While skiing in the Slidebrook area on Saturday Myself, Castlerock and a visiting friend heard screams from, what turned out to be a 9? year old boy who had been separated from his father with no whistle, radilo or cell phone. Castlerock immediately call the Dispatch number while we tried to calm the boy down and find out what had happened. At this point it seemed that the father had made it down and called in as well. The boy was scared and out of sorts. He told us he had taken his skis off and left them somewhere in the woods. He had been on the move for some time after taking his skis off. We stayed with the boy till a patroller showed up and seemed to have the situation under control. believe they were able to walk out to the slidebrook lift and he was ok.

Wondering if they charged the father for time and effort from the resort?

Nice save.

Good job guys. Sounds like your efforts helped deliver a happy ending.

However, this is exactly why little kids have no business going into Slidebrook and more people need to realize that. Its not that hard to get separated from your buddy in the back woods, and god forbid you do, you better have the ski ability and outdoors experience to get out all by yourself. And most 9 year olds don’t.

No radio? No GPS? Ditching his skis? That’s just bad.

I was very surprised to see the number of skiers waiting for the Mad Bus at the Slide Brook exit this weekend, including some very young people. Personally, I think there should be a minimum age limit for Slide Brook skiing, but not everyone will agree with me. I also think some parents (and I have seen this personally more than once this season) take their kids places on the mountain where they ought not, and force them to exceed their ability. Ask any patroller about "taxi rides". I am just glad this kid is ok, and all is well. Skis are replaceable...even if the crews don't find them this summer. Good work by the world's best ski patrol.

sounds like there was an oversight issue with dad .....should have thought of worst case scinero and prepared for it before bring his son with him.

I am sure the parent feels awful. Glad to hear everything was ok. He was lucky you guys crossed his path!

Yard Sale wrote:

Nice save.

ditto

It isn't a problem with the kids. My kids ski better than 75% of the folks who go into slidebrook (Dad brag/off)

The issue is the adults who go in there, that don't have the judgement, skills or techniques to bring lesser skilled/experienced folks (kids or adults) into an un-patrolled environment. Frankly they are Guide skills,

Simple things like groups of three (the aforementioned party was a party of two).

Having an experienced person "sweep" the group. (A REQUIREMENT with kids).

Basic equipment: whistles, phones, radios (the aforementioned group did have two radios, but the father had them both).

When you bring your kids in there, you are a guide and you need to think and act like one

On a side topic, I was wondering why there isn't a sign at the main Slide Brook entrance that indicates you are entering the backcountry and the Slide Brook Basin. Most resorts make it a point to call it out when you are going beyond the ski area boundary. Reason I mention it is that I was taking a run into Slide Brook late in the day on Saturday when I was approached by 3 people who asked "where does this trail go?" I told them that they were in Slide Brook and that they would end up on German Flats. They had no idea where they were and didn't intend to leave the resort. Luckily, they were near the top, so I directed them to consider turning around. They thanked me and turned around.

A simple sign would go a long way towards educating what people are getting into. Over at Stowe, I noticed yellow backcountry signs at all the typical entrances.

I think a simple "Ski Area Boundry" sign would go a long way. Don't want to give out to much information.

I'm gonna re-up on my radio inventory. Have Motorola "16 mile". They are horrible. Any recommendations?

Cell phone.
Better coverage, easy to operate, leave messages, direct line to Dispatch.
If you are talking about parent to kid safety communication, chances are you won't need something that can reach from the Castlerock pub to Mad River. You just need something that both the adult and child KNOW how to operate, particularly in a stressful situation. One needs practice to effectively use a GMRS/FRS radio.
The whistle is the first thing I'd make sure that both I and my kids had.

castlerock wrote:

Cell phone. Better coverage, easy to operate, leave messages, direct line to Dispatch. If you are talking about parent to kid safety communication, chances are you won't need something that can reach from the Castlerock pub to Mad River. You just need something that both the adult and child KNOW how to operate, particularly in a stressful situation. One needs practice to effectively use a GMRS/FRS radio. The whistle is the first thing I'd make sure that both I and my kids had.

Absolutely. There are no guarantees that a radio can reach over the ridge for a 911 call to patrol. Then again, as stated, for parent/child communications,a Talk-about should be all that's necessary (assuming you aren't violating the law!).

Tin Woodsman wrote:

(assuming you aren't violating the law!).

LOL

wher is that guy?

I agree with a ski area boundary sign. As for the kid. I was leading a group when we came upon the dad. I subsequently learned that the kid had been in there with his blazer group before and had told dad I know where to go. But then he took a low line on the traverse and subsequently got lost. He obviously did not and did not know the correct woods procedures. I also made several calls to advise people of the situation. Ironically I then came across some adults looking for another adult. My friend found him and I was able to re-communicate with the lost party to re-connect them all. While I do truly love Slidebrook and am a Boy Scout leader. I do fell we need to better job to educate everyone going into the trees / Slidebrook. At Mad River there are signs everywhere that state their woods policy. I think it would be advisable to do the same. Maybe at the bottom of North Lynx Lift. In the past a Blazer/womans turns/black diamond club trip to Slidebrook is suppose to be an ultimate trip/educational adventure, but it does seem that there are now a real lot going in. Could be the great snow! But if a group goes in many times they think they know it.......?!

madhavok wrote:

Good job guys. Sounds like your efforts helped deliver a happy ending. However, this is exactly why little kids have no business going into Slidebrook and more people need to realize that. Its not that hard to get separated from your buddy in the back woods, and god forbid you do, you better have the ski ability and outdoors experience to get out all by yourself. And most 9 year olds don’t. No radio? No GPS? Ditching his skis? That’s just bad.

No way to blame the kid for this one. This was a bad call on the fathers part all the way around. Bad preparation and bad execution.

I disagree with a blanket statement that kids have no business going into Slidebrook. Some kids I know that are 9-12 are more than ready, while I know some 45-55 year olds that have no business in there. It comes down to ability and preparation. This poor kid sounds like he had neither. Great thing that people who were prepared ran into him, kudos.

jkvt