Ruminations on skiing w/a group -- esp. men

[James]

1)When skiing in a group, after a stop on the trail everyone should start at the same time. That way people will ski very close to each other increasing the chances they collide.

In my experience this happens more often than not. Even on a trail 50 yards wide at Snowmass 3 out of 8 in our group managed to collide. Part of that may be from 1), but also from:

2) When skiing downhill people are like magnets rolled down hill. They attract and clump up.
For some reason people are drawn to ski near each other. A bit like cars on the highway. Why do people tailgate on a totally open road?

 

[fatbob]

. We have a few rules, no one passes and we give each other room. We always wait at the bottom or the lift. It works well, we Dont end up side by side on a crowded bump run or need to worry about squeezing by. If you want to go super fast go first, or last.

no one much cares what the other guy is doing, there is no competition and egos seldom surface, because no one cares how fast or awesome you are, we are just making turns, having fun and enjoying the mountain.

These are all sound principles to live by in a group.

I really can't fathom the need to be skiing within a few feet of each other that some groups seem to exhibit. I get it in families it is a way of ensuring the fledglings aren't as vulnerable but many people seem to extend it to teens and older. The clincher is the 3 family megagroup - 15 or so people all setting off at the same time and stopping in the same place

 

[Wilhelmson]

These are all sound principles to live by in a group.

I really can't fathom the need to be skiing within a few feet of each other that some groups seem to exhibit. I get it in families it is a way of ensuring the fledglings aren't as vulnerable but many people seem to extend it to teens and older. The clincher is the 3 family megagroup - 15 or so people all setting off at the same time and stopping in the same place

Once a year I'll go along with the mega group - for one run. I don't have a problem waiting for people at the lift but it drives me crazy if we have to wait 20 minutes in the morning just for everyone to get their gear together and get to the lift for the first run. Then the inevitable straggler who dropped their glove while on the lift so had to ski or hike through rocks to get it.

On the other hand, skiing with a small group can be lots of fun. We've had great times with siblings or friends of similar ability. One of my sisters only skis a few times a year on old gear but is always game for whatever moguls or woods we go into (not super hard since my daughter is still timid).

 

[skix]

The leader ended up peeling off and telling us go to on.

That's the teaser. Now what's the rest of the story? A brawl? Pole fight? Stern lecture? Start of a great friendship?

 

[SSSdave]

...2) When skiing downhill people are like magnets rolled down hill. They attract and clump up.
For some reason people are drawn to ski near each other. A bit like cars on the highway. Why do people tailgate on a totally open road?

Indeed have long noticed this. Many skiers that have stopped apparently tend to start up again skiing down when they see others nearby do so even if they are obviously not a group. Probably a subconscious behavior like those chronically tailgating you noted. Some that have stopped also have a behavior of starting to ski again when a skier with advanced form passes. I'll ski through a section on an intermediate run where a dozen people have stopped and a bit down the slope catch a glimpse up the slope with every one of them coming down behind me.

On mogul slopes, bump skiers unless in a familiar group, tend to wait till others have skied down a ways even when they are not skiing identical fall lines.

 

[Monique]

1)When skiing in a group, after a stop on the trail everyone should start at the same time. That way people will ski very close to each other increasing the chances they collide.

When I was the slowest skier in the group, an instructor suggested that I make sure I head down first. The faster people generally passed me, but they didn't need to wait as long, and I didn't feel as much pressure to keep up. When I'm the slowest person in the group, it is hard to force myself to go first - but it actually makes sense (and if I biff, someone can help me pick up the pieces).

 

[Andy Mink]

and if I biff, someone can help me pick up the pieces

I always want to have someone behind me. I hate hiking uphill.

 

[AmyPJ]

I prefer a group, but I am almost ALWAYS the weak link in the group, which gets depressing after awhile. I'm actually bolder when I'm the STRONGER skier of a group, as I feel less pressure and I can really relate to being the "weaker" skier. Of course, I also sometimes ski with people who fly down the hill with a relatively crappy skill set, but no fear. Ah, to have no fear would be a beautiful thing! Or, to be unconsciously incompetent.

I learned a few years ago to not let someone push my limits too far.

 

[slowrider]

Buzzing or stopping uphill to close are no no's for obvious reasons, friends or not. I usually drop a subtle hint the first time. A few years ago on a ski trip a friend stopped uphill from me on ice. Well he lost control slide into me. Guess who ended up in the emergency room. It wasn't me. Were are still friends and he gives me a wide zone.

 

[Monique]

I prefer a group, but I am almost ALWAYS the weak link in the group, which gets depressing after awhile. I'm actually bolder when I'm the STRONGER skier of a group, as I feel less pressure and I can really relate to being the "weaker" skier. Of course, I also sometimes ski with people who fly down the hill with a relatively crappy skill set, but no fear. Ah, to have no fear would be a beautiful thing! Or, to be unconsciously incompetent.

I learned a few years ago to not let someone push my limits too far.

That was one nice thing about stepping down a few levels during my post-ACL comeback. All my fellow students thought I was not just fast, but an amazing skier! So good for the ego. Not how it usually goes when I ski with other people.

 

[Seldomski]

I try to be last one in the group. I find if I go first, I feel pressure to ski faster to keep people off my back. Nevermind that when I ski slower at the rear, I somehow catch up to the same people that were breathing down my back before?

Not sure what causes this phenomenon. I see this on the road to. Guy comes up behind you in the left lane. Move over for guy to pass, guy never actually passes you. Or, I come up behind someone. They don't move. I try to pass them on the right, they accelerate.

 

[Monique]

OT: This perfectly describes my current work project. Oh, the headaches.

 

[AmyPJ]

That was one nice thing about stepping down a few levels during my post-ACL comeback. All my fellow students thought I was not just fast, but an amazing skier! So good for the ego. Not how it usually goes when I ski with other people.

That would be nice for sure! Me, I get to ski with a bunch of level IIIs and DECLs, etc. I mean, it's great, but...it is NOT good for the ego!

 

[Monique]

That would be nice for sure! Me, I get to ski with a bunch of level IIIs and DECLs, etc. I mean, it's great, but...it is NOT good for the ego!

Yeah, just gotta let it go. They don't want to be teaching all the time, either - at least, not if they're smart! Had the same thing a couple of weeks ago, and I made some sort of self-disparaging comment. "Monique, you're skiing great! Now shut up and ski!"

 

[Tricia]

That's the teaser. Now what's the rest of the story? A brawl? Pole fight? Stern lecture? Start of a great friendship?

I wish I could make the story more interesting for the sake of telling a story but....
Nothing really. The leader just needed to go ski a run or two by herself to get her head game back, then she skied with groups the rest of the day. I respect that.

 

[Monique]

I wish I could make the story more interesting for the sake of telling a story but....
Nothing really. The leader just needed to go ski a run or two by herself to get her head game back, then she skied with groups the rest of the day. I respect that.

When you're rattled, trying to just "shake it off" usually makes things worse. Sounds like it was a good decision.

 

[Tricia]

I learned a few years ago to not let someone push my limits too far.

I had a bit of a reality check recently.
Because I ski with @Philpug and @Andy Mink almost exclusively, I find myself getting into a rut of where we ski and how we ski.
Last week Phil and I bumped into an instructor friend who happens to be a trainer. Marcel was getting back on snow after a knee injury and wanted to "slow it down" to get his legs under him. I found that following his slow pace and smooth movements was just what I needed to get out of my rut of chasing Phil and Andy.
Today, we skied with @Jed Peters @Rich Peters @4ster @Rainbow Jenny and @LouD-Truckee. Although 4ster was skiing a faster pace than Marcel was the week prior, I found that following him did the did the same thing for my balance.

 

[Jed Peters]

I had a bit of a reality check recently.
Because I ski with @Philpug and @Andy Mink almost exclusively, I find myself getting into a rut of where we ski and how we ski.
Last week Phil and I bumped into an instructor friend who happens to be a trainer. Marcel was getting back on snow after a knee injury and wanted to "slow it down" to get his legs under him. I found that following his slow pace and smooth movements was just what I needed to get out of my rut of chasing Phil and Andy.
Today, we skied with @Jed Peters @Rich Peters @4ster @Rainbow Jenny and @LouD-Truckee. Although 4ster was skiing a faster pace than Marcel was the week prior, I found that following him did the did the same thing for my balance.

Sorry I was holding you kids up so much .

 

[Andy Mink]

Sorry I was holding you kids up so much .

I kinda doubt that happened!

 

[Tricia]

Sorry I was holding you kids up so much .