SAFETY
GUIDE TO
SAFETY
Ski California’s popular guide is back
for another safe season
By Heather Hudson
Nothing can ruin a day on the slopes faster than an
unfortunate injury. Whether it’s a collision with
another pleasure-seeker, confusion about the
rules of the chair lift or uncertainty about trail signage,
there are plenty of ways a rider can compromise his or
her safety.
That’s why Ski California is re-issuing its award-winning
Mountain Safety Guide for the 2019 season. Its 32-member resorts
in California and Nevada will receive pocket-size manuals
and digital guides to make available for all of their guests.
“Our resorts spend a lot of time focused on safety. Almost
every person’s job at a ski resort has some aspect of safety
involved in it and it’s part of every guest’s experience. It’s our
job to help guests make good decisions. The Mountain Safety
Guide is one way we can do that,” said Michael Reitzell, president
of Ski California, also known as the California Ski Industry
Association.
Originally released in November 2017, the guide is available
in a pocket-size format or mobile/online version, and offers
educational information to help riders have a safe experience
on the slopes. Last year, Ski California also produced three
safety videos featuring Olympic gold medalist Maddie Bowman
and professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones and they’re
part of the association’s safety tools for all member resorts
and the public.
In 2018, the Mountain Safety Guide received the National
Ski Areas Association’s (NSAA) inaugural Safety Impact
Award at NSAA’s national convention. “Ski California stepped
outside the box and created a unique guest safety piece,”
said Dave Byrd, director of Risk and Regulatory Affairs for
NSAA, which has more than 350-member resorts across the
United States.
“NSAA felt it was something that we needed to call out and
honor this year. It’s an important initiative we hope other organizations
look to do in the future.”
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