MOUNTAIN SAFETY

1. As you approach the top terminal, prepare to raise the bar. Look for signs advising you to do so to help with your timing.
2. Be familiar with the type of lift you are riding, and ask for help if you need it.
3. Before loading, remove backpacks and secure loose items. Remove pole straps from wrists.
4. Look over your shoulder to watch the chair approach.
5. Sit all the way in the chair, with your back to the seat rest.
6. If the lift has a restraint bar, wait until everyone is seated, and slowly reach up and lower the bar. Do not attempt to lower the bar if you cannot reach it! Adults should always help kids to lower the bar.
7. Be aware of your surroundings while riding the lift. If you drop something, let it fall! You can always ask ski patrol for help retrieving the lost item.

To make your visit as safe and enjoyable as possible, we strongly suggest that you take the time to review the following 11 Kids-on-Lifts Safety Tips with your children before they take their first chairlift ride.

1. Your small child (defined as a child shorter than 51″ to the top of their helmet) may be assisted by the lift operator unless instructed differently by their parent or guardian.
2. A small child should not ride a chairlift alone.
3. A small child should sit to the far outside of the chair next to the armrest for added security.
4. A small child not seated next to an armrest should be accompanied by an adult.
5. When riding a fixed grip chairlift with your child (chairlifts that do not automatically slow down while loading and unloading), position them on the side next to the lift operator.
6. If your child uses ski poles they should take the straps off of their wrists and hold them in the hand away from the outside of the chair while loading.
7. Once they are ready they should quickly move from the Wait Here signs to the Load Board. They should remember “Boots on the board”.
8. As the chair approaches the load board your child should turn to the outside of the chair, reach back with their free hand, and grab on to the vertical pole.They should remember “Turn, reach, and grab.”
9. Your child should hold on to the vertical bar next to them all the way up the chairlift. They should remember “Hold on”.
10. Your child should sit all the way back in the chair with their back touching the back of the chair. They should remember “Sit all the way back”.
11. Your child should sit still until they reach the Unload Here signs. They should remember to “Sit still”.

Our qualified lift staff can assist with loading small children, guests of any age. Don’t hesitate to ask for lift assistance, if needed.

The use of infant carriers on lifts and while skiing or riding is strictly prohibited. Each rider on a lift must have their own equipment and ticket or pass, and know how to safely load and unload the lift.

1. Start Small
   • Work your way up. Build your skills.
   • If you are just getting into the park for the first time, or first time that day, start with small features and work your way up. If you aren’t sure about how to use a feature, build your skills first.
   • When starting out, look for small progression parks and 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.
     
2. Make a Plan
   • Every Feature. Every Time.
   • Every time 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 maneuver and landing.
     ATML
   • When first inspecting the jumps consider the following elements of each jump:
   • A – The approach zone is for 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.
     
3. Always Look
   • Before you drop. Before getting into freestyle terrain observe all signage and warnings.
   • Use your first run as a warm run and to familiarize yourself with the park layout and features
   • Remember that the features change constantly due to weather, usage and time of day so it is important to continue to inspect features throughout the day.
     
4. 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 of any closed features.
   • Remember that respect is important both in the park, and on 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.
     
5. 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 bag of 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.

While snow safety and avalanche mitigation efforts help reduce the risk of avalanches, avalanches and snow slides may occur at ski areas, both inside and outside of the posted boundaries. Avalanches are an inherent risk of the sport due to the nature of snow and its application on steep, mountainous terrain.

Become educated on how to reduce the risk of injury or death from avalanches through your own actions and awareness.

Ride with a partner and keep visual contact at all times. Visual contact means stopping and watching your partner descend at all times.

1. Avoid tree wells and hidden obstacles.
2. Remove ski pole straps in deep snow.
3. Carry personal avalance gear: transceiver, shovel, probe, and whistle.
4. If caught in a snow-immersion incident: stay calm, create air space, and call for help  (Ski Patrol: 530.543.3106)

While snow safety and avalanche mitigation efforts help reduce the risk of avalanches, avalanches and snow slides may occur at ski areas, both inside and outside of the posted boundaries. Avalanches are an inherent risk of the sport due to the nature of snow and its application on steep, mountainous terrain.

Become educated on how to reduce the risk of injury or death from avalanches through your own actions and awareness.

1. Ride with a partner and keep visual contact at all times. Visual contact means stopping and watching your partner descend at all times.
2. Avoid tree wells and hidden obstacles.
3. Remove ski pole straps in deep snow.
4. Carry personal avalance gear: transceiver, shovel, probe, and whistle.
5. If caught in a snow-immersion incident: stay calm, create air space, and call for help  (Ski Patrol: 530.543.3106)

Visit www.avalanche.org or contact Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski Patrol for further information on the risks and prevention of avalanche-related injuries or death.
* View avalanche conditions courtesy of  Sierra Avalanche Center. Click  HERE for more details. 

It’s extremely important to keep Snow Immersion Suffocation (SIS) safety at top of mind. Please ski/ride with a partner and be aware of potential SIS locations.

• Ride with a partner
• Avoid the base of trees when skiing and riding in deep snow
• If you are going to fall attempt to do so feet first
• The more snow, the higher the risk

A tree well/ Snow Immersion Suffocation (SIS) accident can happen when a skier or snowboarder falls into a tree well or area of deep loose snow and becomes immobilized and trapped under the snow and suffocates. Falling headfirst is the most common position SIS incidents occur.

• Breathing becomes difficult when trapped under snow as loose snow packs in around you. Without an immediate rescue you can suffocate.
• The easiest way to avoid an SIS incident is to ski or ride with a partner and use extra caution when deep, loose snow exists—especially where trees exist.
• Prevention of falling into a tree well or area of deep snow is extremely important, odds of surviving deep snow immersion are low.
• 90% of people involved in Tree Well/SIS hazard research experiments could NOT rescue themselves.
• If a partner is not there for immediate rescue, the skier or rider could die extremely quickly from suffocation—in many cases, the time corresponds to drowning in water.

About Tree Wells

• A tree well is a depression that forms around the base of a tree that contains a mix of low hanging branches, loose snow and air.
• Evergreen trees in particular (fir, hemlock, etc.) can have large, deep tree wells that form when low hanging branches block snow from filling in and consolidating around the base of the tree. These voids can be hidden from view by the tree’s low hanging branches.
• There is no easy way to identify if a particular tree has a dangerous tree well by sight therefore, treat all tree wells as dangerous.

Tree Well/ SIS Accidents Happen in Ungroomed Terrain

• Most Tree Well/SIS accidents happen where there is a combination of deep powder and trees, exactly where a vast majority of powder hounds want to ski/ride.
• Big storms make for epic powder days, but they also make for some extremely dangerous Tree Well/SIS conditions.
• The more fresh snow the higher the risk!
• Staying on groomed runs can greatly reduce the risk of an SIS incident.
• SKI OR RIDE WITH A PARTNER!

What to do if You Go Down

• Yell or use a whistle to get your partners attention.
• Do whatever you can to keep your head above the surface of the snow. Roll around, grab tree branches or the tree trunk, anything to keep from descending further.
• If possible, keep your feet below the level of your head.
• If you become immersed: Make a space around your face and protect your airway/stay calm/trust your partner is on their way.
• If possible, use your cell phone to call Sierra-at-Tahoe’s ski patrol: 530.543.3106

What to do if Your Partner Goes Down

• Don’t leave to get help – Stay with your partner!
• Call for additional resources. Use a whistle or yell for assistance. If possible, call 530.543.3106
• Evaluate scene safety for yourself.

Immediately Begin Snow Immersion Rescue Efforts

• Go directly for the airway, and make sure to keep it clear.
• Be careful not to knock more snow into the hole.
• Do not try to pull victim out the way they fell in. Instead, determine where the head is and tunnel in from the side.
• When tunneling directly for the airway be careful not to knock more snow into the hole.
• Continue expanding the tunnel to the airway until you can extricate the body.

Safety Measures for Ungroomed Terrain

• Use common sense and look after one another out there.
• Ride or ski with a partner and keep them IN SIGHT at all times.
• Ski or ride in control.
• Give tree wells a wide berth and look at the open spaces between the trees, not at them.
• Skiers should remove ski pole straps.

Not only do the Sierra Avalanche Dogs put smiles on countless faces, they also save lives. Sierra Avalanche Dogs Inc. is a 501 C-3 non-profit that was initiated in the 2011/12 ski season. The purpose of the fund is to help with the maintenance and training of the Avalanche Rescue Dog Teams at Sierra-At-Tahoe. Our Dog Teams are trained to a high level of competence, in both dog and handler, increasing the potential for live recovery of humans in the event of an avalanche incident. Our program is structured on the Switzerland Standards for Avalanche Rescue Dog Training. The dogs also provide avalanche awareness through education at local schools and public relations.

If you see one of the Sierra Avalanche Rescue Dogs working on the mountain, please give it space! The dog is likely doing a training drill. Getting too close to a dog on skis or a snowboard could accidentally harm the dog and end their season. Stop by a ski patrol station if you would like to say hi to an Avalanche Rescue Dog!