Skip to main content

Yes, there are real rules for skiing and snowboarding, and here they are

Prevent accidents and ski more with these safe skiing rules

It’s generally acknowledged that skiing and snowboarding can be dangerous sports. Heck, any sport where you hurtle down the mountain propelled by gravity will have the potential for injury; that’s why we always recommend wearing a helmet. We’re not trying to put you off on your ski holiday here, but it’s always good to be aware of the potential risk of the sport.

Crashes are an unavoidable reality of learning the sport, and even experienced skiers and snowboarders will fall over as they push their abilities on new slopes. What is avoidable, though, is crashing into other hill users or having them crash into you. The worst accidents I’ve seen on the slopes have been caused by someone riding completely out of control — usually because they’ve put themselves on a higher level of ski run than they were ready for. To try to keep everyone safe on the mountain, the FIS – Fédération Internationale de Ski — has put together a set of skiing instructions that every mountain user should follow.

Related Videos
Skiing Snowboarding Lake Louise Ski Resort Canada
Veronica Kei

Have respect for others

Keep the age-old skiers vs snowboarders debate for lighthearted ribbing over that aprés ski beer. When you’re out on the slopes, you should be supportive and welcoming to every rider, regardless of their chosen sport, level, gear, or anything else. With a sport like skiing, which has an ingrained feeling of elitism — especially looking in from the outside — it’s especially important that we break the cycle and ensure that everyone feels welcome on the mountain. You can offer advice — where it’s wanted and warranted — to help people progress and stay safe, but try not to sound like a self-proclaimed expert when you do it; no one likes that guy.

Stay in control

No one really likes this guy, either. We all know that one of the biggest thrills in skiing and snowboarding is riding fast down the mountain, and at some point, we all need to push our abilities if we want to progress. But skiing out of control is dangerous and is one of the most common causes of an accident on the mountain. Stay in control and at a speed you can always stop if you need to. Remember that other skiers and snowboarders are unpredictable but that they think the same as you.

people skiing down the slopes at Afton Alps, Minnesota

Plan your route

On empty slopes, you get the freedom of putting in a turn wherever you feel like it, while on busier slopes, your route might be affected by other skiers. Have a plan in your head as you ski and do what you can to account for other skiers on the mountain. Remember that the downhill skier has the right of way, but that doesn’t mean you should suddenly veer across the groomer to stop at the edge — it’s still in your interest to avoid an accident.

DOUGBERRY/Getty Images

Overtaking

When you get more comfortable on the slopes, you’ll move faster than some skiers and snowboarders around you. This means you’re going to have to perform the dreaded overtake. As we said above, other skiers are unpredictable, especially if they’re startled by a sudden overtake. If you can, try to give them some warning by shouting that you’re passing them on whichever side — especially on narrower or less steep ski runs. In reality, they often won’t hear you, so you have to be sure to leave enough room for them to make any voluntary or involuntary turns. Be more cautious on beginner runs, and be respectful by not hurtling down green runs at top speed.

people on ski lift
Raymond Roig/Getty Images

Joining a run or moving uphill

Perhaps you’ve stopped for a moment to catch your breath, or your run joins with another one. Or maybe you’ve had a bail and lost a ski that you now need to retrieve. Always be aware that although you technically have the right of way as a downhill skier, this doesn’t fully relate to joining the run or restarting. Look uphill and find an appropriate space to set off safely. If you’re moving uphill, only do so at the side of the groomer.

Snowboarder Kneeling

Stopping

We all need a break on the hill or a moment to regroup with our ski buddies, but don’t do it in the middle of the groomer. Stopping suddenly in the middle of a slope is a surefire way to cause an accident, and if you stop on the far side of a blind rise — or worse, the landing of a jump — you’re going to have an angry skier or snowboarder crash into you without even knowing you were there. Make sure you can see all around you and be seen by skiers coming from whatever angle. If you’ve had a crash, get to the side of the slope as quickly as possible before putting your skis back on and setting off again.

Rossignol Skis

Moving on foot

If you have to walk at all, whether up or down the mountain, do so at the side of the slope and make sure you remain visible all the time. Try to avoid waving your skis around in a way that might catch a skier as they pass you.

Heed signs and markers

The mountain signs are there for a reason. The slow signs keep lift queues safe or prepare you for a narrow section or tight bend. And the snow on the far side of the ‘run closed’ sign might look enticing, but further down, it turns to rocks, and you have to walk back to the lift line. The mountain isn’t trying to catch you out, so stick to runs you’re ready for and follow all signage and markers on the mountain.

Assist other skiers

A little like respecting other skiers, if you see someone in difficulty, you should go and check that they’re okay. If they’re struggling, you can always offer advice — be prepared for them to say no, though, and respect it — but if they’re injured, then you are duty-bound to assist and call ski patrol. Stay warm, but stick around until ski patrol arrives and help out if needed.

Skis with bindings on snow..
Unsplash

Identification

Accidents happen, even among skiers and snowboarders who follow these rules. You must exchange information if you are involved in an accident or witness an accident. This is important for insurance details, but also, your witness statement can often help ski patrol and emergency services treat a casualty.

Editors' Recommendations

What’s still to come in the Snowboard World Cup? All dates and venues
High speed snowboarding, huge tricks, and podium places still up for grabs: Check out the FIS World Cup
Slopestyle course at olympics.

We're well over halfway through the Snowboarding World Cup season already, but if you've not managed to catch any of the events yet, don't panic, there's still plenty to come. The U.S. is currently leading the way in both men's and women's slopestyle and providing stiff competition in the boardercross — among other events. With so much still at stake, there has never been a better time to get into the Snowboarding World Cup.

The FIS — responsible, among other things, for skiing safety rules and regulations — put on a skiing and snowboarding world cup each season, bringing elite competitors from around the world together to compete for glory. Stages around the world host race events like giant slalom, parallel, and boardercross, alongside freestyle-oriented snowboarding competitions like halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air. Here's what's still to come this season and how you can catch all the action.

Read more
How to set up a snowboard: A beginner’s guide
There are tons of options when it comes to setting up your snowboard, so we're here to help you get it right
The best ski and snowboard racks secure and protect all your most precious winter gear.

Unless you're planning to ride a rental snowboard until the end of time — not always such a bad thing, by the way — you'll eventually be faced with a challenge. You'll have your swanky new snowboard in hand, and on the bench in front of you will be a box containing the new snowboard bindings you deliberated over for weeks. I'm imagining that at this point, you've got a whole bunch of snowboarding gear scattered around your house, too. But then what? Well, I'm afraid you've got to set up your ride.
Suddenly, you're presented with a load of options. Why are there so many holes on your snowboard to screw bindings into? Why do they now sit at a weird angle? Then there are all these optional extras: The stickers, the spikes, the pads, the leashes. Do you need all of that?
Well, you've come to the right place. We've got you covered. Put down the snowboard, back away from the bindings, grab a beer, and find out all you need to know about getting your snowboard set up and ready to hit the slopes.

Choosing the right board for you
While there is some truth in the idea that a good snowboarder can ride any board, it's undeniable that every snowboarder will have a better time on the right snowboard. Most snowboarders will benefit from an all-mountain board, which balances shape, size, and rocker or camber profile to ride groomers and a little off-piste.The ideal beginner snowboard will have a little flex to make it easier to learn your turns.

Read more
Keep your digits defrosted this winter with these gloves and mitts
Warm, waterproof, and worth every dollar, these gloves and mitts are great for a winter of skiing

Winter is in full swing, and if you're anything like me, you've probably almost worn through your first set of gloves already. Or perhaps you've discovered that the old faithfuls you've been storing in the loft are finally ready to be let out to pasture. Either way, it's time for a new set of gloves before you hit the slopes.

Let's face it, the only thing worse than cold hands when you're ripping around the mountain is cold wet hands. All the best snowboard gloves now feature heavy-duty waterproofing and dependable durability, or so the labels say. But how do you differentiate between a pair of gloves that will keep your hands cozy and keep you on the slopes and a pair that will spend all day hanging over a heater because you've already had to stop and buy a hot chocolate just to get some feeling back? Well, we've got some good news for you — you don't have to. That's because we've done it for you with these breathable, waterproof, and highly durable gloves and mitts.

Read more