A school ski trip is a fun and exciting experience for many a student and faculty member. Being on a slope, however, demands a certain code of conduct from all those involved. Good piste manners will not only win the favour of locals on the slopes, but will also help minimize accidents as well.
Here are some of the more important courtesies to remember while out on the slopes.
Regulate your speed
Showing off on the beginner slopes is not only in bad taste but is also extremely dangerous. Those who want to go at a faster pace need to look for the more advanced slopes, where others move fast as well. Excessive speeding is also a cause for the ski patrol to intervene, which is a very quick way to ruin the day for students on a school ski trip.
Don't cut into lines
Waiting behind a few dozen others at the lift may be boring but that is no excuse to muscle to the front of the line. Better to wait a few more minutes than figure into a shouting match and then get pulled away by the ski patrol for rowdy behaviour. This is definitely something no one wants to experience.
Be mindful of others inside the gondola
Behaviour inside enclosed spaces shared with others is always important. Excessively loud conversations are not a good idea and while it does not hurt to converse while on the trip up, but it is important students regulate their voices in order not to disturb the others inside the gondola.
Put some distance around beginners
Advanced and intermediate skiers need to put a few metres between themselves and beginners who may yet have to grasp the basics of the sport. This not only gives them the space to practice their manoeuvres, but also reduces the risk of both parties colliding into each other.
Run a few lessons prior to hitting the slopes
Even advanced sportspeople can make use of a few reminders and pointers on how to do it properly. It also helps to identify those on the school ski trip who have little or no experience. These individuals can be grouped together to make teaching a little bit easier for everyone involved.
Make sure there is enough space for overtaking
Those who plan to overtake on a slope can do so on the left or right of the person in front of them. It is, however, very important to do so while leaving enough distance for both parties to see each other and to manoeuvre accordingly.
If students keep these simple tips in mind, their school ski trip will be a much more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
Susan Joubert works for Ski Plan Travel, the market leaders in excursions for schools. Experts in arranging school ski trip itineraries, Ski Plan has over 14 years experience organising safe and successful tours. We arrange courses with an extensive range of resorts for the best student experience.
