Recall time

[RichardWatts]

Hi everyone, fear is something that gets in human’s way to do many things, some can be our favorite things. So we have to overcome our fear no matter what. Well, have you been in any terrible skiing accidents that scare you from skiing again? Let’s share what happened and how you recovered, both physically and mentally.

[Montana St Alum]

Not skiing. When I was in navy jet training, my wingman cut the tail of my TA-4 off, the airplane blew up and, clearing the fireball, I had to eject. 2 days later, they scheduled me for a flight "to get over it". I remember walking to the jet with some trepidation. I survived that and pressed on.
Get back on that horse!

[エイダン.シダル]

My six year old daughter broke her tibia ('ski boot fracture') on the last run of her first day, under my supervision, after a successful day in lessons. Just after I'd thought, 'I need to get her to slow down a bit', she runs into some snow at the side of the run. In my defense, it was a green run, normal conditions.

As far as leg fractures for young children go, it was as straightforward as possible: got ski patrol quickly, Mt. Tremblant hillside clinic took an x-ray and determined everything was aligned fine and secured it, drove back to Ontario to deal with it the next day (Québec medical care has long waits), healed on schedule perfectly. I started at six too, but I'm wondering if alpine equipment isn't just too rigid for small bones.

Anyway, due to avoiding crowds during Covid, she'll Alpine ski again after three years, at nine. She doesn't seem at all concerned, but she's the tough one, or oblivious. Her older brother would still be anxious. Pushing Nordic skiing harder though, because I prefer it, and alpine skiing blows in Ontario. Québec's for holiday ski weeks.

[lowangle al]

Not skiing. When I was in navy jet training, my wingman cut the tail of my TA-4 off, the airplane blew up and, clearing the fireball, I had to eject. 2 days later, they scheduled me for a flight "to get over it". I remember walking to the jet with some trepidation. I survived that and pressed on.
Get back on that horse!

Holy shit MSA, I doubt anyone will top that. Thanks for you service, I doubt there is anything much more risky then that.

My experience was breaking my fibula when I hit a buried stump while meadowskipping one March. Part of my recovery was watching all the Powder Whore videos that I bought specially for the occasion. While I was laid up, and right up until all the pain was gone (about four months) I planned on getting releasable bindings. I never got them and when the snow came I was over my fear and went skiing. I do try to use the widest skis I can to keep my tips as close to the surface as possible and I'm more cautious and ski slower when first skiing a slope.

[Montana St Alum]

Not skiing. When I was in navy jet training, my wingman cut the tail of my TA-4 off, the airplane blew up and, clearing the fireball, I had to eject. 2 days later, they scheduled me for a flight "to get over it". I remember walking to the jet with some trepidation. I survived that and pressed on.
Get back on that horse!

Holy shit MSA, I doubt anyone will top that. Thanks for you service, I doubt there is anything much more risky then that.

My experience was breaking my fibula when I hit a buried stump while meadowskipping one March. Part of my recovery was watching all the Powder Whore videos that I bought specially for the occasion. While I was laid up, and right up until all the pain was gone (about four months) I planned on getting releasable bindings. I never got them and when the snow came I was over my fear and went skiing. I do try to use the widest skis I can to keep my tips as close to the surface as possible and I'm more cautious and ski slower when first skiing a slope.

Hah! Thanks.
It seems like an inordinate number of my stories remind me of Donald Duck talking to his nephews and his nephews, in unison saying, "did you live? Did you live"!

[Stephen]

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems a little strange to have this come up as a new users’ first post…
Not sure I would want to share personal info in that context.
FWIW.

EDIT: I’m just imagining someone I have never met and know nothing about walking up to me and asking that question.

[Woodserson]

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems a little strange to have this come up as a new users’ first post…
Not sure I would want to share personal info in that context.
FWIW.

EDIT: I’m just imagining someone I have never met and know noting about walking up to me and asking that question.

He is about to share a link to a casino website inconspicuously embedded in a generic, yet just enough ski subject post in 3... 2... 1...

But the stories are great!!! Man, T-Fibs and ejections and maimed children!

I love it!

I can't think of a single event myself but a slow accumulation of injuries... Oof.

[Stephen]

My experience was breaking my fibula when I hit a buried stump while meadowskipping one March. …

Skied Wyoming last year. Lots of range land, and remember early season, skiing past stumps of metal stakes in the ground (maybe marking range boundaries?) thinking “Crap, that would really suck to run into one of those when the snow is deeper and they are not visible on the surface.”
Happy to say I never did find any of those by accident.

[joeatomictoad]

As for skiing... I was lucky enough to survive the high-risk decisions made in my 20's and early 30's relatively unscathed. Of course I had several close calls with imminent danger. Instead of feeling fear, I convinced myself I had more skill than actual... which was just a reckless logical process with a negative feedback loop.

Mentally, it has given me contrast for future decisions. Now, I am more honest with myself about skills and consequences.

Not on the slopes... is a whole different story. Sea stories are best shared over a beer, or three.

[fisheater]

I separated my shoulder, 3rd degree so I did a good job of it. I went over the bars on some steep, icy, and hard refrozen terrain. I was a concrete contractor back then, and I was also the key man on my pouring crew. I actually had to farm out a couple basement floors because I could not perform the work.
Flashing forward to April, I’m pouring concrete again. A friend asks me to come out to Reno for a wedding. I had checked into skiing before I jumped on a plane, but resorts were not open. I was busy with the start of the season (concrete) so there wasn’t much follow up on my part. Imagine my surprise when I see in a Reno paper that Squaw was reopening. I managed to rent alpine gear and picked up some clothes I could get by with. My friend didn’t ski so I headed to Squaw Valley solo. The only lift open, or at least that interested me was Granite Chief. I was on piste skiing blacks, when I came to a nice roll to launch off. That good angel was telling me that I couldn’t see my landing, but I launched it big. Well, once airborne I see there is a guy with a camera on a tripod and skiers standing in my landing zone! I layed it down, popped up and managed to turn around them enough to not hit anyone.
I climbed up to apologize for the snow I shot at everyone there. One of the skiers came up and congratulated me on a great save. I laughed and thanked him. He then commented that I almost took out, “the world famous photographer Hank DeVries”. I laughed again, and commented that I hope they bought that at the ticket office! I thought it was a funny comment, but I really broke those guys up! I waved goodbye and off I went.
Well I skied a couple more runs, and the next ride up the chair I am riding with the skier that congratulated me on my “save”. I take a good look at him, and I ask him if that really was Hank DeVries. He said it sure was and introduced himself as Rob DeLauries (spelling). He invited me to come up and ski Palisades with the group. In those days, on alpine gear that could be in my abilities. However I couldn’t afford to hurt my still tender shoulder. I told about my injury and that I had to take it easy. He had another laugh over what I considered taking it easy.
So I guess I didn’t really get all the way back on the horse that day, but I figured it was a good story!