Mountain Safety

It is everybody's responsibility to ensure they and their family, friends, and other mountain users make it home safely at the end of every ski day. Hazards are everywhere in the mountains, from the twists and turns of a piste to the avalanche risk terrain in the backcountry. For nearly 120 years, the Ski Club has sent skiers and snowboarders to the mountains and made sure they have made it home safely; here are our top tips to ensure everyone has an enjoyable but safe time in the hills.

The Basics

Knowing where you are and how to ski responsibly are the first steps every skier and snowboarder should take. A piste map tells you much more than just the colour of the piste you are on, rather a comprehensive guide to help you choose terrain appropriate for your ability, and know where First Aid posts are if things do go wrong. Similarly, if you want to start to stretch your skiing and look away from the marked pistes, it is vital to have the right equipment to hand.

The Backcountry

Whether you are taking your first turns off the piste with an instructor or mountain guide, or you are an experienced powder hound, avoiding avalanche terrain and mitigating risks is almost, if not more important than understanding how a transceiver, shovel and prove work together to help when avalanches do occur. We have worked closely with Bruce Goodlad, IFMGA qualified guide, the Ski Club's Mountain Safety Advisor and one-half of the Avalanche Geeks, to break down safety off the piste into three simple steps; choosing the right terrain, working as a team, and what happens should an avalanche occur.