If you’ve spent any amount of time around here you know I’m a strong supporter of taking your family into new and risky environments. Especially ski resorts. YAY!

No matter how long you’ve been skiing you can always find a new and exciting adventure by visiting a new (to you) ski resort. Big, small… doesn’t really matter as long as it’s family friendly - bonus if you capture a good snowfall during your visit.

But, let’s be real… we know when we take our families on these fabulously fun ski vacations, we are also entering an inherently risky environment. Add to that, a risky environment that is brand new and full of unknowns and you’ve got a recipe for any parent to be tossing and turning from anxiety the night before. GUILTY!

I suggest you solve this dilemma the same way I always do… NOT by canceling that upcoming family ski vacation but, by empowering yourself and your family with some specific risk management skills.

Here are 6 TIPs for that Next family Vacation

tip #1:

Remember, there is no independent standard by which a ski run is rated. Each ski resort rates their runs themselves and the rating they give a run is relative ONLY to the other runs at their resort. They use their ratings as a language to communicate the easiest, more difficult and most difficult routes down their mountain. This means that all black diamonds ARE NOT created equal!

Take a stair-step approach when exploring a new resort. Always start on a green and work your way up to avoid getting in over your heads.

tip #2:

Have a separation plan. Sometimes kids will resist this one. They just don’t think they’ll ever get separated from the group but, mis-communication can happen and stormy weather comes with it’s own challenges for keeping a group together. Having a simple separation plan can calm everyone’s nerves if a split occurs. Think of safe spaces to wait/meet. Make your children aware of where the nearest staff is that could help.

Keep your plan fluid. You obviously don’t want your child to meet you at the base lodge if you get separated three chairs away, on the summit! Your plan may change every time you ski a new chair. Talk about it often.

Note: It is helpful, for young children, to carry a piece of paper with your name and number in their pocket. Even if your child has this information memorized, the stress of being separated from a parent or group can cause panic and fog the memory.

tip #3

Learn to side-slip. It’s the absolute best skill for getting any or all of you out of a sticky situation. End of story.

tip #4

Whatever ski resort you plan to visit take a minute to look up their Ski Patrol phone number and pre-program it into your families phones. I always recommend doing this BEFORE you leave home… I can’t tell you how many times my intentions were good but the excitement of the day swept me up the hill before a number even got looked up.

But, I’ve learned from experience that simply having this number ready to go will bring you peace of mind.

tip #5

Make sure everyone in your family carries a resort trail map. Familiarize yourselves with it before and during your adventures. Take turns picking a run or challenge yourselves in a relevant way (ie. let’s ski all the blue runs)… then mark the runs as you go.

This type of interaction with a trail map is just plain fun but it will also be very helpful if someone in your troop were to get lost.

tips #6

Familiarize your family with possible unfamiliar hazards. There is a definite difference between east and west coast ski environments and how fun is it to explore and ski it all! But, let’s not forget that new environments can expose us to UNFAMILIAR hazards. Think tree wells or foggy conditions. Make sure you are having conversations with your kids about what to expect and what is expected.

Want to check your knowledge so your family can brush up on their risk management skills? I highly recommend grabbing a copy of “RiSKI Business: Teaching Kids Ski Safety Through Risk Management”