Jumps in firm conditions

[Wasatchman]

Well, just managed to hurt myself on a jump gone wrong in some firm conditions.

Caught about 6 feet of air and landed slightly forward with tips hitting first. i don't know what happened but my right ski popped off at landing and before I had time to react, fell forward where I fell landing on my hand (fist still clinching ski poles) between rib and snow, following with my head then hitting hard (good thing I was wearing a helmet).

Ribs diagnosed as bruised but not broken with inflamed cartilage causing pain. Hurts quite a bit but expected recovery time is 10 days versus 4-6 weeks if rib was broken.

First of all, good lesson I am getting too old to catch that much air on jumps - was actually going for about 3 feet versus 6 feet but misjudged how conditions went quickly from soft to hard and misjudged speed at which I hit the jump. I feel so stupid.

But thought I'd ask, do you guys avoid jumps altogether in firm conditions, dial it back, or just go for it regardless.

Secondly, how many simply won't hit jumps thinking it's not worth the risk. My accident was an eye opener how fast it can go wrong before you can react. How many hit jumps but keep it really small (no more than 3 feet?).

Thirdly, how many hit jumps as useful training for hitting small cliff features. That was my thinking, hit more jumps this year to train for small cliff features 5 feet with hope to progress to up to 8 feet or so (never attempting unless snow is deep).

I'm rethinking the whole thing now. As even in good condition, things can go horribly wrong. Add in the risk of hidden rocks that could cause problems on even the smallest drops, and maybe this is something not worth it. Any used to do this stuff and have stopped due to age/injury?

Thanks.

 

[KingGrump]

And you are how old?

 

[Coach13]

I’m really really good at jumps! Landings? That’s another issue...My only strong point there is that I always do.

 

[Bill Miles]

I am getting old enough that I mostly keep my skis on the snow.

 

[CalG]

I like to keep the ski on the snow. Sometimes I will do a "credit card jump", just high enough to slide a credit card under.

Drop-aways are a bit different. They can be fun!

I heal slowly any more. The doctor says it has to do with my birthday, I've had too many.....;-)

 

[Wasatchman]

And you are how old?

In my 40s. I'm no spring chicken. I love @Bob Barnes tag line. Old and slow. I copy his phrase a lot on the mountain! Wish I would have come up with that but over the hill also works for me

 

[Ken_R]

In my 40s. I'm no spring chicken. I love @Bob Barnes tag line. Old and slow. I copy his phrase a lot on the mountain! Wish I would have come up with that but over the hill also works for me

Im 45. I dont jump at all when its firm. Just a bad idea. If there is a foot of fresh, I might.

 

[raisingarizona]

8 feet or 80 feet the key is transitions.

8 feet though is literally just a good turn for an expert level skier

 

[Eleeski]

Getting air is one of the the most fun parts of skiing. Just find jumps that let you float and feather your landings. Flat landings, even if you don't fall, can end your day or trip if you are as fragile as me. Going impressively huge doesn't matter, but that weightlessness time is addictive. Even (especially) off little bumps.

Don't give up on air, just get smart about it.

Eric

 

[LuliTheYounger]

I'm closer to my quarter life crisis than my midlife one, but I've had a couple of nasty landings in bad conditions & have definitely gotten more cautious about jumping when it's firm. Right now, if I go in the park, I try to reserve some time to take 3+ laps, just so I can really amble around on the first couple & get an idea of how fast it's running that day before I go charging through it. I'll still hit the same size jumps, but I don't like to get massively surprised in mid air if I can help it.

 

[Fishbowl]

Getting air, like may other things in skiing, is a matter of risk versus reward. I think you have answered your own question just by feeling the need to ask it. At 56 I am happy to keep my skis on the snow and live to ski another day.

 

[dbostedo]

I stick with small jumps only... Landing zone definitely matters though... a little softer and steeper and I might do it a bit more or a bit bigger jump.

 

[François Pugh]

I have 40 years, soon to be 41 years experience at being 18. I always start off the season with no air, unless by accident, and then work up to 6' high very gradually. I start with small rollers, then small jumps, then medium, and maybe the large ones by the end of the season. Our medium, is probably your small, and our large your medium.

 

[Josh Matta]

so yeah its really conditions dependant, but less so in park.

Transition to transition always. and 5 foot to 8 foot is basically no difference at all. If you hitting tranition and have good a run out its really doesnt get big to 15-20 feet, but if you have bad snow, a bad landing, and no runout even a couple feet can be very hard.

 

[coskigirl]

When I raced as a kid we also did some competitive jumping. I still remember a very nasty crash that probably should have sent me to the hospital to get checked out and at least had patrol called but in those days it was just "shake it off and go back around". I'm not much of one to get any air nowadays except for a small amount over rollers and some off of small cornices.

 

[Crank]

I'm about to turn 62. If I get any air it is small air.