Skiers & Snowboarders Reveal The Weirdest Things They’ve Seen On The Slopes
Ski trips are typically full of stunning views, good food and drinks, and lots of snow. But sometimes you leave the mountain with more of a bizarre story to share with your friends at home. We asked our Facebook followers about the weirdest things they’ve seen on the mountain, and we got some pretty wild responses. From wildlife encounters to naked skiers, here are some of the weirdest responses we received.
Wildlife Gone Wild
Ski areas are often located in pristine wilderness, so it’s no surprise that animals make frequent cameos. But these encounters go beyond your average squirrel sighting. At Stowe, Charlie S. stumbled upon a dead moose at the bottom of the Kitchen Wall, sporting a Sugarbush lift ticket on its ear.
Kim D. witnessed a skier in Steamboat collide with a moose that leapt onto the run, while James C. had a close encounter with a wolf carrying a snow rabbit in its jaws, nonchalantly crossing his path. Stephen B. saw a deer broadside a skier in Tahoe’s trees, and Karen C. spotted a mountain lion casually observing skiers at Copper Mountain. Porcupines were a recurring theme, with Jim S. catching one munching bread at Snowbird’s steakhouse and Edward M. dodging one mid-run in Telluride.
Fashion Faux Pas and Wardrobe Malfunctions
Ski fashion has always been bold, but some folks take it to another level. Tom S. watched a guy at Hunter Mountain straight-line a run in jeans, a leather biker jacket, and a cabbie hat, puffing a cigar with poles tucked under his armpits.
Matthew R. spotted a unicyclist in a panda head mask and green coveralls cruising away from Magic Mountain, Vermont, while Gareth F. saw an older man in coat-and-tails skiing backward down Ajax with a cigarette holder. Then there’s Dale R., who caught a woman skiing with her boots on the wrong feet, and Neil P., who witnessed four women sharing one pair of skis, wearing only boots and bindings, fully nude.
Naked Ambition
Nudity seems to be a recurring theme on the slopes. David B. reminisced about Steamboat’s “naked day” at season’s end, with more participants than expected. Tom S. recalled a similar scene at Crested Butte in the mid-’90s, where naked skiers were “EVERYWHERE”. Matt F. saw a naked guy tubing, while Coop A. L. spotted a naked couple skiing Snowmass. Barbara M. watched ski patrol chase a topless blonde down a mogul field, and Gareth V. D. described naked dudes in line at Crested Butte’s Ski Free Days, horrifying Texan families.
Gear Gone Wrong
Ski equipment mishaps provided plenty of head-scratchers. Richard H. watched a skier’s boot detach mid-run at Mammoth, sending the ski on a solo bump run until a heroic patroller intercepted it. Keith M. helped a 10-year-old snowboarder who lost his board, helmet, goggles, and gloves while sliding down the hill, offering a nonsensical explanation.
Mike M. saw a riderless snowboard launch into a parking lot at Boreal Ridge, impaling a car’s windshield. Nicole D.’s friend at Beaver Creek had her ski boot crack in half mid-run, and Patrice H. recounted a ski school client who claimed to see a cow on a sled for a rescue operation. Turns out a cowboy patroller had lassoed it.
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