Dear readers,
In the Northern Hemisphere, January and February are usually the coldest months which makes the heart of ski and snowboard enthusiasts beat a little bit faster.
Coming from Slovakia (read: a country with a lot of mountains and even more ski slopes), my family used to spend more time wearing skis than shoes when the temperatures hit below zero Celsius.
The hours spent in ski resorts made me encounter various situations, some joyful, others not so much. I put together a list of 5 Ski & Snowboard Etiquette Tips, to make sure we all make it safely to the apres-ski. Shall we?
1. MIND YOUR SPEED ⛷️
Every winter enthusiast is just as skilled as the beginner on the slope right below them. Trust me, I have witnessed some not-so-nice collisions mainly caused by an irresponsible speed of a professional combined with an unpredictable reaction of a newcomer.
We don’t have the monopoly over a ski resort, therefore we should always be mindful of the presence of other visitors.
2. THE SKI LIFT ENCOUNTER 🚡
Sometimes it takes a couple of minutes, other times it can go up to a half an hour. The time spent on or inside a ski lift is a time spent with strangers who, just like us, came to enjoy the winter wonderland.
While riding a ski lift, we should always be aware of our behaviour and apply basic forms of courtesy: covering our mouth when coughing or yawning, not playing music out loud or reserving too much space.
3. THE HILL TRAP 🏔️
This one will be a bit personal. I consider myself a pretty good skier (considering my parents got me into ski boots at the age of 5), which helped me tremendously on one specific occasion. It was an early morning, and I was skiing in a full swing, enjoying the warm sun rays on my face and the still almost untouched slope. I skied up a hill and suddenly, I noticed a snowboarder sitting right under the hill and adjusting his snowboard boots. I was able to manoeuvre around, but it was very, very close.
A lesson to take from the story: never sit right under a hill as those coming from the top cannot see you early enough.
4. RESPECT THE NATURE 🌲
Many people don’t find the designated trails adventurous enough and in a pursuit of more adrenaline, decide to go off-trail. Little did they know that they don’t only risk hurting themselves but also affect the wildlife or - worst case scenario - trigger avalanches.
Mother Nature provides us with so much beauty, but in order to admire it, we need to play by the rules.
5. THE APRES-SKI COURTESY 🍾
The legs are tired and the appetite is ready for some refreshing Aperol Spritz. Nothing wrong with that, as long as we remain courteous to our fellow skiers and snowboarders who also wish to celebrate a day well spent on the slopes. Moderate alcohol intake, respecting personal space and the waiting staff ensure that everyone will leave the apres-ski bar in a good mood.
Whether you are an avid skier, snowboarder or you just enjoy some fun winter snow activities, I hope you will find these tips helpful.
Stay safe, have fun, and enjoy the snow-covered wonderland!
Yours sincerely,
Katarina
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