powder fights--crazy story

[Dexter Rutecki]

From that other board:

johnny ballgame
Junior Member
Member # 4400

Rate Member posted March 20, 2004 09:15 PM
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So I witnessed a kind of "turf war" scrap in the Steamboat backcountry a few weeks back. After 45 minutes or so of sledding in, we're standing at the top of some place called the "S's" that most folks don't reach I guess. Another sled comes flyin up at a pretty good clip, and this dude who was being towed releases, carrying lots of speed, and tackles a member of our group. The dude is big, and they grapple for a bit. He then lays into the guy for about 15 minutes (dropping an f-bomb every other word) about "building roads" with his sled and how we have to protect this secret place, stuff like that. They knew each other, and don't see eye-to-eye regarding "ownership" and sharing of places back there.

We argue with him for a few minutes before giving up, and the guy is still foaming at the mouth. Anyway, weird way to start an otherwise glorious powder day with ozone blue skies. Apologies for rambling, but I was curious to know if anyone else has ever run across this type of thing? Are we turning into over-protective surfers?

PS - most of the pitches we skied that day were 40+ degrees, for those of you who were under the impression that the Steamboat backcountry is flat.
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Posts: 5 | Registered: Feb 2004 | IP: Logged |


edit: for link http://forum.powdermag.com/cgi-bin/u...c;f=1;t=024365

[bagtagley]

Just watched Dog Town and Z Boys last night. Unless somebody rides up and starts throwing concrete and glass at the guy, I'm not impressed .

Pretty crazy though. I guess fighting for powder is better than not fighting for nuthin' ??

[girlski0912]

or fighting for oil???????

[truth]

Originally posted by girlski0912
or fighting for oil???????

Perhaps, but oiling for a fight is fine with me.

[cololi]

Guys like that piss me off. The Wasatch is full of old timers who think that becasue they have been skiing the bc for twenty or thirty years, that no one else belongs there. I got told off by a Wasatch Mountain Club group that traversed under a large cornice that we had started to cut in Silver Fork. We were up there for a good thirty minutes before they showed up, yelled down to them what we were doing, and they still crossed under us. Luckily we were only about 25% through it, or it could have been ugly.

Unless it truely is private property and posted, anyone can go there. If someone is in your secret stash, suck it up and find a new one or join them for a decent ski.

[PaSucks]

That mentality is a big reason I wont ever be a surfer, that and I live 500 miles from a beach.

Actually, I am curious as to how big that mentality actually is in surfing. I have always heard that they are fiercly terrotorial, but what do the surfers on this board think? Is it really a problem, or has it just been blown out of proportion?

[boarderline]

Originally posted by PaSucks
That mentality is a big reason I wont ever be a surfer, that and I live 500 miles from a beach.

Actually, I am curious as to how big that mentality actually is in surfing. I have always heard that they are fiercly terrotorial, but what do the surfers on this board think? Is it really a problem, or has it just been blown out of proportion?

Depends on the beach and the individual surfer. There are spots on the SoCal coast where it's really relaxed like C-Street in Ventura, and places where it's fiercely localized. I wouldn't want to paddle out at Lunada Bay without knowing someone, for example.

But like any sport, don't be a kook and you won't have many hassles. A lot of tension in the water is caused by people who don't follow the basic rules and basically get in the way. If you drop in on someone, get in their way when they're paddling for a wave, or give stink-eye to someone, expect trouble. Respect gets respect, and always wear a black wetsuit.

[Arnold Babar]

Originally posted by Walter Sobchak
Sounds like a sled thing to me. If everyone had skinned or booted up they would have been too tired and happy to be at the top to bother fighting.

Maybe the smartest thing I've read on this topic...

[interloper]

Originally posted by Arnold Babar
Maybe the smartest thing I've read on this topic...

[Lostinthetrees]

Originally posted by Walter Sobchak
Sounds like a sled thing to me. If everyone had skinned or booted up they would have been too tired and happy to be at the top to bother fighting.

Thank you Walter. Well said.
BC for everyone that can hike it! Earn your turns and enjoy the silence of nature.
LITT