Dangerous Equipment

[canonizer]

While skiing this past weekend (this constituted my 5th or 6th weekend at the bush this season (and about ~20 days overall which is pretty good for me in recent years)), I saw some people with bicycle-like equipment, not totally dissimilar to what someone requiring aid to use. Since I did not see tethers or breaks, this struck me as potentially unfit for use on the mountain.

As bad as that was to me, I was absolutely astounded to see people skiing on home-made approximations of the device, using long skis and seats that were either epoxied or drilled into the ski. They were absolutely flying down Jester, seriously tearing the place up. I'd like to give them credit cause it looked like a hell of a lot of fun. But seriously, those things were projectiles and injuries waiting to happen. In the case that they're tethered (and one of the three morons, um, kids had a tether) it could easily come back and damage him. For the other two untethered ski/chair contraptions, they're totally unfit for the mountain.

Has anyone else seen these? Is it common?

Sorry if there are older posts on the matter.

[madhavok]

I also saw the contraptions you are talking about and have seen them a couple other weekends this season. Don't know what the official policy is but you are right, for the safety of other guests the equipment should be tethered or equipped with a braking mechanism.

[ski_resort_observer]

You talking about ski bikes......
http://www.ski-bike.org/

Been around forever, they even have board bikes now......
The Bush used to rent them

[djspookman]

the other "contraptions" you mention are called jack jumpers, they have been around forever. They are usually just a seat screwed to a ski. Leashes should be used, although sometimes people don't. They're a TON of fun, although I've never had the cojones to bring one down a ski trail.. the local sledding hill is large enough for me on one of those!!!

dave

[Lostone]

IMNATHO, neither of these are dangerous, should they slide out from the owner. Both will fall down and quickly stop, as they dig into the snow.

On the other hand, I have witnessed and heard of snowboards that got away from their riders and shot down the trail. The one I saw was someone letting theirs go from half way up Stein's. It went into the woods at Downspout and Gondolier. It hit a tree and was loud enough that everyone in the area turned to see what made that noise.

When snowboards first came out, they had leashes to one foot. I think they should be required for all snowboards and skis without brakes. That used to be so.

Yes, it is a little bother to put them on, but should the snowboard get away, it could kill.

[Dawn Patrol]

IMNATHO, neither of these are dangerous, should they slide out from the owner. Both will fall down and quickly stop, as they dig into the snow.

On the other hand, I have witnessed and heard of snowboards that got away from their riders and shot down the trail. The one I saw was someone letting theirs go from half way up Stein's. It went into the woods at Downspout and Gondolier. It hit a tree and was loud enough that everyone in the area turned to see what made that noise.

When snowboards first came out, they had leashes to one foot. I think they should be required for all snowboards and skis without brakes. That used to be so.

Yes, it is a little bother to put them on, but should the snowboard get away, it could kill.

Snowboards do have leashes, and AFAIK they are required.

[Strat]

Oh the old snowboard leash debate...

Properly tightened and fastened snowboard bindings should never release, ever. It's extremely rare that a snowboard should come unattached from its rider, and more likely than not it's due to stupidity on the part of the person who hasn't noticed that their bindings have come unattached from the snowboard or that they are not strapped into them. In the past, leash use has been supported and enforced by skiers who were not aware that snowboard bindings do not have the same releasing properties as ski bindings. Today, few, if any, leash rules remain, since they mandate the use of a useless piece of equipment. The danger posed by a snowboard careening down a hill is not debatable; this is why using a snowboard as a sled is a terrible idea. But the potential for a regularly-used snowboard to detatch from its rider and cause harm is extremely small.

Not to come off as too grim or anything.

[atkinson]

Strat,

Quit with all the making-sense-talk and stick to rumors, innuendo and random misinformation. It's April Fool's Day!

John

[Lostone]

One of the snowboards that got loose and shot down the hill was someone riding it as a sled.

I know snowboards don't have releasable bindings, but I saw the one come down Stein's. I heard it hit the tree. This is not rumor.

If it had hit someone, it would have been quite the serious injury.

[canonizer]

IMNATHO, neither of these are dangerous, should they slide out from the owner. Both will fall down and quickly stop, as they dig into the snow.

On the other hand, I have witnessed and heard of snowboards that got away from their riders and shot down the trail. The one I saw was someone letting theirs go from half way up Stein's. It went into the woods at Downspout and Gondolier. It hit a tree and was loud enough that everyone in the area turned to see what made that noise.

When snowboards first came out, they had leashes to one foot. I think they should be required for all snowboards and skis without brakes. That used to be so.

Yes, it is a little bother to put them on, but should the snowboard get away, it could kill.

Lo, I don't really understand your rational for proclaiming these 'not dangerous'. I wasn't referring to the 'bikes' which at least have grips. The 'jack jumpers' could go a fair distance if they're not tethered. Is it likely that a snowboard or one of these is going to hurt a bystander? possibly not. But why would you assume the risk on something that's probably against the code of conduct.

All properly used snowboards are safe for other people on the hill. There's no proper use for any type of sledding implement (including an improperly used snowboard) on a ski slope (except for the ones carried by patrol).

edit: my point is, if they are against stated policy, they shouldn't be allowed up the hill.

[jkvt]

Lo, I don't really understand your rational for proclaiming these 'not dangerous'. I wasn't referring to the 'bikes' which at least have grips. The 'jack jumpers' could go a fair distance if they're not tethered. Is it likely that a snowboard or one of these is going to hurt a bystander? possibly not. But why would you assume the risk on something that's probably against the code of conduct.

Most of the time when people fall off of them they just tip over and skid quickly to a stop. even faster than a snowboard that gets away.
Sugarbush used to have a Jackjumper race, not sure if they still do?
jkvt

[madhavok]

Lo, I don't really understand your rational for proclaiming these 'not dangerous'. I wasn't referring to the 'bikes' which at least have grips. The 'jack jumpers' could go a fair distance if they're not tethered. Is it likely that a snowboard or one of these is going to hurt a bystander? possibly not. But why would you assume the risk on something that's probably against the code of conduct.

Most of the time when people fall off of them they just tip over and skid quickly to a stop. even faster than a snowboard that gets away.
jkvt

I don't know about that, I've seen those things go flying.

[Lostone]

My belief is that the act of falling over will tip them over, thus allowing the seat to act like a break.

I could be wrong. It has happened before.

[aejkb]

I agree a Jack Jumper will just fall over and stop. On the other hand, I saw a telemark ski just miss several people on Downspout a month ago.

[Strat]

One of the snowboards that got loose and shot down the hill was someone riding it as a sled.

I know snowboards don't have releasable bindings, but I saw the one come down Stein's. I heard it hit the tree. This is not rumor.

If it had hit someone, it would have been quite the serious injury.

Oh I don't doubt it... I know you're in the know Lostone

I just get fired up about this issue because it is often brought up by the Taos types who hate snowboards and firmly believe that snowboarders are out of control menaces whose boards are an ever-present danger on the slopes and who go out of their way to push the snow off of the trails. Luckily we don't see a ton of that kind of ignorance at the Bush - I can't speak to MRG, haha...