Safety Tips

One of the main concerns of new skiers and boarders is safety. Although they do have some inherent risks, when individuals are conscientious, the sports are remarkably safe- safer than both swimming and bicycling, according to the National Ski Areas Association.

We like this article from ABC of Skiing, which focuses on what you can do before you hit the slopes to ensure your safety. Most of the tips apply not only to skiing, but to other snow sports as well. Here's what they suggest:

• Make sure you are in relatively good physical shape.
• Take a lesson!
• Make sure your gear is in good shape, especially the bindings.
• Wear a helmet.
• Wear a comfortable and weather-appropriate outfit-- beware of loose garmets such as scarves that could get in the way on the lift or while skiing.
• Apply sunscreen- even on cloudy days the sun reflects on snow intensely.
• Wear sunglasses or goggles to make sure you can see well.