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Got stuck on the lift one time in the middle of a February thunderstorm, they finally kicked the genny on after 5 mins cus the power went out. Got off the chair, skied down to the parking lot, and out of the corner of my eye I see a lightning bolt strike the tower we were stuck directly underneath. Probably a 60-90 second difference between us leaving that spot and the lightning strike. Pretty spooky shit.
 
topic:Rock_Inhabitant said:
I’m bored so share some skiing stories
Click to expand...

One time I bombed this hill and right as I went over this roller a beginner snowboarder appeared and turned right in front of me. Needless to say things didnt end well.

**This post was edited on Nov 8th 2023 at 2:11:43pm
 
Not mine but someone else's. I want to give them full credit but idk who it was.

So last night, I’m waxing my skis. I’ve got my iron all heated up and some fresh HF8 wax ready to go for Spring skiing. Tunes are pumped up. I’ve got Marley on full blast for all my neighbors to hear. I’m pretty stoked to get some fresh scrapes in and I’m singing along to the lyrics of “Jamming” with my entire register. I gently set my skis on my waxing board (It’s at about waist level) and get out my straps to hold down my ski brakes. So it should be noted that I’m completely naked at this point as I always am when I’m waxing my skis. I feel like it really helps to get into a good waxing grove. At this moment I notice that my Marker Griffon 13 bindings are unlocked and the heel piece is down. So long story short, it is tradition in my family to always keep the heel piece locked up when waxing skis. This tradition has gone back four generations since my great great grandpa died in a freak ski waxing accident while the heel piece was unlocked. I bend over to lock the heel piece in. It should be noted that I always keep my bindings at 12.5 DIN since I am such a rad skier. As I am locking the heel piece down a flash of intense pain crashes through my entire body. I look down and the skin of my balls are jammed in the heel piece of my bindings. “OH SHIT!”. I let out an excruciating cry of pain. I feel as though I am a mouse who has been helplessly snagged by the spring of a mouse trap. I slam my hands down on my heel piece, but alas the DIN is too high and my arms still recovering from last month when I dove, arms first, into a patch of icy snow after hitting a dub backie off of a cliff. I push with all my might, but the bindings stay pinned to the skin of my testicles. I swing my leg up to step on the heel piece and am suddenly met with a flash of pain. I must have pulled something in my leg. If only I had Look Pivots. I could have twisted the heel piece and gotten my balls right out of there. At this point the adrenaline is kicking in and I frantically search the room for a screwdriver to set the DIN lower. Finally, I see it. My Stanley screwdriver is sitting on the counter across the room next to my in line skate repair bench. I carefully pick up the ski, making sure not to twist the skin of my balls and race over to grab the screwdriver. I trip on the carpet and knock over a filing cabinet. I pick my self up, grab the screwdriver and begin setting the DIN down. At this point, I can hear knocking on my front door. Most likely my upstairs neighbor wondering what’s going on. As I frantically twist the screwdriver I feel something in my right arm misalign and my shoulder pops out of its socket. I must have been to rough on my still recovering arm. The DIN is at about an 10 now and I can’t move my right arm. My upstairs neighbor, Ishmael barges through the door. Tears roll down my face as I stare at Ishmael who clutches his heart and stares in horror. Frantically, I explain what happend and hand him the screwdriver. Ishmael accidentally begins to crank up the DIN and I feel the binding begin to crush my ball skin. “THE OTHER WAY, ISHMAEL!” Ishmael begins turning the screwdriver the other way and I finally I see the DIN begin to go down. 12, 10, 8, 6, 4… “LIFT THE HEEL PIECE ISHMAEL”. Ishmael flashes a panic stricken look of confusion. I gesture to the heel piece and finally Ishmael unlocks the bindings. It feels as though I have escaped the clutches of death. I collapse on the floor, clutching my crotch. Ishmael grabs me some clothes and helps my to the car so he can get my to the emergency room. I am so grateful for that wonderful man. Later in the ER, the doctor explains that I’m lucky that I didn’t get a testicle caught or I may have rendered myself infertile. He tells me to ice it and apply ointment every 12 hours. So that’s what I’ve been doing the last day. Anyway, so that’s why you should only buy Look Pivots.
 
Pulled up to alta with the homies on a spring day. Standing in the line at Collins I look down and there’s an unopened can of 6mg cool mint zyns ? grabbed them and it was a good omen because it was a rad day
 
One time the power went out n everyone got stuck on the lifts. Was nighttime too and it was pitch black

**This post was edited on Nov 8th 2023 at 2:33:44pm
 
Last run of the day, skiing a little tree run at sunshine I came across a sealed container of prerolls from a dispensary. Took them, had one the next day and they were some of the best I've ever had. Someone must've been pissed that they lost them because I looked up the dispo and they were from Ontario
 
14563256:LOOK_at_me said:
Not mine but someone else's. I want to give them full credit but idk who it was.

So last night, I’m waxing my skis. I’ve got my iron all heated up and some fresh HF8 wax ready to go for Spring skiing. Tunes are pumped up. I’ve got Marley on full blast for all my neighbors to hear. I’m pretty stoked to get some fresh scrapes in and I’m singing along to the lyrics of “Jamming” with my entire register. I gently set my skis on my waxing board (It’s at about waist level) and get out my straps to hold down my ski brakes. So it should be noted that I’m completely naked at this point as I always am when I’m waxing my skis. I feel like it really helps to get into a good waxing grove. At this moment I notice that my Marker Griffon 13 bindings are unlocked and the heel piece is down. So long story short, it is tradition in my family to always keep the heel piece locked up when waxing skis. This tradition has gone back four generations since my great great grandpa died in a freak ski waxing accident while the heel piece was unlocked. I bend over to lock the heel piece in. It should be noted that I always keep my bindings at 12.5 DIN since I am such a rad skier. As I am locking the heel piece down a flash of intense pain crashes through my entire body. I look down and the skin of my balls are jammed in the heel piece of my bindings. “OH SHIT!”. I let out an excruciating cry of pain. I feel as though I am a mouse who has been helplessly snagged by the spring of a mouse trap. I slam my hands down on my heel piece, but alas the DIN is too high and my arms still recovering from last month when I dove, arms first, into a patch of icy snow after hitting a dub backie off of a cliff. I push with all my might, but the bindings stay pinned to the skin of my testicles. I swing my leg up to step on the heel piece and am suddenly met with a flash of pain. I must have pulled something in my leg. If only I had Look Pivots. I could have twisted the heel piece and gotten my balls right out of there. At this point the adrenaline is kicking in and I frantically search the room for a screwdriver to set the DIN lower. Finally, I see it. My Stanley screwdriver is sitting on the counter across the room next to my in line skate repair bench. I carefully pick up the ski, making sure not to twist the skin of my balls and race over to grab the screwdriver. I trip on the carpet and knock over a filing cabinet. I pick my self up, grab the screwdriver and begin setting the DIN down. At this point, I can hear knocking on my front door. Most likely my upstairs neighbor wondering what’s going on. As I frantically twist the screwdriver I feel something in my right arm misalign and my shoulder pops out of its socket. I must have been to rough on my still recovering arm. The DIN is at about an 10 now and I can’t move my right arm. My upstairs neighbor, Ishmael barges through the door. Tears roll down my face as I stare at Ishmael who clutches his heart and stares in horror. Frantically, I explain what happend and hand him the screwdriver. Ishmael accidentally begins to crank up the DIN and I feel the binding begin to crush my ball skin. “THE OTHER WAY, ISHMAEL!” Ishmael begins turning the screwdriver the other way and I finally I see the DIN begin to go down. 12, 10, 8, 6, 4… “LIFT THE HEEL PIECE ISHMAEL”. Ishmael flashes a panic stricken look of confusion. I gesture to the heel piece and finally Ishmael unlocks the bindings. It feels as though I have escaped the clutches of death. I collapse on the floor, clutching my crotch. Ishmael grabs me some clothes and helps my to the car so he can get my to the emergency room. I am so grateful for that wonderful man. Later in the ER, the doctor explains that I’m lucky that I didn’t get a testicle caught or I may have rendered myself infertile. He tells me to ice it and apply ointment every 12 hours. So that’s what I’ve been doing the last day. Anyway, so that’s why you should only buy Look Pivots.
Click to expand...

I’d rather die than read that
 
Went to Tremblant for a party week/AirBnB last season with big group. Was scared to bring bud across the boarder and was with friends-of-friends so didn't want to make them take a detour into Montreal to hit up a dispo. I was also the only one that smoked in the group (and I do a lot) so I was stressing about being without, but figured I could pull thru on cigs and beer even tho I don't drink much.

Get to the final day of the trip and I'm fiending. Pretty desperate so I find a relatively park-looking group in the lift line. Ask "yo any chance you guys have weed?" and sure enough one of the dudes pulls a huge pre-roll out of his pocket. I thought I was just going to ride the lift up with them to smoke, but homie just gives it to me and says "enjoy dog". Make casual conversation for a few more minutes and find out they're all from Ottawa. Pretty quickly separated but I promised them I'd always root for the Senators whenever I see them playing.

Got back home and turned that pre-roll into four smaller spliffs. This was during that super cold front we got on the East Coast last year and the next day it was -46 with windchill. Everything was closed so we stayed in the AirBnb and I convinced a few people to hit them with me. We made a dope chicken parm dinner and watched Bugs Life lol, super chill and fun time.

Shoutout to the random Ottawa snowboard dude. You were sent to me from above and I appreciate your generosity.

Go Senators.
 
Me and a couple boys were hiking a handrail. 2 of us have fucked up brakes. My one homies ski pops off and starts sliding down the hill but it hit the lip of the next rail and all the boys were like “Yeeeeeeeaaahhhh” cuz it was funny to see a runaway ski get some air. We knew we had to go to the bottom to get the ski and ride back up so we all go for one last trick. I eat shit and my ski starts sliding down the hill too, it looks like its gonna hit the same lip that the other one hit so were all like “Ohhh, ooooohhhhh, OOHHHH” as it rides towards it and then somehow it hit a weird patch of snow and carves onto the rail and slides it sideways for like half the feature and we all freaked the fuck out. Died laughing, it was one of the funniest things i’ve ever seen.
 
Not a story but heres a funny clip that has never been posted

[video]https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1079636/cm-chat-media-video-dEpDVH0pI53oYRx9AI8eE-mov[/video]
 
Christmas 2021 we ended up staying in Burlington bc my family and my in laws Al moved to Florida. I went skiing at Bolton Valley on Christmas Day and was going to be skiing with a coworker, her husband and their two boys(12 and 14 yrs old) once they woke up

So while I’m taking early morning laps I dip into the woods and smoke the spliff I’d brought in a pre-roll tube which I didn’t realize was the kief spliff I’d packed alongside the lighter spliff I’d meant to take night before. I quickly realized my mistake and meet this coworkers’ husband and kids on the fucking moon as I yump, swoop and swerve into the lift line.

We end up having a great time going off side hits and lapping the early season park for a few runs. I ride with the adults and we shoot the shit about work, hills we’ve skiied at and all that. I’ve convinced myself I’m maintaining a front of normalcy.

By 1:30 the kids are bickering nonstop; talking shit about each other’s skiing, how trash the other is at rails. Standard middle school dickhead stuff. We’re on the lift with the boys on the chair in front of us when the big brother leans to his right and punches little bro right in the neck. They start hitting each other with their poles, throwing elbows and trying to lift the bar to push each other off the lift.

Parents are screaming at them and I’m giggling like an idiot the entire time. I have not been asked back to ski with the family since.
 
at whaleback there's always the stupid racers training on the main run, and they've got this little start gate made out of snow. you can jump off it, but this one day it formed really bad, and just kicked you straight up. i was on the lift and my brother was skiing down, and he went off it and just went flying and landed on his face. it was the funniest thing i had ever seen. i wish i had known he was alright because i had to stop laughing and worry about him. he had a bruise on his face lol.
 
So Im in the alps for some reason and me and my homie pierre pull up to jibleague quali, we skied all day with some of the coolest and most talented skier out there saw my homie pierre do some of the craziest shit ive every seen while i was just struggling to land tricks. Didn’t really mather cause i had so much fun, anyway at the end of the day pierre got the invite to the pro sess i was super stoked for him but i was freaking out cause we we’re supposed to drive back home that night and now i didn’t have place to sleep … but this happened

[video]https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1079672/trim-043E96EA-1406-4465-ADCE-8E0F4A885611-MOV[/video]

So we got there with no expectations and ended up both on the "pro session". So we skied and hangout out with all these cool people for a couple days in beautiful crans montana
 
Once saw a kid overshoot a jump to flat and land on his skis but his legs couldn’t support him so he slammed down so hard blood

shot from his nostrils
 
One time I was shredding with a friend rocking some side hits. I go off of one and am in the air when I see the homie skiing right into my landing. I kinda ball up and hit him square in the torso. Luckily my skis didn’t hit him
 
Once randomly ran into a girl I went to school with while skiing. We were both solo so we linked up to lap. A yellow jacket sees us ripping and chases us down. We were able to escape into the trees and apparently that got her stoked so she asked if she could go down on me. So I said aight and then she dipped out to her parents pad. She ripped
 
14563417:cool270out said:
Once saw a kid overshoot a jump to flat and land on his skis but his legs couldn’t support him so he slammed down so hard blood

shot from his nostrils
Click to expand...

Holy shit that’s knarly. Was the kid aight
 
14563262:Agate420 said:
One time the power went out n everyone got stuck on the lifts. Was nighttime too and it was pitch black

**This post was edited on Nov 8th 2023 at 2:33:44pm
Click to expand...

Was this at stevens pass by chance?
 
Immediately after our wedding ceremony my wife and I went skiing. Nothing like dropping some cliffs on your wedding day, it was a powder day too. We managed to do the whole day/ceremony really cheap actually
 
14563419:cool270out said:
Once randomly ran into a girl I went to school with while skiing. We were both solo so we linked up to lap. A yellow jacket sees us ripping and chases us down. We were able to escape into the trees and apparently that got her stoked so she asked if she could go down on me. So I said aight and then she dipped out to her parents pad. She ripped
Click to expand...

bro that was my lil brother
 
On my friend's birthday I went out an hour early to plant a dozen fireball shots around the resort to have a little scavenger hunt of sorts. The last chosen spot (under the Amen sign at Breck) there was a premium six pack wrapped with a bow someone had planted prior! I took a beer, said "Amen" and kept skiing. No one ever returned for the sixer, so we happily returned for midday beers over the next week. Still to this day we'll plant Sixers for others to discover.

Mainly in Summit County, so there ya go...
 
Early season on the East coast only one ribbon of death was open. There was a huge group of beginners attempting to ski this patch of "snow." I was going at a pretty good speed when suddenly one of the skiers from the group started to ski right in my path, I go to make a slash to slow down next thing I know I'm in the air with no skis on my feet flying away from the trail and onto the grass and rocks on the side of the trail. Not sure if I tomahawked or just rolled down the rocks and grass, but finally came to a stop a good 50-75 yards from where the skier was still standing. I stood up and heard the whole group gasp either because they couldn't believe what they just saw or the fact that I didn't die. Took a moment to catch the wind that was knocked out of me and walked back up to my skis while the whole time the group just looked at me, each step up I'm getting more pissed off because not one of them asked me if I'm okay or offered to help in anyway. I grab my skis clip in and heard one of them go wow. I skied off and went home.
 
14563431:JerryAllDay said:
Was this at stevens pass by chance?
Click to expand...

Happens all the time at Stevens. Skyline fucking breaks and the wind is horrid, not a good environment for those possessing balls.
 
14563509:snowfinder said:
Early season on the East coast only one ribbon of death was open. There was a huge group of beginners attempting to ski this patch of "snow." I was going at a pretty good speed when suddenly one of the skiers from the group started to ski right in my path, I go to make a slash to slow down next thing I know I'm in the air with no skis on my feet flying away from the trail and onto the grass and rocks on the side of the trail. Not sure if I tomahawked or just rolled down the rocks and grass, but finally came to a stop a good 50-75 yards from where the skier was still standing. I stood up and heard the whole group gasp either because they couldn't believe what they just saw or the fact that I didn't die. Took a moment to catch the wind that was knocked out of me and walked back up to my skis while the whole time the group just looked at me, each step up I'm getting more pissed off because not one of them asked me if I'm okay or offered to help in anyway. I grab my skis clip in and heard one of them go wow. I skied off and went home.
Click to expand...

when you hit the ground did you say "Im okay i got a helmet on, im okay"
 
Years ago. I was skiing at Breck and been drinking a bunch. I had to rock a pass. So hopped switch and whipped out and started pissin. Well I had forgot about the venturi effect and all my piss went over my legs and skis....
 
A couple years back I was on a bivacco tour skiing trip in the Gran Paradiso area in Italy. The objective was to ski some couloirs in the bowl surrounding the bivacco. I had been there late spring early summer the year before on a climbing trip and noticed all those couloirs. At that time I wished I had brought skis. Back home I researched online and found out some legends like Luca Pandolfi (RIP) had been there to do the same. So I got two experienced friends hooked on the idea, they used to do seasons in the Alps and compete in Freeride competitions and head plenty of experience for a trip like this. They were in for the adventure at the end of their season.

We met in the town down in the valley at the end of the night. We started the long tour up late because first one of them was caught during the night in a snowstorm with the car so he was late to join. But I had also planned to tow a small sled so it would be easier to take all the food and climbing gear up the valley. We planned to stay at the bivacco for several days and some routes needed some alpine climbing before reaching the line so we took a lot of gear. The valley approach is around 6 / 7 km steady rising and at the end you have a steeper climb up to the bivacco over 1000m higher. The sled idea didnt work. The approach terrain was less suitable then I had remembered. There was also less snow in the valley than expected. We had to go back to the car, repack everything in and on our backpacks. To win some time back I drove my trusty old 2WD Volvo up a gravel road, wich was not allowed. Hoping nobody would see and or tow the car down when we were away (all went well). Anyway, were were late when we toured up the valley. At the end before the big climb it started to get dark and then there was a snowstorm. Great. So had several options. We could continue in the dark without knowing where to go exactly in steep exposed terrain, no deal. We could turn around all the way back, leaving most gear stashed under a rock to pick up the next day, meh. Or we could find a big rock to shelter under, built an igloo or something like that, eat, sleep and have an early start the next morning. Since we had sleeping bags we decided that was the way to go. We found a big ass boulder with an overhanging face. We found out that we could crawl under a low part that went into a protected area big enough for us three to sleep. It was low but dry and mostly protected. We built some snow walls around the opens parts but after that we were fully protected agains the elements. Amazing. We made some diner in an awkward position since we had to lay down and after that tried to get some sleep. It was better then expected but I dont think any of us got a great sleep, in the end it was still awesome though. Next morning we got up early and toured towards the bivacco. Bluebird, stoked. Halfway up it got warmer then expected, even though it was still halfway during the morning. We carried on as the approach was safe terrain. 3/4 up around lunch, we were slow because of our heavy packs, a massive wet avalanche came down on the side that had been in the sun all morning. It went over our tracks so were happy with our early start. The temps were not a good sign and not forecasted to be that high. Luckily we could reach the bivacco safe and we shared a beer that I had secretly hauled up there despite the already heavy packs. The couloirs looked great but the temps were not. Most couloirs got to much sun already early in the day so for our first line to ski we found a steep line that would not catch any sun. The next morning we took off, first touring up a glacier. To get to the line we had to do a traverse across a steep snowfield. When we were there rocks started falling from the alpine terrain above that had been in the sun for a couple of hours. Again the temps were higher than forecasted that day. Not good. In the end we had to bail and turn around. Way to many big rocks falling. Sucked. The ski down was fun in slushy snow surrounded by amazing views. Back at the bivacco we checked the weather again and temps were staying the same or get even higher. Climbing couloirs for a couple of hours with the risk of falling rocks was not an option. We had to bail all our plans. Next morning we skied down to the valley. We had to walk the last part. Now you have to know the Gran Paradiso area is know for its Ibexes, amazing protected animals that can climb up steep rocks effortless and have these huge horns. I told my friends about it on the way up the first day. Now on the walk down we were following a hiking trail and right on it we found the body of a dead young Ibex. It was eaten mostly already but only recently and the head was fully intact as were the horns. I had told my friends I had always wanted a head like that for on my wall at home. So now I had to take it, take the head home. It was grim but also a once in a lifetime opportunity. A freshly eaten body, mostly bones, some skin left but a perfect head. I sat down by the body for a couple of minutes and felt if I could get the head off easily. It was of course still fully attached to its spine. But taking the entire body was not an option. Way to big and heavy still. I'd have to chop the head off with my knife. It took me a moment to go for it. I cut the skin on the neck and tried to cut down his neck / bones. No deal. I had to take a rock and hammer on my knife to get through the spine and separate the head from the body. I put the head with the horns in big plastic bag I had with me and walked further down with that thing attached to my backpack. Only a couple minutes later we crossed paths with a ranger type of person. We talked about the Ibex without telling I took the head and he said he had seen it and that it had been in a fight with an older bigger Ibex and had lost the battle and tumbled down the mountain to die. Back at our cars we checked the weather and since it was to warm everywhere we decided to head home. I drove back home alone to the Netherlands, a 13 hour drive, in one go with that Ibex head packed in several plastic bags. The Swiss border where you sometimes get checked was a bit nerve wrecking. They would never let me keep it / transport through Switzerland. Luckily I was not stopped. When I got home I googled an animal taxidermy and brought it there as soon as he was open for business. Several months later I could pick it up and it is now hanging on my wall as a reminder of a trip where nothing went the way we wanted or planned but it was full of adventure and we got home safe so all was good.

I still have to go back there and ski those couloirs..
 
14563709:Ghini said:
A couple years back I was on a bivacco tour skiing trip in the Gran Paradiso area in Italy. The objective was to ski some couloirs in the bowl surrounding the bivacco. I had been there late spring early summer the year before on a climbing trip and noticed all those couloirs. At that time I wished I had brought skis. Back home I researched online and found out some legends like Luca Pandolfi (RIP) had been there to do the same. So I got two experienced friends hooked on the idea, they used to do seasons in the Alps and compete in Freeride competitions and head plenty of experience for a trip like this. They were in for the adventure at the end of their season.

We met in the town down in the valley at the end of the night. We started the long tour up late because first one of them was caught during the night in a snowstorm with the car so he was late to join. But I had also planned to tow a small sled so it would be easier to take all the food and climbing gear up the valley. We planned to stay at the bivacco for several days and some routes needed some alpine climbing before reaching the line so we took a lot of gear. The valley approach is around 6 / 7 km steady rising and at the end you have a steeper climb up to the bivacco over 1000m higher. The sled idea didnt work. The approach terrain was less suitable then I had remembered. There was also less snow in the valley than expected. We had to go back to the car, repack everything in and on our backpacks. To win some time back I drove my trusty old 2WD Volvo up a gravel road, wich was not allowed. Hoping nobody would see and or tow the car down when we were away (all went well). Anyway, were were late when we toured up the valley. At the end before the big climb it started to get dark and then there was a snowstorm. Great. So had several options. We could continue in the dark without knowing where to go exactly in steep exposed terrain, no deal. We could turn around all the way back, leaving most gear stashed under a rock to pick up the next day, meh. Or we could find a big rock to shelter under, built an igloo or something like that, eat, sleep and have an early start the next morning. Since we had sleeping bags we decided that was the way to go. We found a big ass boulder with an overhanging face. We found out that we could crawl under a low part that went into a protected area big enough for us three to sleep. It was low but dry and mostly protected. We built some snow walls around the opens parts but after that we were fully protected agains the elements. Amazing. We made some diner in an awkward position since we had to lay down and after that tried to get some sleep. It was better then expected but I dont think any of us got a great sleep, in the end it was still awesome though. Next morning we got up early and toured towards the bivacco. Bluebird, stoked. Halfway up it got warmer then expected, even though it was still halfway during the morning. We carried on as the approach was safe terrain. 3/4 up around lunch, we were slow because of our heavy packs, a massive wet avalanche came down on the side that had been in the sun all morning. It went over our tracks so were happy with our early start. The temps were not a good sign and not forecasted to be that high. Luckily we could reach the bivacco safe and we shared a beer that I had secretly hauled up there despite the already heavy packs. The couloirs looked great but the temps were not. Most couloirs got to much sun already early in the day so for our first line to ski we found a steep line that would not catch any sun. The next morning we took off, first touring up a glacier. To get to the line we had to do a traverse across a steep snowfield. When we were there rocks started falling from the alpine terrain above that had been in the sun for a couple of hours. Again the temps were higher than forecasted that day. Not good. In the end we had to bail and turn around. Way to many big rocks falling. Sucked. The ski down was fun in slushy snow surrounded by amazing views. Back at the bivacco we checked the weather again and temps were staying the same or get even higher. Climbing couloirs for a couple of hours with the risk of falling rocks was not an option. We had to bail all our plans. Next morning we skied down to the valley. We had to walk the last part. Now you have to know the Gran Paradiso area is know for its Ibexes, amazing protected animals that can climb up steep rocks effortless and have these huge horns. I told my friends about it on the way up the first day. Now on the walk down we were following a hiking trail and right on it we found the body of a dead young Ibex. It was eaten mostly already but only recently and the head was fully intact as were the horns. I had told my friends I had always wanted a head like that for on my wall at home. So now I had to take it, take the head home. It was grim but also a once in a lifetime opportunity. A freshly eaten body, mostly bones, some skin left but a perfect head. I sat down by the body for a couple of minutes and felt if I could get the head off easily. It was of course still fully attached to its spine. But taking the entire body was not an option. Way to big and heavy still. I'd have to chop the head off with my knife. It took me a moment to go for it. I cut the skin on the neck and tried to cut down his neck / bones. No deal. I had to take a rock and hammer on my knife to get through the spine and separate the head from the body. I put the head with the horns in big plastic bag I had with me and walked further down with that thing attached to my backpack. Only a couple minutes later we crossed paths with a ranger type of person. We talked about the Ibex without telling I took the head and he said he had seen it and that it had been in a fight with an older bigger Ibex and had lost the battle and tumbled down the mountain to die. Back at our cars we checked the weather and since it was to warm everywhere we decided to head home. I drove back home alone to the Netherlands, a 13 hour drive, in one go with that Ibex head packed in several plastic bags. The Swiss border where you sometimes get checked was a bit nerve wrecking. They would never let me keep it / transport through Switzerland. Luckily I was not stopped. When I got home I googled an animal taxidermy and brought it there as soon as he was open for business. Several months later I could pick it up and it is now hanging on my wall as a reminder of a trip where nothing went the way we wanted or planned but it was full of adventure and we got home safe so all was good.

I still have to go back there and ski those couloirs..
Click to expand...

gnarly
 
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