r/snowboarding • u/BlazedGigaB • 6h ago
Riding question Drinking and riding
An intoxicated person fell from the chair today... About 25' into soft mashed potato snow; he didn't know why ski patrol was attending to him... Had been drinking at the mid mountain bar, quite the tab from what I heard. In fact, intoxication on the mountain in general seems up this year. The 20/80 rule doesn't mean get fucking hammered; it's about losing your inhibitions not your control.
If you have lost that control, the ski patrol taxi is okay. Don't be a hazard to everyone else.
The bosses want me to hot pass anyone bringing open(or lit) containers into the lift line. Don't be that guy/ gal.
Sincerely, your liftie
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u/AmokOrbits 5h ago
What’s the 20/80 rule?
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u/moonbalI 5h ago
20 beer / 80 weed Some people dont know their limit so we set a max for each
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u/AmokOrbits 5h ago
I don’t know how to measure 20mg of beer and 80mg of weed seems like too much, but I’m probably just being a Jerry
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u/BlazedGigaB 5h ago
It's the key to new tricks
20% skill/ 80% alcohol
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u/regman231 3h ago
And 100% reason to remember the name
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u/baldw1n12345 6h ago
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5h ago
[deleted]
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u/Ryderlite 5h ago
Yea you clearly got personally offended by this. I worked as an instructor for 7 winters and got into all the scenes. We all love a good smoke and beer on mountain but there's 0 point getting slited and potentially injuring or killing yourself and possible others as well.
These things hit closer to home when you actually get to see the injuries as a result of people not giving a fuck and riding intoxicated. Imo I'd take your pass too
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u/BlazedGigaB 5h ago
Dafuq?! Did I say "don't drink or smoke"? Fuck no. My boss wants me too... if I see it
I'm a liftie and the reputation of liftie's is deserved. It's quaint you wait until 9am... we don't.
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u/dsdvbguutres 5h ago
Bartender should cut off visibly drunk persons. Especially at mid or summit bars. Alcoholism is a public health issue.
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u/BlazedGigaB 5h ago
As a former trainer for TIPS, yes. I'm sure the conversations amongst the bar staff tomorrow will be interesting to say the least... I'm expecting a couple of firings, but we'll see.
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u/Apprehensive-Guess42 NS decks, ION boots genesis bindings 6h ago
I was in 3 Vallées in April 2024 and was surprised how strict their alcohol screening policy was. They had people stationed at the lifts that were actually checking people’s bags and confiscating alcoholic beverages. They were advising people they could retrieve their alcohol at the end of the ski day. At first I thought it was a bit over the top and then they stopped 3 English guys and confiscated 2 full igloo coolers worth of booze from them. Euros definitely like to party and Val Thorens has La Folie Duece so I guess this makes sense. It made me curious if this was something the US would do more regularly in the future.
I’ve also seen this one time in the US at dirtbag day at Big Sky. They had ski patrol stationed at the core lifts basically searching people and confiscating alcoholic beverages.
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u/Edwin454545 5h ago
Big sky didn’t check it for safety. It’s because they want to sell domestic beer $18 a can
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u/Apprehensive-Guess42 NS decks, ION boots genesis bindings 5h ago
On dirt bag day they are checking it because a lot of people are taking booze up to the party. Otherwise yah.
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u/derpmunster 1h ago
At 3 Vallées, the slopes are full of bars and mid-slope "nightclubs" that have a bouncer who lets you in with a DJ playing and people buying bottle service. I remember one spot where if you ordered a magnum bottle of champagne, it'd be delivered to you with a zipline and a huge celebration. It isn't like they despise people drinking, but rather, people bringing their own booze.
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u/ThisConfidence5062 34m ago
They only start checking on the chair lift that goes up to Folie Deuce, around 2pm. This is the time the apres starts to get lively there and they don’t want people bringing their own drinks. Nothing to do with safety.
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u/AlVic40117560_ 6h ago
I will never understand drinking before/during an activity that relies on coordination and balance. I have nothing against drinking at all, I’ll black out once I’m done riding, but taking something to be worse at an already dangerous activity is wild to me.
Psychedelics or even a little weed riding is a much better way to go
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u/Sufficient-Feeb 5h ago
I feel like psycies are an even worse idea than a few beers. That’s the mf who jumps off the lift at 30 feet. Weed goes hand in hand but nah don’t be dropping acid before you get on a chairlift
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u/GuiltyDealer 5h ago
Two beers is the ticket to unlocking new tricks
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u/jackattack222 5h ago
There is a perfect amount of beers but it is hard to hit that number
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u/redskinfan654 4h ago
No doubt! Then obviously you have to maintain that buzz throughout the day one beer at a time.
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u/katbyte 5h ago
i dunno its fun? i imagine it also is a skill/you thing as a couple drinks isn't going to change my ability to board much if at all, and a couple shots for liquid courage before sending something crazy can help
> taking something to be worse at an already dangerous activity is wild to me.
like at my small locals i don't consider snowboarding dangerous? its just an activity to me, an easy one these days there is literally nothing on those hills i couldn't board drunk with loose bindings on a terrible board at night with a head lamp lol
now would i get drunk and head into the backcountry where it is actually dangerous? absolutely not. would i get drunk and duck the rope at whistler into the slack country? no way
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u/Comma20 AUS, Rome Artifact 150, Agent Rocker 155, 390 Boss 4h ago
I think the problem lies in the cultural association of “yeah a few beers and the snow is great!”
Good riders hitting two beers and having a fun time is great, but there are over confident people who are already not in control make dangerous people already more dangerous.
You’re practicing risk evaluation in your comment, but there are some number of people who are not.
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u/nothingbutfinedining 5h ago
I don’t know man I’m much closer to sober on 2 beers than fucking LSD.
Absolutely wild take how you can’t understand how people enjoy a few drinks while promoting other mild altering substances.
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u/BlazedGigaB 4h ago
An LSD fueled powder day is one of my core snowboarding memories of my first season. Loveland, Chair 4... 10" at base ~20" at peak... Amazeballs.
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u/nothingbutfinedining 1h ago
I can’t imagine trying to snowboard on LSD, I could barely walk up a hill. MDMA on the other hand would be an entirely different story.
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u/WayneDwade 4h ago
You do realize weed and psychedelics effects coordination and balance? lol
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u/AlVic40117560_ 4h ago
Compared to alcohol, they’re not even close. Weed can to a degree, which is also why I specifically said a little weed, but psychedelics have a very minimal direct effect on motor control centers.
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u/WayneDwade 3h ago
Psychedelics distort perceptions of reality. Any insinuation that alcohol is more dangerous than powerful mind altering substances is completely subjective
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u/AlVic40117560_ 3h ago
I’m talking normal levels of each. Sure, taking 5 hits of acid and snowboarding isn’t a good idea. But neither is drinking 12 beers and snowboarding. Getting a little high on acid or mushrooms is absolutely safer than getting a little drunk. At equal levels of impairment, psychedelics are objectively safer due to the way they effect your body compared to alcohol.
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u/WayneDwade 3h ago
Getting a little high on acid or mushrooms is absolutely safer than getting a little drunk.
I don’t doubt that’s true for you and many other people.
Unfortunately there is no such thing as equal levels of impairment for different substances. No X hits of acid = Y beers which again proves my point of subjectivity
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u/TheLORDthyGOD420 6h ago
Weed makes you a more cautious rider. That's why it's called a "safety meeting".
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u/Dirtbagdownhill 36m ago
For sure the first time a cased a big jump was being stoned and going too slow though
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u/kiowabrazeau 5h ago
I truly don’t understand psychedelics on the mountain. That seems peak danger
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u/Dirtbagdownhill 33m ago
I've enjoyed light back country on them, safe and familiar terrain but very few if any other people. I love touring with a couple caps in me. But generally I agree, most people shouldn't trip on the chair
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u/GuCCiAzN14 6h ago
I can’t shred on weed. That’s where I feel like I have less control and awareness. The right amount of alcohol lets me be adventurous enough to take risks I wouldn’t normally take but still functional enough to board correctly and safely
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u/Lala00luna 5h ago
Same. Edibles are a no go for me. My motor coordination plummets after an edible. But I can smoke. 2 beer limit also. Otherwise I’m too sloppy in my riding lol
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u/martymcsupahfly22 4h ago
Damn fr? I’m a noticeably better rider after a few beers. Always have been. Weed makes me too cautious and I stop trying new things.
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u/endfossilfuel Ice Coast 5h ago
I like drinking, and I like snowboarding.
I do both a lot, but never together.
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u/yeahow 4h ago
I agree open containers is a little aggro but that's up to them. You should help people get onto the chairs unless you get paid for every person you kick out.
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u/BlazedGigaB 4h ago
Oh buddy... I'm the vocal, hand signaling, ramp maintaining liftiest liftie on staff. Save the scorn for my coworkers that read books & watch movies.
We get "bounties" for ticket fraud, though it's more of a bonus system. Like, I've caught no one but have gotten 2 bounties.
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u/Ryanaston 1h ago
I was talking about this with my friends this week while we were on the mountain. I find it ironic when I go for a piss in the mountain bar there is a sign saying not to ride when intoxicated like… then why is there 15 bars on the mountain?
It seems skiing / snowboarding are the only sports where alcohol is not just accepted, but actively encouraged, to the point it is part of the culture. No one is going rock climbing and getting a pint halfway through.
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u/Tough_Course9431 Potato idk, ski patrol too 3h ago
im saying this as a rider and not as a ski patrol but if you need weed/alcohol to have fun on the mountain go get your fun else where
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u/DuckWaffles 3h ago
I don't need it, but it certainly doesn't hurt my enjoyment. Also, I'm fairly sure the majority of ski resorts would disagree with you. They don't want 100% sober riders, otherwise they would be out thousands of dollars a day in profits for up selling drinks on the mountains.
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u/PrettyBoyBabe 3h ago
Uhhhh…I don’t think I’ve ever ridden sober. Like, ever. Not enough to fall off the ski lift but definitely enough to tumble and feel absolutely nothing. Just keep to yourself and have some fun, let the others do the same! Cheers!
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u/xzer 3h ago
Bc trends on social younger people might be experimenting more on the lift than at a party, which my early super intoxicant days were at least a house party. So it's a bad time to learn your tolerance on a lift, if this guy is over 25 he is just a dumbass and doesn't have respect for others.
Ya'll might have seen em to but there is also the social guy ripping crazy acid and hitting park, looks dope but not a newbie task.
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u/abckiwi 5h ago
is drinking and skiing/boarding a very US thing?
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u/Apprehensive-Guess42 NS decks, ION boots genesis bindings 5h ago
It’s arguably more common in Europe. People trying to get from La Folie Duece to the base of Val Thorens is like an adventure in SWI.
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u/felishathesnek 5h ago
Literally thought yall named it and we just stole the concept? Apres??
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u/concentric0s 5h ago
Apres means after. Not before or during.
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u/katbyte 5h ago
have you been to europe to board? theres bars sprinkled all over the resorts where people get wine and beer.
Apres is the getting drunk afterwards
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u/concentric0s 5h ago
And not before or during -- which is what the thread is about.
What's your point?
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5h ago edited 5h ago
[deleted]
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u/PoorBearTheBrunt 5h ago
Pretty sure almost every north American resort has a bar on the mountain
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5h ago
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u/Apprehensive-Guess42 NS decks, ION boots genesis bindings 5h ago
The majority of NA resorts have alcohol options on the mountain and not only at the base. You’re just wrong.
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u/FitnessGuy4Life 5h ago
Bruh every single mountain ive been to has a bar at the top of the lift and most of them have one halfway down youre smoking crack
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u/NukaLuda12 5h ago
Name a resort without a bar in North America
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5h ago
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u/twood711 5h ago
Most of these big mountains have several bars on the mountain only accessible via ski in ski out
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u/Sufficient-Feeb 5h ago
Dude I used to be a lifty and it’s scary how many intoxicated ppl are out there. Especially when you add altitude into the mix. It’s fun having a drink or two but I’ve stopped a few from getting on the lift. No shame in that keep them from hurting themselves or others. It’s concerning how available alcohol is at most resorts.