[eigenschwarz]

In medical school my wife had a classmate who was actually a year ahead but was re-taking anatomy because he slipped on some ice, hit his head, and was going blind. He wanted to relearn anatomy by feel in anticipation of total vision loss.

I have a friend who slipped on some ice and broke his femur! This was 5 years ago, he was an avid cyclist but he still has issues today that affect how much he can ride.

Unexpectedly slipping on ice is no joke! That being said, if I can't xc ski I go for long runs all the time with microspikes and trekking poles. So the gear to be safe (with common sense and knowing ones limits) does exist.

[Jtsummers]

My cousin is periodically confined to a wheel chair due to a bad leg break from a fall that never healed properly. Ice is no joke.

[ghaff]

Microspikes are really great development which I assume were enabled by materials work that enables the bendable stretchy silicone you see in all sorts of things. The alternatives before were Yaktraks which, at best, gave you a bit of extra traction on your way to pick up the mail or you had to go full-on mountaineering crampons which obviously were way overkill or not even usable in many situations.

I have mountaineering gear but, to be honest, both myself and most of the people I usually hike with just use microspikes a lot of the time. (Also much more practical for beginner instructional trips.)