What Surprised You The Most?

[highpeaksdrifter]

Seriously NPN, ski patrollers are already full enough about themselves as it is. They signed up for the job, and they have it pretty good, so I dont give a crap about what they have to do. Slides were skiable this year, patrol pussed out.

They're the hardest workers on the mountain and they do it for low pay (full timers). You can't run a ski area without them. You are either very young, know very little about mountain operations or both. Your pussed out take is way off base.

[AdironRider]

I understand the work they put in, and believe you me, Id be grateful as hell if they showed up with a sled when I really needed it. But your telling me those full timers would give up the job? Nah, Im not buying that. There are plenty of people ready and willing to take their spot, myself included. If the job was really as bad as your making it sound they would either be paid more or have less people looking for work in the area. Given that those facets dont exist, I have little sympathy for the "hardships" of a ski patroller.

[tjf67]

I like a lot of the patrolers. They do have hard job however it is a job and with the good comes the bad.

[highpeaksdrifter]

But your telling me those full timers would give up the job? Nah, Im not buying that. There are plenty of people ready and willing to take their spot, myself included. If the job was really as bad as your making it sound they would either be paid more or have less people looking for work in the area. Given that those facets dont exist, I have little sympathy for the "hardships" of a ski patroller.

I know of full time patrollers who have given up the job because they couldn't afford to live on what they make. It's not just at WF, it's the case everywhere.

If you want the job get your EMT cert. and apply.

A patroller once told me this joke.

Q. What's the difference between a pinic table and a ski patrol job?
A. The pinic table can support a family of 4.

I have nothing but respect for the life style choice they've made. It sure isn't about the money, it's because they love what they do.

[AdironRider]

I fully plan on getting my EMT cert to try and score a gig out west, not sure how well that will work out, but its worth a shot.

I can understand how you couldnt support a family on a patrollers wages, but they know what theyre getting into ahead of time. They love the job, and sacrifice money willingly to get the gig that they have. Lets be honest here, if you could do it, can you think of many other professions that allow you to do what we all love most to do? Maybe if your a pro freeskier or something, but in the real world, it doesnt get any better. That being the case, I dont get why some people get way offended and feel the need to defend the statement that patrollers have it so bad. They made the choice in their profession, there shouldnt be this notion that its so tough and hard in some sort of way to legitimize what they do.

[NPN]

The Slides surprised me the most. With the precautions they put in place last year I thought for sure they would be open.
Dissapointing very very dissapointing.
THey listen to the patrolers about the conditions in there a little to much. These are the same people that are all pissed off about being open till 4:30 cause they have to work. They dont want to go in there so they poo poo on my parade.


Other than that great short year.

Posts like this!

Who do you think you are dissing the ski patrol?

I'm lucky enough to get to know what these people do personally.

So, until you have to drag some nasty excuse for a body out of some tree well, or worse, shut your cyber mouth about something as insignificant as whether, or not you get to get into the Slides.

If you had half a brain, you would understand why they never opened after the ridiculous start to this season.

NPN, it seems to me that a wordsmith such as yourself could have crafted your post so that you could get your point across without being insulting. How about shooting for that in the future?

Posts like these only cause hard feelings, flame wars, and locked threads.

Have fun in Utah.

Agreed.

Sadly, I made the mistake of reading the forums after finding out that I won't be heading to Utah after all, and some of that upset unfortunately ended up in the post. So, as it's too late to delete, I'll ask all to do a mental edit, and respond only to the core comments.

[highpeaksdrifter]

But your telling me those full timers would give up the job? Nah, Im not buying that. There are plenty of people ready and willing to take their spot, myself included. If the job was really as bad as your making it sound they would either be paid more or have less people looking for work in the area. .

I dont get why some people get way offended and feel the need to defend the statement that patrollers have it so bad. They made the choice in their profession, there shouldnt be this notion that its so tough and hard in some sort of way to legitimize what they do.

If you want to rant about something I didn't write go ahead, but I never said they have it hard.

You aren't buying that full timers would give up their job. I wrote I know of some that did and why, which was they needed to make more money. Lot's of people do that in all sorts of professions.

You keep saying hardships. I've said that they are hard working and a vidal part of a ski areas ability to operate. I think the job they do should get more respect then "pussing out".

I don't know why the Slides weren't open this season and neither do you, but I'm guessing it was for saftey reasons not what you suggested.

[jackstraw]

i though ghosty's post stated their (patrol) position perfectly. don't hate the patrol, they're just doing their job and sometimes they have to make unpopular decisions. it's also not fair to generalize when speaking about a group of people. some patrolers have power issues but most that i have met and know are good guys just doing their job.

adronrider - western patrol is hard work, especially as a rookie! a lot of shoveling the pads (on lift poles) out on powder days (over and over...it snows a lot!) while everyone else is rippin' by you getting faceshots. i personally wouldn't want that job, not enough time to free ski. dropping bombs would be cool though.

[Jack the Ripper]

What surprised you the most at Whiteface this season?

For me it was Blazer’s Bluff being skiable. I just never thought there would be enough snow to cover all those rocks. I’m glad I was wrong cause it’s a fun little trail.

that FHW never once beat Phin and I to the mountain despite the amount of times he was taunted.

Wrong. The weekend I stayed at bigg willy's he got up to drive with me to the hill on Sunday morning. We skied Mountain Run in the best condition it's ever been in IMO. U two didn't show until like NOON that day.

[Jack the Ripper]

Seriously NPN, ski patrollers are already full enough about themselves as it is. They signed up for the job, and they have it pretty good, so I dont give a crap about what they have to do. Slides were skiable this year, patrol pussed out.

They should have maybe been opened that nipple weekend and maybe a few days around there but other than that ski patrol made a good call. Walk a mile in their shoes before running your mouth.