I broke my back on Saturday. It sucks a bit to not be able to ski for the next few weeks, but all in all Saturday wasn't even a bad day of skiing. Everyone I met was helpful and wanted to see me get to safety.
I was riding with a few friends at Snoqualmie's Summit Central (which isn't a spectacular mountain, but the season passes are super cheap and that's what counts) and I had taken a few laps through the greenhorn terrain park. We did a spreagle train, some zero spins, some threes. but got bored and headed over to the larger "Central Park."
From the lift I watched about 10 people case on the first jump. Not wanting to make the same mistake, I skied down, got low, got speed, and got airborne. I overshot the landing by a long distance. I landed pretty close to the start of the second jump in the line. I started flailing when I realized I was going to get about 25 feet of air on a 10 foot jump, and I came down hard on the tails of my skis, they toe released and I dug my heels in really hard. I could feel my spine compress on the landing. It was disgusting. I rolled over and dry heaved a bit. Some skier, I think he was wearing blue, came over to help me. I didn't get his name or anything, but he pulled my skis to the side and helped me crawl over to them. He wanted to get patrol, but I didn't want them. My buddy caught up to my by this point and helped me up on my skis.
One I was standing I felt a bit better, but I still felt like throwing up. I decided that I was just winded and I was just gonna ski it off. I skied down the run, and then tried to hit a propane tank jib. This was probably the dumbest idea I've ever had. The shock of landing on the tank almost dropped me, I slid off and kept skiing, but I was pretty sure there was something wrong with me by then.
**Skier in blue, if you are a NS member, I'd just like to thank you. You were right all along, I should have ditched my pride and ridden down with patrol.
It took me about 20 minutes to hike from Central Express to the lodge (maybe an 8th of mile?). I couldn't bend down to pick up my skis, so I had to hike with them on. I tried to nap it off in the lodge, but it kept hurting.
Finally, my friends convinced me to talk to patrol. They walked my spine. Noticed I was swelling pretty good, and wanted to backboard me. I didn't want to do it, but my friend (who is a firefighter) told me I was an idiot if I didn't go get an X-Ray.
Ski patrol was super friendly, they kept me joking and laughing while they put me on the backboard (which is about as fun to ride as it looks) and the EMT in the Ambulance was also very funny and friendly. The ride to the hospital was pretty cool. I can cross "ambulance ride" off of my bucket list now.
The X-Ray showed a compression fracture on t-12. I also have a lot of abdominal pain. I think the shock may have bruised me up on the inside a bit.
I just want to take the time to publicly thank everyone who helped me today. From the random people on the hill, to the ski patrol, to the EMT and doctor who checked me out at the hospital. I wasn't stoked on going to the hospital, but I'm glad I did now.
I may have lost a lot of GNAR points today, but at least I can still walk.'
I was riding with a few friends at Snoqualmie's Summit Central (which isn't a spectacular mountain, but the season passes are super cheap and that's what counts) and I had taken a few laps through the greenhorn terrain park. We did a spreagle train, some zero spins, some threes. but got bored and headed over to the larger "Central Park."
From the lift I watched about 10 people case on the first jump. Not wanting to make the same mistake, I skied down, got low, got speed, and got airborne. I overshot the landing by a long distance. I landed pretty close to the start of the second jump in the line. I started flailing when I realized I was going to get about 25 feet of air on a 10 foot jump, and I came down hard on the tails of my skis, they toe released and I dug my heels in really hard. I could feel my spine compress on the landing. It was disgusting. I rolled over and dry heaved a bit. Some skier, I think he was wearing blue, came over to help me. I didn't get his name or anything, but he pulled my skis to the side and helped me crawl over to them. He wanted to get patrol, but I didn't want them. My buddy caught up to my by this point and helped me up on my skis.
One I was standing I felt a bit better, but I still felt like throwing up. I decided that I was just winded and I was just gonna ski it off. I skied down the run, and then tried to hit a propane tank jib. This was probably the dumbest idea I've ever had. The shock of landing on the tank almost dropped me, I slid off and kept skiing, but I was pretty sure there was something wrong with me by then.
**Skier in blue, if you are a NS member, I'd just like to thank you. You were right all along, I should have ditched my pride and ridden down with patrol.
It took me about 20 minutes to hike from Central Express to the lodge (maybe an 8th of mile?). I couldn't bend down to pick up my skis, so I had to hike with them on. I tried to nap it off in the lodge, but it kept hurting.
Finally, my friends convinced me to talk to patrol. They walked my spine. Noticed I was swelling pretty good, and wanted to backboard me. I didn't want to do it, but my friend (who is a firefighter) told me I was an idiot if I didn't go get an X-Ray.
Ski patrol was super friendly, they kept me joking and laughing while they put me on the backboard (which is about as fun to ride as it looks) and the EMT in the Ambulance was also very funny and friendly. The ride to the hospital was pretty cool. I can cross "ambulance ride" off of my bucket list now.
The X-Ray showed a compression fracture on t-12. I also have a lot of abdominal pain. I think the shock may have bruised me up on the inside a bit.
I just want to take the time to publicly thank everyone who helped me today. From the random people on the hill, to the ski patrol, to the EMT and doctor who checked me out at the hospital. I wasn't stoked on going to the hospital, but I'm glad I did now.
I may have lost a lot of GNAR points today, but at least I can still walk.'
I was the only one with a pass to alpental, so we rode central. I'm not gonna make that mistake again, 