Recall time

[Stephen]

@fisheater, I was waiting for your story to end with…

“… and that’s how my photo ended up on the cover of Skier Magazine!”

[trashcat]

Reading this thread made me think of something my mom told me a few years ago before I went on my first backcountry ski trip in the ADKs. She told me my dad watched his friend die in an avalanche, and that the only reason my father survived was because he wasn't the first down the mountain. It was on a mountain that had been blasted and cleared for skiing.

My father has never told me this story, so I looked it up just now and found three news articles from 1972 about it:

Clovis_News_Journal_Fri__Dec_15__1972_.pdf

(928.48 KiB) Downloaded 2261 times

I'm not posting this for the one-ups-man-ship, which is something I think this thread could unfortunately turn into. I'm posting it because I'm just trying to come to grips with just one more thing that has shaped my father's life that I had no clue about. I'm just really sad that he's lived with this his whole life and I had no idea. Makes me that much more grateful for him.

[fisheater]

@Stephen Back in those days it was Powder Magazine. If I made the cover of Powder it probably would be my avatar, and I wouldn’t want to be that guy!

[Stephen]

@trashcat, well said.

[Montana St Alum]

Wearing kneepads backcountry isn't a bad idea. No telling what you might hit during a genuflection in deep stuff if you haven't skied that area before.
I know a guy.....but he was wearing kneepads, so he walked away from it.

[Woodsbum]

Ok, so, I'm a public servant in a town with a big eastern ski mountain. We have some local very cool public back/side country glades that I have been involved with developing. Guy calls me in the office last Spring and asks if I'm in charge of the BC area.
"Not really but, what do you need?"
"Well, did anyone find some rather expensive, new AT gear in the vicinity of the parking area?"
"No, I haven't heard of anyone finding any equipment. But, what happened?"
The guy takes a deep breath, hems and haws a little then says, "I had a medical emergency and had to leave my stuff"
"Wow, I'm sorry to hear that"
Then you can hear the guy make up his mind to come clean and he says, "Actually, since it was so late in the season and I'm new at this, I'm nervous about bears and so I had some bear spray that I had in a pocket under some outer pants and somehow while struggling to get my stuff off after a few runs, I managed to spray myself in the groin area with a liberal dose of that stuff. And, then I was just screaming, throwing gear and running for the car. The drive to the hospital was hell."
At this point I was covering the phone and doubled over choking back my laughter. When I collected myself I apologized, asked if he was ok now (yes).
First of all that dude is my hero for telling the story.
Second, I'll never say I had a bad day again unless I lose an expensive BC setup and bearspray myself in the crotch in the same 24 hours.
Third, I put out the word and the dude got his stuff back.
Now, I'm not sure he'll have to overcome that trauma to ski again. But, I bet he never carries bearspray again no matter how much he spends on therapy.

[joeatomictoad]

I had some bear spray that I had in a pocket...managed to spray myself in the groin area with a liberal dose of that stuff. And, then I was just screaming, throwing gear and running for the car.

Bear spray may be child-proof, but it's certainly not Jerry-proof. Homeboy does get credit for sharing. He could have taken it to the grave, and the world would be with one less good story. Good stuff.

[Stephen]

The whole thing is a great story, but I liked…

Third, I put out the word and the dude got his stuff back.