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GayWolf420
June, 2025

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Death and Skiing

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codizzle
Posts: 920 - Karma: 2,272
Man, every time I visit newshoolers, freeskier.com or powdermag.com I am scared to see another story about a pro skier's death.

Shane, C.R., Jamie Pierre, Doug Coombs: icons/legends.

Arne Backstrom, Kip Garre, Ryan Hawks, Billy Poole: pros.

Do our professional athletes push it too hard?

Is it worth it?
14 years ago
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.squirrely.
Posts: 7563 - Karma: 7,546
theyre not pushing it too far, they're just doing what they love to do and a possible affect of that is serious injuries or even death that means they really love to ski. I mean you can die from doing anything basically but are you cautious doing everyday tasks and stuff like that? not usually and most tragic accidents you hear about in pro skiers arent usually them trying to hit a giant cliff or something like that most of them have been just their average day of skiing, which us would be an extreme day of skiing but for them its normal.
14 years ago
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Finstad
Posts: 59 - Karma: 65
its not the time for this tread now. way too early. Rest in peace.. Fantastic skier, father and personality. A big inspiration for big mountain skiers all over the world.
14 years ago
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UncleGerry
Posts: 1291 - Karma: 1,378
To be honest with you, I think in a case like McConkeys, then yea, he was definitely pushing it too far. I mean, its one thing to BASE jump, its another thing to ski BASE, and its a whole different thing to ski BASE to ripping your skis off to wingsuiting away. Thats a little much.
14 years ago
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UncleGerry
Posts: 1291 - Karma: 1,378
Kreitler actually wrote a really interesting article that I think was eluding to this topic a little while ago. Maybe on the Powder site? Either way, it's a topic that needs to be discussed.
14 years ago
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WikiWiki
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 426
Click for larger image
14 years ago
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B.Lyfe
Posts: 624 - Karma: 116
+K !!!!
14 years ago
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airic
Posts: 720 - Karma: 16

Firstly, RIP Jaime Pierre.

I think ski movies need to focus on “pushing the envelope” by presenting ski action that has new levels of style, technicality, creativity and innovation, rather than new levels of risk. By having this focus, the companies would cultivate a setting where athletes are not as pressured to put themselves in dangerous situations. I realize that these film companies provide the means for many athletes to pursue their passions on a level that they otherwise would not be able to do (e.g. insane trips to Alaska), but I have heard from at least one major professional that there are situations in which they are hesitant about  doing something risky, but, with the camera crew and heli all in place, they feel somewhat obligated to do it. This same athlete said he felt like “a piece of meat” when he hucked himself in those situations.

Also, I think the ski industry needs to consciously establish positions for the major athletes on their teams to enter once health reasons prevent them being able to continue pushing themselves on the slopes. By doing this, athletes who have suffered, say, a serious brain injury, would be more likely to listen to the advice of their doctors without feeling like they have to totally give up that part of their identity and involvement in the ski community.



14 years ago
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codizzle
Posts: 920 - Karma: 2,272
some interesting thoughts here.
14 years ago
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dispatchQ_main
Posts: 2619 - Karma: 629
The high cost of life is death.

They know the risk when they do it. As does everyone else. Skiing is a dangerous sport. The deaths i hate are the ones that could be easily prevented by wearing a helmet and stuff like that.
14 years ago
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codizzle
Posts: 920 - Karma: 2,272
can you find and post the kreitler piece? he probably has a good perspective.
14 years ago
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ASkierNamedJaymz
Posts: 1209 - Karma: 341
Those are some good thoughts, makes a lot of sense.
14 years ago
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UncleGerry
Posts: 1291 - Karma: 1,378
http://www.powdermag.com/stories/what-really-is-the-importance-of-being-so-radical/
14 years ago
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MikeWeinerONE
Posts: 501 - Karma: 1,215
Kreitler is the man. It was pretty rad to sit down with him and hear his thoughts on the sport. And the dude still slays as hard as anyone. Skiing in and of itself has a lot of inherent risks, the key is to use knowledge to minimize them. RIP Jamie Pierre, a true inspiration.
14 years ago
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jibpig
Posts: 124 - Karma: 22
We all risk our lives, these guys just made it look good. SKI IN PEACE!
14 years ago
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freestyler540
Posts: 13238 - Karma: 20,486
I would rather die today doing something I love than dying a useless old man
14 years ago
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chiefbroseph
Posts: 720 - Karma: 527
"the joy i get from skiing, thats worth dieing for" -crj
14 years ago
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jpgrayjr
Posts: 9 - Karma: 19
The guys we are talking about here lived for skiing - You gotta imagine they knew that they would die for skiing as well. Its what they were put on this earth to do...
14 years ago
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PartyHon
Posts: 2019 - Karma: 425
good point. id like to live as long i can doing something that i love doing. and there is no way i am rotting in some retirement home
14 years ago
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Inline.
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 432
i wouldn't. I'd rather have a fulfilling life
14 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
didn't read any of the thread other than the OP and to this question: You ask this as if we have a choice in the matter. No one is forcing them to do anything, they choose their fate, as we choose ours.

Maybe we should get the government involved and start implementing laws against how much you are allowed to progress, and put a global cap on what we decide what is humanly possible and socially acceptable.

WON'T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN!
14 years ago
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3mania
Posts: 2653 - Karma: 10,894
Sure everyone's gonna die one day, and you never really know when and how that's gonna happen. But taking crazy risks after you have kids and are responsible for feeding and raising those kids, i'm thinking that's not so cool. When other people rely on you, maybe cliff hucking, base jumping and a lot of other high risk sports should be left to the youngsters. That's just my thoughts on the subject. Everyone has to make their own call on that.
14 years ago
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sam_fisher
Posts: 91 - Karma: 37
they are all just doing what they love and they all know the risks that are at stake. tanner hall said "if your were to die on the mountain in a way it would be a blessing" and c.r said "The joy i get from skiing, thats worth dying for" those quotes pretty much sums it up
14 years ago
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MichaelAlsid
Posts: 205 - Karma: 110
in some cases athletes would slow down on the progression but some just love the sport and love learning new things and will continue trying insane things, camera or not
14 years ago
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afterbang_me
Posts: 385 - Karma: 152
Not a bad idea.
14 years ago
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joshua
Posts: 5046 - Karma: 1,280
I agree.
14 years ago
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shocker611
Posts: 2599 - Karma: 423
this thread seems to be in response to pierre dying, and in that case he really wasn't pushing the limits at all. Just chose not to heed the signs that there was danger. In a lot of cases I feel like a lot of the ski deaths aren't really due to the skiers pushing themselves beyond their limits, and instead a lot of times are just freak accidents while doing something that they, and everyone else, have done plenty of times before.
14 years ago
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caliskigirl
Posts: 393 - Karma: 67
This sums up everything. I freakin love this quote
Yes, skiing has progressed at exponential rates in recent years, and pros are being pushed to more dangerous limits. I mean I see little kids throw tricks in the park that were considered advanced 10 years ago. It wasn't like skiing was ever not dangerous-take the recent death of Jamie Pierre by avalanche. He was a major influence in cliff jumping and big mountain skiing, but death by avy can happen pretty much anywhere to any skier in the right conditions. But I think the passion that they feel towards skiing, and the fun/joy derived from it makes the risks worth it. In a way it's almost enviable-not that I wish for anyone to have an untimely death but I feel that dying doing something you absolutely love is better then dying old and frail after years of being incapable to do the things you love.
14 years ago
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R.Fahey
Posts: 8602 - Karma: 539
Dying old and frail because you skied you heart out for 70 years is different than dying old and frail and not doing shit your whole life.
We all love skiing, and we all assume the risks just by doing it, but dying skiing is still dying. People will still be upset, and depending on what happens after we die, we may not be able to ski anymore.

I'd like to think that heaven exists and it's whatever you want it to be, but for me skiing on earth is pretty nice too.

14 years ago
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GayWolf420
Posts: 38253 - Karma: 131,524
When you really think about it, You can die doing just about anything. Yes I do believe that todays skiers are pushing it to much. But thats what its all about. That feeling you get when you know you did something abso-fucking-lutely huge amazing, Is something that makes skiing awesome. It really doesn't matter what they were doing on skis when they died, They died skiing, They died doing something they loved.
14 years ago
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Mister.F
Posts: 1206 - Karma: 169
This is sort of touchy right now but I think it's okay. I really believe death is part of life, I know thats cliche or whatever. The way I see it is that all of these skiers and more passed doing what they loved. Some went too early and that's certainly a tragedy. As for most of them I don;t think they were pushing it too far, many were just mistakes or natural causes i.e. avalanches. RIP and SIP to all that have passed doing what they were put here to do.
14 years ago
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codizzle
Posts: 920 - Karma: 2,272
in my opinion, this is the most reasonable perscpective:

"[Shane’s death] was kind of surreal. It just brought up a lot of questions around what Shane was doing. What I had done. And what really is the importance of being so radical? Is it really benefitting people?

Every time someone passes away like this I just hope it brings up questions for people so they regulate how crazy they get.

Life goes on after skiing, and if your identity is completely wrapped up in your last stunt or what kind of notoriety you’re getting, take a step back and look at what other opportunities you have and the amazing life you have and how amazing the world is and how many other opportunities there are outside of taking risks and being a stuntman."

                                                         - Kent Kreitler via interview with Powder

14 years ago
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codizzle
Posts: 920 - Karma: 2,272
i have a lot of respect for this post.
14 years ago
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codizzle
Posts: 920 - Karma: 2,272
at the end of the day, my heart goes out to the family and friends of those who died skiing.
14 years ago
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