National Safety Awareness Week is upon us, serving as a timely reminder that when you hit the slopes, the safest way to ski and snowboard is by knowing Your Responsibility Code.
Safety Week began on Saturday, and Colorado Ski Country resorts across the state are hosting events, clinics and other activities designed to educate and remind skiers and riders of the importance of slope safety. Safety on the slopes is paramount to skiers and riders enjoying a successful day, and knowing the seven core principles of the code help keep everyone safe and secure as they participate in our states most beloved sport:
National Safety Awareness Week is upon us, serving as a timely reminder that when you hit the slopes, the safest way to ski and snowboard is by knowing Your Responsibility Code.
Safety Week began on Saturday, and Colorado Ski Country resorts across the state are hosting events, clinics and other activities designed to educate and remind skiers and riders of the importance of slope safety. Safety on the slopes is paramount to skiers and riders enjoying a successful day, and knowing the seven core principles of the code help keep everyone safe and secure as they participate in our state’s most beloved sport:
Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.
Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.
Patrick, Arapahoe Basins Risk Manager, reflected on the opening day of Safety Week, “Skier safety is a piece of cake. It was fun to have a different conversation with our guests as they patiently waited for a piece of cake and hot chocolate. Amazing what people will listen to for free sugar. Please keep the message of knowing the responsibility code alive this week and all season long for both our guests and employees.”
Safety measures from avalanche awareness to the importance of helmet use are covered this week by resorts, in addition to the core tenant of knowing The Code. To help reinforce and motivate guests, resorts are offering promotions and prizes to throughout the week to encourage safe skiing and riding. Below is a list of what some of the resorts have to offer to those that practice skiing and riding safely:
Arapahoe Basin
National Safety Awareness Week at Arapahoe Basin will include a tent set up on Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 15-16) to provide safety information, tips, and free cake to guests. The Skier Responsibility Code and Smart Style Code will be posted around the mountain as well.
Ski Patrol and Terrain Park members will also be available to answer questions about safety on the slopes. The mountain’s goal for the week is to remind and inform guests about the importance and value of the safety codes.
Copper Mountain
Join Copper Mountain for “Safety Fest” during National Safety Awareness Week, featuring several new safety initiatives: Go Wet Yourself, Sport a Ski Lid, and Practice Bromance. Learn about these initiatives at one of Copper’s many safety tents, set up around the mountain. Be sure to stamp a Safety Fest Punch-Card at each tent and be entered to win more than $8000 of prizes.
Safety Fest will also have a Flight-For-Life helicopter fly-over and a Ski Patrol Headquarters open house on Saturday (Jan. 15) at 10 a.m. at the top of the Excelerator and Super Bee Lifts.
Kids can join the fun with Avalanche Dog trading cards supporting the Skier Responsibility Code message.
Crested Butte
Crested Butte’s National Safety Awareness Week will focus on “The Crested Butte Difference. Avalanche Awareness – Big Mountain, Big Challenges.” The week’s many events will feature avalanche dog demonstrations, held daily at 11 a.m. at the top of the Painter Boy Lift and weekends at 2 p.m. at the top of Paradise Lift.
An Avalanche Transceiver Park will be set up, with demonstrations daily from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the top of Painter Boy Lift and weekends from 1 – 3 p.m. at the top of Paradise Lift. Snow Science instruction and discussion of tree well safety will also take place on weekends from 1 – 3 p.m. at the top of Paradise Lift. Additionally, Crested Butte Ski Patrol will be discussing a new rope drop policy.
More information on Safety Week at Crested Butte will be available at the Mountain Safety Tent in the base area.
Echo Mountain
In honor of National Safety Awareness Week, Echo Mountain will be offering $10 off any helmet purchase from Jan. 14 – 23. A helmet decorating contest will also take place at 12:30 p.m. from Saturday – Monday (Jan. 15 – 17). Entrants can submit their helmets at 12:30 p.m. each day at the Echo Mountain Plaza, and a panel of judges will select one winning youth and adult helmet each day. Daily winners will receive prizes from Beau Jo’s gift cards to Echo Mountain lift tickets.
Monarch
In addition to safety signage and banners around the mountain, Monarch’s safety mascot, “Safety Sam” will be greeting guests each morning during National Safety Awareness Week and passing out copies of the Skier Responsibility Code.
Safety Sam will also be telling guests about the Safety Scavenger Hunt. For the hunt, pink ribbons will be placed around the mountain for guests to find and return to the Safety Tent at the base area. If the guest correctly recites a line from the Skiers Responsibility Code, they win one of many great prizes, including lift tickets, hats, t-shirts, goggles, gloves, and other gear.
Steamboat
Steamboat will host several events during National Safety Awareness Week, including free Snow Awareness Seminars at Pioneer Ridge Beacon Basin, and Gondola Square Safety Booths with the Steamboat Springs Fire Department, Ski Patrol, and ParkWise staff.
Safety Week will feature several other free activities: any guest who can recite one of seven topics of the Responsibility Code will race free for the entire week, and Billy Kidd, director of skiing, will offer free clinics at 1 p.m. on Jan. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 22.
Also during Safety Week, Steamboat’s Bear the Safety Dog will be around for pictures at the top of the gondola.
Winter Park
During Safety Week, certain Winter Park Resort employees will be wearing “Ask Me About the Code” arm bands. By talking to them, guests will be entered into the “Know the Code” drawing and will be eligible for great prizes, including a 2011 – 2012 Winter Park Resort season pass. Also, on Monday and Tuesday from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m., guests can hop on the Panoramic Express and arrive at Beacon Basin, off of Upper Village Way, to enjoy the session of “Introduction to Avalanche Beacons.”
On Wednesday from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., guests can become knowledgeable on the topic by attending “Avalanche Awareness and Boundary Policies,” presented by the Winter Park Ski Patrol in the Board Room in upper Balcony House building. Not only will there be great insight by Winter Park Ski Patrol, attendees will also be entered to win a Black Diamond Super Tour Probe.
