Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Piste Etiquette
Time to get responsible people. Whether you’re here for the season or here for a holiday, here is a quick and simple guide to being safe and being just an all around nice person on the slopes. It won’t take long to read and we won’t test you at the end. It’s just a reminder that you aren’t the only one using the mountain, and that little things that seem like nothing to you can sometimes ruin other people’s day.

One of the most important things on the mountain is awareness. Without being aware of your surroundings, and of course the people, it’s impossible to know where everything is. The International Ski Federation (FIS) has a set of guidelines for all people using the mountain, and these are the same in resorts all over the world. They are simple guidelines, but if you pay just a small bit of attention to them then you make the mountain more enjoyable for everyone.

Respect others: It’s your personal responsibility to ski safely and respect the people around you. Don’t cut people up unnecessarily, and respect that people are using the slopes to learn. It won’t help them learn if someone speeds past them and almost takes them out.

Control your direction & speed: This basically means ski with control, know your limitations and know how long it will take you to stop. This is dependent on the conditions. If the visibility is bad it’s worth slowing down; you can’t see and the lower your speed, the more chance you have of avoiding an injury if you hit something unexpected. Icy slopes will run faster than solid packed slopes, and it’s harder to turn on ice. Adjust your speed and technique to make sure you are safe.

Select a path: Chose where you will ski before you set off. It’s important to remember that people below you have priority, and you should choose a line that doesn’t put them in danger or under pressure. This is particularly important when two slopes cross. All skiers should be aware of who is coming from where and try and pick the safest route.

Overtake: Riding isn’t like driving. You don’t need to use a particular side, but obviously overtaking on the inside doesn’t leave much room for mistakes or sharp turns. You should leave a decent amount of space around the person you are overtaking, and try and pick an appropriate moment so it doesn’t end in tears!

Before starting off or pulling out: Look around you! If someone is speeding past you then it makes sense not to pull out straight in front of them. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so wait for them to pass and then start off. It’s much easier to stop if you are almost at a standstill than if you are already moving down the slope.

Stopping: Don’t stop in any areas that are blind, such as after corners or underneath rollers. Most skiers will slow down before launching over a blind hill, but equally there are some who won’t. Don’t put yourself in danger by stopping somewhere where people can’t see you. Also, when stopping try and stop towards the side of the piste. This removes you from the main skiable area of the slope and you are less likely to be crashed into.

Walk up or down: Whenever you walk up and down a piste, with or without your skis, stick to the side of the slope. Once again you are reducing the chance that someone will crash into you.

Respect information: The information provided is there for a reason, not just for decoration. If you know that you are only just about able to ski a red run, then it makes sense not to throw yourself down a piste that is obviously labelled as a black. The same goes for avalance safety warnings. Yellow flags mean low risk, checked flags mean medium risk and a black flag is high risk. The signage is all for your safety and taking notice of it is worthwhile. You are less likely to get help on a piste that has been marked as closed if someone is injured on an open piste.

Assistance: If you are involved in an accident you are obliged to provide assistance if you are able, and if you see someone in trouble you should ask them if they need help. Should there be an accident, you should place as many pairs of crossed skis above you as possible and ring piste security.
Identification: You are obliged by law to give your personal details in the event of an accident, whether you caused it, witnessed it or assisted at it. Of course, there are other places where you should observe etiquette. In the park, it is simple manners to wait for features to become available. Raise a hand to show you are dropping into the feature and if there are a few around, point to the one you intend to hit. Make sure the person ahead of you has made it past the landing before you drop in and if they don’t reappear, go and check. An accident isn’t worth the jump. A lot of features in the park have landings that aren’t visible from the drop in, so if you are worried someone is injured go and check. If they need help, go down and make a cross with your poles or arms to let everyone know that the jump or feature isn’t safe to use.

If you have a slower skier in your group, make sure someone is appointed ‘sweeper’ to make sure they get down safely. There is nothing worse than having a crash and having to deal with it on your own as your friends speed off to the restaurant. Always look out for each other when you’re in a group.

In lift queues, obviously queue well and take as little time as possible but don’t push. You won’t make any friends with the people you have to take the lift with. If you smoke, check that everyone else on the chair or lift is ok with you lighting up, and if you have to wait for friends, move to the side to let other people pass you.

Piste Etiquette is simple, and it really takes no extra personal effort to bring it into your everyday routine. Of course, safety is very important, and most of the etiquette we’ve mentioned is in relation to safety. Respect yourself, others and the mountain and everyone will have a great day together


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