Advice for skiing solo

[LadyCaladium]

Well, I'm asking because I don't own a Smartphone. Never had a need for one and the battery on my flip phone lasts for a week.

I'm not sure. I've never used it. I know he has a satellite phone.

They might still have SPOT, but I've only gotten emails from Inreach the past few years.

I think for skiing solo, knowing what you can and can't do are important. Also, listening to your body and familiarizing yourself with the area/weather conditions. While gear can help, the best gear isn't going to help if you don't know how to use it or you are way out of your ability level. I could use their gear when I'm in the US, but I know I'm not ready to do much of the terrain they do - whether in a group or solo.

 

[RhodySkiBum]

I am definitely more open to skiing alone now, than I would have been when I was younger. My husband doesn't want to ski as much as I do, and doesn't like doing the drive up/back in one day trip - so I will consider doing it solo. But wouuld stick to a mountain I know well, and not take on anything too challenging.........

I do love some alone time anyway

 

[bounceswoosh]

I think a lot of things are complementary here - the devices we've been talking about have very different functions. I think of SPOT as a 'call-for'help' device - ie if you are in the backcountry or are lost, or injured but conscious, you use the red button to call for help. An avy beacon is a must all the time when skiing backcountry. The avy beacon will help locate you when you are buried, your friend for example uses the SPOT to call for help. I use an InReach as well - and that's really a sat phone situation. either when you want to be in touch and you are somewhere remote (for example, my SO does fieldwork on a glacier, so he keeps an InReach to get in touch with base), and can also be used like a SPOT to call for help. As far as I know though, the Inreach is more reliable. I use the Inreach when I'm in the backcountry with my undergraduates, or any backcountry in the Yukon.

The SPOT and similar are also good for letting people follow your route. I have a friend whose husband can't accompany her on her long hikes; she checks in periodically so that he can follow along, which helps him feel better about her being alone for an 18 mile hike or whatever.

 

[kiki]

Bumping up another old discussion—I’m thinking we may have some new members who haven’t come accross this, and also with COVID there will likely be more solo skiing.

who expects to ski solo more this year than in prior years? How are you feeling about that?

what ideas/tips do you have?

 

[TeleChica]

I think one thing that wasn't mentioned (at least I don't think) was to let someone know where you are going. It seems obvious, but just letting someone know you are going XYZ and texting when you get done is something I do with certain friends when hiking solo, for example. But even going to a resort--if you let a friend know you'll text when you are done for the day will alert someone if you haven't contacted them by dinnertime, for example.

 

[ski diva]

I think one thing that wasn't mentioned (at least I don't think) was to let someone know where you are going. It seems obvious, but just letting someone know you are going XYZ and texting when you get done is something I do with certain friends when hiking solo, for example. But even going to a resort--if you let a friend know you'll text when you are done for the day will alert someone if you haven't contacted them by dinnertime, for example.

Yes. And don't ski in the trees alone. I know someone whose daughter was boarding alone and ended up dying in a tree well. No one knew she was missing until a long time had passed, and it took search parties days to find her.

 

[Abbi]

Bumping up another old discussion—I’m thinking we may have some new members who haven’t come accross this, and also with COVID there will likely be more solo skiing.

who expects to ski solo more this year than in prior years? How are you feeling about that?

what ideas/tips do you have?

i’m not new here but this year will present different issues for solo skiers. It will be interesting to see how it works out eventually. I have skied by myself more than with others for most of the time I have skied. Mostly by choice as I am somewhat of a solitary individual anyway. But also so I was never dragging anyone along too fast, as if that happens much, or holding others back. I used to ski with a group every Friday. They were mostly instructors or racers or coaches. I love them dearly but I would finally send them off without me as they would always be waiting and then takeoff as soon as I got there so I never got to stop! It was better to meet up with them later. And who knows what will happen with that this year! I plan to be grateful to be able to ski at all and try, you can all remind me later, to leave it at that!

 

[TeleChica]

Yes. And don't ski in the trees alone. I know someone whose daughter was boarding alone and ended up dying in a tree well. No one knew she was missing until a long time had passed, and it took search parties days to find her.

Was this in New England or out West? I have not ever heard of someone dying in a tree well in NE. I regularly ski the trees solo in New England, although I choose my glades pretty carefully.

 

[SallyCat]

... But also so I was never dragging anyone along too fast, as if that happens much, or holding others back. I used to ski with a group every Friday. They were mostly instructors or racers or coaches. I love them dearly but I would finally send them off without me as they would always be waiting and then takeoff as soon as I got there so I never got to stop! It was better to meet up with them later. And who knows what will happen with that this year! I plan to be grateful to be able to ski at all and try, you can all remind me later, to leave it at that!

Same here; whether skiing or mountain biking, I mostly prefer to go solo so I can set my own pace and not worry about holding people back. This year I doubt I'll do much, if any, resort skiing, and that dictates a much more careful approach to solo activity. I'll likely just stick to the mountain I live on, which has a T-bar and mown trails for skinning. When the T-bar is operating there are plenty of people around, as well as a "safety patrol" of sorts. When it's not operating, I'll need to make some careful choices; I wouldn't go anywhere near the summit by myself, but I may do some "laps" on the lower, easier trails, skinning more for exercise than to reach any particular terrain.

 

[ski diva]

Was this in New England or out West? I have not ever heard of someone dying in a tree well in NE. I regularly ski the trees solo in New England, although I choose my glades pretty carefully.

This was out West, about 20 years ago, at Mount Bachelor.

 

[ilovepugs]

I think one thing that wasn't mentioned (at least I don't think) was to let someone know where you are going. It seems obvious, but just letting someone know you are going XYZ and texting when you get done is something I do with certain friends when hiking solo, for example. But even going to a resort--if you let a friend know you'll text when you are done for the day will alert someone if you haven't contacted them by dinnertime, for example.

Absolutely agree with this advice. My husband’s friend died in an in-bounds avalanche last season. Ski patrol didn’t even know to look for her until they found her dog in an empty car in the parking lot.

 

[ilovepugs]

Was this in New England or out West? I have not ever heard of someone dying in a tree well in NE. I regularly ski the trees solo in New England, although I choose my glades pretty carefully.

There were two young men who died in tree wells at Stowe during Winter Storm Stella (2018).

 

[ski diva]

Absolutely agree with this advice. My husband’s friend died in an in-bounds avalanche last season. Ski patrol didn’t even know to look for her until they found her dog in an empty car in the parking lot.

How awful! Where was this?

 

[ilovepugs]

How awful! Where was this?

Silver Mountain Resort in Idaho. I think I may have posted her memorial fundraiser to the forum. It was a particularly sad situation for me and for Dr Pugs as she had *just* finished all of her medical training (residency and fellowship).

 

[gingerjess]

Wow. I am... definitely going to be cautious about where I go this season. I'm likely to end up skiing solo a lot.

 

[BackCountryGirl]

When I workn with kids we reinforce "ski by threes in trees." If one gets hurt, two stays with the hurt person, and three gets help.

 

[Abbi]

When I workn with kids we reinforce "ski by threes in trees." If one gets hurt, two stays with the hurt person, and three gets help.

This is exactly how it was explained to me by a ski patroller on the lift one day. He told me he was going to drop a rope if I wanted to go in. I think he was hoping I’d say yes so we could both dive under! I’m not a tree person unless it’s really soft and deep and I have people to collect my carcass!

 

[Like2Ski]

I ski alone quite often. I carry my license in a small wallet in my jacket pocket. I also have a photocopy of my heath insurance card and the names and numbers of two family members in another pocket. A friend recommended the insurance card when we skied together once. I only ski in the Northeast right now, but I do carry a whistle just in case. My friend's daughter was injured just off a trail and it took awhile before anyone realized it. Now we all have whistles.

This is my first post in a while. I've been so caught up in remote/hybrid/in person teaching. Glad to be back!

 

[Jilly]

For those skiing alone another idea is the Road ID bracelet.

https://www.roadid.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0aG_29Oe7AIVA9bACh27UAL5EAAYASAAEgJGO_D_BwE

I've had one for awhile now. Lots of people know me, but they don't who to call if something happens to me. I use it for all sports now. It also states about the fact that I wear contact lenses. But anything can be engraved on it.

 

[newboots]

This is my first post in a while. I've been so caught up in remote/hybrid/in person teaching. Glad to be back!

Like2SeeU!