“Is skiing dangerous?”

This is a common question I get from adults, which makes sense because we all become more aware of life’s dangers as we get older. So, it’s a valid question, and a valuable one to answer in order to help adults ease into skiing without too much fear.

So, here’s the short answer:

Skiing is as dangerous as you make it.

This sounds like a cop out, but let me give my long answer before you judge me too harshly.

A huge portion, like 95%, of how dangerous skiing is directly depends on your decision making and how you ski. For most recreational skiers, skiing is less dangerous than driving a car. Much less.

This is because most casual skiers ski on prepared trails, and stay within their comfort zones in terms of speed and terrain. So, for most people, falls aren’t tremendously common once you’ve developed your skiing skills to an intermediate level or so. Then, when people do fall, they aren’t catastrophic crashes.

On the other hand, people who ski off trail, who ski at high speeds, and who often push the boundaries of their comfort zones experience more risk of falling and falling hard when they ski. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ski this way, because it’s fun and rewarding, but it does come with some additional danger.

So, then, there must be a happy medium in here somewhere, right? There is.

This is where your decision making comes in. Even incredibly skilled skiers can get themselves into trouble if they make bad decisions. There are times when it’s best to slow down or step back from a line.

These are the guidelines that help me make safe decisions when I ski:

1. Always do at least one warmup lap before you try anything crazy, or work on new techniques or tricks. It takes a minute to find your feet when you get on skis for the day. Falling and wrenching on cold muscles and joints increases your risk of injury.
2. Don’t ski something just because your friends are doing it. Yes, push yourself to improve, but peer pressure is a very bad way to make any decision. Focus on being a better skier than you were last time you skied, not a better skier than your friends.
3. Wearing a helmet is a good idea. However, if wearing a helmet makes you feel like taking more risks, or taking unnecessary risks, it may be better to leave it off. There’s research which shows that some people take more risks when they wear safety equipment. A helmet doesn’t make you invincible.
4. If you’re tired or worn out, don’t put yourself in difficult situations. Your head isn’t as clear, and your legs aren’t as strong. Stick to easier terrain when your energy levels are low.

I find that these guidelines work for skiers of any ability level. Remember that what’s “easy” and what’s “difficult” is different for every skier. Even though the sign might have something marked as an intermediate run, or your friends say a trail is easy, it’s up to you to assess the slopes based on what you’re capable of, and make the final call.

Skiing can be awesome fun and still safe, as long as you manage the risks.

So get out and make some turns at your own speed!