Should Patrol allow "strong skiers to sweep "

This sign jumped out a me today @Vail. My thought was Hell Yeah what a great way to end the day, CM should do the same. The Back Bowls at Vail are HUGE, dwarf Silver Basin and anything else at Crystal, they offer a consistent pitch are are not by any means technical, no big exposures or consequences. Then I started thinking about skiing at twilight, how do the sweepers communicate with the Pros, what happens when you misplace a sweeper...this kind of stuff can keep me up at nite, or some times put me to sleep. Would you be willing to pay for a chance to sweep say South or SE King ? How about North with the skin/ side climb out ? Thoughts ?

No.

Patrollers should be trained and compensated.  If I were stuck in a bind at dusk on the mountain, I would like to know that there will be someone coming along who has accountability to respond and act in such a case.  I know I will likely be assisted by anyone of the other wonderful skiers or boarders out there on the mountain should they happen to slide by me, but when it comes to the "Oh sh*t, I don't think anyone else is out here" scenario, I want to know trained accountable professionals with a duty to respond will be attentive to the sound of my whistle and will have the proper communications to call for help (and morphine ).

However, I do like the idea of providing guests loading "last chair" with a ski patrol emergency contact, and informing them of the importance of being attentive and cautious on their final run of the day.

From what I know of ski resort corporations, this is an attempt to reduce staffing levels and put a few more dollars in their pockets.  I say forego replacing a few administrator's leather office chairs and put pro patrollers on the mountain.

Sleep well, Wally.

-Kneel

Sounds like an attempt to give the customers another indelible memory to take back to Texas . . . bet they make the pro patrollers pose for pictures with the tourists, too.

The average "strong intermediate" Vail skier is going to turn into a liability real fast at Crystal or Alpental in two feet of cement with zero visibility and fading light . . .

Ski patrols use non-patrollers all the time for sweep.  Usually they are area employees (lifties, etc) but often they are friends of patrollers.  It's a common practice and no big deal, as long as they are properly accounted for when they are off the hill at the end of the day.

They have no responsibility for rescue, only to let patrol know if there is an incident that needs a response. In reality, it is nearly impossible for any patrol to adequately check all the terrain on a mid-size ski area, esp. if a victim is unconscious or otherwise unable to respond verbally (tree well). Any extra bodies are a big help and reduce the odds of patrol missing someone.

We used to help the patrol with sweep when I was on the ski team in junior high. It was fun, and we felt like we were doing a useful grown up thing. Which I suppose that we were.