AVOIDING COLLISIONS

TO REPORT A SKI RELATED COLLISION OR ACCIDENT, PLEASE CALL PALISADES DISPATCH AT 530.452.7145 OR ALPINE DISPATCH AT 530.581.8222.
A still from the Ride Another Day video about collision safety.
A still from the Ride Another Day video about collision safety.

NSAA's #RideAnotherDay Collision Mitigation Campaign

Be ready to slow down at any moment to avoid other people or objects. Always slow down wherever traffic merges on the mountain.Stay alert to what is going on around you, especially the location of other skiers and riders.Plan ahead to ease up at blind spots, check uphill when merging onto trails, and give other skiers plenty of room when passing.It is illegal to leave the incident scene if involved in a collision, except to notify and obtain ski patrol assistance (Cal. Penal Code 653i;NRS 455.170)

B.A.S.I.C.S. with the High Fives Foundation

The 2022 initiative for the High Fives Foundation’s B.A.S.I.C.S (Being Aware and Safe in Critical Situations) campaign is focused on collisions. The B.A.S.I.C.S program has been running for twelve years and helps to prevent injuries on the mountain with different campaign themes each year.The 2022 B.A.S.I.C.S video, narrated by Olympic gold medalist and iconic freestyle skier Jonny Moseley, follows skiers Amie and Kyle as they explore all the different ways skiers and snowboarders can experience collisions on the mountain.

Terrain Park Safety

Skier in the Palisades Terrain Park in the air.
Skier in the Palisades Terrain Park in the air.

Park Smart

Terrain Park areas are designated with an orange oval and may contain jumps, take-offs, ramps, banks, fun boxes, jibs, rails, half-pipes, quarter-pipes, snowcross, bump terrain, and other constructed or natural terrain features. Prior to using freestyle terrain, you are responsible for familiarizing yourself with the terrain and obeying all instructions, warnings, and signs. Freestyle skills require maintaining control on the ground and in the air. Use of freestyle terrain exposes you to the risk of serious injury or death. Inverted aerials are not recommended. You assume all risk.
Snowboarder flipping in the terrain park at Palisades Tahoe.
Snowboarder flipping in the terrain park at Palisades Tahoe.
A.T.M.L

When first inspecting the jumps, consider the following elements of each jump:

(A) The Approach zone is setting your speed and stance

(T) The Take-Off zone is for making moves that start your trick

(M) The Maneuver Zone is for controlling your style

(L) The Landing Zone is for getting straight and riding away clean
ALWAYS LOOK BEFORE YOU DROP
Observe all signage and warnings. Use your first run as a warm-up run to familiarize yourself with the park layout & features. Features change constantly due to weather, usage, and time of day, so it is important to continue to inspect features throughout the day.
START SMALL. WORK YOUR WAY UP. BUILD INTO YOUR SKILLS.
If you aren't sure about how to use a feature, build your skills first. When starting out, look for small progression parks & features, and then work your way up to medium or large parks and features. Freestyle terrain comes in different sizes, so make sure and start small and work your way up before going into larger parks.
MAKE A PLAN. EVERY FEATURE. EVERY TIME.
Whenever you use freestyle terrain, have a plan for each feature you are going to use. Remember, your speed, approach, and take-off will directly affect your maneuvering and landing.
RESPECT THE FEATURES AND OTHER USERS.
One person on a feature at a time. Wait your turn and call your drop-in. Always clear the landing area quickly. Respect all signs and stay off closed features. Remember that respect is important both in the park and in the rest of the resort. So be smart when you are heading down the mountain or to the lift and save your best tricks for the park.
TAKE IT EASY.
Know your limits. Land on your feet. Ride within your ability and consider taking a lesson if you want to build your knowledge, skills, and tricks. Stay in control both on the ground and in the air. Remember, you can control how big or small you take the feature by varying speed and take-off. Inverted aerials increase the chance of serious injury and are not recommended.