In light of the recent fatalities in Washington state, NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams speaks to Dr. Robb Gaffney and Sherry McConkey about risk in the world of freeskiing and other extreme sports.
We’ve all been effected by the significant losses endured by the skiing community over the years. We all know the risks, but it’s not a stretch to suggest that the toll has been greater than many would have expected only a few years ago.
This piece addresses the rise in number and frequency of skiing fatalities witnessed in recent history. Dr. Gaffney points out that most of his heroes on the slopes growing up are still around to enjoy the mountains, whereas that may not necessarily be true for many skiers of a younger generation.
What has contributed to the increase in the number of deaths among so many talented athletes? Is it a trend that will continue?
By and large, the consensus among many of those close to these tragic events is to continue pursuing their passions, perhaps with even greater commitment than before. It is a way of honoring the spirit of those who have been lost and a way of instilling purpose in the direction and experience of life on and off the mountain.
Nonetheless, this segment raises many questions that should be considered by anyone who is out there pushing the limits.
Thanks Scott and the McConkey Family. Tough love
Mcconkey doing it again. Crushing it on nbc, inspiring the “youtube” generation.
I always love seeing videos of Shane continuing to inspire us.
Can you believe the comments these idiots are leaving on the rock center page? I don’t even know how to reply to these ignorant assholes.
http://rockcenter.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/22/10479428-the-death-zone-extreme-skiing-deaths-on-the-rise-in-california-community#comments
I think that all unofficial followers should respond to the dumbasses talking shit on Shane and skiers in general in the rock center comments. They’re clueless about our sport and the shit they’re saying is offensive.
done.
They are the lowest common denominator. Let ‘em be. Don’t feed the troll-hole.. One man’s opinion.
Wow!
Ignorant people with no heart or understanding.
You know they have never skied or snowboarded before, maybe done the snow plow or falling leaf once or twice. Type of person that would never stand on a skateboard and if they did they would break their neck.
They can post crap like that because they don’t take, so called, risks in life. But they will risk their life driving a car, flying in a plane, walking down stairs, eating fast food, infomercial dieting, sitting on their asses, etc, etc, etc… They don’t have a problem with “regulated sports” like football etc…
Get off the couch, get out behind the desk, and start loving your life to the fullest everyday. You only live life once, your only young once, and taking risks is part of life.
If you not having fun, your not trying hard enough.
Strap on some skis and shred.
the jeb crash has some good comments too http://now.msn.com/now/0222-daredevil-v-mountain.aspx
Squaw Valley, home to the world’s most best extreme skiers. Ha, what a joke.
they forgot to mention how similar it is to doing crack or meth. you get addicted and keep wanting more and more until you overdose or your luck runs out after consistently pushing it to far. however, it is hard to think about some of the consequences when you are still alive and enjoying your crack while getting a little extreme. have fun out there.. try not to go for green on the roulette table too often.
Watching the clip and then reading some of the comments on the rock center page led me to the following: are these people putting their lives at risk? yes. unnecessarily? yes. should people mourn them? depends if they touched your life. you see it’s not about are they doing something “stupid” or are they being reckless more it is about the human condition. all sport along with art, philosophy, music and exploration is about the endeavor. It is what makes life that much more beautiful. perhaps the sport is progressing to a place that is truly unnecessary, perhaps it is or has already crossed the threshold into the realm of extreme purely for the sake of being extreme. I think that that is the larger question for the community. Has the beauty of what the sport adds to our lives been lost in the pursuit of the ever more extreme? I don’t know. But the point of the exercise so to speak is add passion to life. Be it Shane or Mark Foo (died surfing Mavericks) Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (first man to sail around the world alone non-stop) these people are doing things that are impractical. Have no real “point” but then again what endeavor in life has a real “point” other than trying to share a life with ones we love….everything else should add to that….my $.02
Lots of hate for people that live THEIR lives the way THEY want to, i wonder if all those haters feel the same way about the obsolete foot soldier in todays military , the same ones we send to their deaths every day,For oil and economic power. we all die but are u free?or are u a slave? the slaves will always hate the free, when it’s only a choice that seperates them. By the way i see alot of shit talk but very few real names have some balls, and jumbo sucks a bag of dicks everyday before his morning coffee.( the jumbo that posts on unofficial not the one from the cantina)
Hey Mikeg. Can’t you take a joke.? What a wanker. Squaw puts out some great ski racers, but thats about it. You sound like a true Barn. Bet you do’nt even know how to carve a turn Cali boy wanna be. Shut up and SKI little bitch.
Hey jumbo i wrote that while on kt lift ,where did u write from, the stomach doctor while sitting next to rod stewart.
Nope. I was skiing pow in Jackson. Left Tahoe years ago little cream puff. Heard there is a starbucks at the top of kt. Have fun little twin tip bitch.
wow, thumb typing while skiing in 10 degree weather and 3 feet or fresh on a bluebird day in Jackson. Now THAT is fucking impressive.
The clip was overstated. It should have said “Squaw Valley, home to many of the world’s most famous extreme skiers”. Because THAT is pretty undeniable.
How many times can they say “the death zone” in this segment? Good to see these amazing athletes getting some recognition, even if it is overly sensationalized….
Not withstanding the hate from the stupid armchair warriors, there is a legitimate question of whether the sport has moved to the point when you have to take stupid risks to be noticed and make a living out of it. The times when the best skiers were noted for their fluidity and grace on snow are gone, now it is largely about who can do the highest double backflip off the biggest bad-ass cliff around. People like Doug Coombs would never get noticed today, because it is about the biggest and scariest trick you can make. As a gaper, I am not that naive to think that people would not take risks, they always would just for the thrill (and it is stupid to criticize them for that), but the current culture is definitely pushes them to do more. I believe that this is some of what Robb Gaffney was implying. I heard somewhere that Shane started to do Ski-BASE because he felt that his body could not take the hits of the big airs that the younger guys were doing. Sure, bigger airs are an inevitable progress, but I think it is in the best interests of the sport to make sure that our heroes live longer, so if the focus could shift away from the biggest and scariest air or trick, that would be better for all of us.
I can’t believe that guy’s a doctor. I’m so much smarter than he is.
Any Gaffney > you
Progression has gotten to the point where guys are going huge and pulling off insane tricks just to stay relevant. It’s not steeps anymore, its about skiing spines and outrunning avalanches.
The sport has gotten so risky, and I think some of these video productions are becoming like snuff movies.
You look at a movie like Blizzard of Aaaahs, and guys aren’t making movies like that anymore. I want to see a story, not just 80 foot drops and double back flips. Movies today pretty much suck. I did see one last year I liked called All I Can.
Check out “The Ordinary Skier”. 80 back flips and a killer story. Awesome movie by CP.
Hey J,
I’m all over B. of Ahhs! And All I Can was a great vid, too. But extreme sports are like the national debt, the risk goes up each second and it looks huge, but then what?
I’ve been around the Lake for 50 yrs and i love to see folks out there making a snowplow, oh wait, a “wedge” turn for the first time, or a couple taking some cheesy pic together on a “circle” feeling like they’ve conquered the world.
My “glory days” are long over, but i still love watching real skiers/boards getting it done. And as for how far should a sport take it’s borders? Well, to me, it’s great to live on the edge, but just make sure you have a pretty good idea of what’s on the otherside.
Peace
I would venture to say that most people commenting on this board are most likely 30 and under and are single (no kids at least). They don’t understand the concept of having a child and knowing the devastation that it would cause if the parent dies. There is a mindset among the subcultures of skiing, skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, etc. that if you’re not going as hard as you possibly can then you’re not having fun or if you decide to start a career rather than dedicate your life to a sport (which 99.99% will never see a dime from) than you live a worthless life.
What did that piece have to do with the skiers who died in the avalanche? Lame.
“Pushing the extreme…….BEYOND the extreme.”
how many GNAR points for getting a hummer from a reporter in the cable car?
Great piece. I think it is a little far fetched to put any sort of blame on corporate america tho.
‘Death Zone”
KSL has gotta love that attached tag line to Squaw.
have fun with that marketing team!!!
Where is Anon now?
Dr. Gaffney should have stuck to his roots instead of playing Jedi mind tricks on people. That guy has hucked his ass off and made some money in the process.
I agree it is an elite competitive environment that encourages progression, but please don’t try to convince me that everyone of those athletes doesn’t wants to be at the top of that run. We are addicts, and anyone who wants to compare skiing to meth or crack hopefully will move to the city and fulfill their life with that hobby.
I ski everyday I can and don’t feel the need to justify that to anyone; it is what makes me happy, like really happy! I also don’t need any more rules; those are for you city slickers who blow through OUR gates without any gear or even a consideration for the warnings posted on them. Rules don’t govern the mountains despite all your efforts to tame them.
If you live in a mountain town then you understand that people die in the mountains. If you don’t I’m sure they intimidate you with danger and misunderstanding. We are a often classified as poor skids but I assure you we live rich lives. That is the root of it all, our culture. I ski at Jackson and have the opportunity to kill myself any day of the week but I generally try to make decisions that will protect my lively-hood and health. I imagine the athletes at Squaw have the same intent.
I hope I do not die in the peaks but if that is what happens so be it. I am confident though that if that is the way I went, many friends and family would be there to celebrate my life. I have a lot of them and I ski with them all the time. RIP Shane, CR, Sara, Big Wally, and the rest of the fallen heros!
To the haters, I hope you learn to F#$% OFF
I think Robb’s major problem is not that people die in the mountains doing what they love, but that huge amounts of sponsorship cash can cause people to do a bunch of stupid shit that they might not ever do otherwise; such as throw yourself down some serious hair ball shit just to impress some gaper wanna-be’s watching youtube clips. I think money corrupts most everything good in life, especially skiing. My heros are not people who jump around and rails and do tricks for the magazine like some poodle at a dog show, but rather people like Robb who show us that skiing the gnar doesn’t always have to be about showing everyone how gnar you are all the time! The best things in life are indeed free, so that’s why I stopped buying ski flicks and lift tickets, and peaced out to the b/c to get down without ever having to bother myself with proving myself to a bunch of homoerotic idol worshiping squaw brahs.
@ El Extrimo
hey are you from Truckee… I lost my pipe.. hook me up…
lets get extreme…