great survival story

11 replies [Last post]

Tue, 2007-12-18 09:32

jamski

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Joined: 2003-07-06

in case you missed this hairy one in yesterday's globe...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071217.wlhampson17/BNStory/lifeMain/home

She executed her turns, but her mistake was in her thinking. "I was having trouble focusing. My mind is ricocheting around on me," she says. Her worst error: "I thought, 'This is unskiable.' " On her sixth turn, "all of a sudden I'm airborne," she says. "I'm in a reverse swan dive off the mountain, like this," she says, standing up to demonstrate as she arches her back and spreads out her arms.

She called out to her husband, "Please stop my fall." He moved into the line, but she sailed over his head, 20 feet in the air, at over 140 kilometres an hour. He watched her body hit the snow - she had miraculously avoided the rocks on either side of the couloir - and then pinwheel down the mountain, head over heels, again and again. Each time she hit the mountain, her body rocketed 30 or 40 feet back up into the air.

She came to a stop 2,000 feet below the summit.

Wed, 2007-12-19 15:09

coreshot

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Joined: 2002-11-20

great survival story

now that was a tad dramatic don't you think? sure she had a pretty big bail, but with only a dislocated shoulder, how do you need 2 years off and counselling for post traumatic stress disorder. i understand if you've been hanging out in iraq or afganistan, but toronto? sounds like a great story of more money than brains

go huck yourself

Wed, 2007-12-19 16:34

aqua toque

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Joined: 2003-01-06

great survival story

Agreed on the drama.

Quote:

She called out to her husband, "Please stop my fall." He moved into the line, but she sailed over his head, 20 feet in the air, at over 140 kilometres an hour.

When your wife (or any crazy female in general) is headed for you at 140 kph it's best to move out of the line.

Besides, she's 50 now, the accident happened in '04 -- people that age should stay within the safe confines of a resort.

Wed, 2007-12-19 16:58

dirtycod

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Joined: 2002-11-28

great survival story

oh the drama, give me a break.

Wed, 2007-12-19 18:02

Fernando

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Joined: 2003-12-04

great survival story

Quote:

"I am back," she says resolutely, showing off her ski equipment: skis, pack, poles, boots and her white Chanel helmet.

Chanel Helmet??? wtf

Stay out of the terrain if you cant handle it chick
I've skied Torrecillas its a gnarly line epecially if your training ground is in the greater toronto area! geez

Las Leñas is an amazing place, big mtn experience is a must....hope this doesn't hurt its reputation.

Ive puked in taxi's in 4 continents

Wed, 2007-12-19 23:00

LID

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Joined: 2003-02-15

great survival story

"skiing down the side of the CN tower"?
60 pound pack for a day hike?
"HOUR AND A HALF" for the husband and guide to get down to her?

I guess it's like she said, "This was extreme at its most extreme." and she wasn't having "a really hot day on the mountain,"

Those who like it, like it a lot.

Wed, 2007-12-19 23:21

grambo

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Joined: 2002-11-09

great survival story

The 60 pound pack was the funniest part to me. It sounds like she is trying to appear an experienced BC rider but has no idea.

Wed, 2007-12-19 23:49

jamski

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Joined: 2003-07-06

2000 feet is still a long way...

and quit bashing toronto you hosers! OK i'm glad i wasnt the only one who thought this was XS drama.

although i have to admit she has me beat on training...

Their training was extensive. In addition to daily workouts in their home gym throughout the year, Ms. Sullivan had spent a month in Whistler, B.C., running up and down the mountain for 45 minutes every day. She also worked with a trainer for two hours each day, doing squats, lunges and step-ups on a bench, with 20-pound weights in each hand, to strengthen her quads.

Fri, 2007-12-21 12:41

coldsmoke

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Joined: 2002-11-18

great survival story

That is the most absurd newspaper article I've seen a long time!!

I love all of the statistics. A SIXTY POUND backpack!?
With "water, snacks, avi probes and shovel". So, what, 55 pounds of water!??? What is she a f@#cking sherpa!? That's ridiculous.
Right, and she sails over her husband's head at "140 km an hour". And she measured this, how??? I guess her husband pulled out the radar gun as he dashed out onto her line, trying to "stop her fall". Hahahahahaha!!!.... can you even picture it!?! Who would even try to stop a runaway SKI flying down a mountain, let alone a frieking WOMAN ragdolling and bouncing "40 feet" off the bloody rock. Good thing she "sailed over him" or he would have had his body smashed apart by his super-extreme wife's flying white Chanel helmet. She takes a swan-dive off the side of a mountain and then "called out to her husband, "please stop my fall".... hahahaha!!!

Of COURSE she's written a book about it. Seems logical for a 50-year-old marketing consultant living in the GTA with her CEO husband, who takes a month off from her 'home gym' to go to Whistler for lunges and squats. Next stop, Mt. Everest; with a 300 pound pack, 87 sherpas, some nitro-glicerine and a Gucci harness.

"Extreme at its most extreme".
HK Xtreme to the Max dude...

you guys are like, 'woohoo' n' sh*t.

Fri, 2007-12-21 16:59

Rob

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Joined: 2002-08-22

great survival story

Could be she had a GPS on to measure her speed. I recall reading on ttips awhile back about somebody bailing on some scree, their GPS said they hit 35mph or so. Not to try to give any credibility to this woman mind you, just to point out that it is possible to know how fast you're going when you eat shit.

Proud member of the Crack-of-Noon club since '83.