# Smuggs/Stowe warning re the Alpine Slide



## Avery (Jul 17, 2006)

For those of you thinking about trying the Alpine Slide at Stowe during your summer visits, please know that there are a lot of injuries there. My 11 year old took a nasty spill on his second run today, we are fortunate that it's not worse but his cheek, chin, leg, elbow, wrists and hands are all badly scraped up. The abrasions are bad enough that he can't go in the pools for at least a few days, not great news during a heat wave. His leg is the worst, the skin is scraped raw from his calf to above the knee, front and back. I am hoping the 4 x 2 inch scrape across his cheek heals clean. Both the EMTs at Stowe and the staff here at Smuggs said there are plenty of people getting hurt on that slide. Frankly I am appalled that they keep selling tickets. Again, we were fortunate, but it was pretty traumatic for both of us (hearing him screaming while I waited at the bottom and couldn't see him was NOT fun).

Some research indicates that these rides really are quite dangerous, I wish I had known. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_Park#Alpine_slide


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## joestein (Jul 17, 2006)

I see that the wikipedia entry is about Action Park.  I used to go there all the time when I was around 10-13 yrs old.  The Alpine Slide  (as well as many other rides) was 'self controlled' and dangerous.  The part of the Alpine slide I thought made no sense was that they put white landscaping rocks around the track rather than padding or a soft material.  This way when you fell off after going around a corner too fast, you crashed onto the rocks and ended up with a bunch of cuts..... but it was FUN!


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## bluehende (Jul 17, 2006)

I feel his pain.  Literally.   I have had the fun of falling off the sled on an alpine slide.  The track is very abrasive.   It is mentioned at the top of every alpine slide that injuries can occur and that your in control and if you lose control, your sled can leave the track.  This is a good warning that you as a parent have to decide if your child is ready for this type of activity.  Nothing is completely safe. But saying that, Alpine Slides are probably at the other end of the injury potential scale.  But man are they a blast.

     Another warning is that the lines at the one at Attitash are almost always an hour long and much longer at times.  Not worth it in my estimation.

Wayne


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## Avery (Jul 17, 2006)

bluehende said:
			
		

> I feel his pain.  Literally.   I have had the fun of falling off the sled on an alpine slide.  The track is very abrasive.   It is mentioned at the top of every alpine slide that injuries can occur and that your in control and if you lose control, your sled can leave the track.  This is a good warning that you as a parent have to decide if your child is ready for this type of activity.  Nothing is completely safe. But saying that, Alpine Slides are probably at the other end of the injury potential scale.  But man are they a blast.
> 
> Another warning is that the lines at the one at Attitash are almost always an hour long and much longer at times.  Not worth it in my estimation.
> 
> Wayne



I didn't go up with them, I wish I had. From the bottom it looked real slow and safe.


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## shoney (Jul 19, 2006)

we just returned home from Vacation Village and had an alpine slide disaster across the street at Jiminy Peaks.  We only stopped in for lunch on our first day expecting to return later in the week, but my 6 year old begged to go on the slide.  My father, husband and two sons (5 and 6) went up the mountain....ugh!  what returned was pretty.  

First, my 5 year old screaming "I need a bandaid"  so I grab him from grandpa and proceed to find a bandaid only to look down and see a very mangled, badly burned little hand.  I went straight to first aid....well the sign might say first aid, but no one on site has any medical training.  While waiting for an emt, I get the whole story...

My father and son were riding together and just lost balance coming out of a banking turn.  They weren't going fast, but the slide came out from under them.  My father also received burns to the legs and arms.  My 6 year old went by himself and came down just fine.  My husband went way too fast and had burns on the face, arms (over 6 inches long), knee, and sprained ankle.  He couldnt walk for a day.

We spent alot of time at Pittsfield hospital.  Luckily my sons hand, while badly burned, was not broken.  It has been a week and a half now and it still looks terrible~

Ironically, my husband and his family used to vacation near camelback in pa and ride their alpine slide.  About 25 years ago, my husband did the same thing!  He'll never learn!

I have been on several and while they are fun, they do require balance, skill and common sense.  It isn't like a coaster that is on a track.  I think we'll stick to the mountain coaster that is on a track for a while, anyway~


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