Both You and I Can Control Risk

By BeckyAurora Thompson

For the past 10 weeks, I have been taught how, as a ski area employee, I can eliminate, avoid, decrease the severity or frequency, manage, insure, transfer, or ignore the risk of an accident occurring.

While I can do my part as a ski area employee to control risk, it should not be entirely my responsibility. As a guest, you have control over risk also.

Ski areas try to decrease the severity of accidents by telling guests to slow down. They do this through the use of signs and the Slow Patrol. However, you can do your part by listening to the Slow Patrol, which will make everyone's day better. If you are an experienced skier/rider that does not want to slow down in the slow zones, go down a different trail.

You can avoid the risk or decrease the severity of getting frost bite by dressing appropriately. Believe it or not, there is a reason why ski areas advise you to not wear things like cotton, blue jeans, and 3 pairs of socks. There is a reason why they suggest sunscreen, lip balm with SPF, goggles and warm, waterproof outerwear. There are also wonderful base and on-hill lodges that serve more of a purpose than just selling merchandise with the ski area's logo on it and over-priced slices of pizza.

You can manage your risk by taking a lesson. By taking a lesson, your skills improve. As your skills improve, you will be better able to avoid those less skilled than yourself. If you don't understand the instructions that a ski area employee provided you with, ask for clarification.

A great way of avoiding the risk is to pick up a trail map. Not only do they make a great souvenir, but they also tell you that by riding up XYZ chairlift, you will only be able to access "most difficult" and "expert terrain". Reading signs also informs you of things such as "You are entering the terrain park" and "This lift serves only expert terrain".

Following the Skier Responsibility Code helps decrease the frequency of accidents. The Skier Responsibility Code contains such things as: stay in control, be able to stop or avoid objects, it is your responsibility to avoid people ahead of you, do not stop where you cannot be seen from above, yield to others when starting downhill or merging with a trail, observe signs, stay out of closed areas, and know how to use the lift.

By working together to control risk, both you (the guest) and I (the ski area employee) can have a wonderful season.