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Some days are easier than others

CalG

Out on the slopes
Pass Pulled
Joined
Feb 5, 2017
Posts
1,962
Location
Vt
Today was COLD. -8 at the summit, with a blustery wind that kept some of the lifts from operation.
After repeated runs up to the summit with the doo through snow making fog and swirling blindness, transporting personnel and then toboggans, the fingers felt frozen, toes too. (And I am just recovering from a rather uncomfortable bout with frost nip toes.)
Those "tear 'em open chemical warmers sure are nice, and the battery boot heaters are a treat!

With a fresh snow fall, snow making, and the wind, there was lots of snow shoveling needed to start the day. By 8:30 I was a ball of sweat and thirsty to boot.

Mountain opens at 9:00

The morning was checking trails, setting boo, and adding signs where hidden hazards lurked. (We did just have a massive thaw)

Then the crap hit.
A call that didn't sound so good. I was second after the bullet. O2, collars and trauma pack on the rack behind me on the doo.
TBI,
Restraint to resuscitation and back again. A tough one.

As we pulled in to BFA, I caught glimpse of a youngster just kicking off his skis near the approach to the unloading area.
After the injured party went out , first by ambulance, and then by helio, There was some clean up outside to do.

The kid was still there!

It was only a few paces over to where he lay on the snow, so I walked over and set myself down to his eye level. Tears were in his eyes.
"What's UP?" .... ,
.... "I'm lost..........I skied ahead of my Dad and sister".
"Want to go inside and see if we can get you back together with your father?".
... "OK"

Seven year old. 'knew his mom's phone number but not his dad's.
The kid helped with the dialing on my cell phone.
"Yep! I'll get his father over there right away" his mother's voice came over the speaker phone.

Conner's eyes lit up, the tears dried, and a smile hardly held back the torrent of words that came out of his relief.
We talked about magnets and compasses and how one needed to know where they were in order to find the way forward..

I needed that. I had to get back up top, so our BFA attendants were introduced and given Conner's status as I went back to work.

The pace of activity continued all afternoon, responses to calls (codes) , transportation , and mountain maintenance. Time passed quickly, The daylight hours are getting longer.

I can't seem to shake the fellow that went out in the helio, ...................7 year old Conner helped a LOT!
It's late, I just spent an hour spot staining my parka in preparation for it's bi-seasonal washing.
Red shows the dirt, not the blood.

The weekends are off for my schedule. Snow expected Saturday evening and through the night. I might skin up Sunday... just to check out what's going on at the summit.
 

VickieH

Contrarian
Skier
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Posts
1,928
Location
Denver area
Tough day, for sure. You made this day better for the person who was evacuated and their family and for Conner and his family, not to mention all the skiers and snowboarders who benefitted from the prep work you did on the mountain.

Thank you for being there. If not for people like you, people like me couldn't be out there at all.

:beercheer: and :hug:
 

bbinder

Making fresh tracks
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
2,224
Location
Massachusetts
Thanks for sharing your experience @CalG. It is good to be reminded of the physical effort and emotional turmoil of those who work to keep us safe. I know a lot of professionals who are under appreciated, and this type of post helps me remember to thank them.
 

kayco53

Getting on the lift
Skier
Joined
Jul 12, 2017
Posts
174
Location
BC Canada
Patrolling has its tough side alright. You always second guess what you did in the middle of the night. Asking yourself if there was any thing else you could have done. Just had one of those and then we got a thank you note from our patient and it was all worth while. It sure does feel good to help people. Think thats way we keep coming back.
 

Carolinacub

Yes thats a Cubs hat I'm wearing
Skier
Joined
May 2, 2017
Posts
794
Location
Asheville NC
As you say " Some days are easier than others". MLK weekend is usually a s*** show. This year hardly any of the mountain open and a steady drizzle all day and night. the cold blast that we are in right now came 24 hours later than needed. Spent most of Saturday huddled under a poncho at our mid station waiting for a sled pull. We still had a ton of Floridiots on the slope doing absolutely stupid things and believe it or not we had 0 yes 0 incidences, not even a walk-in at the patrol room. Sunday the guns fired up at 6:30 AM and it was still somewhat miserable. Had a lady walk up to me in her Faux fur Jacket put her hands on her hips and yell at me about the snowmaking because it was making her little boy uncomfortable. When she demanded to know when we were shutting off the guns I told her Thursday:ogbiggrin:. People don't realize that here in the SE we're snow farmers and we have to make while we can.
 

LiquidFeet

instructor
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,697
Location
New England
I've skied around with a ski patroller. The urge to save people is strong, and overpowers everything else in these folks. I am in awe.
 
Thread Starter
TS
CalG

CalG

Out on the slopes
Pass Pulled
Joined
Feb 5, 2017
Posts
1,962
Location
Vt
I've skied around with a ski patroller. The urge to save people is strong, and overpowers everything else in these folks. I am in awe.

I don't feel it's an "urge to save" so much. More like knowing. Knowing that if you can do something, but are late, it's too late to do anything, much too late.
And then you live with that...inside.... for ever. It's hard to put into words. The feeling comes back readily, too readily.
 

Rainbow Jenny

Making fresh tracks
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Dec 6, 2015
Posts
894
Location
California and Hokkaido
Thank you, @CalG for sharing your beautiful, inspiring, and keenly felt writing.

In a recent companion rescue training, a petite woman seemed to care a great deal about how I was learning and practicing throughout the day. I was in awe of her experience and knowledge base, in addition to how she was shoveling and transporting snow some 10 times faster than I. I sure wanted her to dig me out if I am ever buried.

Two days later I learned online that I was with one of the best patroller/guide around. https://www.powder.com/stories/powder-profile/lead-with-your-heart-a-profile-of-lel-tone/

And thanks to all the unsung heroes who help make winter snow sport safer for all of us.
 

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