Research on grooming methods and skiing safety

[eok]

Article here:

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-06-path-skier-safety.html

If I understand the article correctly, a conclusion of the research was that specific changes in grooming technique can enhance terrain visibility and thus improve safety - with the biggest win from grooming a corduroy pattern with somewhat wider ridges & valleys.

OK. But on the groomed runs I've skied, the 'cord is pretty much eradicated by 11am or sooner.

 

[geepers]

Big White - can't think of a better place to conduct restricted visibility tests!

Bit doubtful that grooming patterns will make a difference. If you can see that well it's not too bad.

In really low vis conditions the best aids are the 'eyes in the feet'.

 

[slowrider]

Visually impaired by conditions.

 

[Paul Lutes]

Hypotheses ........ I've got a million of 'em. Get back to me when a consensus developes based on multiple independent replications.

I'm always looking for ways to improve my declining vision, but macro-grooves aka ruts seems to be a step in the wring direction, trading decreased stability for possible vision improvement.

 

[James]

I'll have some peanut butter with that fluff.
Like exactly how much bigger grooves?
What they seem to be talking about is patterns in clear visibility but shade.
This goes along with earth shattering statements that grooming is safer than not.

 

[KingGrump]

Seeing is so over rated.
Spend a season at W/B and your braille skiing will improve dramatically. Or you will die.

This goes along with earth shattering statements that grooming is safer than not.

I find the un-groomed much safer. No scuds (unguided meat missiles).

 

[James]

Seeing is so over rated.
Spend a season at W/B and your braille skiing will improve dramatically. Or you will die.



I find the un-groomed much safer. No scuds (unguided meat missiles).

Imagine how much safer your off piste skiing would be if they groomed it!

I think the data is grooming a groomer, or not grooming a groomer. Doesn't take a genius to figure out holes and bumps might cause people problems.
I find the most annoying and possibly dangerous conditions are all those packed random bumps on high traffic groomers back to the lodge at the end of a powder day.

Still, I don't think the overall injury rate has changed much since the early 70's. Sounds like confirmation bias and a study sponsored by grooming machine companies to soften the blow of $500k machines.

 

[Wilhelmson]

"Man that cord was so tight I couldn't see a thing." Such a common phrase to hear on a groomer day.

Like driving, if the conditions warrant caution then it should be exercised. (low light, glare, ice, snow, fog, powder, bumps, beginners, crazy intermediates, bears, whatever).

 

[sparty]

If you want to improve terrain visibility, install dye tanks on the groomers and stripe the snow (as we do on race courses). I'm not sure how things would look after a week, but you'd solve the lack-of-contrast issue when skiing in a golf ball.

 

[Paul Lutes]

If you want to improve terrain visibility, install dye tanks on the groomers and stripe the snow (as we do on race courses). I'm not sure how things would look after a week, but you'd solve the lack-of-contrast issue when skiing in a golf ball.

Was thinking the same thing: color coded for each day of the week? Rainbow coalition?
Recommend changing golf ball to ping pong ball though, cuz the the inside of an opaque golf ball is ..... black.

 

[Steve]

I've always wanted to rig up something that put dye in my tracks, so when I went back up again I could see which were my tracks.

 

[KingGrump]

I've always wanted to rig up something that put dye in my tracks, so when I went back up again I could see which were my tracks.

Easy peasy. Punch a hole on the bottom of an urostomy pouch filled with dyed water.