How To Ski Safely

• Ski with a buddy; carry a cell phone and a map
• Learn the trail names and know where you are
• Tell someone where and when you are skiing
• Know where emergency supplies are on the trails - marked on the trail map with a red cross
• Dress for the weather; bring water and snacks
• Call the Ski Club (668-4477) or 911 if you need help
• Read the club's emergency plan - posted under the Wax of the Day board.
• Be able to look after yourself if you are injured or helping an injured skier - carry an emergency blanket, matches, handwarmers - most skiers are not prepared to be delayed on the trail.  What would you do if you were delayed by an hour to help somebody or if you are injured and waiting for help?

Skiing Safely with Infants and Toddlers

If you ski with a young child in a pulk or backpack carrier, please consider the following safety information:

Babies three months or younger should not be taken out in a pulk or a backpack.

You may be warm and sweating from the exertion of skiing but your child is not generating any heat from exertion.Infants and toddlers do not regulate their body temperatures as effectively as adults.

Check that your child is warm, by regularly checking their fingers, toes, and ears as these are good indicators of circulation to the extremities. If a child’s core body temperature is dropping, their extremities will be the first places to feel cold.

When possible, ski with another skier who can help you check your child without unhooking from the pulk or carrier. The easier it is to check your child, the more likely you will do it.

Here are some methods for keeping your child warm:

• Use closed cell foam underneath as an insulator
• Use insulating layers such as snowsuits, sleeping bags, non-cotton blankets
• Make sure the child is dry before you start and during the ski
• Warm water bottles or heat packs can help provide additional heat; do not place these directly against the skin; regular checking will make sure you are not overheating your child
• Make sure your child is protected from chill created by the wind or your downhill speed

If using a backpack carrier, be aware that sitting in a harness can restrict blood flow to the legs and arms. At any skiing temperature, this can result in frozen limbs. There have been cases of cold injury that required amputation.

Be very cautious when skiing in fast conditions and downhill – falling with a child in a pulk or carrier can result in major injury. When in doubt, get out of the tracks and snowplow or remove skis and walk down.

Inappropriate use of pulks or backpacks can result in serious injuries and hypothermia.