We’ve all been there you’re in the middle of a ski day, and suddenly your knees hurt. Or you’re tired of waiting for the lift to bring you up the mountain, so you decide to ski down instead.
But what if I told you that doing these things could get you into serious trouble? In fact, these mistakes could actually put your life at risk!
So listen up: if you want to avoid making any of these common mistakes while skiing this winter season, then read on…
Don’t ski off-piste without an avalanche transceiver.
Most ski areas have avalanche transceivers, which are devices that search for buried victims. These can be carried by ski patrollers and should be used before heading off piste. However, avalanche transceivers are not infallible and are not a substitute for caution.
Don’t ski too fast.
You might be thinking, “I don’t want to go slow. I want to go fast.” But trust me if you are going faster than the other people in your group, it will only make things more difficult for everyone else.
You won’t be able to stop on a dime if someone falls in front of you or if there is an obstacle in your path that requires an emergency brake maneuver.
You will also have less control over how fast or slow you are going, which increases the likelihood of falling over and hurting yourself. Not only does this mean fewer hours on skis; it also means less fun!
Don’t forget to eat and drink regularly
You’re going to be spending a lot of time in the mountains, so it’s important to keep your body fueled. You should drink enough water to avoid dehydration, which can lead to fatigue and headaches.
Food is also important for energy and recovery; energy bars are a good option because they’re easy to carry around with you on the slopes.
Don’t forget your sunscreen
You might think that because the sun is covered by clouds, you don’t need sunscreen. You would be wrong!
UV rays are very strong at high altitude and can cause serious damage to your skin even on cloudy days. So make sure to apply sunscreen before you go skiing, at least 30 minutes before hitting the slopes, and every two hours while skiing.
Don’t forget your sunglasses or goggles if it is sunny
Whether it’s sunny or not, you should always have sunglasses or goggles. The snow reflects UV rays and can cause sunburn to your eyes. Sunglasses or goggles can prevent snow blindness and keep wind from hitting your eyeballs, which would hurt even more than the UV rays themselves!
Don’t forget to wear warm clothes when it’s cold, and take them off when it’s hot
- Wear loose and comfortable clothes. Loose fitting clothing is important for safety, as it allows you to move quickly in case of an emergency.
- Layer your clothing. Depending on the temperature and weather conditions, you should wear several layers of warm clothing. Layering allows you to adjust your level of warmth by adding or removing layers as needed throughout the day.* Good quality ski clothing is essential for staying warm in cold temperatures.* Clothing should be waterproof and windproof; this means that it will protect against moisture from sweat as well as windblown snow or rain falling at high speeds off mountainsides into your face while skiing down steep inclines at high speeds
Don’t drag your skis or poles behind you while walking this can damage the piste
The piste is the area where you ski, and it is important to keep it in good condition. Skis and poles can damage the piste, which will make it difficult for other skiers to navigate. To avoid this problem, walk with your skis on your shoulder instead of dragging them behind you while walking. If possible, carry your poles in one hand while holding onto the side of the piste with your other hand so that they don’t scrape against the ground as well.
If you are skiing downhill and need both hands free (for example because there are obstacles or people around), then put both skis together between your legs and hold them there with one arm while using both hands for balance in turns or braking before turns.
Be aware of people skiing around you
- Look around you before starting a turn. It’s easy to get caught up in the fun of skiing and forget to check your surroundings, especially if it’s your first time on snow. Before beginning a turn, take a moment to look around for other skiers who might be coming toward you or moving quickly down the slope.
- Check that there are no other skiers around before starting a turn. This means both behind and in front of you you don’t want someone coming up from behind while you’re halfway through making a turn! If there are people nearby, wait until they pass or move out of their way before continuing your run.
- Don’t ski too close together as part of a group. Inexperienced skiers should keep at least one meter between themselves and others who are skiing with them; more experienced skiers may want two meters between each person so they can easily maneuver around obstacles like bumps on hillsides without having another person right next them at all times
Don’t rely on lifts alone even experienced skiers
- You might be an experienced skier, but don’t rely on lifts alone. Even if you are a pro and have been skiing for years, there’s always something new to learn.
- Don’t just ski the same piste all day. The best way to experience a resort is by taking advantage of its terrain parks and off-piste options. If you want to avoid crowds, go earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon when fewer people are out on their own adventure runs!
- Don’t just ski one piste all week – try different areas at each resort so that no matter where your group goes next year, they’ll know what their favorite place was!
Conclusion
You don’t have to be an experienced skier to enjoy the sport, but it does take some planning.
You need to know how to get around on your own skis and how much time you want to spend off-piste. If you’re not sure about any of these things then we recommend booking a lesson before going out on your own because this will help make sure that you don’t make any mistakes while having fun!
