Is this the way skiing is going to be from now on?

this.

need to know something? google it. Tard.

easy buddy. as I said, i'm probably wrong. I meant this thread to be more asking people's opinions and what the facts are. i guess I got carried away with statements instead of questions.

Well look at this another way. Let's say OP is right and the sport is becoming inherently more dangerous for all of us. What would this change? There's the protection and helmet debate, but that all comes down to personal choice. What would change, would we all hang up our boots and pack it in?

Nope, and I don't think we should.

I can't quite put my finger on why, but I'm starting to fucking hate this thread and the ones similar to it. Everyones fucking freaking out.  Skiing is as dangerous as it was 15 years ago, more or less.  I see the movies, and the shit they were doing was equally as gnarly.  The air time and stuff was pretty similar.

i agree...STYLE OVER TECHNICALITY!!! i dont even think dub's look that sick let alone tripples  

If you push the limits, there's going to be consequences, but that's. Choice these pros make, they can drop out of the game and flip burgersbwith the rest of us, but they would rather push themselves and the sport they love and potentially die in the attempt. Also, a lot of pros don't like to wear helmets, which is a huge risk, but that's choice too

“The risks are very high, but I think most of us have decided that the risk is worth it.” - Steep

“If there is no risk, there is no adventure, I think adventure is a great part of life. For me it’s why am I living, it is to have some adventure.” – Bill Briggs

“But anything that produces this much joy in people’s lives, is worth a certain amount of risk,
physical risk, emotional risk, whatever, but how much risk it’s worth is an open question.” - Lou Dawson

I  think thats all I would have to say.

Sarah died while doing a flat 5 in the pipe. Bad things can happen even if you're not going that big. Shit just happens. The last thing you should do is quit because of that though.

I disagree with this statement.  I haven't read the whole thread so forgive me if im bringing something settled back up.

I do no think you are aware of the number of non professional deaths every year.  I am sure there is a higher percentage of people pushing the sport that sustain serious injuries or death, than those "weekend warriors".  That being said people who are not pros, nor trying to push the sport die all that time.  You just do not notice or pay as much attention as when a big name pro dies or has a serious injury.  Every year multiple people die skiing in parks around the world, in tree wells, in avalanches, in car accidents to and from the mountains, and playing around in the mountains just hiking during all seasons. 

Where I am from, there have been 3 random deaths of recreational hikers in the last few years.  This is from a town of less than 30,000 people.  They were not pushing the envelope what so ever, but rather going on casual day hikes.  Sure, there are a number of "extreme" hikers and climbers that have died in Southeast Alaska over the years.  But those numbers are a lot lower even though what they are doing is higher risk.  That's from training and years of practice.

Of these 3 I'm referring to, I personally knew one of the kids.  He was a very active 16 year old, GREAT kid, one of the best sense of humors of anyone I've ever met, in great shape, also a NS member and an avid skier.  He doing a day hike with one of my best friends.  The fog rolled in around them and it was raining.  They decided to catch their breaths and sit down on the trail for a minute.  When he set his backpack on the ground, in the wet alpine terrain, it went sliding down hill and out of site.  He told his best friend I'll be right back and starting slowly walking after it.  He never came back.  He slipped and there just so happened to be a cliff under the blind roll over. 

I understand that wasn't a skiing accident.  But I also here of "non-pros", or "non-extreme" riders dying all too often.  Through taking avalanche courses back home, I have heard a lot of stories and see a lot of numbers of deaths that I otherwise wouldn't have had any idea happened.  If you don't want to live in a bubble your whole life there are certain risks that come with that.  I can honestly say if I die skiing or doing something else I love I could die in peace.  I know that for a fact because I've had a very near death experience, I know what it feels likes to believe you are going to die.  Death is a part of life.  Some people have mental blocks and freak out when a name they know dies.  It is very tragic when someone dies, and I feel horrible for their family and friends.  But that is the way the word works sadly. 

Minimizing risks absolutely makes sense with wearing a helmet, ect.  I get very disappointed with the riders in pro movies who are not doing the little things likes wearing a helmet, because we all know kids are like sponges.  That being said though, putting yourself out there, and in risk, is all apart of living life to its fullest in my opinion.  And I personally will not stop pushing myself or slowing down, because I know that is how I want to live my life. 

it bothers me that all these people who have no idea about freeskiing hear about someone dying and automatically start brainstorming about how to make the sport safer. It's dangerous. Anyone who does it knows that, and has likely suffered an injury from doing it. That's not going to stop any of us, because its what we love to do. If you told Sarah that she would die from riding halfpipe one day, you think she would stop? That was her life. The media just loves this kind of thing and blows it way out of proportion.

It is a huge loss for the ski community and Sarah's friends and families but we can't let this stop us from doing what we love. Just gotta be aware, respect the mountains and always wear your helmet.

A lot of "things need to be safer" but no suggestions how. Nothing is 100% safe in this world. A lot of risks can be minimized by personal choice, such as wearing a helmet or staying away from high risk avalanche areas. None of these are forced upon you, where I live, and the decision is your decision to make. It is a risk vs reward situation. If the risk is worth the reward, then go right ahead. I know the risk I take in going skiing is worth the reward. Not worth it for you? Find something else to do.

See, I agree here. That is what they are getting paid to do (in a sense). But, I really do think that we are at the peak of the evolution of skiing. I can't see it expanding into anything greater, without the genocide of a massive amount of freeskiers.

while helmets are always smart 3/4 of these deaths weren't cause by a skier direct hitting their heads. Professional skiers should do what they want to do, if they ski without a helmet and die from a head injury, well it's a huge loss but chances that that's what kills them are pretty slim. If you make the decision to not wear a helmet based only on what your favorite skiers do you are an idiot. If you decide to wear a helmet because NPR says it's really safe you are also pretty foolish. Wear what makes you feel safe secure and comfortable even if hank the cowdog  disagrees.

That leaves 25% that are. That's huge. I mean would you look at a helmet and say "well shit, it would only prevent 25% of skiing deaths, I don't really see the point in wearing one."

This.

This.

i dont think helmet laws would change the way people ski much but maybe skiing companies like poc should expand and innovate new products that, say, have a back brace and an added neck brace that could twist and turn when we want to look around but when it senses a sudden impact, tense up and possibly save a life. I know this is kind of in the abstract but companies do need to try to make our sport safer if it wants to progress even further.

very good point, sorry all the kids btiching about helmets pisses me off.

i was surprised jossi decided not to ski the pipe yesterday

accidents happen. its sad but its true. its just when pros fall alot of the time they are skiing harder stuff, higher in the air etc. its a dangerous sport, so be careful and always wear a helmet!

for this to happen there has to be a market and a demand for it. These types of technologies arent cheap and as freeskiers are we willing to shell out the money for these technologies so we can reap the benefits. I believe the company's think no we arent.

This is projecting a little further into the future and going even more abstract, but I think safety products will be revolutionized once nano-technology takes off. We're talking tiny, lightweight, enormously strong back and neck braces you can't feel which constantly adapt to the situation- possibly fused with our biological material. But it won't be skiing companies that drive that. That's billions of dollars out of range. Should be widely available in the next 100 years though. As far as what you were just talking about, the technology is there, but as someone else said there's no demand. Back more on topic, skiing is as dangerous as it has ever been. The tricks are getting more complex but the extent to which people are pushing themselves is the same. Style vs. aerials has always been an argument. One will never overtake the other. No changes need to be forced. We need a sticky for every fresh crop of teenagers that wants to bring this stuff up.