Have we as sledders become this arrogant

[tex78]

i used to just help people in pink onsies. now dudes are wearing them so i gave up on that theory too

Plus they have long hair to boot now too

 

[Catrider16]

Mike your being a panzie, just yanking your chain bud.
If your standing there and a guy needs a ski tug and you make such a comment and walk away leaving a fella sledder to figure it out. That plainly makes you a D-bag.
what goes around in time comes around.

 

[Caper11]

To me it does not matter, If I see a person or persons struggling with a sled and no one is standing around watching them, I will help.


First trip out this year in belle we came across two fellas that were about 500 yards apart, and both obviously knew they needed help. We rode over to them and I said to my buddy, Ill help this guy you help the other fella.
As my buddy rode away, the guy I was helping spoke to me in the weakest voice I ever heard. He told me he was a cancer survivor that had a stroke and just got out of a wheelchair 8 mths ago!!! He explained to me how weak he was, and he apologized for inconveniencing us. I told him don’t worry sit on my sled and I will get your sled out.
The fella grabbed his shovel and did not quit, obviously I was concerned that this fella would have a medical emergency right in front of me hearing his labored breathing and weak voice. He didnt quit!!! He helped me every step of the way.

We helped them get back to the cabin and made sure they were ahead of us down the trail.

We got back to the truck and spoke to the two fellas and heard more of his story.
I admire this fellas will and determination!

 

[moyiesledhead]

There will always be retards but I believe they are well outnumbered by good people....karma will get the few outcasts...Jmo!

Used to be true, but the retards are catching up fast.

 

[tiger666]

Bahahahahaha!

i used to just help people in pink onsies. now dudes are wearing them so i gave up on that theory too

 

[deaner]

Ill definitely help someone if they're in a jam, but helping every single person that is stuck gets really old. You end up wasting all of your energy subsidising bad decisions. Only way people are going to learn to turn out BEFORE their sled stops moving is to have to dig themselves out enough times. But there are definitely times when it will take 5 minutes with two people, or an hour with one person......then I have no problem helping.

I just think of it in terms of the golden rule..........would I want someone to help me. Generally I dont. Sometimes you do need two guys though.

 

[kanedog]

If it is a beginner stuck, I don’t give a duck. Haha

 

[gunner3006]

I hear what your saying. I spend quite a bit of time helping other people out getting un-stuck and out of crummy situations. Maybe it’s because we ride in such a remote area but I don’t mind it. A few years ago we were riding back at Allen ck and we were heading towards the back and dropped down off a ridge with a creek running beside the trail. It was late November. No base. About half way down me a my buddy notice a guy stuck. I just seen his helmet and it caught my eye. I ride over closer to him and it’s apparent that he’s not getting out. The was in his mid 30’s and on a 2010 nytro. No other guy in site. So we start digging and making a trail out in front of him. He was stuck pointing downhill in the creek. Find out he is riding with buddy’s but there on back and he was meeting them back there. Long story short. The guy had got the sled the night before in edmonton. Loaded it and drove straight to vale. He knew nothing about the machine. His boost gauge didn’t work, he was using fuel that came with the sled. When we got him out I told him to point his sled towards the truck and get outta here. It happens guys. There are those kinds of people out there that are that stupid.

Cheers
Chadd

 

[zal]

i used to just help people in pink onsies. now dudes are wearing them so i gave up on that theory too

Maxwell, did you just assume their gender???

 

[Vipertonytro]

A few years ago I took my family up Owlhead. Before our trip when I was talking about everything they needed to know my Daughter who was about 16 at the time asked me what happens if she gets stuck. So I did the typical dad move and said oh don't worry you have a long blonde pony tail so when you get stuck the mountain men will come out of no where and help you out. Well sure as heck I was leading with my oldest son picking up the back, I went around some trees and when I looked back she was gone. So I turned around and low and behold she tipped over in my tracks and out of nowhere 3 guys come racing up and got her out lol. She just looked at me and says Dad I thought you were joking hahaha! We still laugh to this day about the mountain men that showed up to help the pretty girl. Thanks Mountain men whoever you were LOL!

 

[vapours]

I would just like to say thank you very much to all the sledders who have stopped to help me out of some ****ty situations. I get help just about every single time I go out. Someone helped me get out from being wrapped around a tree, someone lent me climbing rope to tie my spindal back together to make down the hill, numerous times getting help with a ski pull etc to get unstuck, too many to mention. Without you guys I wouldn't be going into the mountains at all. Not that I rely on you as I am prepared to go it alone but thank you, you've saved me from spending the night on the mountain, walking out, having a heart attack etc, Things happen out there that I couldn't even imagin or be prepared for. Almost went over a cliff, thanks Jan for stopping me and guiding me the right way. Keep looking out for one another guys, good job!!!

 

[takethebounce]

I wasn't going to respond and I am not responding directly to Lunds post but after reading some of the comments and it being coffee time it got me thinking...

I have pulled a lot of skis for people who I have never seen before. I am sure I have been helped by someone I have never met. There are times where your efforts are futile and you need to know when to concede and just ride away. What I consider a great example is last winter riding down in Island Park. While I waited for the two people I was riding with to make their way up the creek into the upper zone I ripped around tearing up as much pow as I could. There were several sleds off in the distance and I could see 3-4 of them stuck. I pulled up to one, offered a ski tug and I could see he was just exhausted and rather than continue to let him dig down to China I gave him a couple of pointers and he was out in seconds. When I asked where his buddies were he pointed to the next stuck guy, so off I went to give that guy a ski pull. Same situation, exhausted, no idea how to get his sled out, a little trenched and hadn't really cleared his sled out. I told him what to do, I grabbed my ski lanyard I use to help with a ski pull, he was amazed when his sled popped up and out. I looked over at another guy and ask if he was with them and turns out he wasn't even sure. So off I ride to the next guy, he just needed his sled rolled over I think, but he couldn't figure it out so again suggested what he do, sled was out.

Meanwhile I had noticed a few other guys gathering on the flats just below where we were, I asked the guy if he was good and he figured he was and I rode down to these guys. Turns out these guys were all from Minnesota. They ride IslandPark every winter but it seems they were pushing their limits some. They were all between 20-60 years old, there was 10 of them. None could ride any better than the next guy, none could get to a guy if he was stuck for fear of getting themselves stuck. I looked around and saw at least one of the guys who I already helped was stuck again. No one was going over to help him. Why was I beating the crap out of my self to help these guys who couldn't help themselves?

I am sure I taught a couple of them some decent lessons on getting themselves out. I am sure they were appreciative, but I wasn't going to waste my day pulling skis for these guys.

Turns out later in the day on our way back from a nasty section up over another valley and down through a creek these guys had followed our tracks. My sled was acting up and running on one cylinder. There were sleds pointed in every direction when we hit the creek where we needed to drop into and come out the other end. We chatted for a bit while they removed sleds that were piled into trees, nosed into creek holes, dug huge holes in the easiest spot I could see to run my sled out on one cylinder. What a crap show. Anyhow, they were going to be awhile, maybe hours figuring this out. I sized up a new line, smashed my throttle and climbed out onto the trail we had created on our way in. We chatted with the group, none were hurt at that point, all were grown men and the sun was getting low on the horizon so off we went. I have no idea how long it took them, maybe hours but at some point people need to be responsible for themselves.

If that makes me arrogant then so be it. But I believe these guys were the arrogant ones. They were the ones who chose to ride beyond their abilities, they were the ones who put themselves in a situation that could have led to someone getting hurt, getting lost, requiring assistance from SAR, maybe leaving their families wondering where they are because they hadn't checked in by dark. The definition of arrogance speaks for itself - having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities.


If someone is going to suggest that someone is arrogant for riding away when they see you are stuck maybe look in the mirror. Arrogance comes in many forms, one is the strong need to look better than someone else, because of life experience their smugness often comes across as being conceded (arrogance) and them trying to be better than the next guy, or proving they are right in a situation only leads to people challenging their views and if they are too arrogant they are not willing or unable to understand someone else's opinion.

 

[FernieHawk]

That’s a long coffee break....

 

[takethebounce]

That’s a long coffee break....

And it was a paid one!

 

[snopro]

We stopped and helped 2 guys at the end of the day at Frisby last year. They had a rental sled and had it actually not to far off trail and weren't stuck but facing downhill in an off camber spot. They flagged us down and wanted to know if we could call Glacier House to come and get them. Every time they tried to turn the sled it wanted to go down farther. My buddy just jumped on it and carved it around to the top up to the trail. Those guys had spent all afternoon there. They were very thankful but thought maybe skiing was more their forte. HaHa! They were from Sweden I believe.

 

[TDR]

I wasn't going to respond and I am not responding directly to Lunds post but after reading some of the comments and it being coffee time it got me thinking...

I have pulled a lot of skis for people who I have never seen before. I am sure I have been helped by someone I have never met. There are times where your efforts are futile and you need to know when to concede and just ride away. What I consider a great example is last winter riding down in Island Park. While I waited for the two people I was riding with to make their way up the creek into the upper zone I ripped around tearing up as much pow as I could. There were several sleds off in the distance and I could see 3-4 of them stuck. I pulled up to one, offered a ski tug and I could see he was just exhausted and rather than continue to let him dig down to China I gave him a couple of pointers and he was out in seconds. When I asked where his buddies were he pointed to the next stuck guy, so off I went to give that guy a ski pull. Same situation, exhausted, no idea how to get his sled out, a little trenched and hadn't really cleared his sled out. I told him what to do, I grabbed my ski lanyard I use to help with a ski pull, he was amazed when his sled popped up and out. I looked over at another guy and ask if he was with them and turns out he wasn't even sure. So off I ride to the next guy, he just needed his sled rolled over I think, but he couldn't figure it out so again suggested what he do, sled was out.

Meanwhile I had noticed a few other guys gathering on the flats just below where we were, I asked the guy if he was good and he figured he was and I rode down to these guys. Turns out these guys were all from Minnesota. They ride IslandPark every winter but it seems they were pushing their limits some. They were all between 20-60 years old, there was 10 of them. None could ride any better than the next guy, none could get to a guy if he was stuck for fear of getting themselves stuck. I looked around and saw at least one of the guys who I already helped was stuck again. No one was going over to help him. Why was I beating the crap out of my self to help these guys who couldn't help themselves?

I am sure I taught a couple of them some decent lessons on getting themselves out. I am sure they were appreciative, but I wasn't going to waste my day pulling skis for these guys.

Turns out later in the day on our way back from a nasty section up over another valley and down through a creek these guys had followed our tracks. My sled was acting up and running on one cylinder. There were sleds pointed in every direction when we hit the creek where we needed to drop into and come out the other end. We chatted for a bit while they removed sleds that were piled into trees, nosed into creek holes, dug huge holes in the easiest spot I could see to run my sled out on one cylinder. What a crap show. Anyhow, they were going to be awhile, maybe hours figuring this out. I sized up a new line, smashed my throttle and climbed out onto the trail we had created on our way in. We chatted with the group, none were hurt at that point, all were grown men and the sun was getting low on the horizon so off we went. I have no idea how long it took them, maybe hours but at some point people need to be responsible for themselves.

If that makes me arrogant then so be it. But I believe these guys were the arrogant ones. They were the ones who chose to ride beyond their abilities, they were the ones who put themselves in a situation that could have led to someone getting hurt, getting lost, requiring assistance from SAR, maybe leaving their families wondering where they are because they hadn't checked in by dark. The definition of arrogance speaks for itself - having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities.


If someone is going to suggest that someone is arrogant for riding away when they see you are stuck maybe look in the mirror. Arrogance comes in many forms, one is the strong need to look better than someone else, because of life experience their smugness often comes across as being conceded (arrogance) and them trying to be better than the next guy, or proving they are right in a situation only leads to people challenging their views and if they are too arrogant they are not willing or unable to understand someone else's opinion.

Well said. And by the way I really appreciate every ski pull you have provided and all those in the future.

 

[gunner3006]

We stopped and helped 2 guys at the end of the day at Frisby last year. They had a rental sled and had it actually not to far off trail and weren't stuck but facing downhill in an off camber spot. They flagged us down and wanted to know if we could call Glacier House to come and get them. Every time they tried to turn the sled it wanted to go down farther. My buddy just jumped on it and carved it around to the top up to the trail. Those guys had spent all afternoon there. They were very thankful but thought maybe skiing was more their forte. HaHa! They were from Sweden I believe.

You bring up a very valid point here. Anyone can go rent. And I mean anyone. You don’t have to have the gear. Put your visa down and it’s yours for as long as you wish. This also did not used to be the case. Rentals have become very popular. I don’t believe there helping the situation imo.

 

[gunner3006]

Absolutely. I agree. A great way for a guy to get into the sport without buying a $17,000 sled first. I just notice a tonne of adds on kijiji now for rentals. Makes a guy wonder how many people drive up in a patagonia coat and white sunglasses, sign on the dotted line and peel out to the alpine.