Education ~ Injury Prevention

Skiing and Snowboarding
Did you know?

• Falls involving skiing and snowboarding are the most common reason for hospitalizations as a result of any alpine sport in Canada
• 10% of all alpine sport injuries were to the head/face/neck
• Downhill ski-related injuries were highest among children and youth between the ages of 10-19
• Helmets are shown by research to reduce the risk of head injury and are recommended during skiing and snowboarding

Backcountry/Avalance Safety
Did you know?

• Before entering the backcountry, you should check current report form avalanche centre and regional weather
• Clues indicating unstable snow: recent avalanches, cracking or collapsing snowpack, drum-like sounds on hard snow, heavy snowfall or rain in the last 24 hours (avalanches are often triggered on the first clear day after a storm), rapidly increasing temperatures and gravity can cause the snow to creep downhill.
• Any slopes with an angle greater than 30 degrees are likely for avalanche generation
• Trigger points may be from below the avalanche slopes, so take care when traveling below slide-prone slopes
• Slope aspect: northern aspects receive the least sun, so they tend to preserve weak layers, which makes them less stable; southern slopes receive more sun, which makes them more stable during winter, but more prone to wet slides during spring
• Always expose only one person at a time to avalanche-prone areas and the remaining members of the group should observe the exposed until he/she is in a safe location