SAN FRANCISCO - As part of their ongoing snow sports education effort, Ski California (aka the California Ski Industry Association) and its member resorts today unveiled the first-ever Mountain Safety Guide for the 2017-2018 season. The free Guide will be available at resorts in a pocket-size format (like a trail map) and/or an online/mobile version to all guests with education about making good decisions to have a safe experience. The safety guide will be complemented by a series of public service announcement videos featuring Olympic gold medalist Maddie Bowman and professional snowboarder and founder of Protect Our Winters (POW) Jeremy Jones.
"All resorts make safety an essential priority, and they are committed to addressing safety every day in their operations. I think the Mountain Safety Guide sends a powerful message because this is the first time our resorts have come together with one all-encompassing educational platform," said Michael Reitzell, Ski California president. "This guide is designed to help the millions of guests be our resorts' partners in safety."
"Skiing and snowboarding are fun and exciting outdoor sports, but like any sport they have inherent risks. Because of these risks, we need to remind the veterans and introduce the newcomers to our sport about their responsibilities – like being aware of your surroundings, the conditions and your ability," said Amy Ohran, president and general manager of Boreal Mountain Resort. "We want our guests to leave the mountain with a great experience, and one way to do that is knowing the risks and understanding how to be safe, smart and in control."
Reitzell and Ohran unveiled the new Mountain Safety Guide and public service announcements at Sports Basement in San Francisco, which is among the many sporting goods stores already seeing an increase in customers in anticipation of another great ski season. As California and Nevada resorts gear up for the 2017-18 season, Reitzell hopes that, along with last year's record winter snowfall that extended operations at some resorts into summer, the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics will draw even more skiers and snowboarders this year.
Joining in today's announcement was Chase Allstadt, a veteran ski patroller, and Ike, a rescue dog from Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows. Allstadt said the Mountain Safety Guide will help skiers and riders focus on speed and control, two of the most important factors when it comes skiing and riding responsibly. "People should ski or ride at a speed that allows them to stay in control and be able stop safely. Most serious injuries occur from collisions at high speed. The educated skier is a safer skier. The smart snowboarder is a safer snowboarder," Allstadt said.
The guide contains safety education every resort guest should know, covering everything from what to do before going to a resort, to loading and riding lifts, navigating potential hazards – including deep snow and avalanche awareness, and understanding trail signage. The guide is printed on reclaimed stone without using trees or water, and is waterproof and tear-resistant.
The video public service announcements are separated into three categories: safety education for children and their parents; being "Park SMART" in terrain parks; and specific guidance for new skiers. The Mountain Safety Guide is supported by the Association of Professional Patrollers, the National Ski Patrol, the National Ski Areas Association, the U.S. Forest Service, the American Association of Snowboard Instructors, the Professional Ski Instructors of America, the Sierra Avalanche Center, the High Fives Foundation, and our lead sponsor, KÜHL clothing.
