Originally Posted by
PeteHski
One thing I have observed skiing when riding chairlifts is that gradients always appear much steeper when looking back downhill over my shoulder than when looking ahead uphill. But I think that is simply because I am more aware of the drop from the chair when looking back.
One time at Bryan Head, UT, my father and I were riding the chairlift back up together and he pulled out his flask of peppermint schnapps. And I knew I was going to get some. Peppermint schnapps is especially delightful when the snow is falling. But then I heard a "DINK" and saw my father suddenly lean forward to grab the cap to his flask. We both fell about 3-4 stories (20+ feet) into a fluff of powdery snow.
Dad: "Are you okay?"
Me: "Yeah, I think so."
Dad: "Then help me find that goddamned cap."
We got snowed in there for a few days. I went off the trail and ended up spending half a day digging myself out of impossibly fluffy powder snow and a drowning avalanche. My dad skied past twice while I was digging myself out. He enjoyed that day much more than I did.