Skier down!
An all-too-familiar site on the slopes.
Skiing and snowboarding and just being in the mountains in wintertime are risky activities.
The wilderness must be respected. Weather changes abruptly. Night comes on cruelly. Common sense is basic.
Extra clothes, a skiing partner, a cell phone, the new lightweight snowshoes are all good ideas. I personally don't like helmets.
I am convinced that after the first three days, snowboarding is safer than skiing. Two skis must remain parallel or they cross, sooner rather than later. Boards are shorter than skis and the torque or twisting force on the knees is less. And, once mastered, boarding is a whole lot easier. Sinfully easy. I'm 56 and expect to keep riding for a long time.
The real danger is the lure of the woods and the deep stuff.
People have died from hitting trees or suffocating in deep powder or, I suspect, just getting stuck way off the trail, too late in the day.
When learning to snowboard, keep your hands where you can see them, out front, and you will be less likely to dislocate a shoulder or break a wrist by instinctively reaching back to stop a fall. Upper body injuries are more common on a board whereas falling is usually harmless.
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