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Scott Gaffney is an icon in the skiing world. As the head of Matchstick Productions, the man has made some incredible flicks and worked with legendary athletes. He’s also a helluva skier. But things went sideways this week for Gaffney who was skiing a steep line down Eagle’s Nest (aka McConkey’s), the iconic feature at the top of Palisades, when he lost it and went tumbling down the near vertical face. You can see the video above.
“I dry-docked midline and went for the gnarliest tumble of my life,” he shared on his Instagram page. “In the middle of an inadvertent double front flip off the exit air I struck rock with my back — unquestionably the most brutal impact I’ve ever felt (and I’ve been broken, torn, and lacerated from head to toe). While still airborne after the hit I even recall thinking, ‘God, that really just happened???’”
Gaffney just completed his 50th turn around the sun and he’s still skiing at a high level (see his page for proof). But the famous line at Tahoe’s premiere resort is a tricky one.
“The damage,” he wrote. “A broken scapula and collapsed lung requiring a chest tube. A bunged-up arm. Two nights in the hospital. And a missed trip to AK (flight was for 7 a.m. the next morning). I can only be thankful it wasn’t worse. It can always be worse. I’ll be sidelined for a while, but it looks like a good time to transition into editing season!”
