Report from February 18, 2024

I dislocated my shoulder overrating a backflip on the Granite Kicker today.

It was a weird situation.

I usually really visualize and calculate things, but this time, I didn’t.

I went too fast and literally flung myself off the jump like flinging a boomerang off a cliff.

I instantly realized I’d overrotated the flip and went too big.

No worries, I overrotate backflips all the time and ya just land on your butt and back and bounce around.

But, I was so caddywompus in the air that I put my right hand over my head and my left hand went down by my hip to keep me balanced in the air.

That left-hand down was the issue…

It hit with a straight arm and immediately went back behind me then up over my head.

I knew right away I was hurt.

I sat down and started working on myself.

I could feel with my good hand that my shoulder was not in the socket but shifted down.

I couldn’t get the shoulder back in and knew I needed to get it back in as fast as possible.

I ended up closing my eyes, breathing deeply through my nose, and meditating.

Fox was repeating “Relax, relax…”

I was able to fully relax the shoulder.

Then I put my Wilderness First Responder training to work.

I used the technique they teach where you essentially put your hand on your hip, creating a chicken wing.

You then keep your elbow in place and externally rotate your hand so your palm is facing forward.

Then you bring your elbow to your belly button.

I’ve tried this technique on patients many times and it never works.

It worked right away on me, though.

My shoulder slid back into place and I felt relieved.

I didn’t experience any significant pain in the process and had the shoulder back in place within about 3 minutes.

At this point, the pain arrived.  

About a 7.5 outta 10 for me.

I slowly skied down to the base of Shirley Lake where ski patrol was already waiting for me due to my great friends’ work.

They rode the lift with me, put me on a snowmobile, ushered me into the Funitel, and walked me over to the medical clinic where the good folks in there including Monica and Cassidy took great care of me and got me an extra that was thankfully negative.

They also put me in a comfy position and my pain dropped from 7.5 to 2.

I popped some ibuprofen and Tylenol and took a shuttle home.

The drugs dropped my pain to zero.

I’m now at home consulting with all my shoulder injury buddies on what I need to do to get back on snow as soon as possible.

I’m bummed, but it’s hard to complain as I haven’t been hurt since 2015.

It’s been an amazing run and sometimes it’s the silly, goofy, flukey things that getcha.

Before I got hurt I was having so much fun!

2nd chair on KT-22 and skied a fresh East Face.

2nd run on KT I got to jump the little Diaganol Cliff thinger with Scott Gaffney.

2nd chair on Headwall and got The Slot fresh.

7ths chair on Granite Chief and got the mellower takeoff on Glory Rock fresh.

Then I went for the flip and busted my shoulder.

All in all, a terrific day and I couldn’t be more grateful nor proud of my buddies who took care of me and guided me to quick medical attention.

Thanks to all of you and to all the medical professionals.

What a day.

Thanks, California!

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