Skiing ABCs A

We start off with Skiing ABCs A, the first article in this series is going to cover terms beginning with the letter A. I have two in mind one is fun and the other is not fun, so we will start with not so fun one and end on a positive note!

Skiing ABCs A — AVALANCHE

A is for Avalanche Avalanches are a major mountain destructive force, wreaking havoc on people, vegetation, animals, and structures in their way. Every year we hear of a number of avalanches occurring that swallow up people (whether skiing, snowboarding, or engaging in some other mountain sports pursuit). Getting caught in an avalanche is a very dangerous situation and the resultant injuries range from trivial to the ultimate.

Avalanches occur in the conditions skiers like the best: when there are tons of new and soft fresh on the mountains. Avalanches also tend to occur more frequently on the sort of territory all avid skiers pine for – the black diamond runs.

When you go to the big mountains to ski please check out the latest local avalanche conditions. It is also a good idea to ask locals about the avalanche risk and another good idea is to look into taking a course on avalanche safety. If you are like me and reside in the Upper Midwest, know that Mt. Bohmeia hosts a level 1 avalanche class in March.

Yes, you may be staying in-bounds but the resort can not guarantee with 100% certainty there will be no avalanches in-bounds. Be not afraid, but be educated and prepared!

Have you had any experiences with avalanches or avalanche training?

Skiing ABCs A — Après Ski

A is for Après Ski.Après is the French word for after. After a hard day of skiing we like to celebrate the day often engaging in the consumption of drinks related to another A-word: alcohol. Often times ski resort taverns and barrooms are in full celebratory mood. Live music is played for the patrons and bigger ski villages have a range of choices ranging from quiet bars to lively night-clubs.

I am often happy Après Ski whether I had a good day of skiing or not, however, I prefer to retreat to the cabin and cook a good meal. I leave out the alcohol maybe having a quality beer or two. Having more than that means sleeping in late and missing some or all of the next day’s skiing.

How do you celebrate Après Ski?

Skiing ABCs A — A is for Anterior Cruciate Ligament

The anterior cruciate ligament is better known as the ACL and injuries to the ACL are common skiing injuries. This is the same injury common in many sports such as American football. What is the ACL? The ACL is a ligament that connects the femur to the tibia, it attaches to the front of the tibia crosses the joint and ties into the femur in the rear.

Vermont Ski Safety has studied ACL injuries and noticed common factors in play for many ACL injuries. They have come up a number of suggestions to decrease your risk of injuring your ACL while skiing. Some of the behaviors Vermont Ski Safety recommends against I observe while skiing on a regular basis.

The suggestions can be summed up as:

1. If you crash, do not attempt to get back up until you come to a complete stop
2. Keep your hips above your knees
3. Stay in a well balanced position over your skis
4. Read the entire article.

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