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Should snow boarders be allowed to be ski patrollers?

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timmywelsh
Posts: 49 - Karma: 11

Should snow boarders be allowed to be ski patrollers?

Apr 12 2009 8:36PM
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yellav
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 1,217
omg totally not!
Apr 12 2009 8:37PM
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treemobbin
Posts: 254 - Karma: 17
haha boarder patrol
Apr 12 2009 8:38PM
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Skiingslikewhoa
Posts: 426 - Karma: 12
not in alta
Apr 12 2009 8:39PM
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skiierrrrrrr
Posts: 998 - Karma: 694
Where my cousin ski patrolled, snowboarder patrols had to pass a skiing test too
Apr 12 2009 8:42PM
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Squid.
Posts: 1904 - Karma: 23
It seems like it would be tougher to get around the mountain quickly because they have to strap in when they get off the lift. Also it seems like it would be tougher to break quickly with a sled, but idk
Apr 12 2009 8:45PM
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LIL_WAT
Posts: 1900 - Karma: 475
nah theyd just sit around like most boarders
Apr 12 2009 8:49PM
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casual
Posts: 6712 - Karma: 6,746
Of course they should. Strapping in and out could be an issue in an emergency I guess...but certainly general slope policing wouldn't be an issue at all. I believe some mountains already have them, no?
Apr 12 2009 8:49PM
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Willard
Posts: 5117 - Karma: 429
lolzzz
Apr 12 2009 8:53PM
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hartig
Posts: 8192 - Karma: 10
this right here is the best answer
Apr 12 2009 8:55PM
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powderhound100
Posts: 2510 - Karma: 144
are there no snowboarder patrols at your mountain?
Apr 12 2009 8:55PM
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Shlogan
Posts: 4942 - Karma: 430
my aunts has hired alot of ski patrolers who snowboard at my mountain. they cant really do catwalks with the stretchers well, so they are required to be a really stong rider, but besides that its not that bad for them i dont think. also, i dont see why else they shouldnt do it.
Apr 12 2009 8:56PM
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Silence
Posts: 16030 - Karma: 149
Absolutely but there is the issue of total mountain access
Apr 12 2009 8:57PM
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[Adam]
Posts: 1937 - Karma: 256
i dont think you could be as efficient on a snowboard as you would being on skis.
Apr 12 2009 8:58PM
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Joshua.
Posts: 2957 - Karma: 6,229
hahaahahhaahh thankyou sir
Apr 12 2009 8:59PM
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skia4life89
Posts: 2400 - Karma: 172
in my opinon it seems like they wudnt have as much control of the sled if they needed to pull it...any1 agree?
Apr 12 2009 8:59PM
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the.hellion.
Posts: 861 - Karma: 698
Granted my hill is not a mountain, but there are totally snowboarders who are ski patrol where I ski.
And they didn't hurt me when they took me down in the sled. I can see it perhaps being a bigger problem  in the bigger mountains and perhaps the back country but can you think of an argument as to why they shouldn't? Just because they don't strap in fast enough? That doesn't quite make sense to me.....
Apr 12 2009 9:02PM
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Thenowhereman42
Posts: 5682 - Karma: 65
My hill has boarders on the ski patrol and they seem to do fine with the sled.  There's a run with a fairly long flat part though and they get stuck, which is pretty funny.
Apr 12 2009 9:13PM
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casual
Posts: 6712 - Karma: 6,746
I can definitely visualize some situations where a snowboarder patroller would have a tougher time than a skier in terms of manipulating a sled or accessing an injured skier in certain places, but again, that doesn't mean they have no value or shouldn't be able to be a patroller. Patrollers have a lot of responsibilities, helping the injured is just one of many...no reason why a boarder couldn't help with avy control and the like. After all, a ton of patrollers are volunteers, and help is help whether they have one or two boards on their feet.
Apr 12 2009 9:13PM
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Aaaron.
Posts: 11817 - Karma: 903
hahaha.
Apr 12 2009 9:14PM
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the.hellion.
Posts: 861 - Karma: 698
Agreed. I never even considered avy control (welcome to ontario) and it would probably be pretty hard for a snowboarder to reach someone who's injured themselves in the bumps. But either way, it's not like only one patroller shows up to an accident scene anyway, and here at least, there's always a good mix between the skiers and snowboarders.
Apr 12 2009 9:17PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,398
its called ski patrol for a reason....
Apr 12 2009 9:18PM
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sarahskis
Posts: 1587 - Karma: 41

I don't see why it would be an issue on a day to day basis, but i've only seen one problem with it. Last year i did ski patrol at blue mountain in PA and someone fell real hard on the landing of a jump. He was on the landing, and it was so icy that none of the snowboarders i was skiing with were able to get footing on the jump to get to the patient.

So me being the only skier, I had to like ice chip into the landing to get to him. But i'm not exactly a big person muscle wise, and we had to call a bunch of skier only patrollers to actually get him off the ramp and onto a backboard and sled

Apr 12 2009 9:26PM
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Mr.Huck
Posts: 6096 - Karma: 14,893
Actually at some resorts they already are.  A snowboarder buddy of mine was on the ski patrol at Snowshoe in W.VA.   In Vail we skied a lot of chutes that dropped down onto the Vail Golf Course.  Once we went out with a group and a guy on a snowboard took an Aspen across his thigh.  We thought he might have cracked his femur and he was definetely going into shock.  We didn't have a sled and we couldn't leave him to get help, so we made a gurney type thing from two small Aspens with a tarp draped in the middle that the guy layed on.  We had to drag him on this make shift litter.  We decided that our best chance was to just go fall line with it.  It was deep powder and very steep tight trees.  Nobody on skis could drag the guy on the litter in those conditions.  My snowboard buddy Sando, the x patrolman, saved our butts.  He could slip straight down on his heel edge dragging the litter.   If he hadn't been there, the other guy probably would have died with houses only about 1000 feet below him, or one of us would have died trying to get him down.  The point is that there are circumstances where being on a board is an advantage. 
Apr 12 2009 9:34PM
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prontocuts.com
Posts: 5244 - Karma: 42
Keystone has board patrollers.
Apr 12 2009 9:39PM
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PeeDuBzz
Posts: 1010 - Karma: 134
yea i agree with the whole sled pulling being an issue

Apr 13 2009 12:32AM
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0123456789
Posts: 9226 - Karma: 148
.
Apr 13 2009 12:42AM
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Stilev
Posts: 18 - Karma: 10
at my mt. there are like 4 patrolers that use boarders, and i know of a mountain where more then half the patrol is on boarders. when transporting sleds snowboarders are a hell alot more efficient then skis. most of the boarders on the patrol im on are pretty damn fast to
Apr 13 2009 12:54AM
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HR8938Cephei
Posts: 1411 - Karma: 46
NO!!!! BECAUSE I HATE THEM!!!!
Apr 13 2009 5:29AM
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The_Future
Posts: 1418 - Karma: 607
Bumps are not a problem for boarders at all.  I'm going into my 3rd year of patrol and I work alongside with a ton of boarders at my hill.  Most of them are damn good at what they do.  Some of you have brought up the issue of pulling the sled, but it's not really much of a problem, because you can either keep your speed up to get to where you need to go or if that is not possible then they simply unstrap one foot and start skating.  I am sure it is a little different in the mountains, but in the midwest it isn't an issue.
Apr 13 2009 8:08AM
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HWW
Posts: 3084 - Karma: 3,436
i say yes, if they can ski
Apr 13 2009 8:46AM
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CoachG
Posts: 2546 - Karma: 448
who cares? I don't give a shit if someone rolls up to me and my broken leg on snowblades. As long as i'm getting helped.
Apr 13 2009 10:14AM
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tommyp1ckles
Posts: 1337 - Karma: 55
they are allowed .... atleast in the canadian ski patrol

our hills ranger is a snowboarder
Apr 13 2009 10:14AM
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tommyp1ckles
Posts: 1337 - Karma: 55
yea that is true ... but just for like general "scrape someone off the groomers" it really doesnt make a difference.
Apr 13 2009 10:22AM
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Rbamf
Posts: 792 - Karma: 15
who cares
Apr 13 2009 10:34AM
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coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153
i'd think a boarder would be fairly limited on AC duties.  an AC route may have a lot of uphill and sidehill trekking to reach a number of shots along a series of chutes, and I would envision a lot of wallowing in deep unconsolidate snow.   can a snowboarder kick a cornice without unstrapping?  ski poles are also fairly useful when using stringlines or trams to place an airblast charge.
Apr 13 2009 11:07AM
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casual
Posts: 6712 - Karma: 6,746
Yeah, that all certainly makes sense. Obviously, my general lack of knowledge around ski-patrolling is evident. Thanks (and to nomensteven) for clearing it all up.

So, what I'm hearing is that boarders should be allowed to patrol, but are limited in their abilities and are better suited for general slope "policing".
Apr 13 2009 11:14AM
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nickyp
Posts: 5673 - Karma: 215
LOL
Apr 13 2009 12:10PM
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timmywelsh
Posts: 49 - Karma: 11
Are any of you ski patrollers? Because i am doing an essay on this and i need to talk to a real ski patroller
Apr 13 2009 1:12PM
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Aaaron.
Posts: 11817 - Karma: 903
i hate that.
it's cause i'm a hoodrat.
they always "pull me over" and give me a "ticket"
Apr 13 2009 1:14PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15949 - Karma: 9,428
i dont want to sound racist but id rather a skier bring me down in the sled than a boarder.
Apr 13 2009 1:16PM
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Crack.
Posts: 6020 - Karma: 86
racist
Apr 13 2009 1:18PM
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Cincher
Posts: 3403 - Karma: 535
that doesn't qualify for racism. You're safe.
Apr 13 2009 1:19PM
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timmywelsh
Posts: 49 - Karma: 11
Reply to this if you would rather have a skier bring you down than a snowboarder?

Apr 13 2009 1:21PM
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Cincher
Posts: 3403 - Karma: 535
skier.
Apr 13 2009 1:26PM
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Smuffy
Posts: 4685 - Karma: 3,407
there are boarders who patrol at my mountain. frankly, theyre better than many of the skiers so i dont see any reason why they shouldnt be able to. most of the skiers are still wedging, and besides, the boarders have to pass the same test.
Apr 13 2009 1:36PM
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Cincher
Posts: 3403 - Karma: 535
good point. but the prarie ski patrol squad is dominated by skiers so I've never seen a board patroller.
Apr 13 2009 1:39PM
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Smuffy
Posts: 4685 - Karma: 3,407
lol good call. its not, we're talkin 500' vertical in western new york...
Apr 13 2009 1:41PM
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Shredneck
Posts: 2051 - Karma: -32
sure you can

there is one at my mtn and he is cool shit he rided ob with us and gets me out of trouble when I get caught poaching
Apr 13 2009 1:48PM
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Stilev
Posts: 18 - Karma: 10
if a skier is hauling a sled, they are suppose to use wedge depending on the slope
Apr 13 2009 2:32PM
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Justin.B
Posts: 2257 - Karma: 721
we have snowboarder patrolers at my hill
Apr 13 2009 2:38PM
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