The Death Zone: Extreme skiing deaths on the rise in California community

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@th1337

It's downright amazing how clueless the majority of people are to this sport.

I read things like this and want to smack someone...

"Having just watched your segment, I wondered why "reckless disregard" was not uttered? Were you determined to avoid judgemental terms on purpose? Foolish persons test the limits of physical laws, sometimes surviving, sometimes not. Like the partiers racing into drunkenness, foolishness prevails among today's contestants. Far from being role-models, these remind one of Pied Pipers, leading to the edges of doom? or is it disaster?"

"I just have a general question for the show and one you may be able to search about the extreme skiers episode.

Do these Corporate sponsors take out insurance policies on these Amazing Athletes payable to the corporations themsleves like they do for Mminers or CEO'S?

I'm just very curious."

"These idiots jump off cliffs, die, and we're supposed to mourn them? Why don't they just jump into the path of an oncoming tractor trailer for a thrill. Wow!, that was awesome."

Feb 22 2012 9:54PM

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Lt-Aldo-Raine

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Especially this one. Just Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! fuck you

Feb 22 2012 10:01PM

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skiminnesota

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Crazy Fool

welcome to what people from the outside perceive extreme, hate that word, skiing to be.

realistically is the risk we (and to a greater extent pros) take rational? Its really not that untenable of a view the rest of world holds for our sport.

Feb 22 2012 10:02PM

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@th1337

No, its understandable, surely... But I'm sure you're FAR AND AWAY more likely to die driving to your dumb cubicle job on a tuesday morning, than you are from hitting the terrain park and getting rad.

Feb 22 2012 10:07PM

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Squaw6

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Ridiculous

On the bright side California has far less avalanche deaths and general avy danger than places like Utah, BC, Colorado, Jackson, etc.

Feb 22 2012 10:08PM

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Dwarftosser1

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You could play a drinking game with how many times they said EXTREME...

Feb 22 2012 10:14PM

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skiminnesota

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no i get that. i think a difference lies in the fact that when driving a car you do whatever you can to mitigate risks and very seldom do you seek out more risk. wear your seat belt, slow down in the snow / ice, speed limits etc.

skiing youre starting at something somewhat dangerous then you figure out how you can basically make it more dangerous, VS making it less dangerous.(like you do with your car) for example, terrain parks, youre taking on more risk when you try that sick dub 14, you mitigate risk by wearing a helmet working your way up to that 14 etc.

but the fact remains youre still going out and seeking risk. When i go OB im taking more risk than if i skied in bounds. I do what i can to mitigate risk (tools, knowledge etc) but at the end of the day i take on more personal risk for what i perceive to be a greater return. but i dont shit myself, im taking on much more risk doing what im doing, whereas if i was truly seeking to minimize risk ide go ski a groomer.

i think thats where the distinction lies for alot of people, we as skiers are perceived as seeking out risk for the pure thrill of seeking out risk.

tl:dr i dont know if im making sense. haha

Feb 22 2012 10:20PM

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@th1337

No, every time you get in a car, you're taking a SERIOUS financial and health based risk - especially in heavy traffic or inclement weather. It's just we've all become so accustomed to it as an every-day situation that we see it as way less of a big deal than it is. Anyone who doesn't realize that, is brainwashed by an auto-sales driven capitalist society.

It's proven fact that not everyone wears their seatbelts (I'll be the first to admit, that if I'm driving down to 711 around the corner, I probably don't have it on), and I can't tell you how many times I've seen drivers spin out and end up in a sideroad ditch, or smash into other drivers, all of which causing injury/death whilst driving on ice, snow, or even in rain...

Driving in the USA is probably the equivalent to giving people a weeks worth of lessons on skis, and then sending them to Jackson Hole to go huck cliffs all day (remember your first time driving by yourself on the freeway? how nervous/excited were you.. I gueranfuckingtee it's a similar feeling to dropping a big cliff)

We aren't scandinavia where, drivers have to pass like a bazillion tests just to get their license (hence all the rallycar and F1 drivers out of Finland) Here, and I imagine in Canada as well, you pretty much go to a driving school where they tell you the basic rules, you go to the DMV or Transportation Department where you take a downright BULLSHIT test that you have to be a fucking total dingbat not to get 100% on, and then they throw you into a trial by fire, without much coaching - where 50% of every person under 20 gets at least a couple accidents.

The biggest difference is, in skiing, we aren't told we have airbags and all these 5 star safety features required for cars... so its perceived as a much more dangerous thing right from the get go, and so we prepare.

Feb 22 2012 10:36PM

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Baskilla

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In Montana there are white crosses that mark where people have died in accidents... If there were crosses on the ski hill you would most definitely pass more crosses on the way to the hill than on the hill itself... so you might as well risk it doing something that you truly love as opposed to live in a bubble your whole life cause either way, you never know when your time is.

Feb 22 2012 10:41PM

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skiminnesota

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Crazy Fool

do you go out driving in the snow or traffic simply for the joy or thrill of driving in the snow or traffic? or is your aim something else?

admittedly ive gone driving in the snow just because driving in the snow can be a blast. :)

Feb 22 2012 10:48PM

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Karma_Police

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Especially this year.......FUCK!

Feb 22 2012 10:51PM

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PJS.

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this got my blood boiling.

Feb 22 2012 10:59PM

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Aomame

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i quote +44 "we don't give a fuck what the price is, so just leave us to our own devices and we'll leave you alone".

Feb 22 2012 11:16PM

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ISellMeth

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Insane

I just can't put up with the ignorance these people have.

Feb 23 2012 12:17AM

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Pool.

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the people saying shane was selfish deserve to burn in the 9th circle of hell

Feb 23 2012 12:37AM

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selkirks

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Insane

I dealt with this over the weekend after the Stevens Pass avy. People don't have a fucking clue. It's worse than in other sports too, because backcountry skiing just isn't as mainstream as something like BASEing or climbing.

Feb 23 2012 12:41AM

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Troy.

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Guys, NS is a huge community. Lets set out to educate these people in a respectful manner.

Feb 23 2012 1:00AM

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@th1337

Oh, I do for sure...

but most people wouldn't - they are tame humans who are content with sitting in their cubicles and going home to watch CSI Miami for their daily thrillride.

Feb 23 2012 2:16AM

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Ian.D

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lol you can tell some kids from NS went on the nbc site and starting blowing up those comments. Guys, keep it respectful and calm, we don't need to develop an even worse rep

Feb 23 2012 2:20AM

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fucking

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you really shouldn't waste any effort on this. people outside the sport will never understand because they're fucking pussies. your heads would explode if you read the ignorance on major new sites that allowed public commentary. example, "they should have thought about their families before going out of bounds of the ski resort risking their lives!"

Feb 23 2012 2:35AM

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selkirks

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Insane

I dealt with this on my local newspaper's website over the weekend after the Stevens Pass avy. It's also one of those things, I've discovered, that tends to bring out the eternally-negative people. You know, those people who just can't ever seem to say something positive--and not just over the Internet, but in daily life, as well. It's especially frustrating when you have connections to the victims or near-victims--almost more so than it would be in a non-skiing situation.

The reality is that many Americans will never understand because they live cushy existences inside on their asses. It's all connected. For whatever reason, American culture now places almost no value on "pushing the limits"--something which can sometimes have consequences. Perhaps that's the reason it's losing its world superpower status to China.

Public deaths in any arena tend to have this effect. It sucks. But it's an unfortunate fact.

Feb 23 2012 3:03AM

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fucking

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Loner

you mean any sort of the general public, regardless of national association... it hoenstly sounds like you just repeated the front pages of yahoo.com.... just do what everyone has been doing since the beginning which is ignore it and do your thing.

Feb 23 2012 4:06AM

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Static

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what a sensationalist cunt, "how many friends have you lost today???!!!"

the whole fucking segment is about pros dying. Then she wraps it up with "it's potentially dangerous if you don't know what you're doing"

Feb 23 2012 5:47AM

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Insane

Funny I found this after last night. I was at a film festival that had nothing to do with skiing but one of them films happened to be about skiing. Someone who knows my wife and I mentioned to a group of 50 somethings after the film that my wife and I do all that crazy stuff. It didn't take long for a shitstorm to ensue. I did however, manage to shut it down and put a few of these rabble rousers in their place. It started with one of them getting into the high profile deaths as of late and how could I do that to my family and who do I think I am and that soon their tax dollars will pay for my injuries and how dare I and on and on. It was done in a semi polite way but I could tell my silence and smiling was starting to irritate a few of them. I then explained how neither my wife nor myself were anywhere near the level of the athletes showcased in the film. The chick who started the shitstorm then chimed in with pointing out that we do get into the back/sidecountry stuff that's equally dangerous. Again I tried to downplay it. There were a few comments about trying to impress others and testing limits blah blah blah. I calmly explained that skiing starts out in different ways for people and for different reasons. Sure there's a challenge aspect with progression but in the end, most end up with more of an exploration perspective. It's not about hiking the biggest cliff or throwing the biggest trick. It's about flowing expertly with the terrain. It's about seeing and being on that face or park that you haven't been to yet. It's the spirit that made us great. It's about the last remnants of that pioneering spirit that is fading fast in a world of crybabies. They started to peel off. The one women said something like well there should be a law for people who try that stuff. I told her that I felt sorry for her. She said don't feel sorry for me, I'll be around for my family and if you keep doing this stuff you won't. I said you may be right but they will tell some great stories about me. At least I won't be remembered as the person who lived life from the couch afraid of the world. And that was it. They gave up. I could see the envy in their eyes. So never let anyone dictate how you live your life because they don't understand it. There are watchers in this life and doers. Be a doer.

Feb 23 2012 9:09AM

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No Life

and they also don't leave a wife alone to raise their child for their own selfish desires, ie skiing off a fucking mountain with a parachute, what a hero

Feb 23 2012 9:24AM

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Insane

My dad died of a heart attack at work when I was 7. My dad did some amazing things in his day and def pushed limits but he died behind a desk at work. Whenever anyone asks how my father died that how I answer. Shane's kid is gonna answer quite differently. He's gonna say "my dad died 'skiing off a fucking mountain with a parachute'!", and he will be proud. Do you really think Shane actually didn't care about his family? He was pushing the boundaries of what our species is capable of. So yes. He was a hero.

Feb 23 2012 9:35AM

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DERS.

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^agreed. not a big fan of her reporting. but brian williams on the other hand is fucking fantastic. that dude is righteous. watched some of the other videos that came up after and damn the guy sure knows how to report a story. and he does it with tons of respect for the people that he is covering.

Feb 23 2012 9:42AM

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Insane

I meant "she" not "he" when referring to Shane's daughter. Sorry.

Feb 23 2012 9:53AM

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No Life

even I can't win an argument with someone about their dad dying but I'll just say that what your post doesn't really have any logical consistency and I disagree with just about all of it and leave it at that.

Feb 23 2012 9:55AM

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Insane

Oh dude. No hate. And no argument intended. I think I'm being fairly logical though. We can both agree that Shane was on the cutting edge of what was possible on skis. I'd argue the same for base jumping and squirrel suiting as well. My point was that the people bold enough to push these boundaries of what's possible ARE heros. Do we stop space exploration because of the numerous disasters and lives lost? When those astronauts strapped themselves in did they somehow care more about their families? Was it more honorable because of the perceived reasoning for their endevours? Maybe. The point is that, to me at least, it doesn't matter if you die in a lab explosion or trying something on skis. Everyone has their niche. If you are progressing that niche then you are a hero to someone somewhere. Please don't try to belittle Shane's enormous contributions to skiing by insinuating that somehow he did what he did without caring who he left behind. I can assure that was not the case and calculated risk was a big deal to Shane. In fact, one could argue that beings as how he died in a red bull sponsored event that he was getting paid to perform, that he actually very much had his family in mind in the way of monetary support. Which to risk your life for, is actually, quite honorable.

Feb 23 2012 10:12AM

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PJS.

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amen.

Feb 23 2012 10:12AM

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Yinzer

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hey now its obviously bubble boy were talking about here cut him some slack he doesn't know any better.

But seriously want to hear this guys opinion on Moto GP, racing in general, ski diving, cheese rolling...

Feb 23 2012 10:15AM

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No Life

Yea, idk your dad's situation or really feel comfortable talking about it but I just meant its not like he consciously took the risk of suffering a heart attack as a result of going to work in the same way Shane consiously took the risk of injury/death by doing his 'job'. I think that people put too much importance on skiing overall, they try to compare the risk to the risk involved in other activities that have a lot more beneficial product. Skiing is just a sport, its not worth it to me at all for people who have families to risk their lives for a sport, same thing goes for Peyton Manning right now.

Feb 23 2012 10:24AM

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M.Freeman

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Loner

truth be told.

Feb 23 2012 10:45AM

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JStrathern

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hahahaha

Feb 23 2012 11:05AM

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Insane

Oh dude no I gotcha. And me bringing up my dad was to prove a point. Not lookin for a pity party or make ya uncomfortable. I was trying to drive home the point that there are alot of ways to die. It's inevitable. It's just way more badass to say that someone close died doing what they love as opposed to dying in the daily grind of "everydayness" that we've all been sucked into.

Feb 23 2012 11:25AM

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Karma_Police

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I like when you post. God damn CSI Miami sucks.

Feb 23 2012 11:30AM

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JCon

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It's such an unfair bias because everytime someone gets a head injury in football or any other 'contact' sport they rush to conclusions about how the equipment isn't safe enough,etc. Then when a skier dies/has a head injury it's just a 'stupid risk' and they obviously had no disregard for their own well being. I think it's the individual nature of skiing/other 'extreme sports' that confuses people. I mean what's the point of doing something you enjoy for your own sake, right? Basically I think there's a bias favoring people's victories over other's as making more sense than individual success with no 'reasonable' motivations.

Feb 23 2012 12:00PM

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@th1337

Oh yeah, because he was TRYING to die. You speak of the situation like he committed suicide.

...I've met Sherry - I'm more than sure that she knew the risks just as well as Shane did. He had that lifestyle long before they even met. She even said that in that video, the lifestyle that he had is what drew him to her.

Stop trying to just be contrary for the sake of it - if you really feel like this, go back to your couch and puss out.

Feb 23 2012 12:43PM

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@th1337

And I'll leave this here as I feel it's completely appropriate in summing up the feelings many of us in our sporting community hold...

"Only the things that you truly love will you pursue with that energy, and for me my family, my friends, and skiing, that's it for me, that's my life. The joy I get from skiing...that's worth dying for."
- CR Johnson

The point being, that yes, your family and friends are priorities... but so is skiing for many of us, to the point that they are all held to an equal standard. Call it what you will, but for me, without skiing, My life is incomplete - as it was for CR after his crash, as it is for so many other people.

... Marc-Andre Belliveau and so many others who have sustained injuries and returned on a sit-ski can attest to that as well. It's just life, man...

Feb 23 2012 12:55PM

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Mykel

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Insane

I was reading through the comments on that Seattle Times article. So many people that had no understanding of the situation, yet felt compelled to chastise all backcountry skiers, including the 3 that were lost. I can't imagine the frustration of trying to explain the situation to some of those morons.

Feb 23 2012 2:57PM

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