If you're like me and usually skip straight to the forum you should check this new article out. Pretty cool story. And glad Robbie and his family made it back safely!

http://www.dcski.com/articles/view_article.php?article_id=1294&mode=headlines

Sunday April 3. JohnL, mwg, DSloan and I were with a group at Vail when this hit. The skiing sucked in the morning, frozen groomers, really scratchy. We were almost at the top when the lightning started, skied down to the mid mountain lodge in the "dippin dot" downpour. The hail made it feel like your face was bleeding. It had to be terrifying to be still on the lift when this started. Pretty nice powder day once they turned the lifts back on though.

Being only one mountain over during the same storm, to me the story is a bit overdone. Some dramatic story-telling license. You definitely need to respect lightning, but the conditions weren't that bad. But I ski more rugged terrain and conditions than most, so I could see how newbies could be spooked.

Being three mountains over, to me the story is: "What lightning? Oh, well, that's what you get for being that low, we had nothing but light pow up here at 11500"

Good story from Robbie, had me on the edge of my seat. Glad everything turned out ok in the end. I was outside in thundersnow this past winter near the metrorail in Arlington, Va. I saw it a couple years ago on a family ski trip to Wintergreen, but we were just driving in the car to leave at 5pm when it hit.

We need to send JohnL on a weeklong trip with a bunch of little kids and a mother-in-law to expand his understanding of the term "rugged conditions"

In the old street vernacular, word up on that JikK. I was once on the Germania lift at Alta when lightning dance above. We were last load off and the lift was shut down. We were bummmed because the condition were Eastern good (hardpack) but the cloud moved on and little skiing was lost.

Good read, by the way.

I too am glad you're OK Robbie. I had a similar experience with my daughter at 7 Springs many years ago. She was about 11 and although the sky was gray we didn't expect what happened next. As we neared to top of the lift a tremendous gust of wind came up followed by a lightning flash and the thunderclap immediately after. The chair stopped and we swung wildly in the wind for about 10 minutes with lightning nearby, although not as close as the first time. The chair had no safety bar and we put our arms over the chair back and hung on. When the chair started moving again 2-3" of powder had fallen and it was white out visibility. When we unloaded a dozen people were there and one said he was very familiar with the way down to the front side so we all followed him single file in close procession. It was very scary but at least, once we were on the snow, the lightning had passed and we did not become separated.

Many years ago I was caught in lightning and "Thunder Snow" at Park City, UT. Where to go for protection? Stay on open, wide trail, or head into the trees for protection. You are damned if you do and damned if you don't! We took off the metal thing on our feet called skis, and stood next to the trees, somewhat prtected from the wind and the howling snowsquall.
The Colonel

Hi JohnL - agree! Story was rather over-cooked although I was not there but had more than a few days at The Can like that - this story sounds like boo hoo hoo; oh well all sorts of people can ski and even more can write stuff - but *we* know who can arc-um-or-park-um


E-

Actually, I thought it was quite interesting - the "dippin' dots" hail and lightening and all, but our group got inside pretty quickly after the lightening started. I think the ride home over Vail Pass that evening was scarier - don't you JohnL?

Whitetail has toughened you up.

How was Mammoth? It is known for getting some weather and winds.

Drive back wasn't really scary, but it was very, very, very tiring after a long day. Colorado drivers may even be worse than DC-area drivers. Fortunately, the rental handled like a charm.

That afternoon at Vail was tame compared to what we encountered at the ridge lines of Breck the next day. Some of those conditions were a tad rugged. Nothing like sustained 50 mph winds in whiteout conditions while traversing over double black ridge lines. Throw in some frostbite on my face. Not pleasant.

Mammoth was fun. Spring conditions and slushy snow at the beginning of the week and wintry conditions with new snow at the end. Got a couple powder days in! The winds were high most of the week, not as bad as Breck, but still high enough (30-40mph at times) to close the upper lifts a couple of days.

Sweet. Time for a re -wax, then?

She needs to be filled with booze first.

I can re-wax myself now - thanks to your excellent tutelage. However, as JohnL says, I may need a few beers to do it correctly! They do need a season end tune, so I will be taking my skis in to the shop for that. Unless you are offering!

Special forces ski wax clinic. Learnd to brush it, drip it, blot it, crayon it & cork it in a hotel suite using an easy chair for a ski vise all without setting off the smoke detector or a rental car being towed. Thanks to comprex and batgirl we were properly fortified with brandy and wine, no beer here.