Ski Lifts

The problem with all ski lifts is they aren't perfect. Just like cars if the weather is too cold they freeze up in some ways, especially where you get off them. So, getting off the ski lift today the seat rose up because there was some ice where it shouldn't be which sort of left me in mid air over a 45 degree angle ice slope. Because I didn't expect this I landed on the ice pretty hard and bruised my right hip. Do I blame the lift operators or lift for this. Actually no because I actually understand basic mechanics when interconnected with weather too cold. For example, when this happened it likely was between 15 and 18 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are skiing lower than about 20 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit just expect problems with snow (ice) and with ski lifts (Ice) which is going to cause you to get injured.

Luckily, nothing was injured on me on the slopes and I have a bruise on my right hip bigger than my right hand with half of it weeping and the other half purple. However, if you are going to ski on ski lifts this is just part of the fun in the end.

One poor soul broke his leg today and I saw the rescue bag and sled he had ridden down on and in and the wheelchair they put him on to get him out of the cold nearby the fireplace until the ambulance arrived from far away. Looked like a compound fracture the way they had it set up.

After I got off the lift I watched three more groups of people fall right where I did too. Really cold weather and ski lifts don't work very well together below about 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Also, the lift operators don't want the other 100 to 300 people or so riding the lifts up to turn into popsicles while every other group gets tossed into the air. So, hundreds of lives are at risk in various ways when  lift is in operation below 20 degrees Fahrenheit and the winds are at least 20 to 30 miles per hour in gusts of blowing snow.

I  was really glad I had my new ski gloves and my wool balaclava and my hood of my ski jacket today. At one point my little finger I was worried about how cold it got but then again that is par for the course on the first day of skiing for me this year.

Today was kind of borderline but still fun. There wasn't enough snow some places so hitting rocks and branches or fallen trees was pretty common if you were exactly in the right trough of snow going down. Also, I wasn't very familiar with this route so there were many surprises the first time down.

However, by the 2nd time down it was kind of fun once I had found the route I would be happy with and wouldn't kill myself on.

One of the routes led to an almost cliff with a 45 Degree slope. So, snowboarders often like this sort of thing if they are really good. However, the top 10 feet of the cliff like incline was barely covered boulders and rocks today. So, I was really glad I had chosen another route when I was below it and looked up at it. Because from above you don't see any of the half covered boulders. But, any day of skiing you can walk away from  and still laugh about is a good day of skiing!