J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by pavelski

Using the T-Puppet Lift.

What you have no idea what the T-Puppet lift is ?

Well just think of a Puppet with its strings and on the end of the string you have a T type metal or wood bar.

Then think again,,,,,that puppet it is you,,,, the skier being manipulated by the steel wire pulling up the mountain.

Beginners should not go on these until they have done at least one year of skiing since several challenges are "given" to the skier at same time.

They are;
-correct leg apart position
-correct fore and aft position in varied ( note word varied) ski conditions such as ice, glumps, minor wave like folds, major wave like roller coaster rolls, possible bridges or over-passes, quick change of directions and such .

It is always a "surprise" going up the T-Puppet since conditions and speed vary from hour to hour. One fallen skier on tracks creates a "grave like" hole which act like a great skier trap.

Many of these lifts in Europe do not have a helper so be prepared to follow the following steps.

1. Align skis with tracks and free one hand to grab T-bar ( often suspended to high for children or short women.

2. The T unit does not stop so you decide when to take off. Grab unit near t section and pull it down to your rear. DO NOT SIT ON IT !!!! ( note the DO NOT )

3.The T unit will unreel 3-4 meters wait you wait. Tense stomach muscles and back muscles for take off. DO NOT SIT ON T UNIT !!!

4. If you survive the take off and relax thinking worst is over,,,,,,,,,forget it!

* The designers of this lift type wanted skiers to get their money's worth of excitement so they designed a multi-variable speed, multi-challenge lift. Consider this a "warm up" to skiing. The tracks will vary is direction, size and steepness. The terrain will vary so DO NOT LOOK AT SKI TIPS. Look at tracks 2 meters ahead. In my experience with such lifts I have seen; skier bodies in various positions, animals such as porcupines, rabbits, yes even a moose!
That is part of the fun .

5. At top be ready to slip/ski to side or else the lift will take you to a sloping wall. You will note red paint on this wall! It is NOT paint,,,,,,,

6. Take 5 minutes to allow heart to return to normal cycle.


Bravo,, you have made it

Strange same posting in other ski chat sites?

Do you really want to contribute to chat or just do some free marketing?

We will see .

Stevem
Never say Bandit DID the speed run.

She posted the information in this chat site.

She passed along the information to all.

My error. I should have been more precise.

Pav

OldAndy,

Many years ago I was a ski patrol director at a local ski center. The one sore point we had with the owners of the ski center was what to do with "reckless", dangerous skiers.

We had established among patrollers a two mark system. That is every time a patroller saw reckless, dangerous skiing a verbal warning was given and a mark was made on lift ticket. A report via radio was made to central office.

If a skier was given a second "warning" by another patroller, another mark was made on ticket and also noted in central office.

Third offense, ticket was taken away.

The system lasted one month. The ski resort was more concerned about making money than in incidental accidents and injuries.

In my opinion the ski industry is also interested in making money above caring for skier safety,,,very much like the car industry was in the 60's. To general public skiing accidents are few and minor. Not so. just visit local emergency wards.

Yes skiing deaths get the headlines but there are many more near misses, broken arms, noses, wrists due to skier errors. In my opinion is is not due to just "skier behavior" but to a systemic failure to educate new and old skiers to basic rules of behavior.
Posting the ten rules of skiing is not enough.

I constantly see ski instructors not respecting some basic safety rules, not because they are reckless but because they have not been trained with constant safety in mind. This issue starts at the very top.

I still see boarding classes all sitting down ACROSS slope listening to instructor as he/she explains technique.

I still see a tiny 6 year old skiers trying to go down an expert slope that a father thinks the son can do. The boys terrified body language says the opposite. Worst is,,,,there are three patrollers watching this doing nothing. Seems to me the father needs a talking. The child needs support. The patrollers need direction on what to do in such cases.

Not the father's fault only. The ski resort, the industry is failing to protect that child and in not being proactive the industry will be forced to make changes soon. Too much speed ( and I love to ski fast ), too crowded, too much "free skiing", that is,,,,,, do all you want in the name of freedom.

Just my opinion. You may differ.

Bandit,

Yes person has to "opt out".

Do you know that there are methods to change this,,'opting out" or rendering cell GPS, Ipad and any WIFI electronic device traceable. Passive units can be made "active" without person knowing.

A famous case involves a GPS unit in a rented car. Person thought the unit was "disabled" but rental company activated it via wireless communications.

My computer can be activated by my security technicians anywhere in the world.

My cell phone even when OFF can be traced any where in the world if you know how to do this and have systems.

Be aware.

Far Queue,

You are so right. In a few years there will be "variable" ski lift tickets in various colors and with chip embedded wrist bands.

Major ski resorts are now testing such systems.

Want to go in "extreme snow park" where triple backs can be done? You will have to have a competency rating of 5, helmet, back protector, wrist protection AND parents signed waiver. A computerized gate will allow you in.

Yes there will be a "protected area" for rank beginners or children. No stunts there. Pure skiing !

Like in some areas that have a gate for "extreme" skiing with trees, couloirs, steep, steep dips,,you will have soon lifts that will take you to zones for the big boys. To get in lift you will have to "prove" you can do it.

It is coming since the issue is not just skiers oriented, the skiing system which must address issue of increasing deaths and injuries. Too many deaths due to avalanches in my area. Too many injuries even with helmets.

The skiing industry must recognize its responsibilities or else politicians will do so.

Strange to mandate "pure skiing" areas or zones.

It is coming.

There is another issue most skiers do not know and should consider when using all social network apps or methods.

People are so quick to get into a social "group" that they do not consider their lose of identity and personal information.

Allow me to illustrate.

Last ski season met a man who was so proud to tell me about his great gadget which tells him all about his; ski runs visited, skiing speed, lifts taken, turns made, heart beat, vibrations of skis at tip and tail, setting of his bindings, snow depth, food he had, etc,,, ( of course exaggerated) .

To use all this data he had to register on resort site with app thus giving resort all sorts of info about himself such as; age, skis used, home address, email, friends at resort etc,,,

Guess who will now use this information ?
Guess who will sell this information to others?

Guess who will use this information to make "administrative" decisions about next years skiing?

It is your choice,,just be aware of the consequences of this choice.


Those sensors placed in various locations in a ski resort in order to locate skiers with various cell phones, GPS units and tracking apps, why are they placed ?

Better service to skiers or more information to ski resort about skier behavior.

There is a price to pay for the need to belong .

Just my point of view.

Imaging this.

In beginner slope with a 5 year old. He decides to go to edge of ski run and as he turns back into center of beginner slope he falls.

At same time a 12 year old , coming down that very edge decides to take off on a log just above where the 5 year old fell.

The boarder ( it could have been a skier ) hits the 5 year old right in the chest. Both now cry. One from pain the other from emotional shock.

I feel guilty because it was my fault! I should have been above the 5 year old and protecting him from other skiers/boarders ( I tend to take lots of space physically and psychologically when I ski with grandson.

The 12 year old was not going fast and was not reckless. He was just trying, "tricks" on an open free slope. Lack of experience and foresight were his limitations.

Problem is I am seeing more and more of such "actions" by skiers of all ages and boarders of all ages.

Skiing has become for many, not mastery of going down with fluidity and elegance but how many "tricks" , moves you can do with the most persons watching.

The dangerous slopes are all the slopes levels under chairlifts since that is were the audience is. The safe runs,,,,,well those narrow very steep ones far far away from audience.

See you there"