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Dealing with your own mortality

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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,559
When you were a kid, you were invincible for the most part. You could fall down and bounce right back up, there was nothing to stop you. At some point with age or injuries you become a mortal or at least aware that you have been this whole time.

What drives you once you are no longer invincible? Are you still able to ski like you used to and progress? Do you sort of kick pack, cruise groomer and let the young guns throw down?


No wrong answer here just kind of wondering how everyone feels. Skiing and snowboarding are sports where injuries even severe ones are fairly common place. Many people out there in the parks aren't at 100%. I just figured I'd see where people were at and what they thought.
Aug 2 2014 10:50PM
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Lou.
Posts: 1787 - Karma: 3,876
Its something I have struggled with a lot in my own progression. The fear of getting hurt is super prevalent in the sport and really in all action sports. As a side note though, I think that simply wearing a helmet gives me confidence that even if I fall I'll probably be fine (even if this isn't always true). Helmets and other protective gear seam to not only lessen the physical potential for injury but also give confidence and SOMETIMES having confidence is the difference between stomping a trick and half committing and getting fucked up.
Aug 2 2014 10:57PM
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S.J.W
Posts: 7609 - Karma: 31,185
I'm 18 so my body is still pretty solid and strong. But it's more of a mental game for me. I don't want to get hurt so I can ski the rest of the season. I don't want to get hurt for exams coming up and I don't want to get hurt because it will cost a fuckload of money for sugary etc.
Aug 2 2014 11:20PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37398 - Karma: 120,263
ever since i knocked myself out on xmas day like 3 years ago, ive been pretty mellow in the parks, i just focus on having fun mostly. ive been branching out more from the park, i truly believe the best skiers are those that can put it down on anything.
Aug 2 2014 11:20PM
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skier58284
Posts: 1705 - Karma: 5,365
I would rather die skiing than live without skiing so the fact that I could die skiing is pretty irrelevant.
Aug 2 2014 11:40PM
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.FRY.
Posts: 5620 - Karma: 22,861
you're pretty much invincible until you're 15
Aug 2 2014 11:51PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,559
Sh4dowI would rather die skiing than live without skiing so the fact that I could die skiing is pretty irrelevant.


Idk your situation but it could still be very relevant.

To thread

I was advised to stop doing sports in general years ago and def get the fuck out of the park and off my board/skis. I would rather keep doing it until the end even if it greatly reduces the length of my life. I'm shooting for quality over quantity. In 2009 I got into a bad spot fucked myself up pretty good and was lucky to still be kicking it. Was fucked up pretty bad, and wasn't sure if I'd make it to the next ski season but was determined to make the most of everyday. Before that I had always been down for adventures and making the most of things but this really made it more of a lifestyle. I remember driving 3.5 hours every weekend to hike the snow in the pipe at mount snow until june when we were legit riding a half dirt in run, hitting a dfd with no snow around it and landing on a a little snow on plywood and then running over rocks.

It really made me appreciate the little things. I think my fuck ups back then, plus my repeated head smashes over the years have had a lot to do with where I'm at now.

I've been in the spot for a few years where I really started to think about everything. I think when I shattered my collarbone and then fucked my knee the next year I really started questioning everything. IT made me appreciate everyday on snow with only getting 15-20 days combined between both seasons. At the same time I also felt less like throwing down in the park because I was just so fucking happy getting out on the mountain even on groomers. Now with my head being extra fucked it really has me thinking about it. Beyond the broken bones or a season here but the serious side to things. I want to throw down a bit once in a while but I just have bad thoughts sometimes.

I legit finally had the internal conversation of hanging it up with the sport and moving on but obviously couldn't do that. Just happy as fuck getting out there. Every turn on the groomers is the best ever. Just happy to be alive.

Eventually I'll sort out my feelings and the park but for right now I'm just happy to get outside. Built some shit, watch other people throw down, and occasionally slay some corduroy.

Sorry for length. I'm horrible about that.
Aug 2 2014 11:57PM
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fatbastard
Posts: 337 - Karma: 586
I'm 45, so I'm a relic in freeskiing years. When I was 38 I blew my first ACL in the pipe. When I turned 40, I front-flipped off of a small rock, landed right over my feet, and heard my right knee explode. I blew almost everything in it, including my patellar tendon, ACL and a bunch of other things. It'll never be the same from that injury. I think a lot of people might think, 'At your age, maybe it's time to slow down.' But that never occurred to me. Through two surgeries and agonizing physical therapy (which was far more painful than anything I've ever experienced and I've been broken, dislocated and lacerated from head to toe), pulling in the reigns just wasn't an option. It was actually the exact opposite--what got me through PT was closing my eyes and envisioning hucking and flipping and spinning again.

I may feel my injury with every step, but it doesn't mean the end. There is no end if you don't give in to it. I work my ass off in the fall to get ready for the season (something I didn't have to do when I was a kid) and now I generally want steeper landings for less impact, but if conditions are right, I'm all for sending 40' cliffs and throwing backies and lincolns whenever and wherever, and in the last two lean season in CA, I've spent more time sliding rails than I have my entire life (unfortunately I still suck). I also want to experience things I've never experienced--I want to do nose butters and hand drags of drops. There are so many ways to have fun on skis these days and there's so much stuff I have to learn.

The mere act of skiing keeps us young, and there aren't any rules to growing old. So don't let anyone tell you any different.
Aug 3 2014 12:42AM
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AWildGarebear
Posts: 35 - Karma: 90
I started skiing last year at age 27. I was constantly trying to get over the fear of dying when I was stepping up.

Catching up with my friends who have been skiing or snowboarding their entire life was a primary progression motivator along with always having wanted to ski, but really never having the opportunity. I never imagined skiing trees, jumping off of boulders, doing a 5 foot drop [yeah I know, it's nothing], and especially ever stepping foot in the bc [if I had to take any experience back it would be bc, petrified would be a great word to describe how I felt...], but I got okay enough to do that stuff with them.

Skiing could lead to severe injury or death, but it also is a huge contributor to keeping me motivated to be healthy. Since last June I've lost 70 pounds [makes me only 10 pounds overweight after nearing morbid obesity] and I am fitter than I've ever been in my life. For more practical comparison that's going from XXXL down to XL and maybe some L size [which means new outerwear I guess =s]. I'm grateful for how it helped change me, and, more importantly, for just getting to experience all the sensations and accomplishments that are accompanied by risks and worries inherent in skiing.
Aug 3 2014 1:42AM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,559
Fatbastard that's rad a fuck! Keep charging it. And garebear, from xxxl to l only to start park skiing and go back to xxxl but really that's dope that you're loving it.
Aug 3 2014 1:59AM
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Paul.
Posts: 1606 - Karma: 11,135
AWildGarebearFor more practical comparison that's going from XXXL down to XL and maybe some L size [which means new outerwear I guess =s].


Nah just stick to the 3xl outerwear
Aug 3 2014 2:32AM
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AlexFogo85
Posts: 572 - Karma: 7,471
I've had knee surgery, broken a few bones, dislocated some stuff, and have arthritis. I've been in the park for 3 full years now (this winter will be my fourth) and I'm 19. I guess the passion of watching myself and my friends progress along with adrenaline that comes with the sport keeps me motivated enough to overlook the potential danger; so basically in my eyes the reward is great than the risk.
Aug 3 2014 2:45AM
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HolySchimmel
Posts: 1601 - Karma: 1,297
It's hard to say really. I started park quite late (with 21 or so), and I always knew there are risks of hurting myself. But since it is what I love to do, and I don't wanna spend my life in fear of what could happen if something goes wrong, I don't think I will stop skiing in the near future.
I am at a point where I'm saying to myself, that I wont ever try and go for doubles or some of the other crazier stuff people are throwing in those edits all the time because the risk is just too high for me.
I just want to continue having fun for myself and as far as I accomplish that, I don't really care about getting hurt.
Aug 3 2014 2:48AM
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Mingg
Posts: 13978 - Karma: 49,320
I had a couple serious injuries back when i was 13-14. I did gymnastics and tore my acl twice(one partial, then completely ruptured it) and fractured my back. I learned then, that it wasn't all fun and games and that injuries are serious. After being out of training for 18 months, my gym wouldn't take me back so in the past 3 years I got more into skiing. I know better than most people my age that injuries can fuck up your sports career. However, you shouldn't let that stop you. Each run I know that injuries are possible. They're inevitable especially if you push yourself to get better. What would be the point though in skiing if you didn't push to get better though? I know I'm not satisfied with my skiing abilities and I probably will never be because there's always room to get better and I want to be the best I can be.
Aug 3 2014 3:22AM
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Calb3rt
Posts: 6005 - Karma: 2,203
i have always been very aware that my death could be a result of my actions. not just with skiing. it is my mortality that drives me. i will always push my limits because in that moment, i feel my heart beat and feel alive. i certainly do not recover as quickly as i did as a kid but i do not feel like that is limiting to me either.
Aug 3 2014 3:52AM
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MikeWeinerONE
Posts: 501 - Karma: 1,215
fatbastardI'm 45, so I'm a relic in freeskiing years. When I was 38 I blew my first ACL in the pipe. When I turned 40, I front-flipped off of a small rock, landed right over my feet, and heard my right knee explode. I blew almost everything in it, including my patellar tendon, ACL and a bunch of other things. It'll never be the same from that injury. I think a lot of people might think, 'At your age, maybe it's time to slow down.' But that never occurred to me. Through two surgeries and agonizing physical therapy (which was far more painful than anything I've ever experienced and I've been broken, dislocated and lacerated from head to toe), pulling in the reigns just wasn't an option. It was actually the exact opposite--what got me through PT was closing my eyes and envisioning hucking and flipping and spinning again.

I may feel my injury with every step, but it doesn't mean the end. There is no end if you don't give in to it. I work my ass off in the fall to get ready for the season (something I didn't have to do when I was a kid) and now I generally want steeper landings for less impact, but if conditions are right, I'm all for sending 40' cliffs and throwing backies and lincolns whenever and wherever, and in the last two lean season in CA, I've spent more time sliding rails than I have my entire life (unfortunately I still suck). I also want to experience things I've never experienced--I want to do nose butters and hand drags of drops. There are so many ways to have fun on skis these days and there's so much stuff I have to learn.

The mere act of skiing keeps us young, and there aren't any rules to growing old. So don't let anyone tell you any different.


This guy knows what he's talking about.
Aug 3 2014 4:59AM
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frank9190
Posts: 81 - Karma: 245
I start to have fear of injury when i finish school and start to work for real and paying bills. I dont think it have to do with the age but more with the place that skiing took in your life. When skiing is no more the priority in your life you start to have fear of injury.

Its what i think
Aug 3 2014 11:10AM
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IKEA
Posts: 622 - Karma: 3,111
No pain, no gain!
I personally don't think it is very fun to safe all day, it is more fun to push yourself.
When I was a kid, I were scared to do anything, like climbing trees etc... I never truly experienced the "immortal" feeling, until the last season I guess when I started to throw inverts.
Everytime my boots click into the bindings I get the immortal feeling now. Of course I'm not stupid, like trying a kang on a 15ft jump, that's just plain stupidity.
The most important part is to always commit. If you don't you'll get hurt, everybody knows that. Luckily the injuries this season only kept me away from skiing for a couple of days.
Maybe I'm just lucky or really stupid
Aug 3 2014 11:27AM
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baked
Posts: 56 - Karma: 99
I am still only 22 years young, but injuring myself (again) is a constant fear i have and for a most part all other skiers probably have in the back of there mind somewhere. Even if the refuse to admit it. It isn't the pain involved with injuring myself or the loss of income cause i am too torn and mangled to even bring the bread basket to the table at my shitty waiting job.

After multiple broken bones, 35+ shoulder dislocations(on both shoulders), complete shoulder reconstruction and stabilization surgery, concussions,etc. Of course the loss of income is always hard, finding a job you can do with a injury is sometimes nearly impossible to find and as a result making ends meet could be difficult and stressful. But as for me, the worst part and the most depressing is still waking up in the morning and watching your friends walk out the front to go skiing as it pukes outside.Drives me crazy knowing that there all out there shredding, as I sit on the couch trying to entertain myself by any means possible (Reading, watching tv, drinking..a lot, masturbating, smoking blunts watching new ski edits,etc)

Recently I have had to tone it down a bit because i cant afford to injure myself again, but that doesn't mean i cant have fun skiing. Been exploring new paths of skiing, started backcountry touring 3 seasons ago and would love to try tele-marking in the near future. I've Also started to get in photography (slowly but surely)which is a lot harder then it looks and there are not many risks involved.

That been said, Skiing is my everything and i will always push my self to progress. hopefully i can ski till my dying day!

1
Aug 3 2014 2:20PM
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-WZ-
Posts: 3600 - Karma: 6,582
fuck it just huck it
Aug 3 2014 2:37PM
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TheButterHashira
Posts: 9691 - Karma: 1,702
Just ski knowing that your next trick might mean your inadvertently off yourself. Every day you live you'll be so stoked to be alive.
Aug 3 2014 5:25PM
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SteezyMagee
Posts: 382 - Karma: 828
Skiing has made my knees and wrists feel so fragile all the time, the injuries I've had to both of them make me super conscious of hurting them again while I ski; to the point where it's greatly hindered my progression.
Aug 3 2014 5:45PM
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fghtoffyrdmns
Posts: 2998 - Karma: 6,867
fatbastardI'm 45, so I'm a relic in freeskiing years. When I was 38 I blew my first ACL in the pipe. When I turned 40, I front-flipped off of a small rock, landed right over my feet, and heard my right knee explode. I blew almost everything in it, including my patellar tendon, ACL and a bunch of other things. It'll never be the same from that injury. I think a lot of people might think, 'At your age, maybe it's time to slow down.' But that never occurred to me. Through two surgeries and agonizing physical therapy (which was far more painful than anything I've ever experienced and I've been broken, dislocated and lacerated from head to toe), pulling in the reigns just wasn't an option. It was actually the exact opposite--what got me through PT was closing my eyes and envisioning hucking and flipping and spinning again.

I may feel my injury with every step, but it doesn't mean the end. There is no end if you don't give in to it. I work my ass off in the fall to get ready for the season (something I didn't have to do when I was a kid) and now I generally want steeper landings for less impact, but if conditions are right, I'm all for sending 40' cliffs and throwing backies and lincolns whenever and wherever, and in the last two lean season in CA, I've spent more time sliding rails than I have my entire life (unfortunately I still suck). I also want to experience things I've never experienced--I want to do nose butters and hand drags of drops. There are so many ways to have fun on skis these days and there's so much stuff I have to learn.

The mere act of skiing keeps us young, and there aren't any rules to growing old. So don't let anyone tell you any different.


#TRRRRUUUUUUUUU
Aug 3 2014 6:04PM
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spaceghostpurp
Posts: 249 - Karma: 835
.FRY.you're pretty much invincible until you're 15


not true. im 16 and going strong
Aug 3 2014 6:53PM
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Zimmy
Posts: 1258 - Karma: -1,327
tl;dr appreciate your own mortality, be mature about progression, and you will enjoy life for longer

okay, just streaming thought here:

Pain - Fear - Progression --- it's a loop whereby you can't have one without another. But I don't think a person needs to get injured to progress, in fact I think that an injury just slows that loop down or stops it completely. So if you get too injured, you're not even going to be skiing anymore and then there's time to be thinking about what went wrong: and there should be a benefit in that self-reflection so it doesn't happen again. (personally I suspect a lot of people are getting injured nowadays because of weak bones due to health and nutritional reasons)

Also, some people are immune to pain and fear and will just progress (assuming they are very coordinated) until they push themselves, the entire sport, or die, or both. But if people are immune to pain and fear and want to progress themselves or the sport, and are simultaneously uncoordinated, then they will find injury quickly.

But wearing your injuries as a badge of honor to me is a somewhat retarded exercise unless you fully recover. Although, being proud of one's injuries might also be a coping mechanism in order to avoid ridicule, or give life meaning.

Anyhow, there's a nice vid of Mr White here just chipping away at different parts of the bowl at Venice Beach (sick fn' bowl btw.) Doing controlled bails, single trick attempts and just learning the bowl. In the end he starts to link the tricks up. If he was injured, he wouldn't be doing that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bReWgbesPASo I think the key to progression is incremental improvements and controlled fails... not through pain and injuries. Reinhold Messner the mountain climber said that the key to his success was that he failed the most. Glen Plake once said in the early 90s that he looks for mature skiing (that was when everyone was calling it extreme.)

Personally I used to get knee whip a lot. I overcame that with a custom ski but for a long time I used to only ski half-days or mornings. Right now I am experimenting with crystals so I can balance out feelings of fear and euphoria (how easy is to get injured when you're feeling on top of the world and invincible?) Also, something as simple as good bodily protection respects one's own mortality.
Aug 3 2014 9:07PM
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skier58284
Posts: 1705 - Karma: 5,365
-WZ-fuck it just huck it


/thread
Aug 3 2014 11:35PM
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esotericjive
Posts: 1889 - Karma: 1,445
In november I knocked myself out and had a hemorrhagic contusion in my brain. My helmet broke, and I've spent a lot of time thinking about what would have happened if I'd left it in the lodge that day. I haven't skied since, and as hard as that's been I think it was right.

It's made me more aware of the risks I take. Skiing is inherently dangerous. we all know this, but accept it because it's skiing. I've had injuries before, broken bones, sprained shit, etc, but this made me step back a bit and realize that I could have been disabled or killed.
Scary stuff.

I want to ski as much as I've wanted anything. I can't stop skiing, but I realize I have to try to avoid wrecking myself more than ever.

I'm 17 for reference
Aug 4 2014 1:45AM
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LamieJ
Posts: 1008 - Karma: 2,591
Really enjoyed reading these stories. Right now I'm in the process of recovering from snapping my fibula in half. I'm 17 and skiing is all I think about and (thankfully its not ski season but still) nothing bothers me more than watching all of my friends throw down at tramp seshes or cliff jumb or even simple things like walking and swimming. But after reading this it gave me an idea about what you guys are going through and what an awful time it must be for you to miss whole seasons for 6+ months at a time. That's motivating me a lot, thanks for sharing guys.
Aug 4 2014 2:33AM
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jimmy_buckle
Posts: 174 - Karma: 502
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-QbHRVOfcM&src_vid=7KPU7DWRe1Y&feature=iv&annotation_id=channel%3A53c9f477-0000-28bb-a084-001a113db294

2:34....I think this guy knows whats up.
Aug 4 2014 11:19AM
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jkelly
Posts: 430 - Karma: 991
Play on circumstances when youre on the mountain to avoid injuries. Pick and choose features that you have confidence on, especially for new tricks. Read snow conditions, feature set up, ect. If your mind is right injury is less likely.
Aug 4 2014 12:06PM
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GPO
Posts: 656 - Karma: 296
Sh4dowI would rather die skiing than live without skiing so the fact that I could die skiing is pretty irrelevant.


I would rather not die at all
Aug 4 2014 12:48PM
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fatbastard
Posts: 337 - Karma: 586
jimmy_bucklehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-QbHRVOfcM&src_vid=7KPU7DWRe1Y&feature=iv&annotation_id=channel%3A53c9f477-0000-28bb-a084-001a113db294

2:34....I think this guy knows whats up.


Yep. He beats himself up on what appears to be a fairly regular basis, too. But he's having fun: priority #1.
Aug 4 2014 12:56PM
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Drail
Posts: 14012 - Karma: 10,011
Not to be that guy, but switching your focus from park to pow is the best way to keep longevity in skiing while maintaining some form of progression without breaking yourself. If life after park simply means cruising groomers you will get bored and quit (if not, all the power to you). If you're out searching for new terrain and deep pow the simple act of travelling and (hopefully) making turns becomes more fulfilling than you could ever imagine.

You don't have to deal with mortality as much as find ways to postpone it. I guess though, if events in life have landed you in a place like the midwest where there is no option for exploring mountains for new zones with good snow, none of what I just said is applicable and I don't know what to say.
Aug 4 2014 2:14PM
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AlexLeGore
Posts: 2 - Karma: 12
I broke (shattered) my tibia and fibula ski racing during my freshman year of college, which was 2 1/2 years ago. When I was at the ski patrol there (Sunday River), they looked at the x-ray and said that it was the worst injury they had seen that season. It was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life because they took my boot off when I didn't have any pain meds. I had surgery the next day, and I the pain continued for at least a month and I couldn't walk for 4 months. I still missed skiing through it all and planned on getting back on the horse as soon as possible. I was able to do some adaptive skiing a month after the break, which was fun.

After doing physical therapy in the summer, I wanted to get back to skiing as soon as possible. A bunch of people I know were surprised I was continuing to ski, but it was never a question in my mind. I ended up skiing at Sunday River right when it opened in early November, and I decided that my first run down should be the trail I broke my leg on, which helped. I was pretty cautious the first few times I went, and for a few months I couldn't really ski in the afternoon because pain would build up in my leg, but now it's better.

I find that the biggest difference is that I am more willing to call it an early day if I feel tired, or if I'm getting bad vibes from the mountain (sketchy conditions, feeling nervous). Also, I try to not set my DIN too high. I still, however, am willing to rip. When I feel good, I am still improving my skiing and pushing my limits even harder. I know that even if I continue to get injured, I will continue to ski.
Aug 4 2014 2:37PM
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I.B
Posts: 8137 - Karma: 24,353
To me, the feeling of landing a new trick, advancing above my competitors, doing well at a competition or even just getting a sick shot on film makes all those times I banged my head and hurt myself worth it.

There's just something about it, showing people "like look mother fucker i can stomp doubles to my feet" while I can't do the same with schooling nor many other accomplishments.

Skiing is kinda the only thing i'm good at, so go hard or go home really.

But over all, it's that feeling. When you've had a vision of a trick in your head for 6 months, done it on trampolines watched videos of top professionals doing it and you finally land it. Like fuck, that feeling is cloud 9 better than sex the best feeling in the world.
Aug 4 2014 2:44PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,559
DrailNot to be that guy, but switching your focus from park to pow is the best way to keep longevity in skiing while maintaining some form of progression without breaking yourself. If life after park simply means cruising groomers you will get bored and quit (if not, all the power to you). If you're out searching for new terrain and deep pow the simple act of travelling and (hopefully) making turns becomes more fulfilling than you could ever imagine.

You don't have to deal with mortality as much as find ways to postpone it. I guess though, if events in life have landed you in a place like the midwest where there is no option for exploring mountains for new zones with good snow, none of what I just said is applicable and I don't know what to say.


For sure. I've been trying to get into that most of my life. (obviously not trying hard enough with locations lol)

But I consider myself pretty good freeriding considering I never get to do much of it. Hoping to get to a location with good pow, trees, cliffs, and open backcountry terrain. I'd be down to get better at that. Unfortunately as much as I'm down to move out of the park more in riding, Im trying to move up in park building which makes that hard. On the plus there are plenty of mountains that have a good mix of both. I just need to get out there. Hoping for a good pow day at the mtn I'm at now. No trees but some really cool chutes and lots of cliffs and open faces. Def been eying some of it and dabbling when we get small snowfalls.

Idk. I guess you can never go back to being invincible but as long as you stay stoked and stay on the mountain its all good
Aug 4 2014 10:30PM
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AT-AT
Posts: 3281 - Karma: 3,256
When i was in college I was throwing 9's and front flipping 40 foot jumps. Now I have found myself stepping back from that. I haven't thrown a flip in like three years, and didn't spin past a five last year. I spend more times on the rails and finding the most fun and creative lines in the park. I also love ripping some corduroy.

I think it really depends on the person. I get as much enjoyment out of skiing now as when I was going hard, and isn't that what it's all about? Enjoying the sport in your own way.
Aug 4 2014 11:18PM
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iH8pow
Posts: 1810 - Karma: 7,695
when I hear "mortality", i think death. Am I wrong?
Definitely don't think I'm going to die skiing park. Get horribly injured to the point of being crippled, possibly but I don't think I worry about that much either.
Backcountry, yes which is why I'm not huge on it unless it's sick AF (like only Jackson Hole style). Most of Colorado backcountry isn't worth dying for. I'm not that big into making pow turns
Aug 5 2014 12:38AM
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Park_Mho
Posts: 351 - Karma: 390
The referenced post has been removed.



Fuckkk all in one fall?? I hope she is feeling better
Aug 5 2014 1:08AM
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cory.iyoob
Posts: 736 - Karma: 5,371
I'm 14 and lately it just ocoured to me how easy it is to get hurt out of nowhere. I honestly hate that I noticed because you just can't unthink it. All of my friends are fearless but I'm not. Now even stuff like doing flips on the tramp scare me. Anyone got any tips to get out of this mindset?
Aug 5 2014 1:15AM
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Drail
Posts: 14012 - Karma: 10,011
theabortionatorFor sure. I've been trying to get into that most of my life. (obviously not trying hard enough with locations lol)

But I consider myself pretty good freeriding considering I never get to do much of it. Hoping to get to a location with good pow, trees, cliffs, and open backcountry terrain. I'd be down to get better at that. Unfortunately as much as I'm down to move out of the park more in riding, Im trying to move up in park building which makes that hard. On the plus there are plenty of mountains that have a good mix of both. I just need to get out there. Hoping for a good pow day at the mtn I'm at now. No trees but some really cool chutes and lots of cliffs and open faces. Def been eying some of it and dabbling when we get small snowfalls.

Idk. I guess you can never go back to being invincible but as long as you stay stoked and stay on the mountain its all good



Staying stoked is the key. That's why I preach moving out if the park and exploring new terrain. Not going to go off on a tangent here cause it's late, I'm not sober and I shouldn't even be on ns right now. I'll get back to this tomorrow.

One thing I will say though is that you are one of the dudes I have been wanting to meet in person for a while now. I think we could be friends. ( yeah, my drink is showing, but what ev's.).
Aug 5 2014 1:43AM
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Saga.
Posts: 3812 - Karma: 45,331
I think as you get older your priorities and goals change. When you're 14 or 15 you want to send it and do the craziest shit. As you get older you look at things differently and want to accomplish different goals. A lot of people look at skiing and snowboarding more technically as they get older. They find the same high in executing something technically difficult, whether it be a specific grabbed spin, technical line or intense bc line, as they once did sending anything and everything.
Aug 5 2014 1:52AM
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Mingg
Posts: 13978 - Karma: 49,320
The referenced post has been removed.


You're mom is a fucking champ.

OP Mom of the year right there.
Aug 5 2014 2:00AM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,559
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Yeah I'm young but I've beat the fuck out of my brain. Also freestyle and cruising groomers aren't the same. My head hurt just walking around the house from my own footsteps and I booked a flight to the other side of the world to ski. I'm not about to hang my boots up or anything. I was more asking about that transition when you realize you aren't invincible anymore.

That's rad as fuck that you're mom is still down to ski. Also I doubt I'll make it to 60 so apples to oranges. My goal is 30. IF I pull that off I'd be stoked to hit 40 and everything after that is just bonus time. In the park who knows but I'm not about to stay off the mtn in the winter and start playing golf or something.
Aug 5 2014 2:07AM
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skier58284
Posts: 1705 - Karma: 5,365
MinggYou're mom is a fucking champ.

OP Mom of the year right there.


>You're mom is a fucking champ
>You're mom
>You're
>You are
pls
Aug 6 2014 12:49AM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,559
DrailStaying stoked is the key. That's why I preach moving out if the park and exploring new terrain. Not going to go off on a tangent here cause it's late, I'm not sober and I shouldn't even be on ns right now. I'll get back to this tomorrow.

One thing I will say though is that you are one of the dudes I have been wanting to meet in person for a while now. I think we could be friends. ( yeah, my drink is showing, but what ev's.).


I need to experience the other aspects of the mountain once in a while and get my ass out of the parks. Used to do a lot of tree skiing at one place I worked. Mountain I'm at now in the states has some short but decent trees and I've been dabbling. I just need to hike some random fucking mountain in the middle of nowhere and shred some stuff. Hopefully I'll move to a place where there are some good options for that sort of thing.

And word. I'm always down to meet some new peoples especially nsers and kick it. I'm not as much of an asshole in real life, for better or worse.
Aug 6 2014 2:45AM
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HolySchimmel
Posts: 1601 - Karma: 1,297
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Ha, I got one of those stories too. My grandma (83) visited me this winter and we went skiing up on the glacier. I currently live in the area she grew up in (Innsbruck), so she was stoked pretty much all day long and the weather was awesome too.
Then, on the last run, there was this rope tow to cross, and she got kinda scared and stopped. Then she just fell while more or less standing and broke her thigh. Got brought to the hospital by heli and so on.
And then, last week, she asked me when she could visit me to ski again :D
Aug 6 2014 3:49AM
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toastyteenagers
Posts: 1834 - Karma: 6,793
I'm 13,
i have broken my arm 2 times on a rail.

broke my tibia and fibula.

had to get surgery

a rod and four screws later

I suddenly realized that I am not invincible.

Ive had a fun summer.
Aug 6 2014 11:34AM
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THEE_wizard
Posts: 304 - Karma: 1,842
I'm 16 and I usually ski alone. Just last season I tried my first backie. I spent about twenty minutes standing above the jump and thinking about exactly how I would do it. And of course every possibility of what could go wrong too. So there I spent some time thinking about mortality and how this one trick could end much more than my season, but I knew I could do it. I just decided that this feeling of my first backie would be worth the risk. I thought about throwing it for way too long but I just had to get it perfect in my head. And it was worth while because I stomped my first one. Some other kids saw me and I ended up skiing with them the rest of the day. But the rest of that day was great, I got a few frontflips over knuckles and made a ton of progression that day. I don't know if I was just pumped from first trying flips or not but I always ski better with friends. Its easy to get caught up with the good vibes and that really helps but I don't have friends to ski with and I end up hurting myself ALOT, and with little progression too. Well that's my "risk and reward" story and some mortal thoughts.
Aug 6 2014 12:41PM
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PimpHands
Posts: 97 - Karma: 142
a couple of things really slowed me down- Competing against Travis Steeger in Fernie in 2009, and partying with him on his 19th birthday, only to learn of his death the next day. Even though I wasn't his mate or anything, the pointlessness of losing such amazing talent still had a big impact on me. Then the next comp in Lake louise I absolutely wrecked myself and so did my buddy. Made me look at what I was trying to achieve and i really re-evaluated things after those two things..
I really haven't skied that hard since 2009 to be honest... until this year, skiing with an American down here in Oz, and he has helped me rediscover my home resort and put a bit of the fire back in me. I have sort of resigned myself to the fact that I'm not going to ski as crazily as I used to, but there are still awesome ways to enjoy skiing. that's probably why we love it so much right?
Aug 7 2014 1:51AM
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