It's a brisk evening as I grab my ski gear out of my truck and start walking towards the ski patrol aid room. As I walk I watch the groomers drive around the trails and smooth over the snow from the busy day.
All of the skiers and snowboarders are in the lodge as the trails are closed down for grooming. The snow crunches below my feet and the cold air gives me a burst of energy and a heightened state of awareness.
I place my skis on the rack outside the patrol room and then go inside. I am warmly greeted by several individuals in red ski patrol coats. "Hey Dana good to see you, are you ready for an exciting night?"
"I am always ready" I reply. "Let the good times roll".
Before I do anything I go over to the computer and sign in and grab a two-way radio. Next I sit down on a wooden bench and unpack my gear. First I put on my black snow pants, then my ski socks, ski boots, fleece jacket, radio harness, and my ski patrol uniform coat. The last items I don are my helmet and gloves.
I walk over to the window, which is treated with cutesy ski patterned curtains, just in time to see the groomers driving into the garage. When six o'clock rolls around the nighttime ticket holders start to ascend on the hill. Teenagers are giddy with excitement and a chance to hang with their friends for a few hours without their parents.
I walk outside and grab my skis and poles. I walk about half way to the ski lift and put on my skis. I do what is called a skating move to travel the rest of the way. I pass by the "bunny hill" which is typically the smallest, easiest trail on any hill; commonly used by beginners. Gathering on the slope are small children on even smaller skis. A ski instructor is actively trying to gain their attention to start her lesson. Snowboarders are forming a line at the tow rope which they grab onto and it pulls them up the bunny hill.
I continue on to the ski lift and get on a chair.
Sinking deeper into the evening the temperatures are really starting to drop. As the chair lift brings me higher I feel a strong chill go down my spine. An ice cold breeze slaps me in the face. I turn my attention to the trails below. I'm not just trying to get my mind off the decreasing temperatures or leisurely look around, I'm looking for specific things. My job as a Ski Patroller is to keep the mountain as safe as possible to ensure the patrons safety. I'm looking for snow build up on branches that could potentially fall on someone, patches of light snow cover which if someone hit could send them flying, any jumps that someone may have made in a dangerous spot (for example just over the crest of a hill where some unassuming skier could come over and all of a sudden be airborne and not ready for it).
I reach the top of the hill and hop off the lift. I ski a ways away from the chair and stop on flat terrain before I come to the slope. I place my ski pole straps around my wrist and decide which trail I want to go down. I choose the left most trail which will take me right by the tubing park. I like to check to see how busy the tubing park is and sort of gauge how fast the tubing lanes are running. This information could give me some insight into how busy a night it could be as far as rescue calls are concerned.
The tubing park typically yields the most injuries when it is particularly cold. The reason for this is the tubing lanes ice over and with a tube the occupant has no control over direction, speed, or breakage. When the tubes start going really fast they can sometimes gain too much momentum and when they hit the safety net at the bottom they can sometimes go too far up the net and flip. Resulting injuries can range from broken arms to broken necks and everything in between.
As I ski down the trail I can't help but smile. Even though I'm not getting paid this is definitely the best job in my opinion! The trail is wide and groomed to look like corduroy. I whip past trees skiing in a parallel motion. I'm just having fun and loving life! When I ski I forget about all my problems and just live in the moment. As I decend down to the bottom of the trail a call comes over my radio "Ski Patrol to the top of Buzzing Bee for a possible broken arm."
I respond back, "Dana responding to the top of Buzzing Bee". Buzzing Bee is one of the busiest and most narrow trails on the hill.
I cross-country ski over to the lift as fast as I can. I am totally out of breath and my legs are screaming in pain by the time I reach the chair but I know there is no time for rest as someone is counting on me for help. The ride up the chair lift seems to last forever. I finally get to the top and ski over to one of the little sheds that houses a rescue toboggan. I drag the 65lb sled out and ski it over to the site of the injured person. Another ski patroller is already on scene. Once I arrive with the toboggan he briefs me on the status of the patient. He tells me that the girl is 11 years old and was snowboarding when she lost control and fell on her right arm. She heard a snap and felt extreme pain. The girl was in obvious discomfort as she was crying and asking for her mom all while guarding her right arm .I take the backboard, arm splint, and cravats out of the supply bag on the toboggan. The other patroller and I work quickly to splint the girls arm and make a sling. We then secure the patient to the backboard and finally to the toboggan. It is important to work quickly on the hill as we don't want an injured patient to be laying out in the cold for too long which could lead to other complications such as hypothermia.
The other patroller grabs the patients ski equipment and radios down to the patrol room and requests an ambulance to meet us for immediate transport.
I take the handles of the toboggan and carefully ski the girl down the hill to the patrol shack.
Once down at the patrol shack the family of the patient is waiting in anticipation. As several patrollers and I unload the patient, still on the backboard, from the sled the ambulance arrives. Out jump two Emergency Medical Technicians who assume responsibility for the patient. I give them a report and wish the patient good luck. As the ambulance drives off with lights and sirens I head inside to get supplies and re-stock the toboggan.
After a short break and a cup of hot chocolate I head out to the ski lift. Once on the chair lift it starts to rain. The rain is freezing and ice is beginning to form on the branches of the trees making sort of a crystallized effect. Even though I am sopping wet and cold I think to myself how lucky I am to be able to experience the beauty that nature provides and I am grateful to be doing something I love.
My two-way radio causes an abrupt hault to my thoughts, "Ski Patrol to the tubing park for a possible head injury". Here we go again I think to myself.
Just another night in the boots of a ski patroller.
