Carole Chantler
Feb 13, 20232 min
Before you hit the slopes, check out these skiing safety tips.
1. Know how to avoid collisions
- always be aware of your current surroundings.
- the biggest cause of collisions is skiing out of control
- the second is the failure to look uphill before starting to ski.
- also, snowboarders follow a different path than skiers and maybe be blind to you on the turn.
2. Be honest about your ability
- most knee and leg injuries are caused by incorrectly adjusting ski bindings
- the suitable DIN setting is a complicated equation of age, ability, height and weight. Do not lie about the first three when getting skis fitted. Also, know your own weight in kilos and pounds.
3. Watch out for ice
- it is essential, in hard-packed snow, that your skis be properly tuned and sharpened by a pro unless you are skilled at doing this.
- the soft snow can be scraped from the lower slopes by other skiers etc. This will leave large patches of ice.
4. Consider body armour
- it makes sense to wear a spine protector.
5. Ski safely off-piste
- despite the warnings, many skiers venture off the prepared slopes without a guide.
- though in early snow, you need to watch for tree stumps and rocks.
- skiing in crevassed glacial terrain is just courting danger.
6. Carry this essential kit with you
- if you plan to ski off-piste, there are three important items you need in your kit - an avalanche receiver, a collapsible 3-meter probe and a shovel. Also, understand how to use them properly.
- another kit to consider is an avalanche airbag system. It is in a backpack with two or three balloons activated at a pull of a cord. It causes the person wearing it to appear large and rise to the surface of the snow.
7. Stay safe in the trees
- the golden rule is always ski with a buddy if you are heading into trees. Keep them insight. If you lose sight of them, call out their name and regroup.
- see tree, ski tree is the saying. When trees are tightly grouped together, be prepared to make several
short turns.
- do not use wrist straps as ski poles they can get caught in branches