What are the rules of skiing?

There are a few main rules that all skiers should follow on the mountain. They include:

• Respect Others on the Mountain
• Stay in Bounds
• Stop in a Safe Space
• Follow Signage
• Assist Others

Respect Others on the Mountain

Skiing is a sport that is enjoyed by so many people. It is rare for you to be the only person skiing a certain trail. Therefore, you must always be vigilant of your surroundings, and make sure that you are not putting yourself or others in danger. It is also important to not ski too close to others so that they can ski comfortably without worrying about you bumping into them.

Stay in Bounds

This is a very important rule when it comes to safety. Many people like to go into the woods or backcountry to find some better snow on the mountain. While this may result in some better skiing conditions, it can also be dangerous. If someone gets injured or lost in these territories, it will become very difficult for the ski patrol to find that person. There are many areas in the woods or backcountry that are in bounds. However, if you go to these areas, it is very important to be with three or more skiers. This way, if somebody gets hurt, one person can stay with the injured skier while the other can go find help. Not only will staying in bounds keep you out of trouble from the ski patrol, but it will also keep you safe.

Stop in a Safe Space

When you are skiing, there are going to be certain times for a variety of reasons where you need to stop on the trail and take a break. It is extremely important to always stop on the side of the trail and out of the way of other incoming skiers. It can really get under the skin of other skiers on the mountain when you are in the middle of the trail blocking the path. If you wipeout and need to resituate yourself before you continue to ski, get to the side of the trail as soon as possible and get yourself set up there, not in the middle of a trail.

Follow Signage

When you are skiing down the mountain, there are going to be a lot of signs that will help you and others stay safe while enjoying your day on the slopes. For example, in certain crowded areas, you may see a “slow” sign. Regardless of your ability, you must follow this order and go at a slow pace until it is safe to speed up again. There are many parts of the mountain where you can go as fast as you would like, however, when you see a slow sign, you must bring your pace down. Even if you do not get caught speeding past a slow sign, speeding past one is really seen as a sign of arrogance and lack of respect for others by your fellow mountain goers.

Another sign that people must be vigilant of is the “Trails Merge” sign. This sign means that the trail you are on will soon merge with another trail, so you must look uphill to be vigilant of other skiers.

You should also be aware of the trail signs, as they will tell you the difficulty of each trail. A green circle is the easiest trail, where a blue square is a bit harder. Black and double black diamonds are the hardest trails on the mountain, and should be for advanced/expert skiers only.

Assist Others

When you are skiing down the trail and see a skier on the ground who appears to be injured, it is important to make sure that they are okay. If the skier is injured, you should make sure that they are being watched before the ski patrol arrives. Another thing you could do is ski down to the base and let the ski patrol know where the injury occurred.

In non injury scenarios, there may be times when a skier in front of you wipes out, and drops a pole or a ski falls off. This will result in the skier tumbling down the trail while the ski or pole stays put higher up in the trail. If you are skiing past the ski or pole, you should pick it up, and bring it down to the skier who wiped out. This way, the skier will not have to climb up the hill to get to the missing piece of equipment.

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