming down that area! I stopped skiers right for a while just watching it. People falling and crashing. People going far too fast. It was like snowboarding across the Garden State Parkway to get to cruise control!

[icedtea]

People gO too fast for their skill level. See it way too often.

Also people need to learn to hold a line in crowded situations. D bags all around so happy to hear trees are prime.

Feel better soon just starting to look good.

[Dr. NO]

People gO too fast for their skill level. See it way too often.

Also people need to learn to hold a line in crowded situations. D bags all around so happy to hear trees are prime.

Feel better soon just starting to look good.

Hold a line? Why should I hold a line? I like to change it up as I go down the slopes, from the HWS GS turns to some quick SL turns and back again. If you are so damn close you can't avoid me because I change my line, get off the hill or just stay away from other riders. And no, I don't go wall to wall on the hill.

[icedtea]

People gO too fast for their skill level. See it way too often.

Also people need to learn to hold a line in crowded situations. D bags all around so happy to hear trees are prime.

Feel better soon just starting to look good.

Hold a line? Why should I hold a line? I like to change it up as I go down the slopes, from the HWS GS turns to some quick SL turns and back again. If you are so damn close you can't avoid me because I change my line, get off the hill or just stay away from other riders. And no, I don't go wall to wall on the hill.

In crowded situations not all situations... Like in the mixing bowl or the GN flat.

[MrsG]

People gO too fast for their skill level. See it way too often.

Also people need to learn to hold a line in crowded situations. D bags all around so happy to hear trees are prime.

Feel better soon just starting to look good.

Hold a line? Why should I hold a line? I like to change it up as I go down the slopes, from the HWS GS turns to some quick SL turns and back again. If you are so damn close you can't avoid me because I change my line, get off the hill or just stay away from other riders. And no, I don't go wall to wall on the hill.

In crowded situations not all situations... Like in the mixing bowl or the GN flat.

Agree with you here ice, but, was thinking about this thread today when hitting the "overly groomed area" at the bottom of the old Bittersweet second headwall and the new connection with High Road . . . was in perfect condition yesterday, but total rocks today . . . had to make a "safe" move to avoid rocks . . . if someone behind me decided their line was 'theirs' . . . I would have been clocked . . . sometimes when you think you are in a 'safe' line and have to make an unexpected turn and unable to look up the hill before your move . . . the uphill skier/rider should be cautious and ready for any move the downhill skier/rider has to unexpectedly make . . . now, if I'm deciding I do not like the line I'm in . . . it is my responsibility to look up hill before changing my line . . .

[Bubba]

People gO too fast for their skill level. See it way too often.

Also people need to learn to hold a line in crowded situations. D bags all around so happy to hear trees are prime.

Feel better soon just starting to look good.

Hold a line? Why should I hold a line? I like to change it up as I go down the slopes, from the HWS GS turns to some quick SL turns and back again. If you are so damn close you can't avoid me because I change my line, get off the hill or just stay away from other riders. And no, I don't go wall to wall on the hill.

In crowded situations not all situations... Like in the mixing bowl or the GN flat.

Agree with you here ice, but, was thinking about this thread today when hitting the "overly groomed area" at the bottom of the old Bittersweet second headwall and the new connection with High Road . . . was in perfect condition yesterday, but total rocks today . . . had to make a "safe" move to avoid rocks . . . if someone behind me decided their line was 'theirs' . . . I would have been clocked . . . sometimes when you think you are in a 'safe' line and have to make an unexpected turn and unable to look up the hill before your move . . . the uphill skier/rider should be cautious and ready for any move the downhill skier/rider has to unexpectedly make . . . now, if I'm deciding I do not like the line I'm in . . . it is my responsibility to look up hill before changing my line . . .

If the up hill skier/rider is so close behind that he can't avoid hitting you if you make an unexpected move, he's too close.

[MrsG]

Interesting coincidental story . . . hope you are feeling better . . .

http://www.dailyhiker.com/news/summit-a ... ily-hiker/

[spanky]

I wish the patrol and ambassadors would be more aggressive about marking/pulling tickets and talking to people who violate the code.

The problem is that the Killington ski patrol wants nothing to do with policing this and I can hardly blame them. When they went union back in the ugly Les Otten days, this was one of the major points in their contract with the resort. I don't know how it works now but you certainly don't see a visible ski patrol presence dealing with the issue. The ambassadors are volunteers. I don't think it's reasonable to ask them to be the solution and, as volunteers, I don't think you want them to be the ones yanking lift tickets. I realize it's completely counter to the Chris Nyberg philosophy of staffing with the absolute minimum number of people but the resort really needs a bunch of employees up on the hill empowered to deal with the problem. Killington doesn't need staff highly trained in first responder first aid and the nuances of hauling a sled down the hill assigned to this issue. They need staff trained up to be polite but firm to punch tickets and clip tickets.

Totally agree with Geoff and Streamtracker here. I had a discussion with an off-duty ambassador on a lift ride this weekend regarding this and voiced my request for stepped up visibility. Word from this ambassador was that they do have the authority to pull tickets.

Why can't they set up on the hill and give out warnings (hole punch in the ticket/pass seems to work). After "X" number of warnings in a set period of time and you lose your privileges for a period of time that you were warned for. I think just warnings would cut down on some of the blatant recklessness.

[spanky]

KnobleOne, sorry to hear of this terrible incident. I hope you heal up quickly and fully. Don't be a stranger around here either.

[Terrapin Station]

Also maybe this area needs to be marked with slow signs and an ambassador as it is a major intersection..I have seen near misses as well.

If he hit you from behind- it is his fault!!

Killington may not have specific liability with regard to collisions, however it is Vermont state law that skiers/boarders who collide are required to exchange information, much like a car accident.

However, good luck getting that enforced on the mountain unless you have a few friends with you who can "convince" the offending boarder to cooperate.

[tyrolean_skier]

Also maybe this area needs to be marked with slow signs and an ambassador as it is a major intersection..I have seen near misses as well.

If he hit you from behind- it is his fault!!

Killington may not have specific liability with regard to collisions, however it is Vermont state law that skiers/boarders who collide are required to exchange information, much like a car accident.

However, good luck getting that enforced on the mountain unless you have a few friends with you who can "convince" the offending boarder/skier to cooperate.

Fixed it for you.

[BoozeTan]

Well yes, it's unlikely they'll be prosecuted.
However...The One above is keeping score.
...just sayin'

was there a patroller in the K1 that saw the incident??