Encounters with Yellow Jackets
- Thread starter albinoboy
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I_Liek_Eggs
Member
one tried to take my eggs once
Criloh
Member
One time I was skiing with my dad at Beaver Creek and we were ripping down a blue and their was a natural roller with a sign that said no jumping with a yellow jacket standing right there. Naturally, my Dad take this as an invitation to send a huge spread eagle prompting him to get pulled over and have the dude yell at him for not setting a good example.
Last Spring my friend and I got our passes pulled at Alta for hitting the rope gap off Sugarloaf into Gloryhole. Mountain safety clipped our passes and took us to get lectured by ski patrol. When the mountain safety guy left the patroller asked if I got the shot of my buddy hitting the rope gap. I showed the patroller the clip and since according to the patroller my buddy "took it deep" we got our passes back.
Last Spring my friend and I got our passes pulled at Alta for hitting the rope gap off Sugarloaf into Gloryhole. Mountain safety clipped our passes and took us to get lectured by ski patrol. When the mountain safety guy left the patroller asked if I got the shot of my buddy hitting the rope gap. I showed the patroller the clip and since according to the patroller my buddy "took it deep" we got our passes back.
BaconSteezburger
Member
13874746:R_Cordz said:
We're gonna need to see the clip
13874507:iced said:
When you're working trying to keep the park nice, while people are crashing into you, bitching that they're favorite feature is in, you should have set the flat rail as a down, people poaching to side jump when you're trying to rake, and then people having nothing but negative things to say, and not structuring it in a manner that's even remotely constructive.
Fuck, fuck the park, fuck that feature, fuck this feature, gets old after a while.
Holte
Active member
I think we can all agree that a lot of yellow jackets are on a habitual power trip - and I get it; it must suck to stand around all day yelling at gapers going through slow zones and constantly be wishing to be a patroller. Nobody has less respect on the mountain than those poor bastards. But there was one time where a buddy and I breezed past a safety patroller switch on a casual blue run, and he called in the cavalry. You'd thought we assassinated a head of state by the number of yellow jackets that met us at the bottom.
They made us aware that we were being put on a violation list, and any further infraction, large or small, would result in a season ban. So I complied, told them that I was Henrik Harlaut, and would not ski switch through slow zones any more. My buddy, Bobby Brown, also agreed to the terms and conditions.
Now, this was like 2007, when nobody except serious freeskiers had any idea who Henrik or Bobby were. I mispronounced Henrik's last name since I'd never even heard it pronounced at that point. But some friends on park crew got a laugh hearing their names being called over the radio.
For the rest of the season, I felt mildly concerned that if for some reason Henrik or Bobby showed up to Crystal, they'd experience ski patrol discrimination.
They made us aware that we were being put on a violation list, and any further infraction, large or small, would result in a season ban. So I complied, told them that I was Henrik Harlaut, and would not ski switch through slow zones any more. My buddy, Bobby Brown, also agreed to the terms and conditions.
Now, this was like 2007, when nobody except serious freeskiers had any idea who Henrik or Bobby were. I mispronounced Henrik's last name since I'd never even heard it pronounced at that point. But some friends on park crew got a laugh hearing their names being called over the radio.
For the rest of the season, I felt mildly concerned that if for some reason Henrik or Bobby showed up to Crystal, they'd experience ski patrol discrimination.
Jackson_D
Member
I was skiing at a basin and according to Colorado fine rule of law, if a trail, is closed at the top and any adjacent trees lining the trails act as a natural barrier, therefore, deterring skiers from entering. Being from the east coast, I was not aware of this at all. So on my last day and last run, my homies and I were hitting this little gap and I got stopped right before I dropped. The man came through a pulled all of our passes and blacklisted us for two weeks. I got an email a few days later saying that we were blacklisted from all the mountains on the epic pass except a basin, keystone, and breck.
**This post was edited on Jan 9th 2018 at 8:47:58pm
**This post was edited on Jan 9th 2018 at 8:47:58pm
Park_Ranger
Active member
Who the fuck are the people that take this job? Who in their right mind wants to stand in the middle of a ski run, dressed like a buffoon, probably freezing their ass off while having to be the fun police that everyone hates? It would be the most negative job and such shitty working conditions... just standing there in the cold yelling at people.
profa_212
Active member
13874951:Park_Ranger said:
I would do it....its an on snow position with literally no responsabilities. Better than being a lift jockey. Only negativity comes from the person being a dick it's not like they are told to be one.
Only met one that was actually a dick at North star when I skied there....other than that they usually were able to differentiate between kooks....shredders....and idiots who thought they were shredders but can't actually ski.
Only place they every posted up were at dangerous slow zones anyways where you should be slowing down anyways. Other resorts could be different though.
iced
Active member
13874762:theabortionator said:
I don't bitch or bother park staff. The patroller pulled up beside me in the lift line to fill the chair when I was talking to my buddy. I get where you are coming from and all with managing a decently sized park;
Context for my previous post: there are literally 10 features in my park, with is a sorry excuse compared to the past seasons. People buy passes expecting a certain range of features. This year they only installed 2 rails for fucks sake. It couldn't be plainer that they don't want to take the time to groom and maintain features. The staff are lapping me. As for the battleship box it use to be to flat ground to blow out everyone's arches, but then they fixed it up but fucked up and made it on an angle. Every time I go up the lift I see kids slide sideways off the top of the cursed thing
Edit: they literally crossed off the L and XL on the park sign
**This post was edited on Jan 2nd 2018 at 12:30:32pm
Park_Ranger
Active member
You guys ever had an encounter with someone who takes it upon themselves to be a yellow jacket? I was at Killington in 2011 and got chased down an entire run by some 50 year old dude. He cussed me out at the bottom because apparently I cut him off at the top? He was absolutely irate, literally chased me down the entire run. Dude was such a Jerry too
Park_Ranger
Active member
13875031:IsitWinterYet17 said:
- skis left the ground
- charging in way to fast
- cutting through a groomed trail
- going out of bounds
That is how a yellow jacket would see this.
And yeah, I bet that dude was standing there on purpose because he knows that is a prime send spot and wants to ruin as much fun as he possibly can.
Casey
Active member
I'd love to become a mountain ambassador and just steadily undermine the entire system from the inside, until I have infiltrated so deep that I am like the national head guy about to receive my award for clipping my 5000th pass...
**This post was edited on Jan 2nd 2018 at 5:11:23pm
**This post was edited on Jan 2nd 2018 at 5:11:23pm
SendyMcSendyface
Active member
Aight, what the fuck are yellow jackets? I've skied all over eastern Canada, and have never seen one, and we evidently don't have them at Targhee.
profa_212
Active member
13875143:SendyMcSendyface said:
Vail owned resorts only.....but some independent mountains also have them...basically safety police.
Targhee definitely doesn't thank god. Neither does squaw/alpine which is chill....but instead of having a dude in yellow slowing people down on the sketchy areas they have patrol.
SendyMcSendyface
Active member
13875151:Profahoben_212 said:
Daamn, real glad I didnt go work for Vail
VolcanoBurrito
New member
I’ve been working with Vail for a few seasons and have had many encounters with yellow jackets and patrol over the years. Every time I just let them lecture the shit out of me and act super sorry. They usually just see that I’m an employee and let me go.
strayln_Skier
Member
A yellow Jacket pulled me over once for skiing switch to fast or someshit. He said that he only stopped me because his boss was watching. He asked for my pass and said he wouldn't scan and just made it look like he scanned it. Legend of a bloke.
strayln_Skier
Member
A yellow Jacket pulled me over once for skiing switch to fast or someshit. He said that he only stopped me because his boss was watching. He asked for my pass and said he wouldn't scan and just made it look like he scanned it. Legend of a bloke.
Jesse_
Active member
13875298:strayln_Skier said:
Thats actually kinda cool, he "performs" his job when observed by his boss but actually does the exact opposite in favour of being nice toward you. I mean, I still think yellow jackets are meaningless and it's dumb that his job, only when observed by his boss required him to pull over people skiing switch to fast but it's still a cool how be fake scanned you nonetheless. He could've easily been a dick about it.
13874967:iced said:
That sucks if they're not maintaining features and just riding I hear ya. Was just saying that because even in the best park out there people will still bitch about something, actually probably several things. Can't please em ell.
Also some people just yell shit, or just constantly bitch. Those people get tunes out. The people that approach and say something rational regarding the features they want or things getting fixed have a way better shot. Being nice goes a long way to motivating people to get shit done. Some places if everyone is constantly negative and bitching they just say fuck it and give up, even the people who might not have been total lazy fucks to start with.
Hopefully the park gets better.
Me and my buddy were jumping over ropes into closed off trails/sections- super fun, and doesnt pose a risk to anyone but ourselves, so why not. We hit one to find an "undercover" ski patroller waiting who pulled my 2 DAY PASS! So I took the stub and went to customer service and reclaimed my pass
T.L.
Active member
13875357:BSmith99 said:
Ok, so what happens when you break yourself off and have to get hauled outta there on a sled? If you're a good skier the chances are smaller but the risk is still there. You'd potentially be putting the people rescuing your ass in higher danger.
I'm not trying to assume what specifically was going on in your instance but you're dead wrong about no risk to anyone but yourself.
ChangeCashMoney
Member
13874854:R_Cordz said:
Wait wait wait.... Ski patrol at Alta in disguise. This smells a whole lot like an old gucciman post.
13875031:IsitWinterYet17 said:
Both sides of the rope were open that day. The Mountain Safety guy was just pissed we jumped the rope and didn't enter through the avy gate. Another group of skiers had hit the gap a few minutes earlier. That's why I think he was sitting there.
JoeC92
Member
Not really ski patrol but more like an instructor:
Today around 6:00 pm I came down to the lodge and just ucipped my bindings to run inside and grab another hoodie because it was fucking freezing. I didn’t bother putting them on the ski rack because I would be back In 10 seconds more or less. Before I can reach the door this ski instructor kid not much older than me (probably 18 at most) stops me and makes me put em on the rack even though it was barely busy and almost the end of the day. I decided not to argue with him because he seemed like the type of cunt to call ski patrol and have them take your skis or something. In the process of me leaning my skis up someone’s rental pole falls on the ground and he has this shit eating grin on and nods toward it. FUCK YOU IF YOURE READING THIS ALPHA SKI INSTRUCTOR DUDE.
Btw this guy was leaned up against the rack opposite me and there were tons of skis (mostly rentals) on the ground.
Today around 6:00 pm I came down to the lodge and just ucipped my bindings to run inside and grab another hoodie because it was fucking freezing. I didn’t bother putting them on the ski rack because I would be back In 10 seconds more or less. Before I can reach the door this ski instructor kid not much older than me (probably 18 at most) stops me and makes me put em on the rack even though it was barely busy and almost the end of the day. I decided not to argue with him because he seemed like the type of cunt to call ski patrol and have them take your skis or something. In the process of me leaning my skis up someone’s rental pole falls on the ground and he has this shit eating grin on and nods toward it. FUCK YOU IF YOURE READING THIS ALPHA SKI INSTRUCTOR DUDE.
Btw this guy was leaned up against the rack opposite me and there were tons of skis (mostly rentals) on the ground.
yungsteeze
Member
Jackson hole = coolest yellow jackets/employees. Was bombing 60mph in a slow zone according to ski tracks app and she met me at the bottom and gave me a warning and said “its not a control thing, just cant be going that fast here”. Also skied a couple lines in some pretty gnarly permanently closed terrain and both times dudes in jackson hole jackets were waiting at the bottom just making sure i made it down ok. Its almost cham style how they let you assume your own risk to a greater degree there.
Young_patty
Active member
Haven't had much experience with yellow jackets since I usually pretend I don't notice them and ski past them. I did get stopped by a patroller in squaw for skiing "recklessly" in a crowded run, he threatened to pull my pass but looking back on it he was a chill dude and I was just being a little Midwest shit who thinks they are unstoppable out west and was copping a pretty hard aditude with him. Same dude pulled over my friend for the same reason and told him "your friend probably thinks I'm a dick but it's just too crowded on this run and you guys need to chill".
Another time at at mount rose we were bombing trying to get top speeds (top speeds among us were 67,69, and 73 according to sno cru so take it with a grain of salt) and when we got to the bottom some mountain employee came up to us and told us we were going to fast and that he wanted to see our passes. We all started shitting ourselves but then the dude laughed, said it was fine and that there was usually some old dude who liked to hang around and push 90+ so we laughed and enjoyed the rest of our day.
Another time at at mount rose we were bombing trying to get top speeds (top speeds among us were 67,69, and 73 according to sno cru so take it with a grain of salt) and when we got to the bottom some mountain employee came up to us and told us we were going to fast and that he wanted to see our passes. We all started shitting ourselves but then the dude laughed, said it was fine and that there was usually some old dude who liked to hang around and push 90+ so we laughed and enjoyed the rest of our day.
I turn around point out 10 people behind me that are infinitely worse skiers / out of control. Tell them if they touch me we're going to have a massive problem. Ski down to their boss in the village who runs all of that stuff and demand a run with them. Usually they back off when you threaten those jerks on their power trip taking them to their boss
brett_fisher
Active member
13874745:R_Cordz said:
lol same i got my pass pulled there too. I got this cool hippy older lady patroller to come talk to me she just gave it back to me and to watch out for mountain safety. she was sick looked like she piffed and shredded I wanted her to be my mom.
J_Christoph
Active member
First couple weeks at PC we got pursued almost every run for "leaving the ground" as the entire run was a slow zone apparently.
BigPurpleSkiSuit
Active member
Did have one bad encounter with a yellow jacket at snowbird, I was hitting the moguls cattrack on gad 2 under the lift and as I was ripping the moguls (as best I could) I hear a loud lifeguard whistle about 10 feet behind me and to my left. Naturally my head spins around and lo and behold I see some sixty year old fat guy yellow jacket. What I don't see is the topside of the last mogul before the cattrack which I end up hitting which sends me sprawling across the cattrack into the next slope. As I'm collecting myself, before I've even gotten up I see this guy's face over me yelling at me about how out of control I was and if there'd been a kid there I would have killed them. I then resist the urge to tell him, "Well that's why I waited till it was clear you dumbfuck, and if you hadn't blown your stupid rape whistle none of this would have happened. ". Continue to act magnanimous, and he says, just don't do it again. Then when I'm skiing down to the lift I realize I've sprained my thumb. All in all not a fun time. Every now and then they still tell me to slow down, so when they do I always just do a full slash to stop in my tracks on whatever trail I'm on.