12/29/10-Safe skiing advice from Chago

Post by Chago of Nashua, NH - 12/29/10:

I was reading the blog about death at Cannon, Mt on 12/16 and it truly is a tragedy. Placing blame is never going to bring the person back and I pray for the loss of the family and friends.

But I would like to add for the benefit of my fellow friends as they ski Cannon.

I was skiing Cannon last weekend and knew from reviewing the open trails before I went on the first lift ride that the DJ's Tram Run and Kinsman glades were NOT open as they are my favorites at Cannon. As I was cruising past their entrances at 11:00AM they were NOT marked closed. I found this odd as I knew there clearly was not enough snow for those runs on this day. I used my own good judgement and did not enter them. Looking back, I should have notified the management at Cannon that they forgot to close those two runs with ropes. Instead I just kept on skiing. I noticed later in the day around 2pm that they finally roped those runs off.

My point: Cannon has in the past failed to rope off closed runs that are very hazardous such as the rocky Tram Run as I personally witnessed last weekend. So, we all need to use our best judgement when skiing or riding. We may be skiing INbounds, but just as we ski out of bounds, as many of us do regularly, we all should exercise good judgement in what we choose to ski. Skiing is a risky sport which we all love and if we exercise our own good judgement instead of relying on the resort to do it for us we will have a better chance of going home alive and safe at the end of the day.

Just Beware that Cannon has in the past failed to rope off closed trails. I will continue to ski Cannon but will think twice before entering runs that I know are quite hazardous.

Ski safe!
Chago - Nashua, NH