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Comment Archives: stories: Opinion: Alta States
Re: “Conrad Schapansky – The Man From Carrot River”
ConRAD !
Re: “Passion, wit and expertise — Murray Camps celebrate 30 years of skiing excellence”
The Dave Murray camps were the best thing to happen to my skiing.
I hope they don't change. The coaches are really great and making you feel comfortable getting out of your comfort zone to become a better skier.
Re: “Mountain Crowding – what ever happened to R-E-S-P-E-C-T?”
These types of high-speed ski collisions will end only when the consequences are more serious. Accidentally slamming into and injuring another skier is no different than a cyclist or a car driver accidentally hitting and injuring a pedestrian. And the consequences should be similar. Remorse or lack of intent is no defense in any of these accidents.
At the age of 16, I was hit by an out-of-control skier so hard that I flew out of both skis and my lower face was cut wide open. I needed two subsequent surgeries to repair the damage. I heard the other skier was fine. Now decades later, I still regard that accident and all other life-altering ski collisions as assault and believe that appropriate charges should be laid.
Taking a ski pass away for any length of time just is not a strong enough deterrent to end this kind of reckless behaviour.
Re: “Renate Bareham – Being Stefan Ples' Daughter”
A great article on Renate and her story in Whistler. My family has been going through all our old ski photos and Whistler, Tyrol Ski and Mountain Club history back to the 50's. Stefan was one of the founders of the Club and very active in the club over the years. My Dad just told me some amazing stories of Stefan and his love for the mountain. The Club just celebrated our 60th anniversary and we had some great photos of Stefan and friends from the 50's. Many of these photos will be donated to the Whistler Museum.
A big thank you Renate and Michel for this part of Whistler history. Love that old Tyrol sweater in the pic. We still have a few around.
Re: “Mountain Crowding – what ever happened to R-E-S-P-E-C-T?”
I feel sorry for everyone involved in this situation and others like it. I do however disagree with the idea that young people on the slope have a disregard for others.
I have lost count of the broken bones my friends have received this season alone, and someone I know died a few weeks ago on the mountain. Its sad but serious accidents are inevitable, even for experienced skiers/boarders or instructors, and I really hope WB decide to let this skier back on the mountain.
If I ever hurt someone like that, then I would regret those few seconds for the rest of my life, which I'm sure with the guilt he showed, this young skier will feel the same as I would.
I understand that there was an incredible amount of pain inflicted, plus surgery and ongoing rehab, but will having someone to blame and stopping him from being able to do what he loves really help anyone in any way?
I think its safe to say after this, the young skier would probably be the most careful and cautious person up there.
I would probably fall into the young person category (22), and admit that I have (completely unintentionally) hit two people in 8 years, and still vividly remember both incidents. Despite neither of them being very serious, I felt incredibly guilty in both situations just like the young skier in this article.
However, I understand my errors and similar situations will not be happening again. I know this is true for almost all younger skiers and boarders who learn from any mistakes they may make, and try to adhere to a code of conduct on the mountain.
I feel that when anything happens involving someone a bit older, we are immediately stuck with the blamed, even it we were not the one who caused the problem. Its a case of blame the youngster without question.
The worst example for me being the abuse I had to endure from a group of three older men who had settled just below a landing ramp. I managed to avoid them as I came up a little short on my landing. I stopped to tell them that it was possibly the single worst place on the mountain they could choose to stop, but a few minutes later (following a lecture for apparently being unsafe on the mountain, because I nearly hit them) as I was leaving, a skier came spinning over the kicker. His panic was evident as soon as he noticed where the group were. He tried to stop his spin, lost control and came down hard!
These guys clearly had very little experience so its not fair to say the older generation are like this, but they had obviously heard enough stories and been sucked into the idea that it is young people who cause all the problems.
Articles like these only serve to demonise and push the stereotype that young people are intentionally dangerous to an extremely unfair extent.
Re: “Mountain Crowding – what ever happened to R-E-S-P-E-C-T?”
I don't know that any skier or snowboarder (and - contrary to this story - snowboarders do seem to be involved in a lot of crashes, too) would ever intentionally hit anyone. The only time I've been hit was at Lake Louise on the old summit T-Bar, by a ski INSTRUCTOR who was skiing down the t-bar line and hit my pal and me. Traverses can be dangerous places, especially in an area where guys are 'dropping' from up above. And of course the old rule of yielding to the downhill skier is often challenging. That is a serious pair of injuries. I hope Peter heals up well, and that we all take an appropriately cautionary approach. First tracks can make people do irrational things. Truly sorry to hear this.
Re: “Yohann Sheetz — going the extra distance”
Love this piece! Yohann truly is a special whistler local!
Re: “Echoes From 'The Happy Party': Whistlerites wax poetic on local life”
I have lived in and around this beautiful valley for 15 years. Whistler is where my soul awakened to the beauty that is possible within everyone, the peace that is attainable through forgiveness and the blessing of having the most divine daughter who fills my heart with joy every single day.
There are Angels in Whistler...
Re: “The Marshall sisters”
You are a blessing Linda, Darling :-)
Re: “Jamie Finlayson – An athlete's journey”
Nice to hear what happened to Jamie as I knew him as a little tyke and Ski Scamper and knew he made the Alpine Development team. Cool to hear old names like Jason Blair, Paul Boscovich etc. etc. Neat that Jamie is climbing at that level, not an easy feat (or on your feet..hahaha).
Thanks for that Michel.
Re: “Mike Douglas – A most favourite Whistlerite”
Great article, too bad mike had too insult everyone who works in retail, construction or the restaurant industries. Just because he has found success in unlikely areas doesn't give him the right to denigrate others who work in more mundane jobs.
Re: “John Grills — setting the right path”
Congrats, John! Keep up the good work shaping Whistler's future.
Re: “Doing the Whistler juggle — work, family and fun in the 21st Century”
An amazing 2nd part. I can't wait to read the next chapter. Who new I had such amazing cousins. I tip my hat to you Peggy!!
Re: “Peggy Vogler — all in the family”
Today I received a call from my Mother back home in Saskatchewan. Apparently Peggy is my second cousin and I had no idea. Pretty awesome if you ask me. Wish her the best of luck!
Re: “Inspired by the mountains — Chili finds his niche”
Balance, respect, understanding............these are things which even towns like Whistler need to learn. When you put all of the decision makers in Whistler together there will never be perfect levels of each and gaps will form. During my decade there, I watched those gaps grow. It was incredibly hard to watch the greatest place (for me) on earth go down that path. Sadly, I left your community and may never return.
When you look at where you came from, where you are now and where you want to be but forget some market segments and disregard others you will never have a proper grasp on the current situation. Bad decisions are very difficult to recover from and when you combine this with the growth ........................ and then "say" your concerned about the environment and the economy and and and ........... With the variety of risks and the different levels of both business and citizen needs it is a very complex "machine" which Whistler operates internally and externally.
Good people are just that......good, places like Whistler need great people and I firmly believe some great people need to be part of the current challenges to foster balance, respect and understanding. Whistler is an amazing destination and deserves nothing short of an amazing future. Communicate effectively and recognize that there isn't a place in the world where everyone is happy.......................or is there?
MC Balmer - Tourism Specialist
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May 20, 2013, 8:30 AM
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May 19, 2013, 9:15 AM
Updated: Brackendale home gutted by fire
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May 18, 2013, 2:00 PM
Water study results positive for Garibaldi at Squamish
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Re: “Conrad Schapansky – The Man From Carrot River”
Congrats Conrad - but you weren't the first - Capri Studios won B-grade October 2010 and followed up winning the Showdown in April 2011.
Possibly others have shared this success?
This article is terribly written. I wrote a 2 page response, but since I have an editor they said keep it simple and stick to the facts.
Pique - you guys need an editor.