MntMan4Bush
02-01-2010, 10:20 AM
I think it's a pretty cool practice where instructors send mini bears up with other adults to help get them up the slopes. They're usually pretty quiet but sometimes you can get some happy stories out of them.
I just have one request though, since they don't come with instructions on them if they need a hand just give a heads up. My wife and I went up Gate House on Sunday and a little guy jumped in with us next to my wife. We ski up to the line and it occurs to me as the chair gets closer that he's pretty short and the chair is pretty high. Well let's just say that in a situation like this as your brain makes the realization regardless of the fact that it's a detachable that chair seems to move pretty quick. I thought for a second they would slow it down and he'd just hop up. We don't have any kids of our own yet so we're not used to looking at things this way and knowing what to expect. At 6' 3" it's been a long time since I ever considered the chair not high enough. Well the chair hits him in the back and starts pushing him off the ramp. My wife scrambles to get him on the chair but she had bulky mittens on due to the cold day and couldn't get a good last minute grip so I hoped off and spun around and as the chair went over my head I pushed the guy back up in his seat from below. They eventually stopped the lift and I got back in line. No big deal. Just saying though that if you know a little guy needs a lift up and help onto the seat give the group a heads up saying he needs a boost or something. Don't assume we have any clue we know what we're doing. My wife said they should come with instructions pinned to their back or at least have a a "help me" sign. :lol: Didn't hear a peep out of him either. I've went up with a bunch of mini's before and generally speaking know the basics. Bar down immediately. See how his/her days going? Ask them if they're OK before you get off, etc but this was the first time I'd ever seen one not clear for take off.
It was all fine and he didn't get hurt, but it just had me thinking. If we knew ahead of time we would have gladly lifted him up. Just caught us (and him I'm sure) by surprise. He was probably thinking "What are these 2 idiots doing???"
I just have one request though, since they don't come with instructions on them if they need a hand just give a heads up. My wife and I went up Gate House on Sunday and a little guy jumped in with us next to my wife. We ski up to the line and it occurs to me as the chair gets closer that he's pretty short and the chair is pretty high. Well let's just say that in a situation like this as your brain makes the realization regardless of the fact that it's a detachable that chair seems to move pretty quick. I thought for a second they would slow it down and he'd just hop up. We don't have any kids of our own yet so we're not used to looking at things this way and knowing what to expect. At 6' 3" it's been a long time since I ever considered the chair not high enough. Well the chair hits him in the back and starts pushing him off the ramp. My wife scrambles to get him on the chair but she had bulky mittens on due to the cold day and couldn't get a good last minute grip so I hoped off and spun around and as the chair went over my head I pushed the guy back up in his seat from below. They eventually stopped the lift and I got back in line. No big deal. Just saying though that if you know a little guy needs a lift up and help onto the seat give the group a heads up saying he needs a boost or something. Don't assume we have any clue we know what we're doing. My wife said they should come with instructions pinned to their back or at least have a a "help me" sign. :lol: Didn't hear a peep out of him either. I've went up with a bunch of mini's before and generally speaking know the basics. Bar down immediately. See how his/her days going? Ask them if they're OK before you get off, etc but this was the first time I'd ever seen one not clear for take off.
It was all fine and he didn't get hurt, but it just had me thinking. If we knew ahead of time we would have gladly lifted him up. Just caught us (and him I'm sure) by surprise. He was probably thinking "What are these 2 idiots doing???"