Ski areas can sometimes feel like the wild west.
You never know what you’re going to run into. That’s why we asked our followers the question: What is the strangest thing you have ever seen skiing or snowboarding? Their answers didn’t disappoint!
*Commentary in non-bolded italicized font*
Peter S: “Before ski brakes, spring skiing, base area sitting enjoying the sun with lots of people doing the same. When I heard someone screaming SKI,SKI I looked up and there was a runaway ski headed into the base area. It ended up hitting one of man’s best friends, a dog. So sad. Will never forget!”
^Jeez Peter. I don’t know if that’s the wildest story I’ve ever heard or the saddest. I also can’t believe that there was a time before ski brakes. Crazy.
Matthew E:Â “I puked a nice long streak of red gatorade while traversing Frenchmen at Keystone to stop. Multiple people stopped and thought I was “shot” while skiing.”
^Man down. I repeat man down. Murder on the slopes of Keystone!
Matt H:Â “In 70+ mph winds at Bachelor my 6 yo daughter was being blown up the runs backwards I had to pull her down the hill”
^I would have recorded that before rescuing her. This life is all about content, and that would have been the contentiest content I ever did see.
Charlie S:Â “A dead moose at the bottom of the Kitchen Wall at Stowe with a Sugarbush lift ticket on it’s ear.”
^Is this the ski resort equivalent of that scene from The Godfather? You leave a dead moose on your enemy’s doorstep with a lift ticket as your calling card? If so, that’s pretty damn cool. Not cool for killing a moose, but you know what I mean…
Martin H: “On yet another deep Jay day, I had a grouse come up out of the snow between my skis n hit my buddy in the chest… good thing he’s a patroller🤣”
^Those damn grouse. I swear they’re like landmines for skiers and snowboarders. Keep your head on a swivel!
Geoff G:Â “The wing of an airplane sticking out of the snow in the backcountry from an old plane crash”
^Oh so that’s where Trevor Jacob left his plane…
Daniel R:Â “Saw a plane crash on the backside of the mountain we were on and saw helicopters flying parts of the plane out the rest of the day”
^Trevor Jacob is everywhere.Â
Bob Z:Â “Shane McConkey skied by me in a Bear suit”
^Very cool. I’m very jealous. That’s all. No jokes here.
Eric J:Â “Bear sleeping under the chairlift. 350 racers one trail away. Two years in a row. If not mistaken. Gunstock.”
^Bear don’t give a flying f*ck about no ski racers. Bear sleep when bear want to sleep. Bear eat when bear want to eat. Bear must have not want to eat that day. 350 ski racer lucky.
Liz C:Â “A lynx sitting at the top of the chair in the woods watching all the ski school groups get off on High Meadow at PCMR Robbie P. got a pic!”
^Change the first two letters in lynx to ‘mi’ and this is a very different and very concerning story…
Scott:Â “Two moose chilling on a run at Breckenridge”
^Moose at a ski resort always plays.
BC Powder Freaks:Â “200 santas while on shrooms”
^Welp. You were definitely on the naughty list that year. Hope you like coal in your stocking you heathen.
Header Image Credit: Colorado Ski Country USA