Murphy's Law on Snow
March 23, 2006
I had a minor Murphy's Law occurrence about a week and a half ago in New England. The day before my trip I finally took a hacksaw to a pair of poles I had been using for two years. They were a bit too long, so I took off the handles, cut about two inches off each and then reapplied the handles. I enjoyed using them the first two days and definately noticed the difference in length. Then on the third and last day of trip I went to unload the family ski eqmt from car in Wachusett Mtn ski area parking lot. Oops, no poles for Dad. They had been left behind about 100 miles north at Okemo the day before. A liftie was nice enough to loan me a pair of old rental poles for the day, but it figures - as soon as I fix those poles they way I want them, they get lost.
Who else has seen Murphy's Law in effect on snow?
Everything takes longer than you think.
Riding the millicent at brighton, while no one told us last chair we figured we'd be cutting it close getting another ride up and we'd take the bail out about halfway down back to the base. Naturally we missed the cutoff and were about six chairs too late to get a ride; had to walk back thru the parking lot to get the base. I guess we broke our no hiking rule?
Kennedy, even though i'm only 5'7 i think i'll go with the 56" poles, just over a pint of everclear should go a long way
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Quote:
Should invest in these.
http://www.coldpole.com/home.htm
You paying attention there Jimmy?
A blast from the past. Someone on my first ski trip to Utah in the mid 90's brought them, or something similar.
It was great seeing the looks you got while chugging from a ski pole on the slopes.
The heck with 56 inch poles. For safety's sake, you should always ski with an extra set of poles, just in case one should break during the day, leaving you stranded. 
Ski poles are likely candidates for Murphy's Law on Snow.
A couple of years ago, I remember having a particularly rough first day of the season at Sugarbush. I seemed out of balance and in slow motion when navigating in the lift line and one time I dropped my poles just before boarding the lift. I was spazing out more than normal.
Finally, I happened to look down at the bottom of my poles. Turns out I had never removed the rounded rubber tip guards I put on my poles when roller blading during the summer. Ski poles without traction are pretty much useless.
Also, when riding the bus up to Solitude on a powder day this past March, I noticed I had forgotten my gloves and Camelback in my rental car.
I blame Jimmy for that one.
That's scary JohnL, that's the same day as our *hike* thru the parking lot at brighton. I'll take the blame, too many phone calls for a powder fever road is closed morning eh?
Yeah, Murphy day on snow that one for sure, i forgot my helmet and goggles, ended up borrowing a pair of goggles and buying a huckleberry hound looking hat to wear; later in the day Bruce leaves his pack & camelback inside to dry out from all the snow that morning and someone stole it, but at least he didn't lose his/my goggles!
My only one was packing a ton of fleeces an warm gear for Utah only to end up with hot sunny days. It took most of the week to figure out how to get the ideal light layer. Ended up with a light breatheable top and a shell. Took the liner out of the pants and rode with the leg vents open all day. Next year I plan to bring only shorts and sun tan lotion. It will dump 5ft. The other one was packing away my board the other day (not cos I want to but because schedule doesn't have any openings any time soon for riding) then it snows.
