Advice for skiing solo

[NewEnglandSkier]

I always carry my cellphone, insurance card and credit card. I've needed the insurance card once so was glad to have it and the medical center was happy I had it too--they mentioned it was much easier if the person carried the card with them rather than not have it.

I also try to remember to program the ski patrol number of any new mountain I ski into my phone.

I generally stick to terrain I feel pretty confident on when I'm alone, as I have to be able to get myself out of anything I get myself into. There won't be anyone else to pick up the pieces or talk me down so I probably don't progress as quickly as people who always ski with others.

 

[Tvan]

In no particular order...

• Carry identification and emergency contact information
• Agree on and stick to a check-in plan
• Speak to and thank the lifties each and every time you get on the chair, so that they remember you (or your awesome jacket)
• Be aware of tower numbers and intersections in case you need to call for help for yourself or others...just like knowing exit numbers on the highway
• Carry a trail map, even if you know the mountain
• No music or headphones. Stay aware and keep listening, especially behind

 

[Kimmyt]

• Carry a trail map, even if you know the mountain

Why?

 

[bounceswoosh]

Why?

So you can help the lost people you meet around the mountain!

 

[DeweySki]

In no particular order...

• Be aware of tower numbers and intersections in case you need to call for help for yourself or others...just like knowing exit numbers on the highway

This is such a good one that I feel many casual skiers don't think about. I wish it was taught more in lessons and ski camps. I am trying to learn all the towers at my home mountains for my own sake, but also because a couple of times in the last few years I've had the alert ski patrol at the top of the lift of someone I saw while riding up. Though I've never dropped anything from the lift (knock on wood), I've heard it's helpful to look at the nearest tower number so you know where to look for your item when you come back down.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I have learned to look for tower numbers as one time I dropped my mitten from the lift (once was enough) but it got me into the habit of looking. When I'm working I tend to carry a trail map with me in case I encounter someone's who needs help it's easier to show them where they want to go. I have also adopted the look like a skittle idea when dressing for skiing, the colorful the better. When I'm working I have to wear black pants but I have a pink belt and a rainbow lei hanging from my helmet. When I'm not working I have maroon ski pants, a red jacket. Getting new ski boots in October and after we iron out the functionality and the best boot for me it will be the cherry on the ice cream if they are a bright color. Next up is a colorful helmet.

 

[W8N2SKI]

I am thinking of wearing a low-profile, flexible spine protector when I ski in the Poconos.

I had no idea there even were such things. Thanx for noting this. What type do you have? I looked online and I like the vest-types because they look more secure, but I have doubts that they'd fit me comfortably.

 

[Tvan]

Why?

As @bounceswoosh said, so you can give directions to others. It might also be useful in the event that you hit your head (like DH once did) and get disoriented...good to have a low-tech solution to help you figure out where you are and where you need to be.

 

[bounceswoosh]

If I were disoriented, I'm not sure I could figure out a trail map ... I'm not the best at figuring out how to get from point A to point B on my good days!

 

[LadyCaladium]

Bright, clashing colors. I usually ski alone (in the states my friends don't ski and my brother and I had conflicting schedules - Japan, well, same situation) and will let someone know when/where I'm going and when I expect to be back. Then I call or message to let them know I'm finished and fine.

I have my phone on me, as well as my ID. Programming ICE in my phone probably won't work here, but I have my mom's contact information saved in Japanese on my phone so if they were to scroll contacts, there she is.

Also I've set my medical ID info on my phone so that it can be viewed while the phone is locked. Practically everyone here has an iPhone or has used one, so...

 

[SallyCat]

@W8N2SKI This is the one I have; it's a men's vest, but fits me really well.

https://demonsnow.com/store/DS1250 Demon Vest X D3O V2

 

[Fluffy Kitty]

Precautions aside, do people go completely off-trail or backcountry alone? I've never gone anywhere there aren't other people coming through periodically.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Precautions aside, do people go completely off-trail or backcountry alone? I've never gone anywhere there aren't other people coming through periodically.

I have skied areas completely alone in trees that are dense and rarely skied/relatively unknown. There's pretty much nowhere that isn't skied at all in-bounds at Breck, but I certainly could have gotten hurt and not been seen. The ski patrol sweep isn't zig zagging through every line.

I would not go "backcountry" alone, but then again, I have snowshoed alone on a social trail that only my housemates also used. Other than that, I don't think I've done anything out of bounds that wasn't highly frequented ... but it is interesting to ponder how many times I have gone out into the snow without skis and never considered the avy risk, because I'm not on skis ... very silly ...

 

[W8N2SKI]

@W8N2SKI This is the one I have; it's a men's vest, but fits me really well.
https://demonsnow.com/store/DS1250 Demon Vest X D3O V2

Thanx @SallyCat !

 

[altagirl]

People keep it good and confusing here by calling locations by the tower numbers of the old lifts that have no relationship to the numbers of the current lift towers. I'm sure ski patrol knows both.

 

[Kimmyt]

Precautions aside, do people go completely off-trail or backcountry alone? I've never gone anywhere there aren't other people coming through periodically.

Yeah, I'll admit that I do. I will ski trees alone, as long as they aren't particularly tight and challenging. I have gone on a backcountry 'tour' alone, that is one with no downhill and more like a cross country circuit but with my AT skis. If I'm doing actual backcountry turns I will have at least one partner, and if it's a deep powder day I prefer to have a partner for the trees but it doesn't always work out.

 

[LadyCaladium]

I ski trees alone, but in bounds. Here, you can't go out, they are super serious about that. You can be banned for the day or season if you get caught.

In NY I've gone snowshoeing alone, but again, in bounds at a cross country place where the trails aren't patrolled, but they count everyone in and out so they know if they have a problem. I've done snowshoeing alone on woods trails as well, but someone always knows my plan.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Here, you can't go out, they are super serious about that. You can be banned for the day or season if you get caught.

That is true in the US, too. You can't exit a resort to ski backcountry unless there's a gate. But you can go find a mountain to ski on public land. Isn't that true in Japan, too? I see so many videos of Japan powder skiing that don't look like they're in a resort ..

 

[Albertan ski girl]

I usually have my driver's license, a credit card and my phone with me. Bright pink jacket. However, I rarely ski alone. I don't ski alone in trees or in areas of the resort that are rarely trafficked.

On days when I'm alone at the hill, I will usually try and make friends on the lift - and it's worked quite well. One of my favourite days last season was when I met 2 retirees from Tahoe last year on the Goat's Eye lift. Apparently they do an annual trip to Banff every year. We ended up skiing most of the day together - they were a barrel of laughs and great skiers! When I am not with someone else, I'll usually sticked to trafficked areas, and areas I know well.

I don't know, I think I maybe more of a nervous type, but I just don't feel comfortable going off alone. And there are definitely some inbounds areas at Sunshine and Louise where you can go and see very few people for the rest of the day.

 

[sibhusky]

That is true in the US, too. You can't exit a resort to ski backcountry unless there's a gate. But you can go find a mountain to ski on public land. Isn't that true in Japan, too? I see so many videos of Japan powder skiing that don't look like they're in a resort ..

We have "open boundaries" at Whitefish. There's demarkation of what they are, but you're totally free to kill yourself on the other side of the ropes or to pay to be extricated. It's your dime. They have signs telling you that it is not controlled for avalanches and it could be hours before you are saved. I've been on the other side of some of those lines, but not often, and I don't think I've ever done it alone. (There's one area I might have briefly done that, but don't recall.)