I'm sure that many avid skiers can relate to the terrifying moment I had on our second day in Vail. The moment I'm referring to is the instant of realization that what our local ripper and guide, Zach, had said was, "hold up," not "go, huck!" This moment came about half a second too late as I found myself momentarily suspended in air. Everything slowed down as I hovered twenty feet above the trees and rocks below. With no possible escape from the inevitable working I was about to receive, I decided to let my skis take the brunt of the blow. Within a split second of my skis striking the first tree I found myself upside-down, crashing through the forest headfirst, Rambo style. As I lay in a heap on the forest floor I knew that everything was not O.K. My left shoulder was obviously hurt. It had broken several branches on the way down before the final blow with the ground. I was dazed, but after a little time to collect myself I realized that I had got off lucky. I didn't get impaled and there was no injury to my head, so now I could concentrate on the shoulder that continued to ache. There was no dislocation, but the impact had immobilized my left arm. I could move around, but it sure was painful. Gabe was right on the scene as he had made the same mistake a second before me, but with less consequence. I still wonder what Zach might have been thinking as the two of us launched this cliff blind, into the thick forest below, right in front of him. Gabe helped me to gather my skis that were strewn through the trees and I limped out of the woods with every bump along the way sending a jolt of pain through the upper left side of my body.

We had been skiing in East Vail, and I was dealt a painful reminder that this is backcountry skiing with serious consequences. I was happy to discover that there were no obvious deformities or bruising, so I decided against going to the hospital. Instead I put myself in the care of the locals who took me to the Ore House for a beer and a few laughs. Or a laugh and a few beers. Now I'm off the slopes for a few days to nurse myself back to health. Fear not, we have a fleet of sleds and foot of fresh lined up for Tuesday. I have a feeling a miraculous recovery is in my future. So if you are lucky enough to run into the tour try not to bump into the left shoulder of the tour co-pilot, it's still a little sensitive.

By: Dave Tokaruk